Posted on Friday, October 26, 2018

What the Bible can teach a busy heart

And why we must find balance in it all

Twenty-four hours never feels like enough. If only we had more time! A couple extra hours a day could make all the difference. Or maybe an extra day in the week just to catch up, right? You might be juggling family time, social commitments, work demands, health goals, business ambitions, school assignments, relationships, and kiddos. Need we list more?

The problem with busy is that it’s often rooted in anxiety and worry. We might multitask out of fear we’ll let others down or because we struggle with letting others help. Or we might derive our value from an overpacked, overwhelmed schedule and wear our busy schedule as a sense of identity. If we’re not careful the results of our busyness can lead to pride.

We’ve grown into a generation reliant on gadgets to get us instant results so we can “do it all,” but Psalm 39 says, “We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.”

Merely moving shadows. Rushing ends in nothing. The Bible makes it clear that all our scurrying is in vain. The Lord has ordered our days and is ultimately in control.

Before you go quit your job and resign from all your responsibilities, notice that the Bible never said being productive with our time is a bad thing. Work is actually one of our God-given functions. But even a busy-body can make worshipping God feel more like work than rest. A good heart might schedule time to read the Bible, join a LifeGroup, and commit to serving in church, but when the time comes, an overloaded soul cancels—suggesting another time when life doesn’t feel so busy.

Our productivity will not earn God’s approval. Here are three truths to help you re-prioritize your lists today:

1. God will accomplish through you what He needs to accomplish in the time available. You can’t make your days longer. Do your best, and leave God with the rest.

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Job 38:4,12 NLT

2. We are created to be in God’s presence. As humans, we have a biological need for consistent rest and refreshment. Making time to rest in the Lord can be challenging, but there is rejuvenating power in pausing to be with our Maker.

Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27 NLT

3. We will always benefit with God’s presence. When we turn to God, He puts our days in perspective and it helps us prioritize the important stuff. Our worries can find rest and quiet strength in God’s Word for those situations when we feel weak.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 ESV

For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37 ESV

As God’s children, we don’t have to hustle to make things happen. His love for us goes beyond all the busyness. His help extends past our limits. In God’s eyes, your worth is not measured by your work. Your value, your significance is simply based on who the He is.

Is there a commitment you need to let go of to get your priorities right with God? Just remember, sitting at the feet of Jesus is for your benefit. God honors us when we honor Him with our time.

Posted on Saturday, September 15, 2018

15 Minutes That Can Change Your Life

Is your time in the Bible inconsistent or non-existent?

In the busy seasons of life, days can blur between school and work, home and church. We can get so caught up in the struggle and stress to be in all places at once that we bury precious priorities under growing demands. Our quiet time in the Word might get chaotic, inconsistent, or worse, cease to exist. Without God’s Word, life can be confusing with many options and few wise answers.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:25-27‬ ‭NIV

Crossing off a list of chores isn’t going to give us the kind of perpetual peace like time in God’s Word can. So how can we be consistent with the kind of wisdom we need in our lives each day? Train your mind and your time like an athlete. Here are a few ideas to help you remain relentless in reading the Bible.

Pray for the desire of your heart to change. It takes a change of heart for any discipline to stick. Just because we know we should do something doesn’t mean the discipline to follow through comes naturally. A change inside our heart will help what happens on the outside.

Why do you want to read the Bible every day? Make up your mind about the benefits of starting the day in God’s Word. When we are faithful with our time and make a daily commitment to seek Him early, God will do the work and make a way for everything in your day.

Make it a non-negotiable part of your day. Just like an athlete prepares for race day, we must protect this time to practice and work out our faith in God’s Word every day.

Set your alarm and schedule time with God. You might write your commitment in the calendar to protect this time from “urgent” requests. Wake earlier than the rest of your household to ensure there are no distractions. Consistency creates a habit. Over time, this time with the Lord will become a non-negotiable part of your day.

Use your phone. Download the YouVersion Bible App on your digital device so the Word is always with you. Whether you’re waiting in a doctor’s office or waiting on a friend, you can make the most of your time in the Word. You might put your device on airplane mode while reading to avoid distracting alerts.

Subscribe to a reading plan on the YouVersion Bible App. The Bible app allows you to set a daily reminder for your Bible Plan commitment.

