Halleluyah Moments

A SKY PENNED IN LOVE

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Just one sunrise or perhaps a sunset too would suffice to be a testimony of the Glory of God. However, our Heavenly Father chooses to bestow His beauty across the skies every single day and every night!

God doesn’t have to say a word but not a day passes without bearing testimony that the skies are not put together by chance, but handcrafted by the supreme Architect. Heaven’s hands are busy at work fashioning the bright lights of the morning and painting the day away with evenings bursting in a glorious array of infinite colors.

Though the world has many languages both spoken and written, the Glory of God speaks in magnificent colors to end every day and morning light to brighten up every day. Bestowed upon His creation is His morning and evening love letter that we might for a moment contemplate, reflect and admire His wisdom and power. He’s in the business of ravishing our souls with awe and wonder at of His eternal beauty. Perhaps He simply wants us to know that just like a sunrise or a sunset, His love is freely given and we need only to look up to accept it. For in His eyes we are worthy, so very special and indescribably loved!

Halleluyah!

APPRECIATING SNOWFLAKES

Posted on by pennyjoliver

To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.

Although I hate being cold, a snowstorm triggers my inner child and out into the cold I go. Of course the best part is coming back inside and feeling my hands, feet and cheeks thaw out and a cup of hot chocolate never hurt either. Driving in snow is a much different story. I experienced a pretty big accident in nineteen eighty one and it left me terrified that I would get into a big slide again and end up inside the back edge of a town snow plow! however, today I’m happy to report that by the grace of God I do more snow driving. However I did complain about it for years. How about you? Do you live in a place where it snows and have you ever complained about it?

Actually, I think it’s quite a natural human being thing we do, complaining about the snow because let’s face it snow does make our lives a little bit harder. However, looking at snow from Heaven’s eyes it’s  incredibly different. In fact, the Book of Job tells us that snow is very, very  special. That God has given it a place among the wonders of the world and has ranked it up there with the morning stars, the seas, and even the lightening. So Job gets my attention and because Jesus is my Father, I’ve simply got to find out more!

Looking up interesting facts about my Father, “The Snow King” I found that scientists actually estimate that it takes fifteen minutes for a snowflake to be born and to reach it’s physical completion. To me that is nothing short of amazing. Also, under a microscope scientists can also actually see all the details of a snow flake and they all agree that no two snowflakes could possibly be exactly alike. Did you also know that it is snowing all the time in different places all over the world? How about the fact that every time it snows our planet also receives roughly one million, billion, cubic feet of snow per every snow storm? That would translate in my yoga picture above that I am standing on over a billion snowflakes, even while new ones are being made and fresh ones are still falling. Isn’t that amazing! But that’s the awesomeness of our Father! All of His creations are intimately fashioned with infinite care and utmost detail. When you really get to the heart of it, each snowflake is a revelation of unfathomable love and care, of artistry and intelligence, and wisdom beyond human comprehension.

Oh how He loves us that He would let His love fall upon us! And just in case that is not enough proof of the unfathomable depth of love, might and power, God gave us eyes to see the snow, hands to touch it and a body to feel it and scientists to study it. Surely when the snow is falling He desires that we remember how great His love is for each of us. We are loved beyond measure! Hallaluyah!

A COLOR-FULL SEASON TO LET GO

Posted on by pennyjoliver

This time of year every window I look out displays a magnificent masterpiece of indescribable beauty as the summer lets go into fall. There’s just something magical about the lush green leaves of summer turning into warm golds, robust yellows, vivid oranges and deep reds. Just a simple peek out of my windows brings joy to my soul as leaves celebrate their colorful descent, joyfully dancing in the wind.

Though it be the most colorful time of year here in New Hampshire, us Granite Stater’s know the cold and snowy weather will soon it be upon us for we all know that Autumn shall quickly pass. It always does. Nothing stays the same here, not a season and not even a day.

For our Heavenly Father told us in Ecclesiastes,

There is a time to be born and a time to die;

A time to plant and a time to pluck what has been planted;

A time to kill and a time to heal;

A time to break down and a time to build up;

A time to weep and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones;

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain and a time to lose;

A time to keep and a time to throw away;

A time to tear and a time to sow;

A time to keep silence and a time to speak;

A time to love and a time to hate;

A time of war an a time of peace.

