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Forum Summary: The Witness of Miracles

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min. 30 sec.

“What is a miracle? How would you describe it?”

Mr. Dan Hall asked this question to start this week’s forum. A miracle is an act of intervention by God Himself. He performs these miracles to direct His purposes, show His mighty power, and show that He is with us. They provide a powerful witness that can strengthen our faith; however, we must be careful to not forget the witness these miracles provide.

Remember Miracles

Let’s look back at the example of Israel when they first arrived at the Promised Land. After all the things they’d seen—the plagues, the manna, the events at Mount Sinai—why did they not enter the land in faith that God would take care of them? Because they only focused on the challenge ahead, forgetting about the miracles that had come before. 

As one of the many parallels between the journey of Israel and our own spiritual journey, this serves to show that we, too, can make it all the way to the finish line, but still be unable to cross because of a lack of faith. However, we can guard against this mistake by remembering the miracles God has performed in our lives. We are even instructed in Deuteronomy 4:9 to teach our children and grandchildren about these amazing interventions.

A Cloud of Witnesses, Ancient and Modern

The Bible is filled with witnesses to God’s power and care for His people. Daniel, David, Moses, Abraham, and many others experienced miracle after miracle in accordance with God’s plan. Israel’s development as a nation is a miracle in and of itself. However, these stories from millennia ago are not the only witnesses we have to God’s power. 

Mr. Armstrong records many miraculous occurrences in his autobiography, but even more recently, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have experienced miracles in their own lives. Mr. Hall recounted several instances in which he had seen these interventions take place: a severely crippled man made able to walk again, a woman completely healed from a terrible cancer, and even a baby brought back from the brink of death, to name a few. God is with us—but with all that life throws at us, it can be difficult to stay focused on that. Yet God will help us see His hand in our lives if we only ask.

The Bible contains many stories of miraculous blessings, healings, and protection. And in God’s Church, there are many miracles still taking place. Despite the challenges we face in this life, we need to remember God’s promises and the miracles we have both seen in others’ lives and experienced in our own. They affirm God’s love for us, provide a powerful testament to His power, and can greatly help us as we strive to keep the faith, so long as we never forget!

Assembly Summary: Instant vs. Delayed Gratification

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

“We live in a world of instant gratification,” said Dr. Scott Winnail in his recent Assembly lecture.

He mentioned that we are conditioned to expect that things will get done instantly in our world today. How often do we use the credit card? How much pressure do we feel to make big decisions on the spur of the moment? 

Dr. Winnail went on to examine what the Scriptures say about acting on a whim instead of planning ahead and weighing our decisions. Proverbs 4:26 challenges us to think deeply about the course we are taking, and thinking deeply about something takes time. Luke 14:27–28 shows that wise people consider whether they have the resources to finish what they might start. In Proverbs 6:6–8, the message from the ants is that we must consider our future and plan ahead.

God generally favors delayed gratification, wanting us to lay solid foundations to get us where we need to be in the future. However, instant gratification is not always a bad thing; it can be positive, such as when we suddenly decide to invite a friend out for lunch. Spontaneity can be fun from time to time; the trouble comes when we live life spontaneously.

Taking Time to Grow

With God’s help, we can develop habits of delayed gratification and break habits of instant gratification. Delayed gratification requires time to grow. We even see this in our Christian walk—when we get baptized, we don’t change into spirit beings right away. We are given time to develop and to show God whether we want to live His way of life. 

Delayed gratification teaches the principle of endurance. We practice one example of this when we save our second tithe diligently. The Feast of Tabernacles is still eleven months away, yet we’re already saving our second tithe, because we understand the joys of keeping the Feast and knowing that we have kept God’s commands.

Putting It into Practice

As we practice delayed gratification, we can ask ourselves questions like, “Do I really need this? Do I need this now? If I do this, what will it prevent me from having in the future?” One practical way we can practice delayed gratification is not answering the phone immediately or responding to texts right away. Always immediately answering our phones places more stress on us and causes people to expect an immediate answer all the time. It’s also helpful to refrain from making big purchases until we have taken 24–48 hours to think over the decision; time can change our perspective.

