Purposeful Living

  • Purposeful Living

    Creating Margin

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    We live in a culture of over-busyness; a culture that says that rest is for the weak. In this culture, it is easy to start equating staying busy with being productive. Have you ever heard yourself saying, “There are a million things I should be doing right now!”

    Life is just busy. We have work, church, family obligations and the list goes on! Even the good things in our lives, if they get out of balance, can leave us feeling overwhelmed, tired and no longer full of joy.

    When we’re not looking, our world will press in from every angle. If we don’t have a firm grasp on what our boundaries and priorities are, a vision for where we are headed, and a plan for staying on track, we will find ourselves tossed to and fro on the winds and waves of others’ priorities with no boundaries to protect our own.

    All month long we have been talking about how to be intentional, so we can enjoy a life of purpose. Today, we will be focusing on one simple thing you can incorporate into your everyday to help you live a life of purpose, joy and balance–its called “margin”.

    Normally, margin refers to the space on the edge of the page where there is no text. If there was no margin on the page, the words would be stretched to the very top and bottom and spill over the sides. But our lives need margin too. Without it, our lives can be like the page–stretched to the edges of our time, money and energy. Most of us find ourselves so busy that we don’t have any margin or space for rest and leisure, family and friends, time with God, or taking care of our health.

    Dr. Richard Swenson in his book called Margin, helps explain what having margin and not having margin looks like:

    “The conditions of modern-day living devour margin… Marginless is being 30 minutes late to the doctor’s office because you were twenty minutes late out of the  hairdresser’s because you were ten minutes late dropping the children off at school because the car ran out of gas two blocks from the gas station–and  you forgot your purse.

    Margin, on the other hand, is having breath left at the top of the staircase, money left at the end of the month, and sanity left at the end of adolescence.

    Marginless is being asked to carry a load five pounds heavier than you can lift; margin is a friend to carry half the burden.

    Marginless is not having time to finish the book you’re reading on stress; margin is having the time to read it twice.”

    Creating margin and times of rest, allows us to live into our purposes and live the good life God intended for us. When we have margin in our days, we have the time, energy and resources to not only take care of our needs, but to build relationships with others, serve our community and give generously. It is hard to live into the purposes God has for us when we are burnt out, with no time or energy to take care of ourselves and be intentional with how we spend our days.

    Even Jesus, who was God in flesh, intentionally set an example of creating margin. We see in this passage of the book of Matthew how even with the many demands and difficulties Jesus faced, he was able to stay focused on his purpose because of his times of rest and margin.

    [King Herod had] John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

    As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ ‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. ‘Bring them here to me,’ he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

    Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.” – Matthew 14:10-23

    Life was pressing in around Jesus as news of His many works spread. The demands on him were constant and it must have been hard to not feel overwhelmed and spread thin. John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin and the one who foretold his coming, had just been beheaded. I imagine this news was devastating to Jesus. He tried to withdraw to a solitary place, but the crowds followed him. Even in the wake of his grief, people continued to press in wanting and needing more from Him.

    Our culture is the same way–others will continue to press in wanting more from us, oblivious to what our needs are or what we might be going through. It is up to us to create boundaries of margin so that we can live out our purpose and be restored daily.

    Because Jesus was in the practice of talking and being in relationship with God, even when a time of difficulty came, he had the strength in the Lord to keep ministering to others. He was able to miraculously feed a crowd of over 5,000 people, pointing people toward God and continuing His ministry. And when all was said and done, he took time to recharge. All this service and ministry was anchored by the times Jesus withdrew to lonely places, to pray and reconnect with God, the source of all strength, power and peace.

    Just like Jesus needed margin, we do too. But sometimes we feel guilty about having margin. We believe the lie that “there is too much to do–I cannot rest.” But there will always be more laundry, more meetings, more work to be done. When you allow yourself to rest by creating margin, you are actually helping yourself be a better wife, mother, friend, or co-worker because you have time and energy to spare for those around you. Not to mention, maybe a better attitude and outlook on life!

    So what does margin look like in everyday life? It may start with learning how to say no with grace to things that you really don’t want to do or don’t line up with your top priorities.

    Then start by planning ahead your months, weeks and days. Planning ahead will help you know what is coming up and think through what you need for that day to go smoothly. Margin is knowing you will need to leave a little early to get gas before you go to work, or that you need to work ahead on a project because you will not have time later in the week.

