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What If God Has A Love Language?

A Mini-Minute with Pam: What If God Has a Love Language?

Woman reading Bible by window
Gary Chapman made the Love Languages a “thing” a few years ago. It was a big deal for awhile–to learn our own love language.

I have been thinking about what a great world it would be if we each were OTHER centered—by discovering what brings out the best in each other– so we can love them with THEIR love language.

And only after that, THEN learning how to share with others what OUR love language is. Wouldn’t that be great? Living our lives desiring to bless rather than be blessed? Do you remember what your love language is? To refresh your memory, here are the options:

The Five Love Languages

  • Quality Time
  • Acts of Service
  • Words of Affirmation
  • Gifts
  • Physical Touch

I’ve recently been thinking that God’s primary love language must be QUALITY TIME. He craves time with us. He wants us to enjoy just BEING with Him. No agenda. No requests. No complaints. Just BEING together.

Gary Chapman believes that “God speaks all 5 love languages fluently” to us. So, when we sense God speaking our primary love language, we are more prone to be attracted to Him. To want to be WITH Him and speak to Him and learn more about Him. That’s what He desires above all—that His creation longs for and seeks time with Him. Getting to know Him deeply.

Think about Adam and Eve. God spent lots of quality time with them in the Garden.

Abraham was called the Friend of God. God frequently spoke personally with him. They even spent quality time in personal conversation together about the destruction of evil Sodom, where sadly, Lot–Abraham’s nephew–lived.

David was a man after God’s own heart. They spoke frankly together and knew each other intimately. They spent quality time together.

Jesus spent over three years with the disciples. Jesus desired focused attention and quality time with them. They traveled, ate, slept and talked together.

He spent quality time with Mary and Martha and Lazarus in Bethany. He spontaneously stopped by for meals. They enjoyed each other’s company. Mary’s love language was quality time. Martha’s was acts of service.

All of the above-mentioned Bible people had authentic love toward God. It flowed from a heart genuinely seeking to honor Him. And to BE with Him.

Missionary George Mueller wrote: “These last 3 days, I have had very little real communion with God, and have therefore been very weak spiritually and have several times felt irritability of temper.” Quality time with God was the center of his life. Without the quality time, he felt a sense of distance between God and Himself. Time with God was not a ritual for him, but rather deep and personal. Quality time was the very center of His relationship with God.

For George Mueller, that quality time with God was more important than even his call to care for the poor. His life was characterized by Acts of Service, but his energy and vision were built on the Love Language of Quality Time with God –the foundation that gave him the ability to serve with grace and joy.

So, now we know God’s love language is Quality Time, because all else is BUILT UPON that. The flip side of that is that God knows the love language of each person He created. That’s you and me. And when He wants to motivate us, He speaks to us in our own personal love language. Watch for it…learn to recognize how He does that. He is the Master of Love Language.

Let me know you are reading my posts. Sometimes I wonder if anyone is reading what I write.

I can’t NOT write, but I wonder…does it make any difference in anyone’s life?

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,Strengths Mentor Coach — Tags: , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 6:00 am

My Prayer For You This Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from Loaves and Fishes Coaching

 

My prayer for you this THANKSGIVING:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

I am reminded of one of the first sermons I actually HEARD. The pastor said “If all we receive is our salvation, it should be enough.” Amen? Amen!

So, this Thanksgiving, as we remember all that the Lord has blessed us with, may we begin with gratitude for our salvation. All else is OVERFLOW.

And, as with the cornucopia, may your overflow flow over to all you meet each and every day from now until you see Jesus face-to-face.

In Jesus’ Name!

Be blessed to be a blessing!

Thank you for all you do.

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!Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

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

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Spiritual Life,Strengths Mentor Coach — 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

Confessions of a Nosy Neighbor

Woman looking in mirror
Have you ever gotten frustrated at someone and only much later realized that you, too, were guilty of the same thing that frustrated you about them? It’s time for confessions from a nosy neighbor because it happens to me far more than I want to admit to you.

Confessions of a nosy neighbor

My neighbors were moving out. They were good neighbors. I hated to see them go. And I felt a bit protective of them somehow. They didn’t want to leave either. I was grieving the loss. So, when I went downstairs to get my mail, I noticed a guy from the apartment building watching movers put things in the moving van. The van was nearly up against the building, right outside the window. I remember thinking he was just plain nosy. He was so close, that his nose was almost up against the window. I felt a bit angry at him.

