Post-Christmas Encouragement

Christmas can be full of so much joy and deep sorrow at the same time. For some, there is a loved one missing from their family celebration this year. The pain is real. For others, illness has placed a severe damper on what would have been a wonderful time. I know some who abruptly had to change plans due to someone testing positive for COVID. Many are struggling with being alone, disappointed, or in emotional pain.

How do we navigate the holidays when we’re not feeling like we’re 'supposed' to feel?

Let’s look at a prophetic verse in Isaiah 9:6-7 for encouragement:

"For to us, a child is born, To us, a son is given. And the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah described this newborn baby we celebrated just a few days ago as “all grown up.” He would be a government rule, and the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Isaiah had been speaking to a discouraged Jewish community that was hoping for a way out of their darkness and gloom and doom. (Isaiah 8:22)  

As you consider your own personal challenges, take a moment and reflect on these names of Jesus.

Wonderful- Jesus is beyond wonderful and able “to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20) What feels too big in your life today? Would you believe Jesus can do anything? Persevere in prayer. Believe in God for big things in your life. Trust Him for what you don’t see today.

Counselor- Where do you need guidance? What are you unsure about? Where do you need wisdom? Jesus is your Counselor. Run to Him!

Mighty God- Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.”  We all have times when we want to just take over and fix things. But we can’t. God can. Let Him. 

Everlasting Father- He is our Father forever! The Messiah will be a father, and His fatherhood will have no end. Where do you need protection? How do you need Jesus to provide for you?  

Prince of Peace- What hardships do you face today? What do you fear? We can ask for peace that comes from the love of God. It has nothing to do with our own strength or abilities or our circumstances. Jesus is peace. When we know Jesus as our Savior, He brings a peace that passes all understanding.

As we draw near to a new year, draw near to the One who freely gives so many blessings and life.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio

O Holy Night

Spiritual Vitamin: "O holy night, the stars are brightly shining, it is the night of our dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world, in sin and error pining, Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees, o hear the angel voices. O night divine, O night, when Christ was born." (Adolphe Adam, 1847)

Reflect: Consider the words of 'O Holy Night.' What do you think it means to "fall on your knees?" Consider the Christmas story. Engage in what it must have been like to many years ago to hear the angel voices and see the baby Jesus. He is worthy of our worship!

No Room

We all know what it feels like to feel unwelcome or not wanted. It’s not easy moving towards people when you sense they’re moving away. I would suggest that most of us have felt this feeling at one time or another.

God made us relational people. We hurt when we feel rejected, ignored, or unwelcome. The feeling comes in various shapes and sizes. If we don’t reach out for God’s help, we will do what comes naturally, and treat the other person with the same exact response. 

Jesus came to the earth to show a different way. We don’t have to judge others. We don’t have to reject others. We don’t have to distance ourselves from others. Let's turn to the Christmas story and consider what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph to be turned away:

“She (Mary) wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no room available for them.” Luke 2:4-7

I’ve wondered umpteen times what it must have been like for Mary, nine months pregnant, riding a donkey all night long. (I remember riding in the mountains of Colorado ten hours in one day and pretty near couldn’t walk afterward!) To top that off, Mary and Joseph found only a stable for her birthing room! Can you imagine giving it your all, for such a long trek only to be turned away? No room at the inn. Unwelcomed. Unwanted. Dismissed.

Yet, all at once, they found just the place! The place that most would never even consider as a birthing room. A place that seemed quite humble and yet smelly and dirty. Yet, it was the exact place where Mary would give birth to Jesus, the Messiah. God was right there with Mary and Joseph in their aloneness. He had a plan all along!

Jesus came to make room for us. He wants a relationship with each one of us. Some welcome Him in. Others do the exact thing we do to others. We ignore, hide, or are just plain act indifferent toward the Messiah.

Will you make room for Jesus in your heart today? Not just today, but every day. Give Him your distracted heart. Welcome him into all the stress, the chaos, the brokenness, doubt, and anger. He will run toward you with open arms.

Give Him your hopes and fears.

Give Him your pains and hurts.

Give Him those moments when rejection stings.

Jesus will make all things new. I’m so grateful Jesus made room for us in His heart.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Hopes and Fears

A two-hour dentist appointment isn’t the most exciting way to start the day. It didn’t take long for that dreaded sound of the drill to begin. Just for my curiosity, I learned that this fancy drill can reach between 90 to 100 decibels. Who doesn’t dread that sound?

It wasn’t too much later during my ordeal that Simba ambled up toward my chair. Simba is a service dog for a staff member at my dentist's office. This beautiful curly hair Golden Retriever was just what a hate-going-to-the dentist-gal needed! My anxiety seemed to melt away as I pet Simba. Simba’s presence got me through the uncomfortable procedure.

I think about all those people in the Christmas story. They had fears as well! The song “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is a song near and dear to my heart. Philips Brooks’ hymn reminds me of two realities with one simple answer. “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee….”

All of us have experienced fears, especially in the last few years. Fears of loss, fears of not having enough, fear of being enough, and fear of “If only” or “What if?” Where are our hopes and fears met? They are met in God.

