Category Archives: Living the Christian Life

Living the Christian life is a journey of suffering and joy. It’s a road on the way to Damascus. These stories include what it means to live as a fisher of men in modern day times.

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Be Available

Save Perfection For The Able

God didn’t ask for the able, He asked for you to become available.

The breeze coming through my window in the morning catches the fragrance of my first cup of coffee brewing by 5 a.m.

Suddenly, I have energy just by the scent and I’m tossing back the covers to reach for that cup of greatness.

I begin with an offering of my heart and then I release control over my pen. I’m too scared to try on my own, so I read through the Word and wrestle to my knees. My soul is intoxicated by the aroma of the Spirit. It fills my being and I consume slowly and deeply, as I do with my coffee.

There are many refills of both before I ever pick up that pen. The last bit is brimming when I feel ready to let it pour out on the pages and speak to someone else who may need what I just digested.perfection, piles of writing

My past was buried under pages of perfection and I became too short on time to sort it out. Truthfully, there were struggles like fear and defeat that paralyzed my pen and made it easier to walk away from the words written down.

My control was carrying baggage with more than a thousand words from this journey through the valleys and mountain peaks that wasn’t worth much waiting on the fictitious day I could piece it together perfectly.

God is writing stories every day. We need only to be available. And willing to release control over the way He wants to write it.

fear cripples, creativity, professionals were amateursWhen I write in cadence with the story of life, that’s what letting go of perfection looks like. These are drafts rough around the edges and it takes a lot of trust to let you see it. It takes a whole lot more faith to believe my Father in Heaven is going to work with it. And yet, that’s the life we were called to live, a life of faith.

Living in our creative expressions takes faith. God is painting a new picture now, of a girl running wild and free with the gift He gave her at birth.

The enemy has a plan for you, and it includes anything that will prevent a preview of this portrait the Artist has been painting.paint the world, share your talent, God's gifts

So put it out there. Let go of control. Fear cripples creativity. Every professional started scribbling somewhere as an amateur. Practice by putting these gifts on display and watch what the Lord does with them.

Refine and rework the ridges tomorrow if you must, but for today splash the world in shades and strokes with whatever tools you have because time is running out. Perfection may have held you hostage but here’s permission to persevere.

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How To Know God’s Love

John 15:9, Remain in my love, Jesus' loveOverthinking ruins you. Ruins the situation, twists it around, makes you worry and just makes everything much worse than it actually is.

Set your focus on the love of Jesus. Live in it. Breathe it. Constantly remind yourself of it.

We’ll know His love has invaded our hearts if, even in the pain, we want to see each other as brothers and sisters dearly loved, and held tightly by the Lord.

Anything that takes you away from loving other people is not worth your energy to think on.

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Consistency isn’t a Moment

love, consistency, potential, John MaxwellIt’s important to love where you are in life today. If you can’t find joy and peace where you are, you won’t find it where you’re going. It’s a heart issue, between you and God. Make peace with your situation. Happiness is based on your happenings, but joy roots itself deep in the soul and doesn’t waver with your circumstance.

If you won’t give three people 100% of your efforts today, you won’t give 3,000 that commitment either. It’s an attitude. Don’t settle on just winging it through life… work for it! You have the potential for more. Don’t wait for an opportunity, make it the right opportunity now.

“Consistency will give you a compounding that no other trait will.” – John Maxwell. When you deliver every day and consistently add value to people there comes a time of return to it. It’s not in a moment, it is progressive. So practice being consistent where you’re at, with the people right in front of you.

Ideas for consistency could be showing your appreciation for loved ones, greeting your job with enthusiasm and giving your best effort, making it to the gym because that’s how you love your body, choosing wise people to surround yourself with, or choosing even wiser places to hang out in.

Take my hand, let’s love this place where we are and give it our best. Today, could be our day of deliverance. I’m ready for it, are you?

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What’s Your Success Based On

thomas edison quote, success, close to success, failuresAre the goals you’ve set about performance and validation or your personal progress to be a better version of yourself?
 