As we can see the beautiful seasons of the earth and the different seasons of our lives possess no secrets to The Lord Jesus Christ because He created each season and sustains each one. He arranges when things will happen and when they will not and no moment exists where He is not in charge. Moment to moment and day by day, His order and supremacy shines down upon all of the earth and every living thing. The process of it all, the procedure, the duration and every detail is perfectly executed at “His” perfectly given time. Isn’t it so nice to know that He’s a mighty God with a purpose and a meaning for every detail that goes on for you and for me and the entire world?

Perhaps He gives us the changing seasons to let us know that He’s in got this life of ours and we need not worry. Maybe like the leaves He wants us to let go of things and trust the process for He’s promised to make everything beautiful in it’s time. And if we find ourselves in a strange and sorrowful season as we all will at different times, He wants each of us to remember that, this to shall pass. And to remind us that there is beauty in the letting go, we need only look outside.

Chill Out In The Happy Corpse Pose

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Who knew something so simple as laying back in a Corpse Pose could make us healthier and more beautiful?

In the Yoga community Corpse Pose is known as a huge stress-reducer, a great method of meditation and the perfect  position to focus our gaze on higher thoughts.

Simply lay back, let your feet spread, place your arms by your sides with palms up and try to keep your shoulders away from your ears. Then give yourself ten or more big inhales and exhales. If your feeling it stay here longer and really give yourself a chance to unwind!

I personally have a hard time staying here. I wanna go go go! If I do relax for a moment though all the things I must do seem to flood my mind. Hopefully your not like me and will be able to reap all the healthy benefits of acting like your dead on the ground here. You can always pretend your sunbathing, too!

Corpse Pose is also a perfect position to…

Set your mind on things above and not things of the earth.

Colossians 3:2

And also a perfect position to focus upon goodness & positivity!

Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy, think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

After reaping the healthy benefits of these applied Bible verses know that…

Those who look to Him are radiant, Their faces are never covered with shame!

Psalm 34:5

keep calm & yoga on

xxoo

Penny

 

 

 

 

UNCERTAIN TIMES WITH A GOD THAT IS CERTAIN!

Posted on by pennyjoliver

With so much crazy going on who isn’t fearful? Living in this fallen world keeps us treading from one crisis to the next. It seems every morning we wake up to new peril and it’s stressing us out. Living in a constant state of stress is not good for our minds or our bodies and it leads to all kinds of conditions and diseases. Where can we go for relief? Is there even any such thing as relief in these dark days?

Fear is a powerful human emotion. It can also cause us to react quickly with out thought or paralyze us from taking any action and keep us in a state of constant fear and worry. Fear can even stop us from turning to God our Rescuer who knows every world disruption we will face and how afraid and powerless we feel inside. Yet, His timeless Word, the Bible, has all the answers and antidotes to keep us calm, cool and collected. The great Physician has a prescription for all of our body, our minds and our souls needs.

He assures us, “So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Of course we want to trust God but there are times when peace eludes us. We’re worried and anxious. we don’t want to be brave this time. Then God reminds us,

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you may go.”  (Joshua 1:9)

It’s all easier said than done, right? This trust God and you will be peaceful and you will just automatically be strong like our Savior said. Yet He is the one that turned water into wine. The One and only One that calmed the sea and walks on it because He created it! He can feed over 5,000 people with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread. He’s continually placing each star in it’s place. He knows every tear you’ve ever cried and will cry. He knew you before you were born, created you with a purpose and thinks about you more often then if you could count every grain of sand in the entire world! He even knows precisely the moment that you will step into Eternity with Him! On top of all of that, He provides a guideline and prescription to living an abundant, successful and healthy life of peace, joy, love and hope, found only in His Holy Bible. Which He testifies that He breathed His Words into the ordinary men and women who wrote the Bible and chose them to give us His guidelines to abundant living!

He asks from each of us is to believe what He has said. To pray about everything all the time. To follow His ways and trust His guidance. That it’s okay to be weak, afraid, uncertain and powerless. Because He holds the power to make us strong, completely confident and utterly fearless! He’s actually waiting for us to come to those horrible moments of helplessness because it is then and only then He can help us! And He promises that He will help us. All we have to to is ask and sit still and wait. The power of Heaven’s Help is only a silent heartfelt prayer away. Only Heavenly peace can truly replace all our fear and panic. Today if we will ask and tomorrow and this very moment and every moment after! You can be sure. You can trust God!  Because He promises He will always answer us and always provide!

“I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is fixed on Thee!” Isaiah 26:3

Keep calm and yoga on because peace is on it’s way…

…Pray~Believe~Trust~Be Still…

Isn’t it amazing?

God made a way for us to do just that, it’s called Covid 19

 

 

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING FOR ANXIETY & STRESS

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Hello Friends and welcome to “Yoga with Penny!”