    As you are planning ahead, intentionally block off time for rest and space in your calendar. Treat that time as important as a work meeting–it is non-negotiable. You might be inclined to see the blank space on your calendar as a luxury instead of a necessity. But if you don’t prioritize margin as non-negotiable, when the phone rings and someone is asking you to do something that would eliminate that dedicated time for rest, you may give it up too easily. It is easy to think, “just this once”, but those times can add up. Without boundaries and protection for our times of margin, those precious blank spaces on the calendar will quickly disappear.

    You may find it helpful to keep a list of your priorities, values and vision for where God is leading you in the front of your calendar as a guide for you as you decide what to add and what to say no to. This will remind you of your bigger purpose and give you hope for the days ahead.

    Being intentional and creating margin in our days will take lots of prayer and practice, but it will be well worth it! As you implement margin into your life, you will begin to see the fruit of having times of rest and space so that you can experience a more joy-filled, abundant life.

    To hear more strategies and practical tips for creating margin, check out our Experience Revival podcast, season 1, episode 10 on this topic, called “Creating Margin” with hosts Summer Shore, Kara Deal, and Melissa Campbell.

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  • Purposeful Living

    Living An Intentional Life

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    Our lives are busy, full of good things, some unpleasant things and the things that just have to get done. We cram our days from early morning until late at night with work, sports, hobbies, tasks, errands, meals, and hopefully, sleep!

    We long to live out of our purpose and the dreams God has laid on our hearts but there never seems to be enough time. The day-to-day busy takes over and we find ourselves year after year never any closer to where we want to be.

    Have you ever had the thoughts, “How did I get here? Where am I going?” Somewhere along the way we get off-course and find ourselves overwhelmed and no longer where we thought we would be. We know something needs to change, but how?

    Proverbs 29:18 in The Message version says, “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.” The King James Version puts it, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

    Without knowing where we are going, without a zoomed out perspective of our lives, we cannot get to where we are supposed to be. It’s like trying to find your way through a dense forest without a map. You can only see what is right in front of you. You respond to that rock in your path or the tree you need to walk around, but you can’t see the direction you should walk to get to your destination. In the forest without a map to guide you, everything looks the same day in and day out and you never make any progress. You may end up walking around in circles. We need a map and God is the map-maker of our lives.

    When was the last time you stopped long enough to evaluate what is on your plate and ask the Lord where He would like to take you? Stopping and pausing seems impossible, let alone finding enough space to evaluate our lives, our dreams, and our goals.

    One way to carve out this time is to start a new tradition called a “vision retreat”. Our friend, Karen Stott, author of the book An Intentional Life, writes in chapter 11 of her book about how a vision retreat can help us live our lives with intentionality and purpose:

    I realized that it had been a very, very long time since my husband, Isaac, and I had sat down, reevaluated where things were in our businesses, our ministry and our home, and actually sought God about them.

    I had been saying yes to so many things, I didn’t really know what made sense anymore, or why we were even making the decisions we were making. We didn’t have a vision for anything, so no wonder I was stumbling all over myself!

    Knowing we desperately needed to talk and pray together, I asked Isaac if I could set up a weekend away for us to go and seek God for our lives and businesses. He was game, of course, so I booked a quiet cabin at a central Oregon resort, and a few weeks later we were on our way.

    Even after a rocky beginning, this little weekend away felt truer in our souls than a hundred weekends before it. We wrote down all of our victories and failures from the previous year and our hopes and dreams for the year ahead. We talked about what worked and what didn’t, and the things we were scared to bring to the surface. It was beautiful, and complicated, and hard. There were some tears, and many laughs, and just a whole lot of breathing room.

    We were able to talk about dreams we both felt the urge to pursue and to seek God together on what He had for our lives. But what struck me most was how this intentional time away helped us carve out new goals, and next steps, and direction for the days and years ahead.

    Time set apart is most addictive when you know the power it holds. Life changing, to say the least. You can’t live in your mission or walk in your calling if you don’t know what it is, where you’re going, or the steps you need to take to get you there.”

    Kara Stott

    Taking some time to pause and reflect doesn’t need to be complicated or overwhelming. There is no set formula to it. It just starts with intentionally setting time apart from the busy day-to-day to zoom out and see the big picture. It’s taking time to seek the Lord and make sure you are headed in the right direction–one that is life-giving.

    Allowing God to craft a vision for yourself and your family and where He is taking you is one of the most valuable things you can do. Where you go on your retreat doesn’t matter as much as purposely setting time apart to seek God in the process. Spend time journaling, praying, talking to your spouse or a good friend, and reading the Word. Lean into God for clarity and direction so that you know where you are headed and what you need to do next to get there. God will reveal what you may need to let go of and what you should be investing in.

