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Daniel. The Prophet Who Always Put God First

Daniel and the Lion's Den

The book of Daniel paints a portrait of a man throughout his entire life. It is a snapshot of how to trust and serve God faithfully even when ripped away from all you have known and loved. He is the example of how to honor God even in the middle of a corrupt world and how to persevere in hope even with no immediate solutions to the problems that normally drag people down, and cause despair and depression. Daniel was neither depressed nor in despair. He was steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord—never forsaking His roots or His God. Faithful in all His ways.

Daniel was among those young men of the royal family (probably 10-18 years old) removed from their homes when King Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. The King took them with him to serve him in his court. The young men were chosen because of their physical appearance, wisdom and intelligence. Each of the captives had to pass a 3-year course in Babylonian language and literature. Amazingly, Daniel and his friends were found to be 10 times wiser than the most experienced wise men and magicians in that kingdom. Daniel was especially well known for his wisdom.

Daniel is know for his faithful purity

From the very beginning of the exile, Daniel chose not to defile himself with the king’s food. It would have made him ceremonially UNclean. He also defied the orders to worship the king. Daniel and his friends had ample opportunity to fall into error, yet there is nothing recorded that they did so. Daniel stood firm in his faith in dietary regulations and worship practices. He was faithful to God Most High. The entire time in captivity, he continued his regular practice of praying to God. His political opponents tried to find something wrong with Daniel, but they could NOT. So all they could think of was to make it illegal for him to obey His God. They were successful with that edict from the king and Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den.

The Lion’s Den

Daniel’s ministry spanned the entire 70 years of captivity. King #4 (King Cyrus) then decreed the Israelite exiles could return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple that Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed. So we can figure that Daniel was probably in his 80’s when he was thrown into the Lion’s Den. There are many twists and turns in the story of Daniel as he served under 4 different kings in Babylon. Even today, he continues to be a great role model.

Characteristics of a Golden Retriever
And how it applies to Daniel in particular

He is a godly young man. Loyal to only ONE GOD and does not compromise. He has only one MASTER and he seeks him out regularly, spending time in devoted worship and prayer throughout the day. He is a good listener and responds with wisdom to what is spoken. He seeks for ways to feel secure and also please those around him, without compromising his values. He finds ways to manage change, which took great people-skills as he ended up serving 4 different kings.

  • Dependable – He proved that in every way in his captivity.
  • Not driven by emotion – He was calm and deliberate. Predictable.
  • Faithful – He was trustworthy and loyal to his God even in a decadent society.
  • Fears loss of security – He created routine, and he knew his God was predictable. He finds his security in his God.
  • People person – He was very good with people, even those he disagreed with.
  • “How Can I please you?” – From interpreting dreams to accepting responsibilities in a foreign land, he seeks to do an excellent job.
  • He is uncompromising —trusting God in all things – even in the lions den.
  • He was greatly loved and had influence over his captives, to the point that they trusted him.

What about you? I’m only guessing about Daniel, but I believe him to be a Golden Retriever. Studying personality types can be a great way to understand each other and help us each realize why we do the things we do…why we see things so differently and how we can be in the exact same situation as someone else and each of us walk away with an entirely different interpretation of what happened.

Have you wondered why you do what you do? Do you ever find yourself wishing you were different? Perhaps you would benefit from exploring which personality type God has given you. So you can KNOW, EMBRACE AND ENJOY your life to all the fullness God intended.
Click the blue button below…

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

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,Living From Your Strengths,Personality Strengths and Weaknesses — Tags: , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Coping with Chronic Migraines with Heather Hart

Coping with Chronic Migraines

In the very midst of pain, in the midst of a migraine, God called Heather to record a masterpiece.

Heather is my author assistant and she has been struggling with a chronic migraine for four years. She’s on the Joni & Friends podcast today sharing some of her story.

She says, “I’m not some Christian superhero, but God is good and all we can do is lean into him.”

Tune in below to hear more about coping with chronic migraines:

Coping with Chronic Migraines

You can grab your copy of Heather’s book, “Clinging to Jesus” on Amazon.

Filed under: Living From Your Strengths,Personality Strengths and Weaknesses,Spiritual Life — Heather Hart @ 9:34 am

Walk. Sink. Cry Out. Reach Out. Grab Ahold.

Jesus and the Disciples in a Storm

Wow! I’ve been resting on Matthew 14:16 the last few days. For days I couldn’t seem to get past this single verse: “But Jesus said to them, ‘They do not need to go away. YOU give them something to eat.” (emphasis mine)

Confusion

What was I supposed to glean from that verse that would be applicable to my life now. My “nest” has been ruffled up. My comfort zone is not “comfortable” right now. What do I have to offer…to GIVE…Feeling off-center and a bit like I was sinking.

What Do I Have to Offer?

Meditating on this single verse has been a lifeline…pointing me to clarity of purpose once again.

There were leftovers

This verse is part of the story of the 5 loaves, 2 fish. AND of the 12 baskets full left over. (After feeding 5,000 + people!)

The disciples were frustrated with all the people that would need something to eat. Unfortunately, there was no fast food restaurant nearby. They were concerned. So, they went to Jesus to tell Him the problem (because maybe they thought He didn’t realize the problem. 🙂 All they had was a little boy’s lunch. They had their own ideas what needed to be done, but Jesus had a different plan. That is where Matthew 14:16 comes into the picture.)

