What if You Just Start?

I spend a lot of my writing time staring at a blank white screen with a blinking cursor. 

That cursor.  

It’s surprisingly intimidating.  The constant blinking reminds me with each passing moment that I’ve not put a single word down.  Which for a writer, isn’t too great.  We’re sort of required to put words on a page. 

It’s always the first sentence that makes me clam up, makes me hesitate.  Part of my COMPEL training was centered on nailing the first sentence in a post.  Grab their attention.  Make them want to read more.  Draw people in.  Every time I start a new post I have that in the back of my mind.  I just have to make it through that first sentence.  


In these last years of writing, I've realized that I have let that first sentence have way too much power over the rest of my post, even over my confidence as a writer. 

As I sat down to write this week I had a thought. 

What if I just started and didn’t obsess over that first sentence?  What if I simply poured out my heart and didn’t worry about whether it was perfect or whether it would get likes or comments?  What if I just wrote and didn’t look back?

It may sound like a silly thought, but I’m wondering how many of you are hung up on your own first sentence.  Now it may not be actual writing that’s got you hung up, but nevertheless, you’ve got your own battle with your “first sentence," whatever it is. 

Maybe you want to start your own business but you’re afraid to take the plunge.  Or you’re worried about chasing your dreams, because what if you fail?  What will your family and friends think?  There are so many things that can be “first sentences” for us. 

They symbolize the fear that runs deep in us.  It’s not the actual first sentence (whatever it is-the dream, ministry, idea, etc.) that has us fearful.  It’s what they represent.  Change.  Challenges.  Possible rejection.

But what if we didn’t worry about the big picture of things for once and we simply just started? 

   

Years ago before I started blogging, I was at a conference with our Acteens group and recognized a writer and blogger whom I knew in the crowd.  I debated whether or not to talk to her.  I certainly didn’t want to bother her but I was also intrigued by her story of how God had stirred up in her the calling to write. 

As the conference ended I found myself standing near her and decided to go up and introduce myself.  I had long felt the stirring in my own heart to write and start blogging and so I asked for her best piece of advice for a new comer like me. 

“Girl, just start. Just go for it!” were the words she said to me.  About a month later I did just that.  I simply started.  It hasn’t been a perfect journey.  When I go back now and read some of my first posts as a blogger I actually cringe.  {I wouldn’t recommend you go back and read them either! } But it’s all part of the journey.  Not only has my writing changed but my relationship with God has drastically changed as I’ve gotten closer to Him.

I’ve been writing and blogging now for five years.  It's hard to believe it's been that long already.  Over the years the focus of my blog ministry has shifted, my calling is now a bit more within reach and I truly know in my soul that no matter what the lifelong outcome of this is, I have to write.  I have to.  It is ingrained in my soul. 

But it didn’t just happen.  I had to start. I had to lay it all down at the foot of the cross and be obedient to what God was calling me to do.  It was scary.  It still is. 

The hard truth is this: 

If we let fear grip us and we never start, then we’ll never know what God can truly do in us and through us. 

Author Annie Downs says this in her book, Let's All Be Brave:

"You just have to start, my friend.  That thing that is whispering on your insides?  That conversation you need to have or that place you need to go?  That job you want to try or that ministry you want to attempt?  That major you want to pick at college or that mission trip you want to go on?  You've got to start somewhere.  So do.  Tell somebody you want to be brave."

Five years ago I was just a girl at a conference with a big dream but a slight hesitancy to obey what God was calling her to do.  Thankfully a fellow sister stepped in and offered me the encouragement I needed to start. 

Today, I want to give that same encouragement to you sweet friend. 

Just start.

Stop worrying about failing.  Stop trying to make everything perfect before you even begin.  Stop thinking that you’ve heard God wrong.  Stop ignoring that tug in your heart that He’s placed there that maybe, just maybe, you were designed to do more. 


It doesn't matter where you begin.  Just take a small step towards that dream you've got tucked away in your heart.  Just start. Achieve that goal you have.  Do the thing you have always wanted to do.  Leave behind the what-if's and let God open the doors that are in His will for you to be opened.  

Just think: what if you left behind all those “first sentences” and all the other hang ups that leave you feeling unqualified and unworthy?  What if now is the time you bravely step over the line and lay it all down for Him? 

"You know the thing God is doing in your life better than I do.  It's time to get quiet before the Lord and ask him what it looks like for you to live a life of courage today.  To start."

Annie Downs, Let's All Be Brave

Friend, what might happen if you just start?

4

Sale Rack Faith

There it was…hanging ever so delicately on the rack.

 

It was beautiful.

 

It was covered in pink lace.

 

It was on sale for half off!

 

 

Oh how my heart leapt with joy when I saw that tiny little red sale sign!  It hung there all by its lonesome just waiting for someone (me!) to pick it up and buy it.  I tried it on and to my surprise it was the perfect fit.  I headed to the cash register with my other items in tow, proudly handing over my new dress to the cashier.

 

But what flashed across the screen was not a sale price.  It was far from it in fact.

 

“Excuse me, ma’am?  Was that dress not on sale?”   There had to have been some sort of mix up.

 

“No dear.  I’m sorry.  Someone must have placed it on the wrong rack.”

 

For a moment disappointment rushed over me.  I knew it wasn’t in my budget to buy this dress at the original price.  I smiled at the cashier and politely asked if she would remove it from my total.

 

I left the store frustrated that I had to leave the dress behind, but in my heart (and my head) I knew it was the right decision not to buy something that wasn’t in my budget.   As I drove out of the store parking lot, a thought came to me.

 

 

Do some of us have sale rack faith?

 

 

Are we worried that our faith will cost us too much?

 

Require too much of us?

 

Cause us to let go of things that may be idols in our lives like possessions, or positions?

 

 

The answer is yes to all of these questions.  Having faith and a strong relationship with God will cost us and absolutely it will require much of us.  While letting go of idols in our lives is a difficult task, it is the first thing that God commands us to do.