To begin the New Year, I’m going to teach you a yogic breathing technique called “Alternate Nostril Breathing.” It’s a meditative practice that switches our breath between our two nostrils helping us to manage the stresses of daily life and to become mindful of the present moment. In the book, “What Happened,” Hillary Clinton wrote that she used Alternate Nostril Breathing after her loss in the 2016 Presidential Election to help manage her stress and anxiety.

In studies, this breathing technique has shown to lower participants perceived levels of stress and was significant in lowering blood pressure, heart rate and the respiratory rate. It also improved the functioning of the lungs and the functioning of both sides of our brain. It had a positive effect on mental health by reducing anxiety which naturally promotes a state of well being.

Let’s begin by sitting comfortably anywhere you like. Please take a few moments to close your eyes. Try focusing on your inhales and exhales. For greater results practice this technique daily and for extended moments of time.

To begin:

Take your right hand and bend your forefinger and middle finger into your palm.

Take your right thumb and seal your right nostril.

Inhale deeply through your left nostril for 4 counts.

Seal your left nostril with your ring finger and hold your breath with both nostrils sealed for 4 counts.

Release your right thumb with an exhale of 4 counts.

Inhale deeply through your right nostril for 4 counts.

Seal your right nostril with your thumb and hold your breath with both nostrils sealed for 4 counts.

Release your ring finger and exhale for 4 counts.

Repeat the entire process by inhaling deeply through your left nostril for 4 counts to begin.

If you find holding your nostril with your ring finger is a little tough, simply use your pinkie finger.

If you find holding your breath for 4 counts is a little tough start with 2 or 3 counts and build from there.

Slowing your breath beyond the 4 seconds will slow your body down which will register a message to your brain to move from a stressed state to the calming tranquil relaxation response state.

Sealing the right nostril and breathing with just your left directs oxygen flow to the right brain hemisphere which  also turns on your paras

Thanks for joining me and I hope that the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique helps you start the New Year calm, relaxed and ready for all the wonderful things the New Year may bring!

keep calm and yoga on!

xxoo

Penny!

 

 

 

 

RESPOND. DON’T REACT!

Posted on by pennyjoliver

We cannot control all the events that happen to us but we can decide not to be reduced by them. Maya Angelo

Life is chock full of challenges and sometimes we just don’t respond in the right way. That’s because we are reactive rather than responsive and in part we are not fully to blame.

You see, we were never really taught that we even had a choice. I know I did not. Because of that many a times I reacted to situations when I should have taken a moment and responded in a different way. Thankfully, I discovered yoga. Before that I never even stopped to think there was a reactive or a responsive way of living.

Time on our mats encourages a connecting with ourselves. We discover how to accept who we are and through the yoga positions learn to be present. Living in the present moment helps us to let go more easily of past and future thoughts. Meditation automatically drops us into a state of calm and breathing deeply stimulates our parasympathetic nervous system, which puts us into a rest and relaxation state. But I believe the secret is in the yoga positions.

You see a good teacher will help you take what you learn off the mat and into your life. Teaching yoga positions that are challenging are the key. Helping a student learn difficult poses creates a dose of healthy stress. The student then has a moment to think about the pose and how to react to it. Will he or she approach it by reacting and getting mad and give up. Or will he or she respond in a better way? But isn’t that what life calls us to do?

Yoga really does help one in life by presenting choices and ways to react to those choices. Holding poses for long periods of time proposes a challenge. When the body is tired and challenged beyond our comfort zones we learn to focus and remain calm to accomplish holding the pose up with stamina and grace. We learn to be more that the sum of our reactions not reduced by our responses.

And when life sends us challenges beyond what are capable of responding or reacting to well, we only need to look up! For God tell us…

Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. He will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7.

Thanks for joining me!

keep calm and yoga on

xxoo penny

 

A MIGHTY WARRIOR!

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Don’t let the drama and the chaos that life certainly throws at you trip you up, get you down or make you feel smaller. You, my dearly beloved, are a “Mighty Warrior!”

 

Judges 6:1-18  tells us the story of Gideon, a “Mighty Man of Valor.” But he didn’t start out that way. Gideon was a young man in the land of Israel. During this time God’s people were forced to hide in caves along the hill side because the Midianites were terribly oppressive to them. For seven years they cried out to God but God did not help them. Gideon thought that the Lord had forgotten all about him, his family and the Israelites.  But it was actually the the people who turned their backs on God when they chose to worship idols.

