Games

• Thread It – Choose four people to thread as many needles as possible in a minute. This sounds simple, but the game can get very frustrating and competitive.
• Lucky Charms—Use a box of multi-colored cereal and small bowls. The object is to separate the “charms” into individual categories using large serving spoons. The team which separates the most grain in a minute wins—bonus points for the hearts.

Stress Games From Childhood

Set up tables with stress-based games for the women to play:

• Ants In The Pants
• Operation
• Chutes & Ladders
• Perfection Duo
• Jenga
• Chinese Checkers
• Perfection
• Don’t Break the Ice
• Crocodile Dentist
• Kerplunk
• Connect Four

Show the YouTube video on games that cause stress. https://youtu.be/h8aUZXFcXuQ

Nutritional Break

Serve yogurt, nuts, green tea, dark chocolate, popcorn, sliced fresh vegetables, avocados, hummus, crackers, and sliced fresh fruit.

Stress in Our Lives

Every part of our lives contains some stress. Our physical, emotional, and spiritual health are deeply entwined, interrelated with each realm of who we are and how we interact with our world. When our body recognizes a change in emotion or signs of danger from the brain, it quickly brings in a rush of hormones.

Some stress is good for you. The impetus to stay punctual, the ability to memorize a presentation, the effort to have available every ingredient for mom’s birthday cake, having all the directions for the trip, having the tickets for the show, bringing the cell phone, having the right outfit—they all happen based on a mild to intermediate level of stress. Stress is a part of everything we face in life. It helps us remember to blow out the candle in the dining room, maintain a schedule, pay our bills, file the project alphabetically so it can be found easily, and hang up the keys on their assigned hook. We face stress morning, noon, and night.

However, some stress is bad for you. The Oxford English Dictionary defines anxiety as “a mental health problem that causes somebody to worry so much that it has a very negative effect on their daily life.” Physical symptoms of excessive stress include aches and pains, chest pain or racing heart, chronic conditions, exhaustion, headaches, trouble sleeping, dizziness or shaking, high blood pressure, muscle tension or jaw clenching, stomach or digestive problems, trouble having sex, unreasonable weight gain and loss, weak immune system. Excessive stress can lead to emotional and mental issues like anxiety, irritability, eating disorders, depression, sexual dysfunction, panic attacks, and sadness. If you are overwhelmed or paralyzed in thought and actions, using drugs or alcohol to cope, or having thoughts about self–harm, you should seek medical help.

When looking at stress, we want to have “The Goldilocks Amount.” Too little stress makes for a dull, frustrating, unproductive existence. Too much stress can leave us overwhelmed, irritable, exhausted, and sometimes sick. Just right stress helps us feel happy, creative and motivated.

We read in Romans 5:2-6, “Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. We know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”

We can rejoice when we encounter problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. We know how dearly God loves us because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

In verse 4 is the word endurance or perseverance (ὑπομονή (hypomonē – sounds like hoop–om-on-ay’). This means bearing up under, remaining upright even after trying circumstances that cannot be controlled. It is the presence of God abiding with and transfusing the deep disposition of patient waiting, steadfastness, and even joy. Patient waiting, steadfastness and joy—endurance resonates through stressful situations beyond our control or our reach.

Some of the stress we face is what we have created internally, an elevated level of perfection or control that insists that working more and trying harder will increase our success or achievement of happiness. It is challenging to resist projecting a persona of high performance, momentum, and recognition. We can easily forge a façade that shows the world “I have my act together.” But forcing the entirety of our self-worth through a false identity is living a lie. Chaining our self-worth to that false identity is spiritual slavery.

We need Jesus to speak clearly to our hearts to release us from the captivity we have created. We need endurance and perseverance from the Holy Spirit to face life with all its potential messiness. We cannot wait for “things to get better” before we start rejoicing in Jesus’ name because that day may never come. Waiting for the loneliness to abate, for a better job, for a romantic relationship, and for a stress–free day does not leave room for the Holy Spirit to work through us as a vehicle of endurance and perseverance.

Jesus calls us through Romans 5:4 to acknowledge that this moment in this messy reality can be when to rejoice in Him. Hoop-om-on-ay’ – Endurance – Perseverance. Do not avoid the presence of this sacred moment with its opportunity for joy. Turn to Jesus and feel the divine embrace of joy that brings order to your stress and anxiety.

In closing, sing the Hymn “All Your Anxiety” (SASB 427)