Are You Wearing Your Spiritual Oxygen Mask?

Are You Wearing Your Spiritual Oxygen Mask?

by | Jun 17, 2024 | Stronger Than Stress

Friends, I know that you’re working hard and you’re doing the best that you can. At the same time, I hope that you’re open to considering a common mistake that Christian women, particularly long-time Christian women, make that creates stress and a feeling of disconnection with God.

Before I talk about this common mistake, let's first clear up an straight-up lie: If you're a Christian, then you shouldn't experience stress. That's not true. Stress happens. Even Jesus experienced stress in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39-44). Just because you experience stress in difficult times or a crisis doesn't mean you're a bad Christian or lack faith.

To make sure that we’re on the same page, stress is your reaction to the world around you. We think that all stress is bad, but it’s not. God created stress for a purpose - sounds crazy, right? But pay attention to this: Stress is an protective indicator created by God. Stress warns you when life is too much for your mind or body to handle so that you can adjust to protect your physical body and mental state.

The problem is that we don’t listen to our body when it’s trying to tell us that the stress is too much and we’ve been living stressed for too long. I wrote my Stronger than Stress book because chronic stress or overwhelm is a REAL spiritual and physical threat to our lives and relationships. I think that the biggest challenge to dealing with stress, especially among Christian women, is that we minimize or ignore the blinking stress warning light that’s been going off for months or even years.

LET’S GET REAL HERE: Some of us have an ingrained stubbornness that insists on taking care of everyone else before taking care of ourselves. You know who you are. I love you—and God knows how much you love the people in your life. But you're worn out, and that's not God's best choice for you.

Since I travel by plane often, I've heard the flight attendant give safety instructions a significant number of times. It's easy for me to rush to tune out safety talk and scroll on my phone because I've heard it all before. What do the flight attendants say before every single flight?

"In the event of emergency, put on your oxygen mask first before assisting others."

Flight attendants remind us to put our oxygen masks first because if we run out of air, we won't be able to take care of those who need us and can't take care of themselves.

Today’s devotional is a reminder for you to daily put on your spiritual oxygen mask, and breathe deeply from God’s unlimited power, love, and grace in your life. This isn’t easy, but if you allow the urgent (life pressures) to hijack the important (connection with God), you won’t have what you need to care for yourself and others when you go through long seasons of challenge.

Here's our spiritual oxygen mask verse for today: Matthew 6:33 NLT: "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."

When I look at this verse, it reminds you and me to live out God's priorities. This means beginning our day by giving God room to speak His priorities into our day instead of allowing the “should’s” to be in charge. Let’s say this together: The more that we say “we should” the more chances we’ll have to stress ourselves out.

Here are a few questions:

  • How much of your day is constructed around your agenda rather than checking to see if those activities are on God's agenda for you?

  • What if God’s Spirit wants to reassure you with certain promises so that you are rushing and running around with high anxiety?

  • What if, just for today, you did an experiment where you stopped to put your to-do list before God and asked Him what didn't need to happen that day?

The reality is that not everything on our to-do list is for us to do. Some of it is actually God’s and we’re stressed because we’re attempting to do God’s job.

This is a lesson that God has taught me over the past decade due to my particular life challenges. So, when I start feeling stressed or overwhelmed, I began to use this prayer: God, what do I need to trust You to handle because I can't?" This may be a prayer for you today as well.

In addition to your spiritual oxygen mask, consider a physical self-care oxygen mask, too. Here are some suggestions for today:

  • Sit for one minute in silence and practicing deep, nourishing breathing

  • Listen to a worship song (Here is my Spotify playlist)

  • Retiring to bed an hour earlier tonight (you know that you need the sleep!)

  • Drink water - sounds basic, but somebody needed this reminder!

I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Do you tend to take care of everyone else before taking care of yourself? If you needed today’s reminder to put on your spiritual oxygen mask, leave a comment below. What do you sense God calling you to do?