 

 

^“You are not to serve any other gods before Me.

 You are not to make any idol or image of other gods. In fact, you are not to make an image of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. You are not to bow down and serve any image, for I, the Eternal your God, am a jealous God. As for those who are not loyal to Me, their children will endure the consequences of their sins for three or four generations.  But for those who love Me and keep My directives, their children will experience My loyal love for a thousand generations.”

 Exodus 20:3-6 (The Voice)

 

 

That dress I wanted, as lovely as it was had become an idol in my life in a mere few moments of browsing the racks.  I was idolizing a dress?  In my head I wanted to justify my reasoning for wanting it so badly.

 

You deserve something new for a change.  You NEVER buy new clothes!

 

You work hard.  Treat yourself.

 

It’s a smaller size and it actually fits!

 

Just pay the difference and make up for it some other way.

 

 

Now I realize we’re talking about a dress here, but Satan uses these same tactics when he tries to derail us from following Jesus.

 

You’ll lose your friends.

 

People will think you’re weird.

 

Look at your past!  You’ll be called a total hypocrite.

 

You don’t know enough about the Bible and Jesus to “follow” Him.

 

You’ll have to give up____ (fill in the blank) for Jesus.

 

 

The list could go on.  Satan tries to use the idols in our life, possessions we have, etc. to show us just what we would be giving up to follow Jesus.   And sometimes if we’re being honest, we think it would cost us too much to do so.  We think it would inconvenience us to give up something.

 

Too often we’re perfectly happy just to go to church on Sunday’s, post a scripture status on Facebook or Twitter every now and then, and pray when life gets a little too hard to handle.

 

Where are we going deeper with God?

 

Are we just sitting in the comfortably of our lives?

 

When will we give up something for the man who died for us?

 

 

As small as it was, giving up that dress that day was hard for me to do.  But it’s even harder to let go of other big idols in our lives.  But you know what?

 

I don’t want sale rack faith.

 

I don’t want to just sit comfortably in my relationship with God.  Sometimes it does hurt to let something go.  And yes, even comes as an inconvenience for me at times.  But it also causes me to learn to depend solely on God for strength and satisfaction.  It allows me to go deeper with Him and grow in a relationship with Him that I would not have had otherwise.  Are you ready to lay down an idol in your life to gain a closer relationship with God?

 

 

Friends, let us not have sale rack faith.  Jesus paid much too high a price.

 

 

 

Have you ever struggled to let a material possession go?

 

What idols are present in your life that you need to get rid of?

 

If you’ve given up something for the Lord, how was your life changed?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Putting in the Elbow Grease

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” My husband asked with a puzzled look on his face.

“Lowes…to get paint.  I’m repainting the bathroom tonight,” I said with determination.

“You’re going to paint the entire bathroom tonight?”

He obviously didn’t see what a crafty mood I was in. This non-DIY girl was looking to change her ways and spruce up some things around the house.  We had been talking about repainting our bathroom for months.  Ever since we had moved into our new home, the original color we picked, well…it just didn’t fit.  I left the store paint and brushes in tow; ready to give a facelift to my drab bathroom walls.



I primed and painted…and painted…and painted.  Ugh.  Hours passed by and I felt like I hadn’t even made a dent.  I had started off so strong and with such determination to finish this project in one evening.  I wanted to wake up to a whole new bathroom in the morning and that dream was slowly fading away.

“Turned out to be more than you could handle?” My husband asked peaking in from the doorway.

Boy did it ever.  I guess I didn’t take into account the time it would take to carefully paint all the crevices and make sure there were no paint streaks; let alone the time it takes painting around the trim.  I just wanted the fast result of a new improved room.

I’m often guilty of doing this same thing with my faith and maybe you are too.  I want a fast result without really having to put the hard work in.   You know the elbow grease as we say.

What do I do about this situation Lord?

I’m tired of waiting Lord.  I’ll just take matters into my own hands. 

What have you called me to do with my life God?

That sounds like too much work.  What about ____ (fill in the bank) instead?

Show me your will Lord.

But really only if it matches up to my own plan. 

Any of these sound familiar?  How many of us are reading books about the Bible and its promises to us, but we aren’t actually going to the source?  Skimming over scripture but not taking the time to memorize it or understand the context of it?

We want the result of a faithful, trusting relationship with God but we don’t want to actually put the work in to get it there. 

I know this isn’t the easiest conversation to have with ourselves (believe me I know) but it’s a necessary one.  The truth is that if we truly want and desire that kind of relationship with God we’re going to have to go deeper and we can’t just bypass the crevices, or hard stuff.  We’re going to have to put the work in.





I overestimated my project and thought I could just slap some paint on the walls and have a whole new bathroom.  And you know, sometimes that works.

But that’s not how our faith works.  That’s not how our relationship with God is supposed to work.

We can’t expect our marriages or finances or situations to change if we don’t put the work in, if we don’t dig deep with God.

So what does digging deep with God even look like?

Well it may look different for each one of us.  For me in this season of life it means reading His word every day, marking scripture and memorizing it, facing fears and learning to die to myself and live for Christ.  If I want to hear from God I have to leave myself open to really hearing Him and not just what I want to hear.



When I’m reading scripture I can’t twist it to mean something it doesn’t just because I want it to mean something warm and fuzzy or different.  I need to seek God and find out what it is He wants me to receive from His word.



For you, it may be something totally different.  Maybe memorizing scripture isn’t where you need to put the work in right now.  Maybe it’s your marriage, your children, your job, friendships; it could be a number of things.



We can’t be scared to discover this deeper relationship with God.  Sometimes we can be hesitant of this because it means we’ll have to do things we are afraid of, face past hurts, or we think it will be too much work on us.

