Shauna Millar, Author at Paxx Enterprises

In the Pursuit of Happiness

by Shauna Millar | Nov 11, 2020 | General, encouragement, Family

We spend our entire lives trying to find true happiness. We search for it in others. We search for it in things. We search for it in making more money. We tend to not look for it from within. Why don’t we want to search inside of ourselves?

The majority of people, in this day and age, have grown up in some form of “dysfunctional” family or “blended” family. Very few people in my generation survived to adulthood without becoming a child of divorce. Of course, divorce causes its own problems, not only creating broken homes, but children who often feel that the reason a parent leaves is “their” fault. As adults, we understand this is not true. Yet children, no matter what you say to them, still believe they are ultimately the reason. (more…)

What happens when there is a fog bank obstructing your view?

by Shauna Millar | Aug 30, 2019 | General

What happens when you climb to the top of the mountain and its covered by a fog bank? That beautiful view you were working so hard to get to is just out of reach. It is there, you just can’t see it. It’s the same thing when you go through a tunnel. Sometimes you have to turn your light on and slow down as our vision is limited in the dark. There are times when we can see the end in sight and other times when you can’t see anything at all. The dark can seem all consuming inside, yet at the entrance it might be cloud cover and rain. We move from limited vision to limited vision.

When we are going through the valleys in our lives, we push on by telling ourselves that there is light at the end of the tunnel. That there is sunshine at the mountain top, what happens to our belief systems when these things don’t happen? It is easy to fall into a deep discouragement when we go from one form of darkness to another form of darkness. Even if it is no longer a complete darkness and we can see several more steps in front of us.

Faith gives us the strength to move forward in our darkest times. When we can’t see the way in front of us and only enough light to guide us to the next place that we need to step forward. We take one single step after another in hopes of reaching light that allows us to see beyond the hand in front of our face. Yet, sometimes, we only move from the ability to barely see to the opportunity to see several feet in front of us. It can be disheartening and discouraging, yet we must remember that we don’t go through anything we aren’t capable of handling. Even when WE feel we aren’t capable. God knows our strengths and our weaknesses. He knows what we can do and when we need to have an opportunity to lean and rely on Him.Faith gives us the strength to move forward in our darkest times. When we can’t see the way in front of us and only enough light to guide us to the next place that we need to step forward. We take one single step after another in hopes of reaching light that allows us to see beyond the hand in front of our face. Yet, sometimes, we only move from the ability to barely see to the opportunity to see several feet in front of us. It can be disheartening and discouraging, yet we must remember that we don’t go through anything we aren’t capable of handling. Even when WE feel we aren’t capable. God knows our strengths and our weaknesses. He knows what we can do and when we need to have an opportunity to lean and rely on Him.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Psalms 91:4

When we are weak, He is strong. We say it yet often we don’t mean it. We are just repeating the words we have heard without feeling them or knowing them in our hearts. At times, when we need to take the next step, when we need to move forward to a greater knowledge and understanding of Him our challenges will increase.

It is easy to follow the path that everyone else has tread. It is easy to say the words, to mimic the actions, to have a surface faith and belief. It is easy to believe what other people believe without understanding why we do other than someone we love, know and/or trust has told us that it is the right thing to do.

It is easy to follow the charismatic leader who guides us along, thinking for us and telling us what to believe. What we are to do and how we are to do it, without questioning why. Then when someone asks us why we believe or do what we do, all we can do is parrot what someone else has said. It is when you do question your own believes that you can build and make them stronger. Why do you believe? When did you start believing? When did you stop believing? Was it when the road was dark, empty and lonely? When you felt no one was there with you? When you were struggling along and suddenly decided to shake your fist at the sky and curse the heavens for your heartache and hardship?

Was it during this time when you were so focused on you and what you were going through that you didn’t notice that God was standing right beside you, stretching out a hand to hold and a shoulder to lean on? When He was offering you shelter beneath His wings? When He was trying to guide you and give you protection from the storms? When you were given a chance to discover why you believe the way you do, did you decide to walk away? Or did you see it as an opportunity to grow in grace and faith?

When there are gray skies and clouds over head, when the sun isn’t shining brightly and the birds are singing when you emerge from the tunnel, perhaps this is just God’s way of saying there is still more you can learn. That you are being given a greater chance to grow in His direction. A chance to be showered by His love so that you can really rejoice in the sunshine and victory when the fogbanks clear the sky. We appreciate the sunshine because of the rain not due to the lack of it.