Connect with others. Find a friend to connect with you in the app and discuss the day’s devotional together. Get a group of friends to subscribe to the same reading plan and comment using Plans with Friends to create a community of reading accountability.

Start small, simple, and doable. A runner doesn’t run 20 miles on the first day of training. They start with small goals. As stamina grows, so does the workout. Starting with a lofty reading goal may lead to burnout or feeling like a failure when you’re short on time.

Focus on a few verses a day to keep your reading manageable with the time you set aside. You might find yourself learning more when you read less.

The book of Proverbs has 31 bitesize chapters, convenient for reading one a day. Look at the calendar and read the chapter that corresponds with the date (ie: On October 23rd you would read chapter 23 in Proverbs).

Set mini goals like memorization. Learning to memorize scripture will help you dive into the Word. The ultimate goal is to have God’s Word engraved in your heart when the Bible isn’t handy. Pick a new memory verse every 30 days.

Listen to the Bible on the go. A day might come when you find it hard to read God’s Word. Try the audio feature in the Bible app and listen to scripture while you’re driving in traffic or out for a walk.

Make reading the Bible a family practice. Subscribe to a Bible Plan the entire family can share together. Discuss the devotional during dinner or over dessert. Choose the Bible App for Kids or pick up a few bible stories that can be shared at bedtime.

Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Deuteronomy 11:18-19 MSG

It takes discipline to grow spiritually. That discipline will lead to delight in what we are doing, and delight will always guide us into an increased desire. When we stay committed to reading God’s Word daily, our delight for the Bible grows, and we find ourselves enjoying the discovery of wisdom in God’s Word.

There will be days when we fail to read even a verse, and that’s okay. The goal is not to check a box or cross off a list of activities that might be considered religious. We want to sincerely create a habit of being in His Word because we love God and truly believe His way is the only way to live our best life.

Reading and believing with you.

Posted on Saturday, September 1, 2018

How To Be Brave With A Broken Heart

It’s okay if your story isn’t the kind of stuff you want to blast all over social media. In the painful places, God is strengthening your patience. When your heart is broken, it’s also learning to be brave.

Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2018

Your story speaks to the greatest strength of your life

What can I pray for you about? My friend asks. Immediately my mind goes to the obvious: life is falling short of my plans. My marriage is a mess of emotions, work has me wound up, bills are adding up, and exercise has gone by the wayside.

Your story speaks to the greatest strength of your life. When we allow a situation to take center stage of our story, we elevate the circumstance as being outside of God’s strength.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. Proverbs 18:21 AMPC

Stopping short of spewing all these woes to a friend, my spirit sat convicted. I’m so tired of talking about my problems more than the plans and promises God has for me.

Friction ignites a fire, but we often forget that we gather the kindling; a collection of stories that need only a spark and a little hot air to start a destructive blaze.

A dry marriage, a barren womb, a desert season, with no access to Living Water is susceptible to burn quickly. Our human nature can fan the flames with complaining or a few strong words to encourage the spreading of a wildfire. Our enemy is eager to create a spark in the drought places. Satan is hoping an exhausted spirit will breathe a wind in the bone-dry areas of our lives and draw attention for miles.

Staring at the letdowns in life will produce hopeless, faithless stories. Our greatest challenge in a sea of setbacks is to stay focused on the voice of Jesus asking us to trust God’s faithfulness, still.

In scripture, we read how David constantly fixed his focus on the God who is bigger than any giant we face. Jesus is the power in us when the giants come at us.

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Psalm 16:8 ESV

If we concentrate on the promises of our Almighty God protecting, preserving, providing, for us, we combust a legacy story for His glory.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure. Psalm 16:9 ESV

That’s what happens when Jesus is the center of our focus.

When we purposely focus our attention on Christ, we are reminded that God is able. We know he is always present with us. The battle is not ours. The battle belongs to the Lord. Our responsibility is to have faith. Jesus is enough. When we set our eyes on him, we will not be shaken. We will rest secure.

Relief is knocking at the door. The well of God’s Word is waiting to drown our worries in Truth. I pray you will soak all your stories in Living Water today.

What we speak and what we experience is what we believe in God. Is your story a slave to your circumstance? Sin feeds on what you believe. The Truth will free the story you tell.