But you know what?  It should be a lot of work.  Jesus died for me, for you, for us all.  That alone should leave me pining for a deeper relationship with Him.  I shouldn’t have a just slap some paint on the walls relationship with Jesus.



Are you in this place today too?  Are you wanting a fast result with your faith but aren’t really willing to put the work in?  If this is something you’re struggling with, leave a comment and let’s talk about how we can be an encouragement to one another.



You know, there are times when the sun hits the top of my bathroom walls at just the right angle and I can still see parts of the wall I missed while painting that night.  I don’t want the same thing to be true of my relationship with God.  I want to go through every crevice with Him.  I can guarantee the reward will far exceed a new bathroom look.

2

I Had Such Plans

As 2014 approaches I'm sure like me, you've been bombarded with lots of New Year's blog posts, but what's one more right?

When I look back on this past year I must admit I get a little overwhelmed and a little sad at how fast it went by.  People always warn you that when you have kids, time will fly like no other and boy, they weren't kidding!  I felt like I blinked and they were putting out New Year's Eve decorations.

I went back and read a post I wrote on this very day last year called One Word 2013.

 

Grow

That was my one word that would encompass my entire 2013.  But these past few weeks as I've been thinking of my new word for 2014, every time I thought about growing a strange feeling has come over me.  This feeling that keeps creeping up on me is the feeling of failure.  You see, me and my word grow, we had big plans for each other.  We were going to have a baby, balance our day to day lives and explode this blog ministry with fresh new ideas and direction.

Me and grow...well we didn't quite do that.

We did have a baby, so my family grew.  I guess that one I can check off.   But all the other stuff sort of fell to the waste side.  I just didn't grow the way I thought I would.  I didn't grow in the way I thought God wanted me to and that's why a sense of failure has been peering over my shoulder.

I had such plans for this blog ministry, but God called me into a position of leadership that I never saw coming, taking my attention off of this and on to something else.

I had such plans to be a phenomenal mom,  friend, and wife who devoted her attention to all three equally but I had to learn to adjust in all these roles and my priorities shifted.

I had such plans to balance it all, keep it all together and do it all.  Well, that definitely didn't happen.

I had such plans to grow...my way.

I am a planner by nature.  I love to make plans and it just makes me feel at ease and comfortable when I know what's coming.

But following Christ should never be comfortable for us.

If I never allow God to fully use me because I get too comfortable in my current place, how can I fulfill His plan for my life?  If I spend my time trying to figure it all out all the time, what am I missing that God has put right in front of me?  If I'm scared of the new things God is doing in my life, how can I expect to change or even grow in my relationship with Him?

I tossed around so many words that I wanted to try to focus on for 2014.  So many words flooded by mind, my heart, saying "pick me! let me be your one word for 2014!"  So many of them came to me that I had trouble focusing on just one.  It was then that I realized what word I needed to pick because it's something I struggle with so much not only in my day to day life, but most importantly my relationship with God.

I need to learn to focus.  I need to accept that in my life right now I'm in a transition and I need to simply focus on what's in front of me and stop planning so much for the future.  I'm not going into 2014 with any expectations other than to {focus} on things that are important to me: family and friends, my ministry, and most importantly my relationship with Christ.

When I chose {grow} last year, I chose it because it's what I wanted to do.  I made plans for it.  This time around, I'm giving my word over to God and making no plans for my word, letting Him lead me.  I don't want to get comfortable this year in my faith.  Like Peter, I want to step out of the boat onto the waters and focus solely on Jesus.

Did 2013 go as you planned?

What surprised you about yourself in 2013?

For those of you that choose one word, have you chosen it yet?  I'd love to hear it!

I pray that you will have a blessed year ahead and that you will discover blessings and beauty from God in every day.

Happy New Year!

*A special thank you to Melanie from only a breath for designing this one word button!

 

2

The Next Street Sign

My legs were shaking.  My heart pounded out of my chest.  I was out of breath.

 

I had done it.

 

 

I had reached the street sign, feeling accomplished and surprisingly revived.   I had just finished my longest run to date.  After a workout at the gym near our office, my friend and coworker challenged me to run back to the office with her.

 

“I’ll do it, sure,” I said without hesitation.  Before this challenge I would have never committed to do something like this, but God is continually showing me how strong I can actually be.

 

Okay Lord, please help me finish this run.  I know I can do it through you Lord, but I need your help.  Just help me finish. 

 

 

Not only would God provide me with the physical strength to complete my run, but He provided me with someone who pushed me and encouraged me with each passing block.

 

 

Just make it to this bush.

 

Just make it the next sign.

 

This is where it gets hard, just push through and it’ll pass.

 

You’re doing it.

 

 

She didn’t know it, but with each encouraging word my feet hit the pavement with more motivation than the last step.  I was going to finish.

 

See, God does this for us all the time.  It may not be running, it may be other life circumstances, but He provides just what my friend provided me.

 

 

I know you’re in pain, don’t give up.

 

I know you feel defeated in your marriage, just bring it to me and push through.

 

I’ve got something better planned, just trust me.

 

I know times are tough financially, but I will provide.

 

With each of life’s unexpected and sometimes expected circumstances, God is running with us, helping us make it the street sign.

 

This week’s verse for the “Living and Active” challenge is from Matthew 6:34

 

 

We must choose to focus on today.  We must find the blessings and victories in today.  I could choose to get really down on myself at the distance I ran, knowing it is probably short to anyone else’s expectations, but it’s not about the distance.

 

 

It’s about making it to the next street sign.

 

 

I can’t worry about tomorrow and what will come.  I can only focus on what God wants me to see in today.  Each morning I pray, “Lord help me to see you in all that I do today.”   Sometimes God will reveal himself in big ways to you, and other times it comes in the small things.

 

Whatever is going on in your life today that you may not understand, or if you’re unsure about what tomorrow holds for you, for your marriage, for your finances, your health, whatever it is…

 

 

Stay with me.  Stay with God.  Run to the next street sign with me.