    The key to this time is being open to God’s leading. If you hold too tightly to your own dreams and desires, you will not be open to hearing God’s voice and the purposes and plans He has for you. As Karen Stott says, “We must seek Him first. Lean into Him first. Listen to Him first. And from that, talk it out, let the dreams flow, process what your next steps should look like, and always, always write everything down!”

    God will use these vision retreats mightily–not only in your work life, but in your marriage, your family, and in the overall rhythms of your life. These retreats can help clarify your plan and your core values to guide your decisions. You may even find yourself no longer drained by the responsibilities that you dread, or overwhelmed and weary because you said yes to the things you didn’t have margin for.

    Having a vision gives you permission to intentionally carve out the things that were weighing you down and hand them over to others who enjoy them. When you let go of the things that may be good things, but not necessarily the best things, you have more time and energy to take on the roles and projects that make you come alive, the things you are created to do. You know when something falls in line with your gifting when they are things you look forward to doing. They energize you, allowing you to make a huge impact on those around you.

    In taking time from our busy lives and intentionally using it to grow closer to God, something amazing happens. We walk away with a renewed vision for our lives. These opportunities not only clarify our purposes and give us a direction for spending our time, but a chance to be reminded of our identity in Christ (and sometimes to see the ways we have lost our way). You will experience so much freedom and joy from the opportunity to re-ground yourself in Christ and the plans and purposes He has for you.

    Only through living life by God’s design and direction will you find the peace and joy you long for. If you have ever found yourself wondering how on earth you got where you are or are confused about what to do next, I would encourage you to block out a day or two and spend time with God. He has so much He wants to say to you. He longs to show you the amazing life He has planned for you–you just need to take the time to listen. Let us live each day with purpose and intentionality as we seek God’s vision for our lives!

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  • Purposeful Living

    What Does Your Life Reflect?

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    My check engine light has been on for a little over a week now. It totally stresses me out because I commute an hour to work and the last thing I want is to break down on the side of the freeway. Not because of the scary being-stuck part, but because I don’t have time for that. My days are so jammed packed there is not a second more for anything unexpected. I know I need to take care of the car, but I just can’t seem to find the time to take it into the shop. I know that if I stop long enough to look under the hood, I might find that it is going to take more time than I have to spare to fix it and it may cost me.

    Sometimes my mind wanders to the blissful thought, “What if I could clone myself and there’d be two of me to get all the things done?! That’d solve everything!” But who am I kidding? I’d run her into the ground too.

    No, the problem isn’t solved by simply changing my schedule. It’s deeper than that–it’s a matter of the heart and my priorities. Right now, my life isn’t reflecting either one. I know that if I don’t make the time to take care of myself, and take time to really take a look at things, I may end up breaking down myself. But just like my car, it’s going to take some work to fix and it might cost me.

    I started the year with prayerfully adopting the word “intentional” as my word for 2019. I wanted (and still want) to be intentional about my priorities and my time. But slowly, my resolve has faded as each day the urgent things have pressed in. One thing after another has taken over–they aren’t all bad things or even things I can control. But because I haven’t left any wiggle room for the unexpected, I now find myself spread thin and worn out with my own mental “check engine” light flashing.

    Proverbs 27:19 says “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.”

    I know the priorities that God has laid on my heart. I’m in a rare and blessed season of knowing what I’m supposed to be doing and what God has called me to. I also know that I’ve let busyness become my master, and it’s reflected in my life. The space that had one been reserved for the important things, has been taken over by the urgent things. I spend a lot of time dealing with what’s right in front of me, instead of planning ahead and having the peace that comes from being intentional with how I use my time.

    And yes, there are times that we just have to get the things done. Busy seasons come and go. But when the busy never lets up so that you can no longer give your best, it’s time to re-evaluate how you are spending your time, as well as your physical and mental energy. There is always something that can be put down. Maybe it’s a volunteer opportunity, or an extra project. Perhaps it is working just an hour less per day, and trusting that God will help make up that little bit of income. Maybe it is asking for help catching up on housework or having someone watch your kiddos so you can take a nap. For me it’s crossing out a whole Saturday so that I can just rest and spend time with my family.

    If you are not sure where to even begin, start by bringing your schedule and your day before the Lord. Ask Him to reveal to you what He would like you to focus on and accomplish that day. Pray and ask for discernment to see the things that might be good but not best–those things that take away time from doing what is most important. He will give you the strength to lay those down.

    It’s not just the to-do list or the schedule that sometimes needs pruning. Our minds are powerful machines that can threaten our peace and rest if we do not learn to shut them off when its time. Think about what thought or worry might be consuming more of your brain space than is good for you. Pray about it. Imagine wrapping it up neatly and placing it in God’s capable hands so that He can carry it for a bit. He promises when we come to Him for rest, we will find it (Matthew 11:28). Sometimes I even need to ask myself, “Does the fate of the free world rest on this?” If the answer is no, then I let it go.

