Author - purposefulfaith

The Myth Of Control

November 12, 2015

I am more than delighted to welcome a true woman of the Lord, Karina, to the Purposeful Faith blog. From the minute I met her, I could see love, joy and passion written all over her. Karina is an example of transparency and authentic pursuit of God. I couldn’t be more happy to have her on Purposeful Faith as a regular contributor. I hope you enjoy her heart as much as I do.

Post by Karina

I have this struggle. I’m sure I am probably the only person who struggles with this issue. I kind of, sort of, maybe, like to be in control. Just a little bit. When a say a little, I mean a lot!

The last 6 months or so have been a bit paradoxical in nature. What I mean is that many amazing things have happened to me! I went out of town several times, have had a few exciting writing opportunities, connected with dear friends and met some new ones! During those exact same months, I have been searching for a roommate. I’m 35 and single and living alone is ridiculously expensive. I normally have a sense from God in which direction to go in when making decisions, but this time around, I had no direction.

I, under no circumstances, like the way that feels! I did my part. I exhausted every avenue to find a roommate and searched high and low for other housing. Nothing made sense. Countless options came and went. No other housing option fit my budget. Again, still no direction. My sweet friend Holly prayed for me one night a couple of months ago after small group. She told me the Lord wanted me to know that this situation was not my fault. I hadn’t done anything wrong. That filled me with such peace and yet still, there was no direction.

Over the past few weeks, the Lord has been so faithful to remind me of the truths that I so easily forget.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9

God is God. I am not. He is omniscient.

He know all things…the past, the present and the future. His timing and mine are rarely the same thing. After all, He is the one who created time itself. I can effortlessly believe the lie that what I see is all there is or that my time line is perfect. That is NEVER the case. There is a great deal happening in the supernatural that I cannot see and may never see. I am learning to embrace the mystery in knowing God and trusting His ways and His heart especially when I can’t see Him at work.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

The never changing truth is that God loves me deeply and He loves you deeply. What He does or doesn’t do, what He says or doesn’t say is always for our good. That is what He does and who He is as our Heavenly Father. He doesn’t send pain or suffering or doubt or confusion. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. When our circumstances are not good and perfect, it breaks His heart. And His desire is to come in and bring healing, purpose and restoration to our lives. I am learning to let Him do just that.

Are you? Is there an area of your life where you have been believing the myth that you are in control?

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Karina is a devoted follower of Jesus from New Orleans, Louisiana, but has made her home in Baton Rouge for the past 15 years. She spends much of her time leading worship at church, writing, reading, dancing and mentoring the next generation. She has a huge heart for serving and missions. She is an advocate for the local church especially the one that she attends, Healing Place Church. She also enjoys working out, traveling, photography and going to concerts/conferences.

Karina believes that every woman has a God-sized dream on the inside of them and it is up to an encouraging community to help nurture that dream. Her goal in writing is to see women get a revelation of God’s Word and discover how to apply it to their lives in order to walk in freedom and live the life that God intended. But the most important thing to her is to live out the call of Isaiah 26:8…For His Name and His Renown are the desire of our souls! You can connect with her at “For His Name and His Renown.”

How to Tell if You’re Running To Burnout?

November 11, 2015

purposefulfaith

Contentment

1 Comment

Lately, I have been pushing kids and driving life everywhere. Life has been an express train to destination. People have been figurines that need to keep in motion. Tasks have been boxes that need to be seen, mastered and checked off.

Life has been mechanical.

It has been more of a factory of output, than an industry of love.
It has been more about efficiency, than about humility.
It has been more about schedule, than making others feel special.
It has been more about me, than anyone else.

And this is the problem. Do you have a problem like this?

The greatest indicator that you do, is when you start to leave your great God behind you. Or when your time with him feels more like another motion on the list of to-do’s than the emotion of joy.

When you start to feel distance between him and you, you know there is some thinking you have to do. Because, without a doubt, if his love is not deeply inflowing, your love can’t go about deeply outflowing. And if you aren’t feeling the weight of his daily grace you likely are:

1. Getting annoyed at people
2. Finding yourself pulled every direction
3. Lost, in a world that wants you to do everything
4. Trying to be the best you can be by your own merit
5. Feeling that world is acting on you
6. On edge with those you most love
7. Distracted with rush
8. Frantic at best
9. Worried often
10. Tired and worn

Here is the hard and fast truth friends: we simply can’t be move like a rollercoaster, on the tracks of frantic, and expect to sit at Jesus’ feet of love with a focused and settled heart of joy. It is like slowing down a missile on command; it takes time and it is not done in an instant. The same goes with us.

A heart in constant motion has a hard time settling down to the beat of God’s peace.