 

 

I’ll meet you there, precious friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Week 1-Check In

Well, week 1 of my "Living and Active Challenge" is complete! Wahoo!!

I was able to complete my exercise requirements and memorize my verse for the week. It's been so helpful to be accountable for something and to know that I'm not only getting physically healthier, but my spiritual health is improving as well. I'm starting to see some things God is revealing to me through this challenge so far, and one thing He specifically showed me during my run on Friday:

I doubt myself way too much.

I wrap up week 1 and talk more about the challenge in this short video blog:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/b8pUgbO1G5w]

Doubt is holding me back, but I'm working to change that. The Lord is really showing me that through Him I can do anything. He gives me the strength to do anything.

Is there something holding you back today?

If you're part of the 5 week challenge, or you're doing a challenge of your own...keep it up! The race has just started, but we're closer to the finish line than when we first began!

Week 1 Memory Verse:

What does this verse mean to you? How can you apply it this week?

Here's to week 2!!

0

Week 1-Accepting the Challenge

They say that the hardest part of starting a race is well, starting it.  The hardest part of beginning any challenge is actually saying yes and committing to it.  That couldn't be more true for me.

I remember the exact moment I finally gave this over to the Lord.  He had been working on me for weeks and weeks, and I had wrestled back and forth with Him for the majority of that time.  I am so glad that God is always patient with His children, because I sure was not making it easy on either of us.

I just didn't think God would convict me so strongly over my health choices.  But He did.

I remember finally surrendering to Him and one night while I was getting ready for bed,  I  literally cried out Lord, if this something you want me to do, something you truly want me to change, I need you to literally get in my face with it.  Show me through scripture, through songs, through others examples.  Show me this is what you're calling me to do at this moment in my life.

Cause see, I'm a visual learner.  I wanted God to just put it right in front of me.  I was already challenging myself in other ways to be radically obedient to God, but I never put two and two together when it came to my health.  God lined up scriptures for me.  My devotionals spoke directly to choosing to be obedient.  Songs like Mandisa's Overcomer became my daily encouragement.  God was requesting something from me and He was making it clear what it was.

Trust me.  

I truly felt God speaking to me to trust Him with the challenge He had set before me.  I needed to hand it over to Him and trust that He will take care of me during this process.  He was asking me to trust that through Him I can do all things and by His grace, I cannot fail at this.

I also felt Him nudging me to make my challenge public.  My dear friend on the other side of the screen right now, it is not easy for me to let you in on this journey, but I want to.  I want us to challenge each other, in whatever way we need to to grow.  Are you in with me?  I'd love for you to join me in this 5 week challenge, or create your own.

And friends, please pray for me throughout this challenge.  Pray for me to have the perseverance to complete it!

Here is my week 1 memory verse:

"Though one may be overpowered; 

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Ecclesiastes 4:12 

What speaks to you about this verse?

I'll be back in a few days with a video blog about how week 1 went!

1

Are You In?

You may (or may not) have noticed that I've been silent for a few weeks.  It's not that I haven't wanted to share things with you.  No, it's not even that I haven't had the time to write, I have.  It's because I've been waiting and I just felt the need to wait...in silence.

There's been so many times I've wanted to hop on here and share words with you, share with you the journey the Lord is asking me to begin with Him, but each time I've sat down to share these words with you, something has stopped me.  Be it the Lord, fear, hesitation, whatever it may have been, I just couldn't get it out.  But today, that's all changing.

Over a year ago, I wrote a post called The Stop Sign and many of you so graciously identified with my struggle and the desire to change it.  After that post I was determined to make a change in my life; for my health, for my future children, my family, my own approval, etc.  Well that time came and went and no change was made in my health.  I continued to eat the things I so dearly loved, craved even.  Any fitness or exercise routine I tried to establish fell at the waste side, or I should say my waist-line.  And all the while I went through each day desiring for that miraculous change in my body to take place, but not truly wanting to put the effort in to achieve that change.

I kept waiting for my rock bottom to occur.  You know, the one thing that would make me say "enough!" and I would never look back to the person I once was.  I so desperately wanted this moment to happen because I needed something, ANYTHING to shake me up and call me to change.

The problem with waiting on my rock bottom is that my expectations for what was my "bottom" just kept getting lower.   I thought when I went up a size in clothes it would do it, but no.  When I saw the highest number I've seen for myself on the scale, nope. The list could go on and on.

Because when the bottoms came, so did the excuses for those bottoms.  

See, this excuses thing for me has been going on for while now.  If excuses and I were dating, we'd be getting close to getting engaged now.  We are very familiar to each other.  I find comfort in excuses.

There's no way I can do it.  

I hate exercising.

I have so much weight to lose.

I'll fail.  

Ouch.  That last one stings me more than all the other excuses combined.  You see that last one, for me, has been my crutch.  I've rested on that fear of failing, because we all know, if you don't try...you can't fail.

Out of the many times and I mean MANY times I've tried to lose weight and get healthy, I've left one essential piece out of the puzzle.   I've completely left out the One who created my body in the first place, God.  Recently, I have felt like the Lord was telling me to step out in faith and take this journey WITH Him this time.  I have felt the Lord pushing me to step out and trust that He wants me to go through this process of change not just for health, but to grow stronger in my relationship with Him.  So while He's been speaking to me through devotionals, Bible Study, songs, and through examples of others, I've been silent...waiting for Him to tell me now is the time to jump in WITH ME.

It is with great excitement, trust, and for me, a major step out in faith moment that I tell you about the 5 week challenge that I will begin next week, called the Living and Active Challenge.   Click on the blog button below to find out more about the Living and Active 5 Week Challenge through Peak 313 Fitness! 

Each week I'll be writing and sharing with you throughout my 5 week journey to become not only healthier in body but spirit.  I trust that the Lord is going to reveal so many things about Himself to me and the reason behind Him placing this challenge in front of me.  I'll be posting about my trials and struggles through the process, as well as the victories and blessings that it brings.