So, I said, “What are you doing?” And he told me a lie. He said that he’d been watching the weather or something like that. From his perspective, he could only see the van contents. I was frustrated at what he was doing and that he had lied to me.

When I arrived back in my apartment, I walked over to look out the 3rd floor window and watched as the movers put more stuff in the moving van. I stood there watching for a few minutes. Then…

God spoke to my heart

In my spirit, I heard God say, “What are you doing?”

BUSTED!

God allowed me to see MYSELF…

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, “Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,” when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

Matthew 7:3-5 (NLT)

I’d been doing the exact same thing as the guy I had been frustrated with.

So, I am a nosy neighbor and I was stunned to realize that I had become what I had hated. So, I asked God to forgive me. I confessed. And then I praised the Lord God and thanked Him that He has not given up on me. I still sin every day! UGH! AND…He still speaks to my heart and still shows me my sin. He still is letting me clearly see my hypocrisy. My judgmental spirit. It hurts to see myself as I truly am. But it is also very cool that God loves me too much to let me stay that way.

”For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in the mirror.”

James 1:23 (NLT)

It might seem like a small thing. But it’s not. It is huge. It is the little things that mount up together to try to destroy our close relationship with the Lord. Keeping “short accounts” with Him is wise. And free-ing.

How about you? Do you ever see yourself doing what you hate in others?

Until next time…thank you for all you do!

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

God’s Unfailing Love is Relentless

Lion and Lamb in clouds
Did you know that God actually thinks about you all the time. ALL the time! His love is relentless. God’s unfailing love is never-ending. He will never STOP loving you and wanting you with Him throughout all eternity. Does that sound good to you? The choice is yours to make.

“How precious are your thoughts about me O God. They cannot be numbered.

Psalm 139:17

God’s unfailing love is steady and persistent.

Unyielding. He never gives up on us. He is always and forever daily pursuing me and you with love every moment of our lives, assuring us that no matter how far we run, or how big a mess we make, goodness, love and mercy will chase after us until our final breath.

How wonderful it is to be assured of the depth of God’s love! Have you personally had the opportunity of experiencing it? Have you asked Him into your life to be your personal Lord and Savior? If not, why not? He has been called the Hound of Heaven because He pursues you. And He does whatever it takes to draw you into His loving arms. Let’s talk! Don’t waste another minute!

“O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in times of distress.”

Isaiah 33:2

It is so true that He helps us through hard times and rejoices with us through the good times. And when you walk with God, it is true…

”I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13

Sharing with you a prayer I often pray:

Holy God, I pray for Your strength today to think clearly, serve creatively and follow You consistently.
Father, You have all authority in Heaven and on earth.
Fill my mind with clear convictions that You are in charge.
Empower me to stand true to You!
And Lord, I know that You never ask me to do anything more than You will provide the strength to accomplish.

Old Testament people have a lot to teach us.

Take for instance, Job, in the Old Testament. He had many, many losses and trials. Yet, Job never stopped talking to God through it all. He didn’t understand why all that was happening to him, but he continued His relationship with God. He suffered. He lost everything. Absolutely everything. He was in pain. He was forsaken by friends and family. Yet, Job was still able to confidently say: “I know that my Redeemer lives; and that in the end, He will stand upon the earth.” (Job 19:25)

Related Post: God’s Love Letter to You!

The Psalm 23 is familiar to most people.

But, has it become too familiar? Let’s stop for a few minutes and think about this carefully: “He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:2b-3) Do you have that assurance? He has made many great and precious promises to those who call Him Lord. For instance, there’s the care He gives us. The personal concern and relentless love. Knowing you are precious in His sight, even before you call Him Lord. We tend to hold back and give ourselves a way out. But He wants you to give Him ALL of your heart. Not just part of it. ALL of your dreams and ALL of your heartaches.

“When I said, ‘my foot is slipping’, your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.”

Psalm 94:18

“But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love.”

Psalm 33:18

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you, Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

Psalm 13:5-6

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”

Psalm 51:1-2

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

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

The Power of Jesus’ NAME! From Victim to Victor.

