Jennifer Slattery's Blog, page 16

Becoming What God Desires

(This first posted in 2018.)

We all have an idea of who we want to be, who we think we are, and who, in Christ, we’re becoming. Sometimes those “identities” contradict one another, leaving us feeling confused, frustrated, and defeated. If you’ve entrusted your life to Jesus, Ephesians 2:10 says you’re His masterpieces, handcrafted for a specific purpose, planned before you took our first breath. As my guest today illustrates, the more we allow God to chisel and mold us, the more we discover who we truly are–who God created us to be.

 

Becoming What God Desires

by Katie Clark.

It’s hard to live as the person God created me to be. Sometimes this contradicts who I think I am. Other times, discovering her involves pain and heartache. I criticize, talk down to myself, and obsess over all my failures.

Broken dreams, failed plans, and unexpected roadblocks have diverted my vision and altered my steps. Instead, I find myself on a different path—the one God put me on.

I’m slowly learning how to be whom God designed instead of the person I thought I would be. I’m also learning, even in my broken places, I’m still the person I always thought I was. I’m broken and whole. Broken because of the path my life has taken, but whole because of how Jesus put me back together.

I struggle with knowing whether I can be both at once, but I know it’s true because I’ve lived it. 1 Peter 2:9 tells me I’m chosen, whether I feel this or not. Daily Bible reading, devotions, and prayer time are my most trusted means of coming to terms with who God made me to be.

But I’ve also found being this person—this broken yet whole person who struggles with grief and pain—allows me to connect with others in a way I never knew was possible before. I can see the brokenness in others now, and I want to help them. I believe serving others can bring healing and wholeness in a way nothing else can.

I still struggle with self-degradation and living in regret. Questioning all my choices that led me to this place. But through a gentle walk with God I’m learning I don’t have to listen to those negative voices in my head. I can stand boldly in Christ and be the person He fashions me into each day.

What about you? How do you find strength and courage to step into God’s role for your life? What are some ways you combat negative, self-defeating thought patterns? Share your thoughts, tips, and examples with us in the comments below, because we can all learn from and encourage one another!

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You’ll receive great content sent directly to your inbox (a short story, devotion, recipe, and more) along with a free, 36-lesson study (ebook) based on 1 Timothy (sent separately via a clickable link in the follow-up welcome letter). Note: If you signed up for her newsletter but never received your free ebook, please contact me HERE.

Want Jennifer or one of her team members to come speak at your next women’s event? Contact her HERE. 

Get to know Katie!

Katie Clark started reading fantastical stories in grade school and her love for books never died. Today she reads in all genres; her only requirement is an awesome story! She writes adult inspirational romance, including her novel Securing The Handyman’s Heart, and her Christmas novel Radio Wave Romance. She also writes young adult speculative fiction, including her romantic fantasy novel, The Rejected Princess, her supernatural survival novel, Shadowed Eden, and her dystopian Enslaved Series. You can connect with her at her website, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

 

Check out her latest release, The Rejected Princess:

When Princess Roanna Hamilton’s parents arrange a marriage with a prince of Dawson’s Edge—the mysterious and backwards kingdom to the south—Roanna reluctantly agrees. But when Roanna is introduced to Dawson’s royal family, strange mind-bending anomalies are awakened within her, and she discovers the Dawsonian royal family holds secrets of their own. With threats growing daily, Roanna comes to realize the danger she is in. If Roanna is to save herself and her future, she must stall her marriage and squelch the growing rebellion—all while discovering how deeply her power runs.

Before you leave, make sure to catch the latest Your Daily Bible Verse podcast episode.

 

https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

Overcomers in Christ

Photo from Annie Spratt on Unsplash

(The following is an adapted transcript from the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast, which aired on November 3rd, 2021.)

Jesus didn’t say our would wouldn’t hurt. He didn’t promise to shield us from disappointment and struggle, but He did assure us He’d give us the strength to remain standing, to keep stepping, and ultimately, to overcome.

“I have told you these things,” He said, in John 16:33, indicating everything He discussed in the chapters prior, “so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Some translations say, “In this world you will have tribulation,” which would make us think of external problems like storms, wars, persecution, and sickness. Jesus certainly told us to expect all of those things. The word He used in this instance, however, pointed to the internal pressure one experiences outward hardships leave them feeling trapped without options or means of escape.  

It’s like He was saying, “My dear friends whom I love, life is going to become hard, and you will be afraid.” 

This reminds me of His earlier statement in John 14:1 and 27 when He told the disciples not to let their hearts be troubled, adding, the second time, “and do not be afraid.” 

When we read those words, we might feel a surge of guilt or self-condemnation, assuming Christ becomes upset we feel afraid. But I view His statements as gentle encouragement; an invitation to seek Him and His strength.

