Lysa TerKeurst's Blog, page 3

Find meaning in the hard things you’ve been through.

It can be difficult to find meaning in the hard things we’ve experienced. The tears. The heartbreak. The waiting. The details we never would have chosen. But we can rest assured that, with God, nothing we’ve been through goes unnoticed or will be wasted. 

Many of us believe we have stories to tell, but we don’t always know how to do it. If you’re wondering… “Is my story worth sharing? Could it really help someone else? Is now the right time to share?” I want to invite you to my FREE webinar!

How to Take Your Story and Turn It Into a Message will help you:

Uncover the transferable wisdom inside painful things you’ve experienced that will activate healing for others going through something similar.Know with confidence the right time and the right approach to sharing hard parts of your story when it involves delicate details or other people.

Sign up now to join me on October 18th at 3:00 or 8:00 PM EST!

If you sign up and aren’t able to watch the live webinar on October 18th, you’ll receive an email with a link to the replay after the event is over. 

I really believe that the Lord is moving in your life, no matter what you’ve experienced. I can’t wait to spend this time with you and help unpack your story.

I may be coming to a city near you!

I love processing life together, being honest about our struggles together and celebrating our victories together. I’ve seen so much progress in my own relationships through all I’ve learned about good, healthy boundaries, and I want the same for you.

I know that setting boundaries in relationships can be incredibly difficult to navigate … and I truly believe the best way for us to process all of these hard things is face-to-face and heart-to-heart. 

That’s why I want to invite you to join me on The Good Boundaries and Goodbyes Book Tour with illumiNations, November 10-20!

Tickets are already selling quickly, so text your friend … your sister … your mom … your daughter … and make plans to join me in one of the following cities:

November 10 | Lexington (Columbia), SC

November 11 | Pittsburgh, PA

November 12 | Mansfield, OH

November 13 | Lafayette, IN

November 15 | Waukesha (Milwaukee), WI

November 16 | Bloomington (Minneapolis), MN

November 17 | Bellevue (Omaha), NE

November 19 | Kansas City, MO

November 20 |  Indianapolis, IN

I created this safe space just for you. Let’s work through this message about boundaries and pursue healing in our relationships … together.

Buy your ticket now!

I can’t wait to see you,

Lysa

5 Reasons Your Boundaries Aren’t Working

You can love them, but you can’t change them.

Have you ever found yourself in a relationship that sounds like this? 

You’ve prayed about this challenging situation. You’ve talked about this. You’ve tried to navigate it or even tried to stop it. But in the end, nothing has worked, even when you think you’ve set parameters in place. They’re still acting the same way, the relational tensions are higher than ever, and your mind is screaming “I can’t keep doing this… something has to change.”

It’s a terribly hard truth to accept, but what if learning we can’t change other people is actually one of the most freeing truths we could embrace? While we can’t control their behavior, we can draw effective boundaries that will actually lead to healthy progress for the relationship. If you need help navigating this, I created a free resource just for you. 

When you download I Can’t Keep Doing This: 5 Reasons Your Boundaries Aren’t Working, you will be equipped to:

Overcome the frustrating cycle of ineffective boundary-setting by applying practical strategies to help you communicate, keep, and implement healthier patterns.Give yourself permission to draw necessary parameters in a Godly way even when the other person disagrees, is disappointed or disregards your needs.Answer specific questions that will help you discern what your feelings are, what you’re comfortable with and why certain boundary practices aren’t working for you right now.

Click here to download your free copy today!

I’m so excited to tell you …

My new book, Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are, is now available for preorder! 

Confession: I’ve struggled with boundaries for years. I’d almost resigned myself to believing boundaries don’t really work for a person wired like me. Plus, I’d had boundaries weaponized against me and used as punishment which just gave me even more doubts. And, most of all, I lacked the biblical confidence that healthy boundaries aren’t just a good idea, they’re God’s idea.

If you can relate, I wrote my new book, Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, with you in mind.

Where there is chaos, there’s usually a lack of boundaries. I’m so grateful for years of good counseling and countless hours of theological research that finally helped me learn what healthy boundaries are supposed to look like, how to place them on myself instead of trying to change other people, and healthier ways to have hard conversations around needed boundaries. And I want to help you learn to do the same. 

This isn’t a book about leaving people. It’s about learning to love others without losing the best of who you are.

