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Free Coaching Tip: CHOOSE to Celebrate EVERYTHING!

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Celebrate Everything

We can all find plenty to grumble about. We can all choose to find fault in anyone. We can all feel like God must have made a mistake. However, that is NOT the way of the Cross. That is NOT the way to peace and joy. Rather…One of the most freeing things that brings peace and joy…is to choose to celebrate everything. That’s my free coaching tip, today.

I believe it was Elisabeth Elliot who is famous for quoting: In acceptance lies peace. She was an advocate for CHOOSING to see God’s LOVING hands in EVERYTHING.

Related Post: Drudge, Drudge

It is a choice

Life is hard, but God is good. That is not negotiable. Our default—especially during hard times—is to think that if horrible things happen, that God is mean. We naturally have questions, but the Truth is that all the time, God is good, even when life seems bad right now. Believe that He understands your questions, so…even in the midst of badness: Choose to celebrate His goodness!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)

The beauty around you is not an accident

God is the Creator of the beauty all around you. As I write this, we are in the spring of the year. And, if we take the time to notice, we see vibrant colors in the sky, in the trees and plants everywhere. Beauty. God is the creator of beauty and color and fragrances. Choose to celebrate His creativity!

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

Psalm 150:1

At mealtime and snack time

Stopping to celebrate the abundance of choices we have for sustenance is powerful and freeing. It makes God happy when we remember with gratitude that it all comes from Him. He is your Provider. Your Shepherd. Choose to celebrate His generosity and care for you!

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

I Corinthians 10:31

In every emotion you experience

He is there with you, experiencing it with you. In sad times and happy times. In times of grief or celebration, you are never alone. Choose to celebrate His presence!

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance…

Ecclesiastes 3:4

When you are in your bed, preparing for sleep

No need to lie awake, worrying. God takes the night watches. He never sleeps or slumbers. He is wide awake, even as you sleep. Choose to celebrate His rest!

”Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds.”

Psalm 149:5 (KJV)

You are not an accident. You are here by God’s design.

Before you were even born, your Creator designed you just the way He needed you to be in order to do what He has called you to do. He adores your crooked nose, or your space between your two front teeth, or your short neck, or your bushy eyebrows. You are unique and He thinks you are beautiful. Choose to celebrate His wisdom in creating you to look the way you do!

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Psalm 139:14

He never stops thinking about you

Isn’t that powerful? The Creator of the entire universe, never ever stops thinking about you. You’ve heard the saying “If God had a refrigerator, YOUR picture would be on it!” Choose to celebrate His pure unconditional love for you!

“How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.”

Psalm 139:17

The popular counsel to “Act as if” until you “Get it” works. To act as though whatever is going on in your life has first passed through the loving hands of the Lord God. Because that is true. Nothing touches you without first passing through the nail-scarred hands of our Lord. He goes through it all WITH you. Your pain is His pain. Your joy is His joy. Choose to celebrate that!

”These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

Matthew 22:1

It is also true that there is only one way to become like Jesus. We become like Him through the fellowship of His suffering. Yes – sometimes when the hurt is deep and wide – we have to choose to purposefully search for His LOVING hand in a circumstance, but when we take the time to pray and search, we will find Him THERE – in the midst of the circumstance – in all His GLORY! Activate your search daily. THAT is where we find joy. And that is something to CELEBRATE!

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.

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Awaiting His shout,
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Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com


Do You Have Test Anxiety?


Have you ever suffered from test anxiety?
There are all kinds of tests. Tests we had for each subject in school. Standardized tests. It is getting to be that time of year for school kids of all ages to take final exams.

There are Real Estate license tests. College entrance tests. Drivers tests. Medical tests. Breathalyzer tests. Etc. Test anxiety is a very real thing for many people. It’s all-consuming and immobilizing. For those who suffer from it, it sucks them down into a black hole of fear and despair.

Feeling turmoil and stress
This season of life on this planet can feel like that sometimes. It seems everything everywhere is in turmoil. Just living your daily life with people, can bring challenges and trials and can feel much like test anxiety. And in a sense, that is exactly what is happening. God gives us “opportunities” to trust Him. God tests us so WE can see how much more we need to grow, judged by our response to the testing. I am thinking of Job in the Bible. He questioned his “friends” and he even wished he had never been born, his testings were so difficult. But the wonderful example Job leaves us is that he never stopped TALKING to GOD. Even when he was confused and in horrible pain and suffering and betrayals from his friends.

