1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:24,240 Speaker 2: Hi friend, welcome to Breathe the Stressless Podcast. I'm Bonnie Gray, 3 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 2: your soul care guide for this time, designed just for 4 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: you to rest and refresh your soul with God's loving 5 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 2: word of affirmation for you in scripture, and you'll pick 6 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 2: up a practical soul care top based on science, something 7 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 2: you can do to restore calm to your emotions and 8 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 2: your body. Well. Friend, today, I am curious if a 9 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 2: friend you cared about told you she wanted more joy 10 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 2: in her life, what would. 11 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: You tell her to do? 12 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 2: Would you tell her to try harder, work more, push 13 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: through or is a path back to joy something else 14 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 2: totally different? Have you been pushing through something important but 15 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 2: without joy? Maybe you're doing all the right things, showing up, 16 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 2: trying hard, being responsible, but underneath it all, something feels heavy, 17 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 2: like you're carrying this weight on your shoulders. Today we're 18 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 2: talking about something we don't talk about enough in wellness 19 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 2: and in our walk with God. 20 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: Our spiritual life. 21 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: Joy is not a luxury, it's not extra. It's actually 22 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: part of what Jesus says he came to provide us 23 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 2: with and to walk with this into He says, I've 24 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 2: come to give you joy. So today I want to 25 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 2: share a story from the Winter Olympics that stopped me 26 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 2: in my tracks and how it led me back to 27 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 2: a way that changed how I'm thinking about joy and 28 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: how to refresh it in my life, and I know 29 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 2: that it will be a spark of inspiration for. 30 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: You as well. 31 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 2: We're going to talk about what happens when achievement disconnects 32 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 2: us from joy, and why our nervous system needs a break, 33 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 2: but not just a break from nothingness, but a break 34 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: so that we can enjoy delight. And what Psalm twenty 35 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:55,959 Speaker 2: three reveals to us about the surprising path to joy 36 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 2: we're going to talk about and a simple practice that'll 37 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: calm your mind and release that joy in your heart 38 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: at night. You know, that's when those warries start coming in, right. 39 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 2: You know, this past week is very special. Not only 40 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 2: we got many of the Olympics exciting events happening all 41 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: around the world we're all watching together, but also it's Lent. 42 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: This is also happening all around the world. As believers, 43 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 2: You and I, we are walking with Jesus on his 44 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 2: journey to the cross. We're going to see how joy, 45 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 2: the path to joy, had a surprising journey because scripture 46 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 2: tells that Jesus was looking forward to the joy. That's 47 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 2: what allowed him to get through his journey. And so 48 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 2: I want to invite you to join me on this 49 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 2: journey to Easter through Lent. That's six weeks of wellness, 50 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 2: specifically through Lent, just being closer with Jesus, feeling his 51 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 2: peace through through his story week by week as we 52 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 2: fast from busyness and fast from our worries and just 53 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 2: draw closer to God's joy and his peace. Just click 54 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 2: on the link that's in the show notes. I have 55 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 2: a Lent wellness study. Thousands of women have experienced peace 56 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 2: and more intimacy with Jesus through this study, and you're 57 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 2: going to learn about wellness through emotional wellness, physical wellness, 58 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:33,919 Speaker 2: spiritual wellness, and social wellness, all in that journey to 59 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 2: the Cross to new life on Easter. So just click 60 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 2: the link in the show notes and I hope to 61 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 2: see you there and we'll be right back. Well. Our 62 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 2: scripture for this week is so beautiful, so peaceful. It 63 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 2: comes to us from Psalm twenty three, verses one and two. 64 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 2: The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want. 65 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 2: He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads 66 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 2: me beside quiet waters. Let's just breathe God's loving word slowly. 67 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 2: With each breath we take, it's our breath prayer for 68 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 2: this week. Breathe in. The Lord is my shepherd. 69 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 1: Breathe out. 70 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 2: I shall not be in want breathe in. He makes 71 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 2: me lie down in green pastures. 