Rest Stop (Holy Saturday) … grief, hope, faith

Holy Saturday, Easter, Jesus, hope inspiration, love, peace, serenity

Holy Saturday, the day after the death of Jesus, Christians await, in hope and in faith, for God to show us a sign that Jesus is truly His son. When we think of the emotions of the followers of Jesus, so sure that He was the savior, to experience His death, their heartbreak and confusion must’ve been unbearable! Were they duped? How were they so wrong to think that Jesus was God? Yet, because of everything that they experienced while with Jesus, there still exists a sense of hope in their hearts. They don’t yet understand, and they are questioning, but they haven’t yet fully rejected the belief that Jesus is the son of God.

Taken from the Christian prayer-book “The Liturgy of the Hours”, here is an ancient sermon attributed to Easter yet prayed on Holy Saturday.  What does this sermon says to you in your life’s journey:

“Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear. He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden. See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree. I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you. Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.”

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…. a thought from Chris Shea:

 

My goal, and the mission of “Lifesjourney”, is to guide us toward finding self-awareness and inner peace. I encourage us to view our lives from varied perspectives trying to find what daily practices strengthen us along our journey.

Lifesjourney’s philosophy for finding inner peace lies in two basic concepts: keeping our thoughts on the present moment, and practicing some form of daily meditation.

“Mindfulness” is a word I often use in my writings, on my social media, and a concept I use with my clients. One of the pioneers in the mindfulness movement, Jon Kabat-Zinn, defines mindfulness as:

“a means of paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.”

Personally, the two key phrases in this definition which I feel are important are “on purpose” and “nonjudgmentally”. To find our inner-peace we need to consciously make the choice to spend time every day focusing our attention on what is happening around us and within us. Our focus is not meant to judge what is happening, just to notice it.  As we become aware of our surroundings and our inner self, we will become aware of life’s joys and potential. In our state of focused awareness, we are enabled to see solutions; to see hope. 2016-02-02 19.11.33

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“Life is sometimes difficult, but even so, it is always possible to find inner-peace. I talk about topics of daily life which cause us stress and anxiety, guiding us on how to change our perspective and to learn how to live in the moment.” -Chris Shea, host of “On Finding Peace”

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Upcoming Scheduled Events

— October 4 @ 8:00pm EDT: Live talk with myself and my guest, Ben Rolnik. Topic: “Can Suffering Cease to Exist? Here’s How”. Click here: https://goo.gl/Yl6pUF

— October 7-11, 2016: I’m attending the NAADAC annual conference in Minneapolis, MN. Details click here

— October 16 @ 8:00pm EDT: Live talk with myself and co-host, Lisa DeLay. Topic: “Practical Strategies for Coping With Anxiety”. Click here: https://goo.gl/BjI45K

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Are you feeling depressed or anxious most of the time? Perhaps you’re unsure about how to cope with recent life changes like a divorce, the death of a parent, loss of a job or major illness?

Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness and wish to talk to someone about dealing with your illness. If these, or other issues, are of concern, then counseling is for you.

I have been working with clients in a clinical setting for over 20 years. My approach to counseling is based on the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy model, proven to be the most effective at helping eliminate troublesome life issues.

As part of the process, I will help you identify the thoughts and behaviors that are healthy vs. unhealthy for daily living and transform those behaviors into healthier, more realistic ways of dealing with life.

As appropriate, handouts, readings, and worksheets will be assigned to assist in the process. In my sessions, I use various techniques to really educate and guide you towards better habits of thinking and acting in healthier ways.

If you’re ready to explore life coaching and how it can help improve your life, please reach out. You can email me at booking@lifesjourneyblog.com or call directly 240-587-7854.

 

 

Contact Chris Shea For Life Coaching In Leonardtown Or For Keynote Presentations

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About Chris Shea

The summer of 2012 challenged me in that I, a workaholic at the time, and due to a job change, found myself work-free that summer. The challenge to slow down and rest eventually led me to the practice of meditation and mindfulness. Later that summer I created a blog as a place to share my feelings in my attempt to make sense of life. I named my blog “Lifesjourney”.

Throughout my life, I’ve had my ups and downs, and the life lessons I’ve learned, combined with my education, influence my approach to life coaching and counseling.

Lifesjourney Life Coaching, LLC grew from its founding as a blog into the coaching, counseling and consulting group it is today. In an effort to guide people to find inner peace, I speak at conferences and gatherings nationwide and am proud to be published in medical and clinical journals, as well as on various internet sites. Professionally I’m a nationally and state certified addiction counselor as well as a nationally certified life coach, having graduated from St. Hyacinth College-Seminary and the Washington Theological Union in DC.

I divide my time between Lifesjourney, serving as the Director of Campus Ministry at a high school in Maryland and as an adjunct professor in the Family Studies and Community Development department of the school of Liberal Arts at Towson University as well as McDaniel College’s Graduate School of Counseling. 

I have spent over 20 years in the addiction counseling field as a clinician and administrator, responsible for the implementation of treatment program models while integrating evidence-based treatments to promote lifelong recovery. My counseling experience is preceded by an almost decade-long pastoral ministry as a hospital chaplain in DC and a retreat leader in the New England region.

I currently serve as the chairperson of my county’s Alcohol Coalition, a member of the county Behavioral Health Action Committee and sit on the advisory board for the National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children.

I live in Leonardtown, MD enjoying the people and the great outdoors of the rural life.

If you’re looking for life coaching, you can either visit me in my office or worldwide via the internet. I am also available for public speaking and corporate consultation. I look forward to working with you!

Bonus: Chris Shea is offering this free GIFT explaining how you can improve your life with life coaching!  Click here to get it