“Do not LET your hearts be troubled,” He said, as if He knew this was going to be a fight. Adding in verse 27, for emphasis, and do not be afraid.

“Take courage,” he urged, which, based on the original Greek, means to strengthen oneself from within, or better yet, to allow God to strengthen us. 

That is how we battle our fears. By believing in, trust in and rely on, Christ. As we intentionally reflect on who He is, what He’s done, and all He’s promised and evaluate our fears in light of all we know is true, our faith grows.

And so He invites us to believe, in an ever deepening way, in Him. 

Why?

Because He overcame the world. 

Notice, He didn’t say, because “I might overcome” or even “I’m going to overcome” but rather, “I’ve already overcome.” He let His disciples know, before the resurrection, that the victory was already won. He had already overcome. His disciples, His beloved friends who belonged to Him, had already overcome as well. And just as surely as their victory had been already been won, in Christ, ours has also.

Photo by Josh Calabrese on Unsplash

As 18th century Bible scholar John Ellicott wrote, “The enemies they fear, the world in which they have tribulation, are already captives following in the Conqueror’s train. They themselves have pledges of victory in and through His victory.”

Life will feel hard at times. Frightening. Jesus didn’t deny that, nor did He condemn His disciples for the emotional struggle they’d soon experience. As He was speaking to them, laying out all that would soon happen, not once did He chastise them for their sorrow and fear. Instead, He acknowledged it, validated it, but then He spoke His truth, peace, and love into them. 

He invited them let their fears drive them deeper in their relationship with Him. That was how they’d “take heart” or have courage, as some translations phrase it. 

And in this, we see His tender heart to comfort and encourage us. To love us, because He knows it’s His love, not His anger or judgment, that has the power to cast out all fear. 

What is one truth regarding Christ-His character, power, or promises-you can focus on the next time you feel afraid?

Speaking of enduring hard circumstances, make sure to listen to the latest Faith Over Fear podcast episode to hear how God helped Wholly Loved’s Kelly Campbell hold tight to hope when she began slipping into despair.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/trusting-gods-promise-to-use-our-suffering-for-good-ep-106

How Tenacious is Your Love

Lately, I’ve been thinking about all the spiritual conversations I could’ve had but didn’t, and therefore, all of the potential life change I could’ve witnessed, but didn’t. The hurts that may never have occurred and the healing that could have, once Jesus got a hold of a person, and then a family, and then a community …

As you can imagine, I found today’s post, sent to me by my friend LoRee Peery, timely. In it, she asks a vital question. In essence, what are we doing with this precious gift of life we’ve been entrusted with?

How Tenaciously Are You Sowing Seeds

by LoRee Peery

I opened the email with today’s post attached. Have you ever asked yourself if you are tenacious in spreading God’s words? Are you familiar with the Parable of the Sower? Those who grew up in the church most likely heard this tale of Jesus told in Sunday school. One of His famous, this parable regards planting seeds and is recorded in Matthew 13:18-23, Mark 4:13-20, and Luke 8:5-15.

The farmer/sower planted seeds in various types of soil: on the road where it was trampled or eaten by birds, on a rock where it withered due to lack of moisture, among thorns where it was choked out. And of course, the seed that thrived in good soil where it produced a hundredfold.

I have a patch of four-foot-tall hybrid tiger lilies that bloom in late July. The gorgeous clusters of drooping orange petals dotted with black spots and fragile middle parts, which I can’t name, are captivating to a creative eye. The original bulbs were planted in rich loamy garden soil, fertilized many years ago by the cattle that grazed where our acreage is now. But the stalk of the plant produces seeds that have dropped and thrived abundantly, sometimes in unbelievable places.

To prevent more lilies from taking root, one year I deadheaded them by plucking off the dark seeds before the floral petals started to fall. Some of the larger seeds had already split and rooted.

Quite a few of the obstinate tiger lily seeds dropped amongst the bigger rocks of a neighboring garden and took root where I don’t want them to grow. Unbelievably, I found them under rocks, on top of the ground cover, sideways, hidden in the dark, without soil. And they grew!!

I discovered piles of seeds anywhere they rolled to the lower contours of the earth, especially under the heaviest rocks. When I saw the sideways, flattened bulbs, with twisted roots spreading and seeking nourishment, I couldn’t help but think of the original black seeds. Those seeds were bound and determined to grow despite opposing forces.

Other biblical seed phrases also came to mind:

Seedtime and harvest, kingdom of heaven like a mustard seed, the seed is the Word of God.

And then I considered seeds I’ve encountered mentally, followed up with cultivating and watering. I’ve had seeds of doubt, seeds of faith, seeds of ideas, and seeds of sins.

By that time, I was more than ready to quit digging the itsy lily bulbs (seeds that had taken root) for the day. Grandma on her knees atop rocks is not a pleasant sight. (It didn’t feel too terrific either.)