    I want my life to reflect my heart and the priorities that God has laid out for me. I want to be able to have the awareness to see where He is at work, and the time to join Him in it. I want my family to feel seen, heard and loved. I’m not always great at keeping that balance, but there is grace for that. Please know that we don’t have to fix it all on our own. Our gentle Heavenly Father is waiting to renew and restore our strength. He will grant the clarity and wisdom we need to know where to press on and where to let go.

    Dear friend, if you are feeling overwhelmed and frazzled, spread too thin with your “check engine” light flashing, it’s time to pause and pray. Pick one thing that you can do today to take care of yourself. With God’s guidance, start working toward a life that reflects your heart and the God-given priorities you have in this season. Breathe in and feel your shoulders relax as you exhale. Lean into the strong arms of our Lord and see what He can carry for you. He will not drop you or leave you, and His strength, endurance, love and grace are inexhaustible.

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  • Purposeful Living

    Finding Freedom from Insecurity

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    “I don’t want to go.” The phrase echoed in my head as I drove to what was supposed to be a fun event. But I knew there would be a couple of women present who have a tendency to make me feel like a don’t belong. They don’t mean to, but I feel “less than” around them. On top of that, I knew there would also be some new ladies there and I wasn’t quite sure where I fit into their group yet.

    Typically, I consider myself a fairly confident person, but the anticipation of this particular situation was weighing heavily on me. I was super nervous and anxious, and already starting to feel like the odd-woman-out. My fears and doubts started to get the best of me, and my mind gave into the lies of insecurity. I worked myself into a tizzy and honestly, started to have a little pity party for myself.

    In my moment of desperation, I called my best friend (wishing she was going to be at this event and hoping she could talk me off this figurative ledge I put myself on). I had hoped she might give me a pep talk or commiserate with me, but instead she reminded me of the best way to deal with a situation that filled me with insecurity.

    The problem with insecurity is that it can feel like a prison with no way out–it can make us feel hopeless. When we are feeling insecure, our focus turns inward and we can only see our weaknesses, our doubts, our fears and other’s opinions. We forget the ways that we are gifted and uniquely created to make an impact in each situation.

    She told me that the best way to approach a situation like this, is to change my perspective. She reminded me that something I am good at is showing God’s love to others. She said that I should go to this event with the purpose of using that gift and look for ways to show God’s love to those I encounter. It was a total flip in perspective–instead of viewing it from how people are going to treat me, think of me, etc., I had a new purpose and my focus was now on others instead of myself.

    While I can’t control how others will act toward me or what their opinions are of me, I can control how I think and act toward them. It was so freeing! I remember thinking, “I can do that!” As I refocused on God’s love for me, I had a renewed sense of purpose to show His love to others. This new purpose changed how I saw myself and the situation. I now had a job to do and it was one that I could get behind because I love sharing God’s love with others!

    God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us….We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.”

    1 John 4:9-11, 16-17a

    Freedom from insecurity comes from remembering who we are in God. We can overcome insecurity by holding fast to our true identity. We are God’s beloved–His sons and daughters. As we focus on God’s unwavering love, instead of our doubts and fears, we can feel secure to extend that love to others.

    When we trust in God’s love for us and allow Him to remind us of our true identity, we are set free to live in confidence and security again. This allows us to walk into an insecure situation with people and focus on just showing them God’s love because we are walking in the overflow of God’s love for us.

    …we can only love if we are free. That is, love is motivated by the joy of sharing our fullness, not by the desire to fill our emptiness…God has called us to the freedom of fullness which overflows in love, not to the slavery of emptiness which bites and devours and is never satisfied. In Jesus Christ, God offers us forgiveness, daily help and guidance, and hope for the greatest future imaginable. And it is all free, purchased by the death of Jesus, received by faith alone. The secret of love is freedom, and the secret of freedom is utter confidence in the love of God.” 

    John Piper, desiringgod.org

    We have the freedom to love because He first loved us and showed us true love. God’s love is a supernatural thing–it’s unexplainable, unconditional, all-consuming, overflowing, perfect love. It ministers to our soul like nothing in this life can. It fills the emptiness of self-doubt and fear so that we no longer approach life or others from a place of insecurity but from a place of overflow, secure in our identity as God’s beloved.

