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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Taking The Long Way Home

#contentmentisChrist

Contentment sometimes seems negative because we want to visually interchange it with complacency. But the word is simply just gratification. In fact, conversely to being complacent, I wonder if it’s possible that being content is actually what moves us forward.

After three summers of stubbornly braving the southern humid heat while sitting in hours of stand-still traffic with a vehicle that was only good for blowing hot air, I finally broke down against my financial will and bought a new one.

There was a sort of surreal sense the first time I turned over the engine and felt this frigid breeze blow briskly by my face. I swear the angels were singing.

With tears streaming in gratitude and unbelief, I reached for the phone and called home to my mom.

It was the first time I wasn’t mapping my location based on congested traffic to avoid.

“Mom, my heart is content. I don’t care what’s up ahead or how long it’s going to be. I’m taking the long way home.”

Isn’t it amazing how our circumstance can change the course of our drive? We no longer look for the shortcuts because our soul is satisfied. We are willing to wrestle with and withstand whatever roadblocks or barricades stand in the way of our route.

Contentment is deeper than this though.

I’m not claiming to know the key to contentment. Clearly I just let simple air conditioning in a car determine my satisfaction for several summers. Paul unpacks the crux of contentment in Philippians 4:11: I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.contentment, trishakeehn.com, acceptance, stillness, circumstances

I will do my best to peel back his words and paraphrase in light of my own story: Your changing circumstance does not affect the declared strength of Christ. Contentment is a calm acceptance and stillness of heart in life’s pressures because of God’s sufficiency in your life.

Contentment unravels around our relationships. We’re selfish by nature. We survey our spouse for what he/she can do for us, or at least what we can get out of marriage. We sulk when we don’t get our way, and get angry because they’ve hurt our feelings. (I’m speaking out of my experience with marriage here. I could be the only one with this problem though ;-)).

But can we at least agree that for vows to last, it must be built on more than the happiness and well-being of two people. God’s plans have a much greater purpose. And that purpose needs to be greater than any amount of stress and struggle we experience.

We discover contentment when we take the focus off of the circumstance and put in on the needs of our spouse, trusting God for our own.

More frequently a lack of contentment cycles through our jobs. It’s easy to get so focused on our dreams and goals that we get to the point where we’re not going to be happy until we see those things happen.

out of balance, happiness, trishakeehn.com, contentmentIf we have to have something in order to be happy, our lives are out of balance.

When ambitions start to frustrate us, and we lose our peace and don’t enjoy life, that’s a clear sign that we’re holding on too tightly. If we find ourselves chasing the elusive, “if I only had a _______, I’d be happy” dream, we’ve made our destiny a disillusionment.

God’s purpose is greater than any dream or goal you could envision on your own. Your problems don’t define your purpose. They are simply obstacles of the devil that you need to get past in order to continue with your primary purpose.

Comparisons will leave us discontent while conventionality will construct a coffin around life. So embrace both the light and the shadow.

The journey through this life will involve ups and downs. Job changes, the economic ebbs and flows, choices you make and decisions determined by others. And sometimes just the good or bad timing of it all.

There are few ideal situations, even fewer vacations and no perfect people. There’s no use in wasting time visualizing a life of highlight reels when that doesn’t exist.

It is our responsibility to live out of contentment in God’s purposes and make adjustments so we can live joyfully, whether He gives a little or a lot.

Whether you’re in a season of plenty or in a season of less, you can live with contentment and peace.

Release your vision of perfection. Freedom comes when you say, “God, I’m turning it all over to You. You know my desires and what’s best for me. I’m choosing to trust You and Your timing.”

When we learn to be content whatever the circumstances, it takes away the power of the enemy. It takes away his ability to frustrate us. Not only that, but by our actions, we are showing our faith in God.

When you choose to trust His timing, you can live in peace, you can live in joy, and you can rest in Him knowing that He has good things in store for your future.

