How will I get through this?

Where do I turn?

What are we going to do?

Several times in my life, it felt as if I were free-falling. Like an amusement park ride, the bottom fell out from under me.

Such as the times my husband or I lost a job, our livelihood. And when I miscarried our second baby and hoped to have another child. Also, when my father passed away. In all those cases, insecurity locked arms with me as my unwelcome companion.

Because I not only panicked about our financial situation with a job loss, but I also wondered: what do we do now?

And honestly, I struggled to believe and trust God would get us through this and bring about our good in some way. Even though my trust waned in the past, we had indeed made it through the same hardship before.

After the miscarriage, the Lord blessed us with another child. But, if I never carried another baby to full term, would trusting God seem futile? When a loved one passes away instead of receiving a healing, is trusting God still possible?

While we may desire to place our full trust in God’s care, power, control, purpose, plan, and believe He has our best interest at heart, it’s not an easy thing. In fact, it’s super hard.

So is it possible to fully trust our heavenly Father, without hesitation, no matter our circumstances?

Oh, sure, I trust God when life is going along without a hitch. But what about when life isn’t good?

I’m realizing the Lord grows my faith and trust in Him more when life seems unknown than when things are going as planned. He’s growing in me a trust without hesitation.

I’m realizing the Lord grows my faith and trust in Him more when life seems unknown than when things are going as planned. He’s growing in me a trust without hesitation. @FridayKaren #blog
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Here’s what I’m learning.

Our Job is Trusting Instead of Worrying

Our job as a Christ-follower is to trust God’s power, ways and purposes.

And God’s job is everything else. He does the heavy-lifting.

Letting God be God and do His job changes our spiritual position from hustling to resting, from working to trusting, and from worrying to worshipping the Almighty.

Our trust is without hesitation when we look back and see God’s faithfulness in the past.

Then trust transfers over to our present and positions us for our future.

“I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’.” Psalm 91:2 (NIV)

Our trust is without hesitation when we look back and see God’s faithfulness in the past. Then trust transfers over to our present and positions us for our future. #blog
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We Trust God’s Impeccable Timing

We believe God is in control, on our side, and trust His impeccable timing.

God continues to remind me that His timing really is perfect. When I impatiently run ahead of Him, it never turns out well. And I often forfeit the best He has for me.

We trust God without hesitation when we give up control and hand the reins to Him. Then He reigns supreme in our hearts and lives. 

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)

We Trust the Lord’s Plans and Ways

We know the Lord’s plans for us are always for our good and His glory.

Even hardships that test our faith lead to a greater trust in the Lord. Walking through these trials is what God uses to pull us closer to himself and grow our trust that He’s working behind the scenes on our behalf even when we can’t see it.

Our loving and caring heavenly Father knows best and is directing the details from His throne room of glory.

We trust without hesitation when we lay down our agenda for God’s agenda; we pray for His kingdom in our lives instead of our own kingdom.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not trust in your own understanding. Agree with Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLV)

Next Step in Trusting

To combat anxiety, insecurity, panic or trouble letting go of control, it’s helpful to insert your name in the following scripture and the other verses in this article:

You keep ________ in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because she trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

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Hezekiah, king of Judah, is listed as one of the few kings from Israel’s pre-Babylonian captivity days who is described as having had a close relationship with God. This zealous king became keenly aware of the disobedience in Judah, and therefore made the decision to “clean house.” He ordered the destruction of altars that had been built for idol worship, shattered statues, and did not even spare Nehushtan –  the bronze snake used by Moses in the wilderness – because the people stopped looking at it as a reminder of God’s faithfulness and started worshipping it as an idol (2 Kings 18:4).

He cleaned and reopened the temple, which had been shut close by Ahaz, his unfaithful father; and reinstituted the Passover as a national holiday.

Revival descended upon the Southern Kingdom.

Judah was located between two world powers: Egypt and Assyria. Both countries wanted to control it because it was in the middle of a trading route to the Middle East; therefore, the nation that controlled Judah would have an economic advantage over its rivals.

When Hezekiah took the throne, the Assyrian King Sennacherib had besieged Jerusalem. And so, refusing to have the same fate as the northern Kingdom of Israel, which had been taken into captivity by the Assyrian king, king Hezekiah made a courageous move and rebelled against Assyria. He trusted God in the battle, thus defeating the Philistines (2 Kings 18:7).