We live in a world of instant gratification, where we are pressured to react quickly, without much thought and consideration. While snap decisions can be fun in the short term, they can cost us money and future opportunities. The students were admonished to take the time to teach their future children and grandchildren the wisdom of delayed gratification. Those who possess the character to delay gratification are often happier and more successful in life. They are more likely to hold fast to God’s truth—which means they are more likely to enter the Kingdom of God.

Forum Summary: Reviewing Tomorrow’s World “Whiteboard”

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min.

This week, in a Forum that took on a different form from that of the lecture-type sessions we normally have,

the Living Ed students had the opportunity to visit the Tomorrow’s World studio, where we started our tour in the control room. The students were given a brief overview of the different pieces of equipment and were introduced to the staff members who work with all of these devices. At that point, the students were given a chance to become part of the creative process by providing feedback about a Tomorrow’s World Whiteboard video currently in the development stage.

The Whiteboard video the students were shown was titled “How Jesus Taught His Disciples to Pray.” Once it concluded, the students were encouraged to make suggestions about how to improve it. Our comments addressed topics ranging from where in the video the Tomorrow’s World logo should appear to how often throughout the video the graphic of the hand should be shown writing what is being said. We also spent quite a bit of time discussing the various major platforms that the Church could utilize, in order to preach the Gospel to a wider variety of demographics. The students were quite eager to offer their opinions, and Mr. Michael DeSimone, Manager of the Television Department, and Mr. Jake Hall, Lead Editor for Tomorrow’s World, were just as happy to hear them.

In the end, the opportunity to review one of the Whiteboard videos provided a very interesting experience for the students. It was much appreciated by Mr. DeSimone and Mr. Hall, as they were able to receive feedback from the student body on how to improve these videos, as well as engage in some discussion regarding which platforms would be most effective for continuing to preach the Gospel. Even reviewing a video helps the Work, and it was a great opportunity for all of us.

To access all published Tomorrow’s World Whiteboard videos, check them out here on the Tomorrow’s World YouTube channel.

Assembly Summary: Activist for God

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

“What I do is an answer to a prayer. I wanted a hands-on feel for what the work was really doing.”

These are some of the opening words to Mr. Lehman Lyons’ recent Assembly lecture. He summarized some of his work history, which ties in with what he does in the Living Church of God today. He has a background in business, though he started his career in a grocery store before being hired by a moving company. Once his employers found out where he was from, they offered him management of an agency forty-five miles from where he grew up in South Carolina. While there, He learned the whole spectrum of what happens in a moving company.

In 2001, the Church hired Mr. Lyons to work in purchasing. He was hired because the Church, headquartered in California at the time, was moving across the country to North Carolina. Due to his prior moving experiences, he was able to offer expertise that most members did not have, and helped the Church save massive amounts of money.

Purchasing

Mr. Lyons’ corporate title is Buyer. He is responsible for purchasing anything that the Church needs, looking for deals that will get the best quality things at a responsible price. Mr. Lyons encouraged us to pray for open doors for the Church, saying that God can bring the money into the Church and multiply it to do His Work.  

Mr. Lyons’ work often takes him outside of the Headquarters building. While most Headquarters employees mainly work with each other, Mr. Lyons’ main line of work necessitates working with people outside the Church. He expressed that, since we need to find favor in the eyes of the people with whom we do business, another thing we can pray for is “vendor favor.”

Mr. Lyons is also responsible for the fleet, which comprises the automobiles that the Church has on its property as well as the ones that it supplies the ministers in the field. The Church purchases these vehicles and handles their fuel cost and maintenance, buying automobiles through Enterprise and paying the bills on time. Mr. Lyons also handles the transportation of visiting ministers to and from the airport.

Activists for God

“I look at my job as tending and keeping,” Mr. Lyons said. He supervises the maintenance for the HQ building, which was a blessing from God through the donations of the members. Mr. Lyons described the HQ building as one of the biggest benefits the Church has, because it would be way more expensive to rent a building. The Church also owns houses that it has purchased in Matthews, North Carolina, the maintenance of which Mr. Lyons helps oversee.

Mr. Lyons closed his lecture by saying that he is an activist advocating for the cause of the Church. He mentioned to the students that we are already a part of the Work, being in the educational program and engaging in the work-study opportunities available to us. He asked all the students to join him in striving to be a vital part of the Work of God.

Forum Summary: Four Keys to Successful Decision-Making

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

When we’re young, there are so many unknowns to face.