So often, we “hope” for things to change, and THEN things will be ok. Things will be ok when my prayers get answered the way I want. Things will be ok when I get the job I want. Things will be ok when people change. Things will be ok when the medical issue is healed. Consider these verses:

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.” Isaiah 41:10

What are your deepest hopes? What are your greatest fears? I went into the dentist almost ready to become anxious because that’s so easy to do! Yet, my God was so good to remind me that I do not have to fear. My hope is in Him! He will see me through and be there right beside me, holding me close because I’m His child, just like all of us. Simba was that beautiful reminder that I am never alone in my fears.

This Christmas, consider the nearness of our God came to this earth in the form of a baby Jesus. Ponder the words of the song “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” May God rest your fears and give you His great hope this Christmas. He is near.

“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by; yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and, gathered all above, while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond’ring love. O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the King and peace to all the earth.

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv’n! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav’n. No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descent to us, we pray, cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Immanuel.” Philips Brooks, 1868)

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Bandwagon Fan

I guess I’m a bandwagon fan now. A bandwagon fan is defined as a sports fan who has shown no past loyalty to a team, and who only supports them when they are doing well. While people may not admit to being a bandwagon fan, there are ways to spot them. Today, I’m declaring I’m now a UTSA fan. I have now been spotted.

Friday night’s game was so exciting! I heard from fans attending that it was hard to hear anything when Western Kentucky had the ball. The crowd was out of control, in a good way of course. The Cinderella story of the University of Texas at San Antonio team is something most weren’t expecting. As a bandwagoner, I didn’t even think much about UTSA until recently. 

But they’re a force to be reckoned with. A record-breaking year. Smashing school records.  As the season has progressed, more and more attention and interest have been placed on this local team, not named the Spurs. Yes, I’m now a “Birds Up!” gal!

We go with winners, don’t we? So, why in the world would people be drawn to Jesus?

In Isaiah 53:1-3: “He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” 

This is the One we celebrate this Christmas. This same One who was described in such fashion would probably not be cheered at a sporting event. This One was not born in a fancy hospital but a stable. This One who was not welcomed by many would soon be seen in a new light:

“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

In a time of great darkness, God promised to send a light that would shine brightly. This message of hope was fulfilled in the birth of Christ. He came to deliver all people from their slavery to sin.

Why in the world would people be drawn to Jesus? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) This is what the Christmas season is all about. Jesus is love and worth worshipping and celebrating now…and forever.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Holidays and Hope

It seems that holidays have a way of bringing to the surface the reality that our life is not as perfect as we’d like it to be. Did you know that more people get discouraged and depressed at the holidays than at any other time of the year?

When you think of the holiday season, what brings a sense of sadness to you? A loss of a significant friendship or relationship? A loss of a loved one? The effects of COVID on your life and work? Dealing with a health crisis?

We can look at social media and sometimes our lives can feel as if they come up on the short end of the stick. We compare ourselves with others and can feel that God has forgotten us! Those hidden hurts, pains, and losses can really affect our holiday joy. Here are a few thoughts to consider as you approach this season:

God is our hope, no matter how hard the holiday is. I remember a few years ago, we had to put our precious dog Zoe down the day after Christmas. That Christmas was just a very tough day as the clock ticked on. Oh, how we dreaded that next day. As we wept and cried, we struggled to pray. But, we prayed. We pleaded with God to help see us through. No, it wasn’t easy. It was devastating. We had to cling to the truth that we had a loving Savior whose plan is perfect, even though we didn’t understand.

God fills the gap, no matter what it is. As you glance at social media, life can look super perfect for some and not for others. We can quietly come up with the conclusion that so and so has a better life. More money. More family. Better job. Better home. Wow…. Do you realize how deadly this can be? As much as we long for life to be different, God gives us the capacity to be content in our current situation. Paul in Philippians 4:11-12 states “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content… I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance, and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” God uses our challenging situations to teach us contentment. As we learn to trust God for the gap in our lives, we learn contentment, just like Paul did! God fills our gap with Himself!

God wants our hearts this Christmas, no matter what else tugs at them. Consider Mary, the mother of Jesus. A young teenager, engaged, but not married to a man named Joseph. Then one day, the angel Gabriel greeted her, told her that she was highly favored and that she would deliver the Christ-child. Mary gave up her dreams of marrying Joseph, her great reputation, and living a simple life for obeying God. Instead of questioning God, she responded “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) I want that kind of faith. Faith that says “Yes, Lord, whatever You want for me, I will do.” Faith that keeps my mind focused on Jesus, studying His Word, and seeking Him in prayer. Why? Because I know He wants my heart this Christmas. Jesus wants all of me this Christmas and that’s what I want to give Him.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio. 

Grumbles, Gravy and Gratitude

I love Thanksgiving for so many reasons! I’m a pretty big fan of the Thanksgiving fare unless the leftovers drag on past two days. After that, done with Thanksgiving. But I don’t want to be done with thanksgiving! I want to have an attitude of gratitude throughout the year.

