Fighting back against harmful thoughts

December 29, 2025

Maria Philippians 4, Proverbs 18, Proverbs 23, Proverbs 4, Spiritual Warfare, Truth , , , , , Leave a comment

For as he thinks within himself, so he is. Proverbs 23:7 NASB
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true… Philippians 4:8 NLT

As I reflect back over the year 2025, I give thanks for the defensive spiritual weapons the Lord has given me to fight back against the foul spirits directed by Satan. The essence of these biblical truths and commands above, together with some cultural adages, have served me well.

You do know we are engaged in a cosmic war, right? As those who have been transferred out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and into God’s bright kingdom of light and righteousness, we are constantly under attack.

Last week, on Christmas Eve day, I battled jealousy on and off until mid-afternoon. Current photos our daughter-in-law posted of her four children delighting in some curated fun with “the other grandparents” triggered me to conclude that they are “the better grandparents.” It also didn’t help that we were not around family, although we had recently spent most of Thanksgiving week with all six of our grandkids.

So, how did I fight back?

All I can say is that I kept at it. I didn’t stop battling. I alternated between confessing my sinful thoughts and thanking God for these other loving grandparents who live closer and can lavish attention and gifts on them more frequently than we can.

What helped most was uttering out loud to Maria, “The story I’m telling myself is…,” as well as reminding myself of the many times we, too, have planned fun experiences, building strong bonds and creating. Finally, Satan let up, and my heart (thoughts) returned to a state of peace.

In 2025, “the story I’m telling myself” has served as my go-to shield. I wield this defensive weapon whenever I find myself succumbing to harmful thinking. At times when Mike articulates a negative script about his circumstances, I will remind him to choose a different possible story. Yes, we are able, through God’s Spirit, to select what we know to be true and not draw damaging conclusions from our imaginations.

On Thursday, I was just feeling sorry for myself, and Satan toyed with me.

Scripture teaches us that God has endowed ALL believers with the gift of sound, or logical, thinking (2 Timothy 1:7), and He expects us to use this gift—to practice it.

As the verses above show, we are commanded to keep guard over our thought lives (our hearts). I’m sure you’ve heard Proverbs 18:21 multiple times, reminding us that life and death are in the power of tongue. What we think and say to ourselves DOES matter.

My only goal for 2026 is to work on my heart. I am praying that daily, with intentionality, I will weed the garden of my heart. I’m counting on God’s Word and some curated self-talk to keep my armor in shape.

By the way, I haven’t forgotten one other self-talk help in my arsenal—the title of the book What If It’s Wonderful? by Nicole Zasowski. I use these four words whenever I catch myself, out of fear, futurizing “the worst possible scenario.”

How do you fight back with God’s help?

My new heart – 10 days old 

April 5, 2024

Maria Forgiveness, Heart, Matthew 15, Prayer, Proverbs 4, Repentance , , , , , 1 Comment

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.Proverbs 4:23 NLT

It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth. Matthew 15:11 NLT

In my last blog, I wrote about how Jesus revealed the life-long accumulation of poison I had let fester in my heart. Two consecutive outpourings of disproportionate and ugly words aimed at my poor husband caused me to admit that I had a problem about which I knew very little.

God is good and loving when he gently makes us confront reality. Last week was like being deliberately carried to the doctor to receive a diagnosis I had not been expecting and squirmed when forced to face. But I left that ‘office appointment’ with a recipe for health and lots of hope.

What has stayed with me since then is the certainty that through confession to both Jesus and Mike and receiving (and believing) their forgiveness, I have been given a brand-new and clean heart.  The old is gone and the new one has replaced it. That fact has 2 serious implications.

One, since all the accumulated ‘ungrieved losses and unresolved disappointments’ (Chris Cook’s words from his latest book Healing what you can’t Erase), regrets, unmet expectations, resentments, shaming events, and years of boasting were lifted from Maria and removed forever, I need not nor dare not revisit them when I’m tempted to seek self-pity.

Secondly and more importantly is the fact that I have a brand-new, pure and clean heart. I have been VERY conscious of that fact, not wanting to spoil my new heart. But I know that I am still a sinner, albeit a redeemed and forgiven one. And until I am reunited with Jesus I will stumble again and again, needing to acknowledge, lament, repent and receive cleansing pardon.

I have been more careful of my heart in these last ten days. As I’m finishing up Dallas Willard’s book A Life without Lack, I’m adopting some of his recommended practices to assist me.  At night and in the morning, I am trying out a new routine of asking Jesus straight out: What troubles you about me and how I lived this day? Where did I boast or judge others? Where did I forget that you were with me? Where did I wrap myself up in Maria’s interests and neglected what you wanted me to do?

I don’t want to get lazy and drift into old habits. New regimens take energy and time until they are more automatic.

This checking in with Jesus twice a day is how I want to keep my heart clean.

The places during the day where I have allowed some yuk to enter my heart can be confessed and forgiven. Once removed from my heart creates a better probability that what comes OUT of my mouth won’t be ugly.

Even though Jesus taught that it’s not what goes into our mouths that defile us, I know for a fact, that what goes into my mind CAN plant poisonous seeds in that place I’m commanded to guard. In a short time, ugly plants will sprout and hurt someone else.

This ‘agricultural’ work, a daily discipline, is growing into a burden-relieving joy. Maybe I can become a master gardener one of these days!

Entering a new decade with God

July 7, 2017

Maria Ephesians 3, God's Promises, God's Purpose, God's Word, Hope, Mark 7, Proverbs 4, Romans 8 , , , , , , 2 Comments

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

It was early fall; I shared lunch with a fellow teacher about 15 years older than me. “How did you cope with turning 40?” I asked.

Her response startled me: “Have you ever heard of Bible Study Fellowship?”

Intrigued, I joined as soon as I could.  And God changed my life.

At 50 I switched schools. Summit Christian Academy in Yorktown, Va hired me, a French teacher, to teach civics, US history and LOGIC!  My qualifications?  An initial BA in Foreign Affairs from UVA.

I had to google ‘Logic’.  And God changed my life.

Sweet 60 is my soon-to-be demographic.  A new decade.  I ponder this significant celebration. It feels different. I know God so much better now.

Over the past 20 years, He has taught me to live by some fundamental facts. (Does that make me a ‘fundamentalist’?)

  • He does all things well (Mark 7:37)
  • He is good
  • He is sovereign
  • I belong to Him, for He has given me His Spirit. (Romans 8:9)

Those truths settle me.  His holy gift of peace permeates.  Being one of His sheep is enough.

No, I don’t know what my Father has in store for me as this new decade dawns. But one thing I do know: I trust Him.  And He promises a happy future for every son and daughter, liberated by Christ. (Matt 25:34)

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. Proverbs 4:18 (ESV)