I carried the seed of a plan with me as I put away my tools. The remaining orange petals would be done and/or dropped a couple days later. I strategized to cut the stalks so I could get around easier in the tiger lily garden spot. That would enable me to hunker down and pick up black seeds from on top of the soil before they began to bury themselves and take root, and also would give me clear access to bulbs in the fence line.

The thought of seeds wouldn’t leave me. I’m still old-school and have a dictionary tome on one corner of my desk. I dare you to check the various meanings of seeds. Then consider the kinds of word and/or action seeds you’ve dropped, and to whom.

I dare you to pray about those words and actions. There’s a chance bad word seeds need to be dug up long before they can sprout. Also, follow up on the good word seeds (telling others the Good News of Jesus) to full reproduction.

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones” (1 Thess. 3:12-13, NIV*).

Love Grows

Love is motivation

  God so loved,

    He created all life

The Lord loves

  His love grows

    In His people

His love flows

  One to another

    Love grows Christ-like

God’s love strengthens,

  The heart muscle

    Becomes more holy

Blameless is the goal

 To be Holy in God’s eyes

    Motivates life with Jesus.

~~ LoRee Peery

*Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Get to Know LoRee:

Nebraska country girl LoRee Peery writes fiction that hopefully appeals to adult readers who enjoy stories written from a Christian perspective, focusing on the romance. These include novels and novellas for women and men in the Contemporary, Romance, Historical, Time Travel, and Mystery/Suspense categories. She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. Her Frivolities Series launched her releases, and the book based on her father’s unsolved homicide, Touches of Time, was a personal relief. She is who she is by the grace of God: Christian, country girl, wife, mother, grandmother and great-, sister, friend, and author. Connect with LoRee at www.loreepeery.com, find her on Facebook, and check out the rest of her titles at Pelican and Amazon.

Check Out Her Highlighted Book:

Talia Ashby is a perfectionistic data analyst who, on occasion, sees her “fat” self when she looks in the mirror. As a svelte former obese girl, she reunites with her secret teen crush, now a pastor in the church she attends.

Cooper Valiant is dazzled upon meeting a high school friend he doesn’t immediately recognize due to her drastic weight loss. Since his sister had an eating disorder, he’d often felt empathy toward Talia as classmates teased and bullied her. In his pastorate position, he asks her to help girls in the youth group come to grips with body-image.

While working with the girls, Talia’s recollections of youthful hurts stir up past insecurities. She must reassess her spiritual journey, and what bothers her in the present.

Added to the mix are her reawakened emotions toward the man who once came to her rescue. Will their joint journey include a personal relationship?

Buy it HERE.

And before you go, make sure to check out the latest Your Daily Bible Verse podcast episode.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

Held Secure in Christ

Jesus should’ve given up on me long ago. But each day, despite my sins and failures, God draws and holds me close.

In Christ, I am held secure.

I never fully understood God’s heart for me until I became a parent. But having walked beside my daughter through her obedient and rebellious times, I’ve come to understand the love that never lets go and never gives up.

When our daughter was young, we moved across the country, a transition she struggled with. Though initially we were oblivious to her pain—seven-year-olds aren’t often able to express their emotions—we soon became alert to a drastic change of behavior. Our normally cheerful, affectionate little girl had become sullen and angry.

I was confused and concerned.

One afternoon, she grew quite upset with me (for reasons I can’t remember), and shouted, “I hate you!” then slammed her bedroom door.

That was the first, and perhaps last time she’d ever said something like that to me, and it broke my heart, but not for the reasons you may assume.

My heart broke because I knew hers was breaking. Beneath her anger and harsh words, I saw her pain, and in that moment, what I longed for most was to draw her near and hold her close.

I’ve displayed a similar response toward God as she had to me, numerous times, throughout my faith journey. Like when my friend was dying, and I struggled to reconcile my circumstances with what I knew regarding God’s love, power, and sovereignty. Once my emotions settled down, guilt and fear followed. Had my anger angered God?

Had I—or would I—do something that would drive Him away for good?

But each time, I discovered not only had He remained, but He was actually taking giant, loving steps toward me.

In John 10:29, our Savior said, “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (NIV).

That’s a promise we can hold tight to. Christ holds me, and you, secure and His love will always, always remain.

Unshakable. Immovable. Solid and Sure.

Let’s talk about this! How can you rest in the security of Christ today? Sometimes this starts with a reminder. The reminder that we don’t have to have it all together or know all the answers. We simply need to turn and surrender to and rely upon the One who does.

Speaking of reliance on Christ, make sure to check out the latest Your Daily Bible Verse podcast episode on living in Christ’s perfect guidance.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

There’s new content on Faith Over Fear as well. Find it here.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

Shining Light in the Dark

(This first posted on September 14, 2017.)