Slow down. Take a deep breath. What’s the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway? But you say, ‘I can’t help it. I’m addicted to alien gods. I can’t quit.’ Jer. 2:25 MSG

This verse speaks to Israel, full of wild lusts, desires and leadings. While we may not be like them, worshipping gods of other nations, many of us are still falling prey to finding our identity in the idol of busy. Many of us, think we should slow down, but we can’t stop. Many of us might consider the words spoken here, “I can’t quit.”

Might God speak in a similar way – to us today?

What are you after when you get after life – in ravenous pursuit?

What do you think you will eat that God will not feed you?

In our inadvertent worship of our “alien gods”, we think we will fill our bellies, grow strong and be sent out into the world full of admiration, achievement and love. The only problem is that when we find our identity in idols we find inadequacy in every way.

God has a different route for those willing to shut off the iPhone, set down the iPad and to turn off the me, myself and iFocus. It is this: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Mt. 11:28

Come to me, I love you.
Come to me, I miss you.
Come to me, I can’t wait to be with you.
Come to me in your comings and come to me in your goings.
Come to me, when you feel you can’t.
Come to me and I will show you if you can.
Come to me, you won’t live on empty, but always full.
Come to me, I will give you peace.
Come to me, you will find rest.
Come to me and you will find more than you can ask, think or imagine.
Come to me and I will untrap you faster than you can run yourself haggard.
Come to me and I will rejoice over you with singing and you will join my splendor.
Come to me and you will simply see me.
Come to me and you will dance free in this life that wants to ball and chain you to destruction.

I am your way. My way is your light. My load is easy. I am gentle, kind and slow to anger. I am a guide, a light and a life-preserver in the oceans of this world. I am more than you need and more than anything you could ever want. I am the answer to fears and all the same the only extender of peace. I am the source of contentment and the blocker of abandonment.

I wait for you. Come.

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I Lied To You. Getting Serious About Sin.

November 10, 2015

purposefulfaith

attack, expectations, failure, faith, fear

60 Comments

I lied to you all.

Last week, I said I wouldn’t look…I made a pledge, a promise and an oath that I was going to breakaway from a specific sin – and move to breakthrough. Remember? I made a commitment to each of you. I said, I wasn’t going to look at my blog numbers. I said, I would avoid them, so as not to set my heart on them. That is all fine and dandy, except for one thing – I didn’t.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Ro. 7:15

Because I hate what I do, I tend to:

1. Blame – “Every time I opened my page to post the numbers were right there on the right hand side and I couldn’t help but take a gander.”
2. Excuse – “It’s no big deal I looked, more than once.”
3. Deny – “Friends, I have been doing great. No issues over here.”
4. Give up – “Ahh..oh well God, guess this one isn’t going to work.”
5. Get guilty – “I can’t believe I couldn’t follow through on this one small thing.”

And yes, absolutely, my friends, there is a grace for a poor soul like me, for a woman who falls down far more often than she stands up. Thank you Jesus for that! But we don’t just chalk up an image of amazing grace and turn our backs, we chalk repentance on the dashboard of our will so we don’t slam into that dang dashboard yet again, bruising and battering our face.

Where do you find your face ends up
bruised and battered from a repeated sin?

Are you walking in spirit and truth,
or are you walking in flesh and failure?

My friends, don’t be like I am, often afraid to consider #1-5 above (and therefore landing in #3). There is no condemnation. There is no shame. That was simply ruled out when Christ ruled on the cross. But, what is not ruled out is the fact that Jesus is not okay with grey areas of sin.

Be angry, and yet, do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. (Eph. 4:27)

Sin is serious; Jesus said if our hand causes us to sin we gotta get the machete and cut that thing off (well, not literally, but you get the idea). (Mt. 5:30) His point is this process may hurt. It may hurt our insides to change, it may hurt as others deny or reject us and it may hurt normalcy. Jesus never said it wouldn’t hurt, but he boldly said we must get proactive to cut it off.

Failure to do so, is like putting a kid in a candy shop and telling him that he can smell but not bite. It is not happening, fellow sinners! That kid is going to jump in to devour disobedience faster than a gooey gummy bear can slide down his small throat.

What sin we sit around looking at, we will eventually grab, unwrap, salivate over and then eat – hook line full of guilt, sinking us to shame.

You can’t hang around lurking sin and think it won’t attack you. It will.

But, it’s likelihood of entry is far lower if you have set
the alarm system of wisdom to protect you.