It’s hard to concentrate

When we’re going through trials and testings, it can feel overwhelming. We may try to ignore it or we may try to talk ourself out of it. Sometimes we try to drown our sorrows in addictions and bad behavior. Often, we try avoidance by sleeping too much, or maybe we can’t sleep well or long enough each night, which can bring out the worst in us sometimes.

We often then neglect fellowship with God

And that is our biggest error. We become self-focused to the point that we neglect God-time. We neglect the very thing that will make the testing manageable and give us the victory.

It helps to remember this world is not our home

It’s easy to forget that this world is just a temporary residence, while we are in the midst of daily “testing. Yet, in spite of the fear or anxiety, we have a CHOICE to make. We can CHOOSE joy. We can CHOOSE to think before we speak.

We are not victims of our feelings. God has given us the “tools” to rise above the anxiety—to rise above that sense of overwhelm. He says ASK. He says SEEK Him. And then He promises when we seek Him, we WILL certainly find Him! He WANTS to be found by you and me.

CHOOSE this day to focus on God

Choose to be God-focused, rather than problem-focused. Run into the arms of God the Father. He has the answers you need. SEEK HIM in His Word—the Bible—and in prayer.

CHOOSE to TRUST your faithful God

SHOW yourself faithful in the midst of the testing. In the midst of anxiety, He even gives His beloved sleep and peace. He promises,

Ask and you will find Him expectantly waiting for you to come to Him, so He can express His love to you. So he can help you through the testing. The trial. The circumstance.

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

Philippians 4:13

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

Jeremiah 33:3

Until next time…

Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus.

Related Post: Needing God Desperately

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


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


“Where Two or Three Are Gathered”

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

What encouraging verses! Full of promise…

The wonderful blessing about the Bible is that there is always the opportunity to get fresh insights and learn new principles. That happened to me just this last week.

For many years when praying with others–whether with seasoned saints, or in a group setting–inevitably there will be someone asking that we “agree with them” in prayer. I would wonder: Is there more power if someone AGREES with us in prayer?

They would pray something like: “Lord, you promise:  if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them; …Thank You that You promise wherever two or three have gathered in Your name, You are there.

The implication has been that if He is here, listening to our prayers, then naturally, He will say YES to whatever we are praying. (IF there are two or three of us agreeing, that is.) It felt kinda like a good luck charm. A genie in a bottle type of magic prayer. A name it, claim it and bag it kinda prayer.

It has made me uneasy for years, but I didn’t know why. I never bothered to look up the verse in context while someone was praying (Or even afterwards, either). These were seasoned saints. Mature Christians. It was a given. No questions asked. But it still felt off to me somehow. Yet, I just shrugged it off and went on with my life. Until I couldn’t anymore.

Mystery Revealed

I have learned that if I wait long enough, God will reveal what has previously been a mystery. I LOVE when that happens.This last week, my Encounter with God daily devotional lesson was God’s instrument to enlighten me. God loves to surprise us like that!

Wonder of wonders! By reading verse 20 in context. (Matthew 18:15-20 NAS) as part of my assignment that day I discovered the TRUTH. And I finally understood my uneasiness. That verse was being taken out of context in those prayer meetings. It is a great verse, but it is not for the purpose of answering just any prayer we might pray. It is addressing a specific issue. It is actually part of a teaching of reconciliation in a Christian setting, where one person has gone astray and the TWO or THREE are those attempting to restore the ONE. The TWO or THREE are to be witnesses to the conversations about the offense or sin. Like in a court of law.

It is FIRST to be handled privately. If unsuccessful, then two or three witnesses go with the one. If that is unsuccessful, then it is taken before the church/group. And when done according to Scripture, the Lord will add His blessing, by being there with you through it all. He will never leave us or forsake us. Even if the ONE refuses to reconcile and goes their separate way.