When you set up a life focused on impressing others, you’ll be tempted to determine your self-worth based on the attention. Eventually, you may find yourself frustrated by the fleeting, fickle feelings and label your life a failure. You cannot achieve success based on a forced ability to impress.
 
Focus on pursuing challenges that develop character and opportunities to learn and expand your expertise. Try something new. In the last year, I’ve taken classes in swing dance, hip hop dance and paddle boarding. I recently started studying ‘doodling’ (with purpose, instead of boredom). Chances are, you won’t see me on Dancing with the Stars or art on display in the Smithsonian. I do these things to stretch and grow God’s craftsmanship in me.
 
It’s okay to make mistakes. Open doors to make many more of them. Believe you have what it takes. Remind yourself that each stumble and fall is still another step forward from where you were.
So what does success look like for you? Don’t give up on yourself just because the world gives up on you. You’re so close… stand up and try again.
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God Will Always Provide

It just might look different than what we had in mind

God will provide, Philippians 4:19, trishakeehn.comFaith involves looking beyond what you can see or the limitations that you face.

Maybe you don’t have enough time in the day to do all you need to do. Or maybe you don’t have the resources to carry out what needs to be done. It could be that you are struggling to raise your kids alone. Or it could be that you have received a report from your doctor that is not good.

Maybe your bank account is low, and you are doing all you can to find a job… and yet, God is asking you to still honor Him with a portion of your money.

Whatever the case, faith acts on the truth that even though you don’t have enough, God has more than enough, and He has promised to supply all that you need.

Philippians 4:19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.‪#‎KingdomWoman‬

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How to Make a Decision

decisions, faith, God's strength, trishakeehn.com

One of the hardest decisions you’ll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder. The next time you have a choice to make, ask yourself:

  • Which direction will build character and qualities in me that I need?
  • Where do I need to lean on God for the strength and less on my ability?
  • What brings peace and requires love?

Be careful not to let your emotions dictate the direction. Pray for God’s peace to lead you in the journey that is best the life He intended you to live.

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Thorns are found in beautiful places

garden, thorns, beautiful things, roses, trishakeehn.comA garden of many thorns can be a beautiful thing.

So often we focus on the ugliness of a thorn or the pain it causes, but have you ever noticed that thorns are found in a sea of beautiful things?

You won’t find a thorn on dead things.

I want to encourage you with this thought: whatever has become a thorn in your side or has you suffering, surrender. Let your weakness lean on His strength.

Blossoms are evidence of growth and life in a thorny patch.

Where there are many thorns, there are beautiful things.

In the bible, Paul describes his thorn as “harassment” from the enemy. Yet, he trusted in the grace and power of the Almighty that through the affliction Paul’s weakness would shine all the more glory on God’s strength.

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”   Second Corinthians 12:7-10

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Be Yourself

It will be your greatest accomplishment

be yourself, ralph waldo emerson

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

You have the beautiful ability to influence someone just the way you are. Without your uniqueness, the world is missing out on a glimmering gift that God gave to you. He crafted only one of ‘you’.

Who you are reflects a piece of Him that no one else can replicate. You were the only one made. Please don’t give us a second rate version of someone else when you are a marvelous, first class design.

We hunger for God’s mystery to be revealed and it requires you, to be you, to reflect that part of Him.

I love you.

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Love is the Natural Cure

natural, antibiotic, cure, love, trishakeehn.com

Hug someone today. Hold a hand and let them know they are loved. This is God’s cure for a sick heart. I love you. I’m thinking of you. Release your affections. It has an antibiotic effect on the infection of negativity and the poisonous thoughts that prevent a mind from living in pure joy. Take the time to have a heart-to-heart exchange. Your own soul will be thankful for it later.

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Live a Life of Bravery

The cautious do not live at all

brave, bravery, courage, life, trishakeehn.com

The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.

Forget yesterday, it has already forgotten you. And for heaven’s sake, don’t sweat the tomorrow you haven’t even met yet.

We only have one life to live, and the time is going to pass, regardless of whether or not you step out in faith and reach for those dreams.