I have some news!

About a month ago I felt a shift. It was something that I was obedient to and in doing that I felt a shift in my trajectory in life and that some other things were going to start to happen and change.

I believe obedience is spiritual warfare and I have been saying for awhile that I want my life's movie line to be "say when". l I want to get to a point when God directs me to do something I obey, and so I am obeying in this as well.

Thank you so much to all of you who have stayed with me on this journey. You have been a blessing, and I hope you have found encouragement and hope in these episodes.

Please take a listen to my final message.

When we self-punish we for a small time feel better. So the next time we feel guilt and shame if we have not learned how to manage those emotions, or whatever emotion caused us to go into self-punishment we will go to what has made us feel better, even if just temporary, and that is more self-punishment. Discipline means education, instruction, cultivation and improvement, correction, subject to laws and rules. Punishment is pain or suffering inflicted on a person for a crime or offense. We need discipline to study, lose weight, to not eat too many donuts, to learn another language or new skill...

When I did something at work that I felt wasn't as good as someone else or wrong I felt bad. I felt bad, in some cases I felt shameful for not knowing or doing better, and others I felt guilt due to the impacts on others or a project. Of course my co-workers will helpful and supportive, but I felt I needed to receive some kind of chastising, penalty, or mental beating to help ease the guilt and shame I felt. I could not move past the error until I had received enough punishment. Well really, what is enough...
I can tell you for some things I did in my life I mentally self-punished myself for years! I also moved into a time when I would self-punish for the guilt of self-punishment. This was endless times with myself where I just battered the person I was, and like a circle there wasn't an end a way to get out, it was continues. If I might get past something there was something new to take its place.

I self-punished mostly due to guilt and shame, and how I self-punished could be different from someone else; however, the reasons are usually similar. Dealing with the reasons behind why we self-punish is important, and for me building and understanding my relationship with God really helped me. Learning who I was/am in Christ was a game changer for me. If you would like more information about who you are in Christ you can find more at this link.

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Curiosity is a place of neutral, where judgement takes a side. Curiosity expands knowledge and understanding. Judgement keeps us stagnant. When we stop coming or approaching already from a place of decision we can experience, we can grow, we can show kindness and love, we can effect change in ourselves and others.

Being curious can keep you from getting upset, from saying something or doing something you may later regret, from keeping you stuck in a negative self-image. Being curious can even help you find those missing keys or phone. Being curious can help you discovery a new place to eat. Being curious takes some work, and means you have to be willing to put aside self, and to move outside of a place of self-comfort. Being curious is also giving the benefit of the doubt.

I think we can be curious in all areas of our life. Even recording this episode I am being reminded of areas where I can really do much more to practice this in my own life! Listen to the full episode for more!

Support the podcast! Follow the podcast where you listen please. Give the podcast a five star rating and/or a written review (even better). Written reviews let's others know they can find encouragement here too.

Website: itripoverflatsurfaces.com
Instagram: @ITOFSPODCAST
Email: ITOFSPODCAST@itripoverflatsurfaces.com