72 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: Breathe out. 73 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 2: He leads me beside quiet and just notice your body 74 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 2: relaxing as you picture yourself in this scene with your 75 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 2: loving shepherd. Well, I've been glued to the Winter Olympics 76 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 2: in Milan, and by now you've heard that Alissa Lou 77 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 2: won gold in women's figure skating. What really captured me, though, 78 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: wasn't just the win. 79 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: It was her story. 80 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 2: After the twenty twenty two Beijing Olympics, Alyssa retired at 81 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 2: sixteen years old. Why because she felt she had missed 82 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 2: out on life. Her schedule, her food, her time, everything 83 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 2: was dictated by others for the purpose of winning. She 84 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 2: was entering college and she just wanted time with friends. 85 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 2: She went on vacation for the first time. She wanted 86 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 2: to experience life, and so for two and a half 87 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 2: years she did not compete. Her skates, never touched the ice. 88 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 2: Then one day, while skiing, she realized she missed that thrill. 89 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 2: That dopamine hit the joy and Alyssa came back. She 90 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 2: put on her skates for the first time and one 91 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: year before the Olympics. Just last year, she won World's 92 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 2: twenty twenty five and when you watch her skate, you 93 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 2: see it, the smile, the xuberants, the joy. So before 94 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 2: taking the ice in her final skate, in an interview, 95 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 2: she told NBC, I'm only here because I like it. 96 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 2: It would be a problem if I didn't have joy. 97 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 2: That really stopped me because what an important. 98 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: Part of our wellness. 99 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 2: The freedom to do things with joy. It doesn't mean 100 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 2: we don't struggle, but if there's no joy behind what 101 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 2: we're doing, how heavy does that burden become when we 102 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 2: hit challenges. Now, after Alyssa one, someone asked her what 103 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 2: she wanted to do next, and this is what she said. 104 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 2: I want to be a storyteller. I think my story 105 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 2: is pretty cool and I hope it inspires some people. 106 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 2: And then what she said next was even more profound. 107 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 2: The most important part of our story is human connection. 108 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 2: And I immediately ask myself, what does my story say 109 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 2: is most important. Friend, I want to give that question, 110 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 2: that deep, profound question to you. What does your story 111 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 2: say is most important? Beyond all the struggles and flaws? 112 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 2: I hear my loving Savior with my shepherd. The Lord 113 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 2: is my shepherd. He makes me lie down in green pastures. 114 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 2: He leaves me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul 115 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 2: and memory started flooding in. You know, moments of my 116 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:24,319 Speaker 2: green pastures, quiet water moments, restoration, Jesus walking beside me. Friend, 117 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 2: I want you to now think of all the different 118 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 2: vignettes in your life. What are your green pasture moments 119 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 2: just lush and plentiful? Or what about those quiet water 120 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: moments or restoration? How's you restored? You return there? What 121 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 2: did it look like now? This wherever pictures are coming 122 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 2: in your heart surfacing when you need to decide something, 123 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 2: whenever you feel stuck this week, or an email frustrates you, 124 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:04,079 Speaker 2: or whatever it might be, place yourself in that peaceful 125 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 2: place in your story with Jesus beside you. And as 126 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 2: you're there, then together with Jesus, look at what would 127 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 2: be the direction, what would be your response to wherever 128 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 2: your next step would be to go? It will change everything. 129 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 2: When you're there in that place of joy with Jesus, 130 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,560 Speaker 2: in that place where he's right beside you. Your answer 131 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 2: might even surprise you. It might be something like we 132 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 2: see from Alissa's story. She retired, She quit before the 133 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 2: joy of coming back came. She had to stop what 134 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 2: wasn't giving her a joy. Or maybe you're in that 135 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 2: part where you need to return, You need to gather 136 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 2: your courage and come back to something that gave you 137 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 2: joy once. Where are you at in that path to joy, 138 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 2: dear friend? Joy is not childish, Joy is not extra. 