Every day is a battle—for truth versus deception. For relational intimacy versus isolation. For growth and godliness versus sin and self-destruction. Ultimately, for love toward God and others versus idolatry of self.

This—the battle against self—is by far my greatest battle. This is what threatens to derail me more than any outward casualty or setback I may experience. Self-love leads me toward self-elevation (which is idolatry). Agape love centers me in the will of Christ.

At their root, each of these is a battle between light and darkness.

Two extremes, continually pitted against one another. The only solution? Surrender to Jesus Christ.

It’s almost ironic, as I type this this morning, over a week before it will go “live,” I am and have been in the throws of this battle, one I thought I’d won but a week prior. And the week before that. And the week before that as I prayerfully “crucify my flesh” as Scripture puts it, asking the Holy Spirit to give me the strength to offer all of me to Him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1).

And yet, here I am again, resisting the ugly within me so the pure, honorable, self-sacrificing love of Christ can shine forth.

My battle plan? Prayer and praise as I seek to be filled with more and more of Christ, knowing when that happens, all else will fade away. Because He is my treasure, and this present world is short but eternity is forever.

About five years ago, I spoke to women living in a women and children’s shelter in Kansas City, women who had lost nearly everything—their homes, their livelihoods, their self-respect. Some were experiencing the consequences of poor choices. Some were, but not all. Others were simply in a really rough place, likely crying out to God, asking Him why. Why had He allowed them to reach that place?

Did He not see them? Was He deaf to their cries? Had He forgotten them?

Did He not care?

But what if, in fact, His attentive eye was zeroed in on them, in the middle of their darkness, as He shined His love and light through them?

That night, I shared the story of Joseph, a man who, from the very beginning had been given an incredible promise from God—that God would raise him, second to the youngest of twelve sons, to a place of leadership, where the rest of his family would “bow down” to him.

photo by Viktoria Hall-Waldhauser from Unsplash

If you’re familiar with this account, you know God had much more planned for Joseph than simply familial leadership. But first, Joseph went through some incredibly hard years facing struggles and humiliation that would, quite frankly, send me hiding in by bedroom with the blankets pulled up to my chin and a big ol’ bag of tootsie rolls within reach.

You can read his story in its entirety in Genesis 37-51, but to paraphrase, God allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery, dragged to a foreign land where he was stripped of all rights and forced to spend his every waking moment in service to another, and then thrown into prison. And at each step, he was given a choice: focus on himself and all he’d lost or perhaps all he “deserved,” (after all, he’d been called, personally, by Creator God!), or surrender and live, 100% in obedience to and for the glory of His Creator.

Because he chose the latter, he shined the light of God in the middle of some incredibly dark places.

I believe this was the battle God had called him to, and make no mistake, it was an intense, moment-by-moment battle! This was also the battle God called Timothy to, as he pastored that church, filled with false teaching and division, in Ephesus. And it’s a battle God calls each one of us to, as we stand against discontentment, selfish ambition, and greed—the very attitudes that had caused the false teachers in Ephesus to wreak such destruction (1 Tim. 1:6-7, 6:4-5).

And so, this brings our study full-circle with the reminder that it’s all about love. God’s kind of love. A love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.

We can fight many battles in any given day, but the battle that wars within is the most vital, because everything else stems from that. We are most effective when we are most yielded to God’s Spirit at work within and through us. He has a plan, a good, victorious plan, for tackling whatever battle is warring around us, and He may (or may not) use us to fight it.

But make no mistake; He’s the One who will do the fighting. He’s the One who will win the victory. Our role is quite simple—to surrender and obey. If we do anything else, we’ll merely be getting in His way.

For those who’ve been following the 1 Timothy Bible study, this weekend, I encourage you to take time review what you’ve learned in the previous weeks. Journal what God has shown you, and simply take time to rest at His feet. Make Romans 12:1 your prayer:

Dear Lord, in view of Your mercy, in view of all You’ve done for me, help me to offer my body—my time, my thoughts, my will; my whole self—to You, as a living sacrifice because of all You have done for me. May that be how I, daily, worship You.”

Pray this prayer often, and then wait and see what God does. Wait and see how He uses you to bring healing to the hurting, life to the dead, and sight to the blind.

What resonated most with you in today’s post? What inner battle do you tend to fight the most, and what can you do today to strengthen your connection with Christ–the One who has equipped and empowered us for victory? What are some ways you fight the battle against self-love?

Share your thoughts and insights with us, because we can all learn from one another! And make sure to check out the latest Faith Over Fear Podcast episode.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

And catch the latest Your Daily Bible Verse podcast episode here:

https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

My Secret to Enduring Joy guest post by Carol McClain

My Secret to Joy

by Carol McClain

Has life discouraged you? Does society seem strange? Have we normalized destructive behavior so that we’re confused if we can classify anything as right or wrong?

