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What If You Let Go Of It?

Mini-Minute with Pam: Decluttering -What If You Let Go Of It?

Cluttered room
What popped into your mind when you read the title? What “it” can you let go of? HOLD that thought.

Maybe your first thought was that you need to let go of a grudge. Maybe it’s a toxic relationship. Maybe it’s a job. Maybe it’s an heirloom locked away unseen in the attic.

Is it time to purge?

In this post, I am going to focus in on physical STUFF that seems to end up as clutter in our homes. It seems like everyone I talk to wants to be better organized. What if lack of organization isn’t the root of the problem? Why do we hold on to stuff we are not even using? For years! Maybe we don’t need to organize it. Maybe we need to declutter instead.

I am guilty

I moved from a 3 bedroom apartment into this one bedroom apartment more than a dozen years ago. The move was a rush and so things were just dumped wherever my friends could find a spot. And, unfortunately, many of the things have remained unused in that same spot for all this more than 12 years. There are even boxes and storage bins unopened in the storage space. Or hiding under the bed or behind closed closet doors. I wanted to deal with it and let it go, but I just couldn’t seem to get motivated. And the “memories” connected with the “stuff” held me back. I want you to know, God has now shown me how to let go of it.

The Great Decluttering Challenge

Yup! That’s what I have been doing this week Decluttering. Sarah Mueller is an amazing woman. She is leading the the way. My place is pretty organized but my problem is hanging onto things for “sentimental reasons” or I might need it “some day”. Sarah suggests just focus on small areas tat a time to declutter, rather than tackling a whole room. She empowers and nurtures us in this challenge group. And it has been great!

My first challenge

My wedding dress. It had hung wrapped in a plastic zippered bag in my closets for over 50 years. Neither of my kids wanted it, so it hung there, taking up space; and it was a constant reminder of a failed marriage. Yesterday, it went to the resale store. I feel like celebrating a major victory. I was finally able to let it go! And Now someone else will feel beautiful in it on her wedding day. And I am moving on…

Language

Instead of saying, “I’m too sentimental”; (An excuse. Or is it really that we refuse to let things go?) It’s a choice. We can change our feelings when we change your language to something like this: “I can let things go, even though it is hard.” God is so clear in His word how very important our language is.

What else?

My next project was: I’d had numerous pairs of shoes I’ve not worn for many years, gathering dust in the bottom of that same closet. I had felt I couldn’t get rid of them because “what if I need them later?” and “But they were expensive.” Rather, I thought, “I can let them go. ”

My unused shoes went downstairs to the “share” area of my building and right away, one of my dear neighbors was delighted to find two pairs that fit her and she loves them. How about that? I got to witness someone being blessed by my decluttering.

Decluttering Decisions

Sarah reminds us how important it is to choose to make decisions, and how to start and then keep going, in addition to remembering how important it is to control our language.

Over-cluttered homes

They drain our energy. And, just like anything else, we can choose NOT to be victims of our over-cluttered homes. We can decide to CHOOSE how we want to THINK about decluttering. You know, God warns us that : as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. So we KNOW our thoughts are important.
What if we choose to change the way we think about stuff?

Are you ready to take up the challenge? Pick your target and zoom in. And Finish! You can do that if you don’t make it a BIG target. Don’t tackle a whole room. Rather, it can be just clearing the bathroom counter. Or the kitchen table. Or decluttering the pots and pans cabinet in your kitchen. Or it can be decluttering the floor of your closet.

It is important to be sure to FINISH.  So, toss out the trash, wipe down the counter, put away the stuff you decided to keep. That feeling of completion, no matter how small the project, is amazing! Get it on your calendar and just do it! You will be glad you did.

There is so much more that I will be learning. That is only the first couple days training. It feels so great, I just wanted to share it with you.

So…what if you just DECIDE to let go of it. If I can do this, so can you! Let me know what will be your first decluttering choice? Leave a comment so I can celebrate with you!