Wisdom is foresight that considers what is about to trip.
Wisdom is the intellect that looks at weaknesses, so it can stand strong.
Wisdom is the smarts that stockpiles truth so, when evil arrives, it is prepared.
Wisdom is the brain that sets boundaries and lines around what is most sacred.
Wisdom is the fortitude that seeks to pressure wash it’s temple through prayer.
Wisdom is the mindset that gets active about what it has set its mind on.
Wisdom is the one that knows small things will become big sins in not too long.
Wisdom is the verses that are written all over (whatever) to keep steadfast.
Wisdom is the friend that is a phone call away to help one stay strong.
Wisdom is the stillness established in a day to keep going the right way.
Wisdom is the reliance on the Word that keeps one focused like a champion ping pong player.
Wisdom is the will to have no other will than the will of God.

Wisdom is one who makes a change before sin makes a fool out of them.

It is one who knows that change without pre-set barriers, or safeguards,
is like a bird without wings.

A bird that simply can’t fly towards real spiritual growth.

What boundary do you need to define
so that you don’t end up defined by failure?

I removed my statistics plug-in on my blog. The only way to not look at what you shouldn’t look at, whether alcohol, porn, or online shopping, is to simply cut it off, cut the cord, cut the plug-in or cut whatever – so you don’t get cut. And that is what I decided to do.

You can’t sin if you don’t leave yourself any room to.

Since getting proactive, I haven’t seemingly deactivated my faith by my failure. So, I guess we can consider this a win for Jesus and move on.

What does God want you to move on to as you let go of what holds you back? Consider #1-5 and take flight to new heights of spiritual growth.

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3 Updates for Bloggers.

Thursday, I am announcing a new Purposeful Faith Contributor. Stay tuned here and on Facebook.
Submit your guest post to Purposeful Faith by Nov. 16. Details here.
Join the blogger, encourager and women’s ministry Cheerleaders for Christ Facebook page!

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10 Bible Verses: How Jesus Prayed

November 9, 2015

purposefulfaith

Contentment, devil, doubt, failure, faith, fear, prayer, purpose

5 Comments

Last night, as I was booting down the day in prayer, I realized something. Something kind of significant. I figured what it said about me just as important as what I actually believed about prayer.

It struck me that while I often pray to stop worrying, I always pray mid-struggle – in the heat of a thought that has run haywire, like a wire with far too much current and no outlet. Now, I won’t say by that point it is too late, but I just wonder, why do I wait until that point, rather than getting out in front of it defensively?

Why don’t I build an action plan, a game plan and an attack
to beat down worry before it runs wild?

When we fail to prepare with big preemptive prayers, we prepare like paupers.

But, when we prepare in advance, not fearing to ask for massive deliverance,
God prepares our hearts in the unimaginable.

Why is it we are afraid to ask for the enormous, the unthinkable and the life-changing?

1. We are scared that our big God will only deliver us small answers and thereby disappoint us.
2. We feel guilty for not praying righteous prayers, so we pray empty prayers.
3. We wonder what we will end up believing about God, if we end up seeing him not come through.
4. We figure that we are somehow supposed to conquer, what God stands ready to.

Yet, Jesus, he teaches us to pray unrestrained, unbelievable and uncensored prayers. Let’s take a look.

10 Bible Verses: How Jesus Prayed

1. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Lu. 5:16

Getting alone gives our mind the white space it needs to conceptualize life-transforming spiritual needs.

2. And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. Mt 26:39

Jesus was not afraid to ask for big deliverance. Our big God can handle big prayers. In fact, he loves a heart that believes by faith he can do all things. Just ask it!

3. My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done. Mt 26:42

Jesus knew God’s will takes precedence over earthly will. When we pray, we should let our heart convey needs, yet trust that God ultimately knows what we best need.

4. And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark. Mk. 1:35

Jesus knew that seeing God first in his day, sets the foundation of a day – in God. When we place our morning eyes on God, he gives our eyes sight on great strength in our day.

5. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Mt. 6:9

Jesus knew who he was talking to, do we? God tells us that the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous can run into it and are safe (Prov 18:10). Do we believe this?

6. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Mt. 6:13

Praying to be delivered from what has not already hit, prevents your feet from getting swept out from under. Jesus teaches us to pray preemptively, and for good reason.

7. I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. Mt. 11:25-26

Jesus praised God for what man could easily find fault with. Praise God for the things you can’t understand. When we know that a good God is over our bad problems, we find calm waters.

8. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. Lu. 22:32

Jesus knew the value in praying on behalf of faith. May we ask for more faith, so we can walk into the unseen with power, authority and courage, just like Jesus.

9. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. Jo. 17:9

Jesus prayed for his beloved children. Let’s pray that our heart, and the heart of all God’s children, will endure, stay pure and persevere together until the end, for this is God’s will for us.

10. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. Lu. 23:34

Jesus forgave when he could have cursed the world for his breath labored pain and agony. He didn’t. Let’s forgive those who cause us pain and agony, for what we will find is that forgiveness is what ends up causing us far less pain in the long run.

Prayer.

It is our power.
It is our strength.
It is our direct connection to the greatest ruler of this earth.
It is our cosmic shift from selfish plans to God’s plans.
It is our ability to be an influencer, a pleader and a worker in a kingdom that counts.
It is our ticket to our greatest needs being met in awe inspiring ways.
It is our hope that confirms to our heart we have a hope.
It is our peace that the creator is still creating.
It is our power found in uplifted hands and in the quietness of a solitary room.
It is our ability to call the Great Physician to a family member in need.
It is our emergency exit door for what the devil has already cooked up to destroy us.
It is our greatest weapon in a world that is building bigger and bigger weapons.
It is our lifeline when we feel we have lost all life.

It was one of Jesus’ greatest tools,
shouldn’t it be ours too?

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5 Ways You Believe God Doesn’t Love You

November 6, 2015

purposefulfaith

Contentment

34 Comments

Are you anything like me? Do you ever find yourself running one-hundred miles an hour (which is a separate issue altogether), then crashing into the wall of, “I am exhausted,” “I just royally messed up” or “God, he left me?”

When we hit the wall of faith, what tumbles down, often, is not the actions of our faith. In fact, sometimes, we can resurrect those even higher, wider and more diligently. But, many times, what tumbles is our underlying belief about God. Our trust of him. Our stronghold in him.

After repeated hits against this wall, our inner words eventually ring untrue making our outer words ring shallow. Our outsides end up displaying works that our insides are not so certain about. Our external life reflects irritation because our internals got stuck on an emotional rat race we never really wanted to be a part of, but still, we run like caged lunatics.

The ways to stop being hypocritical may surprise you. They are not ways that straighten your faith with the perfect windexed imaged of shine. I am not going to tell you: mean what you say and say what you mean, choose to really love, stop doubting, check your heart, and get your words right. Although these things are important, they will fall like seeds on 3-feet deep pavement if not coupled with getting to the root of the problem.

So, what makes our heads what to spontaneously combust with disappointment, shame and disgust after we fumble the ball of faith?

Hypocrites Truth #1: If we aren’t receiving the power of God’s love,
we can never really flow God’s powerful love.

We love because he first loved us. 1 Jo. 4:19

5 Ways You Believe God Doesn’t Love You (& How He Does)

1. God is mad at you.

He sees your every move and this includes your mess-ups (true). He is furious that you can’t get your act together (false).

2. God is disgusted with your actions.

He loves me (true), but he doesn’t like me (false).

3. God is looking to punish you.

He is a God of righteousness (true), therefore, just about every moment, he is watching to see the bad you will commit so he can relegate you to the corner, dunce hat and all (false).

4. God doesn’t really care about you.

He is so high and mighty, he has more important people to attend to over you (false). He cares about the poverty stricken in Ethopia, the homeless on the Windy City streets and children enslaved (true), not you (false).

5. God won’t come through for you.

He cares about your great heavenly rescue (true), but he doesn’t care so much about earthly rescue from small problems (false).

Hypocrites Truth #2: God is not removing his hand from you, he is putting his hand on you.

He is not running the opposite direction, he is running your direction, arms open, eyes wide and smile big. He looks at you, his child, his fullness, his created image and he wants every single part of you. He has a jealous love for you. God wants you more than anything you want in your life.

Will you believe? Rather than hitting the wall of defeat, why not hit the floor dancing and swinging and moving to the new beat of his love. He asks you to dance. Will you? Grab hold of his life-giving hand and move in authenticity, truthfulness and love. He will take care of you. If believing is hard, take a moment to pray.

Prayer:

Dear Lord God, help me to believe that you are compassionate, merciful and slow to anger (Ps. 145:8). Help me to be okay with the idea that as a sinner, I am in continual need of a Savior. Help me to trust that you don’t require proud perfection, but humble submission. Thank you that each time I fall is a chance to know your love in a greater capacity. Thank you that each time I drive wedges between myself and others, you stand ready to renew me in grace. Thank you God that you care about the details of my life, my heart and my spiritual progress. Make me more like you, less like me, so I can experience more of you. Less fearing your judgement and more trusting your love. Less agonizing over my problems and more bringing them to you. May you make me into a pure vessel of your love. Amen.

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The Peace Found in Release

November 5, 2015

purposefulfaith

Regular Contributor, surrender

11 Comments

Post by: Katie M. Reid

They had been carrying him for awhile.

He was heavy. His sickness weighed them down—not just physically, but emotionally as well.