I would like to get through this Thanksgiving without allowing grumbling. I can grumble about the goofiest of things…long lines at the grocery, busyness, being cut off in traffic or when the gravy doesn’t look like gravy!! You know, all those things that could go wrong with the Thanksgiving meal…too dark, too light, too salty, too done, and too much. Yep, those of us cooking know what I’m talking about. Even cooking can foster a grumble here or there!

Grumbling usually happens for me when what I expect doesn’t turn out the way I expect. We expect one thing to happen, and we get the opposite. And it’s hard not to let everyone know exactly how we feel about that! Not happy.

Grumbling really is about as opposite of gratitude as you can get.  Instead of thanking God for all the amazing gifts, He gives us, we are basically telling God “What You’re doing isn’t enough for me…”.  This attitude and spirit can not only affect our own individual hearts but affect those around us. If you have kids, kids can pick up on adult grumbles and imitate!

What would it look like if you modeled a thankful life? Not just this week, but continually? No more grumbling with our words. No more eye rolls. No more allowing irritations to get the best (worst) of you. No more heavy sighs. Look at your own “go-to” actions when it comes to grumbling. When do you do it? What do you say? How does your heart feel when you engage in grumbling? Stop and consider a better way.

Why not make the holidays a time to engage in spending time with God? When I write in my prayer journal, one thing I try to do is thank God each day for certain things in my life, often the difficult things. When I turn my attitude to a spirit of gratitude and consider what God has done for me, things change in my spirit. I don’t think being grateful is easy. I think it must be learned. We learn by practicing gratitude. Every day, we have an opportunity!

Let gratitude be a part of your day today and each day moving forward. Notice how different you feel. Notice how different others feel around you. Don’t let your grumbles steal your gratitude this Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving!

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Do Worries Come True?

Perhaps you’ve been around long enough to realize that many of the things you worry about don’t come true.

A study done at Penn State University had participants write down their specific worries for ten days whenever they noticed they were worrying. (These participants had generalized anxiety disorder and problems with uncontrollable worry, sleep, concentration.) They were reminded four times a day to record any worries they had had in the past two hours to make sure their worries were being captured in the data. The study participants then reviewed their list of worries every evening over the next 30 days to see if their worries came true. What was the result? 91 percent of the worries were false alarms. The remaining 9 percent of worries that did come true, the outcome was better than expected. For one in four participants, exactly zero of their worries materialized. (Seth J. Gillihan, PhD, How Often Do Your Worries Actually Come True, 2019)

Paul in Philippians 4:6-7 gives a foundational plan for worry: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” It seems I can know this verse intellectually, and at the same time, miss exactly what God calls me to do. Don’t be anxious. Give thanks. Give my needs to God. God will give me amazing peace. God will guard my heart and mind. Sometimes, we can know the right things to do, but still, fail to practice them.

How can I, knowing God, live my life free from anxiety and worry? Because God can be trusted. If I allow myself to be dragged away into my worst and darkest imaginations of the future, I will most surely face these worst-case scenarios alone. Why? God is not present in what does not exist. He gives us our daily bread for TODAY. He gives us His abundant grace for TODAY. 

When I start my day reading Scripture and praying, it truly helps me partner with God throughout the day. I want to live my entire life in the presence of God, not worrying about the future, but asking Him to guide me in the present. When I ask Him, He does help!

Take a moment today and recall how God has met you in the past. Consider what He’s done and how His promises are true. Pray that God will help You live in the here and now. Give your requests to Him. And don’t forget to thank Him. Gratitude changes everything!

Do your worries come true? Why waste all this time on worry when most of our worries don’t really materialize?

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

My Mess

Courtside at the Spurs game and what do I do? Spill my drink on the floor.  Not just a little bit, but a lot. It seems that I’m ditzy at the worst possible moments. Reinforcements were called in and soon, a towel lady was there to wipe up my mess. Really, Nancy?

The truth is I not only make mistakes on a regular basis, but I’m pretty good at sinning. It comes naturally. I don’t like it, but it’s a part of my human nature. What I notice most about my mistakes is this: I want to cover them up. I want to hide them. I want to act like it didn’t happen. I want to blame it on someone else.

We prefer to live with the false confidence that we’re basically good people who occasionally have a “spill” here and there. In other words, we all sin, but we do our best to cover it up and can literally live our lives this way. If we believe that, we’re failing to deal with the issue of sin that lurks within each of our hearts.

Perhaps we measure ourselves by the wrong standard? Oh, I don’t have as many spills as that person does! But, if I compare my goodness with others, that standard won’t work. It’s the wrong standard! Maybe I’ll feel good for a moment, but being better than so and so isn’t really a meaningful standard. Also, I'm bound to find someone who's way better than me! Again, not a good standard. 

God’s standard is different; God IS the standard and He is perfect. God is righteous. No matter how much human righteousness we have, it cannot meet the standard God gives. We can’t even measure up to our own standards! There is not one person on the face of the earth that is righteous, not one, the Bible states. (Romans 3:10) So, what do we do?

