Enthusiasm is a great power. Those with it can never be disheartened because it simplifies all difficulties.

So true!

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I get a few quotes online each day. This is a relatively new one I get. I learned about it from my friend who is very involved in peacemaking.

Thank you for reminding us of that.

I may have posted this before, but when I worked for government, they ridiculed me for the enthusiasm I had for whatever project they gave me and I thought I should try to be more cynical in order to fit in. One day when I was just passing by a huge dictionary that they had in the office I looked up the word 'enthusiasm' and was astounded at the meanings of the root words.

Briefly, the 'en' part means 'inside,' the 'iasm' part means 'to show.' And most importantly, the 'thus' part comes from the word 'Theos' which means 'God.'

So literally interpreted, the word "enthusiasm" means "Showing God inside."

After I learned that, I decided against fitting in and tried to be more enthusiastic. Eventually it seemed that others became more enthusiastic too. Maybe showing God inside is contagious.

LET'S START AN EPIDEMIC!!

smile

[ June 20, 2005, 03:00 PM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

My life verse, I stand on every day, is Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.

This verse had carried me through a lot of tough times-it contains the promise that no matter what, He will work it all out for my good AND that He has it all planned out--He's not surprised at events, even when I am! PTL!

SO,
Thanks for reminding us of that verse. If you stand on it, you'll stand tall and be strong.

I've posted this before, and maybe you know, but anyway, the word "Enghusiasm" literally interpreted from the root words is...
EN meaning 'inside'
IASM meaning 'to show'
And most meaningful of all, THUS comes from the word THEOS meaning GOD.
So ENTHUSIASM literally interpretty from the root words means "Showing God inside"
Keep 'showing God inside' with enthusiasm, and nothing can destroy you.
Thanks again.
smile

Don't forget the prayer of Jabez!

Oh that you would bless me indeed
And enlarge my territory
That your hand would be with me
That you would keep me from evil
That I would cause no pain

When I pray this prayer, peace overcomes me.

JJ

speaker, and the rest of that is...in all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. It's a promise I rely on every day.

Jaw jaw, I pray that prayer for my family every day. I replace the me and I's with US. Then if something happens to one of my immediate family, I know I've prayed and it's God's will. He will give me strength to get through the situation.

Eagle, I see your enthusiasm in your posts. You may not feel enthusiastic, but your words prove that you are.

Maybe we need to consider the difference between enthusiasm and physical energy. Anyone want to take a stab at that? Do we have to do the queen's dance to be enthusiastic, or can we be enthusiastic without jumping around?

I equate enthusiasm with encouraging others.

Smile! That's a great epidemic to be part of!

Starting Over- I love that verse! I praise the Lord for HE HAS PLANS FOR ME!!!!

JJ: The prayer of Jabez has impacted my life profoundly!

Speaker/Dots: Isn't it great that God has something for each of our needs? His WORD is powerful when we trust! It can definitely change lives!

Dots, I'm not sure you have to be physically enthusiastic to "show God inside."

I think we "Show God inside" when we are giving to His children, including ourselves (as long as we don't hurt others of His children). And it includes giving even something as simple as a smile to someone who needs it.

smile

I'm sure we all have our moments, some are not as obviously enthusiastic as others, but still enthusiastic.

The quiet resolve to not give up no matter what keeps us going and not necesarily has to always show on our countenance... although there is something about the enthusiasts that shows through any way! Does this make sense?

Another way I've seen it written...enthusiasm is the 'breath of God'...how wonderful! When I'm excited and enthusiastic about something, it's GOD giving me His breath, His spirit, His joy, His hope, HIM so that I can do all things through Him.

Ain't it just GRAND?!!! Praise God for HIMSELF!

Sister thistle, it is grand. And have you found that enthusiasm begets enthusiasm?

I have always heard that "Inspiration" is the breath of God, as inspiring is taking in a breath, but enthusiasm may certainly be the breath of God also as both seem to involve God being inside of us.
smile

Ok, I know I'm strange and even stranger for telling some intimate things about myself, but hey, my friends don't judge me.

Inspiration is the breath of God... I read this topic a few days ago.

Driving home from work and thinking about (something that concerned me at the time), I took a deep breath. My mind told me I was breathing God into my soul. Yes, he is already there, but I needed to take him in deeper at that moment.

What have I learned? Inspiration is breathing God. Hey,don't blame me, I can't help it. God made me do it.

Seriously, I never did this before, but you can bet, I will do it whenever I need HIM from now on. It works for me.

chick

I like that, Chick. It's so much simpler (for a burnt-out, chronically fatigued me who hasn't felt that deep singing bouncy joy in far too long) to just breathe God deep into my soul and know that He is with me through every moment of my life for as long as I keep breathing. That is definitely inspirational, life-giving, and do-able!

I know that I will someday feel that deep singing bouncy joy again, but for now I'm enjoying the depths of quiet intimacy with God that I'm discovering through my fatigue-forced inability to function much beyond deep breathing and quiet living.

Discovering the root meaning of enthusiasm changed the way I looked at things. And though I knew that "inspiration" was the way we "breathe in the spirit of God," I hadn't really thought about it much.