It is a beautiful plan. But sadly, it doesn’t seem to be practiced much. The plan is hard work. It is focused work. Focused on the outcome of reconciliation for the ONE going astray. The enemy of our souls knows that it is much easier to get us distracted from the context of the verse, which is ultimately for the good of all.
(It is much “easier” to ask someone to agree with you in prayer, rather than doing the “grunt” work of restoration.)

Application

“Care and a loving attitude should go hand in hand with such discipline…This is all very challenging, but Jesus promises His blessing on action properly taken to try to reconcile believers to one another.”

–Encounter with God (November 2022)

Discipline, Prayer, Reconciliation (Let’s recap it all … in Biblical context)

“Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that ON THE]TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY MATTER MAY BE CONFIRMED. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Matthew 18: 15-20 NAS

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

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Life’s Constantly Moving Targets. Setting Priorities.

Woman looking at camera

Here we go again.

It is that time of year to begin taking stock of you life. Setting goals. Are there changes you need to make? What do you like/want to keep? What do you want to work on? What do you need help with?

January is just around the corner.

And leading up to January is typically the time for evaluating last year; and for setting fresh priorities for the new year.

Reprioritize your focus.

Setting priorities in the middle of life’s constantly moving targets should probably be done in sound bites rather than all at once. Take time to do it deliberately and with mindfulness. It is just too easy to get discouraged in that “not yet” state of being…So, take it slow and deliberately. Examine family, work, church, play obligations. What goes? What stays?

Ask yourself: most important priority?

The Apostle John teaches (see John 3:1-21) you MUST be born again. It is not an option. It is by God’s design. You can be assured that out of this flows all the power of God to help you accomplish all He has for you. It is not an option. We are each created by His design. Our God knows what is best for each of us individually. For our eternity. This is the starting place and is non-negotiable if you want TRUE success.

What is evidence you are born again?

You become a follower of Jesus. You get to know Him through His Word…the Bible. It is not the words you speak. Or any act you do. It is WHO are you following? WHO is your role model?

What is evidence you are a follower of Jesus?

You long for and have a relationship with Jesus. You look forward to time reading and studying His Word. Memorizing it. The sword of the Spirit. The weapon you can pull out to fight the devil’s discouragement and roadblocks along the paths of life.

You begin to talk with Him about what you read. Learning to trust Him more with each passing day. You can’t see the wind, but you can observe its power. You can’t see the Spirit but you can feel it each day as He encourages and guides you as you spend time with Him. He desires to disciple you. And that takes time. This is: Priority #1.

What is evidence you have a relationship with Jesus?

You are steadily becoming more like Him in thought, word, and deed. It doesn’t happen overnight. It is a gradual process. Just like the parent/child relationship. The child has to learn the various aspects of growing up. So does the child of God. You start with milk and you graduate to meat. You begin to show evidence you are: The follower of Jesus. The disciple of Jesus. YOU! 😉

In a nutshell.

Re-prioritize your focus. Your #1 focus is your relationship with Jesus as a follower of Christ. God will take care of the rest. You will be amazed how things fall into place when you turn to Him for guidance about everything.

Separation Anxiety.

When you first make that step, there can be a separation anxiety. Things may feel strange. And even periodically along the way, it is common to lose focus and suffer from separation anxiety. But do what you did at first and peace will return.

The solution?

Always: Come “Home” to Jesus.

“Father, I easily drown in a sea of priorities. Give me grace to accept that my relationship with You should be the most important goal of my life.”

Scripture Union’s Encounter with God. November 17, 2016.

I’d love to talk with you about your goals and priorities. Click the blue button and let’s get started!

God bless you bunches!

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

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Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
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What Do a Billboard and a Cake Have in Common?

Socal Harvest reg Laurie Billboard

A Billboard Company & An Evangelist

A billboard company in Southern California changed their mind about running an ad “… for an evangelist – simply because he is holding a Bible. For 28 years, world-renowned evangelist Greg Laurie has been holding evangelistic crusades in Southern California, where he has led tens of thousands to Christ and encouraged millions in their faith.” – One News Now (AFR)

The pastor/evangelist had arranged for a billboard company to create and post his ad on their billboard. In the ad, a silhouette of the pastor was holding a Bible (no cross or even the word Bible on it) in his hand.