Coming to grips with that I’m ALWAYS going to sin is quite freeing. God’s standard is to be as good as God himself. None of us can reach that outside of Jesus! God sent Jesus to this earth and ultimately to the cross to deal with our sin problem. For me, understanding my own sin problem helps me jump for joy for God’s grace! I don’t HAVE to try to earn God’s favor through my own meager efforts. Because of God’s grace, He changes my desires to want what He desires and to love what He loves.

Do I still mess up? Every day. Yet, God is there, so patient and so loving to help pick me up and remind me that I’m clean before Him. The more I realize I can’t please God on my own, it drives me to need God more and more. There’s an added benefit. Rick Warren says it so well: “The love of Jesus Christ covers your sins, and it also gives you the power to let other people off the hook. You’ve been forgiven and you can forgive others.” We not only experience the gift of God’s grace, but we extend grace to others. Who doesn't need a bit of grace these days?

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Mercy

So, Chara, our doggie, surprisedly passed her Canine Good Citizen Test recently and now will be a Canine for Christ! Ben and I didn’t have 100% confidence that she could pass. I texted my husband from the test site saying that Chara was being an absolute toad. Maybe it was the full moon? Maybe not.

Ben was shocked when we came home, and I presented him Chara’s blue ribbon. He asked if she received a “mercy pass.” Thankfully, it was for real.

What is the meaning of mercy? Mercy is a gift given to someone who is suffering by someone acting with compassion. “According to the dictionary, mercy is a noun. It’s an event to be grateful for. It’s the compassion or forgiveness shown to someone. It is a noun in action.” (Compassion, Defining and Understanding the Meaning of Mercy)

Throughout the Bible, we see how mercy relates to forgiveness or withholding punishment. Where did mercy come from? Of course, God! God the Father showed his mercy on us when he sacrificed His son, Jesus, on the cross to pay for our sins.

God is merciful and shows mercy, and we can follow! Mercy is subtle but you know it when you receive it. Let’s say you’re at a restaurant and received a bad version of a meal. Our natural tendency might be to go to the waiter or manager and let them know in a not-so-nice way how your meal came up short. If you showed mercy, you might not complain at all or you would be super kind and forgiving as you spoke to the manager.

You might show mercy by serving in a homeless shelter, giving finances to help children in need, or working alongside those who have been trafficked or abused. Showing God’s mercy gets us out of ourselves, our ruts, and our focus on ourselves.

Who is our model? Look to the Gospels and notice how Jesus showed mercy by choosing to love rather than condemn. Wouldn’t this world be such a better place if we’d refrain from condemning or judging others? Over and over Jesus showed compassion and mercy to those who offended and wronged Him.  Mercy triumphs over judgment. Jesus modeled that.

How can you show mercy to others? 1. Be patient with people’s quirks. We all have them! 2. Give people a second chance…we need second chances too! 3. Do good to those who hurt you. Love them. Pray for them. 4. Value relationships over rules. Loosen up on your judgments. 5. Forgive, forgive, forgive!  Would others see you as a man or woman who shows mercy?

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Tweet of the Day

My social media of choice is Twitter. I love following sports, interesting people, and just strange information I would find nowhere else. Last night, I came upon what I’ll call the tweet of the day.

Tweet of the Day: Describe what you do for a living, but make it sound scary.

The responses were hilarious to read! Here were a few:

“I’m a stay-at-home mom.”

“I like going into hospitals so I can introduce strangers to babies, and I don’t even try to intervene when the strangers leave with the babies. I let them walk right past security and I never say a word.”

“I meet in a closed-door council to pass judgment on others. Then we publish our opinions on the internet.”

“I count to three or four whilst flailing my arms threateningly at large groups of people who in turn breathe and then shout loudly in response.”

“I spell out letters to a Village People song over and over, while caring for others who do the same thing.”

“I know where you live. I could show up at any time. You might get an alert; you may even see me on camera. But I am so quick you might wonder if I even came by. No matter what… I am sure I’ll come back by.”

Hopefully, you guessed these professions most of these. I had to wonder about God’s work? What do you think He does every day? Do you really know? Have you considered who He is and why He’s important?

Exodus 34:6-7a says “And He (The Lord), passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin.”

God used these words to describe himself in the Old Testament. God’s declaration of describing himself is beautiful! It means that I can run to God 24/7 and never have to run away from God. God is basically saying “This is who I Am. “I’m compassionate. I’m loving. I’m gracious. I’m slow to anger. I’m faithful. I’m forgiving.”

Do you believe that God is that personal, that loving and that forgiving?  Have you misunderstood who God is? 

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Follow Me

So, this past week I tried a new type of exercise, Pilates Reformer. It was a strange contraption, that uses all sorts of pulleys, weights, springs for resistance to achieve proper muscle length and strength. I would grade my first week as a C, for clutz.

My teacher, Tricia, had lots of patience with me. I couldn’t quite understand all the terminology of everything, and she would kindly show me what’s what. Tricia would be telling us to do to pull this way and I would be pulling that way. She would then walk over and help point me back in the right direction.

