Something’s “God”da Give! - A VIP Offer for You!
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.~Proverbs 13:12 NIV
What is it that you most long to BE, DO or FEEL differently this year?
What would make the biggest difference in your joy, peace and fulfillment if you transformed it, launched it or just got rid of it?
New Year’s resolutions are good intentions, but don’t often last. Why? Even if we are diligent and disciplined enough to make a plan and begin to take actions, with all of life’s responsibilities, distractions and challenges, not to mention the enemy’s schemes to get them off track, sometimes efforts to move towards a compelling vision for ourselves or our life become stalled or even come to an end. We may lose focus as we get busy with other things, give up hope when we encounter obstacles that seem too hard to overcome, or perhaps fall back into patterns that keep us stuck in the same place.
Are you ready to close the gap between knowing and doing–ready to get motivated, set tangible goals, resolve problems and make a plan to move forward to step out onto the path of increasing levels of Christlikeness, effectiveness, productivity and fulfillment in your life?
When something’s gotta give, that’s when we should replace “gotta”, which is based in the strength of our own flesh and earthly resources, with “Godda”, which taps into God’s power as our partner and provider so that we can leverage His wisdom, direction, strength and provision to BE, DO and FEEL in alignment with what He intended–with joy, peace and fulfillment as the norm instead of the exception!
You are a VIP (Very Important Person). Why? Because you were created with a unique, special design with a VIP (Very Important Purpose) in mind. And in order to walk in that calling and feel the internal abundance God longs for you to feel, you’ve got to tap into His vision for your life, start to truly believe in it, in yourself and especially in God’s faithfulness to bring it to realization through his VIP (Very Important Power), without which you cannot ever truly BE, DO or FEEL what you were made to. And if we are seeking His will, surrendering to Him, Godda’ll give! He loves you and wants to give you the best. What better time to believe, receive and achieve!
So if something’s Godda give inside of you or your life in 2010, let’s take some intentional steps to get it done! I’m offering you the opportunity to take advantage of a special offer, not for a New Year’s Resolution, but to take steps towards a “New Life Resolution”.
Personalized 90 minute VIP “New Life Resolution” Coaching Session
- clarify your vision for what’s “Godda” give
- set realistic goals that work for you and your lifestyle
- develop an effective action plan
- prepare to intercept internal and external obstacles
Special VIP rate - $35 (over $100 value)
Now through February 28, 2010
Why wait? Contact me today to kick off your new life and kick old habits to the curb! Where there’s His will, there’s a way!
How can I help you make 2010 “your year”?
Christian Life Coaching Call to Action:
1. What have you been holding back from God that He is asking you to let Him be Lord over?
2. What have you been pulling back from doing that you know you need to so your life will change?
3. What do you keep turning back to look at in the past that’s keeping you from your future?
4. What do you keep dreaming about that you haven’t taken the time to move forward on?
5. How would life be different if you started doing it today?
6. What are you going to do about it?!
7. More importantly, what does your Father in Heaven say you’ve “Godda” do about it?!
The Case of the Squeaky Shoes and the Blues
It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.~Ps 119:71 NIV
It was a moment when I felt self-conscious, but had to keep on walking. The problem was that my walking was the thing causing my embarrassment. I’m always around noise when I’m wearing my tennis shoes. But this past week not long after I walked into a silent building, when the doors closed off the sounds from the noisy street, I began to hear it. With every step…left, right…left, right, left. Squeak, squeak…squeak, squeak, squeak. It was similar to the type of sound you hear when you walk on a hard floor with wet tennis shoes, except mine weren’t wet at all. Or perhaps it was like the sound in a scarey movie when the old floor squeaks when you step on a loose board.
I tried to adjust my feet, but it didn’t help. With each step through those extra quiet halls, the rubber soles sent Morse Code messages, saying, “I am shoe, hear me squeak!” to those I passed to the left and the right. How at that moment I wished my kids were with me so the sounds of their giggles and feet pattering would echo in the halls to drown out the beat of my S-tunes (sneaker tunes!).
In this moment, the Lord reminded me of another time when I noticed squeaking I had never heard before in the midst of my noisy life. It had been a “squeaking” inside of me! My husband had changed jobs and we had just moved to a new state, leaving the comfort and familiarity of my friends and surroundings behind.
I was alone at home all day with a toddler and his new baby brother, trying to figure out chores, errands, grocery shopping and cooking dinner for the family with two children now, and having no local friends for support–which is not a good place to be in when you’re already an introvert and fairly shy. We were still searching for a church home, so there wasn’t really anyone to outreach to or to reach back out to us for a while.
The good noise of my full life in my prior home and town was all gone–doors closed, and that life replaced by the silent, echoing halls of this new place and situation. During that time, with my husband working a job that kept him unavailable by phone most of the day, there really was no one to turn to during the day when I was feeling down or pressured while I struggled in the wilderness by myself.
I finally got to a point where I was allowing (yes, I said allowing) and enabling (yes, I said enabling) myself to be constantly attacked by not only the enemy, but my own self, with the “squeaking” of negative thoughts, unrealistic expectations, feelings of inadequacy and discontentment, and a desire to just press a “make life easy” button. And everyone around me could hear it–and feel it too.
It was at that moment of seemingly unbearable internal affliction that I gave up trying to fix anything in my own strength. I was silenced in my mind because I had no solutions. And in that silence, I heard God speaking. He had been whispering all along.
In 1 Kings 19:12 the Lord told Elijah to stand on the mountain and await the Lord’s passing by. “Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave…” This is when the voice of the Lord spoke to him.