When you preorder, you’ll receive:

The first three chapters of the book and audiobook.A never-released podcast episode of “Therapy & Theology” on toxic relationships.A digital version of The Good Boundaries and Goodbyes Reflection Journal.25% off a general admission ticket to an event on The Good Boundaries and Goodbyes Book Tour using a code that will be sent to your email inbox.

I can hardly believe this message that started out as tear-stained journal pages is almost ready to make its way out into the world. Good Boundaries and Goodbyes doesn’t officially release until November 8th, but I couldn’t wait one more day to tell you about it. You’ve been such an important part of this book … thank you for your friendship.

To preorder your copy and learn how to receive your free resources, click here! 

It’s time to work through what you’ve walked through.

Have you ever looked at a situation you’re facing in utter disbelief and thought “How will I ever get over this?” 

I completely understand. But after several years of extreme heartbreak and emotional trauma, I realized it’s not about just getting over hard circumstances. I had to learn how to work through what I walked through.

And I want to help you do the same.

That’s why, a few years ago, I teamed up with my personal licensed professional counselor Jim Cress, and Director of Theology at Proverbs 31 Ministries, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, to bring you Therapy & Theology as a special series within the Proverbs 31 Ministries podcast. And now I’m thrilled to announce that Therapy & Theology has its very own show! 

Together, we’ll talk about the real issues you’re facing in your life and relationships and help you move forward.

After listening to an episode of Therapy and Theology, you will be equipped to:

Replace the negative stigma of “therapy” by gaining a healthy, biblical view of counseling for your situation.Experience hope in the midst of devastating circumstances through practical and proven exercises to help you process your pain.Stop feeling alone in your struggles as Jim, Joel and I will bear witness to your hurts but also help you move forward.

You can listen to 11 of your favorite episodes and a brand-new episode today.

We will also release new content a few times a year, so be sure you’re subscribed wherever you listen to podcasts so you’ll be notified when other new episodes are available to listen to!

Healing is possible for you, friend. Tune into Therapy and Theology today!

Join me at She Speaks Online!

Hi friend, 

When we get to heaven, I think we will be surprised by what actually mattered the most. What actually changed the world. 

What actually fulfilled the purpose for which we were created.

Quite possibly, the small places we showed up and served in obedience will actually be what prompts Jesus to say, “Well done. Remember when you took the time to share encouraging words with someone who needed them? That’s the day you helped change the world.”

But I also know that when all of your assignments feel small, they can start to seem insignificant. Can you relate? 

Friend, if we were sitting together over coffee today, this is where I would reach for your hand and remind you of this truth:

We all start small. So what if we stopped despising the small beginnings and instead stepped confidently into the place God has us right now?

That’s why the Proverbs 31 Ministries team and I have spent so much intentional time creating an experience just for you at our upcoming She Speaks Conference: The Best-Kept Secrets for Content Creators happening July 14-15!

Click here to sign up.

The in-person conference experience is sold out, but you can still join our online experience!

During our time together, you can simply show up, listen and learn. Pray and dream. You don’t have to prove or earn anything. You’ll make lifelong connections and receive fresh direction from friends who have been exactly where you are. Because when we’re together, we can collectively see everyone’s assignments, big and small, have a significant impact in eternity.

I can’t wait to spend this time with you! 

Lysa

Healing is Possible… Listen to new Therapy & Theology episodes now!

When you’ve experienced something devastating, it’s easy to question if you’re on your way to healing. Maybe you find yourself asking:

Is it normal to feel this way?How do I stop hurting?What does healing look like?Can I really move forward after what’s happened?

And in your most honest moments, maybe you’ve even said out loud to a friend, “This has been so traumatic, I’m not sure I’ll ever feel like myself again.”

Friend, I understand.

But because I know healing is possible, I’m so excited to tell you about a new series of Therapy & Theology I’ve recorded with licensed counselor Jim Cress, and Dr. Joel Muddamalle, Director of Theology at Proverbs 31 Ministries. The first episode, Is This Going To Hurt Forever? is available now on our YouTube channel! 

In this episode, we will help you understand the stages of trauma so you can process your pain in a healthy way and move toward healing today. I pray this entire series, full of Scriptural wisdom and therapeutic insight, will help you not feel so alone in whatever you’re facing right now.

Click here to view the first episode and be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel to be notified as soon as the other episodes release in the coming weeks!