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Phillipians 4:4

Christianity: A view from the sidelines

by Shauna Millar | Aug 16, 2019 | encouragement, General

Have you ever stopped to wonder how people view you and your faith? Put yourself in their shoes? Have you been asked questions such as: if your God is so great then why is their disease? If your God is so great why are people dying? If your God is so great then why is there war and famine?

My God IS so great! My God gave us free will to make our decisions. He gave us the ability to choose which path we are going to follow and not force us to do His will. What does this mean? Why do we have diseases, war, famine, etc.? We choose not to follow God’s plan in our lives. He gave us FREE WILL.

Free Will defined in the dictionary is this:

noun

1.

the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one’s own discretion.

synonyms:

volition, independence, self-determination, self-sufficiency, autonomy, spontaneity;

Therefore, why are we blaming God for what is going on around us? If we were slaves and had no choice, then we could blame God for these crises. Of course, then we would accuse God of not loving us and being a dictator. No, God gave us the ability to choose. We have done it and now we say it is ‘your God’ who is causing these things.

God allows these things to happen. He gave us a choice. He also gave us a way to turn things around:

2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁴If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

WOW! Think about that! Just give it a moment to sink in. If we humble ourselves. How do you humble yourself? Well, think about it – can you admit to having made a mistake? What happens when you make a major mistake and you owe someone an apology? Do you apologize? Or is it too difficult to eat that humble pie?

What’s next? Pray. Prayer is like a conversation with God. We are talking to him and asking for His forgiveness, admitting we are wrong, that we don’t know everything and that we make mistakes. We are seeking Him out.

Yet, these two things alone won’t change the path we are walking. We are required to do one more action; we need to turn away from the path we are on. What? I have to not just humble myself in admitting I was wrong and apologize but I need to STOP doing what I am doing? I need to change my course? I need to use my free will to not continue down a destructive path?

Well, okay say I “might” be willing to do this? Then what? God will hear us – it means not only is He listening to what we are saying but He is hearing what we are saying. We are making a change, we are showing Him we are willing to do something different. We are willing to set ourselves on a different path using the free will He gave us.

He has heard us. What does He do in return? He FORGIVES us. He accepts our apology. Then he takes it a step further and heals our land. He fixes our mistakes! He helps us when we are willing to admit we are on the wrong path, apologize and change our ways. All of which is easier to say than to actually do.

So, yes, my God is great. Yes, He has allowed us to cause these problems in our lives. Yes, He is willing to help us to fix them once we acknowledge our mistakes and ask for help. Yet, if we are unable to do apologize and ask for help in our daily lives with our friends and family, how much more difficult do we make it on ourselves when we need to do it with our God?

This website is run by volunteers. Would you like to help defer expenses? Please donate here.

Building up and creating your heart of worship

by Shauna Millar | Aug 1, 2019 | General, Praise & Worship

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Psalm 100:4

KJV

Imagine standing in a field or on the top of a mountain, spreading your arms wide as if to fly, the breeze moving over you. The warmth of the sun on your face as you lift it toward the heavens. Imagine taking in the vastness and the beauty of that one moment and then allowing it to grow larger. Now imagine, taking this feeling and carrying it with you. You pull out this memory every time you start to feel depressed or lonely.

This is a small comparison of what it is liked to be wrapped up in the heart of worship. The tremendous grace and blessing we receive when we go before the throne and we share our love and passion, our desire to draw close to the throne of grace.

I remember learning about God’s love and grace. What I was moved by is that there is order in how we should approach Him. We enter into His gates with thanksgiving. We express our reasons for being thankful. Admittedly, during the dark times in our lives, it is much harder to find reasons to be thankful. It is much more difficult to see the blessing when we feel as if we have been cursed. The closer it is to have some excruciating pain cover our lives; whether it is the loss of a loved one, the loss of self, the loss of the ability to use our body – and we feel as if it is working against us. No matter what the pain is the more difficult it is to find a reason for thanks, especially when it has just happened. We shut down. We want to shut down. We want to shout out to God about how cruel and unfair it is.

As time goes by, we rely on our faith and our belief, we remember that we aren’t given more than we can handle. I will admit, I have challenged that in my own life. What I feel I can handle and what God feels I can handle are definitely two different things. Yet, even in these challenges, I have learned to move forward. Once you can get to a place of thankfulness, it allows you to increase your joy.

Which brings us to the next step; entering His courts with praise. Praising Him for the things in our lives. Again, it is easy to focus on the good things. Pleasant things. The positive things. It is easy to compliment others when we aren’t feeling angry and oppressed. When we aren’t mad at the world for all the negative that is going on and happening. Yet, when we can learn to turn these things into a reason to sing His praises, how much sooner we are able to feel His presence in our lives once again.