I’ve been thinking this week about how hard it was to follow my leader when everything was so new to me. It helped to watch the person next to me, but I still needed to be told, directed, guided and helped in this new type of exercise. But, following Tricia was very important so I could get the most out of this exercise class!

This week, I was studying in my bible the story of Jesus as He walked along the Sea of Galilee. He saw Peter and Andrew two fishermen who were busy fishing and casting their nets. In Matthew 4:19 Jesus said, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And do you know what? Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus! It’s amazing how they left at once and followed Jesus. They made no excuses about why they needed to stay and fish. They left their jobs and went immediately.

When you follow someone, you go where they go. You follow their lead. You surrender control of your own agenda and follow. It made me think of my journey with Christ.

Following Jesus might seem like getting on that Pilates Reformer and not understanding what it all means or what it looks like. I remember those days well as a new Christian. Yet, as time goes on, I get that it’s a lot like that exercise class. Where the teacher leads, I will follow. Jesus is worth following!

Following Jesus is not just about going to church on Sunday or acting a certain way. Following Jesus means you will go where He leads and let Him take care of leading you. You choose to live your life for Him. You trust Him and see that Proverbs 3:5-6 is truly a way of living. You pray because you need constant communication with the One who loves you most. You trust Him to lead you because you can’t imagine what it would be like to live without Him. You entrust your life, your family, your job, your relationships to Jesus because you know He’ll carry You. Following is everything!

Jesus’ call to “follow me” to Peter and Andrew is still true today. He still calls people to come and follow Him. How will you respond?

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Mental Health Check-Up

There’s not one of us who hasn’t been affected somehow, someway by the pandemic. Fear, loneliness, frustration, grief, or anxiety are just a few of the wide range of emotions that we’ve experienced throughout the pandemic. We’re weary of bad news upon bad news and ready for life to return as “normal.” How do we tackle our own mental health?

October 10 was World Mental Health Day, an international day for global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy again social stigma. You could have easily bypassed this day without one thought about it!  Or you could take a serious look at your own life, realizing that ALL of us periodically need a mental health checkup. Here are a few great reality check questions that you could consider today and every day for you: (Questions from the article: How to Check-in On Your Mental Health:5 Questions to Ask Yourself Every Day)

1. How am I feeling today? One way I check-in is through a prayer journal, where I write down personal prayer needs I have about those things that stress me out or bring anxiety. Ask yourself questions like: What brings me anxiety? Am I stressed out? If so, why? Am I sad today? If so, why? I invite God into those questions. Why? Because He cares more about my mental health than I do! He created me and knows me intimately, so it’s good to get his advice too!

2. What’s been worrying me lately? It seems there are always enough things to be worried about, but can you pinpoint what seems to occupy your mind most? COVID has brought a lot of fears of “What if? and “What about?” We worry about family members or ourselves getting COVID. Sometimes, we need to consider what brings on the worry. Is it too much social media? Listening to the news? Lack of good sleep? Fear of getting sick? Identify those things that bring on stress. God loves when we bring these things, one by one, to Him in prayer. In fact, He knew that we would be people that get anxious. In Philippians 4:6-7 it says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

3. Am I providing my body with its basic needs? Why is it so easy to take care of others’ needs before ourselves? We tend to do that, don’t we? But gotta remember the basics: eating right, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest. Sometimes not doing these things is a sign of a mental health concern like depression.

4. What am I doing to bring myself joy? Why do we struggle giving ourselves the gifts that we need to bring joy? Years ago, Tim Hansel wrote a book entitled “When I Relax I Feel Guilty.” That title! So many people feel this way! They can't relax or enjoy themselves and when they do, they feel guilty! Yet, it’s so important to incorporate joy into your life and do those things you love. Maybe a Sunday nap? A day off to fish? Watching a funny movie? Spending time with your animals? Making a new recipe? Organizing a family outing? Your joy matters. Do what you love!

5. Who do I have in my corner? Do you have people in your life that you can be free to share yourself? Confidentiality is key! Whether it’s a friend, family member, faith leader, or someone else, make sure you have someone who really listens to you, asks questions, cares, and prays with and for you. Support groups are also a great way to connect with other people who are going through similar struggles. Sometimes, in our mental health struggles, we can feel alone, but we are never alone. God provides us with good people and God provides Himself. God cares about the details of your life, every day, every moment. He can and will help you through! 

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

God's Presence

Spiritual Vitamin: "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward, you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:23-25

Reflect: God's presence is constantly with you. Knowing that, how will it change the day before you? Will you trust Him for everything that concerns you today?

The LORD Will Watch Over You

Spiritual Vitamin: "I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you, the LORD is your shade at your right hand." Psalm 121:1-5

Reflect: Reflect on this verse. What are your concerns today? Give them to the One who doesn't slumber or sleep.

Trust

I’ve had my horse, Daisy, now for almost three years. I’m grateful that I’ve never been tossed off of her. Never. Not even close. She takes good care of me.

Can I trust Daisy 100% to fully take care of me all the time? No, I can’t. She could slide, trip, spook, scare or even fall on me. I’ve had my share of horse injuries from my younger days. I know it’s possible. I can’t fully trust her, even though she's a very good mare.