COMING SOON! STRONGER THAN STRESS BY BARB ROOSE

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Too Stressed to Feel Blessed? My NEW Stronger Than Stress Book Available for Pre-Order NOW!

Too Stressed to Feel Blessed? My NEW Stronger Than Stress Book Available for Pre-Order NOW!

by | Jun 9, 2024 | Stronger Than Stress

Today marks the official kick-off of my Stronger Than Stress book pre-release campaign! As of TODAY, God is launching me into a new season of serving you and, hopefully, millions of women struggling with chronic stress and overwhelm.

In this post, we're discussing what happens when we're too stressed to feel blessed. Since sharing God’s Word is important to me, I’ve included a powerful prayer for you and me from the Apostle Paul, who inspired my book.

Let's start with two questions:

  1. Do you feel like you're living in survival mode each day, barely making it through the day and desperate for anything to change?
  2. Do you long for more of God's strength and peace in your life?

If the answer to one or both of those questions is "yes," then you aren't alone. You already know this, but statistics regarding stress and chronic indicate that far too many of us feel like life is more than we can handle each day. Here's a sobering reality check:

  • A Gallup poll in December 2023 reported that 49% of Americans indicate feeling frequently stressed.
  • According to a March 2023 American Psychological Association (APA) report, 25% of Americans feel so stressed that they cannot participate in daily activities.

I don't share these statistics to spread bad news. However, if you hang out with me here, you know that I value hopeful AND honest conversations about our hard struggles.

Friends, I wrote Stronger Than Stress because I spent decades cycling from chronic stress to getting better to burnout. I thought stress and burnout were the norm because everyone around me kept talking about how stressed they were. So, I accepted the misery of stress as normal.

Check Out Stronger Than Stress Book

My anticipation of being stressed would begin before I opened my eyes. I used to think: "If anything else happens, I'm going to have a stroke," or "How in the world am I ever going to get it all done today?" My mind was filled with dozens of spinning plates, and I'd mentally run from one plate to the next. I was overwhelmed and exhausted. I'd frequently develop sinus infections or lose my voice, but I'd blame it on the air conditioning in my building. My heart raced from stress and anxiety all of the time. Once, I ended up in the ER with a nurse slipping nitroglycerin pill under my tongue because they were concerned that I was a stroke risk. I had no idea that I was suffering from the symptoms of chronic stress.

At the end of 2001, I had hit my breaking point and needed to change. I resigned my dream job as the executive director of a non-profit. The stress of that job was intense. I experienced frightening lapses in memory, forgetting where my kids were and not remembering important details.

While it was good that I left that job, I became depressed and I did my best to hide from everyone. But, God was gracious to me. I accepted an invitation to join a women's leadership and discipleship group at my church called Leading Ladies. I learned about spiritual practices or training exercises during that year-long group. I was aware of practices like prayer, fasting, Bible study, and medication, but I sorely needed to learn other practices like simplicity, solitude, and service.

The a-ha moment came when I realized that self-help books wouldn't break my stress cycle; the only remedy was learning new ways to submit to God's Spirit to not just break my stress cycle, but to learn how to live more in the peace and power of God’s Spirit. Two decades later, I invite you to join me on a similar journey!

Can I share the Apostle Paul's prayer from Ephesians 3:16-19 that inspired my Stronger Than Stress book? This is a powerful and beautiful prayer to kick off your week because this prayer is a reminder of what God wants FOR you! When living in survival mode, we develop a limited tunnel vision and forget that God can help us.

I've shared Paul's prayer before, but friends, this always preaches!

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. -Ephesians 3:16-20 NLT

Isn't that a fantastic prayer? It's just so powerful and speaks to the heart every single time!

Don't miss these essential takeaways from Paul's prayer: God desires for you to be empowered with His inner strength, not barely dragging through the day exhausted. God also desires for you to experience the transformative power of His love, which will keep you strong in life's inevitable storms so that you never lose hope.