Find freedom in contentment and rest in His everlasting peace.contentment, long way home, trishakeehn.com

Father, today I choose to trust You. I release frustration over the dreams and desires in my heart because You know what’s best for me. I choose to trust Your timing knowing that You are faithful. As I wrestle with what it means to be content, take the wheel in my confusion and settle all doubt. I want to take the long way home with You, Jesus. You are my holy obsession and burning desire. In Your presence I find peace and rest. Lead my soul beside still waters. May I never lose sight of this contentment that You are all I need. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you know someone struggling with fear or frustration, send them a link to this message. Or maybe you know someone feeling like a failure. Share some encouragement. Contentment is a message about who Jesus is, and it has nothing to do with our circumstances.

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Take A Vacation

Without leaving home

Sure you could be laying on the beach at some far-flung destination, not checking emails and sipping a cocktail at 2 p.m. rehearsing “I’m on vacation!” You don’t need to set an alarm to wake up and can follow all the whims in the world because time, my friend, is on your side.

Sounds dreamy, right?trishakeehn.com, vacation, staycation, state of mind

Well here’s a super surprise for you… It’s all in your head. Even on your couch, you can keep the beachside mentality by reading an entire book in one setting or download tons of music, and not move until you get hungry for chocolate chip cookies and espresso.

Not convinced?

I grew up in a family where having a good time was priority. Sure we lived paycheck to paycheck, but we were also at the lakes every weekend and living a good life. This is where I learned how to enjoy every day and live like it’s vacay.

Here’s a 1-2-3 for how you can to.

One: Live like the days depend on your prayers.

One day over coffee with my mentor, she mentioned she doesn’t use an alarm to wake up for work. This prayer warrior divulged that several years prior, she asked God to get her up on time without an annoying alarm and she’s never had to hit snooze again.

Her daily discipline was inspiring to me so I prayed that bold prayer too. And God has yet to miss a morning of waking me up.

Sadly, we settle for much less than God wants to give. We’re taught in Sunday School that He has the whole world in His hands but we get on our knees and ask for a little patience. Pray for bigger and bolder moves. Petition for the impossibilities to be made possible. No matter how little or big it seems, just ask. Your faith and expectancy won’t appall a willing Father. In fact, it will bring Him honor.

Get smart with your schedule and stop working to live. If you want God to give you those exhilarating gifts of not knowing what’s coming next, leave room for the interruption. At the very least, unwind some tension in your life by freeing up time from the daunting list of to-do’s. Breathe in some flexibility so you can bend when the whims blow instead of breaking under frustration. 

No one wants to feel like it’s work to be around you. Let those closest to you feel a fresh breath of freedom in your company and use your brakes to develop some boundaries with the burdens. If you’ve already crossed the line by bringing home your complaints and unending emails, commit to change the course or it will impact your years to come.

Embrace the good and let go of the bad. Raise a glass to liberty and give the boot to negative nancies. Spend more time celebrating and less time stressing. Set yourself up for success by building a balanced life.

Two: Relish in Relationships

Focus on the quality of your hours alone with yourself. Spend time building a solid foundation in your heart for the future. A little loneliness goes a long way in creating a richer, deeper, more vibrant life. Sit with yourself and discover your worth.

Ask God to show you His supremacy in all things and teach you His sufficiency in the silence.

During the quiet hours, God’s still, small voice often breaks through the void and speaks the loudest.

Be intentional about taking this opportunity to get to know you. And take initiative with others. Dig into the pockets of your friendships and splurge on going deeper.

God has richly blessed me with homegrown girls who have weaved their way into my regular routine. But there was a day these warm hearts were few and far between and my soul ached for women I had never met. So I began advocating morning and night in prayer for specific friendships to join in my journey.

Today, I have more than I could have ever imagined and I’m madly in love with each of their raw emotions. God gave me the gifts and now I make it intentional to meet monthly, diving headfirst into the deep end of life as we wrestle through the wonders and worries together. Then I eagerly dig out my calendar to schedule when to do it all again.