My Lord taught me that I had been creating and fighting internal and external winds, earthquakes and fires in my own life trying to fix things. But until I calmed myself, I had not heard the whisper. Through prayer, self-examination, scripture meditation, studying thought life and opening my heart to friends from my prior town for support and accountability (thank you Lord for unlimited long distance!), the Lord (yes, I said the Lord, not I) released me from my self-made prison. He exposed the lies in my mind put there by my own thinking patterns, the expectations of society and other people, as well as the enemy.
I learned that my rescue did not lie in my husband coming home early or my friends calling to offer encouragement, me filling time with fun distractions, or constantly coming up with new strategies. When those things ended, so did my peace. Yes, those things are helpful, but not the source of a true and lasting solution.
I learned so much about the care and promises of God during that time–more than I ever would have had I not gone through my own silent, dark halls and heard the squeaking of the rusty thoughts and attitudes inside. He and he alone was the provider of peace, joy and contentment.
Oh how “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” (Psalm 119:71) There was purpose and promise in that difficult time. Being in darkness and seeing my own darkness allowed me to see and take in God’s light.
So now I don’t only listen for my shoes, but I also listen to my mind and take intentional steps to keep it renewed so that instead of hearing squeaks from the right and left, whether I walk to “to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21)
Christian Life Coaching Call to Action:
1. Think of a recurring negative emotion. What is the typical situation that causes your reaction? What are the exact thought statements that are “squeaking” in your head when you are feeling this way? What do you find to be true vs. false about what you are thinking? What can God (yes, I said God, not you) do about it?
2. The next time you are in a situation where your emotions are about to cause a negative or ungodly reaction either internally or externally, stop in that moment before saying or doing anything or thinking any further. Write down what you are telling yourself about the situation, about another person, or even about yourself.
Keep a log of these reactions, negative thoughts and limiting beliefs for several days. Look for patterns. Find God’s truth and promises about the situation. Write down verses directly related to your need or challenge. Ask God to help you to apply them to your life.
3. Romans 12:2 teaches, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Think of practical and simple steps you can take daily to begin to renew your mind. If you feel it is too big to go it alone, ask a family member, friend, or Christian Life Coach to help you to move forward in this area. “I can do everything through him who givecs me strength.” (Php 4:13)
Set Your Captive Free
…for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.~2 Pe 2:19 NIV
Where in your life do you feel powerless–held captive? Have you seen the face of your captor? Is it the same face you see in the mirror? Sometimes there are external circumstances that leave us struggling or stuck and in these times we need to lean on the Lord to help us find what He would have us do to master the situation.
However, there are many times when internal circumstances leave us struggling or stuck. In these times, if we do not recognize that we are our own captor and take action to escape without giving up, and then we can remain enslaved, shackled, mastered by something for what could be a lifetime. What shackles hold you captive?
Maybe you are a captive to your own perfectionism such that when you need to move forward or make a change in your life, you have an ‘all or nothing’ mentality and either do nothing if you can’t meet your own expectation or become overly critical of yourself feeling defeated even if you are gaining victory. What is the truth? “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise…For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” (2 Co 10:12, 18)
Perhaps you struggle with a negative ‘I can’t be used’ self-image and do not believe that you are as valuable and powerful as God designed you to be and so you do not intentionally access the promises and power that He has for you. What is the truth? “Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Co 1:26-29)
Or you could just feel out of balance and so tired that you lack the energy to be a good steward in the areas that you know the Spirit is urging you to improve. What is the truth? “To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” (Col 1:29)
It could be that you are stuck in ‘analysis paralysis’ or ‘readiness steadiness’ because you do not feel you are prepared to do what the Lord is calling you to. What is the truth? “Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” (2 Co 3:4-5)
Whatever your captor, all of these have one common source–your thoughts. Our thought patterns are mirrored in our words, actions, character and ultimately our destiny. So it is very important to examine our spirit, heart and mind to see what is being reinforced regularly in our lives that is mastering us–whether it be related to our personality, learned patterns, wounds by other people or experiences, or false truths we tell ourselves. It often is not easy as it takes much prayer, perseverance, intaking of God’s truths and practical strategies. But apart from your relationship with God, this is the key to victory in all other areas of your life.
So how do we escape this captor–by intentionally reversing our role of captive to that of captor. And yes, it is war, one that you must win. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Co 10:5)
And how do we know that we can do this? “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Ro 8:37)
And how do we know that it is worth the effort? “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him…” (1 Co 2:9)
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph 3:20)
Christian Life Coaching Call to Action:
1. Eph 2:10 states, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” What thought and behavior patterns in your life are hindering your transformation to Christlikeness? your discovery or fulfillment of your calling?
2. Consider the area of life that you most want to change right now. Take some time to reflect on what that area of life would look like if it were ideal–not merely human ideal, but what God intends it to be. How would life be different and how would you feel different if you reached your full potential in that area of life?
Satisfying Your Thirst
He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.~Ecc 5:20 NIV
Sometimes I wish the word ‘housework’ was not in our vocabulary (along with ‘cooking’ and some other domestic tasks!). But I guess it’d just be another word, spelled and pronounced another way, but with the same definition. I understand the purpose in doing housework and cooking, but those things do not have deep meaning for me or give me pleasure when doing them. They are what they are, just necessary tasks–as some of the things I enjoy doing may be to other people. We have different likes and dislikes, finding meaning and joy in different things.
This morning I knew I had to do a lot of cleaning and organizing since I had a busy week. I also knew up front that I would rather be doing something else, anything else! One of my two kids were out doing a service project with their dad and other church members and the satellite TV was out awaiting a service call later in the day. So the house was pretty quiet with just one child home (my quieter one–God is good!) and no cartoon repeats blaring through the speakers. So I was ecstatic that I had time alone, though a little disappointed that I wasn’t about to do something that I ‘wanted’ to do rather than ‘had’ to do.
I guess I could have chosen something else, but I knew I had to be a good steward of the home this weekend…and yes, you guessed it, the service tech would be there just after lunch in their 12 to 4 window–but I had to be done by noon just in case! (I’m giggling as I write this post since my other son is home now with his signature high decibel shrieks during play.)