If the answer to any of these is yes, I’m not surprised. We’re awash with bad news: war, disease, inflation … I can add to the list, but I’d rather count my blessings than the downfalls of our era.

You don’t need any more of this. Neither do I. Life is short, and for me, definitely getting shorter faster than I like. I’m not flooded with despair. God granted me blessings piled on top of blessings, so instead of grousing, I decided to focus on joy.

But how does one see the good when so much is wrong?

This is an odd thing for this woman who was raised with my family’s Belorussian attitude of fatalism. Why hope for the best when you’re going to be stuck with the worst?

Balderdash. Here’s my epiphany on the day that joy finally became my go-to emotion.

On a frosty morning, I drove to my favorite hiking spot in our beautiful Smoky Mountains. I swerved around curves. A glorious stream flowed over rocks and cascaded downhill to my left. Narrow lanes and curving mountain roads caused me not to ogle the jaw-dropping beauty of the overarching rock face of the mountains. Here, icicles clung to the ledges and sparkled in the early morning sunlight.

I raced toward my mission late and fearful my tardiness would upset my hiking buddy. Besides, I’d seen the scenery this before.

As I approached Meigs Falls, two tourists stepped out of their car. With cameras poised, they shot pictures. The falls, in flood stage, roared gloriously. Only one car carrying two middle-aged tourists noticed the roaringly pristine view.

I hurried on, but what was I thinking?

Focused on my destination, I ignored the journey. Teal water falling, forever falling and never running dry, danced over slate-grey cliffs. Spray sparkled in the early morning. A canopy of rocks with water dancing over its ledges in the dawn should never become a humdrum appearance.

When my friends first showed me this waterfall, I found the scene a beauty worthy of continual photographs from every conceivable perspective. For many months, I strained to glimpse the falls. That day, though?

Why did I let my vision grow stale?

During this drive, my spirit finally absorbed my favorite scripture. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4:8, ESV).

A simile jumped to my mind as I thought, “If there is anything worthy of praise,” think about these things like a tourist.

As a visitor (as I am here on earth), I might never get this moment again. Life is fragile. I need to be ready—in season and out. Vacationers come prepared with cameras and clothing and maps. They search, look, and see. The friend I rushed to meet knows and loves me. She would understand if I were delayed. I needed to take my time, to forget the bad things and remember Philippians. I need to concentrate on what is lovely.

As I drove, I switched the radio from the news droning on about the latest crisis in politics and tuned into my favorite Christian station. My favorite group, For King and Country, sang “Joy.” The song made me want to dance because God is good, and I am blessed. I live. I’m loved. The world is beautiful.

So, dance I will.

Practice being a tourist. Focus on joy. You’ll find yourself dancing and singing even when your world falls apart.

Get to Know Carol:

Carol McClain is the award-winning author of four novels dealing with real people facing real problems. She is a consummate encourager, and no matter what your faith might look like, you will find compassion, humor and wisdom in her complexly layered, but ultimately readable work.

Aside from writing, she’s a skilled stained-glass artist, an avid hiker and photographer. She lives in East Tennessee. Her most recent interest are her two baby does Peanut & Buttercup. Like all babies, they love sitting on our laps and. Being bottle fed.

You can find more about Carol McClain at carolmcclain.com, Facebook,  BookBub, and Goodreads

Check out her latest release Prodigal Lives:

Life keeps piling problems on Meredith Jaynes. She loses her second foster child—one she was scheduled to adopt. Then Parker Snow refuses to marry her. With only her goats and artisan soap to support her, life will get no better.

If she is honest, though, she still has Crystal. Her funny, happy, loveable toddler makes the sun shine and reminds her of the never-failing love of God.

Pearl Solomon loves her life with her grandfather Guy, but every one of her triumphs is overshadowed by her sisters’ lives. With Mama Meredith, they live a life she envies. Because of her jealousy, she refuses to contact them.

Years later, life for both families twist down paths they do not wish to travel. Pearl knows she’s lost what was most precious in life but has no means of fixing things. Left to her own devices, she spirals out of control.

Meredith finds it harder to mask the despair infertility has brought to her life.

Both families believe they must reconcile themselves to their fates as reality shatters their dreams unless they dig deep for the promise of love.

But it HERE.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

When those we reach out to ask us to leave them alone

(The below is a transcript, edited slightly, taken from an iBelieve video devotion.)

We know God commanded us to love, right? Sometimes, the “how” related to that seems clear, like when we serve at a homeless soup kitchen, pray with a hurting friend, or prioritize relationships with friends and family. But what if the person we reach out to consistently pushes us away? How do we know when to persevere, doing our best to initiate connection, and when to respectfully honor the other person’s wishes?

