Tuesday, September 25, 2018

~Brain Change~

Sitting here sipping my tea with you...the skies are gray...the air is humid...thinking...the brain is truly amazing. It can retrain itself. I won't go into all of the scientific detail or terminology. There has been a case where someone re-trained their brain out of autism (The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge, M.D.). We can train our brains to believe a non truth if we tell it to ourselves often enough. The "wiring" in our brain will change and it will be true...to us. The brain weighs about 3 pounds and is mostly made up of water with some "decent" fat. 

I have studied the brain for a few reasons: my youngest was born with most of his corpus callosum (the middle part of your brain, a thin membrane) missing. There is Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (Acc, total absence) and Partial Agenesis of the CC (P-Acc). The Corpus Callosum is the bridge that transfers messages to the hemispheres. Like a bridge allows cars to cross over, the corpus callosum allows neurotransmitters to cross over. The amazing thing about having Acc or P-Acc is that the brain can actually form other routes for messages to cross to the other hemisphere. The brain changes itself. Things for a person with Acc or P-Acc won't be fully just like someone with a corpus callosum, but some things can re-route. The amazing brain! What all it can handle!

I also studied the brain because I had a benign brain tumor and I wanted to know more about it and where it was located...what it may affect. The tumor was 3 mm from optic nerves, boring into my skull, and on sinuses. Prior to learning I had this tumor, at times I would say words backwards...not a natural given talent but it came with the tumor. After having most of it removed by surgery and then the rest zapped out with the gamma knife, there were changes in my brain. I lost some of my long term memory. It does make me sad as I likely won't have that back. My brain took a while to rejuvenate...to snap back. Some who know me wonder if it is fully back...ha! 

Think of it, there are tiny tools prodding around inside this gel blob. Who knows what all is being pushed around. My focus was not there for a while after it was gone. I had difficulty keeping my attention on reading, writing, and listening. The brain, as I said, is amazing!

Think about it. The brain can re-train itself! The brain can snap back after the gel being pushed around! The brain can be so full of information that you feel a major over-load! The brain can feel like your head will simply explode because you have so many bits of knowledge and trivial things floating around inside it.  The brain stores your emotions! It stores your memories! The left and right side of your brain vary so! One side is the more logical side, the other the more creative side! Your brain is amazing! You can fill it with information of your choice! Your brain can let both sides sort of collide! When your brain hemispheres collide reading the Word, you can experience amazing insight!

The bible tells us we need to guard our hearts. We also need to guard our brains! As it says in Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I want to inspire you to fill your mind (brain) with things of God. I want to inspire you to dig deep into your Bible! Really study it! 

I have been reading a book that has been inspiring me to see some of the scriptures I have read in the past in a different way...re-training myself. I am reading passages such as Ephesians 3:8-10 differently. I have been shown the need to "pray" Ephesians 3:14-21. My mind is waking to learning! It's almost like recovering from brain surgery! I read scriptures and have "ah ha!" thoughts. My brain is being spiritually retrained.

My hope for you is that you truly begin to dig deep into the Word of God. There are a variety of ways to do so. Some read books by Christian authors who help spur our thoughts and get us into the scriptures seeing things in a different light. Some of us dig deep on our own. Some do both. Some do both at different times. 

What I know is, the brain is an amazing thing! The more we dig into scripture, the more the mind will be changed. When you begin to read the Word, ask Father to speak to your heart and mind. Ask Him to show you what you need to know. As you read and learn, talk to Him throughout the reading. I journal thoughts, prayers, and verses. Maybe you want to do that. What I know is, the more you study God's word, the more your thoughts, words, and life will change! The changing of your brain, brings about life change!

I want to inspire you to make the time! Spark up your brain for Jesus! Learn! Apply! Change!

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

~Really Pray~

My tea is nearly gone...cool now as I have been sipping it for a while...I am starting this later than usual as today is the sad anniversary of 9/11 and respect for that day was a must! 

Learning and growing...isn't that what we are to do as Jesus followers? In my learning and growing, I am finding that there is SO much more learning and growing...do you think so too? The more I learn and grow closer to Jesus...there is  more the need and want to learn and grow even more...what a wonderful cycle to be a part of...learning and growing to learn and grow in Jesus.

My mind, heart, and soul are full of all sorts of things to share. The "topics" are all dancing around inside me! I sort and pray; wanting to share from Father here...not from me. So, I sit, pray, and wait. Grinning I realize you, reading, have no idea of the wait period. Maybe that's a good thing! 

Prayer...there are a variety of types of prayers. There are "pillow prayers" (as you drift off to sleep), there are "help me" prayers (said urgently in time a a real crisis), there are prayers sent up to Father for healing, there are prayers of simply conversing with Father, there are fervent prayers (in which you make the time to talk to Father about a certain issue), there are simply many types of prayers.

I want to inspire you to make time to pray with all of your mind, heart, and soul for something you know needs much time in prayer. Often such prayers will wipe us out emotionally and/or physically as we take them to Father pouring out our hearts. The prayer could be anything from talking to Father about a relative, something of our own personal concern, praying for the leaders of our country, praying for the leaders of your church...any variety of concerns on your heart. 

In my humble opinion, we as a people have been slacking in prayer. We wonder why our country is in the shape that it is. Really? Do we need to wonder? Do people still pray for our country? We wonder why there are so many issues with people at our church. Again, Really? Do we pray for the people at our church? Do we pray for the leadership? We have family who are in need of Jesus. Maybe you have been praying earnestly for them. Keep praying! 

"Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God"~ Phil.4:6 Did you catch that? I have read over it many times...read that again! Don't rush through...take it in! It says...Don't be anxious! Some prayers take TIME to be answered for whatever reason! In your requests ask or petition humbly with adoration and with thanksgiving!  If you are not sure how to begin your prayer, you can always begin with praising and thanking God...the rest of the words will follow.

You may say, "Oh, but I don't have the time to really gut it out with Father and pray earnestly." To that, I say, You don't have the time NOT to be in earnest prayer with our Father. Make the time! Prayer is of utmost importance. Can you just imagine your life, the lives of those you care about, your church, the schools,...I could go on...if you or others made the time to REALLY get down on your hands and knees and truly pour your heart out to Father about issues? Lives would be changed! You would be changed! Our God could do so much in fighting through those spiritual realms! Don't you just get all excited in thinking about the awesome changes that could be made JUST because you PRAYED? You prayed in earnest! You set aside time and continued to make the time for pouring out to Father God! 

Make prayer both your lifeline and your lifestyle!

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion, and power both now and ever. Amen."~Jude 24-25