Though the satellite was out, my DVD player still worked and I put in Michael W. Smith’s newest praise and worship DVD “A New Hallelujah”. It was keeping my mind on praising God through my stewardship of the home rather than on the actual work I was doing. And I have some carpal tunnel type hand injuries that make certain tasks involving the hands very uncomfortable, but it didn’t faze me one bit. I worked right through the mundane and the discomfort feeling joy and a different type of meaning greater than housework. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Col 3:23)
According to the commentary for Ecc 5:20 in my NIV Bible, life has meaning and true pleasure only in God. Because without Him nothing can truly satisfy, but with him we find satisfaction and enjoyment. In recent years God has shown me that whenever I mix God with anything, praising Him through it–whether it be housework, exercise, giving grace in a situation where I am being mistreated–I find satisfaction that I could not get in the situation alone. Yes, our loving Savior makes bitter things sweeter and sweet things sweeter! We’ve just got to look for Him in it–because He is there, always.
On a practical note, an effective thing to do when confronted with a negative thought or situation is to interrupt the pattern, to do something that takes your mind off the situation and feeds your mind, heart and spirit with something positive. What better thing to interrupt than your loving Father?! His grace, goodness and power will fill us when we are empty, but not just to the top, but overflowing. But you can’t fill your cup if you don’t pour something in it. Filling our time with things of the world or the flesh cannot completely satisfy.
This is why we as a people are always looking for the next “if…then” scenario to bring us contentment. But all other things we pour into our cup just evaporate or spill in time, if not immediately. The only thing that faithfully remains to quench the thirst of our mind, body, heart and spirit is intentional, consistent intimate fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
“To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness…” (Ecc 2:26) True happiness is not found in the things of this world or even inside of us. It is found in God the Father, Jesus the Son and the great Guide, Comforter and Counselor within us that is the Holy Spirit.
Christian Life Coaching Call to Action:
1. What is it that you have to do or deal with regularly that brings you discontentment?
2. What have you tried to combat those feelings? How has that worked long-term?
3. Where do you feel an empty void, sense of being stuck, or lack of clarity in your mind, heart, or spirit? in the major areas of your life: Spiritual, Relationships, Physical, Financial, Career?
4. Invite God into even the simplest, seemingly insignificant or biggest, seemingly impossible situations. Trust Him and see what He will do. “Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” (Ps 107:8-9)
God’s Career Destination for You - Book Tour and Interview
I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.~John 17:4 NIV
When you work is it “because you have to”, “because you want to” or “because you are called to”? Career accomplishments apart from our purpose in life, were never meant to bring long-term fulfillment. What does working harder gain us if we are not in partnership with the Lord in what we build? You can easily determine if a job is a good one depending on whether it helps or hinders your relationship with God, is healthy or unhealthy for your human relationships and whether it enables or gets in the way of your calling. (Blueprint for Life)
For some your job will be your calling. For others, though your job may not be the same as your calling, it should be a tool to enable your life purpose and your calling to carry out God’s work. Either way, God intended for you to find satisfaction in your work. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. (Ecc 2:24)
Wondering how you can explore these issues and more to move to a more fulfilling work life? Stop by my blog today to view the posting of an interview I did with Karen Pina, a Christian Leadership Coach, Author, and minister of the gospel who has written a career and entrepreneurial guidebook for Christians. She is beginning a virtual book tour for “Is it the job, the boss, you . . . or are you an entrepreneur? Find your career stressors and the success God intends” book, filled with godly and practical wisdom. And Karen will be stopping by the blog periodically to respond to your questions and comments that you post on the blog.
This guidebook will arm you to: interview with grace, wisdom, and ease, rightly evaluate the job offer, come out of the annual performance appraisal a winner, explore new occupations and positions, uncover what’s up the road in your career, outline entrepreneurial traits, establish the business structure that is right for you, master tax strategy wisdom, and keep your entrepreneurial juices flowing.
To read an excerpt of the book or to purchase it, you can visit www.findcareeranswers.com. You can also learn more about Karen and read reviews of her book there.
As promised here is our interview:
AC: Why did you write this book?
KP: Arris, I wrote this book to see Christians arrive at the career destination God intends sooner rather than later. It took me 20 plus years of fumbling around in Corporate America. God knows I don’t want the same for my Christian brothers and sisters. If I can help them get there with less stress in half the time with the right tools and attitude, then allowing God to use me to write this book was worth it. Accomplishing this will fill me with unspeakable joy!
AC: Tell me about yourself.
KP: You know every time I’m asked this question I reflect deeply on how to answer. First, I am a handmaiden of God who is madly in love and totally surrendered to Him as a vessel fit for noble and honorable purposes. Second, I’m a virtuous leader in my home as a wife to my husband Stanley and a mother to our two beautiful girls.
AC: What is the book about?
KP: It is guidebook for those who are looking for career answers. It is for Christians who are sick and tired of being sick and tired of switching jobs every one to three years, tired of the annual slap in the face performance appraisal, and tired of not knowing what they don’t know to attain the career success they were created for. This is accomplished through assessments, exercises, conducting research, and answering coaching questions. As you can see Arris, it is a pragmatic hands-on career and business resource. It is definitely not a read from cover to cover and place on the shelf book. It requires the reader’s active participation in order to find their career stressors and the success God intends. “Anyone who picks up this book, no matter what circumstances they’re going through on the job front, will automatically identify with it because it hits home, right where you are.”
AC: What is the one take-away you want the readers to leave with?
KP: My prayer and desire for all who read this book is a successful transition over the bridge into the enormous sea of discovery and realization of the power of God within them as the wind beneath their sails guiding them into their proper sphere of career influence.