We make decisions every day of our lives, and God wants us to develop the capacity to make good decisions as part of our training, whether the decisions involve spiritual questions or the physical decisions that impact us in so many unexpected ways. Sound decision-making is one of the primary lessons we are to learn in this life. In this week’s Forum, Dr. Jeffrey Fall shared with the Living Ed students four key principles to good decision-making.

Key 1. Get the Facts

Sometimes, you won’t have all the information, and making a poorly informed decision can end in disaster. If we gather all the facts, we get more pieces of the puzzle, which will give us a clearer picture of the situation. As an example, in Joshua 24—at the end of Joshua’s life—Israel had to make a decision. There were those who were loyal to God, those who were attracted to the Canaanite gods and customs, and the majority who hadn’t yet decided. God, through Joshua, laid out the facts—how He had led them from Egypt and intervened on their behalf many times. Joshua 24:16-18 shows us that when faced with the evidence, Israel made the right choice in this case.

Key 2. Seek Counsel

As human beings, we have a tendency to “go it alone” and try to figure things out for ourselves, yet Proverbs 11:14 shows us that counsel is an important part of decision-making. When we receive good counsel, it can open our eyes to aspects of the decision we might not have seen before. Seeking counsel may not come naturally at first, but when we do so, we embrace God’s way of passing on spiritual insight to us. However, we need to be careful to seek counsel from the right sources. As Psalm 1:1 tells us, we should avoid seeking counsel from the ungodly.

Key 3: Set Your Priorities in Order

Not every priority should hold the same value as we make decisions. God expects us to discern the weightier matters of the law and ask ourselves, “What would God’s highest priority be in this situation?” Our goal is to set our priorities in line with His priorities. For instance, while the Sabbath is a day of rest, we go to Services because being with our brethren and learning more about His way is a higher priority than just physically resting. As 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, we are to be “rightly dividing the word of truth”—setting our priorities in the right order.

Key 4: Ask God for Directions

Even when we have the facts and have received proper counsel, the right decision won’t always be obvious. Going to God in prayer is a valuable decision-making tool, as is fasting about the decision. In Isaiah 58:1–11, God promises that He will guide us continually if we do our part. Fasting over a decision and asking God to show us His will brings nothing but benefit to us. Even if God’s answer to our question is no, we can take comfort in the fact that He knows what’s best for us.

We will make countless decisions throughout our lives; God won’t do it all for us. He’s teaching us the principles of proper decision-making. As we go through life, we can have confidence in these principles designed by our Father. He is seeking children who can make successful decisions, and He is always looking out for our best interests.

Assembly Summary: The Disposable Era

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

It is really easy to give up and quit when we are doing something that is difficult or out of our comfort zone.

We live in an era of variety, in which people can easily change their minds. Mr. Ferreira lamented that in today’s world people are no longer interested in fixing things; instead they just replace them. This kind of attitude is so prevalent that it is even found in relationships and marriages. Couples are no longer interested in trying to work through their relationships, and instead they get a divorce, only to start the cycle all over again. Mr. Ferreira also talked about this in relation to people moving from one church to the next when they encounter issues. He refers to such people as “church fleas” hopping from one group to another.

Mr. Ferreira mentioned that we are to be long-suffering and patient, and followed that up with two thought-provoking questions: Do you follow through on your commitments (Matthew 5:37)? Are you grounded and steadfast (Matthew 7:13–14)? 

Five lessons from a simple pencil

Mr. Ferreira related these questions to a story about a pencil maker who told a pencil that if it remembered five lessons, it would be a successful pencil.

First, we will be able to do great things only if we allow ourselves to be held in someone’s hand—we must learn to rely on God for strength. If we are in God’s hands, anything is possible (Matthew 19:26).

Like a pencil, we also will experience painful sharpening from time to time, but this is needed for us to become better. God wants us to improve on a daily basis; it does not happen all at once at baptism. A Christian cannot grow without going through tests and trials. The trials might not feel great, but giving up on God’s way of life is never an option for true Christians (Romans 5:3–4; Matthew 24:13).

A pencil also has an eraser at the back of it to fix mistakes. Our “eraser” is genuine repentance (Isaiah 55:6–7; Psalm 103:11–12). Thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, repenting from our sins allows those sins to be erased from the record of our lives in God’s sight. We all make mistakes—and with God’s help, we are able to repent of our mistakes and correct them. 