Will you let me help you learn how to experience God's strength despite your stress?

In Stronger Than Stress: 10 Spiritual Practices to Win the Battle of Overwhelm, I share ten spiritual practices, like Sabbath, sisterhood, study, scripture, spiritual self-care, prayer and our friend, surrender. God used these practices to break my cycle of chronic stress, overwhelm, and burnout so that I’ve experienced God's strength and peace, even in on-going difficult situations.

If you feel overwhelmed by family responsibilities, work, and anxiety about the future, this book is for you. P.S. I've also written a separate Stronger Than Stress six-week Bible study!

Life won't become easier. If you don't change, nothing will change. You'll feel the same exhaustion and frustration physically, mentally, and emotionally six months from now or worse.

The good news is that you can choose a new path today - one that will help you live with less stress and more of God's peace.  

Your Next Step:  Thank you for allowing me to share my story and my Stronger Than Stress book! You can pre-order it now - and make sure to check out those pre-order bonuses!

My publisher knows how important it is for you to begin this journey to less stress and more peace as soon as possible. They've given me permission to share the first chapter with everyone who pre-orders the Stronger Than Stress book - PLUS other great bonuses like a FREE coupon code for my entire Stronger Than Stress audiobook! Check out the graphic below.

I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! What has been stressing you out these days? How does the Apostle Paul’s prayer encourage you today, especially if you feel like you’re stuck in stress? Hit reply and tell me.

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PODCAST: 5 Things Christian Men Must Fight To Have Faith | Guest Isaac Witty

PODCAST: 5 Things Christian Men Must Fight To Have Faith | Guest Isaac Witty

by | Jun 2, 2024 | Uncategorized

Most of us have men in our lives that we love and our deepest prayer is that those men love Jesus. What do you do when the Christian man in your life is struggling and you are not sure how to help?

Join me for today’s conversation with comedian Isaac Witty who has performed on some of America’s biggest stages and listen to his dramatic journey of faith from pastor’s kid to successful comedian who hit rock bottom and found his way back to God.

Isaac will share his story and address the 5 things that a Christian man must fight in order to have faith. His story will encourage you and help you pray more for the men in your life.

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE

Connect with Isaac on Instagram

Check out Isaac's Dry Bar Comedy Special "Don't Worry About Me. I'm Fine."

Visit Isaac's Website

ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Over the course of a career that has spanned more than two decades, Isaac Witty has perfected a quirky style that doesn’t fit the mold of your average clean comedian.

With perfect timing and his unique cadence, he hits punchlines hard while also playing pauses for big laughs. Isaac has been a guest on The Late Show with David Letterman, Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” Sirius XM, Thou Shalt Laugh, and The Conan O’Brien Show, among other impressive credits.

You can also catch Isaac’s recently released Dry Bar special, “Don’t Worry About Me. I’m Fine.” 

Join My Giveaway!

I’m giving away two copies Designed for Greatness: Devotions for Men. I’ll draw a winner on Friday, June 7 and I'll announce the winner in my Happy Monday email on Monday, June 10.

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment about a man in your life who's made a lasting and postive impact on you. How did his life bless yours? It doesn't have to be a father or husband. You can honor a brother, uncle, grandfather or any other man.

Giveaway Note: US mailing addresses only. Two devotions will be given away to two separate winners. Not redeemable for cash. This sponsor is not hosted by the publisher of the book, nor hosted by Facebook or Instagram.

by | May 23, 2024 | Uncategorized

People of color often feel invisible and alienated, even traumatized, by the oppression and discrimination still prevalent in our American culture today.

The result leads to not only internalized trauma but also a particular type of aloneness, which author Prasanta Verma defines as ethnic and racial loneliness. Join me and my guest, Prasanta Verma, as we discusses her new book, Beyond Ethnic Loneliness, and listen to learn about the exhausting effects of cultural isolation, the dynamics of marginalization, and the weight of being “other."