I told my Acteens girls on Wednesday night that each time they saw me I wanted them to ask me how my challenge was going.  I want them to hold me accountable not only for the fitness challenge but for my memory verses and time in the word.  This isn't something I want to be silent about anymore.  We each have things that hold us back from fulfilling God's ultimate purpose for our lives and I believe this to be one of mine.  I spend too much time searching for the approval of others, not caring for my body as He designed it, and not including God in this battle I've had since childhood.

What's holding you back from a life full of God's blessing and purpose? 

What will your challenge look like?  For you, it may not be health related, it may be something else entirely and that's okay, but will you choose to take this journey with me?  Will you create your own challenge?

If you're in this 5 week challenge with me, leave a comment and say "I'm in!"  You can also write what challenge you're choosing for the next 5 weeks and we can pray over one another throughout the journey, but you don't have to.  I may fail at this and only complete 2 weeks, or I might go all the way, I don't know.  But I've got to learn to let God show me how my fear of failure can no longer be my crutch.  Now is the time to begin a new journey with Him and where this challenge and journey will take me, we will see.

So tell me...are you in?

To sign up for the 5 week challenge through Peak 313 fitness, simply head to www.peak313.com.

0

What are You Giving Up for God?

It’s the most challenging question that I've had to ask myself so far in my online Bible study of What Happens When Women Say Yes to God with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  To be honest, I wanted to pick another question to address on my blog and in my life, but I decided to tackle this question head on and with an open heart.

Is there something God is asking you to give up?   What specific steps do you need to take to fulfill this obedience?

 

 

The answer to this thought-provoking question is yes, there is something the Lord is asking and has been asking me to give up and the answer is so simple.

Give me your time.

 

I know that spending time with God is one of the most, if not THE most important thing I can do as His child.  I know that it is in this sweet place that we will become closer and get to know one another as only a Father and daughter can, and yet I fail at giving Him my time as I should.

 

I want to give excuses for my behavior but to put it simply; I shouldn't have one to begin with.  But the reality is…I do make excuses.

 

You too, friend?

 

Lysa shares in her book the 5 Questions that you should ask yourself if you feel God is speaking to you:

 

 

When I first answered God’s call to begin writing again and enter into my ministry it was as if everything lined directly up to show me it was the path I should take.  Every song and sermon I heard was about using spiritual gifts and following God’s will for your life.  Every scripture lined up and things happened in my life that made me see God was pointing me in this direction.

 

And then I got comfortable.

 

I got comfortable with my prayer life and quit giving it as much time as I had before.  I was satisfied with posting 1-2 blogs a month and going through the motions in areas of my ministry.  After all, I felt I knew God’s call, I had answered it, and so I was sort of done right?  All I had to do was grow.

 

 

 

I became too comfortable with being comfortable in my relationship with God.

 

 

But where I was wrong was thinking answering the call was an endpoint.  Friends, it was just my beginning.  It is just YOUR beginning.  Growing in Christ is not simple.  It is hard.  It is beautiful.  It is trying at times and it takes full surrender to Him.  Growing is what I have been doing and I can tell you, the Lord is working in me.

 

He is taking me out of my comfort zone completely.  He is challenging me to write things I never thought I would write about.  I have prayed prayers I never thought I would pray.  I have been convicted to change things about myself and in my life in mighty ways.

 

The Lord desires time with us.

 

 

 

Wouldn't you know...every sermon I have heard recently has been about spending quality time with Lord.  God was speaking to me again, only this time He was asking more from me.  Is He asking more of you?

 

I have found that my new time with God is so special and it helps me face the day with a different perspective and love for others I probably wouldn't have otherwise.  I share that with you today because I want to be transparent and tell you that it’s not always easy.  There are days I want to roll over and hit the snooze (especially when my infant daughter has had a rough night!) and not get up early, that’s the human side of us we can’t get rid of, but when I do I am blessed by my time with Him.

 

Here are some steps I have found helpful:

 

1)     Set your alarm earlier than you actually need to get up in order to get quiet time in. 

 

In other words, if you know you want to get 30 minutes of time in with God each morning, then allow yourself enough time to do that and get ready before you start your day.  I try and allot enough time to hit the snooze at least twice, but that’s me.

 

2)      Get an accountability partner.

 

Do you have a friend or co-worker or spouse that can keep you accountable for having quiet time?

 

3)      Find a devotional or Bible study that works for you.

 

I have purchased many a Bible studies and many a devotional books and many have sat on my bookshelf for one reason or another.  Perhaps it just didn't match with that particular season in my life at the time, but I find myself pulling them out now and they are fitting perfectly for the season I am in. Find one that works for you and one that you are EXCITED about.  I personally recommend anything by Proverbs 31 Ministries, Beth Moore or Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.  They are straightforward and to the point and they work…for me.

 

Have one you recommend?  I’d love to hear them!

 

4)     Give yourself grace.

 

You will not want to get up early some mornings.  You will not always want to listen to uplifting music.  You will not always memorize the scriptures you are supposed to for that week.

 

And it’s all okay. 

 

 

Just as you will offer yourself grace, so will the Lord.  Remember that He wants to spend time with us.  He wants our hearts free of obligation when we come to Him.

 

I know that my special time with the Lord is working in my life.  I am more confused than ever about what paths to take, my tolerance for worldly things is reaching an all-time low, and I find beauty and peace in the oddest places.  He is challenging me, but He’s equipping me for the challenges ahead.  That’s how I know He’s working in me; because I am no longer comfortable being comfortable with Him and our relationship.

 

 

What is God asking you to give up?  Do you have other steps for spending time with God you'd like to share?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Dentist Chair

Saying yes to God seems simple enough, but oh what a hard task it can sometimes be.  Are YOU ready to say YES with me?!