Ready? Set…GO!!!

God bless you bunches!

Until next time…

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Mini-Minute with Pam,Strengths Mentor Coach — Tags: , , , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

What if Suffering Has a Purpose.

Mini-Minute with Pam: What if Suffering Has a Purpose.

Sad Woman with Bible
As humans, we naturally try to avoid any pain or suffering. We try to protect ourselves in numerous ways. We don’t walk on hot pavements with bare feet, We wear our seat belts. Since we don’t want the pain of disobeying the law and getting a ticket, we practice safe driving. We don’t go the wrong way down one way streets. We stop on red lights and go on green lights. We take care of our bodies. We stay hydrated in hot weather. We take our vitamins and try to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Those are all things we can do to try to avoid pain.

But what if suffering and pain has a purpose?

What a strange thought. We try everything we can to avoid it, rather than look for purpose when it arrives at our front door uninvited. What if our Father God has a purpose in mind and what if Jesus modeled the way? Let’s meet an amazing lady…

Joni Earekson Tada

Author, painter, public speaker, and a quadriplegic. Her story is well known, but what she has to say to us, may be a bit difficult to hear. Joni is not a stranger to the world of suffering. She has learned obedience through what she has suffered. She gains her strength to endure through her other-worldly mindset.

Joni exhorts us to follow her lead, And to begin each day “needing God desperately”. Joni goes on to say that the “really handicapped people are those who don’t really know of their desperate need for God.”
Amazing! What a statement from one confined to a wheelchair, needing someone to assist her with everything she does!

Stop and think on that for a moment.

Absorb what Joni is saying. We go about our daily routines barely thinking of God. What if we consciously stopped to realize the gift that Joni is giving us by calling that to our attention. We DO need God for EVERYTHING WE DO, just like Joni. The only difference is that SHE realizes it and I fear that you, like me, go about our day without giving it a thought.
Hebrews teaches us that Jesus learned obedience through the path of suffering. Joni has learned that, too. What about you? What about me?

While he lived on earth, anticipating death, Jesus cried out in pain and wept in sorrow as he offered up priestly prayers to God. Because he honored God, God answered him. Though he was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do. Then, having arrived at the full stature of his maturity and having been announced by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him.

Hebrews 5:7-10 (The Message Bible)

Is there more? Yes!

Through Jesus’ reverent submission…”He became the Source of eternal salvation…” Jesus’ suffering made it possible for Joni, and for you, and for me, to endure suffering with a purpose, until we meet Him face-to-face. Amazing love. Love that gives us wisdom to understand the concept of the necessity to grasp the idea that we are truly beginning each day “needing God desperately”. It is in accepting that fact, that we are empowered to follow wherever He leads.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because having stood the test that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12 (NIV)

He’s coming again.  How is your relationship with Him? Are you ready?
Leave a comment below…

God bless you bunches!

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Mini-Minute with Pam — Tags: , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

What If There’s a Cure?

Mini-Minute with Pam: Do Not Dwell in the Past

Woman with headache
I was unhappy. Nothing pleased me. People got on my nerves. I felt down on myself. I’d made so many bad choices and I was paying the price for it all. I was miserable. I EXPECTED to be treated poorly be others and they did not disappoint.

Would I ever be happy?

As my Dad would have said, “I felt lower than a snake’s belly” and it wasn’t getting any better. I knew the principle that: We become like whatever we focus on and I was focusing on how bad my life was and what a miserable wretch I was. Would I EVER be a mature Christian? Would I ever be happy? It seemed impossible with the circumstances I was enduring.

Then…

I had a kinda mindset shift. I simply could not make myself be better. A “light” went on in my spirit.

Only God…

I remember the day I prayed: “Lord, keep me from a complaining spirit.” And it has become a daily prayer. I am still becoming like whatever I mediate on, but my meditation has shifted to the wonders of God rather than the awfulness of Pam.