Blessing and breaking

Jesus had taken the 5 loaves and 2 fish that the disciples had brought him. He then looked up to Heaven, blessed the food and broke it into pieces and gave all of it to the disciples to distribute to the MULTITUDES. (Do you ever wonder what they were thinking right then?? I do! Kinda funny to think about!) So, back to our story…They gave Him what they had. He multiplied it, but THEY had to “give them something to eat.” THEY had to distribute what God had multiplied. (Reminds me of a poem by Annie Johnson Flint “Hands and Feet for Jesus”.)

They ate what had been multiplied and were FILLED. No more hunger. Filled. Filled with what was first given to Jesus and blessed by Him. FILLED…with much more left over than they even started with. Twelve baskets full LEFT OVER!!! (Here’s where I have been stopping to talk to Jesus a minute. Will you join me?)

Thank You, Lord, for the LITTLE I have to offer. Thank You, that when I give it up to You for Your purposes, You will multiple it to meet the need…and sometimes with some left over. You multiple my LITTLE for others’ sake! Not to hoard, but to give out…to the multitude!

Resting and chewing

I seriously have been resting on this story for days! There is so much there to “chew on”. (Sorry…I couldn’t help myself there!)

After the Offering

Then, after all were fed, Jesus sent them all away—even the disciples—and then He went away—alone—to pray.

He prayed MANY hours. It is stunning that He went away alone. He didn’t “work” the crowd. He didn’t seek glory, attention, or honor or praise for all He had done. Rather, He went to talk with His Father…to spend time alone with His Father. He had merely been doing what He was created to do.

They still didn’t “get it”. Nor does Peter, the Otter personality.

Even after the miracle of the loaves and fishes, the disciples still didn’t “get it”…which they prove by their reactions while in the boat, without Jesus,  experiencing a storm with strong wind. Note they all were very fearful. Even Peter. Let’s call this the “Peter walking on the water” story.

Peter was different than the others. You know Peter. He often spoke whatever came to his mind, and often acted impulsively. Peter was an Otter personality type (Leading From Your Strengths).  He liked to be right in the middle of the action. The party doesn’t start until the Otter arrives! They are FUN!

Without thinking it through, Peter couldn’t wait for Jesus to come into the boat with them. He wouldn’t wait! So, he  stepped out of the boat. And, he was actually safe UNTIL he took his eyes off Jesus and onto the stormy seas.

Typically, Otters love adventure, new things, and get excited about every new opportunity.  They don’t have to think about it. OF COURSE NOT! After all, what could go wrong, right? 😉

They want what they want NOW. They don’t like to wait. It is not surprising Peter did not evaluate the options before flinging himself into the middle of the action. So he stepped out of the boat and walked on the water. BUT when he took his eyes off Jesus and onto the turbulent water, he began to sink! And then he cried out for help. Then he reached out his hand to grab ahold of Jesus. And Jesus saved him. He did not drown. And they got in the boat together.

(Otters are wonderful adventurers, but often bite off more than they can chew, and right smack dab in the middle of their adventure, they just might need some assistance. And then, they let you take over because they are on to the next adventure. You can’t keep a good Otter down.)

And now the storm is past and all was well…

UNTIL the next time Peter and friends forget what they have learned from the provision of the loaves and fishes and on the stormy sea…

What Do I Have to Offer?

Are you like me?

I think there’s an obvious reason why God impressed on me to call my business Loaves and Fishes Coaching., so many years ago. I have always loved this story. And that theme of the loaves and fishes is on my mind often:

What do I have to offer? Am I willing? Do I trust GOD to do with it as He sees fit? It is a timeless principle. A theme that I have to keep re-learning. I have to ask myself. Do *I* REALLY “get it”???

What about you?

Do you have to keep re-learning things about Jesus’ trustworthiness that you thought you already knew?

Can you honestly answer the question, “What do I have to offer?”

My Father: Experiencing God's Love A-Z

Pamela Taylor invites you to join her in this interactive acrostic devotional journal designed to draw you into the extremely personal and abundant love God has waiting for you. Experience the "Just ask..." of His love for you!

My Father: Experiencing God's Love from A-Z by Pamela A. Taylor

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

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

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Living From Your Strengths,Personality Strengths and Weaknesses,Strengths Mentor Coach — Tags: , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

It’s Not about the Feet

Bare feet through mud and what it has to do with washing feet in the Bible

Washing Feet in the Bible

David Jeremiah teaches that in the ancient world, to share a meal with others is an intimate activity. It affirms mutual trust. It would be inconceivable to eat with one’s enemy…making Judas’ actions incomprehensible. And yet, Jesus again went against tradition. His love has no conditions.

The roads were dusty

Washing feet in the Bible, why was it so important?

Everyone wore sandals. Feet got really dirty. A servant normally met travelers at the door and washed their feet. However, against tradition, that did not happen to this “crew” of fishermen and a tax collector in John 13. Dirty feet entered the room unwashed.