No matter how fancy a pencil’s exterior is, the lead within it is the most important part. Likewise, the most important part of Christians is always what’s inside. We should not define ourselves solely by who we are physically; we should remember that what is in our hearts is what truly matters in God’s sight (1 Samuel 16:6–7; Jeremiah 17:10).

On every surface a pencil is used, it leaves a mark. We, too, leave marks as we go about our lives, through the examples we set and the legacies we leave behind. It is a Christian’s responsibility to strive to exemplify Christ’s life and leave a legacy that points back to Him (1 Peter 2:21–23; 1 Timothy 4:12).

 As Christians, we can all learn from the lessons of a pencil. We need to make sure that we stick to our commitment to God’s way of life—we cannot afford to give up when things get tough. With His help, we will be examples of those who stand apart from the disposable era.

Forum Summary: Should you become an entrepreneur?

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Mr. Michael Thiel is an entrepreneur in advertising, currently writing ads and marketing in about ten industries.

For this his forum, Mr. Thiel gave a presentation on aspects of entrepreneurship and what it takes to become an entrepreneur.

What Does an Entrepreneur Do?

To become an entrepreneur, you must first have an idea for a product or service of some sort. Even if you lack total confidence in your idea, you can test it out, and if it works, knowing that it does will motivate you to move forward. 

But if it fails, you can still analyze and learn from the failure. Progress is achieved by acknowledging your failures, reflecting on them, and learning from them. If you can do this, failure will have no effect on your ability to succeed—it will only help pave the way. 

Requirements of Entrepreneurship

Once your idea is set in motion as a business, you will engage in two types of work as an entrepreneur: Productive work that benefits or furthers your efforts to build your business—such as getting clients, making products, etc.—and  “unproductive” activities that might not get you more work, but still need to be done, such as accounting, filing taxes, etc. Beyond that, here are two things to keep in mind in order to be successful as an entrepreneur: 

  1. You must love it! To keep your business alive, you must love either what you do or the market that you serve. That will be the source of your motivation to keep going—you can’t just be in it for the money. This motivation will help you persevere through difficult times. 
  2. You must be flexible. You may have an idea that may not be marketable or doesn’t have a market at all; if you can’t sell your idea, but still stick to it no matter what, you’re heading for failure. Flexibility is key—sometimes you may need to try another idea or market to find success.

The Pros and Cons of Being an Entrepreneur

There are some downsides to entrepreneurship—you’ll have to pay higher taxes in the form of self-employment tax, you won’t be given health insurance or no paid time off, your pay will not be guaranteed, and everything that goes wrong will be your fault. Also, if you promise a customer something, it will be up to you to see it through, no matter what. 

On the flip side, there are many perks: you won’t be pressured to work on the Sabbath, you won’t have to worry about job security, you will often be able to work from home, your travel will be tax-deductible in certain cases, you will get all the proceeds directly, you will be able to say no to work you don’t want to do, and you will be able to become known for your work. 

If you can meet these requirements and stick with it, then, as Mr. Thiel said, you will have an overwhelming chance of turning your idea into a successful business.

Assembly Summary: Why are you here?

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 6 min.

Mr. Dexter Wakefield opened his lecture with something Mr. Armstrong used to ask on Holy Days and Sabbaths: “Why are you here?”

Mr. Wakefield stated that we have quite a few reasons for being here—some excellent reasons and others that may not be so excellent. We may have primary, secondary, or even tertiary reasons as to why we are in the Church of God and in Living Education. Mr. Wakefield referenced 1 Chronicles 28:9, saying that God knows the intent of the thoughts of our heart, which goes deeply into our psychology. 

Mr. Wakefield then asked a challenging question: “Why do some people leave the Church?” He revealed that, over the years, he has seen that those who leave the Church have lost their reason for being in it. If something happens that troubles or challenges us, having the right reasons for being in God’s Church can remind us of what we stand for. Examining our reasons for being in the Church, in order to prioritize the right reasons and become aware of the weak reasons, can strengthen our devotion to the Body of Christ.