No matter what you are facing today, remember, faith pleases God and opens doors for His supernatural favor, strength, and wisdom. Don’t settle for defeat. Choose to thank Him for what He is doing in your life. Be strong, be bold, and take courage because Jesus has overcome the world!

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] John 16:33 AMPC

Jesus gives us the power to maintain an attitude of victory in the face of adversity. You may be weary and tired, worn down, and ready to give up. You must act on your will, not simply your emotions. Sometimes that means you have to take steps of faith even when you are hurting, grieving, or still reeling from some attack of the enemy.

Keep standing up on the inside and God will step in and do what you can’t do on the outside.

Posted on Thursday, August 9, 2018

5 Reasons You Should Be Praying Out Loud

And how to get started without being awkward

praying out loud, benefits of praying out loud

Does the thought of praying out loud fill you with anxiety? Even just thinking about it makes your heart beat faster, you start sweating, or you become overwhelmed with fear. You think to yourself, I’m not very good at praying, I don’t know what to say, or my prayers are too short.

Can you relate?

Being uncomfortable praying out loud is really common. But did you know praying out loud, in groups or even with a friend, can exponentially grow your faith? All it takes is some practice and motivation, so here are some reasons why you should pray out loud and how to start.

External declarations can change your internal dialogue. When we pray for things out loud, we change our internal dialogue and posture. Praying things like, “Jesus, You are enough” or “God is greater than my grief” will build your faith and help change the way you view things.

Keeps you awake. Jesus reminds us, “Our spirit might be willing, but our flesh is weak.” If you’re prone to falling asleep during prayer, like Jesus’ disciples did in Mark 14:37-38, praying out loud will help you stay awake. You’re more likely to stay awake through prayer when your brain is listening to what your mouth is saying.

Practice for when you are called upon in public. Like anything, we practice behind the scenes to get better for those moments we’re in public. It’s uncomfortable to be asked to pray for people and not know what words to say. Praying out loud privately helps us get comfortable with the sound of our own voice. Repetition gives us the confidence to approach God in public.

Sets the standard in your house. If we want our household to serve the Lord, we must set an example through our relationship with Jesus. Kids need to hear us praying outside the church walls. The same is true if you live with an unbelieving spouse, parent, or friend.

Encourages each other. Praying in a community of people draws the Lord in and builds our faith. In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells us there is power when we pray in groups, and there’s purpose when we make declarations out loud.

Praying out loud is a bold move in your faith. When you unashamedly confess Jesus as your Savior, the enemy’s grip on your problem loses its power. Praying out loud is an internal decision speaking a bold declaration that Jesus sits on the throne, high above your struggles.

So where can you begin?

Start when you’re alone. This may seem awkward at first so try it behind closed doors where no one is listening or when everyone has left the house. You can even do this in the car on your way to work or the grocery store.

Whether this is your first time or you simply hit a rut in your prayer life, all it takes is practice. It gets easier and more comfortable the more you pray out loud.

Here are some cues to kickstart your out-loud prayers:

Use an outline for your prayer. One way to pray follows the A.C.T.S. model:

Adoration: Praise God for who He is.
Confession: Confess your sins and ask for His forgiveness.
Thanksgiving: Thank God for His protection and provision.
Supplication (an appeal to God): Make your requests known.

Create a prayer list. It can be immensely helpful to write down what you want to pray about before you get started. Use a journal to keep track of your prayers. To encourage your faith, take it a step further and mark the date your prayer is answered or follow up with an entry about God’s alternate plan.

Read Scripture out loud. David wrote many of the Psalms as prayers, so it’s a good place to start. Here are a few of our favorites: Psalm 30, Psalm 51, Psalm 63, Psalm 91, Psalm 139, and Psalm 145.

Keep it short. We can get caught up in the length of our prayers and struggle to come up with words to fill the silence. There is no rule on how long your prayer should be. There is no benefit to babble. God sees the heart of your prayers. Stretching them out for the sake of filling time is unnecessary.

Pray like you. God created you to communicate in a unique way. Don’t get caught up trying to say the “right” things, using “fancy” Christian terms, or praying like someone else. Prayer is meant to be a personal conversation with God. Like you would have between friends, family, or a mentor. Let go of how you think you should pray and just be you.