    Thank you Lord for Your great love. Thank you for pursuing us and loving us even when we lose our way. Open our eyes to our identity as your beloved ones. Your banner of love is over us. Help us to live in the freedom that is your love and freely give Your love to those around us. Amen

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  • Heart Stuff, Purposeful Living

    Freedom In Truth

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    The mind is a powerful thing. It controls every life-giving function in our bodies, processes complex emotions, and is constantly learning and adapting. Our very thoughts have the ability to shape how we see ourselves and the world around us. Because of this, it is paramount that those thoughts be firmly established in truth.

    And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

    Philippians 4:8

    The first word in the list of things to focus on, is whatever is true. When we hold firmly to the truth about who God is, and who we are in Christ, we have freedom and joy. We are shaped to be more like Christ and we are no longer bound by insecurity or fear. We are free to love ourselves, our families, and our neighbors. We are free to step into our calling when God says go, and free to say no to the things that are not in step with the Holy Spirit’s lead. We are free to live life abundantly. Jesus even promises that when we remain faithful to follow Him, we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free! (John 8:32) 

    In what area of your life could you use a little more truth that sets you free? Take some time to pray this week about it. Ask God to help you seek the truth about who He is, and who you are, and can be in Him.

    We’d love to pray for you too! Feel free to drop us a line at info@experiencerevival.com and our prayer team will pray for you.

    The truth of God’s love is freeing and it’s real. Let’s fix our minds on that truth, and live in freedom. 

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  • Heart Stuff, Purposeful Living

    Called to Freedom

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    Galatians 5:13 “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

    Every July 4th we stop and pause and celebrate our freedom. While we have tremendous liberty here in the United States, there is another freedom that is greater still. It is a freedom not granted to us by a government or a person, but a calling from God to live in freedom through Christ.

    The word “calling” comes from the greek word kaleo, which means Divine Invitation. Usually we talk about calling in terms of the purpose and meaning we want to find in our lives. We are invited by God to be a part of His story. He has created each of us uniquely, with gifts and talents and roles to play.

    But God has also extended a Divine Invitation to live in freedom. When Jesus died on the cross, was buried and raised from the dead three days later, He broke the hold of sin on our lives and we were set free. Jesus conquered and we get to share the victory!

    Through Christ, we are invited to live in freedom from sin, wrong thinking and insecurity. Freedom from measuring up and competing with our friends and neighbors. Freedom from despair and hopelessness, loneliness and isolation. Freedom from addiction and being stuck in unhealthy cycles. Through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, we can experience a life that is truly free. 

    All of this freedom is ultimately for a purpose. We are not set free to run back to the things that held us captive again, or to be the sole beneficiaries of our new found liberty. We are set free to love and serve one another. We are free to use our gifts to help others, to lift them up and encourage them. We can point people toward Christ, so that they too can live a life of freedom and joy. We can give them a hand up, dust them off and lead them out of the darkness of captivity and into the light. No longer do we have to be hindered by our past and our failings. We are invited by God Himself to experience freedom like no other!

    In Christ you are grounded in truth, empowered by the Holy Spirit and truly set free.

    Happy Independence Day my friend!

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  • Prayer, Purposeful Living

    Expensive Prayers

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    Back in my college days, I was a part of a bible study with a few other students. About 4 years earlier, I had started learning about Jesus and what it meant to follow Him. One night, at this bible study, my college pastor gave us a challenge. He said, “Go home tonight and take some time to pray. Ask God specifically, ‘If there is anything standing in the way between us God, please take it away.’” You see, he knew that in order for each of us to grow deeper in our relationship with God, we needed to be willing to surrender anything that hindered our walk with Him.

    I’ll admit that the idea of this type of prayer was a bit intimidating. My heart eagerly wanted to please the Lord and walk in His ways, but there were things in my life that I hadn’t yet surrendered to God–things that were keeping me from living the life God wanted for me. As I walked home that night, my pastor’s question kept rolling around in my head. I knew that I needed to take it to God.

    That night, as I sat on my bed, I prayed. As I prayed those exact words my pastor had told us to pray, it was as if I reached out my hand to God with a willing heart and a closed fist. I was trying to take the first step. My heart was willing but I couldn’t quite give God what I was still holding onto with an open hand. It can be difficult to let go of the things in our lives that we have grown used to, even if they may be hindering us.

    God took my small, imperfect, but willing effort and faithfully did the rest. He was able to pry open my grip (knowing I couldn’t do it myself) helping me to let go of those things. One of those things that I was having trouble letting go of at that time was a romantic relationship that wasn’t a godly one. Within a week of praying that prayer, my 3-year relationship ended—just like that.