They took his suffering seriously and they longed for a different outcome. They wanted to see their friend healed.

But what could they do?

If they could take away his pain, they would.
If they could fix him, they would.
If they could heal him, they would.

But they couldn’t.

So they got together—worked as a committed team—and decided to take him to a renowned physician who was growing in popularity. He was more of an non-traditional doctor—but they were desperate for a cure and open to trying unconventional methods.

So they took their friend, by faith, to go and see this peculiar man.

They hoped for a miracle.

When they reached their destination there were crowds gathered, blocking the door. But these determined friends removed a part of the roof and let down the pallet on which their friend, the paralytic, was lying (see Mark 2:4).

They made sure their friend made it to Jesus.

And Jesus seeing their faith said to the the paralytic, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’ Mark 2:5, NASB

But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—He said to the paralytic—’I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.’ Mark 2:10-11, NASB

Obviously I took a little liberty in the retelling of this familiar bible story, but I wanted to share it to explain a work that God did in my heart a few weeks ago.

The Heavy Load

I had been carrying around a heavy burden. I was dragging around a dead-weight mummy, wrapped tightly in burial clothes. I had a few friends who were sick spiritually and I was trying to shoulder their choices by carrying them around.

This effort was weighing me down, both physically and emotionally. I was discouraged and unsure if I would see their healing.

I was weary.

Then God reminded me of the account of the friends who carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus. They carried him, but only so they could lift him to Jesus and trust Him to heal him.

They did what they could do from a human standpoint and believed that Jesus would do what they could not.

I wept with relief as God asked me to let down what I had been carrying all this time.

It wasn’t my place to be my friends’ savior. It wasn’t my job to try and carry them. My part was to lift them up to Jesus and let Him take it from there.

As I raised my arms to reflect what He was showing me I felt the weight lift.

He took me from a place of pain and enabled me to rise up—crippled no longer.

I am not responsible for the outcome of my friends’ decisions. My part is to be a good friend and lift them up in prayer, to the One who can make all the difference.

He Stoops to Save

Sweet peace floods our soul as we release our weighty burdens to the Lord.

The Burden Lifter reaches down and comforts His daughters.

He stoops down to help us walk free.
He speaks clear, gentle wisdom that realigns our thoughts to His truth.
He removes our poor attempts at bandaging others and works His healing salve into the cracked places.

My friends:

Are you carrying around something that is not yours to bear?
Are you trying to be a savior instead of lifting up your loved one to the Savior, the Great Physician?
Do your shoulders ache from taking on responsibility that is not actually yours to carry?

Let’s stop, kneel and ask God to help us release that which belongs to Him.

Dear God:
Thank You for the sweet peace that is ours in You. Help us to release all that is weighing us down and holding us back from connecting with You. Thank You that You are Mighty Savior, Great Healer and Faithful Friend. Forgive us for trying to take on things that our shoulders weren’t meant to carry. Thank You that no problem is too heavy for You. Thank You that in You freedom, hope, healing and joy are found. Thank You that You tore off the roof of earth to come down and connect us to the Father again. We praise You Jesus. Help us to walk with You each day, as You lead the way Home.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

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Katie M. Reid is a tightly wound woman, of the recovering perfectionist variety, who fumbles to receive and extend grace in everyday moments. She delights in her hubby, four children (and one on the way) and their life in ministry. Through her writing, singing, speaking and photography she encourages others to find grace in the unraveling of life. Katie is a contributing writer here at Purposeful Faith and also over at God-sized Dreams. Connect with Katie at katiemreid.com

Is Your Joy Gone? Finding Lost Joy.

November 4, 2015

purposefulfaith

Contentment

2 Comments

What if I told you that I had a way for you to become padlock strong in the Lord? What if I told you my course of action would ultimately bring such power and such firmness that you would walk around steroid-strong in God’s love?

Would you be interested in my prescription? Might you want to take a dose and see how it turns out?

The truth of the matter is – you likely are scared of it. Upon mention, you’ll probably want to take flight, tail in legs, crying, “No, don’t bring that. Anything but that. I don’t want it Lord. Return to sender on that bag of goods!”

Frankly, I am right there with you. I don’t want it either, God. Because the truth is – it hurts. It’s tosses my life upside down, then turn me inside out. It has come in the form of health issues, it has comes financial issues, it has come as depression, it has come as family pains. I almost hate its coming; it’s like a dark cloud you see approaching. One you know is bound to leave you drenched, soaked and shaking in process.

It is called suffering. Are you familiar with it?

Nails driven deep.
Hands spread wide,
vulnerable to the incoming attacks,
receiving each insult like a blow to the face,
pain flowing from the brow,
a crown of thorns a vice grip,
breathing nearly impossible,
heart breaking,
death imminent.