AC: How long have you been writing?
KP: You know I have been writing in some capacity for over 15 years. At the same time, I have been writing creatively for only the past eight to 10 years. Over the last 5 years, God has taken me to new heights as the Holy Spirit has birthed articles, newsletters, e-books, e-courses, and paperback books. I have most recently discovered that I’m a scribe after the order of Ezra in the Bible.
AC: What is next on the writing horizon?
KP: A scribe is one who completes divine writing assignments as given by God. So, there are several things on God’s radar right now that He desires to release through me. Some of the upcoming assignments are completing a musical project of all the poems He’s given me, a character development book titled The Making, and a book to help Christian coaches find virtual assistants who are best equipped to support the vision God has given them.
AC: Karen, tell the readers how they can contact you if they have any questions?
KP: Sure, if anyone has any questions, they can post them as a response to this interview. I will stop by periodically to answer questions. Additionally, my contact information is: www.findcareeranswers.com or kpina@godscoach.com.
AC: How much is the book?
KP: There are two delivery methods for the book. The printed copy is for those who do not mind waiting for delivery via snail mail and is specially priced at $19.99. The electronic version is for those who want to start receiving answers immediately and is specially priced at $10.99.
AC: Tell my blog readers where they can buy the book.
KP: We are accepting all pre-orders right on the findcareeranswers.com website. All orders will be shipped hot off the heavenly press within 4-6 weeks . . . just in time to give as a Christmas gift.
AC: Karen, thank you so much for stopping by my blog.
KP: You are most welcome, thanks for having me.
Anything else you’re wondering? We invite you to post your question or comment. And we pray that you will find the career fulfillment that God intended for you and fulfill the purpose He meant for you when He created your inmost being, because you are fearfully and wonderfully made! (Ps 139)
Christian Career Guidance - November 6
November 6 could mark the beginning of a new direction for your life! God intended for man to “find satisfaction in his work” (Ecc 2:24) and for your career to enable your purpose in life. Beyond provision, do you have passion and purpose in your job or career? Perhaps you’re searching for the fulfillment God meant for you? Maybe someone you know is struggling in this area?
Stop by my blog on November 6 when I will be posting an interview I did with Karen Pina, a Christian Leadership Coach, Author, and minister of the gospel has written a career and entrepreneurial guidebook for Christians. She is beginning a virtual book tour for Is it the job, the boss, you . . . or are you an entrepreneur? Find your career stressors and the success God intends book, filled with Godly and practical wisdom. And Karen will be available to respond to your questions and comments that you post on the blog.
This guidebook will arm you to: interview with grace, wisdom, and ease, rightly evaluate the job offer, come out of the annual performance appraisal a winner, explore new occupations and positions, uncover what’s up the road in your career, outline entrepreneurial traits, establish the business structure that is right for you, master tax strategy wisdom, and keep your entrepreneurial juices flowing.
See you there!!
Survivor’s Guilt
If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.~1 Co 3:14 NIV
In the Houston area we’re still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ike and will be for a while. You hear a lot of people around town and on television saying they have “survivor’s guilt” because so many have lost their homes while theirs is still standing and still others have been without power for so long while theirs was turned back on the next day. In fact, I feel a little bit of survivor’s guilt myself, for I am one of those people who didn’t get the worst of the storm.
We pray for those who are in those extremely difficult circumstances and we try to do what we can to help them to recover and rebuild. For those who personally know or regularly see people going through those darkest times or perhaps are involved in the rebuilding and recovery efforts, survivor’s guilt may remain for a while. For those whose lives are back to normal and have no regular reminders besides an occasional newscast, the guilt may tend to pass and they continue on in their busy lives.
Thinking about the total earthly devastation that is not really that far from where I live and daily driving by some of the blue tarps on the buildings in my neighborhood, my mind refocuses on eternal matters. “For we are God’s fellow workers…you are…God’s building.” (1 Co 3:9) My heart began to think of the ”spiritual buildings” in so many lives that are leveled to the ground or have pieces shattered out of them and are covered with earthly tarps that are only temporary and cannot help the building survive if another storm were to hit.
Another issue faced following a storm is that in attempts to start over again some may be deceived by fly by night operations who claim that they can repair and rebuild for a low cost and in a quick timeframe, but just leave the unknowing victim with a weak or unfinished building and likely a lot of financial loss and emotional distress. Likewise, many fly by night, drive-thru break thrus also tempt and deceive us when we attempt to build or rebuild things in our lives.
“But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Co 3:10-15)
Remember that “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power…for everything in heaven and earth is yours…Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.” (1 Chr 29:11-12) And God calls us to live a life focused on eternity–becoming and fulfilling those things that He has designed us for. If you invest your internal and external resources in building to these standards God intended, then you won’t ever need any blue tarps on the buildings of your spiritual life, relationships, physical health, finances and career.
Of course there will always be storms, but you will stand strong and you will always be fully insured for recovery and rebuilding. His signature is on the eternal policy in His Word and in your heart. What you build will survive and you will receive your reward on this earth and in eternity.
And if you have survived the storms of life without much visible or hidden damage, is there a reason for you to have “spiritual survivor’s guilt” or are you helping others recover and rebuild their lives? Do you have the heart of Christ and listen for opportunities to care for and serve the least, the last and the lost? Or do you just go on living your life in your own boarded up safe haven and not invite anyone in or go to their spiritual doorstep?
We are called to build our lives to God’s original blueprint and to help others to also build their Blueprint for Life(R) per God’s specifications outlined in His Word. For “From Him the whole body…builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph 4:16) What Kingdom building effort is God calling you to lead or be involved in?
Christian Life Coaching Call to Action:
How would you rate yourself as a builder of your life so far? Consider some of the past and present storms in your life. Ask yourself the hard questions. What areas of your life have you covered with temporary tarps of this world? What areas need rebuilding? What are you rebuilding with?