But something went terribly wrong. Hezekiah became proud of his accomplishments. Later, he unwisely paraded his wealth to the Babylonian delegation, inciting greed in the heart of the Babylonian king (2 Kings 20:12-19). Thus, Babylon, a mighty military power, included Judah in the list of nations to conquer.

As we read on, we see the avalanche that happens when someone once faithful and favored by God, allows pride and unbelief to grasp his or her heart: the Prophet Isaiah tried to warn the King, but to no avail (Isaiah 30-31). Hezekiah took matters into his own hands. In an attempt to secure Judah’s borders, he sought a secret defensive alliance with Pharaoh against Sennacherib of Assyria, thus inciting an entire nation’s rebellion against God, once again.

The Jews started listening to anyone but God. Rather, they secretly sought refuge in the Egyptian’s military prowess.

The “secret” alliance was no secret to God. And so He speaks through Isaiah to the obstinate people:

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen, because they are very strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord! (…) Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit; (…) ” Isaiah 31:1, 3(a)

Judah chose to trust a strange, idolatrous nation for help when all they needed was to believe and trust God.

History repeated itself in the Southern Kingdom.

It repeats itself in many believer’s hearts today.

So many of us go through seasons of great trust in the Lord. We watch His mighty hand at work or recall His wonderful deeds in our lives, and because we choose to walk closely with Yahweh through daily communion with Him, we feel empowered by the memories of times of deliverance, provision and strength. We vow to “clean the temple” and trust in God for all our needs. Those are our Hezekiah, “Part I” moments.

But isn’t it true that the moment we move our eyes from His face, whether because we fail to seek Him daily or allow sin to take over our lives, it becomes easy to see our circumstances as too big for God to handle? Call those our Hezekiah, “The Sequel” moments, if you will. We all have them.

# 1 – We seek the help of “Egypt” instead of quietly relying on God for deliverance.

# 2 – We lean on our own understanding instead of “trust in the Lord with all our heart, in all our ways acknowledge Him,” and quietly wait for Him to “direct our path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 – paraphrased)

# 3 – We become impatient, anxious, and consequently, make hasty decisions.

And we do all these things while God sits on His throne, hands full of promise and power to deliver us from every.single.circumstance.

“As the lion or the young lion growls over his prey, against which a band of shepherds is called out, and he will not be terrified at their voice nor disturbed at their noise, so will the Lord of hosts come down to wage war on Mount Zion and on its hill.” Like flying birds so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and deliver it; He will pass over and rescue it.” Isaiah 31: 4-5

Oh, Father, help our unbelief!

Help us to open our eyes and see our anxiety for what it is – lack of trust! Faith failure!

Lord, Help us to open our eyes and see our anxiety for what it is – lack of trust! Faith failure! #MondayDevotional #MondayMotivation
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Open our eyes that we may see You as our just, compassionate and mighty King, Who is never deterred by the size or strength of our enemies!

Help us to see the Lion of Judah reigning over us, unphased by the chaos of our surroundings, and ever ready to defend our territory, if only we quiet our spirits long enough to let Him!

Help us to see the Lion of Judah reigning over us, unphased by the chaos of our surroundings, and ever ready to defend our territory, if only we quiet our spirits long enough to let Him!
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Take heart, my friend! The Lion of Judah roars over your circumstances today; nothing and no one can stand against Him.

Take heart, my friend! The Lion of Judah roars over your circumstances today; nothing and no one can stand against Him. #MondayDevotional #MondayMotivation
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Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

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LINKUP party! This week, a challenge to the believer's heart... before you take matters into your own hands, open your spiritual eyes to see the Lion of Judah roaring over your circumstances. Join us & share your blog!
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“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” 1 Corinthians 9:24

Tall and lean, the young woman passed me at a fast pace at the second-mile marker on my morning run. I looked up to watch the increasing distance between us and felt tempted to speed up.

“Nope. Don’t go there, missy.” I muttered under my breath.

I knew from recent experience that increasing my pace would only lead to one of two things: not being able to reach my 3-mile goal, or, worse yet, not being able to walk the next day. Sigh.

Yet, as I looked at the young gazelle once more, the competitive athlete trapped inside this aging shell wanted to catch up and pass her.

Fortunately, wisdom won, and I kept a steady pace. I shook off the distraction and continued listening to the excellent podcast playing in my ear.

It wasn’t long until I spotted Young Gazelle again. This time, she was walking. Pretty slowly, I must add.

