Lyli Dunbar's Blog, page 20
January 4, 2018
When You’ve Emerged Out of the Fire
I’ve never told you something. Something painful. Something I’ve wrestled with and questioned God about almost daily.
I have a sweet grand baby in heaven. She left us after just 4 months.
Her name was Phoenix Jewel. PJ for short. Every December Facebook reminds me I don’t get to celebrate her birthday with cupcakes, and I have a good cry.
I wonder why Abba Father didn’t swoop down and protect her. Why He allowed it to happen. Because I know He could have just said one word and saved her life. But He didn’t.
Honestly, I have a lot of questions I’d like God to answer. We’ve walked through a few fires as a family. The Dunbars have fought the flames since day one. I should have worn a thermal white dress as I walked down the aisle. I can’t think of one year of my marriage where we haven’t had an explosive catastrophe.
Phoenix would be 6 this year. I imagine her dancing around heaven in pig tails and princess dress. I am sure she will show me all the sweet spots when we are reunited. Her ten tiny fingers left a lasting imprint on all our lives.
When my step daughter picked out her name, we were not exactly thrilled. You want to name her what? We privately joked about how perhaps one day she might have a sibling named Dallas or Orlando.
But today, I tell you her name was quite prophetic. In fact, Baby Phoenix helped her Abuela make a very brave choice today.
I’ve prayed for a few weeks now about my “one word” theme for 2018. I’ve tried to tune in to God’s voice the quiet. I am a terrible listener though, and just like last year, I wasn’t ready to “receive” with a surrendered heart.
I kept questioning. I didn’t want to walk the blazing path in front of me.
But here’s the thing: sometimes, you’re supposed to walk through the fire.
God has promised the fire will not consume me, but transform me.
God has promised the fire will not consume me, but transform me.
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On January 1st, I opened up a shiny, new book, and Bianca Juarez Olthoff encouraged me to play with fire because there’s always a purpose for the flames:
There will be proverbial fires that threaten our lives, moments that make us feel like all hope is gone and nothing can or will ever change. But I want to remind you, the that can be dangerous is the same fire that can refine and transform. It’s not about our circumstances; it’s about what we’re made of.” (p. 12)
I am not a fan of Greek Mythology or an adherent to early Catholic mysticism. But I am a believer in resurrection.
If you’re life is in ashes right now, remember God delights in making beautiful things out of dust.
Fire refines. First God, breaks our pride into tiny pieces. Then, He melts away our impurities in a crucible of affliction. Every fleck of fleshy fluff rises to the surface and is removed until we reveal His image.
This year, I want to stop fearing the fire and pray:
Lord, refine me through the flame.
Want to join me? To help you get started, I’m sharing a copy of My Pray Big Prayer Calendar with you. Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library. Print out your copy and start each morning inviting God to strengthen your step and breathe fresh wind into your weary spirit.
I’m going to start every day in January on my knees using this #PrayBig Calendar.
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As we surrender to the flame on our knees, our Savior will help us fuel a wildfire faith.
One glorious day soon, we will rise up from the ashes forever and dance in glory. This Abuela plans on getting her praise on right next to a little girl in pigtails.
When you’ve emerged out of the fire fully restored, you will reflect His face and recognize He is faithful.
My One Word for 2018 is
Are you ready to fire up your faith?
Join the Wildfire Faith Community and get weekly #FaithFuel in your inbox.
You’ll receive “4 Surefire Ways to Ignite Your Faith” as my gift to you.
You’ll also get access to the practical resources and goodies in our private Faith Fuel library.
Have you written something challenging, encouraging, or inspiring lately? Link it up here! For best results, write the title of your post in the name box. 
December 31, 2017
Retrospect: The Year in Review 2017
And just like that 2017 is history. Let’s take a little look back, shall we?
The Year 2017 in Retrospect
January: 365 Opportunities
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I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, but I know who holds the future. I know the Author and Finisher of my Faith has promised to finish the work that He has started in me. I can press forward into 2017 seizing every moment for His glory because God’s plot lines always wrap up with spectacular endings. I am only looking at one page of my story right now, but the next page just might be my turning point.
Tomorrow holds 86,400 seconds. You might just blink and see God transform your obstacles into opportunities.
February: Due Diligence
Am I diligently delighting in what will feed my spirit?
I want my heart to zealously pursue what pleases my Father. So, I am taking notes on what He considers due diligence.
The diligent effort required to walk with prudence and purpose will have an eternal payoff.
March: Hearts Ablaze
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I can either present a pleasing sacrifice to the Lord, or I can make excuses and grow cold.
I want to keep His holy fire burning brightly in my heart.
April: 10 Power-Packed Promises to Plug You Into God’s Peace
I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve laid in bed flooded with fear and worry. I’ve imagined thousands of catastrophes and mentally written my own obituary. Rather than praying through my fears and pressing into the presence of Christ, I allow my thoughts to escalate into terror and trembling.
When we meditate on God’s power-packed promises, He plugs us into peace in this crazy world.
May: Tell Shame You Have a Savior
Shame paid us a visit on Tuesday.
He was not an invited guest. The sneaky stinker walked right through our front door like he owned the place.
As he mouthed off brazen accusations, my soul shattered into a million pieces of sorrow.
Ironically, just hours before Shame crashed my party, I’d authored an article titled “5 Decisive Moves to Defeat Discouragement.”
Writer Beware: Put your #ArmorOn before you pick up your pen.
