Adventures with Jesus Today
Episode 309 - Stress Signals: 3 Ways to Catch Them
July 7th, 2026
I walked into a room on our homestead the other morning and the smell hit me before anything else — mothballs, and something that had died. It made me think of John 10:10:
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
Most days, without realizing it, we're agreeing with one half of that verse or the other. Here are three ways I've learned to tell which one — and what to do about it.
Step 1 | Check your Feelings first
Your emotions are the fastest indicator of what's actually happening inside you. When bitterness or anger start creeping in, you'll feel it before you even think it — that tightening in your chest, your face pulling, your heart going cold and hard, almost like the feeling right before tears.
I've learned not to push those feelings away or feel guilty for having them. They're not the enemy — they're the alarm bell. The Holy Spirit uses them to get your attention, gently, the way He got mine this morning when my whole body was wound tight before I'd even clocked why.
So the first step is simple: notice how you feel. Don't analyze it yet. Just notice it, and bring it straight to Him.
Hey there, I'm
Lisa van den Berg
I'm a Christian entrepreneur and identity coach who helps believers hear God, discover their purpose, and build businesses that make an
eternal impact.
Let's Connect
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Step 2 | Catch the tape that's playing
The second sign shows up in your thoughts — that mental replay of how someone wronged you, or the scenarios you keep rehearsing to try to feel better. It never actually works. It just keeps the wound open, playing the same track of fear, unforgiveness, or bitterness over and over.
Here's what I do the moment I catch it: I stop, open my hands, and ask, "Lord, thank You for showing me I'm thinking this way. What do I get to do instead?" Then I sit quietly. Every single time, something rises up — a verse, a worship song, a memory of His faithfulness. The tape doesn't have to keep playing. You can interrupt it the moment you notice it, and He'll meet you there with something true.
Step 3 | notice what's spilling on to others
We're never just living this out alone. Whatever's brewing inside eventually spills onto the people around us — we get short, snappy, distant. And they notice before we do sometimes. Someone might say, "You're not much fun to be around right now," or they'll just quietly start keeping their distance.
Rather than getting defensive, I've learned to treat that as useful information. If people are pulling away, it's worth asking the Lord what's really going on underneath. It's rarely actually about the person in front of you — it's the bitterness or fear that needed catching earlier, back in step one or two.
✨ Say “Yes” to God’s Invitation
Jesus invites us on this adventure — moment by moment, swinging from kill, steal, and destroy over to abundant life.
Not a one-time fix, but a habit we build, over and over, until we find ourselves living in abundant life far more than the other half of the verse.
Will you accept His invitation today? 💛
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Hey There I'm
Lisa van den Berg
I'm a Christian entrepreneur and identity coach who helps believers hear God, discover their purpose,
and build businesses that make an
eternal impact.
Let's Connect
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