One day an Angel of the Lord spoke to Gideon and told him,” The Lord is with you, Mighty Man of Valor!” Gideon was so surprised he thought the Angel had the wrong man. Gideon reminded the Angel that his people were weak and that he was the weakest. Full of doubt and unworthiness to be called a man of valor, Gideon asked the Angel for signs that this was true. Imagine asking an Angel for a sign? But then again, I’m guessing you, like I, would want a sign to know when things are true. We are not unlike Gideon sometimes. Thankfully, God doesn’t depend on our level of faith or our circumstances to get things done on our behalf. God depends on Himself and His own character to accomplish His Will.

And in the Mighty Hands of God, Gideon would soon become a “Mighty Man of Valor.” Of course, not because of who he was but because of who God Is!

Which leads me to believe that God is not into calling the qualified. Instead, He qualifies who He calls. I know God is building my faith and qualifying me at this very moment. How about you?

Know that we can all be Mighty Warriors in every aspect of our lives. We simply must “let go” of what holds us back to become what God knows we can be in His Strength!

 

 

 

A CRESENT LUNGE WITH EAGLE ARMS MINI CHALLENGE

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Hi Friends!

Do you find that after a few hours seated or at your desk, your back slumps forward and your chest caves in? How about your shoulders? Do they endlessly try to ride up to your ears, crunching your neck all up? Do the backs of your legs continually ache as you sit for long periods of time? Don’t worry, I’ve got your back! This month’s “Yoga with Penny” is a Crescent Lunge with an Eagle Arm position which is a total body stretch sure to wake up your body. As a side effect it lengthens and strengthens all of our muscles and helps us focus and concentrate as we hold this position with long, deep, energizing inhales and exhales.

It’s always a good idea to sit quietly for a few moments before we start to turn the focus off your cares and worries. Focusing upon each life giving inhale and exhale will help. That way we can have a moment to meditate upon this beautiful life giving truth…

“Those that trust in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. they will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint!” Isaiah 40:31

Now get ready to soar! I have separated the leg and arm portions of the poses so you can practice each one separately, then combine them when you feel ready.

For the leg position:

  • Stand with your feet hip width apart, bending both knees.
  • Place your hands on your hips and step your right foot directly forward.
  • Ensure that your right foot sits directly under your right knee. Lift your back heel.
  • Breathe deeply for a few moments.
  • Step out farther for a deeper stretch.
  • Hold the position for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

For the arm position:

  • Stretch both of your arms directly out in front of you.
  • Ensure both your palms are looking down and your arms are straight out in front of you.
  • Now, bend both your elbows up, making sure that both your palms are looking at you.
  • Begin by sliding your left palm under your right elbow.
  • Then, continue to wrap your left palm up your right arm as far as it will go.
  • Continue wrapping your left arm around your right arm until your palms meet.
  • Remain at the place that is comfortable for you and if you are able, clasp your palms together and breathe deeply.
  • For an added stretch, lift your Eagle Arms position up.
  • Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • For a deeper stretch, gaze upward and breathe deeply!
  • And, don’t forget to include your left leg forward with your right palm wrapping around your left arm.

I hope you enjoyed this whole body stretch in a Lunge Pose with your Eagle Arms.

Thanks for joining me!

xxoo Penny

STAR POWER!

Posted on by pennyjoliver

I know. I know. Of course you want to be a Star!

I can’t offer you that but I can offer you a luxurious stretch for your entire body in a Star Pose position. It will light up your spine and fire up your cells sending oxygen and energy throughout your entire body. The Star Pose is a beginners posture that strengthens and lengthens our entire body. It also helps in aligning our spine, thus improving our posture. As it utilizes every muscle, it also provides more space for our lungs and heart so of course it will improve circulation and respiration as well, resulting in more energy.

Start by bending your knees and extending both your legs to the sides. When you feel stretched yet sturdy, begin to straighten your legs. If your still feeling sturdy with a deep long invigorating inhale,  lift and extend your arms out from your sides. Let your palms meet over your head. Really try to stretch those arms up. You may even try to stretch deeper by pulling your arms back from your head.

You can always use a chair or wall for more support while holding your Star. And, you do not have to extend your legs so far out to the sides. Once you have found the perfect starting point for you, begin by closing your eyes. Imagine you are a star lit from within, radiating outwards, an abundance of life shining brightly because that is exactly what you are~

Let your light shine! Matthew 5:16

Breathe deeply for 10 counts and you will feel lighter and brighter!

 

 

 

keep calm and shine on!