Do Not Dwell in the Past

Often grumbling is the by-product of something in the past. That was the case for me, anyway. So many betrayals and so much heartache. But…God has something to say about all of that. He has expectations for His children. He expects obedience. It’s a choice, but for God’s “kids”, it’s not optional. He expects obedience because He knows what is best for us. He makes it very clear. He  tells us to not dwell in the past, rather, He says in His word to use His cure…

God’s cure

“Forget the former things; do not dwell in the past. See, I am doing a new thing.”

Isaiah 43:18-19

Making excuses

We might think it is no big deal. But an Anchor devotional got me thinking with this statement: “Grumbling seems like a small sin compared to many. Why should it matter if I complain a little as long as I do the right thing? But like a child who stomps her feet on the way to make her bed, a grumble says NO, even though actions say Yes.”

God’s cure

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Philippians 4:6

But, everybody does it

Even though everybody does it, there are consequences. God has some things to say about following the example of the grumbler crowd.

Jesus said, “Do not grumble among yourselves.”

John 6:43

“…Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.”

1 Corinthians 10:10

“Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the judge is standing right at the door.”

James 5:9

Stating the obvious

It is not a small thing. God is blessed by an attitude of gratitude. I want to make my Heavenly Father happy. Don’t you? Scripture makes it clear that we are to do everything in the joy of the Lord, rather than with a grumbly spirit. And we do that by choosing obedience with a smile. Why? Because attitude matters to God AND to others. God looks at the heart attitude over the outward actions.

Viruses

Discontent and complaining are like spiritual viruses, infecting others. Complaining against God’s provision is complaining against God Himself.

I think God’s LOVE LANGUAGE is OBEDIENCE. He tells us if we love Him we will obey Him. Let’s make a pact to consciously decide to use God’s cure for the virus of complaining. Join me? Do not dwell in the past, instead, let’s CHOOSE JOY! And walk in it daily!

Let me know how you are doing. Leave me a note in the comments box. Let me know how I can pray for you. To God be the Glory!

God bless you bunches!

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Mini-Minute with Pam,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

The H.A.L.T. Stumbling Block

Mini-Minute with Pam

Holding hands for prayer
Relationships are tough.
Especially after watching the news, I sometimes joke with my friends, “The world would be a wonderful place if it weren’t for the people in it.” Of course that is silly, but it kinda makes me snap back and realize what is really going on inside myself that is causing me to REACT to something or someone. Do you ever have that problem?

People seem to so easily be offended these days.
Many are scared. Not knowing what to do about so many things in their lives. How can we be the “best version of ourselves”, as some would say. Do we just put up with it and pretend all is well? Do we fly off the handle when things don’t go our way? What would Jesus do? What DID Jesus do?

God created us, so He knows what our triggers are and He knows how we can walk as victorious overcomers. We are not alone in these struggles this side of Heaven. Jesus intimately understands. He is with us through it all.

“Lord, I can easily drown in a sea of priorities; some of which have become idols in my life. Forgive me and remind me of the importance of You being always first.” “Empower me to be a peacemaker rather than a source of conflict, a reconciler rather than a divider.” – Encounter with God devotional.

Stop. Look. Listen.

To yourself and to others. Let’s take some time together to think it through. What causes reactions to and quarrels with each other? Perhaps it is not so complicated. If we think about these, maybe we can be kinder to ourselves and others. Perhaps we/they just need the H.A.L.T. Antidotes.

H.A.L.T. Triggers

H.A.L.T. = Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. All are triggers in relationships.

H ungry. Results in physical or mental weakness.
A ngry. WHO/ WHAT brings out anger in you?
L onely. Can cause you to make compromising decisions.
T iredness. Difficulty concentrating. Prone to accidents in word or deed.

Antidotes to stop the H.A.L.T.