Spiritual
Have you weakened your relationship with God by drifting far away from Him on the waves of your earthly pursuits? Have you built your spiritual life with a shiny golden checklist, but nothing is really shining for those around you?
Relationships
What relationships have you patched up, yet left the seams on the brink of tearing again? Have you attempted to nurture your relationships with the silver dollar more than a warm heart?
Physical
Do you neglect your physical health so much that you don’t even have the energy to rebuild areas of your life? What is your exercise and diet plan made of–hay or straw that blows away each time there is a wind of distraction?
Finances
What financial quick fixes have left you deep in debt and the repair schedule is so far out that more things are falling apart? Have you made a budget of wood that you burn up spending to maintain a lifestyle beyond your means?
Career
Does your career or role in life feel like it’s a fly by night operation because it doesn’t fit who you are and what you want out of life and you’re stuck paying for it? Have you trapped yourself in a career built of costly stones that you can’t sell in today’s economy?
If one, some, most or all of these questions leave you feeling like your life has been hit by a hurricane and there is a long way to go in recovery and rebuilding, don’t be discouraged. If you open your doors to your Father, the Divine Designer and Master Builder of your life, He will seal every crack and build it in such an amazing way that you couldn’t have done it yourself.
You won’t even recognize yourself or your life, for your spiritual building will be a dream home. And “I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.” (Ecc 3:14)
Anyone Can Balance On Their Head
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.~Psalm 37:4 NIV
Lately I’ve been busily and happily engaging deeper in an important exercise–no, not balancing on my head, but balancing on my heart! It may sound hard physically, but mentally anyone can balance on their head! All you have to do is look at the sometimes cold, hard truth of life and make a decision based on what lines up with the natural facts and figures and the status quo of the world’s definition of success. There, you’ve done it–balanced your life based on your head. But even though it may seem you’re standing straight and strong, often times we find ourselves growing weary and trembling at the thought of holding that position that we or our circumstances or other people have put us in any longer–but all we are taking into account is what our head is telling us.
But what else is there to seriously consider? The numbers in my bank account, the whispers of my co-workers, family or friends, the odds of making it, or whatever else we’re considering in the natural world just doesn’t seem to show that I can be, do or have anything different and be truly successful at it. However, we often forget that our God is not a God of the “natural”, but of the “supernatural.” And yes we are citizens of this earth with often limited access to earthly resources and knowledge, “but our citizenship is in heaven” according to Phil 3:20. And just as we have certain rights here on earth, we have certain promises from our Father in heaven–those that truly can’t be taken away from us!
We’ve just recently celebrated our freedom in this country with the 4th of July holiday. But have you yet been able to celebrate your freedom as a heavenly citizen?–having truly embraced and empowered yourself FULLY with ALL that your Creator meant for you since, after all, Jesus came so that you “may have life, and have it to the full”? (Jn 10:10), and so that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds” (Phil 4:7), and so that glory is given “to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” (Eph 3:20-21) Have you begun to see more than you can ask or imagine in your life?
I once thought that not possible, but now I know that I was just balancing on my head–anyone can do that. But a child of God can do more–so much more! How? Well….bottom line… “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Jn 3:30 NKJV) The more I nestle myself in the Spirit, submit myself before God, and sit and learn at the feet of Jesus, and balance on my heart–the more I have seen God bring things into my life that I never could have asked or imagined or even done myself–I was “not competent”, “not ready”; it was “not probable”, “not typical”–maybe they should just be dismissed as fantasy! Changes in me and my family, new opportunities to achieve dreams I thought I would have had to fight for in the flesh, in the natural–all resulting in increase in joy, peace and fulfillment. Sure, there are trials and challenges, but as I intentionally allow Him to increase and myself to decrease, His fruit in my life increases–and, oh, how sweet!
I have two birthdays still to come this year–my natural birthday this week and my spiritual birthday on Ocotber 4–the one with most significance. And I am so thankful to be alive and be on the path of becoming and fulfilling my unique God-given calling in all areas of life! With every birthday celebration of my own, I just can’t help but celebrate the birthday of Jesus!
Yes, balancing on your heart and the desires that God has put in them–ahhh, that is the true Olympic challenge–beginning and ending with an eternal flame of joy, peace and fulfillment that starts burning brightly in this life and then blazes for all eternity–an event in which any of us can win gold! But have you even considered going to the trials? Guess what, you can try out and qualify and go on to win the gold in all of the events God has designed you for–even if you haven’t worked out the proper life muscles in ages! The big question is are you willing to discipline yourself to enter the arena with your faith and actions working together so that your faith is made complete by what you do? (James 2:22)
Do you truly believe that you can and will become, receive and fulfill the pure desires of your heart–not just what the often learned and assimilated thoughts of your head tell you? Then with that belief and faith, you must have a clear God-given, God-sized vision of where you want to be and how you can get there. And then for that vision to come to pass, you must have a plan grounded and carried forward in God’s wisdom, will, guidance and power.
Or maybe you have been so busy trying to hold that position on your head that you have not even given any specific thought or attention to what your heart and God’s Spirit is telling you is your Blueprint for Life. If not, how will you ever know what you were meant to build into your life or into the lives of others or how to build it based on how your Creator has designed your being and your life purpose? Yes, you have a life purpose….in fact, many life purposes for each area of your life–Spiritual, Relationships, Physical, Finances and Career. Do you know them? Are you fulfilling them?
So to play with the metaphor some more–what does it look like to balance on your heart? Well, it’s certainly not an upside down, upright position like balancing on your head. The only way to balance on your heart, which is at the core of your being in your chest, is to lay down–that is to lay your life down at the cross, at the feet of your Savior so that you can learn from Him and let Him carry your burdens. What a comforting thought, huh? Which Olympic event would you want to compete in–trying for the longest time balancing on your head or balancing on your heart in a resting position while God carries you through?! God’s training program is the surest way to gold–because it is based on how the event of our lives was truly meant to be carried out and the only person we have to compete with is ourselves and the time and track we were originally designed for.
