Here are three effective strategies to help combat stress. (1) Place ourselves on our daily to-do list. Let's set aside time aside each day to renew, regroup and restore. Let's distance ourselves from the stress source, by stepping out for a walk to refresh our brain, or singing a favourite song or whatever else helps us to chill. And let's persevere when other events threaten to crowd us out. We are important - let's learn to value ourselves.

(2) Lighten up! The Bible says, 'The joy of the Lord is your strength' (Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV), and when our joy goes, so does our strength and ability to cope. Some people think Christians should always be serious, humourless and quiet. But Jesus rose from the grave, and that's the best reason in the world to celebrate! Let's feel free to be joyful!

(3) Relax stiff muscles with five-minute stress-relievers throughout the day. Let's stop thinking and move! Stretch out, bend over, roll the tense shoulders, chase the dog - let's get that invigorating blood flowing throughout the body while our mind takes a mini-break. Or, let's turn up the praise music and dance while pushing a vacuum cleaner...or sing while stirring the food on the stove! Physical activity triggers the brain to secrete beta-endorphin, which helps calm us.

So what now? You're not meant to live under stress. The Bible says, 'You will go out with joy and be led out in peace' (Isaiah 55:12 GWT). This comes straight from the mouth of the one who created and redeemed you.

Check out these headlines. Man in desert discovers burning bush that can't be extinguished. Sea opens and thousands walk through on dry land. Killer giant downed by teen with slingshot. Three young rebels survive blazing furnace. Man brought back from the dead after four days. City walls mysteriously fall. Preacher swallowed by giant fish and lives to tell the tale. Prophet caught up to Heaven in a fiery chariot. These are not from the TV news; they're true adventure stories from Scripture.

Adventure means 'exciting and dangerous undertakings'. When we embark on a spiritual adventure, we can expect God to use tests to build our faith in amazing ways. The Bible talks about those 'who through faith conquered kingdoms... shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength' (Hebrews 11:33-34 NIV).

What about when we're not feeling adventurous, or don't feel good enough to share the Gospel? Have a read of Hebrews 11; it's packed full of accounts of God's servants who managed to see past their inadequacies to the promise-filled adventures God had for them.

So what now? Think of a time where you waited for the perfect opportunity to share your faith. Ask God to help you to push past your waiting and take steps into the adventure of sharing the good news of Jesus.

How do we renew our minds? One pastor writes: 'The way to upgrade your mind is to download Scripture. Doctors...of the National Institute of Mental Health did a fascinating study asking subjects to perform a simple motor task - a finger-tapping exercise. As subjects tapped, the doctors conducted an MRI to identify what part of the brain was being activated. The subjects then practised the finger-tapping exercise daily for four weeks. At the end of the four-week period, the brain scan was repeated. In each instance, it revealed that the area of the brain involved in the task had expanded. That simple task - a finger-tapping exercise - literally recruited new nerve cells and rewired neuronal connections. When we read Scripture, we are recruiting new nerve cells and rewiring neuronal connections. In a sense, we are downloading a new operating system that reconfigures the mind. We stop thinking human thoughts and start thinking God thoughts.'

'Think the same way that Christ Jesus thought' (Philippians 2:5 CEV). How do we do this? Paul says: 'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs' (Colossians 3:16 NKJV). Through preaching, teaching, reading and singing, our brains are rewired with God's word, and we develop the mind of Jesus. And that means we end up doing his will instead of being led by our own will.

So what now? Keep 'rewiring' your mind with God's word. Play or read out Scripture often - you'll find your God thoughts become more top of mind.

Before going into physical battle against Syria, Joab told his brother, 'If [they] are too strong for me, then you must help me. Or if [they] are too strong for you, I will help you' (1 Chronicles 19:12 NCV). If one was overwhelmed, the other could step in and help.

But spiritual warfare is different. We're not wrestling with 'a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world' (Ephesians 6:12 GWT). And wrestling is a one-on-one struggle which means getting up close and personal, going toe-to-toe with our opponent. When David faced Goliath, the giant was so sure of himself that he announced to all Israel, 'If he kills me...we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves' (1 Samuel 17:9 NLT)! The long-term stakes were incredibly high for Israel - and they are for us too.

Satan is out to defeat us, and if we fight according to the rules of the flesh, we'll lose. Just like professional wrestlers have rules, there are fail-safe spiritual rules designed to work for us. Paul said, 'I use God's mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil's strongholds' (2 Corinthians 10:4 TLB).

So what now? You are positioned to defeat your enemy, Satan, because Jesus is in and with you. Use your weapons of prayer, Christian fellowship, God's word, the name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus to gain your victory.

As a Moabitess, the law said Ruth was unqualified to mix with Jews. 'An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord' (Deuteronomy 23:3 NKJV). But when God has a plan for us, he steps in and says, 'I have called you by your name; you are mine...you were precious in my sight...I will give men for you, and people for your life' (Isaiah 43:1, 4 NKJV). When Boaz began showering Ruth with kindness, she knelt before him saying, 'Why have I found favour in your eyes...' (Ruth 2:10 NKJV)? Notice how Boaz answered: 'It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done' (Ruth 2:11 NKJV).

Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, knew that Ruth was the object of Boaz's affection, so she instructed: 'Tonight he will be working at the threshing floor...go down to the threshing floor. But don't let him know you're there until he has finished his dinner. Watch him so you will know where he lies down to sleep. When he lies down, go and lift the cover off his feet and lie down. He will tell you what you should do' (Ruth 3:2-4 NCV).

The relationship between Ruth and Boaz is a picture of us and Jesus, who is our Saviour. The best thing we can do is lie at Jesus' feet, and he will give us guidance for our lives.

So what now? All Jesus wants from you is relationship, no matter your past or your position. At his feet, you will find peace, protection, hope and a future.

Before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he sent angels to warn Lot and his family: '"Run for your lives!" [one warned]. "And don't look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!"...But Lot's wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt' (Genesis 19:17, 26 NLT). Lot's wife disobeyed a direct instruction from God and, as a result of looking back, she lost her life.

There are three important lessons in this story. (1) 'Don't...stop anywhere in the valley!' We all go through valley experiences in life, but we mustn't get stuck in them or choose to stay in them. (2) 'And don't look back.' The windscreen in a car is larger than the rear-view mirror - it's a reminder that we spend most of our time looking forward, only glancing in the other occasionally to make corrections so we can continue to move forward safely and reach our destination. (3) 'Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!' When someone hurts us, we can take the high road or the low road. When we take the low road and retaliate, something within us dies spiritually. But when we take the high road, we grow stronger, wiser and more mature.

When we get stuck in the past, it's always at the expense of the future. Always!

So what now? God has better days and better things in store for you. So let the past be the past and move forward.