Today's post is part of a Blog Hop from my online Bible study of What Happens When Women Say Yes to God. 

I didn’t hesitate when the invitation hit my inbox.  I was ready to say yes to God.  I couldn’t sign up fast enough for the online Bible study for one of my favorite authors, Lysa Terkurst’s What Happens When Women Say Yes to God.  I started reading the book immediately and found myself enthralled with each of Lysa’s words about the times she has fully relied on her faith and said YES to God.

Lysa refers throughout her book to radical obedience to God; completely 100% faithful, obedient, trusting in God.  This concept had me excited for the challenge.  What I didn’t know is exactly how I would start off saying YES to God, and I certainly didn’t expect it to be at the dentist.

I could think of so many things I would rather have been doing instead of sitting in a chair with a thousand and one instruments in my mouth.  At my last appointment a few weeks prior I had some trouble getting numb enough for my dentist to perform my filling procedure.  Maybe it was a mental block or maybe I’m just really sensitive on the left side of my mouth.  Whatever the case, I did everything I could from having to come back for the second filling.  But to no avail, there I sat.

As I was waiting on my dentist to come back in and start I could hear someone out in the hall talking.  He sounded young, and he was explaining to the dental hygienist how nervous he was.

“I think you’re going to have to put me out.  I just can’t do this.  Please tell him (the dentist) how nervous I am and to be very gentle with me.”  I could hear his voice shaking.

“Yes sir, I understand.  I will tell him,” the hygienist said trying to ease his mind.

 “No really, please tell him.  I don’t do well with this stuff.  I can’t take it,” he said.

I felt awful for him.  I didn’t know what he looked like or even what his name was, but I knew that he was scared and didn’t want to be there even more than I did.

As my procedure started, though I was nervous as well, I could just imagine him in the next room scared to death of what was going to happen to him in the next 30 minutes.  I imagined him wishing he were elsewhere, maybe on a beach with his friends somewhere.

I want you to pray for him.



Really Lord?  I’m in the middle of getting a filling.



Yes.

I don’t know him, Lord.

Pray for him.  He needs your prayers.



 Okay, I’ll pray {radical obedience here!}.

Then tell him that you prayed for him.



Woah Lord. What?   He’ll think I’m crazy.  He might get mad.  I don’t think I can.

Yes you can. 



There it was, my true radical obedience moment presented to me in the form of a dentist chair.  So I did it.  The whole time I was in the chair I prayed for the man next door to me; the one getting more anxious by the minute.

Some of you may be saying well, that’s nice but what’s the big deal?

The big deal is this:  the more I prayed for that man, the more radically obedient I was to God, the more I said YES…the less afraid I was.  At one point I actually felt relaxed while being drilled into oblivion.  The Lord blessed me with peace and comfort during my procedure,  but my part wasn’t over.

As I was leaving I noticed the door to his room was shut and I could hear the dental instruments going full force.  I couldn’t just barge in, but a dental hygienist was nearby.

“Ma’am, could you do me a favor?  I don’t know that man in there or what he’s having done, but will you tell him that I’ve been praying for him?”  I was really nervous to voice my prayer moment.



“You don’t know him at all?” she said.

“No, but I heard him earlier talking about how nervous he was and I just wanted to pray for him.  Will you tell him for me?” 



“That’s sweet.  I’ll be glad to,” she said with a smile.

I didn’t know that God would call me to say YES to Him in the dentist office that day.  The truth of the matter is that we don’t know when He is going to call us to say YES, but we know that He will call us.

I don’t know what happened after I walked out of the dentist office that afternoon.  I can only trust that I did what the Lord was asking me to do. That’s the other thing about saying YES to God.  We don’t always know the outcome of our radical obedience at the moment, but we do know that the Lord will find favor with us if we are obedient to Him.

So are you with me today friend?  Will you join me in saying YES to God?! 

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Behind Closet Doors: De-Cluttering Your Faith

I have been in a season y’all.  I have been in a season of wanting to rid the clutter in my life and organize things-starting with my house.  I have been pining home organization boards on Pinterest like it's my job.  I have been trying to figure out the best storage devices.  I have been gathering items I know we don’t use often and could give away.  I have even warned my husband that soon our closet will be tackled, including his many coats (seriously how many coats does one man need?!) he likes to house that take up so much room. 

I want, no I crave the organization.

 

I thought this season would end after I had my daughter.  During pregnancy there is a “nesting” period where the mother to be wants everything in its rightful place.  Because really, who wants to be digging for what you need at 2am when the baby is crying?  Not me!  Well the nesting period stayed with me. 

Recently, I was running around trying to clean up because we had company coming to visit.  To my demise I had left my cleaning to the last minute, so you can imagine how frantic I was trying to make sure everything had a place.  Maybe not the place it should have been in, but it had a place. 

I opened our hall closet to throw a few last minute things in when this thought hit me:

 I wonder how many of us are closet Christians.

 

[caption id="attachment_305" align="alignnone" width="300"] Credit: old house web[/caption]

 

 

Let me explain what I mean by closet Christians, because you may be thinking of a different meaning for this term.

On the outside my house was clean.  Anyone that walked in would only see it the way I wanted them to.  No dust, no clutter, and no dirty dishes in the sink.  Behind closed doors, or should I say, behind closed closet doors rather, things were different.  Bills and clothes were piled up; toys were stuffed into bins, and well…let’s not even talk about the garage.

Sometimes we can be this way with our faith.  On the outside we can appear to have it altogether.  We’re kind to others, we put scripture as our statuses on Facebook, and we may even attend church on a regular basis. 

But deep in our closets, we’re stuffing all sorts of things in: resentment, fear, judgment, disobedience to God, gossip, self-doubt, jealously, the list could on and on. 

We think we can shut the door on these things. Close them off so no one sees them.

 

 

When in reality, those things just eat away at us and at our faith. 