Their hearts were exposed

“(He) rose from supper and laid aside His garments, and taking the towel…” (John 13:4)

Jesus and the disciples were already at the table. No servant is mentioned. And not a single one of them had chosen to wash the feet of their weary friends. The mismatched crew of travelers simply all sat down with dirty feet. So against the norm, Jesus rose from supper… and washed their feet.

Serve or be served?

  1. Jesus did not summon a slave or servant to make them do the task. Rather, after seeing the need, He acted. He served. Washing their feet.
  2. He saw the opportunity for an object lesson and seized the teachable moment.

Peter the Missionary (pre-Pentecost)

No wonder Peter was confused. Against tradition, this King, this Healer, this Teacher, the One they had all hoped would rescue them from the Roman tyranny…this Jesus had gotten up from the table in order to wash their feet. This was not very Kingly! This is not what they had signed up for. Peter doesn’t like weakness.

Outspoken, impulsive, rash, Peter

What happens when Jesus wants to wash his feet? Surprise! Peter forcefully objects. *sigh* A work in progress, pre-Pentecost Missionary Peter is horrified!

Washing feet in the Bible is not about the feet

Jesus explains to Peter that he needs to submit. And of course, “my way or the highway” Peter with his worldly mindset, tells Jesus what to do. Peter is quite the leader, don’t you think? He will instruct Jesus to wash not only his feet, but his hands and head as well.

But, John chapter 13 is not about washing feet. If it were, then Jesus would have gotten each of them to immediately get up from the table and wash each other’s feet.

What IS it about?

  1. Jesus willingly did the job reserved for the lowest of all slaves.
  2. He did not think Himself above anyone.
  3. It was a SYMBOLIC act of humble service. Done with love. Done willingly. Joyfully.
  4. He was not forced to do it. He chose to.
  5. His true followers will follow His example, with the same heart and enthusiasm.

And best of all…

Impulsive, rash, loud-spoken, forceful Peter, a (high “D”) Lion personality has been chosen by God to be part of His “team”. Jesus sees Peter’s value. He understands He is a work in progress. Peter loves Jesus. But he continually fails Him. Jesus knows a secret that Peter and friends do not yet know: Holy Spirit can round off the rough edges. Peter wants to be like Jesus, but he is not quite there yet. Not here…not in Chapter 13.

Submission & service

This is a lesson every follower of Christ, (whether a foreign missionary or not) must learn and put into practice. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we joyfully serve. We DO what Jesus DID. Submitting to what He SAYS. And we learn to embrace our personality type rather than fight it. We realize our strengths are necessary in the Body of Christ. But we also realize that we are all just a single piece of the bigger puzzle picture. Always remembering to not think of ourselves more highly than we ought. We need each other’s strengths. TOGETHER we make a beautiful and complete picture in Christ.

Missionary Peter learns this

…but not until he has even more slip-ups of rushing into situations without being led by the Spirit. So, only after being filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost does Peter become the person Jesus always knew he could and would be. Over time and with the Spirit’s leading, he learned to use his strengths wisely. So you see, there is hope. Always hope. For you. For me. For the Peter’s in your life.

Are you ready…

to learn to appreciate what God intended when He created you? To find your God-given purpose in life? The abundant life is where you and the joy of the Lord intersect; and remember it is not about the feet… 😉 It is about so much MORE!

It begins with Leading From Your Strengths. I am only a click away…

My Father: Experiencing God's Love A-Z

Pamela Taylor invites you to join her in this interactive acrostic devotional journal designed to draw you into the extremely personal and abundant love God has waiting for you. Experience the "Just ask..." of His love for you!

My Father: Experiencing God's Love from A-Z by Pamela A. Taylor

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

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

Filed under: Living From Your Strengths,Personality Strengths and Weaknesses — Tags: , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

What’s Going On? And What Can I Do About It?

Woman Looking Confused

A Christian Perspective.

Our Creator knew what would bring us the most peace and joy and even “influence”. We are told in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to “take every thought captive unto obedience in Christ.” We must guard against the temptation to let our emotions rule, but rather to take the time to stop and ponder what we hear and then to carefully choose the course of response. Sometimes that does mean stepping on a few toes. Sometimes it means remaining silent and prayerful for a more opportune and wise time. Sometimes it means an immediate response is necessary.

How do we know?

Where do we begin? As followers of Christ, each day must begin with spending time in the Word of God, and praying for wisdom, favor, insight and courage to do whatever GOD directs us to do and say. We all KNOW that! but…do we practice that as a priority routinely? These are very difficult days. Emotions are high. Lots of things do not make sense. There is a lot of confusion, which causes fear and anger.

Our Role model.

At the times when we’re offended, we’re wise to remember our Savior, Jesus, was often misunderstood but His only INFLUENCER was GOD HIMSELF. He did not cave in or run away when it was difficult. He cared about every single person. Whether they agreed with Him or not. However, He stood strong and faithful to His calling to GLORIFY GOD in everything He did and said. No matter what it cost Him personally. He is our role model. Getting to know Him intimately must be our single greatest goal. That relationship with Him is where we get the wisdom and power to be a true disciple.

What is going on?

As I am typing this, I am wondering: what’s going on in our wonderful country? And in our world! Taking offense is like a badge of honor. Each “side” trying to put the other one straight. Bullying is rampant. There is a palpable need to be RIGHT. As Christ followers, we must fight the emotion of NEEDING to be RIGHT. The strength to do that comes from seeking extra time with the Lord. It is an act of will to CHOOSE to embrace the mind of Christ. He will not force Himself on us.