June: 4 Signs You Might Crash and Burn
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Lately, I’ve noticed 4 warning lights on the dashboard of my heart:
My love tank is on empty.
Instead of humming with the oil of joy, doubt and fear are clogging my mental filters.
My grace gauge is all out of whack and causing my forgiveness to misfire.
I am running recklessly low on meekness and self control and emitting fumes of jealousy and pride.
Maybe like me you don’t want to continue recklessly driving on without heeding the warning signals. Let’s pull over to the side of the road together and chat about how to avoid a breakdown.
July: 5 Ways to Get off the Crazy Train
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Bruce called to explain our plans had changed. Start packing.
I immediately got to work. But, I put the wrong things in my suitcase. Instead of placing peace and joy in my carry on, I decided to weigh myself down with anxiety and disappointment.
I failed to remember God always wants us to travel light. I won’t have room for all the delightful surprises He has prepared for me if I am cluttered up with unnecessary burdens.
But once I let my emotions derail my purpose, I didn’t know how to get back on track. Have you ever been there? Just in case you feel like you are on about to derail like me, I want to share a few suggestions on how to avoid a train wreck from Psalm 34.
August: How to Find Shelter When Life Rains on Your Parade
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When the winds and rain is plummeting down on my soul, I tend to create my own self-sufficient shelter using paper thin pride as the glue. I end up soaked in sin every time.
My efforts to save myself are flimsy and flawed. God alone is my rock and refuge.
Friend, you can find shelter when life rains on your parade. God is your safe haven in the midst of the storm. Just look up.
September: The Weekly Friendship Check-in
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Jesus modeled for us the importance of developing intimate friendships.
Maybe like me, you long to be a better friend, but you just never find time to pick up the phone and call, and then weeks go by before you see someone. I decided I didn’t want to do that anymore. So, here is what I did: I invited my friends to sign up for my weekly check in.
October: 3 Ways to Kick Fear to the Curb
Maybe like me you find yourself laying in bed at night having a one-sided conversation with your fears. Frankly, I am exhausted from having the same tired arguments. Why do I let fear torment me?
I don’t have to fend for myself. I have a Defender.
When fear comes calling, I need to invite God into the conversation.
Fear will fade as we stop listening to the lies and start looking to Jesus. He’s promised to never leave me nor forsake me. He will never tire of standing up on my behalf. He longs to shelter me in His strong embrace.
Fearless people focus on God’s faithfulness.
November: You are a Citizen of Heaven
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You, my friend, are also a dual citizen. Your feet may stand on earthy soil, but your home is in heaven.
In his epistle to the church at Philippi, Paul challenges Christ followers to steward their dual citizenship effectively. During our time of exile on earth, we must confess our hearts long for heaven. Our conversation should be marked by a decidedly Christ-like accent. And while we may adopt some of the customs of this world, our lights should shine brightly for Jesus even as this broken world grows darker.
December: When You Feel Like You are Limping into the New Year
I want to leap into the New Year, but I feel weighed down by the “what ifs” and “should haves.”
I’m limping in the worst way.
Maybe you can relate? I don’t know what you are dragging behind you like a dead limb as we close out this year, but I am guessing I am not the only one with a wobbly walk. If you feel like you can’t take another step without a little assistance, you are not alone.
Let’s Chat: What was your biggest takeaway from 2017?
The post Retrospect: The Year in Review 2017 appeared first on Lyli Dunbar.
December 30, 2017
12 Fabulous Books to Fire You Up
For over a year now, Bruce and I spend Wednesdays at noon on a one-hour call with our mentor. Our first few chats centered on goal setting for 2017. I spent weeks figuring out what my priorities were, and then crafting SMART goals for each area. This was a game changer for us as a family, and we’ve managed to move forward in many areas where we had grown a bit stagnant from lack of a clear purpose.
I also created a reading plan. I like to read at last one book per month — it’s a do-able goal for me in this crazy busy season of life. So, I focused on reading at least one book in each of my 8 priority areas: Faith, Self Care, Marriage, Family, Friendship, Ministry, Personal Growth, and Community.
Craig, my mentor, has challenged us to spend at least 30 minutes a day reading for personal growth, and although I didn’t meet that challenge perfectly, I did manage to find more time for reading this year. I started by leaving a book in every room of the house — so that if I had any down time a book would be easily accessible at a moment’s notice. I also tuck a book into my purse if I am on the go.
12 Fabulous Books I Read in 2017
Priority: Faith
The Rundown: Beth Moore encourages her readers to love God audaciously and to live out their callings and serve others with that same passion.
Memorable Quotes: “The person you are when you love Jesus with everything in you–with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength–is the real you. The brilliant you. The bring-it you. The breathtaking you. The born-for-this you. The person you were born to be crawls out of the shell of a heart cracked wide-open by the audacious love of Christ” (p. 28). “Divine affection is a floorless wellspring with the capacity to water every inch of ground your life will ever cover” (p. 142). “Enjoy Jesus. Have the wildest ride of your whole life with Him. He is the adventure. He’s the best part” (p. 176).
Biggest Takeaway: “Faith is not the clinging to a shrine, but an endless pilgrimage of the heart. Audacious longing, burning songs, daring thoughts, an impulse overwhelming the heart, usurping the mind—these are all a drive towards serving Him who rings our bell like a heart” (p. vii, quoting Abraham Heschel and Samuel Dresner’s I Asked for Wonder)
Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want
Priority: Personal Growth
The Rundown: Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavay team up to explain how to create your personal life plan to guide your steps as you work toward creating your envisioned future dream.
