Author: Phil Rehberg

anxious communication

Overcoming Anxious Communication

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To build healthy relationships it is important to examine the issue of anxiety in our communication. No matter what type of conversation we are in, it will be very helpful to make ourselves aware of any anxiety we are feeling. Signs of anxiety include stuttering, incomplete sentences, hurried speech and being at a loss for words. Anxiety is a warning light that something is out of order. Most of us feel anxiety in conversations because of insecurity about ourselves and about how others are perceiving us. When our words are influenced by anxiety we cannot be our true selves nor can we connect very well with the listener. Have you noticed that when you are speaking with someone who is insecure it is more work to communicate and more stressful for you? Their fears are veiling their true selves. Likewise, our anxiety puts extra pressure on the listener and hinders Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

Eternal Blissful Marriage – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD. Psalms 117:2 (NIV) For this passage I will present the words of John of the Cross (1542-1591) who described what it was like to experience God’s love. The soul now feels that it is all inflamed in the divine union, its palate is all bathed in glory and love, that in the intimate part of its substance it is flooded with no less than rivers of glory, abounding in delights, and from its depths flow rivers of living water.[1] The soul feels its ardor strengthen and increase and its love become so refined in this ardor that seemingly there flow seas of loving fire within it, reaching to the heights and depths of the earthly and heavenly spheres, imbuing all with love.[2] The soul always walks in festivity, inwardly and outwardly, and Continue Reading →

words people

Do Your Words Edify Others?

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It seems like God gave us a superpower when he gave us the gift of speech; he gave us some of his power. God used words to create the universe, including humans and the Garden of Eden. He used words to reveal himself in Scripture and his Son is the living Word of God. Since he made humans in his image, God also gave humans the ability to exercise power through words. But with this great gift comes great responsibility. Jesus warned us: “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:36-37, NIV). Why such a dire warning?  Because God so tremendously loves the humans he has made and he doesn’t want us harming them with words. Jesus Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God Preserves Us In Our Mistakes – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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God is merciful.The LORD preserves the simple Psalms 116:5-6 (NIV) The Hebrew word translated as “simple” means naive or inexperienced. The book of Proverbs was written to instruct the simple (Prov.1:4), for they can become wise (Prov. 1:22). We are all simple in some areas. By definition, we cannot be experienced in everything we do. Sometimes we have to forge ahead with our simple understanding. But Yahweh (LORD) does not pass over the simple because they are not yet wise. He does not leave us to ourselves because we are inexperienced. Instead, he is merciful. He preserves our hearts and keeps us from ruining ourselves by our simplicity. This is very helpful to remember when we have to take some risks and we have done our best to discern God’s will, but we don’t have full assurance. We do not need to have full assurance of God’s will for every Continue Reading →

workplace happy

Blessing The People We Lead In Our Workplace

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When it comes to the 2nd great commandment to love others (Matt. 22:39) we have a much greater responsibility to show active love to those for whom we have some responsibility. We don’t have time to actively bless everyone in our vicinity, but following Christ means that we definitely bless those in our care. This applies to our behavior in the workplace as well as to every other dimension of our lives. Business owners or executives are sometimes tempted to skimp on wages or benefits to employees in order to keep more for themselves. A Christian business owner may even justify this in their mind by thinking that the extra income allows them to give more to ministries. But obviously, skimping on wages is a very repulsive practice even for a non-Christian. An owner’s primary responsibility to their employees is to bless them. If there are extra profits, then the Continue Reading →