Horrific. Pain ridden. Terrifying. Burdensome. Suffering is no joke.

It’s all wordly forces hit boiling point. It is families torn apart, finances ruined, people crumbling, towns torn apart, minds warped and circumstances unbelievable. It’s what every cell in our body tries with all our might to avoid.

It seems like the waiting place of torture. But, might we reconsider? Could suffering be the waiting place of imminent glory? A holding cell with the greatest bail?

On the 3rd day, Jesus rose again.

He rose to the heights of all benevolence, sympathy and grace co-mingling as one. He rose to the completion of all our small slices of fabulous, made whole. He rose to the celebration that exceeds the best celebration we’ve ever laughed at.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Cor. 4:17

The fruits of suffering brings eternal joy.
Yet, also the fruit of suffering brings morning joy.

Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Ps. 30:5

Morning joy means that you will wake up from the nightmare.

Morning joy means that you find a cup of compassion, condolence and care is waiting for you.

Morning joy means that you can do all things through Christ – and you now actually believe it.

Morning joy means that if suffering is what draws him near, you might not shun it away so fast next time.

Morning joy means that you made it out as not just a survivor, but a thriver because of Jesus.

Morning joy means that you rejoice over Jesus’ power to rescue.

Morning joy means that you see how God was with you ever step of the way.

Morning joy means you thank God for what he taught you and how he strengthened you in faith.

Morning joy is the awakening to Christ’s new life that follows after your worst suffering is crucified.

It is the glorious awaking. It is the strong uprising. It is the courageous victory dance.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Pet 5:10

Suffering = Strength
Suffering = Firmness
Suffering = Steadfastness that can’t be broken

So, no matter where you stand – in the middle of it, seeing it forming or just making it through – know this, what brings pain will always bring godly gain.

Our greatest joy often results because of suffering, not despite it.

Keep your eyes open and looking, thanking and praising for morning joy does come. It is not a possibility, an question mark, a likelihood, it is an absolute.

In this, we need not fear what we fear, when pain comes near. For God is greater than what afflicts us, mightier than what comes against, stronger than our our uncertainties and more powerful than any strategy we have to get us through. Even if his delivery is straight to the front door of heaven, make no mistake, we will be delivered.

So, we simply keep our eyes on him, walk towards what is right and know, beyond a shadow of the most scary dark-laden doubt, that he is with us and will bring us through until the morning alarm sounds, our coffee awaits and all is said and done.

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 1 Pet. 3:14

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Breaking Normal to Find Phenomenal

November 3, 2015

purposefulfaith

Comparing, Contentment, control, doubt, envy, failure, faith

58 Comments

The coach stopped me in my tracks with this soccer drill. It was meant for toddlers, but it was sent by God for me. It burst my bubble of known, it tossed out the waste of old and it rolled in eye-opening insight that would redecorate my heart with truth.

Who knew soccer was so good for mental health?!

4 cones.
One square.
No space.
3 Kids.

“Go!”

My son tried to move, no dice (or rather, no goal!). He tried to inch forward, but couldn’t gain traction. He tried to kick, but his ball bounced off his companions’. He tried to run, but, the two collided like blind bulls. Boing!!!

Yet, amidst the mayhem and the maniacal movements of the inept, the coach broke through “crazy” with two words, “Break Out!”

And so they did. Kids, ran left, right and nearly out of sight! Like bees set free they could chart a destination on a course that was possible, feasible and liberating all at the same. If I could have I would have cheered this moment, saying, “Go, free ones, go. Now you can fly!”

The coach would too and, together, we would breathe a sigh of relief.

What small confines are you stuck in –
trying to plow your way through?

What is not giving you an iota of movement,
yet still, you fight for tooth and nail?

When we are so pressed against everything, we can’t enter the huge field of opportunity the Lord has set before us. We see the Promised Land, but our eyes keep us kicking around in the small perimeter of everyone else’s movements.

They are set on our competition.
They become obsessed with personal performance.
They see each kick like an eternal report card of worth.
Moves become belabored and burdensome.
Irritation mounts.
Aggravation scores.
We lose!

God becomes distant.

“He’s out in left-field somewhere!”

Break Out!