What are your triggers?

For each of us, it is so important to understand our own personal strengths and the uniqueness of your own personality. Know WHAT are the “triggers” that set you off. Recognize them when they come cloaked in a new way. Know yourself well enough to know when you can be effective and when you are tempted to react in the flesh rather than yielding to the spirit of God. This is a life-long process—maturing in Christ. BECOMING what He intended when He created you.

Appreciate differences

It is important to recognize the uniqueness and various personality strengths of others, as well. Some take offense more readily than others. Some step back into a safe space, hating any form of disagreement or confrontation. They may get their feelings hurt easily, taking offense at things not even meant the way they interpret them They do that to their own harm. They begin to dislike themselves and feel unloved and unimportant. That is a lie, but it can cause them great distress and maybe cause them to join up with someone more aggressive so they feel like they gain a degree of POWER back again. That is the wrong reason to join forces. It is just one more way to put “self” on the throne.

Aggressive people are valuable

Some people are aggressive and forceful in their personalities. Not wanting to wait for things to work out. They are the pioneers. What would we do without them? They seem to want to MAKE things work out quickly so they can move on to the next thing that needs “fixing”. However, they don’t like anyone disagreeing with them. They take offense if questioned and may get angry, causing others to cower and give in to them. They may be impatient and not want to take the time to understand that others bring much needed  “value” to the situation. Their lack of consulting with others–often simply out of expediency–actually causes great harm to all, unless they learn to appreciate each others differences and value.

If only we could all learn to play nice together.

But, that would be Heaven, wouldn’t it? Someday, someday, dear friend. But, in the meantime, we must all go through the process of maturing in Christ. It is definitely a process. We can choose to do it the hard way or the easy way. Either God will do the humbling (the hard way), or we can choose to humble ourselves before God (the less painful way for the true disciple of Christ).

Seeking to understand the whole picture.

Life is hard, but God is always good. He created each of us with our unique personality. It is up to us, to make the best of it. To embrace who we are–who GOD created us to be–and to cooperate with the Potter as He patiently molds us into vessels fit for His use.

Study people.

It takes a willingness to ask questions and to actually make a decision to STUDY people in your realm of influence. It takes a desire to bring out the best in them, rather than to be right. I, too, have struggled with this my whole life. So, don’t give up. It is worth the struggle. Worth the hard work. Worth the extra time in the Bible and in prayer. To God be the Glory is our goal.

Contentment.

Like Paul. He said he had learned the secret. The secret is choosing to be content. Take every thought captive. Rather than struggling to be personally “understood”, contentment comes with choosing to love GOD above all others, and then having the Holy Spirit power to love ONE ANOTHER—the goal in the Scriptures. It is a daunting task when we try to do it in the flesh. But in the Spirit, it can bring healing. Of course, it takes BOTH people willing to yield, but SOMEONE has to START. Someone has to go FIRST.

So, if you find yourself doing any of these things:

  • Taking it personally
  • Defending yourself
  • Having a bruised ego & counterattacking
  • Fuming with anger
  • Feeling sorry for yourself
  • Wanting to retaliate or hoping harm comes to the other person

Step back, take a deep breath, and ask God for His perspective. Pray for wisdom and the power to understand the true issue and what part YOU are playing in it!

Is there something you need to think or do differently? Are you willing?

It does not mean you are WRONG. Perhaps the other is absolutely totally wrong, but responding in kind does not help. Always remembering Jesus is our role model. We absolutely can DO this!

If you need a listening ear or some clarity how to move forward in your journey in this crazy world that is not your home, use the “Let’s Connect” blue button below. Remember, this world is our training ground. We are only passing through on our way HOME.

Jimmy Learns about Life

Join Jimmy and his mama in this lighthearted book of character traits for kids. Jimmy is your average 7-year-old. He is going through life, having fun, and learning a lot along the way. Through mishaps, ministry, and more, Jimmy learns that there’s more to life than first impressions. Each chapter of this book contains a character trait Jimmy learns during teachable moments of life.

Jimmy Learns about Life by Pamela A. Taylor

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

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

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Personality Strengths and Weaknesses — Tags: , — Pam Taylor @ 6:00 am

Was Doubting Thomas Really Doubting?

The Incredulity of Saint Thomas' by Caravaggio.

Imagine going through a really amazing and fulfilling 3 years.  And finally finding a leader you can admire as your role model. You love being with Him every day.

Then, one day, it all changes. He is arrested, beaten, killed and you are devastated. You need time alone to process what has happened. You simply don’t know what to believe. And now, 3 days later, some of your friends say they actually saw your leader alive and well. IMPOSSIBLE, you think.

That is exactly what happened to the Apostle Thomas.

He, like the other Apostles adored their leader, Jesus. He was smart and kind and Thomas never had to worry about anything because Jesus would take care of it. Always! Even the couple times when Jesus was preaching all day and tons of hungry people were there listening to Him. Jesus cared about everyone. They were far away from any place where they could get food. So, what did Jesus do? He prayed and thanked God for what God was about to do and then…the IMPOSSIBLE happened. There was enough food for EVERYONE to eat, with a bunch left over besides.