People like to be pursued. I selfishly love their stories. Sometimes I wonder if my excitement over shared company is similar to what God feels when we come to Him spilling all our stories from the day.

Here’s the other thing I noticed. When there is nothing anchoring the heart for attention, I’m more apt to make small talk with anyone and everyone. You’re probably more carefree with your conversations over a campfire with a complete stranger than you are in your own coffee house, right?

One day I realized how ridiculous it is that I’m more shy in my community than I am willing to make connections in planes and trains on the first ticket out of here. I get so focused on what’s in front of me, it’s as if I pull a string on imaginary blinds and don’t want people peering in on my privacy.

Boldly embrace relationships. Commit to their hearts. It’s the silent cry your soul is longing for.

Three: Dream On.

Last lesson for living like you’re on vacation is to make your work work around your dreams. Live for what you love to do and let everything else fall around it. Let go of every limiting fear that says you can’t create the life you desire.

Reading and writing are bookends to my day. I spring out of bed in the early hours, eager to lift a finger on my dream. Then I make time in the middle to get paid for marketing, but it’s meager compared to the minutes I spend living my dream.

For me, there’s just something about learning new things that inspires a refreshing ‘ah ha’ moment like a much needed vacation. Regularly I run down the New York Times Bestseller list to discover new ‘must reads’ that have been reviewed and raved about. Then I click over to my library account and reserve a copy. Some books are only worth a browse, but the point is, fresh content is available to check out or download at your disposal.

Maybe taking a nosedive into literature hardly feels like a vacation to you (hey, there’s audio books and magazines too… just sayin’). Chances are your daydreams look a lot different than mine. But the point is, I’m giving you permission to pick something to splurge on and go for it! Sleep in. Dream on. Dream until your dreams come true. Mosey on into the next moment and be deliberate. Don’t just take a vacation. Live like you’re on one.

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Happy Father’s Day

There are so many wonderful fathers to celebrate, and no doubt, deserving of our outpouring affections. There’s one who stands above the rest as the granddaddy of them all. And even if you find yourself “fatherless” today, He’s never left your side.trishakeehn.com, happy fathers day, father to the fatherless, father

He loves to lavish His children in unfailing affections and enjoys giving graciously when we ask. He exceeds all our expectations even when we don’t. His strength can move mountains and His reach will cross the ocean to find us wherever our feet may fall. We never have to go looking for Him. His grip won’t let us go.

The model of our earthly father’s heart pours out of His wellspring of forgiveness and mercy. No matter how far we run, His arms remain open wide, welcoming a return. He runs to us in the depths of our desperation and stands ready to defend us, even when it requires death on a cross.

I’m very thankful for my father on earth. And when I stare through his reflection, tears of joy and utter amazement flood my heart as I see the most beautiful Father of them all.

Happy Father’s Day, Daddy.

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The Uphill Climb

Our minds are tempted to stop the struggle on an uphill stretch. It’s okay to take it slow, just don’t stop now. Shift your eyes off the end and refocus your attention inward, on strength and the supply. Draw in those deep breaths and relax in the pace. This is what’s going to propel you forward in the climb. That’s how you finish a race.

Don’t get caught up in the climb. You got this!

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:24

And in the end we will say,

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

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Caught in the cross hairs of conflict

exodus, trishakeehn.com, sea ahead, army behind

Are you staring an obstacle in the face and wondering where you took a left turn when you should have stayed right?

The demands here and now have seized your time and you’ve abandoned your desires and dreams because the situation looks overwhelming.

Maybe in the midst of the struggle, you’re still sizing up the situation; is this high tide or low tide? Because if this is as bad as it gets, there could still be a chance to conquer the circulating currents in this conflict.

Whether this is the worst of it or not, you conclude that what lies ahead looks bleak and pretty impossible.exodus, trishakeehn.com, sea ahead, army behind

There is a sea ahead and an army behind.

