This week we are blessed to have Sandy Hancock as our guest. She is an author of “Letting Go”. She is also writes blogs that encourage and challenge us all to see things a little different..

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved
by all kinds of passions and pleasures
(Titus 3:3a NIV)

  Recently I had the opportunity to take a walk with God at the Blue Sky Canyon Reserve near Rancho Bernardo in San Diego County.  It was a very relaxing, peaceful walk even though it is close to city life—walking into the canyon you leave the city life behind.  As I walked through the oak woodland, mixed chaparral and coastal sage scrub a sense of calmness fell upon me.  I really enjoyed my walk.

  I was fascinated by how many different environments I found in the same small area and how quickly they changed from one to the other.  It reminded me of how our emotions are always changing and at times rather quickly.  One minute we are feeling peaceful and calm and the next angry or scared depending on what is happening around us.

 All of the pleasant emotions I felt as I was hiking were a result of the environment I was in.  They were dependent upon my circumstances.  In a different environment or set of circumstances it is quite feasible my emotions would not be the same.  Most would agree as our circumstances change our emotions change as well.

 None of us like negative emotions, so we seek to have pleasant ones.  We usually do this through our circumstances or environment.  When we find something that makes us happy we gravitate towards it. We then feel better, at least for awhile, then our environment or circumstances change and our emotions follow.  We then strive to get back the circumstances that brought us pleasure.  The more we find pleasure in a particular activity or environment the more we will crave it and the more powerful it becomes.  

We look for the right situations to bring us the emotional highs that we want. And eventually we become addicted to whatever the environment or activity is. We fall into a blind pursuit of pleasure. God warns us not to be lovers of pleasure (2 Timothy 3:1-4) because He knows it will take full control of us.  And we will not be thirsty for what He offers. 

The good news is that we can have freedom from the control of an appetite for pleasure. Jesus died to bring us that freedom.  It begins by recognizing the pleasure the world brings is never satisfying and all our pursing and striving cannot bring the joy and peace God is waiting to give us. 

“He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone” (1Timothy 2:6a NLT)

Remember all the ‘good times’ in the world will eventually leave you feeling empty.  As Solomon was said they are meaningless.

“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun;
 all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind”
(Ecclesiastes 1:14 NIV)

Blue Sky Canyon is a natural habitat that holds a bounty of natural sights and sounds.  In short succession, a hiker can find riparian, oak woodland, mixed chaparral, and coastal sage scrub environments.  Each ecosystem holds its own special variety of wildlife and the closeness of these habitats allows a great diversity of species to exist together in harmony.

She invites you to check out her blog at http://godswalkathon.wordpress.com/

You can also check her minsitry page out at http://www.pathwaytoanamazinglife.com/