“Hmmm. She must have ended her run.” I thought.

As I passed her, I could hear the heavy breathing. She was drenched in sweat and continued to walk through the track slowly. I kept at my steady pace, proudly passing the 20-something-year-old girl. It wasn’t long before I heard the steady steps behind me again. She was once more running at lightning speed, passing me as she did.

And then she stopped.

Again, I passed her panting self and finished my 3.5-mile run that day.

This “race” between the two of us got me thinking.

I started running not long ago after many years of inactivity. Whether due to the busyness of raising two young children, several health issues that prevented me from exercising consistently, or plain laziness, exercising was not a priority for the past decade. And then, as a new big birthday approached, I felt motivated to challenge my body to get in better shape.

The process started slowly, inspired by a good friend who is close to my age and started running in her late 40’s as well. I saw her posts on Social Media and asked if she would mentor me. To her surprise, I made it good on my word and showed up at the park for our first walk together, almost six months ago.

Following her advice, I downloaded the Couch-to-5k app (C25K), started walking, and then walking and running. The program slowly increased the time I spent running until, almost three months into the process, I was able to run for 3 miles non-stop.

“Slowly but surely.” That’s how I have been able to reach my first goal in this newfound challenge.

The woman that passed me that morning reminded me of my young self. Eager, rushed, anxiously pushing past my limits. But as I get older (and hopefully wiser), the Lord has been showing me that, most of the time, it is by slowing down and not rushing through the process that I can accomplish His purposes for my life.

Oh, don’t get me wrong – I’ve known that, all along. But the truth is – patience has never been one of my natural virtues. Countless times have I rushed through life, carelessly disregarding the pressure I was putting on my body and soul. The result was always the same: stress, anxiety, defeat.

Can anyone relate?

Can you testify of the many wrecks caused by lack of patience? #RechargeWednesday #Linkup #Impatience
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We want to lose weight and often dive into crash diets, eager to drop the pounds that were added through many years of lack of discipline. Instead of slowly changing bad habits and replacing them with good ones, we rush towards that feel-good moment when the scale quickly moves down… only to move up again a few months later.

We dread loneliness and rush into relationships that often take us far from God’s best for our lives.

We look at the person beside us at work, ministry, or friend group, and mimic their choices or push hard to “pass” them, only to realize it: that was supposed to be their rhythm, not ours.

We compare, rush to keep up… and then…crash.

Is that you today, my friend?

Could impatience be pushing you towards a lane that is not yours?

Could it be that the glimmer that comes from the life of that person you admire in ministry tempts you to rush out of your cadence and mimic theirs?

Could it be that the void in your heart pushes you into the arms of the wrong person, instead of trusting the embrace of your Savior?

Could it be that the devil’s lies have anchored your heart in a vicious and self-deprecating cycle?

“If I don’t do ‘X’, I’ll never succeed.”

“Look at ( )! I must speed up to catch them. I’m falling behind!”

“I can’t rest. I can’t slow down.”

“I will never accomplish ‘X’ unless I do ‘Y’ and ‘Z.”

Have you noticed how self-centered these thoughts can be?

For any time we step outside of our God-given pace, we give room for the famous trio “me, myself and I” to take over. “If I don’t…” “If I do…” “I…I…I…”

We lean on our own understanding instead of “trusting God, acknowledge Him in all our ways, and wait for Him to direct our paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 paraphrased).

So, here’s a challenge for you and me today:

If you find yourself “racing” to keep up with the person in front of you, I pray you stop, and spend some time with the Master. Leave YOUR plans, your understanding, your timing, your ways, your desires at the foot of the cross.

For as you do, He will guide you to follow the path and pace He designed for you, at this point in your life, lest you give up – breathless, burdened and broken – before crossing the finish line.

“You are you. Now, isn’t that pleasant?” – Dr. Seuss

You are you. Now, isn’t that pleasant? – Dr. Seuss #RechargeWednesday #Linkup
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LINKUP party is Open! A run in the park got me thinking about the almost irresistible tendency we often have to strive to keep up with someone else's pace. Join us and share your blog!
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Have you ever traded, exchanged one thing for another, and received the best end of the deal?

A few years ago, I begin praying prayers of exchange.

Lord, please exchange my infirmity with Your wholeness; and trade my empty for Your completeness. Amen.

You see, our relationship with the heavenly Father is always about trading up. Because what we trade pales in comparison to what He provides in return.