Push Back

So the ad was posted on the billboard, the sign company got some push back and asked Laurie to remove the image of the Bible from the picture. The pastor agreed. And on that very day the new image was to be installed, the sign company came back and said, “Well, we’re not going to put that up, and the other one’s coming down – and we’re not going to put up anything.” (They did refund their money.)

I first heard about this billboard spiritual battle on American Family Radio (AFR) .

A Cake Artist and the Courts

Embed from Getty Images
Another example of a spiritual battle from the news that morning was about Jack Phillips and Masterpiece Cakeshop. In his first legal battle, Jack was accused of discriminating against a same sex couple wanting him to bake a cake for their wedding. He is an “artist” and he expresses his artistic talent through his cake decorating. But, he could not and would not bake a cake with a message that would violate his freedom of speech by expressing a message that went against his Christian faith. He felt it would be endorsing a same-sex wedding, which he could not and would not do. There was much push back; and he suffered great losses on many fronts. But, because he felt he was treated unfairly on the basis of his religion and he knew it represented more than just cake baking, he took it all the way to the Supreme court and he won the case. The majority in the court agreed with him.

Jack is Consistent in Walking Out His Faith

“On the very day the Supreme Court decided to hear Masterpiece Cakeshop (June 26, 2017), a caller asked the bakery to make a cake with a pink inside and a blue outside, celebrating a gender transition from male to female. The shop politely declined, but Phillips believes that the same lawyer, on other occasions, requested that he create other custom cakes with messages that violate his faith — a cake celebrating Satan and a cake with Satanic symbols. The lawyer…a man identifying as a woman…” – PJMedia.com

I first heard about this 2nd spiritual battle for Jack on pjmedia.com .

Sloppy Agape or Dressed for Battle?

What do a billboard and a cake have in common? Both stories are about serious spiritual battles. This is old news, but these battles continue to this day.  What is a person to do? Pray for wisdom and favor, friends. Our country was founded on Biblical principles. The Bill of Rights was thoughtfully planned out and purposefully written as the authors realized that the each “right” was necessary. We must honor what our founding fathers intended. The battle between good and evil is intensifying. We cannot live our lives exercising sloppy agape. This is serious business. We must remain dressed for battle in our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6) and continue to keep our relationship with the Lord Jesus strong.  Always alert, because the enemy prowls around looking for someone to devour…

Loving the sinner, but not the sin

If an evangelist and a cake maker must go through such battles, then we must not think we will be immune. We must be supportive of them. And, we MUST be ALERT IN THE SPIRIT!!! We must be proactive, seeing clearly the signs of the times. Loving. Kind. Respectful. YES! AND at the same time, also realizing we are in a battle for souls! Loving the people, but hating the sin.

Setting the captives free

In the strength of the Lord, we are blessed and equipped for healing the broken-hearted and setting the captives free. Are you willing? Our battle is NOT against flesh and blood but against a spirit world that has been working to thwart God’s plans from the very beginning. We are “awaiting His shout” together. Occupying and working until Jesus comes again…

Until next time, I am…

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


Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Loaves & Fishes Coaching

“…Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Philippians 4:8

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore, love is the fulfilling of the Law.”

Romans 13:10

After a walk by the swimming area of the lake today, I prayed for the men of our town. How difficult it must be to control their thoughts with so much FLESH visible that it leaves little to the imagination!

No matter what the foolishness of the current culture is trying to tell us, men and women are different. In all aspects. And I am praising the Lord for that. I wish I knew how to get that message out so it would truly be heard. My soul was grieving at what we are becoming as a society.

(As I was walking away from the area, today, I thanked God I am not a man. I’m not sure I would be strong enough to keep my thoughts pure. It’s not just on the beach, but also around town.)

Then I noticed some men sitting alone–some in cars–some in work vans (the names of their businesses were on the side of their vans)…They just sat…looking toward the swimming beach. I prayed for them to take their thoughts captive.

(There were plenty of parking spaces by the sea wall where they could have sat and not viewed the FLESH that leaves little to the imagination…and yet they were there…at the swimming beach area…just sitting and watching.)

I began to fear a bit for the women and the young girls. And to pray that they will be wise and thoughtful to help men to wrestle LESS with their thoughts, by choosing to reveal less. To be feminine and modest. To be prudent and wise and kindhearted.