And if you delight yourself in the Lord, He truly will begin to give you the desires of your heart as promised in Psalm 37:4 and you can bet your bottom dollar–and mine, “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:6)
Christian Life Coaching Call to Action:
1. What event have you been competing in within the “balancing on your head” events? climbing the ladder to the top? filling the bank the fastest? winning the approval of the in crowd? running away from fear of failure…or success? waiting until you feel ready or worthy? In fact, what is it that is pushing you or causing you to push yourself? Or rather should you really find out how you can be pulled by God’s compelling and irrestable purpose for your life?
2. What have you had faith to be or do, but have not yet stepped out of the boat into action to become or achieve? Is that vision from God? Do you have a plan that God is directing you towards? If you have done work to discover your life purpose, has it served any purpose such that your life and level of fulfillment has been changed? If not, why not?
3. If you have not yet considered seeking your life purpose, consider “who am I?”, “why am I here?” Do your head’s answers to those questions inspire you…or leave you in blank stares, confusion, or discouragement?
4. Do you want support in finding out how to balance life on your heart and live life by the Spirit? If so, consider starting your Blueprint for Life today. Your potential is not limited, but time is! Learn more at an upcoming complimentary introductory “Born for More!” Webinar. Invite a friend–they were born for more too!
April Foolishness
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.~1 Cor 1:27 NIV
With April Fool’s Day upon us, we will be keeping our eyes and ears open and our thinking caps on wondering whether people are pulling our leg, or even our arm or some other unexpecting part of us, in order to fool us and get a good laugh as we show unwarranted shock, excitement or fear of some far fetched tale they tell. I’m not sure which day I hide out more–April Fool’s Day or St. Patrick’s Day when I always get pinched for not wearing green!
But no matter what day it is, there are two things I’ve learned over the years: (1) I tend to be the one to fool myself the most; and (2) No matter how far fetched something seems, if God says it, it is no fooling! 1 Corinthians 2:9 quotes, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” and Ephesians 3:20 gives glory to “Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” and then Philippians 4:13 states, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
We say that we believe God’s Word, that we believe and trust that He is who He says He is and that He can and will do what He says He will do. But then we shrink back from believing in and reaching expectantly for our full potential as we tend to follow suit with the world’s ”stinkin’ thinkin’” (as Joyce Meyer puts it) leading us to think that if no eye has seen and no ear has heard, then it may not be possible, that God can’t possibly have anything that immeasurable waiting for us, or that we simply do not have the strength or discipline to make it through.
We look at ourselves as “the foolish things of the world” and “the lowly things of this world and the despised things”(1 Cor 1:27, 28) as these are defined by man. Instead, we must intentionally take action to “not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2) because the Lord says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isa 55:8)! Even if you say that it is true and that you are all of those small and powerless things, then to God be the glory for our Lord declares, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9)
Beloved, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.” (1 Cor 1:27-29). If you believe and draw near to Him, your life can be more than you can ask or imagine, what neither your mind nor any other could ever begin to conceive, becoming and doing all things you are called to do through His strength,”with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power”. (1 Cor 2:5)
So when you get critical of yourself or when those around you look down upon you as if you are foolish, dearest Saint, rejoice in your foolishness! For God can and will bring beauty for ashes, strength for fear, light for darkness, life for death–that which is life indeed!
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. (Eph 1:18-23)
“I, I am small but
You, You are big enough
I, I am weak but
You, You are strong enough to
Take my dreams
Come and give them wings
Lord with You
There’s nothing I cannot do
Nothing I cannot do”
(Chorus lyrics, “Set the Word on Fire” by Britt Nicole, “Say It” album, 2007)
Christian Life Coaching Call to Action:
1. What “foolish” dream do you have for your life? Take time to write out all of the details of that vision for who you want to become, what you want to do, how you want to live, how you want to feel?
2. Is it a vision that you just can’t let go of no matter how improbable it seems? Seek God to confirm whether it is from Him. Do you have “stinkin’ thinkin’” that is keeping you from believing that you can realize this vision? What steps can you take to replace these thoughts?
3. Get started today writing a plan to build or rebuild to God’s original design for you all of the major areas of your life: Spiritual, Relational, Physical, Financial, Career. (Yes, write it down–vision, goals, stepping stones–so it is in front of you consistently rather than an occasional daydream–God wrote His plans down for us! Why not follow His example? A fantastic resource for this is Blueprint for Life, a life changing individual or small group Bible Study, Life Purpose Discovery & Strategic Life Planning resource. Written plans before, but don’t stick to them? Then get a family member, friend or life coach to help you to be accountable.) You may feel that you don’t have time to make a plan. But the question is, do you have time not to?
The Man in the Smoke Screen
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts…So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view…We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.~ Isa 55:8-9, 2 Cor 5:16, 20 NIV
In this post I’m sharing a true “short story” with details that are important to show how God works in ways we don’t expect. Sometimes it’s easy to have a “hmmm should I write this?” moment as it can be a little uncomfortable to reveal to others what sometimes goes on inside of our heads as we don’t want to be judged. It’s hard enough sometimes to be “real” with ourselves, let alone others–and we end up judging ourselves harder than others do. But I believe in letting my humanity walk on water with the risk of sinking–being authentic and vulnerable so that we can all be “real” with one another and be “real” for God.
I’d also love for you to comment and share your thoughts on God speaking and working through your life to bless others! If you have any experiences that fit with these where it was truly “indeed God in deed”, please share with us so that we all can be encouraged and praise His wonderful works. Pass this on to others to be a blessing or so that they too can add to our “God inDeed” testimony chain!