I’ve been thinking about a verse in the Bible that is popular, yet hard to live by. It’s found in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” This verse really gives us a model for living!

There are three commands in this verse are:  Trust in the LORD. Lean not on your own understanding. In all my ways acknowledge him.

Trust in the LORD: It is our nature as humans to put our trust in something or someone. We may even put trust in our self. You see, we WANT to trust in other people. We want to believe the best in other people. Yet, the reality is that people will fall short. They can’t always come through for us. The word ‘trust’ in this verse actually means ‘to lie helpless, facedown.” It’s leaning on God and realizing our great need. 

If we trust in God, it needs to be full trust. What often happens is that we trust God halfway and then put the other half of our trust in someone else or ourselves. What part of your heart is trusting something or someone other than God? Maybe you have an important decision coming up. Wouldn’t it be cool if you trusted God 100%? You prayed, waited, and really expected Him to guide you! He will do it!

Lean not on your own understanding: When you trust God with ALL your heart, it means you’ve really decided to put away your tendency to trust in your own understanding. Aren’t we all tempted to trust in our own self?

It reminds me of when I broke my ankle and had to use crutches for a period of time. Leaning has the sense of putting my whole weight on those crutches, which I did a lot! It’s so easy to lean on anything or anybody but God! We try our darndest to make things work the way we want with our amazing skills. But, we still blow it at times. It is on God, not ourselves, that we are to depend upon! Self-sufficiency only goes so far in this world.

In all my ways acknowledge Him: If I trust God with all my heart, I’m going to acknowledge Him in all that I do. I’m going to invite Him into my everyday life. My work. My relationships. My decisions. My hopes and dreams. And the beautiful thing? He will direct my paths. He will give me peace, leading me by His Holy Spirit, throughout my day.

May God help Proverbs 3:5-6 be your heart’s desire, not just today, but every day.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio. 

Messed Up, But Forgiven

There’s a lot of messed-up people in the Bible. The prostitute woman in Luke 7:36-50 really strikes me as one who was messed up and knew it!

Here’s the summary of the story: Simon, who was a Pharisee, had invited Jesus to come to dinner at his house. Simon had committed some social atrocities by not washing Jesus’ feet and anointing his head with oil nor did he greet Jesus with a kiss. All at once, a woman who had lived a sinful life as a prostitute crashed the party because she learned Jesus was eating there. During the meal, she washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. The woman was so sorry for her sins!

Simon was livid! He couldn’t believe what he was seeing! How could this woman get away with this? Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and then told a story to help Simon get things straight. Jesus told about two men who borrowed money. One borrowed 500 denarii and the other 50 denarii. After some time, the lender told the men that they didn’t have to pay him back. They could literally keep the money! ‘Which of those men will love him more?’ Jesus asked. Simon got the right answer! ‘The one who had the bigger debt canceled would love more.’

As it turns out, Simon was so busy judging the woman that he missed out. Jesus was so blessed by the grateful woman that he rebuked Simon’s actions and spoke these words to the woman ‘Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.' Then, Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’”

Simon saw a prostitute. Simon missed that she was a person, created in the image of God, who sinned. No different than you and I... created in the image of God, but sin. In fact, Simon probably missed her acts of worship to Jesus. He could only judge. Period. In contrast, Jesus saw everything. He saw the woman. He knew her horrible past and knew her beautiful future. Jesus forgave the woman. 

Just as the other guests started murmuring and wondering about how Jesus could do this, Jesus offered the woman some beautiful words of assurance “Your faith has saved you, go in peace.” (Luke 7:50)

Every day I blow it. I sin. Whether it’s the choices I make, the words I speak, the thoughts I think. I fall short of God’s perfection. I don’t want to be okay with my sin. As I ask God to show me my sin, guess what? He does! I want to run to Him with the same intensity as the prostitute woman, who loved much! It’s when we realize the depth of our sin that we can appreciate Jesus’ forgiveness and love. I’m messed up, but forgiven. How about you?

“Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” Isaac Watts

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

No Big Deal!

It was a lazy, hot day on the Guadelupe River. We were taking our friends from Dallas out on the river with packed lunches, hammocks, fishing rods, and plenty of kayaks. What could go wrong?

It was ten minutes into our trip that I had to get out of the kayak and drag through some shallow rapids. I looked down at the rushing water, lost my balance, and fell on a rock. Although it hurt, it seemed like no big deal. I looked down, expecting a small scrape, and instead saw a hematoma the size of a softball on the front of my leg. We had a “time out” on the riverbanks while I iced and elevated my leg. Others enjoyed some fly fishing. After the injury break and my constant assurance I was ok, we continued our paddle trip.

I’ve been thinking a bit about this little incident. Maybe because my hematoma continues to remind me of its constant presence. It also reminded me of times in my life where I would prefer to hide my inner pain and act like everything was just fine. No big deal! God took me on quite a journey over the years and gently and tenderly brought healing.