  • Hunger. Get something nourishing to eat so that your body, mind, and spirit can function at its best level.
  • Angry. First: Determine if it’s righteous (someone else is harmed) or unrighteous (you are taking personal offense). Determine your role in it.
  • Lonely. Don’t wait for others to come to you. Be the one to reach out to help or just do a simple kindness for another.
  • Tiredness. Set aside time to simply sit and meditate. to just BE with Jesus. Don’t forget to purpose to get adequate sleep. Sleep restores.

Ask the Lord which of the antidotes you need to put into action.

You’ve heard the expression:

Do what you can do and leave to God what only God can do. Talk it over with the Lord. He will help you determine “What’s next?”

Luke 5:16 “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

  • Jesus often withdrew from the others
  • Jesus often prayed alone to His Father
  • Jesus took the initiative to seek solitude in lonely places
  • Jesus knew when He needed to withdraw from others to pray to Father God

Sometimes quiet is the best environment for moving forward, especially in our relationship with God, SO THAT we will be ready to make decisions to follow through to move forward with the antidotes of H.A.L.T. Help us Lord, to bring you Joy in our obedience. To God be the Glory!

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Mini-Minute with Pam — Tags: , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

I Asked God For…

Mini-Minute with Pam

Smilie Emoji
I have a long list of things I ask God for. I can rattle them off and sometimes get frustrated with Him that He hasn’t answered YET.

One day, something changed as I read this verse in the book of Jeremiah:

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

Jeremiah 32:27 KJV

A bit frustrated, I commented: “I KNOW that nothing is too difficult for You, so…”

And right there is where it was obvious that God stepped in to correct my attitude.

He put this thought in my mind:

I asked God ”…So, what do ‘I’ need to do to put myself in the path of Your blessing?”

Zowie. That definitely was NOT me…it was God teaching me through His Holy Spirit!

You might want to sit down for how He answered. It is not what you might expect–like I need to do some kind of good works or spend more time in the word and memorizing.

NOPE!

His answer was: “C O N T E N T M E N T ! “

I was silent. That was not what I was expecting. I had no doubt it was God. And, the response gave me peace. It felt RIGHT.

And–because Contentment is something we CHOOSE, rather than some task we DO–it took away the feeling of overwhelm.

Because if you are like me, you never feel like you have done enough. There is always a need…

Contentment. It is a change of heart. An attitude change. God desires to bless us.But often our hands are full of ourselves.

But, He wasn’t done with what He wanted to teach me…

He then said: “AND…ACT like you’ve learnED it.”

Past tense. LearnED.

Isn’t that just like our FATHER GOD? Always doing the unexpected. Keeping us on our toes. And ALWAYS answering when we sincerely ask.

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)

Glory, Glory. For Your Glory, God.

I’d love to know your thoughts in the comment section…

Onward Christian soldiers.

Until next time…

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Mini-Minute with Pam — Tags: , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

If God Says No

Mini-Minute with Pam

Tiles Spelling the Word "No"
What do you do when God says NO to your dream?

  • When that happily ever with the man of your dreams turns into alcohol addiction and adultery
  • When that promise: train up your children in the way they should go turns into: they lost your address
  • When that plan your daughter would wear your wedding gown turns into “I’ll wear the MIL veil instead”
  • When that acreage you’d all worked so hard on has to be sold for expenses
  • When that vision to provide a place for unwed moms turns into just a dream with no feet
  • When that joy of being a missionary turns into “he can stay” but “you have to leave”
  • When that dream to write and publish books is realized but you are still waiting to be “discovered”
  • When that dream biz to be like Barnabas in the Bible, an encourager of women starts out big but turns into a whimper

You DON’T sulk. You don’t “lose your religion”. You don’t let your heart get hard. You pray like crazy. you Keep Looking Up because God Is Big!

You choose to trust your Lord. You choose contentment because you KNOW He has you in the palm of His hand, so all is well.

“Sometimes we just can’t see what God is doing.
Trust Him to the end; He’s working in all our wayward situations fulfilling His promises.”