But, to Thomas, this time is different.

It really does seem IMPOSSIBLE. Thomas knew without a doubt that Jesus had died a brutal death on a cross and was put in a tomb. A huge stone was rolled across the opening and there is no way a lone person could move that stone from across the entry, let alone walk out of there alive.

Yet, the apostles and the women said they saw Him. Alive. He came to them in the room where they were hiding.

“Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’”

John 20:24

When people refer to Thomas, they usually speak negatively.

He is called “Doubting Thomas”. Did he doubt, or was Thomas a Beaver personality? (LFYS)

Here’s some characteristics about Beaver personalities. Let’s see if Thomas fits the profile…

  • Tells things like they are
  • Careful attention to the facts
  • Notices details
  • Tendency towards perfectionism
  • Asks a lot of questions
  • Likes things done the same way

Beavers are Task people more than People people.

Notice the other disciples were all together, but Thomas had gone off by himself to sort things out. To THINK.

People with a Beaver personality’s  greatest fear is making mistakes.

They are normally slow at decision making. They ask a lot of questions, which makes them APPEAR to be disagreeable or argumentative. They want to know WHY. They NEED to “verify”, because they truly want to be a team player. They actually desire to agree and work together. But they need more facts than others might need. They are critical thinkers, calm, logical, and vigilant. They have high standards. They don’t like to settle for less.

They are good at asking the right questions to get to the heart of an issue. But for some, that could feel like they don’t trust the others. It is vitally important that we each one learn our God-given strengths AND recognize and respect the strengths of others. That is how teams function best.

Jesus SHOWED them to respect Thomas’ questions

The rest of this Bible passage illustrates how thoroughly Jesus understands each of His “children”. (You and me, too.) He understood Thomas was not merely difficult. He understood exactly what Thomas needed in order to enjoy fellowship again. And He demonstrated how to honor one another’s differences. (It’s been said a definition for fellowship is “two fellows in the same ship, going the same direction.” And that is exactly what is going on here. Thomas wants to be convinced.)

“A week later His disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus suddenly stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’”

John 20:26-28

Do you see the beauty of fellowship with the Lord? In true fellowship, we are honest with what we need and He hears every word. He KNEW what Thomas needed to see and feel in order to believe; and Jesus encouraged Him to receive what He needed from Him.

Picky people can be annoying

What do we often do when someone is so “picky” and “pessimistic” and “worrisome” like Thomas was? We might say something like “WHAT is your problem? Why can’t you just believe what we tell you? Stop being so negative.” But,those kinds of attitudes merely makes a Beaver MORE Beaver-like. They feel rejected and feel like they must justify their feelings. It just turns into a mess.

But…What did Jesus do? He met Thomas at his point of need. He KNEW his heart wanted desperately to believe, but He simply needed more facts. He needed to VERIFY. When he was treated with dignity and kindness and acceptance, what was his response?

“Thomas said to Him, “My Lord and my God!’”

John 20:28

Jesus added one more thing.

Of course Jesus knows not everyone is needing the depth of verification that Thomas needed, so Jesus reassured the others…

Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”

John 20:29

So, the lesson here is, to HONOR ONE ANOTHER. We must understand our own strengths and also value others’ strengths. When we take the time to study the characteristics of each of the strengths and learn each person’s differences in communication, true fellowship happens.

Let’s do it!

ENJOY ONE ANOTHER and ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER!

That day when we shall see Jesus face-to-face draws nearer every day…

My specialty is Mentor Coaching around Personality Strengths. Contact me if you would like to know more…

Jimmy Learns about Life

Join Jimmy and his mama in this lighthearted book of character traits for kids. Jimmy is your average 7-year-old. He is going through life, having fun, and learning a lot along the way. Through mishaps, ministry, and more, Jimmy learns that there’s more to life than first impressions. Each chapter of this book contains a character trait Jimmy learns during teachable moments of life.

Jimmy Learns about Life by Pamela A. Taylor

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

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

Filed under: Personality Strengths and Weaknesses — Tags: — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Finding the Place of Victory Over Self-Condemnation

Fireworks - Freedom and independence

For many years, I condemned myself

I could only see what was WRONG with me. And there was no lack of people to reenforce that mindset. I didn’t know that it was OK that I was different than the people I longed to be like. In fact, it was not just OK but it was a very GOOD thing. It took awhile, but I began to realize that God wanted me to embrace who He made me to be. To be used for His glory.

What is self-condemnation and how do we get victory over it?

Self-condemnation is self-absorbing. Sadly, it prevents us from fully loving others. And that is sad, because that is exactly why we are here. First, to love God, the One Who made us. And then we are to love others with God’s kinda love!

Self-condemnation prevents us from having a God mindset towards others AND towards ourselves.

God’s desire for us is to have self-compassion

I needed to understand that on a deep level. Along the way, somewhere, I heard a story that helped me to change my mindset. And I’m going to tell it to you right now. So that you can join me in that place of victory!!

Before I tell you the story, please find quiet place alone. This won’t take long, but it is more effective if you give this story your FULL attention.

Ready for the challenge? OK…

Here’s we go…

Imagine.