Some Weak Reasons for Being in the Church

  • I want to avoid the tribulation. Mr. Wakefield mentioned that some people may think that they will simply attend Church services when things get rough in the world—but “that’s an illusion.” It is going to be much harder to come to services then than it is now.
  • I want to be a Philadelphian: If you have a small doctrinal disagreement that makes you feel more Philadelphian than another person, you might start to consider that other person Laodicean. Mr. Wakefield believes that true Philadelphians do not worry about being Philadelphian—rather, they are occupied with God’s truth and the Work. He went on to compare prideful people—those who think of themselves as Philadelphian while looking down on other members—to the practice of Judo, in which a small person is able to throw a larger person. The idea in Judo is not to resist the attacker, but to pull them farther in the direction they are already going and then throw them off balance. Satan does the same with a prideful person; that person can be easily deceived.
  • I want to avoid the lake of fire: While it is good to have a bit of fear for the lake of fire, it should not be a primary reason for being in the Church. People who have an irrational fear of the lake of fire can be easily deceived and manipulated. Yes, we want to make sure we are not sinning willfully, but if avoiding the lake of fire is a person’s entire motivation, that person will be tripped up once doubt comes in.
  • I want to get salvation: This is a great motivation to have, but when it is the only one, it may lead to a begrudging attitude toward the commandments of God. If someone has no love for the commandments, they may go along with an unbiblical change in doctrine that challenges the commandments. This is exactly what happened in the Worldwide Church of God. By contrast, God’s people learn to love His commandments and obey them from the heart.
  • The Church is where my friends are: In John 15:12–17, we are commanded to love each other, and it is fine to want to be with our friends—but that should not be the main reason we are in the Church. If it is, and a friendship ends or a friend leaves the Church, our own reason for being here will be demolished.
  • I want to be in a loving environment: If this is the primary reason for a person staying in the Church, that person will leave once another Church member offends them. It is good to be in a loving environment, but our reasons for being here must be stronger than that.
  • I want intellectual stimulation: The problem with this reason is that those who are motivated by it always want to hear something new. Mr. Wakefield referenced Acts 17:18–21, explaining that we should go deeper in the truth, not move on to a different “truth.” He mentioned he has seen individuals spending quite a bit of time on the Internet looking for a new doctrine that contradicts the truth. Spiritual growth results not from always learning new “truth,” but in changing our hearts and our character.
  • I want to be where a particular minister is: God provides spiritual services to his children through his true ministers and those who serve under those ministers. Everyone has their personal preferences, but if one minister is someone’s main reason for being in the Church, what happens if that minister leaves? We must remember that Christ does the Work and ministers occupy an office that Christ works through. We must also consider our brethren around the world, some of whom only see a minister a few times a year and have to rely on video sermons. Their reasons for being in the Church can be instructive to us.
  • I’m comfortable here: Currently, many find attending with the Living Church of God to be stable and comfortable, but what happens when we have turmoil? After all, we will be hated during the end times. “If your priority is comfort and stability in the Living Church, then the end times are going to be tough for you,” stated Mr. Wakefield. Satan will focus his activities where God’s work and truth are.

Strong Reasons for Being in the Church

  • I want to obey God and seek His Kingdom first: If we have genuine love for the real God and the truth revealed in His word, we will be rooted in a desire to stay amongst those who share that love.
  • To learn the truth of God: Many eras of God’s Church did not have all of the truth and understanding that we have in the Church today. We must evaluate what is most important to us. The truth has been challenged in various times and it will be challenged again, so we all need to maintain a solid understanding of exactly what the Bible teaches.
  • To be part of the Work of God: Christ is accomplishing through His Church the Work of proclaiming the Gospel of God’s Kingdom to the world, and we must recognize where that work is being done. In Ephesians 4:14–16, we are taught that we all have an important part in what the Church is doing.

It is important for us to consider our primary reasons for being in the Church, making sure that those reasons are strong. Wherever Christ is, His truth and His work will be, and this can serve as our guiding beacon. If we consider carefully why we are here, we can develop the conviction to stay with God’s truth and His work.

Assembly Summary: The Enemy Knows You

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min. 30 sec.

In his assembly, Mr. Cristian Orrego warned the Living Education students about the many ways Satan tries to distract us from the truth.

He advised them to be aware of these influences and to be careful not to fall into the enemy’s tangled web of deception.

Two Options

We either live God’s way of life, or we let Satan trap us in his web of deceptions. There is no in-between. We all have personal desires and dreams, and yet, even more fundamentally, we have an innate desire for eternity, as is revealed in Ecclesiastes 3:11. This is why mankind has always searched for the purpose of his existence—something to fill the emptiness inside him. Yet this emptiness can only be filled by God or Satan—so with what are we fulfilling these desires?

