1. Let's stop believing that emotions are a big bad word or an unpardonable sin.
2. Let's not ignore their reality or pretend that they don't exist.
3. Let's put an end to being afraid or shamed or daunted by their power.
4. Let's not keep shoving one after the other some place way down deep until they rise up unbidden and threaten to swallow us whole with out-of-control outbursts, terrifying anxiety, the heavy blanket of depression, or a wide range of life-altering addictive behaviors.
5. Let's not let our emotions call the shots, damage our relationships, or destroy our testimonies.
6. Let's pay attention as soon as our emotions come to call, and claim the time to look at these messengers that whisper the truth about what we're feeling. And then choose right then and there to understand what the churning's all about.
7. Let's learn to make pro-active choices to thoughtfully respond in ways that tap into God's awesome power, show respect to others, and give grace and peace to ourselves.
8. Let's ask God to somehow redeem our emotions.
9. Let's stop saying, 'I'm angry.' Because you are not your anger.
10. Instead let's give ourselves full permission to calmly say, 'Right now I feel ...' whatever the emotion is.
11. For we are not defined by our hurt, frustration, fear, sadness, disappointment, or whatever we happen to be feeling at that moment. We are defined by our Savior.
Linda