Memorable Quotes: “One of the best questions you can ask when something negative happens is this: What does this experience make possible?” (p. 39). “People lose their way when they lose their why” (p. 53). “Achieving our goals depends on giving them attention” (p. 134).
Biggest Takeaway: Chapter 1 is titled “Beware of the Drift” and explains how people without a plan will find their lives pulled off course like a paddle boat in a riptide.
Never Unfriended: The Secret to Finding and Keeping Lasting Friendships
Priority: Friendship
The Rundown: Lisa-Jo Baker shares practical wisdom on how to navigate the ups and downs of female friendships.
Memorable Quotes: “We need to hack away at the coils that are wrapped around our minds so that we aren’t trapped by the four walls of an Instagram photo; so that we understand that God is always about invitation, about meeting us out in the ‘wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory’ (Rom 5:2 MSG). Spaces that never fill up, that don’t have a maximum capacity, that aren’t designed for limits but instead, created to generously pour more and more and more into our lives than we could ever possibly cup in just two hands” (p. 34). “Guilt-free friendship is the gift that women who are secure in their own sense of acceptance can give each other” (p. 72). “We cannot possibly presume to know what other people are living through. Life is so layered and complicated and beautiful and hard that even our best assumptions about someone else when laid against the truth of what they were living will never have been able to tell the whole story. And a lot of the time it’s not even our business. Our business is to believe the best about people. We are not their judge, their jury, and we are certainly not their god. We are intended to be their blessing. On purpose” (p. 163).
Biggest Takeaway: “Listening is one of the most powerful tools we have when it comes to defusing a hard conversation. Making someone feel heard helps take the sting out of their frustration and opens the door for dialogue. Defending yourself lights the fire. Listening to someone else helps put it out” (p. 169).
The Battle Plan of Prayer: From Basic Training to Targeted Strategies
Priority: Faith
The Rundown: Stephen and Alex Kendrick have created a primer to unpack the foundational principles of an effective prayer life.
Memorable Quotes: “Prayer is like a standing counseling session, 24/7, no appointment necessary” (p. 18). “Sometimes the most difficult, painful, fearful, or illogical path is the one that ends up being the open door, the one bearing HIs fingerprints. When Jesus prayed, ‘Not My will, but Yours be done’ (Luke 22:42) in the garden, He stood up to take the difficult path which was in the center of God’s will” (p. 133). “When outside pressures heat up, pray that you’ll hold firm in your unity at all costs. Pray that God blesses your daily delight in one another and marital intimacy” (p. 201).
Biggest Takeaway: “Praying for wisdom should become a daily habit and is also a source for developing our prayer strategies” (p. 152).
Make Today Count: The Secret of Your Success is Determined by Your Daily Agenda
Priority: Personal Growth
The Rundown: John Maxwell outlines 12 priority areas we should focus on in our daily lives if we want to be successful.
Memorable Quotes: “One of the secrets of maintaining a good attitude is valuing people….You interaction with others sets the tone of your day. It’s like the music of your life” (p. 5). “…a marriage can’t survive forever on leftovers. It needs to be fed continually, or it will starve” (p. 38). “Discrepancies between values and practices create chaos in a person’s life. If you talk your values, but neglect to walk them, then you will continually undermine your integrity and credibility” (p. 117).
Biggest Takeaway: “…take responsibility for your own thinking” (p. 53). “The greatest handicap a person has is not reaching his potential” (p. 122).
Deeper Waters: Immersed in the Life-Changing Truth of God’s Word
Priority: Ministry and Faith
The Rundown: Denise Hughes has written a love letter to God’s Word where she authentically (and beautifully) shares how she moved from doubter to devoted student of the Word. She provides practical help for anyone who wants to dig in to the depths of wisdom in the Scriptures.
Memorable Quotes: “…when the deep waters of suffering threaten to take the very breath right out of us, the deeper waters of life with God speak hope into the impossible” (p. 27). “Prayer doesn’t give us the thing we want; it gives us the Person we need” (p. 95). “Sometimes the most important thing we can do is hold a friend’s hand when she can’t breathe.”
Biggest Takeaway: This book is a treasure — I loved learning a bit about Denise’s journey of faith and was incredibly encouraged to get into my Bible with more heart. // I was also inspired by how Denise says simple one-sentence prayers to invite God to meet with her in her every day. Many come straight from Scripture, and I wrote a blog post about how to put that into practice here.
A Heart Ablaze: Igniting a Passion for God
Priority: Ministry
The Rundown: John Bevere challenges his readers to pursue personal holiness to spark a fiery faith that honors our awesome God.
Memorable Quotes: “God is more impressed with inward submission than outward appearances of Christianity” (p.9). “As a church, we have embraced ministers who have told us what we wanted to hear. We wanted to hear only nice and wonderful things to the neglect of the truth we’ve needed” (p. 115). “Your heart will burn with passion if you desire His glory more than you desire anything else” (p. 151).
Biggest Takeaway: Don’t resist the fire — it purifies your faith.
Priority: Marriage
The Rundown: John Gottman is a psychologist and researcher who says he can predict if a couple will divorce within a few hours of meeting them. He provides countless practical examples, exercises, and questionnaires to help any married couple work together toward strengthening their intimacy and connection. His 7 principles are not from a Christian perspective, but provide practical wisdom that will get you talking with you spouse (or prepare you for marriage).
