aledjonesfanclubforum.myfastforum.org

louannabraham · Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 13

Having volunteered to be on the rota for Thought For the Week, I then
found that I was anxious and worried about what I could possibly
contribute to the Group.

This in turn set me wondering about what subject to choose.
Consequently I decided that anxiety and worry, because I guess that
most of us have experienced this at some point in our lives, would be
a worthwhile topic to ponder.

By way of background, until a couple of years ago I was a very
confident outgoing person; blessed with good friends, a good job, in
fact everything I could possibly have wished for; and apart from
never having experienced the joys of motherhood, I felt contented and
I had everything that life had to offer.

The situation drastically changed in 2006 after suffering a nervous
breakdown, due to stress at work, I was working up to 12 hours per
day and experiencing bullying in the workplace, and the situation
became intolerable.

In August 2006 I lost myjob after 21 years with the same company. I
was faced, at the age of 58, with not much prospect of gaining
further employment. I found this was a very stressful situation to
deal with and had to reassess what the future held. If, indeed,
there was to be any future for me.

I am pleased to say that I am slowly rebuilding my life and, although
my self esteem is still very low, I am working hard to try to restore
that to the level it once was.

Please forgive me if this rambles on a bit, but the turning point for
me was re-reading Matthew 6:25-34. Although I had read it many times
before, it took on new meaning for me. The material things in life
ceased to be important and I knew that God would lead me in the right
direction.

"For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to
what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to
what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body
than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And which
of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span?
And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the
field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that
even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of
these. But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive
today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more
do so for you, O men of little faith? Do not be anxious then,
saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what
shall we clothe ourselves?' For all these things the Gentiles eagerly
seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these
things shall be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious for
tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own."

-(Matthew 6:25-34)

Paula