Our _______ for His ________.

Here are 15 of those uneven trades with God straight from the Bible.

Trading Up

1.) Our lack for His bounty.

“You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance” Psalm 65:11, NIV.

2.) Our shame for God’s mercy.

“But God is so rich in mercy; he loved us so much that even though we were spiritually dead and doomed by our sins, he gave us back our lives again when he raised Christ from the dead—only by his undeserved favor have we ever been saved…” Ephesians 2:4-5a, TLB.

3.) Our sorrow for the Lord’s joy. 

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” Isaiah 35:10, ESV.

4.) Our darkness for His light.

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” 1 John 1:5, ESV.

5.) Our weakness for His strength.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV.

God trades our lack for His bounty, our shame for His mercy, our sorrow for His joy, our darkness for His light, our weakness for His strength, and our.... Discover more at Soaring With Him Ministries. @FridayKaren #christianblog
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Amazing Exchanges

6.) Our fear for God’s courage.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9, NIV.

7.) Our burden for the Lord’s rest.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28, NIV.

8.) Our doubt for God’s trust.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not trust in your own understanding. Agree with Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:5-6, NLV.

9.) Our affliction for His healing.

“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture” Malachi 4:2, TLB.

10.) Our hate for His love.

“We love because he first loved us” 1 John 4:19, ESV.

Lord, please exchange my infirmity with Your wholeness; and trade my empty for Your completeness. Amen. @FridayKaren #prayers
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Trading With God

11.) Our lies for God’s truth.

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” John 8:31-32, ESV.

12.) Our evil for the Lord’s good.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8, ESV.

13.) Our trouble for the Lord’s peace.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” John 16:33, NIV.

14.) Our sin for His grace.

“Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” Romans 3:24, NLT.

15.) Our death for His life.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23, NLT.

What amazing trades! Which trade resonates the most with you?

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Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

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Our relationship with the #HeavenlyFather is always about trading up. What we trade pales in comparison to what He provides in return. Join @FridayKaren for 15 of these amazing trades. Link up is open. Share your blog.
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“So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)

It’s the same story every January. Gyms are filled with people recommitting to exercise. Health food companies’ profits skyrocket, as dieters rush to purchase healthier food options.  We feel compelled to pledge new dedication to our goals and dreams.  The New Year seems to bring along a thread of new hope and endurance to our December-weary bodies.

As I retreated to pray about the New Year, a wave of questions danced across my mind. What would my objectives for 2019 be? How could I be more effective for God’s kingdom?

“What do You want me to focus on, Father?”

For several minutes I prayed for direction.  And as I silenced, this question popped in my mind:

“How will you look like next December?”

I knew it, instantly – the task ahead of me this year would not require more time in the gym. It would not require more writing or more serving. His main objective for my year involves transformation. Life-changing, Heaven-driven heart transformation.

It dawned on me that most people’s New Year’s resolutions (including my own) have usually little or nothing to do with God or His work. Rather, they usually focus on satisfying the imminent year with good things and betterment of self.

There is nothing wrong with seeking to improve our quality of life, the shape of our bodies, or fulfilling our dreams. However, there is a specific challenge ahead of the believer at the dawn of each day, which is often overlooked: more than looking better or accomplishing more, our main goal should be to become more like Jesus. Be His hands and feet in the world more often. Stand up and stand out more. Be bolder. Brighter. Holier.

To become more like Jesus. Now that’s a New Year’s resolution!

More than looking better or accomplishing more, our main #NewYearsgoal should be to become more like Jesus. To stand up & stand out. Be bolder. Brighter. Holier.
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Should the world… no, wait! Should all believers set this up as their highest goal for the New Year, what kind of impact would we make in society?

Choosing to offer the other cheek to the co-worker who tried to undermine your project… (Luke 6:29)

Forgiving someone who has hurt you beyond words…  (Colossians 3:13)

Watching each word of condemnation… of discouragement… or gossip… (James 3:8-11)

Waiting on God’s timing for the right relationship… (Psalm 37: 7-9)

Being watchful and reprimanding prideful thoughts and selfish ambitions… (James 3:14-16)

Choosing to trust God in the midst of each trial… (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Withholding anger… bitterness… hateful words… (Ephesians 4:29)

Ouch.  All of a sudden, hours on the treadmill and dieting seem to be an easy task, right?