Memorable Quotes: “Watching Humphrey Bogart gather teary-eyed Ingrid Bergman into his arms may make your heart pound, but real-life romance is fueled by a far more humdrum approach to staying connected. It is kept alive each time you let your spouse know he or she is valued during the grind of every day life” (pp. 79-80) “I have come up with a new model for resolving conflict in a loving relationship. My fifth principle entails the following steps: 1. Soften your startup. 2. Learn to make and receive repair attempts. 3. Soothe yourself and each other. 4 Compromise. 5. Be tolerant of each other’s faults. These steps take very little ‘trusting’ because we all pretty much have these skills already; we just get out of the habit of using them in our most intimate relationship. To a certain degree, my fifth principle comes down to having good manners. It means treating your spouse with the same respect you offer to company” (p. 158).
Biggest Takeaway: Gottman ends his book by outlining the “Magic 5 Hours” you can invest in your marriage to ensure its success: 1. 2 Minute Partings (Learn one thing happening in your spouses day before you leave every morning). 2. 20 Minute Reunions (Engage in stress-reducing conversation at the end of your workday). 3. 5 minutes of Admiration and Appreciation (Communicate this in some fashion to your spouse daily). 4. 5 Minutes of Affection (Kiss, grab, or hold your spouse daily). 5. Take a weekly date for 2 hours a week (It should be a relaxing, low-pressure time to connect and get to know more about your spouse’s worries, fears, hopes, and dreams. Turn toward each other.)
Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul
Priority: Self Care
The Rundown: Bill Hybels “identifies the core issues that lure us into frenetic living―and offers practical steps for sweeping the clutter from our souls.”
Memorable Quotes: “When we fritter away our one and only life doing things that don’t really matter, we sacrifice the things that do matter” (p. 3). “In moments the things don’t go your way or something isn’t said just the way you wish it had been said, the condition of your heart is revealed for all to see. How do you react? If you have enough of God’s grace filling your heart, you can see the situation in its proper perspective. Speed bump. Child’s play. First-world problem. No worries. You can easily overlook it. You can easily forgive. Or you can do the opposite. You can play the victim. You can stand on your ‘rights’ and let everyone know you’ve been slighted. You can let anger and annoyance bubble to the surface” (p. 116). “True friends love one another, even though we’re all a little quirky. We accept each other’s faults and unique wiring. There is a tremendous acceptance and deep safety in a true friendship. True friends serve one another. You do what is best for your friends above what is best for yourself. You put their interests ahead of your own, and they reciprocate. There’s a give-and-take that satisfies both parties in the friendship” (p. 171).
Biggest Takeaway: “…as Christ followers living under the ever-flowing fountain of God’s love, our hearts should be so filled with His daily kindness, graciousness, and love, that we should have the resilience not to be angered or provoked when the minor irritations of life come our way–the everyday injustices, the normal little frictions that happen in families and friendships. We should have enough grace to easily overlook the little speed bumps, to forgive the minor injustices, to quickly forget about them and get on with life” (p. 114).
The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiveness in a World of Distraction
Priority: Family
The Rundown: Adam McHugh helps readers develop a “posture of listening” and “become more attentive and engaged” with others.
Memorable Quotes: “The word we translate into English ‘obedience’ literally means ‘listening from below.’ Obedience is a deep listening, a listening of the whole person, a hearing with your ears and with your heart and with your arms and legs” (p. 16). “A loud, overcrowded life is the antithesis of the listening life…The listening life waits, quietly and humbly, for God to make his mark on us” (p. 77). “Empathy chooses to enter into the dark places of another’s world, to shiver with the, and to wait with them” (p. 169).
Biggest Takeaway: “…when you commit to go deep into listening, you will find that listening ‘speaks’ in ways far more powerful than talking ever could” (p. 213). — This book will stay with me for a long time. You simply must read it.
Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are
Priority: Community
The Rundown: Shauna Niequist put together a lovely 365-day devotional that kept me company every morning. This author is a lover of the table — where hearts unite to break bread and love one another through the messiness of life. The table is where we experience the beauty and the miraculous, and I am thankful she reminded me to be fully present with my people.
Memorable Quotes: I think it’s our job to live each day like it’s a special occasion, because we’ve been given a gift. We get to live in this beautiful world” (p. 57). “Sometimes we get so tangled up in our perceptions of ourselves that we lose perspective, seeing only our failures and bad habits…a good friend turns on the lights, opens the window, and reminds us that there are a whole lot of ways to tell the same story” (p. 202). “…it’s in the in-between spaces that our lives change, and the the real beauty lies…It’s about showing up in person, a whole and present person, instead of a fragmented, frantic person, phone in one hand and to-do list in the other” (p. 389).
Biggest Takeaway: Look for opportunities to celebrate today.
I am excited to announce as a social media influencer I now have a sweet list of my favorite resources to fuel a wildfire faith in my very own shop on Amazon. (Note: I will get a little something back if you follow the link and buy anything on this page. Thanks in advance if you do.).
Looking for more good reads? Here are my 12 faves for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Let’s Chat: What fabulous books did you read this year that lit a fire in your soul?
JOIN THE WILDFIRE FAITH COMMUNITY TO RECEIVE WEEKLY FAITH FUEL IN YOUR INBOX.
YOU’LL GET A FREE COPY OF “4 SUREFIRE WAYS TO IGNITE YOUR FAITH”
& GAIN ACCESS TO THE PRACTICAL RESOURCES IN THE PRIVATE FAITH FUEL LIBRARY FOR MEMBERS.
