Tag: ministry

It’s Time to Stand Up in Your Boat

I see you struggling to take that first step toward making an improvement, reaching a goal, or trying something new, completely unsure if you are making the right move or walking in the right direction.

I see you doubting that God could possibly be speaking to you and questioning why He would even want to. You know deep inside that you could make changes, but that familiar boat of your circumstances seems to be stuck or holding you back in some way.

Maybe you’re holding yourself back?

Let me share with you Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Not only does God care about you and want to speak to you, He created you for a purpose. Even on the days you feel uncertain, uninspired, or “less than” in any way, there is an invisible road in front of you mapped out with goals that only you can achieve, people that you are supposed to meet, lessons that you are supposed to learn, and a life adventure that only you can live.

One way to get clearer on God’s plan for you is to recognize that He speaks through His word. I love how Psalm 119:30 points this out: “the unfolding of Your words give light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

And who or what is ‘the simple’? The simple is you and me.

The translation of this verse found in The Message Bible puts it another way: “Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning.”

That’s you, that me, that’s us: the simple…the ordinary…the worn-out questioners in need of a well-lit path.

Romans 15:4 states, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

By spending time with God and digging into His Word for you, you can make improvements, you can reach goals, you can experience beauty out of ashes, and receive strength to get through dark moments.

You can stand up in your boat.

God is speaking to YOU!

Reach out if you would like to learn more about the step forward process, spiritual disciplines, or the benefits of personal coaching. It’s a joy to be part of your faith journey!

Walking in the Brilliant Unexpected

When I was a little girl, I looked forward to the daily mail delivery. I grew up in a very small 2-bedroom bungalow that had both a mail slot and a vintage milk chute. Everyday, the mail would come sliding through the little door, spilling to the floor if we didn’t catch it in time. Sometimes, the mail would be left in the milk chute instead, where it sat stacked neatly until we retrieved it (which was much less eventful than watching the mail fly through the little door on the wall).

The daily mail delivery was a source of such excitement even though it wasn’t addressed to me, but I loved seeing all the mundane bills, advertisements, catalogs, magazines, and occasional greeting cards. I enjoyed the different sized envelopes, noticing the address (labeled or handwritten?) —and, once in a while, I was allowed to read the contents inside!

As a grown-up living in a neighborhood with cluster mailboxes, retrieving the mail is a lot less exciting, but even now, I still enjoy discovering what’s in the box. For me, the excitement is in the possibility. In this almost boring daily ritual, I expect the unexpected. Every moment holds the possibility of brilliance.

Webster’s dictionary defines the word brilliant as “very bright, glittering; striking, distinctive; very good, excellent.”

When we come expectantly to find God…transparently…with all our heart, He always shows himself (Jeremiah 29:13-14). It is God’s brilliant love – His very bright, glittering, striking, distinctive, very good, excellent love for us that creates all these unexpected gifts for us like the painted sky, an endlessly breathtaking horizon, a rainbow that appears out of nowhere, a phone call from a long lost friend, or even a surprise greeting in the mail.

What about you?

To step out of the comfort zone of your boat and live your mission with your eyes fixed on God and what He’s asking you to do, is to walk in the brilliant unexpected – drawing closer to Him with every step of your spiritual journey as He continues to reveal deeper truths about His love for you.

Are you walking in the brilliant unexpected?

Comment below or message us to find out how to apply step forward to your life or how a coaching relationship can help you on your faith journey.

Start Walking in Courageous Change

We are more accessible and wired than ever before — in fact, some of you are wired on caffeine and carbs right now trying to read this post.

You know it’s true and I’m with you.

How is all of this accessibility helping you stay on task with what God is asking you to do? Are you walking on the water with your eyes fixed on Jesus, totally slaying it? Or have you started to sink?

At the beginning of quarantine, I dreamed of all the projects I was going to get done, resulting in a veritable cornucopia of happiness and creativity — because, after all, everyone would be home now, no drive time, all of the hours of the day available, etc.

That dream quickly died as I grew more stressed with each passing second, trying to cram in all the things I thought I could — or should — accomplish.

Even though my kids are fairly efficient at their online school work, I’m still needed all the time… breakfasts and lunches (cleaning up said breakfasts and lunches), providing endless snacks, answering questions, issuing a 100 million hugs (pretty awesome!), cramming in household chores, attending various online classes and newly added meetings, and attending to creative ventures, etc.

By way of a coaching conversation, I came to the realization that I had less hours in my day than ever before.

What? How could that be possible when I kept hearing media messages like, “Now that we’re all quarantined with extra time on our hands…there’s this great opportunity…sign up for this group…watch this webinar…” etc.

How could I be home all day and have less hours?

I sat down and took a hard look at my life (insert harsh bucket of ice water):

  • The daily task schedule (breakfast, lunch, etc.).
  • Household chores that needed to be completed to stay afloat (laundry, financials, etc.).
  • Project work that I either needed to work on or wanted to work on, including immediate work, creative projects, and dream ventures.