    God had been waiting for me to be willing to let Him take away what wasn’t best, so He could bless me with something so much better. Looking back, I can see how God wanted so much more for me. While it was a painful process at the time, it was so rewarding in the end.

    I call these types of prayers, “expensive prayers” because they are the type of prayer you pray when you are willing to lay it all on the line and surrender the outcome to God. These types of prayers involve vulnerability and risk. We pray the words not knowing the outcome or how God will work. We can pray this prayer of surrender because we are confident of who He is. He is the One that we can trust completely to always have our best interest in mind and to give us His very best.

    God was waiting for me to let go, so He could give me His best and the blessings I couldn’t have imagined yet. Right after the break-up, God led me to an amazing campus ministry retreat that I wasn’t planning to attend. He surrounded me with the most amazing people who showed me God’s love. I had not grown up in the church and I hadn’t yet known God’s unconditional love. I had relied on being in a romantic relationship to fill the need for love in my life. What I didn’t realize until that point was that I was holding on to counterfeit love instead of having the real thing.

    We hold onto the things we think are best. We are afraid to let go of them for fear God will give us something we don’t want. But God is a good and loving Father who longs to give us His very best. He is waiting for us to open our hands and to let Him take the less-than-best and give us more than we can ask or imagine.

    Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.”

    Luke 12:31-32

    God not only showed me that I had been settling for less than the best, He then replaced that imitation for a real, authentic love. At that retreat, I not only met friends who showed me the love of Christ, but in that very same group was a man who several years later would become my dear husband–a godly man who is more than I could have ever asked for. God filled me up with His joy and love. He has truly given me a deep relationship with Him that has made my life so rich and full. That “expensive” prayer that day may have been a simple prayer, but boy was it powerful! It was an important turning point in my life and relationship with God. Maybe a similar turning point is waiting for you too.

    Is there something in your life that you are holding on to with a tight grip? God might be waiting for you to let go so He can give you His best. Maybe it is a relationship, a job, a false belief, a habit, unforgiveness or fear–whatever it is, don’t let it stand in the way of you growing closer to God and accepting His best for your life.

    My challenge for you today is to pray the same prayer I was challenged to pray so many years ago. It’s okay if you are wanting to say the words but a little afraid of the outcome. Remember, the God you are praying to is loving, faithful, and desires to give you His very best.

    My friend, don’t settle for less than His best in your life–seek God, His Kingdom and an unhindered, full relationship with Him. Simply start with this prayer: “If there is anything standing in the way between us God, please take it away” and see the amazing things God will do in your life!

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  • Heart Stuff, Purposeful Living

    Stepping Forward in Faith

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    Have you ever been driving at night and encountered a dense fog–-a fog so dense that you couldn’t see much past the road right in front of your car? I remember a time in college when I was on the home stretch from a long trip when I encountered this situation. My pulse quickened and anxiety started to creep in as I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. A road that normally was very familiar to me, now was a complete mystery. I couldn’t tell where I was or what was in front of me. I just had to keep driving (albeit slowly) to get to the next sign. Moving forward didn’t feel safe or secure, but I had to keep going. I found myself praying hard and asking God to get me through safely.

    Recently, I have found myself in a similar prayer to God. I wasn’t driving through a dense fog this time, but I was walking through what felt like a figurative fog before me. I was struggling with a bunch of big life stuff and not really sure the best way through them. The way in front of me was unclear and I didn’t know which way to step forward.

    I was filled with anxiety, and being a “fixer” personality, my mind immediately went to the things I can do to fix my situation. I wanted to solve it and run to the first thing that felt like security and resolution. I have learned over the years though that this is my panic mode and not my trusting God mode.

    I deliberately took a moment and called out to the Lord, “God, I’m scared, I don’t see a way through this. What should I do?” Even as I prayed, my mind was still trying to solve the problem and fix it in a million different ways, but in the midst of that prayer, God spoke to my heart to keep walking forward in faith the path He has already put me on.

    Even though hopping off to take a short cut seemed like the safer route, I heard Him encouraging me to keep stepping out in faith, one step at a time, and He would make the ground beneath my feet secure. I could feel Him reassure my heart, saying “I’ve got you!” As I leaned into this assurance from God, His peace washed over me, and these Scriptures came to mind.

    The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” – Psalm 37:23-24

    “I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.” – Proverbs 4:11-12

    Sometimes the way through our situation isn’t the way we would choose, because it isn’t always the one that seems the most secure. We often gravitate towards the steps we can control because we know what they look like, and avoid the path that is new and uncharted.

    Each day we must choose to trust and keep walking forward in faith the path before us. Even when we cannot see much further than the very step in front of us, we must believe that God has already gone before us and knows what’s ahead. He is in front of us, directing our steps and helping us walk forward–-He makes the path firm and secure.

