HELP WANTED! Survey completion for dissertation. Psychological study on change.

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Rare Opportunity! Here is a chance to participate in a psychological study about change. Please click the following link and complete the survey, which will take about 30 minutes to complete. Also, please pass this opportunity on to others. Much appreciated.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QCJ6YNF
There are 147 total questions counting demographics which survey monkey identifies as taking 20 minutes. The survey is anonymous.  

This opportunity ends 12/20/2021 @ 12:01 AM

Milestone complete

For all who have been following me over the years and are aware of my journey, I did successfully complete my Doctor of Counseling Degree on May 6th, 2022. I will upload digital copy of my dissertation soon.

Musing on Hebrews 4:12—God’s word separating soul and spirit.

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Hebrews 4:12

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Context

It is important to understand what precedes and follows to the verse to aid in understanding. The preceding verses discuss disobedience to God by not responding to God. “Today if you hear is voice, do not harden your hearts.”  The writer emphasizes the importance of resting from work and the importance of rest as provided by God. 

The verses that follow Hebrews point out that nothing is hidden from God and that we have a high priest to intercede for us. 

 Based on this context, Hebrews 4:12 is a key statement that bridges from disobedience to God’s active mediation.

Exposition

The first part of the action found in this verse is the word of God. Without a lot of further exposition with what is in the Bible, we can break this down to what God says (direct revelation) what God revealed (written revelation), and what God did (word in flesh.) This is God revealing himself, his plans, his way, and his righteousness.

The next portion is living and active.  This points to God being engaged with continual communication. There is dynamics to what God reveals to us and His demonstration of His will. 

The verse then points to the intentions of God’s revelation of will. This is to ultimately separate what is soulish, to the area the communes with God, the spirit. If soul and spirit need separating to the deep core. This comes down to separating what is of self and what is of God. Our self can corrupt as such the thoughts and intentions need to be able to be sorted. The means of sorting is the word of God.  God will shows us what is out of line.

When written the dynamics of bone and marrow are not understood at that time, so the picture is that of what is deeper and hidden. However, we know that marrow feeds life and the picture become richer and more poignant. Within the spirit, when communing with God, we produce what comes from God. When our spirit is corrupted by self, what is produced is corrupted.

So we either allow God’s word to do is revealing within self, and as such are open to God’s rest, or we harden the heart and resist. God knows all and provides the ability to deal with all that is exposed through God’s word, allowing ultimately, experience of God’s rest.

Update from the path

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Time for an update with exploration of past, present, and future.

The Past

Last I typed on this blog, I had expanded my twitter following. However, though numbers following grew, my twitter presence has largely been reposting others thoughts and at some levels connected to politics and view of the world. However, original context or posts are largely ignored. So, I have not really facilitated real engagement, even when some is needed.

Since dealing with the grief of my mother’s death, there has been varied levels of stress and grief personally. The world was hit with the virus COVID-19. I got the virus last December and am now shaking some of the longer term side effects. My dad was critically ill.

The Present

I have been writing, but the writing is focused on writing and editing my dissertation for Doctor of Counseling degree. I really did not have much energy or motivation for other writing. Currently, I have submitted my first three chapters for the schools Internal Review Board. After that is reviewed, then the next phase kicks in. The phase will include a survey where I need as many to respond as possible. Hopefully that will occur soon. On side note, my wife and I are approved for licensing for foster care with looking for foster care adoption. Prayers appreciated on that front.

The Future

There is plans for writing, what that looks like I don’t know. The main focus is currently the dissertation. There is a semi-hard deadline of mid-February. After dissertation is completed, the prospects are multitude. The pursuit of adoption and caring for child(ren) that really need some loving help will shape part of what is to come.

Shaking out the dust and cobwebs

Click

Click clack

Click clack, click clack.

A soul reaches out of the silence.

Ebbs and flows as work, effort and growth engaged.

Yet, limited out flow.

New time, new day, new ways.

An approaching need from work engaged.