(Pleeeeasssseee…I am serious about this. In order to fully benefit, you have to totally stop everything right now and take a few minutes to truly imagine with me…No multi-tasking :-))

Ok. Ready?

Imagine a time when you’re tenderly and compassionately caring for someone that is ill. You lovingly put her to bed. A little later, you go in to check on her and you are relieved to see that she is asleep. You know that sleep is good for her.

You just stand quietly in the doorway, watching her as she sleeps. Just loving her as she sleeps. She isn’t doing anything to earn your love. You just love her because you love her. And you pray for her to be well again. It hurts you that she is suffering. You will her to be well again. You have deep compassion for her suffering.

Then, she turns over, she looks at you, and you realize…

That person…

You realize that…

It’s YOU!

Now…if you can just purpose to stay in that moment of time until you sense something “shift”, a time of personal healing is waiting for you there!

THAT is exactly how God loves you! He just loves you because He loves you. You couldn’t EARN His love by anything you do even if you tried. Will you. Right now. Accept that love and LET Him love you unconditionally?

Daddy, Daddy! Guess What I Saw Today?

From a flock of geese to a dog on a leash, the pages of this winsome little book are filled with things we see around us every day. Pamela A. Taylor takes those everyday items and looks at them through the eyes of a child; making them seem exciting and new while also teaching children how to be grateful for the God who created them. Take a walk with Pamela through the pages of this book and help your little ones see God’s hand in the beauty of life.

Now take it one step further

Our children model what they see in us. So if we raise “healthy” kids, and we only love them, but we don’t love ourselves, they too will have difficulty loving themselves, because that is what was modeled for them = NOT loving oneself. THAT was their example.

Disclaimer

Of course we are not referring to the model that embraces the thinking that the world revolves around oneself, but rather we are referring to a good healthy love of what the Creator decided we would be. He chose our personality, our spiritual gifts, our talents, and skills. To not embrace who we were created to be, is an affront to our Father. We owe it to our children to know the difference between self-pity vs. self-compassion. And to teach them by example. Ahhh…now there is the challenge, ‘eh?

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this. Have you found this to be true?

Here is what I would like to end with:

I’d love to help you discover your God-given self to love as He loves you. And the best way to do that is through the Leading From Your Strengths process. It was designed to strengthen the Body of Christ by helping each individual person discover what God had in mind when He thought you up. Through the process, You can gain freedom and independence from the discouraging comparisons and learn to embrace the beauty of who you really are.

I stand ready to help…I’m only a click away…

God bless you bunches!

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,Personality Strengths and Weaknesses — Tags: — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Benefits of Positive Persuasion

Three women talking and laughing
I am learning about persuasion and perspective from Scott Adams, author and podcaster. In one podcast, I remember that he shared in an interview about one of his pivotal memories. Here is of what I heard him say…

Dale Carnegie

Scott was in a Dale Carnegie training event. They were all strangers to each other and only knew what had been spoken during the training. And yet, the facilitator gave them an “impossible” assignment to write a compliment on separate pieces of paper, for each member of the class. One person complained that they simply didn’t know enough to compliment each other. Nevertheless, the assignment was required.

It seemed dumb

The compliments could not possibly be sincere, because there was no real knowledge about each other.

The next day

So, they each turned in their packet of compliments (one for each person in the class). Then one day, in the mail, each received the pile of “compliments” from their classmates. He was skeptical, and yet imagine Scott’s surprise that with each one he read (even the surface-y ones), he felt his confidence growing. They each had an impact for good, even though he KNEW they couldn’t be heartfelt because they simply did not even really KNOW anything about each other.

Imagine with me

If all that is possible in a secular setting, imagine with me what is possible with God at the center…

Strengths Coaching

I’m a strengths coach. As a coach, I don’t try to FIX you. And we don’t blame others for how things turned out for you in your life. Rather, we look realistically at today. The past is past. You can never have a better past, so NOW WHAT? Let’s work on what you can do today.

Forward Thinking

I help you discover, through a Ministry Insights, Leading From Your Strengths, assessment, what your God-given strengths are. Then, I help you learn to recognize others’ strengths, (like when Scott’s classmates were looking for things to compliment about each other).

The world wants to beat you down and point out what is wrong with you. The world wants to have you concentrate on strengthening your weaknesses. That is like looking at the world through someone else’s glasses. That just makes us a bunch of unfocused, ineffective, partially successful people. God has a better plan. He wants you to look at what is right and good and noteworthy in yourself. And in others. Through coaching, you can learn how it all fits together like the pieces in a puzzle.

It seemed dumb

In my coach training, and my previous training in counseling, we too did exercises similar to what Scott speaks of in his Dale Carnegie course. I can remember an assignment that seemed dumb. We broke down into twos and we asked each other what was called “the powerful question”. It’s used when people are STUCK and can’t move forward. It seemed dumb because we all knew what the question was, so I remember thinking, it would not work on me. I know others felt the same way. Both in counseling and then in my coaching classes, too. And yet, it worked! What about you?

Are you struggling in an area?

Maybe you just don’t know what to do about something in your life!

The powerful question is:

“So…If you DID know what to do, what would it be?”