Anchor devo

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”

Proverbs 3:5

When David lost his dream to build the temple for His Lord, God said No. So…

We do what he did…We look for ways to show God we love Him, no matter what…

  • You get up, dust yourself off, and literally, go for a walk.
  • You pray God keeps you from a complaining spirit.
  • You seek God—on your face—asking for direction.
  • You search the Bible to get to know Him better.
  • You count your blessings. Name them one-by-one.
  • You sing His praises! You pray the Scriptures.
  • You cry out for help in Jesus’ Name.
  • You choose contentment. In Jesus’ Name.
  • You look for ways to bless and encourage others.
  • You ask Him to show you the way forward. You ask the “NOW what, God?” question.

Onward Christian soldiers!

Glory, Glory! To God be the Glory!

Until next time…

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Mini-Minute with Pam,Strengths Mentor Coach — Tags: , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

If All I Had…

Mini-Minute with Pam

Lıfe preserver and book
My Omaha pastor said, “If all you have is your salvation, that should be enough.”

That was more than 40 years ago and I still ponder that statement. It pops into my mind often. Powerful.

Can we just stop our world for a minute and honestly think about that one sentence. Can we actually live our daily lives like that? Is Jesus truly enough? Or do you need more?

Do we walk in a state of contentment that God is our Father and that you and I are continually in His care?

Do you live you life with your eye on eternity with your Lord?

Or do you live in survival mode: Just for today? Is busy-ness your idol? Or is Jesus your “Hero”? Is He enough? If not, why not? And what can we do to change our mindset?

In Psalm 56:12b, 13 “I will render praises to You, for You have delivered my soul from death.”

Psalm 56:11 “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

God bless you bunches!

Until next time…

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Mini-Minute with Pam,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

I Was Blind But Now I See

Blind man walking
I was blind but now I see!

Do you ever flirt with temptation?

I know there are times that I do.

How close do we allow ourselves to get to temptation?

In the Bible story, the man was born blind. What if he had been tempted to believe he would always be blindly stumbling around?

Yet, he took a chance. He believed. He trusted. He obeyed.

After applying mud to the man’s eyes, Jesus told him to go wash it off.

The man obeyed and was given the gift of sight. Just imagine his joy! He could now physically see the One who healed him. Jesus.

Then along came the Debbie-downers.

People were skeptical. They asked the man if his Healer was a sinner? The man realized that was not his “call” to say.

But he did absolutely know one thing. And he proclaimed the truth of it: “I do not know whether He is a sinner and wicked or not…

“One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25, NIV)

What About You?

Does God ever ask you to do crazy things like He did that man?

Have you wondered what you would do under similar circumstances?

Sight: (conquering blindness) comes through using the tools of daily prayer and daily Bible reading. Actually choosing to spend time with Jesus. Those are our “weapons” to fight the good fight, as scripture calls it. The good fight. The inevitable daily temptations.  They are tools for those times when the Debbie downers show up. When your faith is tested.

It can’t be just rushing through a verse or two, but prayerfully reading whole chapters at a time. Be radical. Develop a deep and lasting friendship with the Healer. Saturate yourself!

2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that we walk by faith and not by sight. The blind man trusted. He obeyed the crazy thing with the mud and the washing it off part. The blind man didn’t question. He took a chance. He believed. He trusted. He obeyed. He walked by faith and received his sight.

That can be your story,  too. You can say, “I was blind but now I see!”

We build our faith and trust in the Lord through daily Prayer and Bible Reading. DAILY. It’s actually like food for the Soul. Feeding your soul daily is just as important as feeding your body daily. No shortcuts or we become emaciated and weak. Kinda blind in a sense. We don’t see temptation and sin sneak up on us. Because we have not nourished our soul that day.