Prasanta points toward the path of healing which includes the need to share our stories and the importance of finding safe friendships and community

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE

Connect with Prasanta on Instagram

Check out Prasanta's book, Ethnic Loneliness.

Visit Prasanta's Website

ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Prasanta Verma (MBA, MPH) was born under an Asian sun, raised in the Appalachian foothills in the South, and now resides in the Upper Midwest. Her essays and poetry have been published in numerous places online and in print.
She has worked as an author, editor, speech and debate coach and public health professional, and wants to help us envision a world where we are all more socially connected and a little less lonely.  

Join My Giveaway!

I’m giving away three copies of Prasanta's new book, Beyond Ethnic Loneliness. I’ll draw a winner on Wednesday, May 29 at 12pm ET.

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment below about a time in life when you felt lonely or unseen. What was difficult about that time in your life and how did you find connection again?

Giveaway Note: US mailing addresses only. This giveaway is not sponsored, administrated or endorsed by Instagram. This giveaway is not affiliated with any of the brands shown in the picture.

Tripping Down Black People Easter Memory Lane

Tripping Down Black People Easter Memory Lane

by | Mar 31, 2024 | Uncategorized

My most comfortable Easter outfit ever 🥰 wearing these comfy clothes, reminded me of childhood Easter outfits that were less than comfortable. Come with me for a trip down Black people Easter memory lane…

I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s in the Black Baptist church where Easter Sunday was synonymous with a fashion show. Finger snaps, please! Each year, Black men wearing the finest of suits, even as they worked in menial labor jobs all week. Black women styling in coordinating suits, hats, shoes, AND purses - can I get an “Amen” in the comments if you remember your grandma or grandfather looking that good!

We kids looked cute, too. Uncomfortable, but cute. Back then, Easter seemed like a lot of work…

The preparation for Easter Sunday began early on Friday or Saturday morning when my mom would wash our hair. Then, either she or my grandma would pull out the hot comb from the drawer next to the stove or under the oven.

For those who know what I’m about to say next, know that I’m still working off the Hot Comb PTSD with you 🤣

I’d sit in a plastic kitchen chair sweating. For the next eternity (that’s how it felt), all I’d hear was “Be still,” “Don’t move,” “Hold your ear so I don’t burn it” and my favorite: “Stay still. That’s why you got burned.”

Mom or grandma would heat the metal comb on the stovetop. (Yes. You read that right. Welcome to Black Hair 101) That nuclear temperature hot comb would pass through my dry, not quite 4C hair saturated with Blue Bergamot hair oil.

Excuse me…grease. Blue Bergamot Hair grease. That’s what we called it.

How did my hair NOT go up in flames?

Grandma would say, “Honey, it hurts to be beautiful.”

We may cringe at those words now. But 40 years ago, there was a hope that Black women had in getting ready for Easter Sunday that they wanted to pass along to us.

These were Black men and women who’d grown up before and after Jim Crow segregation. My parents, grandparents, and their friends were still fighting for respect, their humanity, and livable wage.

Easter was an expensive sacrifice for Black church people back then. Even as a kid, I knew that my mother saved up for the Easter holiday. She would put dresses on lay layaway at Lerner at the mall. I remember going with mom to pick up our Sunday suits. They were packed in fancy cardboard boxes. She’d take us to buy new Sunday shoes - always a size bigger since we’d be wearing them for awhile after the holiday.

While I stand in my comfortable clothes today (which included jeans, something I never could’ve imagined as a kid) I’ll never forget the Easters of years past.

Even now, I can hear the voices of the church mothers and fathers singing in celebration of the risen Jesus in their fine Easter clothes.

Those years planted the importance of honoring the sacrifice and to prepare for the celebration of the resurrection.

While we don’t need a coordinated suits or fancy clothes to honor Jesus’s resurrection, perhaps, it’s a good time to set aside a moment to honor Jesus in your heart. Say thanks. Even if it’s been a long time since you’ve talked to him, say thanks, always.

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