I sense that we ALL have stuff that happens in our lives that we really prefer to hide and say “No big deal, it’s just a little scrape.” Yet, all the while, we need to look at the big hematoma and address the root of the problem. We can stuff our emotional pains for only so long.

Life is hard. How do you and I address those emotional pains that affect us? Too often we want to manage or control our destructive behaviors on our own. In addition, we may hide our true selves from others because we’re afraid of them getting to know the stuff beneath the surface. We can busy ourselves with activity, work, and important roles that tend to camouflage the pain...for a while. Freedom is found when we address our hidden hurts, give up the things in life that have brought us pain, and allow others to walk the journey with us.

When you can’t hide your pain any longer, maybe it’s time to be proactive about self-care.  Seek a counselor. Attend Celebrate Recovery.  Go to a support group that deals with your issue. Start your healing journey. Don’t forget that God is right there to help you! You only need to ask Him. God knows everything about us and loves and accepts us.

This past week, I’ve been praying out loud Psalm 139 for a young man going through a crisis. I often pray this Psalm and insert my own name. Such a reminder that God is right here ready to help!

Just fill in your name/pronoun in Psalm 139:1-7 to get you started: “Lord, you have searched ____ and know ____. You know when ____ sit down and when ______ stand up. You understand ____ thoughts from far away. You observe _____ travels and ____rest; You are aware of all ____ ways. Before a word is on ____ tongue; You know all about it, Lord. You have encircled ____.

You have placed Your hand on ____. This extraordinary knowledge is beyond ____. It is lofty; ____ is unable to reach it. Where can ____ go to escape Your Spirit? Where can ___ flee from Your presence?” (Praying through Psalm 139, Joanne Jung) Continue praying the Psalm on your own!

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Cowboy Thinking

Football is back! Amidst all that is going on in our world today, there’s a bit of a spring in my step with football season finally here. I had my eyes glued on the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers game Thursday night.

Since I was old enough to know what a cowboy was, I declared that I would be a Dallas Cowboy fan for life. To add to my craziness, I was intent on moving to Dallas, Texas after college because I wanted to be near my Dallas Cowboys. A true story that became reality.

Being a Cowboy fan has had its ups and downs, for sure. Most of us are aware of the “downs". But that game on Thursday night with the Buccaneers gave me a renewed hope that maybe THIS year, things would be different. Maybe THIS year, they could make their way to the Super Bowl. What could stop them? (TBD)

With plenty of years on this planet, I’ve learned to adjust my thinking on what’s important. As much as I love my Cowboys, if they don’t win, I’m gonna be just fine and not lose sleep over it. I’m learning to have more of an eternal perspective, with my eyes fixed on heaven. So, it’s like I have a foot here on the earth, but one in heaven as well. Maybe, I’ve learned that from seeing the emptiness of earthly things. It reminds me of Paul’s words in Colossians 3:1-3:

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3

The believer is to “seek the things above.” “It literally means to aspire to, desire and seek with passion. In order to seek these things, the mind must be set on them.” (Morgan) As I grow older, I desire even more to aspire to the things of heaven and meditate and dwell upon Christ’s life.

I remember a tough season in my life where I longed to be married and the people I spent the most time with were married women with kids. My mind was constantly questioning my unique circumstance. Had God forgotten me? What about me? How do I live among this community and thrive? It was a challenging season for sure, but God gave me this exact verse, Colossians 3:1-3, to live by. I took it to heart. I lived it. I learned to thrive as a single in my environment.

It’s so very easy to let our minds, circumstances, and realities of our day take us down a “stinkin’ thinking” mindset. We set our minds on the realities around us. These realities will eventually fade away. Sports teams. What people think of us. Politics. Status in life. How people fail us. The list goes on and on.

Today, you and I have a choice. Will we seek the things above? I’m all for a Cowboy win, don’t get me wrong. I gotta’ keep my eyes on Him.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Looking Back

It was a year ago, Labor Day weekend, when I got a call from my husband, Ben, saying he had been in a bad bike accident. I remember physically trembling as I got in the car and drove to the site of the accident. I knew it was bad when Ben said he couldn’t move.

That Labor Day weekend was one that I’ll never forget. I was just looking forward to a nice relaxing, quiet weekend and it ended up being anything but that. The ensuing days were like a very bad dream, but very real just the same.

Even though that weekend was NOTHING like I had planned it to be, I look back on it now with gratitude toward God. I’m not thankful for the bad thing that happened, but I am thankful for how God showed up during the bad thing. There have been plenty of tears, heartache, sadness, and frustrations to go around for this past year. Yet, God has shown Himself to comfort me amidst all my emotions:

SADNESS- Perhaps, you like me, have had some things to grieve about this year. It’s a horrible feeling. Grief involves loss. Loss of life, loss of job, loss of home, loss of physical capabilities, loss of freedoms, loss of life like we knew it, etc. Grief is exhausting, especially when it goes on and on. It’s been exacerbated when there is the death of a loved one, and we can’t even say goodbye in a timely manner! I remember running to Jesus and taking up His invitation found in Matthew 11:28-30. It says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus invites us to lean into Him. Resting in Jesus for me involved literally laying all that’s on my heart down at his feet and trusting that He will work things out. I reached out to Him constantly in the midst of my weariness. He was so faithful to meet me there. Every time.