Put on worship music. Let the lyrics take the place of your words when you have nothing to say. As you learn the lyrics, begin to sing them out loud as prayers.

Prayer changes things, but it changes us more. Prayer can pivot a problem faster than a phone call to a friend. Praying out loud can transform what we believe and how we act when trouble comes. When you pray out loud, you are declaring victory by faith.

Posted on Saturday, July 28, 2018

Your Promise Land Is On The Other Side Of Your Pain

You must persevere to get to the other side

promise, 145:13, God is faithful, God's promises

Fresh into our first year of marriage, my husband and I were arguing over laundry, dishes, the dog, and everything under the sun. Fight after fight, fear had me questioning God and His promise for my future. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that God wasn’t doing what I assumed a good God would do.

Have you ever had your hopes dashed, a devastating thing happen, or a situation never seems to get better? Fear has an awful way of exaggerating our reality. Worry can snowball a small situation into a much larger problem.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

God designed a place for His children to prosper. It’s a Promise Land where you and I can experience the most abundant life in store for us; a renewed marriage, restored health, a refreshed calling, released from the chains of addiction. God’s desire is for His children to dwell in this Promise Land free from fear, anxious thoughts, or negative thinking.

Just like the Israelites who stood at the cusp of Canaan, their Promise Land,

we might be standing one step away from our Promise Land and fear has us thinking of turning back.

They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.” Numbers 13:27-28 NIV

It took 40 years of walking the wilderness to find this Promise Land and now God’s children are letting fear make them want to throw in the towel. The Israelites are fearful of what they’ll find on the other side of this one last mountain to climb, but they’re soooooo close!

Isn’t it crazy what fear will have us doing?

Concerns overworked in our minds become worry. Worry digs up doubts that this situation will get better or that God will intervene. Doubts morph into dread and unbelief as we stand at the foot of our Promise Land.

You might be ready to cash in 40 years or even four months of marriage. Maybe you’re thinking of running back to life as a slave to sin because you haven’t seen the harvest of your hard work just yet. Panic will produce all kinds of irrational thoughts as an attempt to control the situation.

Don’t give up yet, you’re almost there!

It takes perseverance to step into the Promise Land.

It’s difficult to see from where you’re standing, but the situation isn’t as big as your fear wants you to believe. God is much bigger and your Promise Land just on the other side is much better. You’re at the foot of your Promise Land, don’t turn back now.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. Psalm 145:13b NIV

When we open God’s Word, we’re assured He’s working out His purpose here for our ultimate good and His glory. Fear may have you facing a delay or even defeat, but this is not your final destination. Your Promise Land is just on the other side of the mountain.

Whether your circumstances change or not, hold onto this eternal hope: Jesus is still on the throne, our Father is faithful, and His promises are true for you today.

I promise you!

Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2018

The First Decision Is The Most Important

Scriptures to back up every decision

building a house, making decisions, start with Jesus, Proverbs 24:3-4, by wisdom a house is built,

Building a house requires a lot of important decisions. What kind of kitchen should we have? How many bedrooms and bathrooms? What about the backyard?

Having children also comes with making a lot of choices too; should we use a daycare or stay home when the kids are young? Will we homeschool our kiddos or enroll them in public schooling?

Maybe you’re leading a group of people and wondering how to talk about a problem, or, perhaps you’re thinking about making an expensive purchase.

No matter what your question is, the first decision is the most important.

Once you figure out the foundation of your decisions, the rest will fall into place.

For my husband and I, that foundation is God’s Word, the Bible.

Searching the scriptures, my husband and I found the Lord had much to say about open doors and hospitality, creating a sanctuary of peace, and taking care of widows, orphans, and the poor. As we made our choices for this new space, we dreamed up audacious possibilities of fellowship and providing refuge for a community in need of Jesus.

My husband and I also thought about the legacy we were leaving with the hands and hearts of those working on our home. We claim to be ambassadors of Christ so it was a conscious choice to advocate for Truth even in our absence. We chose scriptures to bear witness to the saving grace of Jesus and scribbled this testament over the floors and beams of our new home.

Where do you begin when making your most important decisions?

It’s easy to take action when you have the answers. Jesus is always the answer.