One of my sons was off of school one day and I decided to take him to IHOP since he loves pancakes and we had not been there in a while (well, not to sit down and eat anyway–we do a lot of take out dining when I don’t cook–as it is often a challenge to dine in restaurants at their ages–and it gives my husband a chance to taste ‘real’ cooking…and me too! Culinary arts–or even experiments–just not my gift!) As we approached the entry, I saw that there was a wait, which our stomachs were not happy about since we had both not had much breakfast.
I assume most IHOPs may be structured this same way. The restaurant had a set of glass double doors, then a little waiting area with a bench against the wall to either side, then another set of double doors that led into the bigger waiting room inside of the restaurant. When we walked into the first set of double doors in this non-smoking establishment, I noticed a man bending over on a bench in the corner on one of the benches as if trying to hide the fact that he was smoking.
The moment my nose entered the small area, the smoke rushed up my nose when I breathed in, as I had not expected to have to hold my breath as I usually prepare myself to do as I walk by so that I don’t inhale the smoke. I, like my mother and her mother alike, have sinuses that react strongly to inhalation of cigarette smoke within the first half a sniff. I get a sinus headache almost immediately and have to take a decongestant to relieve it. I have friends and relatives who smoke and they just know that when they have to light up, I step back about 15 feet for a while!
Needless to say, I was a little frustrated that our table for two–mother and son–was about to become a table for three–a headache joining us! My son and I went inside, put our name on the list and sat down far across the waiting room at a little wall dividing the waiting area from the kitchen so that we were as far away from the entry area with the smoke as possible–since each time the door was opened the invisible smoke screen came into the restaurant and I could sense it going into my sinuses. I could tell that the servers and hostess who were in the area were a little disturbed knowing that he was not supposed to be smoking, but they were all pretty young and I assume probably not wanting to risk a conflict with the gentleman.
Then the man came into the restaurant. Judging–so easy to do though we should not–just from his outward appearance, I could see how he was a little intimidating to think about approaching. His face was kind of scraggly–like typically shaved but growing back and left unshaven; he wore worn baggy green sweat pants a little high revealing lengthy socks and a red sweat jacket that was closed up to the top of his heck; he shuffled around back and forth from inside the restaurant to his self-designated smoking area several times as if having a need to smoke every few minutes out of anxiousness or something.
And each time he walked near me, the breeze from his movement blew the scent of smoke up my nose as it did not have time to wear off as he went in and out. Sometimes the hood on his jacket was up, sometimes down. His facial expressions seemed distraught, certainly not happy and he avoided eye contact with anyone.
But he did not seem approachable. His demeanor and presence gave you the feel that at any time he might go into some sort of a rage that would cause us to dive for the floors. I actually considered leaving as I just didn’t have a good feeling about this situation. But I fought my better or not better judgment and stayed to please my son, who though his tummy was growling was so very excited about the thought of pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream on top.
I noticed that the man was returning to a seat on the north side of the restaurant and I prayed that God would sit us on the south side separated from the other by the waiting area and kitchen so that I was far from the smoke and my concern for safety. Many stared at him as he passed back and forth, intimidated and critical looks on their faces. I was intentionally adjusting my thoughts not to judge, but just kept hoping that he would hold it together if something really was going on with him and scanned the area thinking of an exit or hiding strategy just in case.
Eventually we were taken to our booth and I was relieved that it was on the south side! I ignored my headache and we happily ordered our food. And when our drinks were delivered, we had a fourth unexpected guest! A server was bringing the glass, drink pitcher and silverware of the mysterious “man behind the smoke screen” from his table across the restaurant and sitting him in the booth right behind ours. And he was facing the back of my son’s head, who was seated across from me in our booth, and facing directly towards my face. I looked down or at my son to avoid eye contact as I didn’t want him to think that I was staring at him or anything, but it was hard not to lock eyes every so often because of how we were sitting.
At this point, my mind is complaining a little, as I see that he is getting up and down every few minutes as he was before–to his table, to the entryway, again and again. But at least with a longer walk now, the lingering smoke was no longer with him long enough to affect me. He wasn’t eating at this point, though I don’t know if he had already or was going to. He had a pitcher of juice, his wallet, his keys and a small notebook at the table with him.
As I ate with my son, I could feel the Holy Spirit start to well up inside of me. As I do at times when someone’s feeling of burden is laid upon my heart and spirit, I felt a pit feeling deep in my stomach, my palms became damp, and my eyes felt as if they wanted to tear up. Suddenly I felt compelled to pray for this man and my eating came to a stop (and believe me, when I have pancakes or french toast topped with warm apples and whipped cream, stopping is not an optino!). I stopped chatting with my son, and just prayed and felt a deep, spiritual compassion for this man.
And then it was impressed upon my mind to be Jesus to this man, to show him God somehow. I dialogued in my head with the Lord, asking what I was supposed to do as I was scared to speak to him. The Lord didn’t seem to care if I spoke to him or not, but only wanted me to have the name “God” go out to him somehow. My God-given care and responsibility outweighed any fears I had and I knew I would obey.
The man then left again, leaving all of his things on the table, and this time went outside of the window behind his table and smoked outside in the cold weather (cold for my area in the South is really just light jacket weather). He turned in towards the glass, just about staring right at me at times, maybe watching as his wallet was within view. I rummaged through my wallet looking for something, thinking I would give him a note with whatever the Lord wanted me to say. I had my son hurry up and finish eating, hoping to be able to do it before he came back in from smoking, but it didn’t work out. I saw him coming back in. When his server came to his table the next time, I was sure to look at her name tag in case I needed to speak to her.