Now I think I will follow the lead of chick and eagle and when I take on something new or when I'm just feeling blah, I'll take a deep breath and know it is God's spirit. Then I'll try to "show God inside" by being enthusiastic.

That's my goal for today.
smile

I've been debating about sharing this dream I had in mid-January. It's a bit long, and I don't want to "hijack" this thread, but it kind of fits in a tendrilled way.

In the dream, I’m trying to "move on", not sure where, just to move out of my overwhelming heaviness of heart, an ever-deepening sense of lostness and futility in ever being able to feel okay again. A little girl, about five years old, is standing right in the middle of my chest, red-faced angry, with arms crossed, stamping her foot, refusing to move. I'm impatient to get going, so at first I want to grab her by the wrist and just drag her with me, thinking this is just a childish temper tantrum. But she's adament about not moving, and then I remember that often when children react like that, it’s because they’re not finished doing what they were doing.

So I ask her if that is the case, is she in the middle of doing something that she really needs to finish. She nods, takes my hand and leads me in through my rib cage, around my heart, to a secret door hidden just behind my heart. We go down the narrow staircase. It’s dark, but not frightening. I can feel my heart beating against my shoulder as it brushes against the wall of the staircase.

We finally emerge into a small, breathtakingly beautiful room. Covering one entire wall is the most beautiful stained-glass window I’ve ever seen…brilliant reds, blues, purples, golds…with the light shining through it, the room is bathed in a warm and gorgeous glow. The floor is warm underneath my feet, covered in a thick, rich red carpet. Facing the window is the only other thing in the room, a kneeler. The kneeler is made out of warm oak, with thick red velvet covering the kneeling pad and top of the kneeler. I look at the little girl for an explanation, but I already know the answer. This is my soul.

I realize that the stained glass window is a tapestry of my life thus far. It, and my soul, are infinitely more beautiful than I could ever have imagined, especially with my current sadness distorting any positive sense of self.

Then she moves over to the other side of the room, where I see a very sickly thin old man leaning weakly against the wall. The child bends down to speak with him, and beckons me over to help him to sit up. He’s very weak, frail, and bedraggled. As I pick him up, I realize who he is…he’s my spirit. It frightens me to see my spirit so weak and sickly. I look at the little girl for an explanation. She looks up at me with eyes filled with sorrow.

“You’ve got it all wrong,” she said. “Our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak.” I’m confused for a moment, having always associated that particular phrase with sin, but somehow knowing that’s not what she means. She shook her head, reading my confusion. “No, that’s not it either.” And then I know what she’s trying to tell me. My spirit nods his head and says, “You mustn’t think that I don’t want to carry on or that you’re doing anything wrong. You’re doing everything right. I am willing, but the flesh is too weak right now. We have to heal. We must be still and just know.”

I woke up exhilarated by this dream. It was telling me what deep down I already knew. That I had to stop beating myself up for my lack of physical capability and emotional strength right now and just "be". And that's really where I began to turn away from that "acting enthusiastic" when I could barely drum up the energy to breathe much less act.

I began to truly embrace and enjoy the chance to just "be", to be okay with not being able to do anything more right now. To just breathe in that depth of His healing love and "know" that it was okay to be here for as long as it takes my body and mind to heal. I am right where I'm supposed to be, quietly "being".

Somehow, even in my "being", I'm still a vital part of the "ebb and flow" of life...we flow however and wherever we are able to, and we ebb when the body forces us to pull back and heal.

[ July 13, 2005, 09:06 PM: Message edited by: Eagle Heart ]

Oh my gracious. How do you have such profound dreams? I want in on the secret.

Eagle, this is such a beautiful post/dream. I can't believe you've held it in since January. It's empowering. I'm so glad you interpretted it the way you did.

I believe there is so much power in simpy being and not always doing. We are a society of do-ers. I know. I'm one too, but I'm learning. Everyone's busy doing, running, racing, and carrying on with the next step. We're no longer members of the "human race", only the "rat race".

Our society would be much better if if we all learned to just "be". It is in the being that we are met and recharged with the spirit, but we are too busy to reconnect with our souls to learn this simple lesson.

Keep embracing "being" and God will move you forward in "doing" as I witness He already is... simply by writing this post!

Thanks Dotsie, I have been having profoundly spiritual, life-altering dreams since I was about 13 years old. They have been vivid, memorable and incredibly rich in imagery and message. I have treasured each and every one of those dreams throughout my life.

Except for what I call "The Blanket" dream in 2002 and this "Stained Glass Soul" dream in January, the profound dreams pretty much stopped coming after Dad died in 1999. I've been praying for them to come back, because they're like old spiritual friends, and I miss them terribly, but they're very rare now.

I still dream, every night, but lately I seem to be living an entirely different life during those dreams...and each night's dream builds on previous dreams...I recognize the people and the places, but each dream occurs in a later timeframe than the last one...oh, the burned buildings, wounded people and gory bloodbaths I've seen in these dreams! They're not exactly nightmares (I had worse nightmares while on the anti-depressants!!) but I wake up exhausted, as if I've been working hard all night (which could explain the chronic fatigue if I thought there was some connection).