You are so very loved and seen today … 

Love, Lysa

To the girl who feels like she can’t make progress…

For the girl who … feels like she can’t make progress on her healthy eating goals. Who struggles to like what she sees in the mirror. Who has tried to get healthy and make peace with her body on her own, but feels stuck in a cycle of defeat. Who is tired of failed quick fixes that make empty promises. Who feels so very alone. 

Oh how I relate to this, friend.

Having a healthy mindset when it comes to my body and looking to God and not food to fill me has been an important journey for me through the years. And that’s what I’m excited to tell you about my newly released and condensed version of my bestselling book, Made to Crave, called I’ll Start Again Monday. 

I’ll Start Again Monday is available now, and will encourage you to: 

Break the cycle of “I’ll start again Monday” and start taking steps toward consistency that lastsStop agonizing over numbers on the scale and make peace with your bodyReplace rationalizations that lead to failure with wisdom that leads to victoryReach your healthy goals and grow closer to God through the process

This is not a “how-to” book. This is not the latest and greatest dieting plan. This is the necessary resource to use alongside whatever healthy lifestyle plan you choose that will help you find your “want to” and lead to a spiritual satisfaction that goes far beyond the physical. 

If this message is something that is speaking to you today, I’d love to personally invite you to join our next Online Bible Study of I’ll Start Again Monday! The study begins on April 1st and, over 30 days, we’ll find lasting spiritual satisfaction together. 

Click here to sign up today for free! 

I can’t wait to tell you what I’ve been working on…

I’ve been working on a special project for the last several months and it’s finally time to share it with you… my new Bible study, Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament, is available now!

When we study God’s Word, we often think of Jesus as only being physically present in the New Testament … but did you know He was actually active in the Old Testament since the beginning?

It’s so important to understand how Jesus makes His presence known in every part of Scripture because this will help us experience more of His presence in our day-to-day lives right now. Jesus is never absent in the pages of Scripture, and He’s certainly not absent in the pages of our stories either. 

If you need help believing this is true, I wrote Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament with my friend Joel Muddamalle, just for you. With this study, you’ll be equipped to:

Stop secretly questioning “Is Jesus really with me?” by uncovering His active presence all throughout Scripture in places you may have missed before.Break free from hesitancy and intimidation to read the Old Testament by trusting your friends Lysa and Joel to unpack common misunderstandings and clear up confusing concepts.Embrace the truth-filled promises God has for you, even when others have abandoned you, with tangible ways to experience His provision and protection right now.Be invigorated and comforted in your personal time with Jesus by walking through five weeks of guided readings, questions and relevant takeaways for your life today.

Every part of my life has been dramatically impacted for the good because of learning to practice the presence of Jesus and I know yours will be too.

Get your copy today and receive FREE bonus material you can’t get anywhere else.

I can’t wait to study with you!

Understand What Biblical Love Is and What It Isn’t: a New Therapy & Theology series!

Relationships are amazing until they’re not.

Have you ever felt stuck in unhealthy relationship patterns? Has someone you deeply care about ever used your love against you in manipulative or controlling ways? What are the signs of emotional maturity and what are some warning signs to look out for?  

Proverbs 31 Ministries’ Director of Theological Research Joel Muddamalle, my personal counselor Jim Cress, and I sat down to record four new episodes of the Therapy & Theology series on the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast that will help you:

Understand what Biblical love is and what it isn’t by discerning the difference between kindness and enabling.Learn the distinct differences between shame, guilt, conviction and condemnation and be equipped with tools to combat the specific lies associated with each of them.Live true to your most healed, healthy, whole, holy, surrendered-to-God-self and not the version of yourself that’s haunted and held back by shame.Apply healthy coping mechanisms in your reactions and responses when your emotions get hijacked by past or present trauma.Know what to do if you feel stuck in unhealthy relationships.

Simply click one of the episode titles below to listen in now:

Therapy & Theology: Good Guilt vs. Destructive Shame Therapy & Theology: Stop the Shame Scripts Holding You Back Therapy & Theology: The Signs, Symptoms and Cures of Emotional Immaturity Therapy & Theology: What’s Really Motivating Your Love? 

These episodes are also available to watch on the Proverbs 31 Ministries YouTube channel!

I pray these conversations bless you with encouragement and practical wisdom for wherever you are in your journey today, friend.