Obedience: is stepping forward toward holiness. (The opposite is falling backward toward temptation.) It’s consciously realizing when we are being a slave to the tyranny of the urgent. It’s choosing to do what makes Father God happy as our priority.

Related Post: Learning to Lean

A lesson from computers

The computer term GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) fits well here. What we get back is indicative of the amount of time and care we take with the input. AND being attentive and careful WHAT what we actually have put in.

So, to prevent flirting with temptation–our thoughts, and what we put into our minds through our eyes, our ears, and our actions, must be diligently and carefully guarded to prevent viruses (temptation) from causing a CRASH.

Onward, dear friends. Let’s choose to walk by faith together. To God be the Glory.

I’d love to hear from you. I’d love the opportunity to walk alongside you as your Christian Coach. Wonder how coaching works? Hit the connect button and set up a time for a complementary call. Life is tough and we all need a place where we can be real and safe. Where we can work out our struggles with our very own cheerleader. Encouraging us on to victory in our walk with the Lord. Someone who understands our personality and believes in us.

Until next time.

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Losing Control

Short post. True confessions time… Let’s talk about losing control…

I’m normally even-tempered. I seldom get angry or lash out.

Today I did BOTH. I was angry and lashed out.

My reaction surprised me. I didn’t see it coming.

Afterwards, I was asking myself: WHERE did that come from?

There have been a series of events. And apparently, this thing today was the “straw that broke the camels back”.

In itself, it was a minor issue, but it came from a person that has routinely been rude and unkind to me personally. And, it hurts!

Up until today, I have responded with God’s grace and just let it roll off my back.  “I will take no offense” is a daily “mantra” for me. It is so freeing to CHOOSE to take no offense. However… this time, I forgot to CHOOSE…

I’m just sharing this because I want you to know that I absolutely know I am still a work in progress, just like you. I am not happy with myself how I reacted. I know God loves me anyway, but I know it also made Him sad, too.

Normally, I can praise the Lord, laugh and move on. Today, I did NOT! Today, I blew up at that person! I took offense!

And then I stomped away like a toddler…with her and her friend yelling at me, saying she was just kidding. I had to walk past them again a few minutes later, and she and her friend grabbed my arms, to try to make me stand there and listen to them. I felt angry and I felt trapped! I felt bullied.

Have you ever felt that way?

I can also report that we all three ended up having a calm discussion about what happened. It will never be great, because I have never felt safe with either of them.

I will always have my guard up. AND I now know that they have the ability to “trip my trigger”. So, I know now to be alert and choose to be calm. I should have cried out to “Jesus!” But I tried to handle it on my own and I failed miserably! (I think I need to watch the movie “War Room” again. I want to be more like Miss Clara.)

When I got back to my apartment, I talked on the phone with a dear friend who knows me and loves me even when I act like a toddler throwing a tantrum. I don’t think she has ever seen me that way, because it seldom happens, but she listened. We laughed. She suggested a cup of chamomile tea. I’m so grateful she was there for me! I needed a friend right then. Jesus with skin on.

BUT…it still hurts.

Aren’t we glad we have a God who covers our sins with His Blood?
Aren’t we glad that He loves us even when we mess up?
Aren’t we glad He will make up for our lack? We just have to ask Him!

“Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens: Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.”

Psalm 36:5

“Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!”

1 John 3:1

“Therefore, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:6-7

Thanks for your prayers. You can see that I desperately need you holding me up in prayer. This world HURTS sometimes. But God is bigger than all our hurts.

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Freedom,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Finding Perspective in Times of Testing

Woman with son on beach

Is your life a mess? Are you going through a rough patch? Do you wish things were different? Do you wish YOU were different? Do you want to be a better person? In this post, we’re going to cover finding perspective in times of testing.

I have to remind myself daily that my basic calling and focus is to pursue an authentic relationship with Jesus. Key word: Pursue! Yup! Deliberately pursuing Him! Not to be better, but to choose to be with Him!