We cannot hide from God.  Everything we stuff down deep inside He already knows about.  He knows about the gossip we’ll spread long before we speak a word.  He knows when we’ll make excuses for the reasons we haven’t spent time with Him.  He knows our thoughts and what’s truly burdening us.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

 Hebrews 4:13 (NLT)

 

 

Today friend, let’s no longer be closet Christians.  Our Father knows when His children are hurting, so lay whatever is burdening you, whatever you have buried deep in your closet down before the Lord today. 

While I’m choosing to de-clutter my home this season, I’m also choosing to de-clutter my faith.  I want to make a conscious effort to choose my words more wisely, have more quiet time with the Lord, forgive those that have hurt me, and ask for grace and forgiveness for those things that are in my hearts closet buried deep. 

How will you de-clutter your faith today?

 

Is there something God is convicting you to give up to Him and let Him handle it?

 

 Will you step out in faith with me and make a choice to bare what’s in our closets?

 

 

And if you’re an organizing guru unlike me, leave your best organization tips in the comments section!

Have a blessed day friends,

Amanda

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One Word 2013

It's the last day of 2012.  Can you believe it?  So much has happened this year that has been both trying and teaching for me.  Looking back on 2012, I feel so blessed to have had some amazing things happen to me this year.  Two of the biggest things that happened were: 

I began my ministry.
                  After FINALLY obeying God's call to write and speak, I began to pursue my passion of writing and started this blog.  The speaking part God is working out in His timing I'm sure.  I was given the wonderful opportunity to join the writing team at More to Be and I have truly been blessed by that.  Being a part of such an amazing team of writers has helped me grow so much in my craft.

My husband and I learned that we were expecting our first child.
                After a struggle to conceive, the day before Mother's day I found out I was pregnant.  What an amazing journey so far.  We are expecting our sweet girl to arrive literally any day now, and we are so excited, but I will truly miss being pregnant with her.  Even though I have had complications with my pregnancy (saving that story for a devotional piece!) I have thoroughly enjoyed being pregnant with our precious girl.  I am so looking forward to meeting her though!

What were some big events that happened to you in 2012?

I've also had some trials as I'm sure many of you have had.  Life does get hard sometimes doesn't it?

Maybe this year you've faced financial trials, career trials, or maybe you've struggled in your relationships with others.  Whatever your trials were, please find comfort in knowing that God has not abandoned you or forgotten you.  He is right there with you through it all, though sometimes we feel distant from Him.  He doesn't want that distance there, we create it.

So here is my challenge to you for this New Year:  pick a word.  One word.

One word that will represent you in 2013.  I'm sure many of you have heard of this challenge before, and what a great challenge it is!

I thought about my word a lot and I finally settled on GROW.

Grow my ministry, grow myself, grow in my faith.  Grow. Grow. Grow.  

Blog button credit: Melanie at only a breath.

So what's your one word going to be?

I would love to hear your one word!  Just leave your one word in the comment section below.

Happy New Year!  May you all be blessed in 2013!

Amanda





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Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!

Do you see what I see?

Christmas lights.  Beautiful green and red colors. Manger scenes.

Photo Credit: gizmondo.com

Do you hear what I hear?

Christmas carols.  Silver bells.  The cutting of wrapping paper.

I know you know what this means...

Christmas time is here!!

Photo Credit: Betsy Houin

Are you ready for it? 

As the Christmas season approaches I tend to forget that right around the corner is the new year. 

2013.

 

What does 2013 mean for you?

As you look back on the 2012 year, did you experience highs and lows?  How did you get through them?

What was the best thing that happened to you this year?

As Into the Beautiful Life enters into the new year, I want to say a special thank you to each one of you for reading my posts and hopefully you have received a blessing from reading them.  2013 will mark one year for this ministry for me and I plan on coming back in the new year with fresh ideas and a new blog look!

Once we ring in the New Year, my husband and I will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of our baby girl, whom we expect sometime in the first or second week of January.  I can't wait to see what the year 2013 holds for our lives, for our baby girl, and for this ministry. 

Friend, is there something you want to accomplish this coming year?  Something you feel God has called you to make a priority in 2013?

What are you looking forward to most this new year?

I pray that each of you will seek out God's will for your life in this new year.  I pray that you will be blessed in abundance.  And I pray that if you experience trials in this new year that God will bless you with whatever it is that you need to push you through them.  

May all of you have a blessed and wonderful Christmas and a great new year!  



Here's to 2013!  

Blessings friends,

Amanda 

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Letting Go of Negativity

I could feel it coming but I didn’t know how to stop it.  I was trying to think of something else to say but…oh no…here it comes….the negativity.  I said it without thinking.  I didn’t even really want to say it, but I did. 

But I didn’t like myself after I said those negative words.  So why did I say them? 

I’m sure most of us have been in this situation at one time or another.  We’ve said something negative.  Something hurtful.  Something we didn’t mean.  And immediately come to regret it. 

I’ll be the first to admit it.  I am a people pleaser by nature.  As a child, if my teacher asked a question and no one raised their hand to answer, I felt the need to raise my hand (even if I didn’t know the answer) so that the teacher wouldn’t feel disappointed in us.  Oh yeah, my mind went there!

Sometimes, it’s not a bad thing.  Hey, it kept my grades on point!   But friends, when it comes to that ugly word {negativity} it ain’t good.

It’s unfortunate to say but it is often times too easy to get caught up in negativity.  If we surround ourselves with people that speak negatively and have a negative mindset, we too are in danger of letting that consume us.  If we continually place ourselves in negative situations, we then are in danger of becoming part of that situation. 

In Philippians, Paul writes to the Christian believers in the city of Philippi and says to them “Stick with me friends.  Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal.  There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them.”  {Philippians 3:17-18, The Message}   

Oh that Paul is a wise man isn’t he?!  But too many times I’ve fallen into that trap.  Have you?  I've fallen into the trap of joining in on the gossip, the looks, the judgment.  And that’s the exact opposite of what I should be doing as a follower of Christ.