    My friend, if there is something scary you’re facing or your next step is unsure, seek the Lord and He will guide your steps forward. With each step, trust that God will make the ground beneath your feet solid and secure.

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  • Easter, In The Word, Purposeful Living

    Living in Victory

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    Sometimes I find myself relating to the disciples on the day after Jesus was crucified. They were disillusioned, discouraged, and without hope. They couldn’t see the bigger picture, just the events right in front of them. They didn’t remember or understand all that Jesus had told them would happen. For them, it felt like they lost the one thing worth fighting for.

    They didn’t understand that Jesus came not only to help them in the here and now, but to win their hearts and souls for eternity. They didn’t see that there was a war involving humanity and that we were all prisoners who needed a rescue. God’s love for us propelled Him to send Jesus from heaven to do just that. This battle was real and our very lives were at stake, but He came to bring us victory. Through the cross and resurrection, Jesus won the victory and triumphed over death itself.

    At the moment that Jesus died on the cross, the curtain in the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. Once Jesus came back to life, many godly men and women were also raised from the dead and went into the holy city of Jerusalem (Matthew 27:50-5).

    Can you picture this scene? It’s like the fireworks after the battle is won–it is a holy celebration! Can you even imagine what elation the disciples must have felt when Jesus came back from the dead? A situation that seemed completely lost and hopeless had miraculously turned into their biggest victory!

    …he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” – Isaiah 25:8-9

    “Death has been swallowed up in victory. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

    We cannot forget that Jesus’ victory is also our victory! Because of His victory for us, we are free from the hold of sin and death. It is a victory that cannot be undone. No longer can anything separate us from the love of God. The victory won through Christ is so great and monumental that even the calendar flipped! There was life before and life after. We live our lives after the reality of the resurrection, and that is a life we live in victory!

    We stand victorious even when we feel like we are losing the battle. Whatever battle you are facing, whether it is for your marriage, the salvation of a loved one, an addiction, your health or something else, know that you no longer face this battle alone, but rather with the One who has already won the victory. He will give you the strength to stand and He does not fail. We are victorious because He is victorious. Praying you live in the victory of Christ today!

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  • Heart Stuff, Purposeful Living

    The Heart of Purpose

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    We have been talking about purpose a lot here at Revive Ministries. It is a topic that is popping up everywhere because, as humans, we long for purpose and direction. It is how we are put together. No one wants to feel like they are just a proverbial hamster on the wheel of life. But it can feel really challenging to find your purpose, let alone live it out. Hopefully the last couple of “Revive Your Week” articles have given you a solid place to start to prayerfully discerning your purpose. (You can read the previous articles on purpose here: “Made For Purpose” and “Living On Purpose”) 

    Sometimes in seeking our purpose we often fail to thrive in our purpose because we have not taken care of our heart. We are all living in different seasons of life and each season has its own purposes, but many times our hearts still don’t feel content or fulfilled. We find ourselves longing for something more or something different, even when our purpose is clear. I believe this is the heart-piece of all this purpose-talk and the root of finding peace and joy in every season to which we are called.

    When we look back at the book of Genesis, we see that God made people on purpose and for a purpose. When he created Adam and Eve, He made them stewards over all of creation. He gave them specific tasks to care for the world around them and to make something of it, and He invited them to enjoy their calling. They had a sense of purpose and the benefit of God’s eternal perspective guiding them. They didn’t have to “play the game” or engineer their own success, because they had God right there before them, showing them the best way. They had peace and fulfillment, living purposefully in God’s daily presence.

    In Genesis chapter 3, we meet a new creature, the serpent. The serpent was described as more crafty than any of the wild animals. (Genesis 3:1) I’m kind of a word-nerd, and the word “crafty” is defined in Webster’s dictionary as “clever at attaining one’s ends by indirect and often deceptive means”. The serpent’s agenda is not God’s agenda. He intends to corrupt peace and derail purpose. The serpent deceives Eve, telling her that if she eats from tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, her eyes will be opened, and she will be like God. He plants a seed of doubt in her mind by twisting the truth and making her question God’s goodness and sovereignty. The serpent convinces Eve that God is intentionally withholding something good from her. As she bought into that lie, an initial seed of doubt grew into an ugly weed of discontentment. Eve decided to take matters into her own hands, and in her fear of missing out, she relied upon on her own understanding and lost sight of what was true.

    That same seed of doubt pervades our culture today, stirring discontentment and the fear that we are missing out. The enemy still whispers in our ear, “If God really loved you, your life would be easier and your prayers would be answered the way you wanted. Look at your friend over there…if God really cares then why doesn’t your life look more like hers?”