Hello…

Growth, Engagement and a lesson from Twitter

Today there is a need to share reflection. A milestone of sorts was passed today by crossing the 1000 followers on Twitter and reaching perhaps 2000 within 24 hours. As the 1000 follower milestone appeared in reach, yesterday began following many to get that number up, and then made a post with someone who encouraged supporting one another. The reaching out resulted in support from a couple people that resulted in exponential growth. This significance of this does not escape this writer. The past year God has been working growth within this writer. It was God’s theme for me and my wife for the past year. This twitter growth is certainly an evidence of what God can do. A certain principle is at work. Reach out, ask, and share. This is what one individual is responsible to do: engage and take steps. Others around you can respond or ignore, but there needs to be engagement. Growth occurs with response from others based on some level of trust. Sure there are marketing schemes and ways to engage in promotion and generation of numbers. And for this writer, there will come a time that is important. Yet, I know, at this time, there is a need to engage. My engagement currently has 3 elements which will touch on briefly.

The past: I reviewed my opening blog post: https://peacebringer7.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/the-beginning-finally/. There were many thoughts and elements going on 11 years ago with active writing stopping 6 years ago. God had used this voice to work through varied thoughts and ideas with the apex being this article: https://peacebringer7.wordpress.com/2010/04/24/seven-spiritual-principles-for-transcending-suffering/. The most views came around an actual back and forth around an author of another blog and stepping into thoughts on the whole ordeal. Many lessons were learned from 2008 to 2013. Then the blog went silent, due in part to feeling there was repetition. Also during that time I had started a website and forum that since closed down as the time and purpose closed. The truth is, the engagement stopped, and the world changed with my voice offering little in the midst.

The present: I feel led to really engage in writing again, but have not followed through. The growth on Twitter promoted this article. This year that focused on growth actually brought much death. My mother died, a precious canine servant of God died, and many others as well. There is a current and active writing challenge of working on a dissertation to complete a Doctor of Counseling degree. Globally, in the culture, there is much going on, yet much is not clear and in a fog as things anticipated do not occur and no sense of when breaks will occur. In all this, God is in control and does have evil on a leash. As such, growth occurs with endings and beginnings while completing a major task that takes much and goes slow. However, to move and grow, there needs to be engagement and action.

The future: I know will involve writing, and writing at a point with product to sell. So I need engage. I know God’s next theme for my life is clarity, and clarity that is connected in some way to deep hunger. Right now, I have ideas and a direction, but ultimately looking to God to lead, guide, and sustain. Ultimately, God will have his way, and many things are ahead. But the key is to engage.

Another re-emergence and update

Hello again.
While anticipating growth in the year, it has been hard. Growth does involved challenges. The biggest challenges were the death of my mother and the death of a dear dog, Bella, shortly thereafter. Other deaths of family friends and family have occurred. There has been much loos. It is all unpleasant. Death by nature is an end, it hurts, it is hard, and leaves and enduring hole. When there is end, there is and beginning which by nature brings uncertainty. Moving forward occurs one step at time, preparing and taking steps as they play out. The key is to keep finding a way to move forward and progress each day, including periods of rest.

Update from the depths of silence

Hello strangers, at least that should be what it seems like.  I am not promising resurrection of this blog site by showing up and writing. I have been there and done that with the best of intentions. Rather, I just need to write given where I am in life.

When I stopped writing for this blog several years ago now, I felt my last articles were repeating things I said before, so I let this slide.  I am now graduating into a new place in life and it is scary.  I do have things to say, stories to tell, words to give voice. Yet, honestly, I have a major project to complete this year, a doctoral dissertation for a Doctor of Counseling degree program. So I will be writing, but not personal or reflective or any other such element.

This year I anticipate God will be moving to build upon what he established in me. I see the coming year ahead to be one of growth.  Yet, as I write this, I know my mother lies dying. I hate this fact.  I hate seeing the look of death, it is horrid. Much different than the look of life I have observed in women about to give birth, a look where life is brimming and expansive. No, the look of death is the withdrawal of life, and awful constriction and fading of the spirit. My mother is soon to shed the mortal coil. She will not get to witness, in this life, the growth that is to come, with the hopes and dreams and accomplishments yet to occur.  She will not be physically there. Yet, she played a large role in the man I am today and the people I reach out to help. But today, I grieve. In that grief, I have come speaking out of the nether regions of silence that this place has become. I have no idea who will read this, friends, families, strangers. Yet, know God has his perfect timing in all these things. I am facing a time of mourning. A time to weep as my mother faces her time to die. I have no words to ponder or reflect on as I face this pain.  I am essentially giving voice into the expanse pronouncing my pain and grief. My mom is dying and it hurts!