The enemy is barreling down the slopes with speed and gaining ground on your hope.

You’re surrounded so you surrender not just your hands but your identity too, as the doubts close in. Defeat looks imminent.

Now you feel like you’ve failed God, you’ve failed yourself and you’re not who you thought you were.

What if the trouble you’re facing is the very wall God wants to drive you through?

Fear has an overwhelming tendency to increase in us but, praise God, so does courage.

Though the horizon looks hopeless, God has a miracle up His sleeve.

Our initial instinct is to stop everything at once. Yet, when we do that, we short sight the strong arm of God.

Give Him the opportunity to do what He says He’ll do. The Author and Creator cannot fail. This is the very nature of Almighty God.

In our trials, His power penetrates human wisdom to draw all eyes to the throne.

Stop staring at the surmounting surf and advance headlong into the swells of strife, my friend.

Do you feel adrift already, in an ominous ocean with no island in sight? Know that the waters are not beyond God’s reach.

If you’re treading in the deep end, I want to remind you the bedrock of Truth hasn’t been moved by the flood.

Take a deep breath from the bottom of your gut and exhale as you stretch your thinking. Let it lengthen your limbs a little further past their limit.

Now steady the stride of those flailing feet. There’s a Rock for you to stand on and it’s been there beneath the surface of your stress this entire time.

Trust it.

We’re all on a journey into the land God promised us.

Yours might be pursuing higher education, starting a business, selling an idea, or making a difference. Maybe it’s gaining some self-confidence, self-esteem, healing or extending forgiveness.

Stand with me here on the shoreline of your suffering as we scan over the story of Moses and the Israelites.

When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. (Exodus 13:17-18)

I’m pretty sure whatever is in the way of your promised land, these guys felt the same futility as they stared at the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army closing in. Their pilgrimage to the Promised Land looked hopeless being backed up against the wall of a massive inconvenience.

It’s senseless to sit here too long wondering why life has to be so hard. Hidden behind the Hollywood highlights of this story, there’s some deep truths that can help move the mountains standing in your way.

rest, press on, journey, promised land, trishakeehn.comFirst, you should rest. Army or no army, you need rest. This isn’t sleeping through the storm. It’s a peace of mind in the eye of a hurricane kind of stillness. Find a spot to camp out in serenity while you bring to God the concerns anchoring your heart.

Second, use what you have to work with. The Almighty can take what you have and turn it into whatever it needs to be in order for you to accomplish what you’ve been called to. Sharpen the skill saw. Cast out a line to your connections.

Third, press on. Oceans of emotion toss with demands every day trying to prevent us from God’s plan.

When floods of fear feel like they’re going to level your life…

As the rolling tides of resistance wrestle with you all night…

Even If there’s nothing but crickets and crashing waves staring back at you…

Press on.

While you’re waist deep in the waves of doubt or your heart is trekking up and tumbling down the rocky terrain of pain…

Press on.

Wherever the enemy packs a punch and swipes a roundhouse kick that leaves you lying flat on your face…clouds, hope, trishakeehn.com

Press on.

The clouds will come but let the helium in hope carry you higher into the heavens.

Honor God with your trust.

He is with you. He is for you. Do not be afraid.

Keep walking. Keep believing.

This storm is just a season that is about to blow over.

Your faith in His unfailing forgiveness and unconditional love is the way out, my friend.

Summon the Holy Spirit to silence the solicitations on your soul.

Sink down into your stance on the solid stone of Truth.

Wait in expectation and watch as the winds and waves obey His command.

Get ready for God’s big reveal.

Tuck that hope in your heart.

God, I release to You all that I am and everything that I have. I invite You to flood every part of my being and use me for Your glory. Thank You for using what is in my hand.

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The greatest mystery of all

Everyone has a story beneath the cover of a smile.coffee cup in hand - resized

Often, it’s listening to unhighlighted chapters in another person’s life that peels back fresh pages in our own.