Couple arguing
Mentally, I know that as a Christian, I can count on the fact that tribulation will come. I also know in my head that I am not to fear it. It is just part of the process to grow me up in the most holy faith. I believe it. I know I was saved eternally by the Grace of God and that the power of Jesus’ name is real. I have always known my faith would be tested and indeed it has been tried and tested throughout these 45 plus years since putting my hand to the plow to follow Jesus wherever He leads me.

It’s a choice to rejoice.

I know it is a choice to rejoice as I endure through trouble and in my sufferings through the testings of my faith. Since “that day” when I decided to follow Jesus, I have been determined to stand before Him and with Him in His grace. Grace freely given. It is impossible to EARN. But I also know it is a choice to actually receive it personally. And, I have decided—as the song says—No turning back. No turning back.

“I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.”

Psalm 18:3, 6 NKJV

I have always believed that, but I had never actually tested that it was true.

God’s favor is amazing

He gives me the ability to do something which is humanly impossible for me to do apart from His grace. David Jeremiah says it is a divine kindness or an act of true compassion on the part of God Himself toward needy or undeserving human recipients.

Yes, I KNEW all of that in my head.

Then, came the opportunity to believe it in my heart. And respond with my actions.

He prepares us ahead of time with instruction that we are to use in our spiritual battles.

That day arrived totally unexpectedly.

It was a horrible day of fighting with my husband. We were both angry. We were in the doorway of our bedroom.

Both of our children were standing next to us. We were ALL crying and yelling.

It had never dawned on me that physical tribulation would come from my own husband. I was not prepared for what came next…

SUDDENLY…

I was stunned. My husband grabbed me with both his hands around my neck. I could not breathe. He had never ever done that before. I was not prepared in my mind to defend myself. I was most certainly in a victim mindset.

The Power of Jesus NAME

HOWEVER…SUDDENLY…

God had prepared me. I remembered that I had recently heard a Bible Study on the radio about the power of Jesus’ NAME.
With no breath in me, The Holy Spirit yelled out of my mouth…

J E S U S !

AND THEN…SUDDENLY…

My husband’s hands FLEW AWAY from my neck and I went from Victim to Victor.

The Faithfulness of our God

“In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice…and my cry came before Him even to His ears…”

“He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me…”

Psalm 18: 6, 17

WHY did God do that for me?

That, my friends, was a definite act of GRACE and FAVOR toward me.

AND toward my husband and my children. What if my husband had succeeded?

But to God be the Glory! He did NOT succeed! Almighty God showed me the POWER that is in the very NAME OF JESUS.

God showed His love when we did not earn or deserve it. We were ALL in a very carnal state.

Why did He rescue us?

Psalm 18:19b “He delivered me because He delighted in me.”

“When you know that Jesus changes everything, you see that there is no area of our lives where Christ does not make something beautiful, even from ashes.”

Our Daily Bread devotional.

“Mighty One, You are an amazing God; greater than my ability to imagine, beyond any word I could use to describe You.”…
”Heavenly Father, You’re greater than the most powerful forces in the world. Use me to point others to your grace.”

Encounter with God

Discover Living From Your Strengths (LFYS) Life Changing Mentor Coaching.

Do you have questions? Through the Ministry Insights assessment, you will Discover your strengths. And then, through mentor coaching, you will learn how to daily Embrace and Live out your strengths. You can contact me by clicking on the blue button beside the signature line. Or leave me a private message on Facebook.

Leading from Your Strengths

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

Acknowledge He Is God.

Loaves & Fishes Coaching

For many years, I have added to a list of requests for God. I pray through the list daily. However, I was beginning to realize something.

First, I’ll give you the prayer list. Then, at the end, I will share with you, how God opened my eyes. Ready? Here goes…

Father, Please…

  • Make me a blessing (to bless means to bring out the best in another)
  • Give me favor
  • Give me wisdom
  • Give me understanding (of that person/situation)
  • Cleanse me of anything not of you
  • Lord, refine and purify my motives
  • Protect me, Lord, that I may be your “yielded vessel”
  • Give me integrity and contentment
  • Don’t give me the desires of my heart if it brings leanness to my soul
  • Give me discernment and knowledge
  • Don’t allow me to enter into temptation
  • Give me strength for today
  • Bring me to the one you have prepared
  • BE my strength
  • Lord, what would you have me do today?

He opened my eyes

I was beginning to be aware of something new.(Of course there are specific things that God tells us to ask Him for.) But…these things on my list…subtly, without realizing it,  I had been believing if I didn’t pray these specific things, they wouldn’t happen. Then, this last week, I suddenly realized, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I already have all those things. He promises to provide all our needs in these earthbound lives.