Tune in for discussion on Friendship

I have an opportunity to join Parker J. Cole’s internet radio broadcast tomorrow.  We will be having a range of discussion on non-familial relationships. We will examine various aspects of friendship and healthy relationship. If you wonder what I sound like or care to tune in for a discussion on the topic please join us at: Parker J. Cole: Friends and Others at 1:00 PM central time.

 

On Pressing Forward in 2016

 

We have moved into a New Year. It is a time when many evaluate their goals and make plans for change and moving forward for the year ahead. Time also is spent examining the impact and results of the past year.  Personally, 2015 was a year of many trials and difficulties. None of the trials have been devastating or severe but they have been persistent and draining. Some of them have been sudden and came with unexpected costs. My wife and I do have goals and desires for what is ahead but at times it gets overwhelming.  Since we have directions we are moving toward, my mind has been reflecting on moving forward and forging ahead.

As we moved on into the New Year, the Bible passage of Philippians 3: 13-14 has been on my mind. The passage reads: Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (ESV) There are three elements that are central to this passage that are worth reflecting on: the past, pressing forward, and the goal.  It is worth noting that the attitude described in this passage is referred to as the way mature people should think (Philippians 3:15.)

The first thought is about the past. The passage directs to forget about the past, to let it have no power or sway. In the verses preceding the passage, Paul, referenced all the thing in his past that were considered of value. He essentially says, what he did in the past is irrelevant to moving forward in his life as He follows God. The passage really does not mean we are not to address issues in our past and learn from the past. It is really about not holding on to that which is past, that in present moment, we are to be about what God has us doing.  We are not to keep mind focused on what has already occurred, but to engage in that which brings forward movement.  It is worth noting, that within scripture God often has called people to remember what he has done and set up places of remembrance. Even names of Cities and people are markers of things to recall. So, Paul is not suggesting a total avoidance of things in the past; good or bad. Rather, a focus off of the elements of self, as the good and bad of the past can easily become a center of focus and interfere with moving ahead.  We are to be about what God has called us to doing and to press forward.

The other element worth reflecting is to be pressing forward. It is moving ahead. It is imagery used in connection to running a race or engaging in a contest. Pressing forward is about persevering to completion with what you were called to do.  Pressing forward means facing difficulties as the come and dealing with them. It is about focus on the goal. As long as we are in this body and living this life, we are moving forward.  In my mind, whatever point we are in life, we are growing in some manner. Each day is the next day for the next step for moving ahead and facing obstacles.

The ultimate point though is the element of the goal. We are pressing forward, not related to our own self-directed goals or felt desire. No, we are pressing forward in what God has called us to, that which He has set forward. And what God has called us to, is found in Philippians 3: 8-10. It is what Paul referred to as gaining Christ. Our pressing forward depends on faith which allows for knowing God in all His persons and experience what God is able to bring alive even in the midst of great difficulties.  It is looking beyond any circumstances and pressing on in such away as we demonstrate that what happens as we press on is but temporary. We are citizens of heaven as seen in Philippians 3:20.  The call is doing what God has before us. It is making disciples. It is loving others. It is persisting through obstacles. It is focusing on God.  This is why it is a mark of maturity, for it is getting beyond self and living and serving as you are going in the course of your life.

So, take time to think about where God has you and what pressing forward in 2016 means? Is there things that are holding back? Are there good and bad things that deter from moving forward? Are your desires on things of self, or on God’s higher call?   Where is God moving in your life and what are the current areas where you are growing?  Ultimately, reflect on where God has you going and what steps you take to move forward while remembering that God is God and He is there with you as you press forward and forge ahead in 2016.