ANXIETY: I remember the days following Ben’s accident, I struggled with fear, worry, and anxiety. Will he make it through the surgery? Will he be able to resume the activities that he loves? How will I care for him? I know 2020-2021 hasn’t been a breeze for anyone. There’s a nagging, lurking thought in all our minds “What if there’s more craziness in the months ahead?” Anxiety has been a prominent emotion for many of us during this last year.

I find such comfort in an Old Testament prophet named Isaiah who offers such peace in times of trouble. “Fear not, for I am with you. I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) No matter what we’re going through, the God of the universe promises to strengthen us and help us through it. He will help us and hold us when we need some helping and holding. He is God and longs to carry you. We keep looking around for some sense of hope, normalcy, and consistency in our troubles. Why not look to God? I can testify God helped and held me through a very difficult season. He will do the same for you.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Questioning God

If you could ask God any question, what would you ask him?  What is my purpose here? Why is there so much evil? Why do bad things happen? Habakkuk was a man who had lots of questions for God and passionately sought answers from Him. He was troubled by what he saw, and it broke his heart. Here are his questions to God:

“How long, O Lord, must I call for help but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?” (Habakkuk 1:2-3)

Habakkuk’s questions would be summarized “How long?“(vs. 2) and “Why?“(vs. 3) Maybe you’ve had those same questions for God? I know, I have!

God’s silence can feel deafening and scary. I’ve asked those same questions of God. Why? Why did you allow a difficult experience in my life that crushed me? How long do I have to wait for the things near and dear to my heart? As I look back on these circumstances, I see now what I didn’t see then. I see now that God was in complete control, even when I struggled to believe it at the time.

Habakkuk was a prophet to God’s people and was extremely sensitive to the injustices in his society. He was desperate to hear from God and understand what God was doing. He was upset, angry and had some very specific questions he boldly asked of God! He didn’t hold back one thing!

Please note the beauty of this. God allows us to ask Him anything! We can give Him all our questions. I believe, He eventually answers with a “yes, no, or wait.” Just look at Habakkuk! In Habakkuk 1:5, the Lord answered Habakkuk: “Look at the nations and watch- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”

Habakkuk had real questions. He believed God, yet he looked around and saw that the world doesn’t seem to match up with how God wants it to be. Check out the book of Habakkuk, because you will see at the end of the book, a different Habakkuk. He prayed! Habakkuk knew that God was going to discipline Judah and it wasn’t going to be pretty. He also knew the character of God. Because of that, He would still rejoice in the Lord. Check this out:

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Question God. He can handle it. But don’t miss that He is and will always have your very best interests. Seek Him. Rejoice in Him. Don’t run from Him. He is near and loves you perfectly.

"We cannot see all that God is doing, and we cannot see all that God will do. But we can be assured that He is God and will do what is right. Knowing this can give confidence and hope in a confusing world.” (Life Application Study Bible, NIV, Habakkuk 3:19 commentary)

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio. 

Good Dose of Peace

 Anyone lacking peace these days? There are enough circumstances swirling around us to have us hankering for a good dose of peace. I need a good dose of peace that is different from what the world has to offer, don’t you?

Just this morning, I was reading John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”  This dose of peace is different. I want it, don’t you?

Just think! Jesus shared these comforting words with His disciples before He died. Jesus knew the chaos, strife, and challenges that life would bring for the disciples. He explained that He was leaving His peace with them to care for them after He left the earth. His peace would reign over the peace that the world tried to give. Peace is a gift that God gives through knowing Jesus as our Savior. What a gift!

Maybe you, like me, lacked a bit of peace this week. As I preparing to travel, I was stressed out. My husband and I questioned whether we should fly with the COVID situation. I stressed about all the things I had to do. I stressed about getting up at the crazy hour to depart on a  5:45 a.m. flight. Yep, I let stress get the best of me.

The next morning, I calmed my anxious thoughts by just meditating on a verse in the Bible. Colossians 3:15 says “Let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts.” 

I wanted Christ to rule in my heart, but how? Priscilla Shirer, in her study titled “Discerning the Voice of God,” said this “In the New Testament city of Colossae, believers struggled with a number of temptations and decisions. Regarding these issues, Paul told them to let peace be the guiding, determining factor in their choices. The Greek word that is translated rule in our English Bible-to rule in their hearts-is significant. It means to act as a judge or umpire.”

Will you allow the peace of God to rule in your heart? It is really a daily and honestly, a moment-by-moment choice to permit the peace of God to rule in your heart. He promises us peace and it’s there for the taking. What hinders your peace? Are you focused on all the bad news? Have you forgotten the gift of gratitude? Have the circumstances of your life allowed your peace to dwindle? Have you forgotten or dismissed God from your life?

Abide in Christ. Rest in His love. You will experience perfect peace as You keep your mind on God. (Isaiah 26:3) I dare you to try. Right now, invite God to allow you to experience His peace. May you enjoy His peace today.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.