I am sharing “12 Fabulous Book to Fire You Up” and joining like-minded sisters at Faith-Filled Friday, Fresh Market Friday, Blessing Counters, Dance with Jesus, Salt and Light, Heart Encouragement Thursday, Tune in Thursday, Chasing Community, Tell His Story, Coffee for Your Heart, Porch Stories, Trekking Thru the Week, Purposeful Faith’s RaRaLinkup, Dream Together, and Moments of Hope.
The post 12 Fabulous Books to Fire You Up appeared first on Lyli Dunbar.
December 28, 2017
When You Feel Like You’re Limping into the New Year
Today my friend Ivette showed me a picture of her pretty planner for January 2018. She had written in goals, made concrete plans, and even added colorful stickers. Her January plans are a masterpiece.
She asked me if I’d started planning for 2018, and I acknowledged having taken a long look at the year ahead with my husband as we sat on either side of the kitchen counter and attempted to figure out when we will make room for the people we love. Even if they don’t show up. We have them on our calendar.
A girl can plan, but she can’t control Providence and corral pesky relatives. It’s not possible. Trust me, I’ve tried and failed miserably.
Just because I write something on my calendar, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. Maybe that’s why at some point after that hurricane in September, I just stopped writing in my calendar. (Please don’t tell Ivette that I didn’t plan for the last 3 months of 2017. Let’s keep that our little secret.)
I’m looking back at my year, and I am wondering where it went. Somewhere between the 4th of July BBQ and Halloween, I lost my precious grip on my life.
So, currently, the laundry from two weeks ago is sitting in my dining room. Last week’s load is still in the dryer. I haven’t paid the bills, and I never did find the Christmas cards.
And on top of that, I didn’t get what I wanted for Christmas. I am not talking about the presents under the tree. I am talking about the people at my table, and the painful empty spot where unmet expectations punctured my heart.
People will disappoint you.
Carefully laid plans are upended, and you have to clean up the messy.
I want to leap into the New Year, but I feel weighed down by the “what ifs” and “should haves.”
I’m limping in the worst way.
Maybe you can relate? I don’t know what you are dragging behind you like a dead limb as we close out this year, but I am guessing I am not the only one with a wobbly walk. If you feel like you can’t take another step without a little assistance, you are not alone.
Yesterday, I spent the afternoon resting — because when you are limping, it’s good to put your feet up and stop trying to drag unbearble weight. I knew I needed renewal. Healing never comes when you insist on running ragged.
As I poured over the pages of a wonderful book, I came across a passage of Scripture that soothed my spirit. I marked it down, and today I spent time sitting with it. For anyone who may be limping along, I wanted to share the therapeutic treatment it outlined.
How to Limp Forward into the New Year
Build Up Your Faith in Community
Jesus walked through life with friends as an example to us. If you are feeling alone, go up to the altar on Sunday and ask for prayer. Join a small group. Pick up the phone and let someone know you are struggling. Look out for other limpers and link arms to encourage one another. Share Scriptures that lift you up and help you put feet to your faith on hard days. Don’t isolate yourself.
“But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith…” (Jude 1:20, NLT)
Pray for God’s Spirit to Guide You
When Jesus was preparing to go through His most difficult hour, He took time to quiet his heart before God and cry out from the depths to the One who would sustain Him. Prayer is our offensive weapon when this broken world knocks us down and tries to destroy us. Even if you can’t form the words, you can look up to heaven and groan in despair — the Holy Spirit will know exactly what you need and comfort you. Ask for divine assistance.
“…pray in the power of the Holy Spirit…” (Jude 1:21),
Guard God’s Love in your heart
Remind yourself that Jesus is returning for you — His radiant bride. He loves you sacrificially and is fighting for you every moment of this day. He will restore you fully.
“Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah,—which will bring you unto life eternal.” (Jude 1:21, AMPC)
Right now, I am limping. But God has promised to hold me up. He will never let me fall if I cry out to Him. All I need to do is take one tiny step of faith forward into the new year. So I’ve done a few things to get started. I signed up for the women’s Bible study at church, and I am determining to spend more time in my Bible and less time on social media. I’ve also created a Pray Big Calendar for January — just one simple sentence prayer a day offered up to God.
Friend, you don’t have to plan for 365 days right now. You just need to drag yourself one pinky toe forward in God’s direction. He will do the rest.
To help you get started, I’m sharing a copy of My Pray Big Prayer Calendar with you. Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library. Print out your copy and start each morning inviting God to strengthen your step and breathe fresh wind into your weary spirit.
I’m going to start every day in January on my knees using this #PrayBig Calendar.
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As we link arms together, lift our hearts up to God, and look for His mercy, healing will come. Our step will grow stronger, and although we may still limp as we walk through life, we will see God’s hand holding us up and find hope to stay the course.
Let’s Chat: How are you limping toward the new year? What encourages you to keep moving forward? I’d love to pray for you (and know that I am not alone!). Share below or send me an email.
Are you ready to fire up your faith?
Join the Wildfire Faith Community and get weekly #FaithFuel in your inbox.
You’ll receive “4 Surefire Ways to Ignite Your Faith” as my gift to you.
You’ll also get access to the practical resources and goodies in our private Faith Fuel library.
Have you written something challenging, encouraging, or inspiring lately? Link it up here! For best results, write the title of your post in the name box.