That question, should not work, and yet it does! EVERY TIME! It worked when I was being coached and it works now. It works when you don’t know it is coming and it works when you do know it is coming. Just like the “compliments assignment’’ in the Dale Carnegie courses. It should not work, and yet it does! EVERY TIME!

It unlocks the brain

Questions like that actually unlock your brain from what has impacted it negatively by life and disasters and relationships. Your brain has believed it must be different than God’s design. A brain impacted by a kinda scary world gone nutty lately. So, these assignments in positive persuasion have amazing potential to unlock your brain, and to open you up to possibilities.  To inner joy and peace. To embracing who God created you to be.

Because God says in the Bible…

Philippians 4:13 (KJV) “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”

Mark 10:27b (KJV) “… for with God all things are possible.”

Mark 9:23 (JV) “Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Let me know when you want to find out more about your own possibilities.

Maranatha!
Come Lord Jesus!

God bless you bunches!

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

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

Filed under: Personality Strengths and Weaknesses — Tags: , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

God Will Use the Loaves and Fishes You Bring to Him

Loaves and Fishes Logo
On the Christian Book Academy Zoom call today, the teachers’ topic was that God takes our little and turns it into much. I was blessed by the reminder. The topic was how to view our writing but it can be applied to everything in our lives as Christians. I remembered I had written a blog about that topic shortly after my website was “born”. So, here is a new version of that blog from 2012.

The young boy’s lunch.

”There’s a boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” – John 6:9 NLT

Pessimist much?

Isn’t that what we do, too? We get negative. A scarcity mentality takes over. We know that God is our Provider. But in a bit of a twisted humility, we minimize what we have to offer “to the world”. And yet, what we have to offer came from God. If you are anything like me, we have some work to do to get in alignment with God’s plan. What do you think? Ready?

Learn to lead from your strengths.

First things first: Discover through the Leading From Your Strengths consultation and coaching who God made you to be . Guaranteed, it will give you a good start on moving forward wherever God is leading you. I know from experience, having your own personal “cheerleader” (mentor coach) minimizes the stress of the journey.

Even when you get off track, a life coach doesn’t try to fix you. Rather, she helps you discover what is special about the way God made you. It is already there inside you. She just helps you find it! And then she helps you figure out how it works in your relationships. Learning to actually value others’ differences. It’s so fun to figure out WHY we EACH do what we do. Understanding the 4 personality types is a huge “game changer”. You will look at everyone through fresh eyes.

As children we have tons of dreams and hopes

Even if you have forgotten your vision, hopes, or dreams, let’s talk. You can discover them anew. And then, when you surrender them to God, He will take them and just like he did with the young boy who surrendered his lunch of “ONLY” 5 barley loaves and 2 fish, God will use your “ONLY” that you bring to Him, too. HOWEVER,  you have to take that first step toward Him.  Surrendering what you have, like the young boy did.

I’m excited for all that God has in mind for you.

That’s the reason for Loaves and Fishes Life Coaching. The name for my business came from those very same verses in the Bible about the young boy. Jesus had been teaching the multitudes all day and they were hungry, so the disciples come to Jesus and asked Him what to do. They reasoned that it would cost a small fortune and a lot of precious time if they went into town and to buy the huge amount of food that would be needed for such a great multitude. (Their faith was still being formed. And they were suffering from that scarcity mentality we all can so easily fall into.)

Not up for the task?

Do you think you have nothing to offer? That you are not enough? The blessing is that when God calls, He enables. He provides for the need. The call & the need are not too big for Jesus when we surrender all to Him for His use. Here’s the cool part that I never tire of hearing about the loaves and fishes story:

“So they all ate and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.” (Mark 6:42-44)

That’s the cool part because that’s how God is with us, too.

Do you see that? 5,000 men ate and were filled...on five loaves and two fish! You might think what you have is not enough; but when you bring it to Him, He blesses it and multiplies it.

And many benefit.

God will use the loaves and fishes you bring to Him.

It is not a maybe. He will do it! Trust Him! But, the big catch is: you have to BRING it to HIM. That means you have to choose to trust even if it is scary. Even if it seems dumb by the world’s standards. God’s ways are not the world’s ways. What is it you want to do? Do you want to stop beating yourself up because you are not like someone else? Are you struggling with relationships? Let’s discover together what your strengths are and then learn how to implement them into your daily life. Ready? I’m only a click away…

Bring what you have and watch what He can do!

Maranatha!
Come Lord Jesus!

God bless you bunches!

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,Personality Strengths and Weaknesses — Tags: , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

I Confess. I Am a Fanatic. Join Me?

Pam Taylor

Definition of a fanatic

“A person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme or political cause.” All of you who know me well, know it is true. When I believe something, I am immovable. BECAUSE I have done my own personal and detailed research! And I don’t quit until I am satisfied that I have thoroughly investigated. So…

I confess. I am absolutely a fanatic

I have been a Leading From Your Strengths “fanatic” for about ten years. I was first introduced to it by Rodney Cox, CEO of Ministry Insights, International. About ten years ago, Rodney gave a “guest” presentation in one of my Coaching classes. I took the assessment, feeling a bit smug, thinking that it would NOT be able to “peg” me, because I kept second guessing & changing my answers as I took the assessment. Nope. I was certain. I would be the exception. They would NOT be able to be put me into a neat little box.