Courageous changes were needed quickly, and that last bullet point was where things really got dicey. I am a highly creative person who doesn’t have a lot of hobbies per se. All the stuff I love to do, I’m pretty much doing in one capacity or another. So, having to whittle these projects down into something more manageable resulted in A LOT of distress.

As my dream of endless hours of creativity and happiness began to die a painful death, a new, even brighter picture of a less chaotic life began to emerge. I could see hours of relaxation and bunnies running through the field backed by a soundtrack of swelling strings…

OK, not exactly like that. Just kidding!

But seriously, I care about the projects I work on and the people associated with those projects. It was really difficult to have to put the brakes on some things I was really looking forward to spending time on. Not only did I have to prioritize for my own mental health, I also needed to make space to stay focused on the stuff God really wanted me to work on NOW, in the present. Let me emphasize that:

Making courageous changes creates space to stay focused on the stuff God really wants me to work on now, in the present.

Do you remember the old saying, “the devil is in the details”?

Those little details of being extra busy, and being constantly inconvenienced or frustrated can keep you from realizing the blessing God has for you when you focus on Him, and the blessing that others will receive through the work He’s given you to do.

This quarantine-constantly-plugged-in environment will steal away opportunities for the spiritual practices of rest and time with God, and the focus you need in order to stay on task with what God is asking of you.

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”

If my story resonates with you and you’re trying to get through the chaos, try applying that Scripture to your life this way:

Be on your guard against the enemy of busyness. Stand firm in faith and belief in the work God is doing in your life and the path He has called you to. Be courageous; be strong, knowing that it’s okay to say ‘no’ to projects that don’t support the overall mission you are called to.

  • What is God asking you to focus on?
  • What courageous changes do you need to make to create space in your schedule?
  • What strategies can you use to become less busy?

Comment below or message us to find out about the benefits of a coaching relationship and how it can help you on your faith journey.

Start Walking: Facing Discouragement?

As you begin to walk on the water, you might feel unstoppable: your faith is firm, your eyes are fixed on Jesus, you have stepped into your gifting, God is equipping you, and you’ve got this!

And then along comes a harsh word, or a subtle taunt thrown your way…

“How are you going to balance everything?”

“If God wanted you to do that, He would…”

“You might be okay at X, but you’ll never be as good as X.”

“Are you sure this is what God really wants for you?”

The list goes on an on of potential remarks and encounters with people whose sole purpose is to undermine your faith journey. There is a difference between Biblical wisdom delivered with kindness and genuine concern versus the know-it-all-watchdog who does not want you to succeed or feels threatened in some way.

Remember Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”(NIV)

As you walk deeply in faith, don’t let the World (i.e., naysayers, Enemy, etc.) hold you back and discourage you.

  • What discouragements are you facing right now?
  • Who can help you on your journey?

Comment below or message us if we can help you uncover God’s work in your life.

Step Out: Establish a Plan

As you step forward to explore what God is asking you to do today, you might find yourself knowing exactly what to do next but not know how to go about it…or you might not know what to do next at all…or you might feel completely overwhelmed at all the possibilities and not sure where or how to begin.

As Believers, we hold our plans loosely so that we can be continually directed by God through the power of His Holy Spirit working in us, and God establishes our plans when we commit them to Him (Proverbs 16:3). Think of the plan you are establishing as a flexible outline; a tool to give you a sense of scope and direction, but not so concrete and rigid that it leaves no room for God to work.

Maybe you’re wondering how the planning process begins, or what to do when the big picture goal is overwhelming. This is where having an accountability partner or enlisting the help of a professional, such as a coach can make a difference.

Working with a coach can help you step toward your large goal by identifying smaller objectives along the way, helping you stay on track, and also celebrating your results.

  • Who in your life can help you be accountable?
  • Who can help you break down your large goal into small, achievable steps?
  • Would you like to learn more about the coaching process?

Comment below or message us if we can help you uncover God’s work in your life.

 

Step Out: Find an Accountability Partner

To step out of the boat and begin exploring what God is asking you to do is to step out in faith and trust:

  • You’re trusting that you’ve heard the voice of God.
  • You’re trusting that you’ve heard God correctly.
  • You’re trusting that you really are taking the “right” step.
  • You’re trusting this new unknown in your life.

It’s okay if you have mixed emotions…fears…doubts. You’re going to make giant leaps forward, as well as a few steps backward. Remember that God is by your side through it all — whether you do it “right”… whether you make mistakes…on the days you’re slaying it…and all the moments in between.

To help you on your journey, God will put people in your path to encourage you, educate you, and minister to you.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11)

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…”(Hebrews 10:24)

Find an accountability partner or group who will pray with you, support you, talk straight to you, and help you stay on track.

  • Who in your life can help you fulfill God’s purpose?
  • Who can help you be accountable?
  • Who can you help?