Indeed, although we are fully equipped to live holier lives, we often choose not to. We may settle for old behaviors instead of relying on the transforming power of His Word. We may choose to take the reins of our lives, instead of waiting on His promises. We may choose to pay back instead of extending grace. We may decide to wave angry fists at God when things do not go as we planned, instead of trusting that His ways are higher, better and bathed in perfect love.

All along, the Holy Spirit within us cries out for MORE. More time with Yahweh.  More acts of kindness. More of His Fruit. More of Jesus’ character in us and through us.

The Holy Spirit within us cries out for MORE. More time with Yahweh. More acts of kindness. More of His Fruit. More of Jesus’ character in us and through us. #NewYearsresolutions #NewYear2019
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So I present a challenge to you today:

It’s January. We have twelve months ahead of us. More than focusing on how much better we will look or how much more accomplished we will become, how about you and I choose to walk so close to Jesus this year, that His glory will radically transform us? How about we so exercise our spiritual muscles through reading His Word, listening to His voice and obeying His will, that we will finish 2019 looking fitter, stronger and more successful than ever?

I choose Jesus as my highest pursuit this year. How about you?

He is the only goal that will certainly never disappoint… or fail us.

I choose Jesus as my highest pursuit this year. How about you? He is the only goal that will certainly never fail us. #NewYearsresolutions #NewYear2019
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Friends,

We will not have a Link up party next Wednesday, July 25th. We will resume our linkup with Bethany on the first Wednesday in August (08/01). Please linkup with us below!

Patricia

When my youngest daughter was little, she would get very upset when I called her out for disobeying. I remember my then 4-year old toddler’s big hazel eyes would fill with the biggest tears, as she sincerely and somberly promised: “I am sawee, mommy. I won’t do it again!” I knew she meant it. But if you are a mom, you know what happened. Her promise did not last two days.

I remember how aggravated I was at the fact that I had to repeat myself one hundred times to my little children regarding what they should and shouldn’t do. I would get upset that they just didn’t seem to get it. I remember one particular instance, when I became so furious at their repeated disobedience, that I took my case to Almighty God: “Father – really! How long do I have to repeat myself to these kids? I want to be a good, patient, loving mom, but they will make me lose it one of these days! Help THEM, Lord!”

That’s when I felt that tug in my heart and knew the Holy Spirit was about to teach me a lesson through my kids (again). I looked up and there was the big mirror in my foyer.

“Look at the mirror! Are you any different?” 

Ahem.

Nope. I am not any different.

Neither was Israel.

“Now the angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim And He said, ” I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? “ Judges 2:1-3

God delivered Israel out of bondage through an amazing sequence of miracles: the plagues in Egypt, parting the Red Sea, providing manna in the desert, victorious wars against powerful enemies, the surprising fall of the walls of Jericho, just to name a few.

Yet, they continuously doubted, compromised and disobeyed.

Isn’t that our story as God’s people? Just like Israel, God has delivered us over and over again. He has been Jehovah Jireh, our Provider, Jehovah Rafa, our Healer, our Strong Tower in times of trouble. I am sure we can all look back and count the numerous times that He showed up and delivered us, time and again. And yet, when we are facing trials, many of us have a hard time acting on the belief that He will show up again. Our tendency is to take matters into our own hands, not realizing that, when we do so, we build altars to the gods of self-indulgence: our timing, our things, and our plans.

I can’t help but imagine God saying, just as he did to His people gathered in Bochim: “What is this you have done?”

Just as it was for Israel, the awesome covenant that God made with us requires only two things on our part: Love and Obedience. All our good works and church activities together cannot make up for not fulfilling our part in the Covenant He made with us:

“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22

When God gives us an instruction, we are never to second-guess Him. When He says, “Give this up!” – we are not to ask why or rationalize whether or not His instructions make sense.
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As children, we should say: “Yes, Lord.”

That’s what I so hope my children will eventually learn to do: simply obey. No excuses or questioning. Period.

Blind obedience is the place in our walk with God where the rubber meets the road. It’s where our faith surpasses our reasoning.

It’s the place where our worship songs are not just a feel-good moment – they become our hearts’ songs. It’s the place where my Bible is indeed the Living Word, and instead of complaining and taking matters into my own hands or trying to figure a way out of my trial, I write anchor Bible verses on post-it notes so I can remind myself of the God of the Covenant: My Maker, Savior, Deliverer, Provider, Strong Tower, Healer. My Daddy, Abba Father.