December 21, 2017
When Your Longing and Looking for Goodness and Light
On some nights, I lay in bed unable to sleep. I am afraid of the dark. Not the kind where the lights go out, but a prevailing blackness that trickles down into my mind and seeks to wrap itself around my heart.
As soon as my head hits the pillow, the dark images cloud my view.
I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve struggled to fall asleep as I imagined the worse case scenario. As I lay in my jammies safe under the covers, I will picture myself on my deathbed.
Perhaps you’ve had a sleepless night or two this year. I don’t know what nightmare disrupts your slumber, but you probably have longed for daylight at least once or twice.
I guess that’s why I love Christmas so much. It’s the twinkle of the shimmery lights on the tree.
The tiny flickers of light remind me there is always hope. God’s glory can break through any temporary shadow the enemy may seek to cast over my life.
Jesus, the Light of the World, is alive and at work in our world.
We don’t need to fear the increasing darkness. One day, He will speak but a word and wipe out all wickedness.
He will bring us goodness and light, my friend.
Jesus still brings His goodness and light today.
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So, if like me, you are feeling gloomy this Christmas, I want to encourage you to rise up and remember how His redemption rescued you from the pit of hell.
Rise up and remember His goodness.
No situation is too dark for God’s salvation to shine through if you look to the Light.
Let the light of His love fill your life with peace and joy this December.
Let the light of His love fill your life with peace and joy this December.
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As we countdown to Christmas, let’s begin our day by surrendering our hearts to God’s plans for this season by echoing the prayer of Mary in Luke 1:38 (NET):
I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to Your word.
I’ve created a free printable prayer graphic just for you as a visual reminder. Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library.
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December 14, 2017
How to Deck the Halls of Your Heart for Christmas
I just got off the phone with a wonderful friend who shared she was on her way to the post office to mail a little Christmas cheer. I congratulated her for donning her Santa hat even though she wanted to play Scrooge. You see, the package wrapped with love and warm wishes is going to a very cold home. We chatted about how sometimes you have to faith it until you feel it at Christmastime.
Maybe you can relate? Are you dreading Christmas day because the Grinch who stole your joy is going to be sitting at your table? Perhaps like me you would rather just skip Christmas and take the Polar Express to Acapulco instead.
Y’all, sometimes Christmas is hard.
I’ve spent this week praying for God to help me deck the halls of my heart to welcome others in this December. Because I don’t think Jesus cares if my stockings are all hung by the fire with care—He wants my heart to hold forth His love to the hurting.
This Christmas, let’s hold forth God’s love to the hurting.
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I am praying for Jesus to help me sweep out all the dark corners and hallways of my heart where bitterness and unforgiveness are cluttering up the atmosphere. How about you? In case you are feeling the Christmas blues like me, I wanted to share a few ideas on how we can liven up our heart for the holidays.
How to Deck the Halls of Your Heart for Christmas
Light up with Wisdom
As we apply God’s Word to our hearts, He will give us the words we need to say (and not say) to our pesky loved ones this year. Spend time soaking in Scripture and praying for each family gathering. Ask Him to shine brightly through you.
“For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (II Corinthians 4:5-10, NIV)
Adorn with Faithfulness
God loves us even though we are wrapped up in selfishness and covered in the blackest sin. His love for us never quits — even when we push Him away. If you are finding it hard to love someone during this holiday season, spend some time focusing on how faithfully God loves you. Let His love fill up all the crevices in your heart and remind you just how free you are to extend His love when no one returns the favor. Remember His love is a gift you are stewarding, not hoarding.
(I may need to read that again next week several times. Jesus, help me.)
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” (Proverbs 3:3-4)
Spread His Sparkle
D uring December, set aside your sugar-coated expectations and surrender to whatever God has for you and your family. Your Christmas might not be Pinterest perfect, but His Providential purposes will be at work. Make time each day to worship Him for the wonderful gift of salvation, and remember He’s not finished yet. This Christmas is not the last page of the story.
“I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” (Psalm 34:1-5)
So, how do we get started? For the next 10 days, I want to encourage you to begin your day by surrendering your heart to God’s plans for your Christmas by echoing the prayer of Mary in Luke 1:38 (NET):
I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to Your word.
I’ve created a free printable prayer graphic just for you as a visual reminder. Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library.
As God fills up our hearts, we will radiate His love to the watching world. His Word will light our path and help us take courageous steps to share Jesus with our difficult people. We can tear down those strongholds of bitterness holding us back and invite God to replace brokenness with beauty.
Let’s dust away old hurts and decorate our hearts with love this Christmas.
Let’s dust away old hurts and decorate our hearts with love this Christmas.
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December 7, 2017
4 Ways Wise Men Still Seek Him
I decided to write down all the things I have to accomplish before Christmas in hopes of organizing my thoughts. With the long list in front of me, I figured I’d start by eating some chocolate. Because chocolate always helps me think more clearly.
To clarify my thinking further, I also guzzled down a large coke with two Advil. (Not my finest moment.)
Do you ever just want to push the pause button? That’s how I felt about December after I reviewed my calendar commitments.
I don’t want to spend Advent chasing after items on my to do list. I want to sit at His feet and worship.
A wise woman seeks Him in worship rather than wrestling with worry.
A wise woman seeks Him in worship rather than wrestling with worry.
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How about you? Are you weighed down by worry right now? Maybe like me you are thinking about what you didn’t accomplish as the weeks in 2017 slip away.