Your options are opportunities to declare Jesus is the One you seek and serve. What could this look like in your life? Maybe you start with prayer over your meals in public places. Perhaps you post your favorite bible verse in a public place, like your office.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV

When we believe this Truth, it’s easy to make God’s Word our first choice.

Ps. I dare you to allow your imagination to run wild with all ways His Truths will be accomplished – its super fun!

Wanna see pictures of our artwork and know what scriptures our family chose to graffiti the foundation of our new home? Click here and use it for your own!

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Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2018

What to do with what frustrates you the most

Living with the superpower of patience

Have you ever felt like you had the “right” to revenge? To get even? To have your say? To confront someone? Maybe it’s with your kids, your spouse, a friend, or someone at work who frustrates you. Emotions can make it difficult to make wise decisions. When we’re consumed with what we “deserve” to do, our thoughts cloud what God’s Word says we should do.

In the Bible, we see some great men of God, like Samson and David, prove that impulsiveness is rarely the right reaction. Both men made choices in the moment out of pride and lust that snowballed into more and more sin. We find that waiting on God could have prevented a lot of pain.

Demonstrating a little patience now can save us a lot of problems later.

It’s easy to love other people when life is going our way, but what happens when the kids take too long getting ready in the morning or our boss asks us to stay late again? When someone tests our last nerve, the way to walk out patience in the moment is to:

Remember God’s purpose
See the situation from His perspective
Put others first

Remember God’s Purpose

The purpose of everything is to lead us to God. Even the devil unintentionally fulfills this truth. When Satan tempts us to react in frustrating situations, God is giving us the opportunity to focus on the One who settles it all. These difficult situations offer the perfect place to turn to God for the strength to endure this circumstance and to see things as He sees them.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV

God’s ways might be difficult to understand, but His character is not. Above all, He is God Almighty. He is just. And we can trust Him completely because His character never changes and His word never fails. Becoming more patient means gaining a better understanding of God’s sovereignty so that we can let go of the situation. It also means acknowledging that God loves us no matter what.

See the Situation from His Perspective

Whenever you face trials, you can remain steady in a storm and patiently endure the hardship because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:3 NIV

When someone is selfish or rude or maybe just mistaken, we can look past the pain and stand patient in our love for others because of our love for God. Adopting God’s perspective is the key to becoming more patient with people, with ourselves, and even with God Himself.

Put Others First

Once we understand God’s purpose in all things and we gain God’s perspective, the last piece to living with more patience is to put others first.

It’s easy to think if we put others first then our actions suggest they must have done something “right.”

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God … Romans 3:23 NIV

None of us deserve the radical grace God extended to us through the death of His only son, Jesus. The truth is that obeying God’s commands means you’ll live life differently, just like the life of Jesus.

Instead of reacting to humanity’s failures or out of your own struggles, what would your life look like if you submitted to God’s purpose, His perspective, and put others before yourself? There is a secret superpower in becoming more patient; you are becoming more like Christ. For His glory.

Posted on Saturday, May 26, 2018

Make The Most of Your Days

More than just once a year

Saturday’s are short, life is short. And though we make our own plans, many details are still so uncertain. We like to mark the years with our birthday, but we would probably be wiser to number our days. One day a year isn’t enough when we have 364 more chances to make the most of every opportunity God gives us.

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NIV

Living in light of eternity makes every day significant—no matter how many days we have on earth.

Your thoughts have tremendous power. Your day will follow the course of your thoughts. When you live with an attitude of faith and expectancy, you will be strengthened and empowered by the Spirit of God.

Take inventory of your thoughts and replace them with declarations of your faith.

When the storms come, be assured that these trials are refining your soul to produce a purer version of you. You are better having gone through it; that is how God works.

The beginning of wisdom is knowing that He is God, and you and I are not Him.

I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! Psalm 91:2 AMPC

You can make the most of even the hard days because God honors a heart of faith.

If you’re bold enough to speak it, God is bold enough to do it.

Posted on Thursday, May 10, 2018

Faith is…

The gaze of a soul upon a saving God.

It’s pretty simple. The God of heaven, who made the sea and dry land.

The God of the storm and our oasis.

The God of our strength and every weakness.

The God of our only saving grace, His son, Jesus Christ.

Trisha Keehn

Living in the midst of gravity and grace. Biblical perspective for when life doesn't make sense.