When we get hyper-focused on numbers, feedback, criticisms, critiques, God says, “Break out!”
When we start looking at everyone else’s progress, toys and accomplishments, God says, “Break out!”
When we start fearing our ability to succeed, God says, “Break out!”
When we start feeling our chest constrict into the fist of anxiety, God says, “Break out!”
When we start to be man’s responses, God says, “Break out!”
When we are obeying strategies and growth plans first and foremost, God says, “Break out!”
When we are sure we will surely be marginal at best, God says, “Break out!”
When we start making the past the predictor of our future, God says, “Break out!”
When we see the bad surrounding, the pressing in indwelling, God says, “Break out!”
When we doubt calling, God says, “Break out!”
When we wonder if we are any good, God says, “Break out!”
When we box ourself into sameness, God says, “Break out!”
When we look at boundaries and limitations, God says, “Break out!”

Get out of the box, push over the boundary and fly to the place where God is.

If you’re goal is to be with him, it is a goal that can’t be blocked.

It’s a goal that wins the game every time – heck, it wins the World Cup, for that matter!

Run into the freedom of open air.
Bask in the place of his prompting.
Skip to the place of true calling.
Jump to the heights of unrestrained love.
Fall into the depths of incalculable peace.
Sit in the field of rest.
Move to the new places, no one has transversed.
Win there! That is where you win!

We find our little slice of heaven on earth, carved out for us in the here and now,
in the freedom found, not in doing what the world and demands and people tell us,
but found in the unusual, uncharted and unknown callings of him.

No one ever got anywhere by kicking around in the complacent and crazy confines of controlled chaos. Just ponder. Many of the “Great Remarkables” became remarkable because they stopped caring if the world called them remarkable and they just followed God.

Simple. He is speaking. Are we listening?

Look at the woman at the well. She became well because she broke free from confines at the well – so her mouth could not confine her truth of liberation.

“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” Jo. 4:30

She had to break out of world-made form though. Do you see this power yet?

She had to trample form that told her Jews don’t talk with Samaritans.
She had to push through the fact that talking women should have husbands present.
She had to push away the fact that rabbis shouldn’t speak to sluts.

She had to break out!

To step out of the box of confines to be unconfined.

What is God ready to break out on your behalf as you break out?

God isn’t found in the small boxes of safe, of expected, of normal, of man and of “steps for success”, he is found in the wild land of adventure, pursuit and nonconformity in him, by faith and through Christ.

Break out! Today, see what holds you in and push past it in the name of Jesus. Zig and zag his way. Run arms open. Sprint into his fields of purpose.

Don’t just read this and move on, but listen and press in. Promise me that. If you don’t think this is for you, think again, it is, especially for you. What is he calling you to?

My break out: I will not intentionally look at post or visitor statistics. My words are an incense being released solely on behalf of his beauty – from my heart to his, uncensored, untouched and unchangeable by man. And so they will be. And so I will go into the field of his providence, trusting.

What is yours?

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Our 5 Go-To Defensive Stances Against God

November 2, 2015

purposefulfaith

Contentment, doubt, expectations, faith, fear

1 Comment

I just go along my merry day, skipping and jumping and hiking through life, until. . . BANG! I hit a roadblock, a stumbling point or a detour to everything that I had thought, planned and willed.

This just happened to me recently. My husband and I were convinced of what our family needed to do. We investigated, we prayed, we hoped, we looked, but no matter how hard we pushed, God wasn’t opening up a single door for us to move through.

We were stuck, children, without a way.
Isolated, kept in a barren land.
Roaming, unsure of our next step.

It’s normally just about this point when things get ugly.

When we start whispering things under our breath, when we get that under-the-skin-feeling of annoyance, when our good god and his powers seem to have taken the next flight to Siberia.

Ever felt this way?

There are five defenses that push a child of God away,
faster than you can say, “orphan”, they are:

1. Believing God doesn’t care about your meaningless situation and that the grand scheme of the world takes precedence.

Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Notice that God does not say, “Only cast God-worthy anxiety on me,” instead he says cast all anxiety on me.

2. Telling yourself, “Pull it together and act better.”

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Ps. 62:8

Let your heart’s pain pour out at the foot of the cross so that his love can co-mingle and release you from their overwhelming power.

3. Uncertainty that God will really answer you. This means you pray a little, worry much and then give up.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Mt. 7:7

God hears and he delights in giving his children good gifts. He hears every prayer.

4. Walking distracted rather than engaged.

I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. Ps. 119:15

If you are thinking about world things, you will be ruled by it’s ways, not God’s all rescuing truths.

5. Wrapping your arms around worries and your detailed plans that go with them.

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. Ps. 37:4-5

Delight beats up worry then walks you over to your deepest desires.

Will we fortify our lives with man-made defenses
or will we fortify our lives with God’s truth
and move arms open into his great purposes,
believing he is commanding the war?

It is a choice. But, the direction we choose, determines the fullness of our calmness, satisfaction, peace and wellbeing.