But here’s the thing: this Christmas we only need to witness God’s wonder at work. Nothing else matters. When your life is over, the Lord won’t greet you in heaven and say “Why didn’t you bake those Christmas cookies in 2017?”
Tonight, I opened up the Gospel and re-read the story of how wise men chased after the Christ child, and I learned a few things from their example.
4 Ways Wise Men Still Seek Him
Submit in Awe
I am convicted by the single-minded pursuit of these men who pressed on in their pilgrimage to see the Messiah. They set aside their personal agendas to purely pay homage to Him. This Advent I want to set aside selfishness to sit and His feet and see my Savior.
“….Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2, NIV)
Shout out Praise
This time of the year is ripe with opportunities to share the Gospel story. I don’t want to stand silently in the shadows when I should be pointing people to the Light. May God give me courage to share when questions come and opportunities arise.
“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” (vs. 6)
Spill over with Joy
When I slow down and really seek Him with wholehearted devotion, the Holy Spirit fills me up with a sweet song of joy that brims over and brings delight. But I can’t delight in HIs presence if I am distracted by fear and doubt. I must stop fussing over my circumstances and start focusing on Christ.
“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” (v. 10)
Surrender Their All
The wise men presented their treasure to Jesus. Christmas is not about hoarding what is already His. I must open up my hands and offer up whatever I have to Jesus.
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (v. 11)
This week, I want to encourage you to start each day by whispering a simple prayer to your Savior:
Lord, I want to see You today. Show me Your glory.
To help you start your day right, I’ve created a free printable prayer graphic just for you as a visual reminder. Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library.
If we decide to set aside our crazy list of expectations and truly surrender our Decembers to Jesus, He will fill us up with His presence and pour His life and peace into our weary souls. With hearts settled on Him we will have the strength to say no to stress and yes to sharing His love with the watching world.
This Advent, let’s watch for His wonder rather than waste time and worry.
This Advent, let’s watch for His wonder rather than waste time and worry.
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Check out the 2017 Reader Survey and Giveaway
I wonder about you — the mysterious people who read this blog regularly, but never leave a comment. Do you like coffee or tea? Are you an introvert or extrovert? I’d love to learn a little more about you as I plan and pray about how this space will grow in the days ahead. So, I’ve created a short survey, and I’d love for you to take just 5 minutes to fill it out. As a little incentive, I’m picking one person to win a $25 Amazon gift card. Fill out the survey by December 15th to enter.
Are you ready to fire up your faith?
Join the Wildfire Faith Community and get weekly #FaithFuel in your inbox.
You’ll receive “4 Surefire Ways to Ignite Your Faith” as my gift to you.
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November 29, 2017
Grit and Grace (and a Giveaway)
I grew up in the 1970’s before internet and X-boxes. The tiny square television in our living room was the primary form of family entertainment. We had no remote control. My dad sat in his leather recliner, and I walked to the front of the room and changed the channels to his favorite shows. Most nights, I laughed along with Mary Tyler Moore, Hawkeye Pierce, and George Jefferson, but on Tuesday nights my temper flared as I endured thirty minutes of Archie Bunker bulldozing over his mousy wife.
I know Edith Bunker is not a real person, but my eight-year-old self wanted to jump through the television screen and rise up to her defense. Why didn’t she fight back? How could she respond with grace to such a grump? I viewed her meekness as a weakness. Now that I am older and wiser, I know better. Edith Bunker was actually a very wise woman who loved well and suffered long. Her kind, gentle spirit created stability in a very difficult setting.
In Ephesians 4, Paul addresses believers and encourages them to promote unity in the church. He admonishes them to lay aside pride, pushy demands, and impatience. The church is a family, and we must decide to fight for each other, rather than demand our own way. We should show forbearance instead of fixating on the faults of our brother. We can set aside our resentment and righteous indignation to serve one another in love.
Perhaps you’ve logged on to Facebook or Twitter and lamented how grumpy people misuse words to bulldoze their opinions forward, and you’ve considered firing away a well-crafted retaliation. Instead of shouting louder, let’s purpose to speak kindness and extend grace.
Long-suffering love perseveres through pain and provocation. Rather than strong-arm our way forward, we are called to stand strong and steadfast in the Spirit with submissive hearts fully surrendered to God’s sovereignty. God will grant us the grit and grace we require to continue loving one another.
Let’s Talk: How have you learned to fight for pesky people by exercising God’s grace? I’d love to hear any tips you have to offer on this subject — especially as we head into the holidays.
You can read more about this topic here: 4 Ways to Love Pesky People
“Grit and Grace” was originally published at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale’s Daily Devo.
Check out the 2017 Reader Survey and Giveaway
I wonder about you — the mysterious people who read this blog regularly, but never leave a comment. Do you like coffee or tea? Are you an introvert or extrovert? I’d love to learn a little more about you as I plan and pray about how this space will grow in the days ahead. So, I’ve created a short survey, and I’d love for you to take just 5 minutes to fill it out. A a little incentive, I’m picking one person to win a $25 Amazon gift card. Fill out the survey by December 15th to enter.
Are you ready to fire up your faith?
Join the Wildfire Faith Community and get weekly #FaithFuel in your inbox.
You’ll receive “4 Surefire Ways to Ignite Your Faith” as my gift to you.
Have you written something challenging, encouraging, or inspiring lately? Link it up here! For best results, write the title of your post in the name box.