On my way back home from my walk, I prayed some more for the men and boys of our town. That they will be strong and resist following through with the temptations that their eyes cannot resist. It’s not MY idea…

God made His message clear Throughout the Old & New Testament:  Job said in Job 31:1 (Good News translation) “I have made a solemn promise never to look with lust at a woman.” And Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  And James in James1:14, 15 taught, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed…”

May women see the need to not entice men and may men choose wisdom and strength and look away.

Lord, have mercy.  We desperately need You. We are weak but You are strong! To God be the Glory!

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

–Adapted from a post from 2015. Still very relevant today. Sadly so.

 

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,
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Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
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Learning to Lean

Boy leaning head and looking out window

I was grumpy yesterday.

My plans went south. And I had to WAIT for someone before I could move on with my day. I was frustrated. I like routine and dependable people. So I was grumpy and feeling miserable because I could not have MY WAY! I was at the mercy of another. I went to bed late and had troubled sleep.

So, when I woke up this morning, I realized I did not want to be grumpy anymore. I DECIDED to be content. I CHOSE joy as I awakened and a song popped in my head. Not sure I have the words exactly correct, but here is the gist of it: “To God be the Glory. To God be the Glory. To God be the Glory for the things He has done. By His blood He has saved me, by His power, He has raised me…And if I gain any praise, let it go to Calvary. To God be the Glory…”

I’m sure I left something out, but it got me back into right perspective. Truly, God had ministered to me and my spirits lifted.

Then, I asked God, “Why is it that I don’t “wait” well, God? I get grumpy. I feel like so much time is wasted waiting. HOW can I have a better response as I am going through the “waiting”???” (That is kind of a risky prayer, because God gives us opportunities to see if we really want an answer to that kind of prayer. 😉

How do we do that?

How do we learn what is right in the sight of the Lord? We learn by reading the Word and then applying those Biblical standards to our personal lives. Our faith is nurtured through extended and deliberate time spent in the Word of God and in prayer. Spiritual wisdom comes little by little throughout our earthbound days, maturing and growing us daily.

We learn to trust

Trust develops over time, and we learn to experience and believe that all that happens—the blessings AND the sufferings—are God’s ways of teaching us reliance on Him. He never ever leaves us alone. He walks through ALL of life WITH us. The good, the bad and the ugly.

An attitude

Learning to lean is an attitude toward God—a mindset—an awareness—of what He wants, and then desiring to do it. And then following through on that desire. He renews our mind, resulting in Godly living. Leaning guarantees the Lord’s guidance in all things so that we may live rooted and grounded in Him. He is the vine and we are the branches. We stay connected. This is where that peace that passes understanding comes in. Even in the midst of storms of life, we can be peaceful on the inside. Blessing upon blessing.

Solomon teaches in Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding…Acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight.” Again…This is a choice.

Living under the influence of just our own understanding…

  • can lead to MISunderstandings
  • can lead to fear
  • can lead to poor responses
  • can lead to assumptions based on past experiences

However…

To trust in the Lord and acknowledge His authority and leading in all our ways…

  • dispels fear
  • brings inner rest and peace
  • leads to trust that today is a “new day”
  • daily new beginnings

And these Godly responses lead to peace, joy, rest and confidence moving forward.  Learning to lean!

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!Until next time,
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

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


Is Compliance Obedience? Is Disobedience Rebellion?

Gavel

Lately, I’ve been pondering the question:

Must we, Biblically speaking—as Christians—ALWAYS obey ALL authorities? I am just guessing, but I believe this has been an often debated question from way back when time began. Think Adam and Eve.

Dictionary.com defines compliance: “the act of conforming, acquiescing, or yielding, a tendency to yield readily to others, especially in a weak and subservient way.” Kinda mindlessly following. God wants us to have the heart of a servant, not to be SUBservient out of fear or dread. We must not check our heart at the door. Whatever we do, must be with our whole heart, in response to the love we have for our Creator God. Our Father. He always wants our best. And He has a plan. The plan He has for me will NOT look like the plan He has for you or for any other person. We are unique and each of our paths are unique.

I want to tell you a story.

Many years ago, I think it was 1986 or 87, I came face-to-face with that decision. Did I have to obey? Was I facing a forced compliance? It is not a frivolous question. And there are no easy answers. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me give you a bit of background.