    Discontentment is one of Satan’s greatest tools in derailing purpose and destroying peace. It is the same trick we see in the Garden of Eden in Genesis. He convinced Eve that she was missing out and not living up to her fullest potential. Likewise, he lures us into believing that in our current season of life, our purpose is not enough. While we can often recognize discontentment, we don’t always see that at the root of it is the false belief that God is intentionally withholding something good from us.

    This is such a subtle deception that can take hold in our hearts, without even being aware of it. That’s why it is so important to look honestly at our hearts and take any false thoughts captive. Are there areas in your life where you feel discontented? Do you believe God is holding back good from you? When you find yourself feeling like you are missing out on something good, or when it is tough to see how God is using you in your current season, tell God about it, ask Him for what you need. He wants to be in relationship with you, and provide for all your needs. He already knows what you need before you even ask it and He wants to give you good things (Matthew 6:8, 2 Corinthians 9:8). In the book of Matthew, Jesus says…

    Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”

    Matthew 7:7-11 (NLT)

    We are human and perpetually get things wrong. Yet, we know how to give good things to our kids and loved ones when they ask for it. God in His infinite wisdom, love and perfection knows even better how to give us good things. And what’s more, he knows when to give them and in just the right ways.

    One of my favorite quotes is by Lysa Terkeurst: “God loves you too much to answer your prayer in any other way than the right way, and at any time other than the right time.” This perspective of trust in God and how much He loves us is freeing, and reminds us of the relationship that God wants with us.

    Jesus encourages us continually ask and seek good things from our Heavenly Father. We are invited to be in relationship with God so that we can stay grounded in the truth of God’s character, and experience His benevolence and kindness. As we spend time with God, our perspective is no longer limited to what we can see and understand because we have God right there with us, showing us the best way. His eternal perspective helps us to know what to ask for and how to best live out the good purposes He has in store for us.

    When we believe that God has intentionally given us good things and put us right where we are for a good purpose, we can begin to see the everyday things, in any season as joy-giving and purposeful.

    I worked in healthcare for 13 years before pursuing my dream of doing full time women’s ministry and working in media. During that time, my health care job was important to my patients, and to my family, and helped provide for our physical needs. I enjoyed the work I did and wasn’t unhappy, but neither was I completely satisfied. I always felt like there was more, someday, to be achieved. I wasn’t sure what that would look like, just that there was more. I wanted to feel a greater sense of purpose in my career and in my life so that I could better use the gifts that God had given me. I wrestled with God a lot about timelines and details about what that might look like and when it would be time to step out in faith and pursue the dreams that were on my heart. On more than one occasion, I tried to do things my way, in my own time, only to end up back where I started. I had to trust and wait patiently on the Lord. When the time finally came, God made it clear what He was calling me to and everything fell into place. I have seen God at work more in these past few years than ever before.

    My career change was a dramatic shift that left me wondering if the 13 years in health care was a waste. Looking back now, I can see that God was cultivating in me the character and skills that I would need to walk in my current calling. Just like He is preparing me for the next season after this one.

    God will use all of our experiences to work out His good and perfect purposes. About two years ago, my mom had major heart surgery. She spent several days in the hospital after surgery transitioning from intensive care to a cardiac surgical unit, and then home. It was no coincidence that the first five years of my health care career were spent in a cardiac unit at a hospital. God had equipped me during that time with skills that I could never have anticipated needing, so that I could care for my mom and support my family when they needed it most. My experience in healthcare strengthened my own constitution, preparing me for what to expect, so I could stay calm and process all that was happening.

    Now, a couple years later, my mom is the healthiest she’s ever been, and we are celebrating her new lease on life together. All that time I had spent feeling adrift and wondering what God had in store for me, had culminated beautifully in one purposeful moment that made it all worthwhile. Had God answered my prayer to be an R&B musician right out of college, I would have been ill-equipped and of little service to my family in that time when my mom’s heart failed and surgery was required. God simply knew better.

    And that is just the outcome I could see. There are thousands of ripples from thousands of interactions with patients that all impact God’s kingdom. Everything we do, in every season can have eternal purpose.

    I want to encourage you to spend some time with God this week talking about your season and your purpose. Let the love of our Heavenly Father bring healing and peace to the places where discontentment has taken root. You can trust that God is not withholding good from you, but He is active and working on your behalf. No matter what season you are in, you have a purpose and God will use this time to bring about good things and blessing in your life and the lives of others.

    “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”- 2 Corinthians 9:8

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