November 16, 2017
3 Steps to Start Living Out of the Overflow
In 2012, I went into renal failure after having my gall bladder removed. I ended up spending quality time with a nephrologist who kindly advised me that I needed to be more proactive about staying hydrated. Water is life to the body. Without it, the organs begin to shut down. You can’t run on empty for long.
I was dehydrated in many more ways. I’d run ragged until my body decided to rebel to get my attention.
I thought I was running hard for Jesus, but I realized I was never going to make it to the finish line. I was fizzling out and failing fast.
Here’s the thing: When I read the gospels, I see how Jesus faced even the toughest ministry day without getting frazzled. Even when the world around Him was a barren wilderness, He drank in the living water and continued to press forward with purpose.
God wants me to start living out of the overflow instead of drowning in the dregs.
God wants us to start living out of the overflow instead of drowning in the dregs.
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We are drowning in the dregs when
We struggle to tune in and hear God’s voice because our lives are too noisy.
Our minds are so cluttered with worries we miss out on seeing the sweet evidences of God’s wonder at work.
We are inwardly grumbling instead of reaching out to extend grace.
Do you want to stop drowning in the dregs of self-sufficiency? Me, too! Let’s slow down together and sit at the feet of Jesus to learn from His example.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30, MSG)
3 Steps to Start Living Out of the Overflow
Let’s linger in His Presence.
Jesus started His day by spending intimate time tuning in to the Father’s voice. We must sit with Jesus in the quiet and invite Him to speak into our day.
“The next morning Jesus got up long before daylight. He went out to a place by himself. There he talked with God.” (Mark 1:35, WET)
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:18-19, NIV)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NIV)
Let’s look for signs of beauty.
Jesus never lost sight of the joy that was to come, and this propelled Him forward. We need to shift our focus off our problems and on to His provision.
“And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19, ESV).
“…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20, NIV)
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15, NIV)
Let’s latch on to God’s love.
God’s love empowered Jesus to lay down His life for lost sinners like you and me. We can’t love each other unless we apply His love to our own brokenness first.
“I have loved you just as My Father has loved Me. Stay in My love.” (John 15:9, NLV)
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God…submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:1-2, & 21, NIV)
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1: 9-11, NIV)
It’s important to fill up spiritually with the living water of the Holy Spirit. If I am not mindful of this truth, I forget to drink up, and I start to grow unhealthy in my walk as a disciple. A pastor once told me that sharing our faith with others should come naturally out of “the overflow.” As we allow God to pour into our lives, His goodness splashes out to those in our circle of influence who are seeking to find a well for their parched souls.
We will stop drowning in the dregs when we purpose to
Overflow in worship, rather than give way to worry. This week, let’s set aside one hour for a date night with Jesus. Spend some time lingering at his feet listening for the leading of the Spirit in his noisy world.
Stop living grumpy and overflow in gratitude. As we look for signs of beauty, we will slowly set aside lament even in the middle of a dry, barren season. To help you get started, I’ve created a one-page printable for you to count your blessings from A to Z this month. Subscribe to the blog and grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library.
Overflow in love and forgiveness and set aside selfishness. Prayer helps us tap into God’s love for difficult people. Pick one pesky person you will pray for every day this month. Ask God to help you be a grace-giver instead of a fault finder.
This world is full of people who are craving for more. We have the water that will help them to quench their thirst. As we love others and make melody in our hearts, our “overflow” will create an appetite in others for what truly satisfies.
Don’t drown in the dregs of self sufficiency. Linger at His feet and start living out of the overflow.
Don’t drown in the dregs of self sufficiency. Linger at His feet and start living out of the overflow.
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Are you ready to fire up your faith?
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November 9, 2017
You are a Citizen of Heaven
I grew up in Miami where over half of the population lives with their hearts in two countries. You see in the early 60’s, my mom got on a plane with just two sets of clothes in her suitcase and fled the only home she’d ever known to find freedom.
My mom finished high school in the United States, earned a college degree, owns a home, pays taxes, and votes in every election. She speaks fluent English with a heavy accent, and she passed the citizenship test decades ago. She loves shopping at Walmart, and we eat turkey and sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving.
We are American.
But, if you visit my mom’s for dinner, you will get a tiny thimble of very strong coffee after the meal. Every December, we celebrate Christmas on the 24th – which is “Noche Buena” — with mojo roasted pork, black beans, white rice, and yucca.
I am Cuban.
Eight years ago, I married a nice American man, and now my last name is Dunbar instead of Lopez. If you look at my picture, you might not suspect my true heritage. But, I must confess I dream in two languages.
My parents are incredibly thankful to reside in America, but they will always live with a restless longing for home. And they carry on many of the customs of their homeland to this day in exile. Cubans are kissers, for example. If we ever meet in person, I must warn you that I might not be able to resist the urge to give you a kiss on the cheek in greeting. I was schooled in this important custom as a child and expected to give “besitos” to welcome every guest who entered our home. My American friends like to simply shake hands, but Cubans embrace.
You, my friend, are also a dual citizen. Your feet may stand on earthy soil, but your home is in heaven.
In his epistle to the church at Philippi, Paul challenges Christ followers to steward their dual citizenship effectively. During our time of exile on earth, we must confess our hearts long for heaven. Our conversation should be marked by a decidedly Christ-like accent. And while we may adopt some of the customs of this world, our lights should shine brightly for Jesus even as this broken world grows darker…
I’m sharing “You are a Citizen of Heaven” at Love God Greatly today.
To read the rest of this post, join me here.
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