Dig deeper.

See past the boldface and bookmarks.

Don’t be afraid of a little dust.

Therein lies the secret to the greatest mystery novel of all; Life.

So what’s missing from your story?

Explore the unknown. Inhale the enlightenment. Embrace the unraveling Truth.

Lift back the folds in every face you encounter to discover how deep your heart goes.

 

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Strength through the struggle

trishakeehn.com, be immovable, 1 Corinthians

Do you ever wake up in the morning and feel like you’re already surrounded by problems and pressures that are left over from the night before?

 

You may be overwhelmed with needs, uncertainty, hurt, burdens, to-do lists and regrets and you haven’t even thrown back the covers yet.

 

What if the strength you’re searching for is in you already and you just can’t see it yet?

 

As long as your focus stays fixated on the issues and obstacles, you’ll miss the opportunity to let courage control your thoughts.

 

The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, has already gone before every one of your battles and equipped you with armor you’ll need for the attacks coming.

 

And He’s bracing you from behind too. He’s got your back.

 

Your struggle is less about your own maturity and more about what you believe.

 

Your help is here. Your supply is here. Your strength is here.

 

Can you see it?

 

Though you’re tired by all the trouble, close your eyes and rub the seeds of doubt and disbelief from the corners of your mind. Now look again. Let your gaze fall upon the hills, where your help is mounted up and surrounding the very things that surround you.

 

It would be nice if God’s help was to keep us from hardships and prevent the problems from ever happening in the first place. But let’s be honest. As long as you strain hard enough, your success will point to your own efforts.

 

Pride tells us we have all the power and strength and there is no purpose for faith or trusting in a God we can’t see. Yet, the scriptures are stacked with stories rooted in human weakness, soaked in the supernatural strength of God.

trishakeehn.com, pain, compassion, hope

Allow your problems to humble you, refine you, and use you more effectively. The places where we are pressed can most likely be where God wants us to plant hope. Compassion permeates from our pain.

 

You have a Defender who will deliver you with the very thing the devil meant to destroy you. When the enemy has a strategy to take you out, God always has a plan to keep you in and moving forward.

 

Let God pummel the enemy by bringing so much good from the bad that Satan will regret ever having taken you to that wilderness in the first place.

 

God wants to show you His faithfulness through your failures and strengthen you through the struggles.

 

But you may have to see it through your weakness.

 

So look again! There is potential in your problems and purpose through your pain. You can have confidence in the chaos and confusion. God downpours a great supply in the drought of your need.

 

You can’t control the circumstance but you can believe in a Father who loves you… still. In the darkest of hours, He is the supply of strength standing on a ground of grace.

 

Keep trusting. He’s already given you all you need.

 

It’s our faith that activates God’s power. If you’ve been standing and believing for a while, don’t give up! Press through. Keep praying. Keep asking. Keep seeking, and He’ll meet your faith with favor and His miraculous power.

 

Often times we’re surprised by our struggles. We can even be caught off guard when it’s the same stuff we’ve been wrestling with for so long. We give the enemy credit for being clever when he throws the same punch to our weak spots. Why?

 

What if we weren’t surprised?

 

What if we really did come to expect these kinds of ordeals, not as pessimists but as the prepared?

 

What if we did come to expect that life was going to push us with pressure?

 

What if we were ready in advance for things like temptation and oppression?

 

Plant your feet solid and bend your knees to brace your body for the impact, because I’m warning you from the Word, its coming. If you’re not prepared when the push comes, you will be shoved into a sinkhole of despair.

 

Let us not be prepared for only the pressures but also for the divine power.