The Magnitude of the Deception

Satan has had a lot of experience dealing with the human family. He knows our needs as well as our wants, and can use these fleshly desires to manipulate and deceive us. There are many ways he accomplishes this, and one of them can be seen in people today: God is being replaced with evolution in the minds of many. What does this leave for anyone to hope for? This can only produce a feeling of emptiness and hopelessness. In response, people turn to materialism and hedonism. If we remove God from our lives, the enemy will fill that spiritual emptiness with evil.

The Standards That Matter

We all need to examine whether the one who rules our minds is God or Satan. The enemy can and does use the examples of celebrities, peers, fictional characters, and social media influencers in his attempts to lead us away from following Christ’s example in our lives. In many subtle ways, the prince of the power of the air tries to distract us from what we should be doing every day—spending time with God and living our lives according to the standards He sets for us. If our minds are preoccupied with ideas and examples that are against the law of God, we will perish.

God’s way leads us to eternal life, to the materialization of our dreams, to true social justice, to a real and solid purpose for our existence, and to true freedom. Only His way will lead us to the Kingdom, and that kingdom is the only place where we will find all that we long for. If we are tired of evil and injustice, then we need to always live according to the word of God with the help of His Holy Spirit, putting aside the shallow, selfish, and vain path that leads to death.

Assembly Summary: 25 Biblical Stress Relievers

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

For his assembly to the Living-Ed students, Mr. Stafford addressed the topic of stress.

He informed the students of some ways in which people show stress, such as headaches, crying, and irritability. He also stated that every human being is customized—none of us are “normal,” and we all experience stress differently. This being so, we each must be aware of what is stressful for us and learn to control how we react to those stressors. 

25 Ways to Avoid or Manage Stress in Our Lives

  1. Set priorities. What are the most important things in your life? Considering this question carefully and prioritizing what is important to us can keep us from letting unimportant things stress us out (Matthew 6:33).
  2. Exercise. This is a hard habit to develop, but the effort is well worth the stress relief exercise has been proven to provide.
  3. Always have a plan B. We are not certain of everything that is going to happen in this life, and our original plans, whatever they are, might not work out.
  4. Smile and rejoice: No matter how tough life gets, there is always something to rejoice about.
  5. Do everything in moderation (Philippians 4:5).
  6. “Let go and let God.” Remember that certain things are out of our control. (Philippians 4:7; Hebrews 11:1)
  7. Think godly thoughts (Philippians 4:8).
  8. Have proper nutrition. For example, reducing unnecessary sugar in our diets can relieve stress. (Genesis 1:12; Daniel 1:12)
  9. Avoid negative people (1 Corinthians 15:33).
  10. Unclutter your life (1 Corinthians 14:33; Luke 8:14).
  11. Forgive yourself (Matthew 6:15).
  12. Be grateful for life. When we think about it, every day we spend being alive is a good day (Ephesians 5:20).
  13. Whatever it is, do it today; don’t procrastinate (Isaiah 55:6; 1 Corinthians 14:40).
  14. Focus on the positive (Philippians 4:8).
  15. Be responsible for your feelings, rather than blaming others or considering yourself a victim of external circumstances.
  16. Remember that you always have options. (Deuteronomy 30:15; Romans 8:28) It’s not what happens to us, it’s how we deal with it.
  17. When appropriate, give hugs (1 Corinthians 13:13; James 2:8).
  18. Remember that stress is an attitude, it’s a choice. Mr. Stafford suggests to examine what you’re stressed about, and ask yourself, “Does it matter enough to die?” (Deuteronomy 32:29)
  19. Take everything one day at a time (Matthew 6:11, 34).
  20. Have a supporting network of godly friends (Hebrews 10:25).
  21. Don’t try to fix others (Philippians 2:12).
  22. Don’t get too little sleep—or too much (Proverbs 3:24; 6:9).
  23. Talk less, listen more (James 1:19).
  24. Study the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15).
  25. Pray (Romans 12:12; Luke 18:1–8).

If we apply these methods of dealing with stress, we can become able to manage the difficult situations that life presents. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, God will continue to teach us how we are to live and how to deal with whatever faces us.