139 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 2: Joy is a sign that you're living the right story 140 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 2: with Jesus. It's the fruit of the spirit. It's nurturing 141 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 2: and cultivating the soil of your heart, of your time, 142 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 2: of how you're spending your time with Jesus beside you. 143 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 2: Could God be inviting you to gently retire a chapter 144 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 2: that no longer carries joy? Or could God be inviting 145 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 2: you to return to something that once gave you joy 146 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 2: and you just let go for whatever reason? Sometimes joy 147 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 2: before it can return, something needs to be released, not 148 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 2: because it failed, but because it's time to make space 149 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 2: for something new. And Psalm twenty three is a beautiful 150 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 2: scripture a breath prayer for us. It's not the Lord 151 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 2: Joe drives me. It's the Lord guides me. The Lord 152 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 2: leads me to what more work, more stress, more toil, 153 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:14,199 Speaker 2: more pressure, more expectation. Now to green pastures, to quiet waters, 154 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 2: to restoration. And it's in that environment. Joy. Your body's 155 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 2: going to recognize it and return to it. And when 156 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 2: we come back, we're going to talk about a science. 157 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 2: So can really reassure your heart this is the way 158 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 2: God created you to live. Well, here's something really important 159 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 2: to know. Joy activates what's called the para sympathetic nervous system. 160 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 2: Our nervous system has two modes. It's the stress response 161 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 2: and it's the rest response. The parasympathetic nervous system is 162 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:06,119 Speaker 2: a rest response. So when we experience delight, curiosity connection, 163 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:11,719 Speaker 2: that's when our nervous system will respond with rest. Our. 164 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 2: Heart rate studies cortisol lowers, and singing, especially familiar songs, 165 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 2: is one of the fastest ways to regulate the nervous system. 166 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 2: Research shows that singing increases oxytocin. That's kind of the 167 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 2: calm human connection hormone. Second, it reduces cortisol. Third, it 168 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 2: synchronizes our breathing and heart rhythm. Isn't that amazing? Sometimes 169 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 2: we forget to breathe right, we hold our breath, But 170 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,959 Speaker 2: when you listen to music, our body just responds and 171 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 2: improves our mood and are resilient. So when we sing 172 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 2: words of trust and hope, we combine emotional memory with 173 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 2: our breath regulation, just easing our body in a place 174 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 2: of rest, and that's really powerful for wellness. So this 175 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 2: week I want to invite you to sing a hymn, 176 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 2: not to perform it, not to analyze it, just sing. 177 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 2: And for me this week it was the hymn what 178 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 2: a friend we have in Jesus. I've loved it since 179 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 2: I was a little girl. And my mind was drifting 180 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 2: towards worries at night this week, and I just softly 181 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 2: started singing, are we weak and heavy, lame and cumbered with. 182 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: A load of care? 183 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 2: Precious Savior, still our refuge, Take it to the Lord 184 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 2: in prayer? And my body settled the words, the song, 185 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 2: the prayer. It just brought me peace, and it made 186 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 2: the doorway open to joy. What Him brings you peace, 187 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 2: Let it become your quiet w this week, Let's pray, 188 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 2: Lord Jesus, you are our shepherd. You lead us back 189 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 2: to green pastures, You lead us beside quiet waters. You 190 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 2: restore our soul. Whatever is too heavy, we just release it. 191 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 2: We take it to you in prayer. Amen. 192 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: Well friend. 193 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 2: Wellness is not just about the absence of stress. It's 194 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 2: about moving more towards rest and restoring our joy. And 195 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 2: I want to invite you to take the Lent Wellness Study. 196 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 2: It's a six week journey walking with Jesus. Together, I'll 197 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 2: guide you to just restore the peace and the joy 198 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 2: and the intimacy right beside Jesus. So, if you've enjoyed 199 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 2: this podcast, share it with a friend and let's share 200 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 2: the good news of life with Jesus in wellness. Remember 201 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 2: that you're loved and you're cherished. Just rest and I'll 202 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 2: see you next time. 203 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: Breathe. 204 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 2: The stress Less podcast is a production of Life Audio 205 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 2: and Salem Media. If you like what you heard today, 206 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 2: please take a second to rate and review this podcast 207 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 2: in your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like 208 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 2: you can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 209 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 2: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.