I shouldn’t be joining in on those negative conversations.  Or passing that judgment.  Or listening to that gossip that may or may not be true.  That is simply Satan weaseling his unwelcomed way into my life, my thoughts, my words.  And I DO NOT WANT HIM THERE! 

So no more negativity.  No more joining in those conversations just so the person feels like they have some one else to say it to.

Who am I hurting in the process?  Myself and my Father.  My Heavenly Father that is. 

It is hard.  I know.  It’s often so easy to fall into that trap of letting negativity (gossip, judgment, anger, resentment) consume our lives.  But we also have to be aware that that’s just what he {Satan} wants. 

Satan wants us to judge instead of try to understand.  To gossip instead of try to listen.  To hold resentment instead of forgive.  To follow him instead of Jesus. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m not letting that happen any longer. 

I have a very wise Pastor.  And he recently said in one of his sermons that life is not a series of chances as most people believe, but of choices.  As followers of Jesus Christ we need to choose to be peacemakers, not peacebreakers.  He’s so right.  These negative worldly things only hinder our relationship with God. 

So I’m making a choice.    

Do this with me today friends.  Let us let go of the negativity in our lives.  If there’s something holding you back from a more personal relationship with God….hand it over to Him today. 

Let go of that resentment.  Let go of that need to please others (talking to myself here!).  Let go of the desire to gossip and judge.  Let go of whatever is standing in your way of a closer relationship with God. 

And if someone’s hurt you, someone has inflicted this negativity on your life…try to forgive them. 

I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy.  Oh no, it won’t.  This is something that takes time.

But today, let’s start a new outlook.

 With me?

Photo Credit: Pinterest

A wise person gets known for insight;

gracious words add to one’s reputation.

Proverbs 16:21 {The Message}

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us today to be free from negativity.  Guide us to turn to you and not to worldly things.  When we’re struggling with resentment, help us to forgive.  When we’re struggling with gossip and judgment, help us to remember how hurtful our words can be.  Your Son came to this world perfect.  Help us to be more like Him and show the love and compassion towards others that He showed.  Forgive us for getting wrapped up in negativity and challenge us to do better.  In Jesus name, Amen.   

Blessings friends,

Amanda

Casting Crowns: Jesus, Friend of Sinners

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The New To-Do List

I've been a little absent from posting on this blog lately and I don't have any excuses other than what I've written about in this post.  I'm posting over at More to Be tomorrow about feeling distracted and I wanted to share it with you all as well.

This morning I have to make a confession.  It’s something that has been stirring in my soul for a few weeks and on Sunday night at our evening church service it hit me.  Our pastor gave a message about being distracted.  He spoke about how earthly things can distract us from God, from His son, and from our relationship with Him.  And so this morning I would like to confess that I have become very…distracted.

I have let answering e-mails, checking Facebook, stress at work, and other personal responsibilities get in the way of my relationship with God.  Today I’m going to boldly confess that I have been guilty of putting other things before my relationship with God.

As I said before, I’ve been feeling this guilt stir within me lately, but I was too scared to admit it.  If I admitted it, I would have to voice that lately I haven’t been putting Him first in my life, and that thought consumed me with sadness. 

The final straw for me was this past weekend when I realized while driving down the road that I had been so wrapped up in what I had to do, that I had forgotten to pray that day.

I’m far from having a perfect prayer life, but prayer is the way I feel close to God.  Prayer is how I continue to develop my personal relationship with Him.  Once I realized I had forgotten, I quickly said a prayer that sounded like this: Lord, thank you for this beautiful day.  Thank you for my family and friends.  Please forgive me of my sins and please keep us all safe as we go throughout the rest of the day.  Not that this wasn’t a good prayer, but my heart wasn’t in it when I was praying it.

Why? 

I was distracted. 

I was distracted by my favorite song coming on the radio, by the fact that I was running late, and so many other things.

I let earthly things come before my Heavenly Father, and I am so ashamed of it.  I knew my focus was off and that I wasn’t giving Him the full attention that He deserved, but for some reason I couldn’t pull myself from my distractions.

Have you ever felt this way?  Have you ever struggled to maintain focus when it comes to prayer or your relationship with God?

My first priority in the morning shouldn’t be hoping on Facebook.  It shouldn’t be checking and returning e-mails, or making sure the dishwasher is loaded.

It should be about Him. 

It shouldn’t be about me.  But the human me, the sinner that always falls short says it is.  It tells me that my to-do list is more important than starting off my day with praise for Him before my feet hit the floor.  It tells me that I don’t always have time to read my Bible before I go to work.  It tells me I’ll get to it later.

Photo Credit: Pinterest



It tells me that I have control over everything in my life and that my timing is better than God’s.   It tells me its okay to get distracted from Him.

 Any of this sound familiar?  

 Wow! We are SO WRONG.  Aren’t we?

Friends, will you join me today in making a new challenge for ourselves? 

Let’s begin today with no more excuses and no more distractions.  Let’s make our relationship with our Heavenly Father the number one priority in our life.  Let’s not allow ourselves to become distracted by earthly things, and let us put our focus towards Him, the One who never becomes distracted from us.

Would you share with me today some things that distract you from your relationship with God?  Or perhaps you have lost focus in the past, but found a new way to regain it-would you share it?

  Dear Heavenly Father,

I am so sorry for becoming distracted from you.  I am ashamed that I have put other things before you.  Please help me to put my focus back on you and not other things.  Help me to return to that personal relationship with you that I hold so dear.  You never become distracted from us.  Your love never ceases to amaze me.  Thank you for that unconditional love you forever give us.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Who will join me in the challenge to regain our focus back on God?

I think Josh Wilson's "I Refuse" is only fitting for this post:

     

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