I didn’t sleep a wink the night before our class IV/V adventure down the Chattooga River. It was a ride I personally did not sign up for. A part of the vacation that my husband thought would be a great family experience.

I was thankful for the mandatory safety video and short class we had before the float, but it only heightened my concerns. The steps the outdoor adventure company took to increase safety for us were, in my eyes, heroic. I knew, with the Lord’s help, we had a good chance of making it to our destination. For the large drops in the river, we had a guide in our boat who would jump upfront to guide us with precision around rocks and through the rapids. In certain areas that were too dangerous, we’d actually pull out of the river and skip a fall. In other areas, there were guides who rode in separate boats ahead of us who would get out, stand on rocks, and throw lifelines to us if we needed help.

This adventure company knew the dangers of the river, they were prepared for the worst, and they proactively worked with the river to make sure everyone was as safe as possible. This leads me to a question that is similar to last week’s question.

What is my plan to work proactively with my river of thoughts?

As we considered last week, the constant river of thoughts is always rushing forward. If we’re alive, we have thoughts. There are two biblical things we can do for our river of thoughts.

–Responding to our thoughts appropriately

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

–Putting appropriate thoughts in.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

We are to respond to our thoughts and put the appropriate thoughts in. These thoughts we are to put in are like the safety measures we took on the Chattooga River. Just as the video, instructions, and extra guides were very real and necessary measures to keep us alive, the thoughts we put in are necessary to give life.

I did end up being propelled out of our raft on what is referred to as “Seven Foot Falls” on the Chattooga River. It was one of the more serious situations I’ve ever found myself in. My life was preserved because of the things we did ahead of time to prepare. I had a life jacket and helmet on, there were people there to help me, and I knew to keep my feet up so they would not get entangled on rocks or debris in the current.

This serves as a reminder to me of the seriousness of caring ahead of time for our thoughts.

We have very little control of what is in a real river and some life circumstances we find ourselves in. One of the things we CAN control is what goes into our minds that can impact our response to circunstances.

Outside forces can impact rivers. Obstructions can cause the current to divert and cut channels in a new direction. The Mississippi River once changed course because of the New Madrid earthquake in 1811. Over the years, as the creeks around our property have eroded terrain away, people have put objects in like boulders and concrete to protect the land and redirect the powerful water. It has been said that beavers are “ecosystem engineers.” When they build dams, they create brand new ponds and divert the way rivers flow. 

If a little animal such as the beaver can divert powerful rivers and create safe places for themselves, do you think we can too?

As you can see, this all takes planning and the enabling work of the Lord who guides and counsels us.

What is your plan for caring for and influencing the direction of your own river of thoughts?

While we trust that the Holy Spirit works in us to transform us, it is not a passive faith. We have an active faith that cooperates with the Spirit.

Today I want to share something that God has used in my life to transform me. Maybe He would use something like this or some aspect of it in yours if you’d like to try it.

It had always been a challenge for me to take what God was working in my heart through scripture and books and make sure I was faithful to consistently meditate on the truths of it. I began keeping a list of gospel-informed, Christ-centered truths and affirmations of how I want to live my life. I read it every morning. When it became lengthy and a challenge for me to take the time to read it consistently, I recorded my own voice speaking the truths to myself. I’ve found that there’s always ten minutes in my day of doing some kind of chore or driving a car when I can play the recording. It puts scripture, truths, the ways God is working in my life, and the ways I long to live into my river of thoughts each day. I believe this has been one of the most important actions I’ve ever taken in my life to help direct and protect my heart and mind. It has not only been life-preserving, but life-enhancing. The Lord has used this as a tool to bring about more abundant life in Him.

A handy tool that I use is the recorder on my phone. Any time I sense that I need to add a new truth, I just record my voice speaking it and add it to the recordings that I regularly listen to.

That Chattooga River experience was, as my husband had hoped, an experience of a lifetime that I will never forget. And this caring for our river of thoughts is too. What we put into our hearts, souls, and minds is, perhaps, the only thing we take with us into eternity. It’s the experience of a lifetime, even an eternal lifetime.

Is there something you do consistently that might help others plan to care for the river of thoughts? Please share in the comments!

Asking questions is a great way to coach yourself and your loved ones. How could you use this question this week to help you, your spouse, a child, or a friend?

If you are a parent who struggles with how you’re thinking or how to parent well, I want to mention a great book called Like Our Father, by Christina Fox.

Instead of focusing on parenting techniques, this book is about who God is, who we are in light of that, and how His character forms our parenting. Congratulations to Christina H., the winner of the drawing for this book from my “Encouragements to Turn Toward Grace e-mail list this past month. If you’d like to be included in my monthly/bi-monthly e-mail that has special encouragements, offers, and drawings for my favorite resources, please sign up below:

ENCOURAGEMENTS TO TURN TOWARD GRACE NEWSLETTER

When you sign up, you will receive a free digital booklet I created, Asking is Loving. It’s full of great coaching questions divided into chapters focused on questions for yourself, your spouse, your children, and your friends. You’ll also receive a free scripture printable of Proverbs 4: 23 and a free printable of Ten Daily Biblical Truths that can be used to help get you going on putting truth into your river of thoughts.

If you would like assistance and accountability in forming a plan for your thoughts or your life, I would love to work with you on that. I offer a free initial consultation and affordable coaching to women on Zoom or in-person. Please visit my website (linked to the logo below) or send me a message so that I can answer any questions you have about coaching.

amy@cornerstonechristcenteredcoaching.com

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