Then, I remembered…As with any gift anyone gives us, we have to reach out and receive what has been given.

My suddenly was to realize… My prayers needed to be tweaked. They have now become prayers of gratitude for each of those things in my list–for what He has already given. And to believe He means what He says.

 

Thank Him for His blessings

My prayers are now...Father, Thank You that You have already supplied all I need for every situation. You have blessed me beyond measure. You had already given me what I had all those years been asking for. Forgive me for thinking it depended on my asking for them. I just needed to receive what was already offered. (A small “tweak” but so very important.)

Rather than “GIVE me…” or “I need… I say “Thank You Father, for…”

I now choose to believe and embrace what my Father has already given.

I still go through the list daily, but now it is a reminder of my blessings rather than a list of requests.

I thank Him for His patience with me as I continue to learn what it means to be a fully devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank Him that He continues to convict me, teach me, disciple me, forgive me, and love me through the many seasons of life.

What about you?

Has God tweaked your prayers, or has He taught you something new lately? Please share…

Until next time,

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,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Do You Ever Feel Like a Failure in Your Relationships?

Loaves & Fishes Coaching Logo

that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You;
that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

John 17:21 NKJV

What did Jesus mean?

When Jesus speaks of oneness, is He telling us to be in oneness with each other? That is what I had been taught for many years and I simply could not measure up. I have tried and tried to be in unity/oneness in thought and deed with all Christians. Jesus and God are ALWAYS in total agreement/unity/oneness about every single thing. Did he mean Christians would be able – even in the Spirit – to be in total agreement with each other about every single thing? If so, we have failed miserably!

Or…

is He telling us to choose to make it a priority to get to know God in such a deep personal relationship, so that the mind of Christ rules our thoughts. So that we are one in thought with God and Jesus. Is He calling us to a relationship that is like the oneness that only comes through surrender/submission to the Lordship of Jesus over us. As is between God and Jesus.

Jesus Himself

was not in unity with all the leaders or people in the “church”. He was not in total agreement even with His disciples. He was in total agreement only with GOD HIMSELF. As we are to be…

Is TRUE unity even possible human to human?

Have we been striving to make it happen? Does that striving kick God off the Throne and put ourselves there instead? Have we been thinking we are capable of being in unity with another person? Or with a group of people?

What if our goal is actually to be to SUBMIT to GOD and seek ONENESS with HIM only…To choose to seek friendship and fellowship in true Christ-like relationship with Him. And then, HE—working THROUGH us—will allow us to be a conduit of HIS power, HIS love, HIS mercy TO those He puts in our path. That would be UNITY/ONENESS with God, right? What is impossible with men is possible with God, in God, and through God.

Unity wasn’t forced in the Early Church.

People walked in unity only as a direct result of each one having a close personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. That caused them to experience times of having one heart/one mind. And, truthfully, they often failed miserably. STRIVING for UNITY doesn’t work. TRYING TO HAVE UNITY doesn’t work. Only SUBMISSION to GOD “works”.

UNITY cannot be the GOAL.

The GOAL is JESUS HIMSELF!!! Looking unto Jesus…personally, individually…each one for himself/herself is the ONLY WAY to UNITY/ONENESS. There are no shortcuts. There are no “programs”.

It is only through deep personal relationship with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And then, we become LIKE HIM whom our HEART LOVES because it is actually HIM shining THROUGH us!!!

It is a journey we travel daily all our earthbound years!

Like John the Baptist stating that he, himself, must decrease, so that JESUS might increase. He knew that JESUS HIMSELF is the GOAL!

Isn’t that actually what our heart longs for in our human relationships? Jesus Himself. Unity with God, which then brings about HIS unity with us to human relationships. Because our eyes are then directed off of humans and onto God Himself. Isn’t that when the devil FLEES from us?

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

James 4:7 (NKJV)

After all these years of following Jesus, since 1975, I am still struggling with the “submit” to God part. I think I have it and then He shows me another layer of ME ON THE THRONE. UGH! But, I get back up, dust myself off, ask forgiveness and realize He has not given up on me. What a blessing!

What about you? How are you doing?

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!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,Spiritual Life,Strengths Mentor Coach — Tags: , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am
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