A while ago, I recorded two episodes on loving those who are hard to love. Matt Maciera, the founder of Be Bold Ministries, joined me, for one of the episodes. You can find the second HERE.) In both, I discussed some of the fears you and I might face when attempting to love others as Jesus does us. If fear tends to be your greatest outreach challenge, I encourage you to take a listen. 

What I didn’t cover, however, was how to respond when someone tells you to leave them alone. What is more loving? To honor their request or to persevere in an effort to break through whatever barriers are keeping them in isolation or bondage? 

Or, maybe you’re a parent trying to faithfully raise your kids, or lead children in a school or Sunday School classroom. When they misbehave, how do you know when to offer grace and when to enforce consequences? Perhaps you’re facing the same dilemma with adult employees or those on your ministry team. 

There are times when I find God’s call to love confusing, especially because my heart can be so self-deceptive. My pride and desire to self-protect can taint even my most benevolent acts and desires. I can even convince myself that my selfishly-motivated, prideful, or self-protecting inclinations are from God. 

Therefore, if I want to love well, I must regularly seek God’s deep soul-cleansing. In 1 Timothy 1:5, Paul, a first century apostle who wrote much of the New Testament stated, “The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith” (NIV).

Pure love flows from a pure heart. One without mixed motives or the infection of sin. I don’t believe we can reach that state apart from God. He sees gunk in us we’re not even aware of, and this deep-cleansing God does, it’s a continual process. Because if you’re anything like me, selfishness and pride can rise up mere moments after your prayer time. 

I don’t know who God is calling you to love today, or who He might call you to love tomorrow, or the day after that. I don’t know if that person will welcome your efforts or consistently push you away. Nor do I know how God wants you to respond. But I do know you’ll be better able to hear God’s voice, to sense His guidance, and to respond, when you, by His power and grace, maintain a pure heart. One regularly cleansed–and filled–by Christ. 

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Before you go, have you registered for Wholly Loved’s upcoming gala? It is going to be such fun! Find out more HERE.

A quick note, for those who connect with me on Facebook or through Messenger, FB has currently blocked my account (I have no idea why). Therefore I encourage you to reach out to me through this website or Instagram.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

Also, make sure to catch the latest Faith Over Fear episode:

Trusting God’s Presence When You Feel Lost – Guest Post by Jodie Bailey

(This post first appeared on the Wholly Loved website.)

I’m pretty sure you haven’t missed it. The outside world is a pretty intense place right now. War, division, pandemic… Honestly, if I start listing everything, we’ll all just get depressed.

For the past few years, it seems I have lived my life by some verses in Psalms:

“My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:15-16 NIV)

There’s an immense comfort in knowing God knew everything that was coming before you were even born. When I look back on my life, particularly the times that have taxed me and brought me to the end of myself, I don’t often see the hardship first. What stands out most clearly is God’s presence and how He made a way. It’s not just that God knows what’s coming; it’s that He has already prepared a path through that place. Even my hard places. Even through a pandemic. Even through the threat of war.

Even in the midst of whatever you are personally going through.God knows what’s coming. He has already prepared a path through…CLICK TO TWEET

Awhile back, while I was praying some things for my daughter, I went back to Psalm 139 and started looking at it again. This is where I find my comfort. I started wondering: what else does Psalm 139 have for us in these anxious times? It’s a Psalm about God being in charge, so it seems like a good thing to realize right now, in the middle of uncertainty, anxiety and just plain weirdness.

There is so much to see in this chapter. Beautiful promises like, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:7-10 NIV) 

It doesn’t matter where we are. At home, away from home, with our family or alone: God is there. In the midst of sin, God is there, waiting for us to turn to Him. In the midst of fear, God is there, waiting for us to turn to Him. In the midst of a complete loss of control, God is there, waiting for us to turn to Him. If He feels far away, please know that’s a lie straight from the enemy. Right here in Psalm 139 is the promise that God is right here. Right there. Right where you are.

Even better? Darkness isn’t a thing to God. “Even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.” (Psalm 139:12 NIV)

When it all seems bleak and we can’t see what’s coming, God can and does. Nothing surprises Him. Nothing startles Him. He’s not wringing His hands in heaven, wondering what to do next. He already knows what’s coming, and He’s already at work in the “what next.”When it all seems bleak and we can’t see what’s coming, God can and does. Nothing surprises Him. (CLICK TO TWEET

Know what that means? We don’t need to know everything. One of my precious former students texted me last night and said, “I have never wanted so badly to be able to see the future.” My initial response was, “Me, too.” But then God dropped Psalm 139 on me yet again. He already knows the future. It’s already taken care of. We don’t need to know, because our loving Father does.