The Mission Field.

When we had our initial interviews, the mission authorities understood that my husband and I believed with our whole hearts that God had called us to homeschool our children. We felt we could not compromise that “calling” in order to join in ministry with the group. They would be with us wherever we went.. And…Thankfully, the authorities agreed. We had a green light that all was in order. We were delighted that they honored our commitment.

However, when we came back to the mission headquarters in California–from language school in Costa Rica—we needed to go through some additional intense training before we were released to our assigned country.

Things changed.

THAT is where we had to make a decision. Must we, Biblically speaking—as Christians—ALWAYS obey ALL authorities? The “authorities” said EVERYONE had to put their children in California schools or daycare during the training season. We reminded them of our agreement. They said “No exceptions”. We were stunned. What happened? What were we to do?

We didn’t argue. They ran the mission. We had to obey the rules. Or did we? We prayed for wisdom. Our pastor’s daughter was willing to come to our headquarters apartment to stay with our kids during the day while we were in training. And then I could go down between classes and during lunch and other breaks and check on my kids.

We presented that option to the “authorities”.

They said they would consider it but we would have to pay for the nannie ourselves. It costs a fortune in California, and we did not have that kind of money available to us and there was no time to raise that kind of additional support. It was “D-day”. NOW! we had to have a solution. So,we asked if the money they were going to pay for us for the California Day Care could be used to pay our “nanny”. They said NO! Absolutely not. They couldn’t set a precedent. So, I was beside myself with grief. It looked like we were up a creek without a paddle.

What would YOU do?

My husband was busy in flight training school.

I was alone with the children. I talked to God about what to do. I cried and prayed and cried and prayed and prayed some more for God to provide.I felt POOR. And forsaken. I felt betrayed and confused. Why were they making it so hard for us? Where was their compassion? Shouldn’t they be keeping their word? Shouldn’t they be delighted we were committed to obeying what God had clearly told us to do to raise our children? After all that crying and questioning and praying…I began to ask…

What did God want me to do?

He tells us in Hebrews 13:17 NLT “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.”

I didn’t want to give them grief.

But I simply could not do what they asked. But 1 Peter 5:5-6 NLT instructs: “In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for God opposes the proud but give grace to the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.”

And Romans 13:1-2 NLT teaches: “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.” Does that mean that someone else makes decisions about how I am to raise my children? No, I don’t think so. There is a Higher Authority that decides the family structure.

What does Peter mean when he says to humble myself?

Does that mean that they are right and I am wrong? It was a horrible testing time. I was so grief stricken. The Webster dictionary defines humility as “not being proud, haughty, arrogant, or assertive.” I truly don’t think I was doing any of that, but was I being a rebel?

Was I in rebellion against my “authorities” like Romans teaches?

Rebel is defined by Webster: “to oppose a person or group in authority: to refuse to obey rules or accept normal standards of behavior, dress, etc.“ I didn’t feel like I was rebelling, but rather reminding them of our original agreement and their promise to us. Was I rationalizing? NO! I know that I had to do what GOD said. Not man. I knew that I would have to accept the consequences, however it turned out. And I was willing to do that, but I was so very sad. I trusted God but I wondered if I had misunderstood Him. But I knew I had NOT misunderstood God. Too many things along the way since BEFORE the children were born, convinced me that I was on the right path. Our “sending” church from back home was fully behind us homeschooling our children. But perhaps we had misunderstood going to the mission field?

What would YOU do?

And then, there is also the other side of the story. The mission “authorities”:

“The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.”

John Stott

I prayed and cried some more

It all seemed impossible. We were going to have to leave the mission and go back home…failures!! Quitters!!!

There was a knock on my door.

It was a missionary neighbor. She said she had just gone up to headquarters to get her mail and she had received a letter with a check in it. And she didn’t need the money. And…

Are you ready for this?

She felt that God had told her to give it to me. And…are you ready for this? It was the exact amount we needed to pay a “nannie” to stay with the kids in our apartment so I could attend the meetings and come down often to check on the kids during the breaks.

THE EXACT AMOUNT NEEDED

AT THE LAST HOUR
CONFIRMATION THAT WE HAD INDEED HEARD GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR FAMILY.

