INSPIRATIONAL
Get Anger under Control
by Nancy McGill
"James 1:19-20 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."

Learning to control anger is a crucial life lesson – one that we need to master and pass on to our children. Up until my young adult years, I had a huge temper. It took very little to make me furious. In moments of anger, I would slam doors, hurl various objects across the room and yell a lot! I don’t remember anyone telling me what to do with my anger – until I surrendered my heart to God. And believe me, He had plenty to say about it in His Word.

As the years went by, I married and became the mother of two amazing children who inherited my huge temper. It was now my responsibility to train Jered and Danna in the ways of God, including controlling anger! I prayed continually that God would not only give me practical ways to manage my own anger but that He would enable me to teach my children to control their anger as well. That is how the “mad board” was created. When Jered was nine years old, we realized that he frequently struggled with his little sister, Danna. She had discovered each and every one of her brother’s emotional buttons and delighted in pushing them. Jered’s frustration grew until the day he retaliated.

My husband, Dan, and I came up with the “mad board.” Dan cut a long piece of two-inch plywood and drove the bottom half of over 50 nails into it. He wrote “Jered’s Mad Board” on the piece of wood and handed it to his curious son. Dan explained that anytime Jered became frustrated with his sister or felt angry inside, he should pick up a small hammer and drive nails into the board instead of exploding. Over the next few months, we watched Jered drive a lot of nails into a lot of wood, learning that anger can be managed. Today, as a junior in college, Jered is an even-tempered young man who has found constructive ways to manage his anger.

A Vision For The Lost
Longfellow wrote, "The vine still clings to the moldering wall, but at every gust the dead leaves fall." Like that vine, many churches today cling to the crumbling wall of traditional programs, losing members like dead leaves carried away by the biting winds of our times. To put it another way: We refuse to leave our comfort zones. We like to stick to the familiar, the predictable, the usual.

In some ways our attitude resembles the way Peter felt before the Lord prodded him into new territory. Peter knew that Christ's strategy was Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and then the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). But Peter simply wasn't comfortable with Gentiles. They were not "his kind of people." Yet, God shook him loose to go to the house of Cornelius and give them the good news about Jesus (Acts 10).

The church, like Peter, is often locked behind the walls of its brick and shake-shingle fortress. We tend to stay where we feel unthreatened, among the people who make us feel accepted and loved. It takes a clear vision of God's compassion for the lost to get us beyond our comfort zone to reach those for whom the Savior gave His life. Have we gotten too comfortable?

Forgiveness
THIRTY years ago my hunting buddy, Tap, introduced me to Rob, who had a farm where we ended up hunting and having good times together for years. Rob eventually sold his farm, and thereafter I would invite him along on my hunts. We hunted, fished, and enjoyed companionship for many years. About 10 years ago, Rob hired me to build a porch and deck onto his house. He constantly watched, criticized, and interrupted my workers, which in turn caused me financial loss and mental anguish. Afterward, I did not ask him to hunt with me. Even though Rob and I attend the same church and I see him every Sunday, I sustained my resentment toward him.

Recently, Tap called me to plan a hunt for the following week. Before our conversation ended he asked, "Would it be okay to ask Rob to go?" My answer was neither conciliatory nor Christlike. In fact, it was harsh and mean. After the phone call, I felt troubled and upset. I knew that I needed to forgive Rob. After praying about it, I was able to let my old resentment go. A burden was lifted, and I felt relief. I asked Tap to tell Rob we would pick him up before noon. We had a great time together, and I learned a great lesson about forgiving.

More Inspirational Stories Soon!

Alex & Diana Mata

losmata@verizon.net

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