We all have difficult seasons of our lives

Times of testing. Sometimes our perspective gets a bit skewed. Maybe you have questioned if God even exists. Maybe thinking: If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people?

All that sounds so reasonable in our humanness. However, God is the only One who is truly “good”. And He calls us to a higher ground. He says, “Trust Me.” We don’t have to feel it, especially at first. But it has to be a conscious choice. We can’t wait for the feeling to come. It has to be a moment by moment and daily choice to trust Him no matter what! Why? Because He is good. All the time. In good times and bad, God is ALWAYS good! Do we understand why things happen? Not usually, but we can trust that He has purpose in all that happens. Beyond anything earthly.

Jesus came to restore us to relationship with God.

He experienced all the emotions we experience. AND…He feels your hurt. He is not a distant deity. He is a very personal God. When you hurt, He hurts. He chases after you until you find Him. And then He draws you into relationship with Him. It is your choice how deep you want that to be.

Finding perspective

When someone hurts you, betrays you, or speaks lies against you, what do you do? I remember when I first found out my husband had been unfaithful through our entire 20-plus years of marriage. We were on the mission field when I found out. Talk about feeling “lower than a snake’s belly” as my dad would say. We were in California. I ran outside alone, walking and walking, and crying out to God. The mountains loomed in the distance and a verse I didn’t even realize I knew, came to my mind: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, now and forevermore.” (Psalm 125:2) I just kept saying that verse over and over until I believed it. I didn’t understand, but God was assuring me that He was with me and He would help me through the, “Now what?”

Related Post: Not for One Second

That was a tough one to work through.

Everyone has to seek God’s wisdom and direction after a betrayal like that. It is not easy. It hurts to the very core of your being. But God walked that lonely painful road with me. Our Savior went through some rough relational problems while here on planet earth, so I knew He understood. And I knew He was good. The situation was bad, but God was/is good.

What about you?

Do you remember a book about: Are you a FAN or a FOLLOWER? Isn’t that a powerful question? We all know what fans are. They get together with other fans and scream and yell and love it when their team wins. But God expects MORE than that. He wants us to follow after Him, even whether we are winning or losing! God’s not about winning. He is about BEING! He expects us to be fully committed to Him no matter what happens. Let’s commit to being a FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWER of JESUS. Putting our hand to plow and not looking back. (When you look back, you plow a crooked row.)

“Come and see what God has done, His awesome deeds for mankind…”

Psalm 66:5

“To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven…a time to weep and a time to laugh.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

The Song Trust and Obey

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, but His smile quickly drives it away. Not a doubt or a fear, not a sign or a tear, can abide while we trust and obey. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share. But our toil He doth richly repay. Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross but is blessed if we trust and obey.

The book of Psalms

It is comforting to know throughout the Psalms, that others have walked in shoes similar to whatever we ourselves experience. Pain and joy, doubt and confidence, defeat and victory, hatred and love, confusion and clarity. No matter what you are feeling, you will find comfort in the Psalms. Praise will always lift you out of hum drum and into a joy-filled relationship with the Lord of Lords. Time spent in the Psalms daily will not disappoint.

Here’s a few suggestions to get you started:

“My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me”. And my heart responds, ‘LORD, I am coming.’”
…Even if my father and mother abandon me the LORD will hold me close”

Psalm 27:8, 10

“The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses…with peace.”

Psalm 29:11

“I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”

Psalm 9:1-2

Notice the CHOICE. The “I WILL”. The CHOICE to praise. The CHOICE to walk in relationship. The CHOICE to take the time away from the world, and into the Presence of the very One Who created you. Father knows best. He adores. Be sure to give Him lots of opportunity for you to experientially know that.
David Jeremiah: By the Word of God, we are taught, challenged, corrected, and trained, so that we “may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (I Timothy 3:16-17)

My friend, Dawn used to say, “I know it in my KNOW-ER.” Perfect!

Until next time…

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Freedom,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am
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