So, I immediately went up to headquarters and told them the news. I hate to say, but truthfully, I can’t remember what they said in response. (I was kinda floating around on a cloud of joy.) But I do know that everything fell into place and it all worked out beautifully.

So, back to the initial question:

Must we, Biblically speaking—as Christians—ALWAYS obey ALL authorities? It’s not just cut and dried one size fits all, is it?

If you ask Father God, He will tell you when to stand firm and when to yield. It won’t be easy, but it will be GOOD! And you will know in your “knower” when He has given you your answer…

I’m praying for you right now…

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


It Is Written…

Woman readıng Bıble on dock
It’s been awhile since I read through the whole Bible in a year. I’m not sure what happened. Why DID I stop?

It is time for me to begin that blessing again

I am hoping you might want to join me in this adventure in 2022. I really, really, hope you will! So, I am writing this blog post, as though you have said YES that you will join me!

Bible Reading Plan

The Our Daily Bread devotional has a Bible reading plan at the bottom of each day’s page. I have ignored that reading plan up until now. So, it is TIME to honor their hard work to provide it!

I plan on reading those Our Daily Bread through the Bible verses in the evening before bed. What a great way to end the day. I’m excited to begin!

Do what works best for you

What will YOU do? And WHEN will you do it? The point is for each of us to use the plan and the Bible version and the system that works best for you/me. I have tried many different Bible reading plans through the years, and each had different benefits.

Each Day

Each year, I notice creative new reading plans to choose from. You can follow my same plan or you can choose another. The point is to read through from Genesis through Revelation in a year. It will be such fun sharing this experience with you. Please let me know if you are joining me. We can pray for each other to complete the successful journey.

Delighting God

I can’t think of anything that would delight God more than His “kids” spending extended time together in His LOVE LETTER to HIS BELOVED (you and me) as we read through all of His word this year.

Which translation will you use?

I haven’t decided YET which translation to use this time through. I had wanted the Passion translation I’ve been hearing so much about. But when I went to order it, it looks like to me that it is only the New Testament. So, now I am not sure. What about you? Which is your favorite? Will you try a new version for this journey through the Bible together, or do you prefer staying in one and the same that you started years ago. There is no wrong or right way. We just need to commit to DO IT faithfully and daily. This is to get a full picture of the entire Bible every year. Not just our favorite books and verses.

Practical stuff

What time of day will you read these extended passages? Morning, lunch break, afternoon coffee break, evening? When? Where?

This is a time for expanding our knowledge of the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD!

Remember, this is different from your devotional morning time, which is meant for connection. For fellowship. For direction.

December 31, 2022

On that last day of December, we can know that we know in our knower that we know our FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT in fresh, new delightful ways. And we will know that we have grown in our faith and accomplished what we set out to do. To be “hearers” of the entire Word. Which leads to being “doers” of the Word.

Thoughts

I want to remember to ask God to bless the reading of His word, and to speak to you/me as we read. You may want to keep a journal nearby as you read, to record fresh insights—or make notes in your Bible as God expands your knowledge and understanding of Him. Keep it simple so you don’t get overwhelmed to the point of quitting. And if you happen to get behind, don’t try to catch up. Just pick up where you left off. There’s no LAW that you have to FINISH on December 31. The point is that you DO FINISH what you start. Not WHEN you finish. But THAT you finish.

This week

So, now, this week, decide which version of the Bible you will use and if you need to purchase it, do it right away. AND decide if you want to use the same reading plan as me, or if you want to use another. DECIDE THIS WEEK. Decide if you will keep a journal handy with colorful pens to record your thoughts as you read and ruminate. Decide what time of day you will read. Make a notation in your appointment calendar. Be deliberate. Decide where you will read. Will you have a special Bible Reading Corner?

OK, then…

ONWARD, fellow warriors. Grab your sword (the Word of God) and let’s enter into the battle armed and ready to deflect the enemy’s arrows—prepared as as our Lord was, when satan tempted Him in the wilderness after His baptism. It was the official beginning of His ministry and He was prepared with the Word on His lips – the Sword of the Spirit – And His response to satan was … “It is written …”

May that be our goal.

Join me? I hope so. I pray so…

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


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