All I could find in my purse that I could write on was a Marble Slab Creamery punch card that was actually full and I was waiting to use for a waffle cone of double dark chocolate mixed with pecans! I wrote across the bottom of it something like, “May God bless you in this new year.” I felt it was adequate; it had the word “God” in it as I felt I was supposed to say. Maybe it was a sign that was being sent to him. It didn’t matter. I just wanted to obey.
I also decided that I would give him a gift card, like $10. So when my server came to our table, I asked him if I could buy one and he said to get it at the check out up front. So when we left, I asked for one and they said they were out. Now how should I get him the note and get God’s point across? I wanted to have the server give it to him with the card.
Well, I decided that I would ask to pay his check. So I asked for his server–good thing I had looked at her name. When I described who I wanted to pay the check for, she looked at me with strange surprise. But she tallied it up and let me pay it and then she asked me if I wanted to tell him anything. I handed her the Marble Slab card and asked her to give it to him and just say that one of the customers paid his check. Then my son and I jetted out of there quickly as I didn’t want him to know who did it, but just to hopefully feel the light of the anonymous, pleasant surprise in his seemingly dark moment.
As we drove off, my son asked why I paid for the man’s ticket if I was so bothered by his smoking near me. (He knew that I was irritated by it as I mentioned to him that it was bothering me and I think he heard me say under my breath, “oh great” when the gentleman was moved next to us.) It was a wonderful opportunity to show him how God’s love and God’s will far outweighs our own human biases, desires and sometimes false wisdom–how His thoughts are not like our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways.
No one can tell me that it was not a work of God to move that man, the last man I wanted to be near–and requested in prayer not to–all the way across the restaurant to sit right next to me, being face to face making eye contact with me, and then to supernaturally put it on my heart to reach out to him in both a natural and spiritual way–it was way beyond mere human response of typical “aw, poor person, I hope he is okay”.
But all along I was the one really in a smoke screen. I had not only been affected by a natural smoke screen from the cigarette, but also was in a spiritual smoke screen created by my own fears, discomforts and cultural programming. But God let me not only see through the dense fog of my humanity, but reach through it and touch another life. I have no idea what that man was going through or why I was supposed to do what I did, but if God was the author of it all, it has to be working for his good–it certainly worked for mine and my son’s.
I share this with you today to remind us all to be alert of our own smoke screens that we create, that our society creates, that may be blinding us to the needs of others–to our roles in the lives of others–especially those who we are least likely to want to reach out to. Because we are first spiritual beings before natural, fleshly beings, we must intentionally keep ourselves open to the leading of the Lord through His Spirit so that we can be Jesus to others.
But as humans, aren’t we always having to find our way through our smoke screens? Some of us don’t even realize when we are in them–we can’t see beyond the 5 feet or 5 minutes ahead of us; we don’t believe that we are in one–we don’t believe those who are outside of our smoke screen calling out to us, trying to shine a light for us to find our way out so that we can step out of it and experience real life through Jesus Christ. What smoke screens do you tend to be blinded by?
I felt that the lyrics to the song “God Speaking” by Mandisa are quite fitting–and when I heard it on the radio for the first time, it had the ‘ways are higher’ words in it and I just knew it was for this post:
Have you ever heard a love song
that sets your spirit free?
Have you ever watched a sunrise
and felt you could not breathe?
What if it’s Him?
What if it’s God speaking?
Have you ever cried a tear
that you could not explain?
Have you ever met a stranger
who already knew your name?
What if it’s Him?
What if it’s God speaking?
Who knows how He’ll get ahold of us?
Get our attention to prove He is enough.
He’ll do, and He’ll use whatever He wants to.
To tell us, I Love You.
Have you ever lost a loved one
Who you thought should still be here?
Do you know what it feels like
to be tangled up in fear?
What if He’s somehow involved?
What if He’s speaking through it all?
Who knows how He’ll get ahold of us?
Get our attention to prove He is enough.
He’ll do and He’ll use whatever He wants to
To tell us, I love you.
His ways are higher;
His ways are better,
Though sometimes strange.
What could be stranger than God in a manger?
Who knows how He’ll get ahold of us?
Get our attention to prove He is enough.
Who knows how He’ll get ahold of you?
Get your attention to prove He is enough.
He’ll do and He’ll use whatever He wants to,
To tell us I love you.
God is speaking, I love you
Christian Life Coaching Call to Action:
1. Is there someone in your life that you feel like you’d rather not be in close contact with, but either you can’t avoid it or they often seem to somehow end up interacting with you? Seek God to see if there is some reason for this person being in your life and if so, how does He want you to reach out to him or her? What are your human thoughts vs. God’s thoughts?
2. Is there something that God has been prompting you to do for someone that you have avoided doing because your flesh does not feel like you should do it–maybe you feel they don’t deserve it or that it would put you out of your comfort zone or inconvenience you? Ask God to strengthen you to be obedient despite how you feel and to see them through spiritual eyes instead of worldly ones. What ways of His can you adopt that are higher than your ways?
3. Do you know how God speaks to you? through you? Is there a certain feeling you get? is it at a certain time like when nothing is on your mind in the middle of the night — is there enough down time in your life in which you can try to listen and feel God’s presence? If you do, ask Him to use you so that you can be “God speaking” to others. If you don’t, be more intentional to spend time alone with Him–yes in Bible study, devotion or praise or prayer–but not only when your mind is active and you hear yourself speaking, but also just in intentional times of silence, just sitting with Him as if sitting with a significant other, holding hands in silence, staring at the sunset, just knowing that your hearts are beating together—-just to hear “God speaking”.
4. Be more intentional–in those moments when you are most unlikely to feel like you want to serve anyone, to touch anyone’s life–to listen and feel for God speaking? He may have a special task for you, but you are so carried away in the whirlwind of your own thoughts and concerns that you don’t hear Him and are missing opportunities to change the lives of others–to change your life.