I am guilty of not always giving thanks and praise when times are tough. It is definitely not always the first thing that comes to mind. The struggle of the flesh against the spirit is real. It is nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn’t mean you are less or weaker than someone who has learned to give thanks and praise in all things.

It is a worthy goal to strive to a place of existing; like our perceptions of Mother Theresa. As well as other people who loved peace, who loved their people, who moved toward those goals of helping and building. These are individuals who served and yet I am certain that they struggled in their own private lives at times. Yet, they kept it between them and God and openly gave thanks and praise.

We are all called on different journeys. We all serve in different ways. However, no matter what you are called to do or how you are called to serve, you will find strength in praise and worship, in giving thanks and praise in all things. Opening the door to a closer relationship by developing a strong heart of worship.

I am but a humble servant

by Shauna Millar | Jul 2, 2019 | Fruits of the spirit, General, kindness, love

I thought I knew what humility was until I was put in a position where I was unable to take care of myself. I had to rely on someone else to help me do everything.

I am, after all, a very independent individual. I am the one who takes charge and cares for others. So, to have this situation happen where I was unable to take care of myself was a very difficult position to be in. I had a back problem that completely incapacitated me for a time. Yes, I am very, thankful that it was only for a time. However, it put me in a position to understand what really being humble was.

We are a society that prides ourselves on our accomplishments. On our works. On our actions. A lot of us like to say we are humble individuals. Yet, are we? Or is it just another word we toss around to make us sound better?

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

James 4:10

Mother Teresa was, in my opinion, a very humble woman. She didn’t go out of her way to point to her works. Her works spoke loudly about who she was. Even though she began her “mission within a mission” at the age of 36, most of us didn’t become aware of her or really know about her work until later in her life; when her humanitarian efforts were broadcast by others.

While I am sure this media attention helped her ministry, she didn’t seek it out, it came to her. She did the work she was called to do and didn’t say, “Look at me. Look at what I am doing to help the poor and needy.” She simply did it. Can we say the same? Would we follow in her footsteps?

It is a difficult road she traveled and she remained humble about it, faithfully in service to her calling.

In a lot of churches, there are foot washing services. This is pretty much just what it sounds like. Someone in the congregation comes with a bowl of warm water and a cloth and washes your feet. The idea is to experience the sense of humbleness & humility that it takes to serve someone in this manner.

The experience is shared as both the servant and the ‘master’. The person whose feet is being washed generally feels humbled by having someone attend to them in this manner; washing their bare feet. It is comparative to what Jesus experienced when the prostitute washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. Her humbleness in that moment of pure servitude is something most of us will never experience. We are too full of who we are and think too highly of ourselves, it is hard to get out of our own way in order to act voluntarily as a servant for anyone else. We want to be served, not be the one who is doing the serving. Yet, even when being served, we want it on our terms.

(Parents can be a great example of this. They serve their children’s and meet their needs, yet they often forget to pass along this very valuable lesson to them. That the act of serving is as great if not greater than that of ‘master/mistress’ ie the person being served. Also, we often only give this way to our children.)

We want to be healthy and in charge. We don’t want someone helping us because we are unable to help ourselves. We don’t want to be in that “weak” position. That very humbling position. We want to be powerful and strong, both in body and mind. We want to take the strength of our youth and carry it throughout our entire lives. What we want and the reality of our situation may not be the same. The older we get, the more our bodies tend to fail us in unexpected ways or at inconvenient times. Even the seemingly healthiest person can unexpectedly fall to unforeseen factors.

This is where our ‘community’ come into play; in other words, we are supposed to rely on those around us. We gain strength from it. It makes us better people when we learn to balance our lives with not only our strengths and but our weaknesses. We gain even more strength when we allow others to help us in our weaknesses and in our times of trial and tribulation. Whether it lasts a few moments or decades. We are put in a position that not only can benefit us, but also be blessed to those who willingly choose to help us.

Unfortunately, it is our mindset that keeps us from learning these lessons. The way we are raised. The things we are taught. The ability to survive on your own and be independent having a high value. Taking care of yourself and others and not having anyone there to help support and take care of you, etc. These actions, these situations, they work against our personal growth. It may take those of us who truly believe we are self-sufficient even longer to learn certain lessons.

There are many scriptures, books, sermons, speeches that talk about humbleness. We listen to them without hearing them. We believe we are humble without truly knowing what it means or ever having experienced it. There are some amazing role-models out there that really do exhibit this trait. People who are often over-looked or not thought about. If you look around you will find them and you can learn great lessons from them.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.

Phillipians 2:3