 

Although we feel alone in our afflictions, I’m here to remind you we’re all in this together. As the persecutions mount and the pressures pound, remember God has already given us victory through Jesus. None of these struggles and trouble will be wasted. They will all work out for our good. We are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us (Romans 8:37). Our perseverance will be rewarded (Hebrews 10:35)trishakeehn.com, be immovable, 1 Corinthians 15:58

 

Therefore, my dear [friend], be… immovable” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

 

I pray that God opens your eyes so that you may see the strength that is already in you. Keep an open and humble heart so that His peace can help you press through to pain and find its purpose and His plan.

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Let It Go

So something new can grow

trishakeehn.com, tree, let it go, fruit,

Last night, I sat silently on my porch steps pondering life. A slight breeze swept through the loose strands of a messy knot piled high on my head and a chorus from everything living sang with sweet lullabies to my soul.

The peace of it all captured my thoughts as I marveled at the breathtaking livelihood of life.

It is Spring and technically a time of new growth, yet there in the boughs of towering tree was a lifeless limb caught up in it’s spindly vines.

It’s likely a storm had severed this part. The tangled timber was more of a stick now… the color had drained from its bark, but the branches weren’t ready to let go.

Isn’t that just like life sometimes?

A storm sweeps through, devastating our status or symbol of life. The winds snap off a chapter, but our arms cling to the kindling because we fear letting go.

field, fruit, let it go, trishakeehn.com,When a field stops producing fruit, we have to accept what has refused to come back to life; we have to let it go.

Disappointment. Divorce. Death.

With a very tender heart and deep compassion, I offer only a trail of my own tears when I whisper these words to you.

Our mind likes to circle a barren crop, hoping a seed will magically produce by staring at it long enough, when we need to cut it down, pile it up, and let it burn.

As tears sizzle over the embers.

True, God sometimes chooses to resurrect something that has died.

And other times He wants us to call it what it is – dead – and let it go, knowing that He is good. And He is for us.

We’re reminded in the book of John that God prunes branches that bear no fruit so that they will sprout more. And what does not yield produce over time is “thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up.” – John 15:6

Life is about growth.

God is all about the fruit.

You can huff and puff, but trying to resuscitate what’s not coming back to life just leaves you out of breath.

Sift the seeds of your life through the threshing floor of Christ to separate the dead from the living.

Don’t overlook the wholesome hindrances that have overstayed their season; sometimes these are the hardest to let go of because they are easier to rationalize. They’re not wrong; they’re just not right, right now.

Perhaps our ego may need to be shown the exit door first.

What doesn’t reap a harvest, what fails to resurrect in the sunshine and showers, finally needs to go.

That doesn’t mean you forget.

Some things are too sensitive or significant to let slip from memory.

These words are woven with empathy when I say, if it is gone, let it go. If it is possible to move the reminder from your sight where it has become a monument to your sadness and loss, pile it up and carry it off.

His wings will shelter you in the shadows and keep your sacred heart safe in the storm. He does not leave a life empty.

He will either restore the sterile or plant something brand-new. Know with all your faith that a fresh seed will sprout soon. Hold on to your expectation that it will be more than you can imagine.

His promise is to fertilize a flourishing future for you. He nurtures and cultivates the soil with great care and comfort.trishakeehn.com, tree, let it go, fruit,

Give it space. Sunshine. Water it with your tears if you must. And you will surely live to see His faithfulness sprout out of the seasoned soil.

Our breaths are too brief to spend another inhale grieving what could have been. Release your fears. You are stronger than you think.

Stretch out your arms and don’t let the storms scare you from pain.

Let go of what is broken and trust, for it is to your Father’s glory that you bear much fruit.

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:3

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Keeping perspective on the purpose

Who says the first of the year is the only time we can begin new things? It’s Spring. A season of renewal and the perfect time to make a fresh start on those dream/goals most of us have abandoned since the first of the year.

I am right there with you.

So I blew off the dust on my crumpled up plan and renewed the vision by starting with one step. This new website. Then I took another step. A video blog.

It’s difficult to persevere in our discipline when progress is slow, distractions are mounting and the dream is yet too far out to see. Here’s an idea that may help you get back on track with your purpose.