However, I was NOT the exception

I was convinced immediately after my virtual consultation by Rodney (in front of all my classmates and my instructor, by the way) that this was a GIFT to the church. To Christians. To SHOW us how to BE the church. How to encourage one another to love and good deeds. All the things that Scripture instructs us to become TOGETHER. So, I immediately signed up for the training to be a LFYS Consultant. (I took it again, wanting to be the best Strengths Coach I could be. And I became even more convinced that I had a key to help the people of the “church” learn better how to BE the church. To date, I have found nothing better.)
Leading from Your Strengths Certified

Now, I laugh at my doubting

When I saw my 20 page print out, I was stunned. It was ME!!! Most of my life, NO ONE has understood me. Certainly, no one has said to me that I my personality was chosen by God. But that is exactly what I learned. I know I can get on people’s nerves. I have too many questions while trying to understand new stuff that people/bosses/family present to me. That can be MISunderstood as wanting my own way, but I discovered, that my questions are because I am actually wanting enough information that I can be on board, in agreement. I always wondered why I was so intense and why couldn’t I just relax and let stuff roll off my back? “What was WRONG with me? WHY couldn’t I be like EVERYBODY ELSE?” (Probably because NO ONE is like EVERYBODY else! My expectation was unrealistic. AND self-centered.)

The many other options

Yes, there are many other options. And over the years, I have also taken those assessments, like the DISC, Myers-Briggs, and others based on colors, nature, and all sorts of different things. And the main reason for this particular article is the latest SHINY OBJECT that CHRISTIANS are running with. EVERYWHERE, the ENNEAGRAM is the latest MUST DO assessment.

Something about the Enneagram concerned me

So, after these 10 years of understanding that feeling of “concern” is part of why God put me in the body of Christ. To ask people to slow down a bit and be sure we understand what we are getting into before we go full speed ahead with the latest shiny object. Being a Beaver (LFYS) personality, I don’t automatically trust something, just because others say it is OK. God actually commended the Bereans for investigating what they were taught, recognizing counterfeits by comparing it with the original (The Bible). And, we must always remember to consider how our choices may not be “sin” but, they may cause our “weaker” or less Berean-like brothers and sisters to stumble and maybe even fall (Romans 14:14-23). .

Unable to just let it go,

I did some Enneagram investigating on my own. A Beaver personality actually NEEDS to understand—not to argue or disagree—but hoping to be able to be a TEAM player and get enough information to feel comfortable with what everyone else is excited about. I needed to know why in my gut I had concerns. I hoped I was wrong. Sadly, I discovered a form of gnostic based numerology with occultist origins, given in a vision by what sounded a lot like a demon. I was put off by the evil and dark origins. The more I investigated,  the more I knew I had to say something on my “platform” that God has given me. Sadly, some say since it is called “Christian Enneagram” that it is OK. You know, like horoscopes, or palm reading. Or like “Christian Yoga”. (If it is Christian, why do we call it Yoga?) Adding the word Christian and adding Bible verses onto something does not automatically make it Biblical. (See links to the right for more info re Ennneagram origins).

Why I stay with Leading From Your Strengths

From what I have witnessed, none have so honored the Word of God and our Creator, like Ministry Insights Leading From Your Strengths (LFYS) does. For me, that is the main reason for 10 years, it is the only Personality Assessment Tool I have kept in my Coaching Toolbox.

Another coach posted on Twitter—referring to Ministry Insight International’s Leading From Your Strengths—“The key is your identity in Christ. LFYS emphasizes this point.” She is so right. That is the key!

Excellent life-changing results

God, the Scriptures, loving & accepting others—all Biblical principles—added to the base of discovering our Identity in Christ.

It’s like when a law enforcement officer is trained to recognize a counterfeit bill by studying the original. He learns everything else is counterfeit. Easy peasy! That’s kinda how I feel about LFYS. In another blog post, I wrote to explain in more detail WHY I feel so strongly about sticking with what works for me and for my clients. I have personally witnessed many lives totally transformed through this amazing tool. Mine, included! Here’s more of my testimony: “Which Personality Assessment Tool is the Best?”

Have you ever noticed…

Why do you seem to be one person at work and another person at home? Ask yourself: Why are you more intense in some situations? What are others’ perceptions of you under stress? What does your health and finances have to do with your personality? All these questions are answered in the consultation. A trained coach will help you apply it to every part of your life…work, family, play, physical, mental, financial, etc. To become all God intended. Resulting in being Joy-filled.

We fool ourselves

We think we know ourselves. But unless the Lord God is the center of our growth, self-deception can get in the way of our maturity in Christ. It is really important to walk through this personality type journey with a coach who has been trained in the process. I know I have repeated that often. It is crucial! Often we just take ANOTHER assessment and read the results with interest; and then just put it on the shelf. And soon, we forget about it entirely.

Take the LFYS assessment, print out the profile, but don’t stop there. Contact me to set up a consultation. You will be delighted and amazed at the freedom you will experience afterwards. It is the consultation with a LFYS trained coach, helping you with the application of it that makes it like GOLD. Of great value to your life and relationships.

You will discover and embrace all God intended you to be when He created you.

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

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

Filed under: Personality Strengths and Weaknesses — Tags: — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am
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