The truth is God doesn’t hate us and berate us. He doesn’t restrict us, to inhibit us. He doesn’t withhold pleasure to displeasure us. He guides us to revive us, to indwell us and to compel us. He brings us from the barrenness of apprehensive and ineffective, to plains of impressive and courageous.

As we learn to take down our defenses, we end up remaining where God is. We dwell in his camp, which means we dwell in a place of complete love.

Here, he calls us to more. He beckons us to greater. He pulls us to insight. And relieves us in truth. He approves of our heart to know him. He delights in our will to rethink things. He enjoys our journey of discovery. He receives our heart to move differently. He answers our call to change. He throws out the crutches of condemnation and removes the splinters of failure. He stands arms wide open, ready to receive our changed heart. He longs that we fear not, and we don’t, instead we draw near.

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Just “Lose It” In Front of God

October 30, 2015

purposefulfaith

Contentment, failure, faith, fear, grace

6 Comments

What does your face to the outside world show? Mine is a wide smile, almost busting at the seams with the joy of the Lord that’s ready to flood the floor before you with a floral arrangement of happy, loved and adored.

And, many times I do feel that way.

Yet, other times are
sad times,
dejected times,
anxious times,
frustrated times and
I-don’t-know times.

How about you? What does your inside face look like? What does it really say about you?

Stopping to really think, can mean the difference between
making a lie out of your faith and starting to walk by real faith.

Let me explain.

Our life mantra is usually: Keep the exterior shiny. The paint pretty. The hedges cut. The grass trimmed. The leaves blown. The exterior of the house beautiful.

The ultimate goal is: Make sure you really believe when you drive up to your house, people aren’t falling off their rocker.

Yet, God sees past our outsides, doesn’t he? Even when we try to so carefully hide what is wildly out of control within our own house.

“People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Sam. 16:7

He sees right in, through the windows, past the locked doors, beyond the fresh coat of smiley paint. He sees the unorganized, chaotic, apprehensive and unsure cabinets of our heart.

And, he still loves. He still wants us. He doesn’t care, laugh and stare. But, he says, “Come, child, draw your heart closer to the center of my love, the hearth of all life change.”

Here, he proves stuff, valuable stuff, needed-to-hear stuff:

He proves he is not a love me, love me not type of God
willing to drop us off in timbucktoo when we don’t know what to do.

He proves he loves the downtrodden and simply draws near to them. He loves truth and every time – no matter how others perceive us – he calls us to it.

He proves that people who share pain, are actually more liked by others. Which is even proven by studies that say, we like those who are like us – not perfect.

Then, as we get real with our own circumstances, pain, fears, dejection – we see what we hold is not some oddity of yuck, but what is common to nearly all men. We see that our pain can be used for other’s gain. We see that our fears are the calling card to let others in to speak reality over our lives.

We hear God almost assuring our status by his very Word over us.

It sounds something like this: “The details of your body, your make-up, your home are not hidden from me. Don’t you know I made you in a secret places? I saw your eyes before you were born, your mind before you knew it and the details of your day before you breathed. (Ps. 139:15-16). I have so much love for you, because I am rich in mercies. Even when you die all the time to your own failings, still, my grace saves you again and then again. Consider it a gift to the one I dearly love (Eph. 2:4-9). Keep your arms open to this gift, so you can unwrap all its beauty. Time and time again it proves the one that I have destined you to be like, my own son, Jesus (Ro. 8:29). You are becoming. It is a valuable process. Don’t detest it, but remember that I have prepared good works in advance for you to walk in (Eph. 2:10). I care about your journey. Don’t let your insides discredit my heart for you. I love you the way I made you – always and forever. No feeling can ever change that.”

Knowing these things, changes so many things.

If God fully loves us, does it matter if man – does or doesn’t?

God’s love sets us free to the snare of man’s opinion in a way where we can actually love man.

Instead of walking into church being Mr. or Ms. Gregarious, after suffering the worst argument ever – we tell the truth.

Instead of informing others to walk with the “joy of the Lord,” after we are walking in the depressions of parenthood, we can instead reach out for help.

Instead of answering with, “I am fabulous,” when health issues are about to plunge a loved one into pain, we can be open in a way where we hear the response, “I understand, that is happening to me too.”

When God knows our inners, he makes us into faith-reliant winners. Not perfectly happy ones, not halo-covered ones, not sparkly and glittery ones, but ones, like Jesus, ones acquainted with suffering. The real deal.

Then, suddenly, we see it isn’t so much about pretty houses, manicured yards, images of glowing Christianity, but it is all about the fire of God inside and the smell of bacon that permeates the mess of chaotic. And, we look around to say, “God is good – all the time. No matter how, I feel, he IS. And that is enough.”