Celebrate God's goodness. "Rejoice in the Lord always" (v. 4). Ask God for help. "Let your requests be made known to God" (v. 6). Leave your concerns with him. "With thanksgiving . . ." (v. 6). Meditate on good things. "Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise" (v. 8 NCV). Celebrate. Ask. Leave. Meditate.

Prayer is not a privilege for the pious, not the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. My friend, he wants to talk with you. Even now, as you read these words, he taps at the door. Open it. Welcome him in. Let the conversation begin.

An unprayed-for problem is an embedded thorn. It festers and infects—first the finger, then the hand, then the entire arm. Best to go straight to the person who has the tweezers. Let Jesus take care of you. He knows about thorns.

If today starts to get hectic, take five minutes to be alone with God. If your work gets interrupted, ask God for patience to deal with the interruption and for endurance to finish the task.

Learn a lesson from the king. Lead with worship. Go first to your Father in prayer and praise. Confess to him your fears. Gather with his people. Set your face toward God. Fast. Cry out for help. Admit your weakness. Then, once God moves, you move too. Expect to see the God of ages fight for you. He is near, as near as your next breath. Expect to see the God of ages fight for you. He is near, as near as your next breath.

He promises a lamp unto our feet, not a crystal ball into the future. 3 We do not need to know what will happen tomorrow. We only need to know he leads us and "we will find grace to help us when we need it" (Heb. 4:16 NLT).

Your anxiety decreases as your understanding of your father increases. Here is what I think: our biggest fears are sprained ankles to God. Here is what else I think: alot of people live with unnecessary anxiety over temporary limps.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes" (Matt. 6:34 MSG). That

Anxiety increases as perceived control diminishes.

The burlap bag of worry. Cumbersome. Chunky. Unattractive. Scratchy. Hard to get a handle on. Irritating to carry and impossible to give away. No one wants your worries.

Begin by thanking God for thumps. Every thump is a reminder that God is molding you (Hebrews 12:5—8). 2. Learn from each thump. Look upon each inconvenience as an opportunity to develop patience and persistence. 3. Be aware of "thump-slump" times. Know your pressure periods. Bolster yourself with extra prayer, and don't give up. Remember, no thump is disastrous. All thumps work for good if we are loving and obeying God.

People who keep a gratitude journal are more likely to have a positive outlook on life. Grateful individuals demonstrate less envy, materialism, and self-centeredness. Gratitude improves self-esteem and enhances relationships, quality of sleep, and longevity. If it came in pill form, gratitude would be deemed the miracle cure. It's no wonder, then, that God's anxiety therapy includes a large, delightful dollop of gratitude.