He’s already made a way in the darkness. A stream in the desert. If we stop and take some time to look and listen, I know we will see places where He is working. Sometimes it’s in the greater world. Sometimes it’s in our living room. And sometimes it’s right inside of us. But never doubt: He is working all over the place, in every inch of this, even when it seems like the darkness is winning.But never doubt: He is working, in every inch of this, even when it seems like the darkness is winning. (CLICK TO TWEET)

Know what? I’m praying for you. Praying that if it feels like you’re in the dark, if you’re scared or anxious or
wondering what comes next, God will show you that He is right beside you, no matter where you are.

There is no darkness to God. Only glorious light.

Take a look around, even at the hard places. God is there. Where do you see Him at work today?

We hope this post has blessed you today! If you’d like to support or get involved with Wholly Loved Ministries, check out our upcoming Gala and see how you can be a part of it!

Save the Date! To learn more or find out how you can help, click here.

I also encourage you to listen to the latest Your Daily Bible podcast on God’s invitation to elevate our thoughts.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/elevating-our-thoughts-colossians-32

Focusing on Our all-powerful God

Have you ever created such a mess, you felt certain restoration would never come? Maybe years of arguing and manipulation destroyed the trust in your marriage or decades of addiction shattered the dreams you once held. Surveying the wreckage all around you, you feel stuck. Stuck in your mess, in your hurt, in the brokenness that has become your life.

Or perhaps you’ve watching the pain and self-destruction of someone you love and you fear they’re too far gone, the rubble piled at their feet too great, for them to ever experience the life God promised all who choose to believe.

Praise God, He’s promised this is never the case, thanks to our faithful and mercifully God and His radical, unfathomable love.

In Ezra chapter 1, we read about a major, unexpected (although divinely predicted) moment in history when a powerful king of a pagan land yielded to Creator God and abundantly blessed God’s people. Verses 1-2 state: “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.

(NIV)

Prior to this moment, God’s people had been living in exile for 70 years because of their blatant, persistent, unrepentant, and continual sin. For generations, God had warned His people of coming judgment , urging them to return to Him, but they refused and wickedness had pervaded the land. Violence, temple prostitution, even child sacrifice.

Can you imagine living in such an environment? Growing up surrounded by this evil?

To idly watch such destruction and dysfunction gain influence and momentum would not have been loving or just, and so, God intervened. Or more accurately, took a step back and gave His people what they wanted: Life without Him.

They soon discovered, however, that the control and “freedom” they sought wasn’t freedom at all. Separation from God didn’t produce the life they craved and fought for; rather, it stole that life from them and thrust them into increased bondage. Soon, their enemies the Babylonians invaded their country, ripping mothers and fathers, daughters and sons from the land, the temple, the home and the businesses, they loved.

For a time. 70 years, in fact, just as God had predicted through His prophet, Jeremiah. And once their “national timeout” so to speak concluded, the God of mercy orchestrated a return and restoration so astonishing it could only come from Him.

If you continue reading in Ezra, you’ll learn Israel’s enemy not only released them, but abundantly blessed them as well. He commanded the people to give the returning exiles silver, gold, goods, livestock, and “valuable gifts.” And they did. King Cyrus also returned all of the precious and sacred items Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from the Temple prior.

In this, we see a few things:

God’s mercy by far exceeds our sin. Although you and I might experience consequences for our actions, we’re never stuck in the pit we created and fell into–except by choice. The moment we cry out to God, He’s there to rescue and redeem.

Not even the most powerful rulers of our time can thwart God’s plans. To the contrary, they are instruments in His loving and sovereign hands.

We belong to a generous, attentive God of abundance who has proven Himself faithful to every promise He’s made. Therefore, we can trust His every word, and perhaps most importantly, we can trust His heart.

Our–or our loved one’s–circumstances may feel overwhelming. The pit may seem insurmountably deep, the walls too steep, but God never asks people to “pull themselves up from their bootstraps” so to speak. Instead, He invites us to surrender.

To trust that He’s with us, working in us, has plans for us, and the power to bring those plans to pass, often in a way that will leave us and the watching world amazed.

Oh, what hope we have in Jesus! And that hope, as Scripture states, provides a solid anchor for our souls.

How might remembering God’s power to redeem and restore bring hope to your day and current challenges? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. To hear more on Ezra chapter 1, make sure to check out the latest Your Daily Bible episode:

https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/trusting-the-god-who-restores-ezra-11

You might also enjoy the latest Faith Over Fear episode: Finding Courage When People Attack Us or Our Loved Ones:

And since I’m throwing out all this free content, why not tell you about another resource? Thanks to Wholly Loved’s Karen Greer and Jessica Brodie, who helped us convert our devotional to the necessary format, we can now offer our 90 day devotional free in ebook (PDF and MOBI) form! Find it HERE.

When something in the Bible bothers you

What do you do when something you read in Scripture offends you? When a passage or verse appears to contradict your perception of God and makes you question if He truly is good?

