2 Corinthians 4:16-18 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits

are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long.

Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!! So we don’t look at

the troubles we can see right now, rather we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the

troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever!!

Hannah - A dream follower

1st Samuel 1-2

Opposition to the Dream - NO control elements

• road-block to the dream in place - God closed Hannah’s womb (1 Sam 1:6)

• made fun of by family members for inabilities (1 Sam 1:6)

• well Intentioned but unsupportive loved ones (1 Sam 1:8)

• wrongly accused of poor behavior - by a well respected authority (1 Sam 1:12-14)

Hannah’s Control Elements

• showing great emotion (1 Sam 1:10, 11) -Pslams 34:17 & 18

• defends herself (1 Sam 1:15-16) & DOES NOT lean in to offense (vs.18) Eph 4:32 Prov 15:1 Luke 6:27

• immediate agreement and belief in promise (vs 18) Romans 5:8-10 - Tim 4:10 John 14:10

Stepping past the overwhelm in our lives is a process that God says he will help us conquer. 

God Calls Us To Joy!

• Luke 6:23 ‘..Leap for Joy.’

• Romans 12:12 ‘Let this Hope burst forth within you, releasing a continual joy.’

• 1 Thessalonians 5;16 ‘Let joy be your continual feast...’ 

God Offers Help- Lets Take It!

Isaiah 42:16 "But I'll take the hand of those who don't know the way, who can't see where they're going. I'll be a personal guide to them, directing them through unknown country. I'll be right there to show them what roads to take, make sure they don't fall into the ditch. These are the things I'l be doing for them-sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute."

Action Steps:

1. Brain Dump - write out what is overwhelming you. Brings a to-do list for the things you can take care of to relieve the overwhelm. 

2. Spiritual Health

   1. Take care of your temple. Eat well and get exercise and good rest 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 

   2. Read your bible and pray every day. Realigns our focus with the promises of God. Reminds us of the promises and fills our spirit in a way we sometimes don’t notice until we absolutely need it. 

3. Proclaim the promise, rather then the problem. Stop perpetuating the problems and challenges...it doesn't fix or alleviate the issues. Proclaim the promises God has already given us over these areas. Gal 6:7-8 “What a person plants, he will harvest.” What I say and do out loud will start my results on their way to me. 

4. Turn down opportunities in life that add to overwhelm and provide no quenching to your spirt. Giving myself more to do doesn't help overwhelm. Jump at chances to deepen faith and quench spirit. The spiritual renewing that takes place when we realign our focus on Jesus makes the future challenges easier to walk through with grace and correct perspective. That same effort you jump towards God filling your spirit is the same energy in your spirit you will experience as you go out and experience life!

Romans 5 3-4 We can rejoice too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us-they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengths our confident expectation of salvation.