What are the trials that you are currently facing, my friend?

Are you so busy trying to get out of the place of your trial, that you will miss the blessings God has for you if you withstand the tribulation with Him? Do you realize that God may just be waiting for you to be still, to worship Him for who He is in spite of your circumstances and trust Him?

May we remember today that God’s part on His covenant will never change. He has eternal blessings, provision and protection for all His children. May we remember today that ultimately, all He requires from us is love and obedience. Period.

Abba Father,

I worship You today for who You are. I praise You because the Covenant You made with me in Christ Jesus will never change. I pray You forgive me for the times I try to take matters into my own hands and step out of Your will. I pray You will strengthen my faith and open my spiritual eyes, just as You did to Elisha’s servant, that I may see the chariots of fire lined up to fight my battles for me. I thank You for the strength that You give me when I reach out to You. I pray that You will teach me to be still and not move until you tell me to, even if it’s very uncomfortable. Guide me and teach me to obey You, that I may keep my part in the Covenant that You made with me.

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The theme for the weekend retreat was based on Jeremiah 29:13.

With the message of my book Twelve Inches as the backdrop, we spent the weekend talking about how to allow what we know about our God to rule over our emotions, thus developing and maintaining strong faith.

It was a revival-type of weekend, as several women recommitted their lives to following Jesus with all their heart, mind and soul.

The retreat organizers had planned for one of their church’s ministers to end the retreat on Sunday morning with the Lord’s Supper. After a service filled with testimonies of how God moved during the weekend, we were ready to partake of the Lord’s Table.

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

She shared a short message about how the busyness and messiness of life can easily misplace our hearts from fully resting in God.

At the end of the message, she shared an image that God gave her – a reminder of how He designed for His children to live.

Pulling two colored paper hearts, one bigger than the other, she held them up and gently placed the small heart inside the larger one.

“This is how God wants us to live,” she said. “Allowing our hearts to be centered in His.”

She had a basket full of small and big hearts that she passed along, and each of us picked one of each to keep.

I sat my two hearts on my lap and contemplated the visual.

While playing with the small heart inside the larger one, I started moving the smaller heart towards the center of the larger one. Because they were hand cut, they looked quite asymmetric together.

That’s when my perfectionism kicked in.

I started moving the small heart upwards, so it rested better centered, and the edges became even on both sides.

It looked better that way. It just did.

Or so I thought.

That’s when I heard God whisper in my heart:

“When you move your heart from the center of Mine, look at where your heart ends up.”

I looked again and realized what He meant.

I was wearing black pants, and, as I shifted my little heart from the center of His heart, the upper edges of the small heart touched the fabric of my black pants.

As my heart left the center of His, and even thought it seemed to look better than it did before, it moved outside of His perfect heart… thus touching darkness.

The imagery was as clear as the message therein:

God knows His perfect plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11) …

And even when we were living in exile (Jeremiah 29:10) …

He called us to turn to Him, inviting us to live within His heart (Jeremiah 29:13) …

The boundaries of God’s heart is the safest place for His children to live. Everything outside of that… is darkness.

The boundaries of God's heart is the safest place to live. Everything outside of that is darkness.
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I don’t know about you – but I often find myself fiddling with my own plans, leaning on my inadequate wisdom, shifting to accommodate ideas that makes sense.

Indeed, it appears to be so harmless to shift just a bit from the center of God’s will…

And it certainly can happen so.very.subtly.

But all it takes is one important decision without consulting Him, and we may be on the way to place our life outside of His protection and perfect plan.

Just a little compromise…

Or saying yes before praying…

Bringing our moral compass just a little off course to please someone…

Or justifying our sin or lackluster faith walk…

Spending little time listening to God… and too much time heeding worldly voices…

It’s subtly simple…

It’s one little shift at a time.

What an image! What a Truth!

May we remember that waiting upon God before moving is not only a matter of obedience, but also a matter of trusting His loving hands. May we rest our hearts completely in His, even if, from our perspective, life would feel or look a bit better elsewhere.

Friend, if today you are tempted to move forward before a divine Green Light leads you on, I pray you make a deliberate decision to sit back down…

Be still before your God.

Seek the peace that surpasses all understanding before moving forward, trusting that, even though it may look like your life would look better somewhere else, the only place where your heart will find balance, joy, peace and freedom…

Is in the Center of His perfect Will.

Nothing else will do.

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