In such situations, we tend to respond in one of three ways:

We ignore that portion of text, halt any thoughts pertaining to it, and quickly move on. We become obsessed with it and begin re-evaluating God through one particular paragraph or narrative.Or, we acknowledge our response and the bias our emotions tend to create and analyze the bothersome section through other well-founded biblical truths.

Years ago, I engaged in an ongoing email conversation with an atheist during which he posed numerous supposed problems with Scripture. And while I knew he was trying to trip me up and weaken my faith, I continued the dialogue hoping God would use it in some way to soften the man’s heart.

At one point, he asked me how I could believe in a God who subjugated women. Granted, Scripture demonstrates, from the time of Sarah to Prisicilla and beyond, God’s heart toward all humanity, females included. But I recognized the man’s statement pointed to a bigger issue–his criteria upon which he established his world view. And so, I replied, “I don’t determine truth based on how I feel or my personal preference or comfort level.”

Because, frankly, there are certain sections of Scripture that I strongly dislike. Portions, if it were up to me, that I’d rewrite or delete. I imagine the biblical authors and countless scholars and translators over the years have felt the same, which is why the less palatable portions of Scripture validate its authority.

I reflected upon this past conversation and various “unpleasant” passages I’ve encountered over the years as I read through the first chapter of Malachi. Verses two-three states, written to the nation of Israel, “‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord. ‘but you ask, “How have You loved us?” ‘Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ declares the Lord. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals'” (NIV).

An apparently contradictory text, right? How can a God Scripture reveals as the perfect embodiment of love, in one statement, proclaim His love for one man while stating his hatred of another?

At this point, I could share the articles and commentaries expounding on these verses, but I’d rather discuss this from a broader and more crucial perspective–how we process truth.

You and I are prone to make ourselves god. To filter everything through our emotions and the bias they create. The problem is, when that’s the basis from which we approach Scripture, we are inherently beginning with personal bias. Therefore, we’ve already erected inner barriers to truth.

Personally, I don’t believe ignoring our discomfort benefits us, either. There’s something profoundly spiritual that occurs when we wrestle with God over a particular text. I once heard this fitting analogy: “Two people are never closer than when they are wrestling.”

In my recent podcast interview with Dr. Allender and Cathy Loerzel, he referred to wrestling as worship. I’m prone to agree with him. I believe God is honored when we engage Him honestly, even if that engagement is wrought with inner angst. Because He can handle our questions and doubts. He’s fully aware of our disquieted soul, more than we are in fact. And He meets us there. He meets us in our uncertainty, our frustrations and turmoil.

Although we may not receive the answers we crave, we’ll receive something far more valuable; a treasure of infinite worth: a soul-deep encounter with our Creator.

And so, we acknowledge unease and areas of disbelieve, laying both, unveiled, at the feet of our Father. Asking for His perspective, knowing ours is flawed.

Yet, we do this holding tight to truth, reiterated through Scripture, gloriously displayed on the cross, and reaffirmed countless ways throughout our lifetime. We know that God is love. A love so deep, so merciful and unrelenting, our Creator pursued and rescued those who rebelled against Him again and again when He could’ve easily turned away, or annihilated humanity completely. A love that formulated the most excruciating yet necessary plan for redemption, prior to breathing life into mortal flesh.

A love that preserved a text so raw, so honest, generation after generation and century after century, so that you and I might discover God’s heart and character illustrated within.

There are portions of Scripture, as I’ve said, that bother me deeply. Sections for which, after years of study, I still lack answers. But while I investigate and question and wrestle with the text and the God it points to, I do so knowing that He truly is good and loving and kind.

That, not my feelings and flawed human logic, is the filter through which I read.

Let’s talk about this. When has God used a period of doubt, of wrestling with Him, to bring a deeper revelation and experience with Him? How do you handle those nagging questions that seem to lack satisfactory answers? Share your thoughts in the comments below or engage with me on Facebook.

Before you go, make sure to check out my interview below with Dr. Allender and Cathy Loerzel, co-authors of Redeeming Heartache. And watch out for a deeper discussion on Malachi 1:2-3 in an upcoming Your Daily Bible Verse episode.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

And, for those who live in or near the Omaha Metro, save the date! We’d love to see you at our upcoming gala. It’s going to be a hilariously fun and inspiring night of celebrating the God who sets hearts free.

Find out more HERE.

And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to grab a copy of my latest release, Her Small Town Refuge.

To secure the future she’s been wishing for,

she must earn her boss’s trust.

Escaping to the Texas Hill Country with her daughter for a vet tech internship is Stephanie Thornton’s chance at a safer life. But when medicine goes missing from Caden Stoughton’s struggling vet clinic, all evidence points to Stephanie. With the new life she’s been searching for hanging in the balance, Stephanie must convince Caden to trust her with his business…and his heart.

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

Find it on Amazon.