September 17, 2013 Issue #090

Learning to "be still" is a challenge for singles

Being single means we have a lot of time to think, and that opportunity can turn into a problem when we go to bed at night. As soon as the bedroom is dark and the house is quiet, a single person's mind starts to jump around like a box full of overcaffeinated crickets. Does this sound familiar?

We construct a kind of self-inflicted torture chamber when our thoughts are filled with anxiety or worry. The difference between the two is that anxiety is a vague, unspecific fear, while worry asks a bunch of unanswerable "What if?" questions. Either way, that kind of nervous mind is something we single folks can do without.

Some of us are wound up both night and day. We're constantly replaying worst-case scenarios or fretting over what that woman we just passed on the sidewalk thinks of us. Yeeks!

How can you calm down and stop this stressfest? How can you change your thinking from a gerbil cage into a calm garden pond? That's what I wondered too, when I reflected on being still.

Ten thousand thieves

Their king was named Satan
and they served him well.
They came without bidding or bribe.
At first they seemed harmless,
so I let them in.
And Worry was the name of their tribe.

They crept into my days
and into my nights
until they took hold of my thoughts.
I fretted on "what ifs?" and "what nows?"
and "why me's?"
and "could haves" and "should haves"
and "oughts."

And just as my tower
was about to be breached,
I gave up a desperate cry.
I called for the Guardian
who takes care of me.
And He came in the blink
of an eye.

His sword is named Truth
and it slays every foe.
No invader can stand in its way.
He cut through Worry
with His holy power,
His righteousness conquered the day.

Now peace has returned,
and my mind is at rest.
My Guardian governs my soul.
My thoughts are on Him
and His deep love for me.
I am safe because
He's in control.

~ Jack Zavada, 2013 ~

September Quote of the Month

Watchman Nee knew an important truth: There are some things over which we have no control. Many of us never get that. We think we can control everything, and waste countless hours trying to figure out how to do just that.

Our "rest" lies in doing what we can about those things we can control, and looking to the Lord to handle those things we can't control. When we reach the point where we trust God to take care of us no matter what happens, then we'll know a mind at peace.

What was Lincoln really like?

If you're a Kindle owner, you can find out, through my new Kindle novel, Mr. Lincoln for the Defense. I spent an entire year researching it, so every detail about Lincoln's life is dead-on accurate and true.

This fictional story is a fast-paced courtroom drama. Lincoln the lawyer defends a young farm wife accused of the brutal murder of her much older husband. As the trial goes on, scandalous facts are revealed about Lincoln's young client. It takes all his legal skills to come to her defense.

Mr. Lincoln for the Defense will keep you on the edge of your seat, or the edge of your Kindle. It's only $2.99 in the Amazon Kindle Store.

Who doesn't like f'ree stuff?

Anyway, if you haven't been a subscriber long, you may not be aware of the cool f'reebies we offer on www.inspiration-for-singles.com.

You can get the swell PDF ebook, Beating Shyness, pictured here, along with a busload of other good stuff, on our:

Give it a visit! Download some loot! Don't pay a dime! Do the Happy Dance!

Does your life feel hollow?

If you're not a Christian, you can find out what I did many years ago. You can find true meaning and purpose, and a deep-down happiness you didn't think possible.

The nice part is that no one will pester you, no one will come to your door, and no one will get obnoxious. You can learn from the privacy and safety of your home. Here are a couple cool places to start:

If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter or the web site, send me an email using our gluten-free contact form.

In closing, I hope this newsletter had something useful for you. Remember, I'm not a guru, an expert, or a saint. I'm just a regular guy who may have walked down this path ahead of you. My job is to point you to Jesus, where the real answers and salvation are found.

Thanks for reading, fellow singleton. Until October,

Jack Zavada