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.

Posted on

Does Your Story Need A Rewrite

“I love you this much,” He said.

It wasn’t for the sake of being a martyr or making a scene with something so drastic to prove a point. They called it punishment.

Jesus Christ, sacrifice on the cross, symbol of grace, symbol of love, trishakeehn.comHe accepted the pain as a price so you wouldn’t have to know the excruciating death of sin.

The very things that try to tie your mind down to a cross of condemnation and shame have been defeated once and for all. Anything that has you bound to a beam of depression, negativity or addiction, I declare by the blood and unchanging name of our Savior Jesus, these too have been brought to the grave.

He marched up that hill and paid your entrance fee. It’s time to stop making excuses for why you can’t come to this place of freedom.

The end has already been written. This story doesn’t have a rewrite.

What was once a symbol of pain became a story of grace that day His love covered the ground we stand on. What symbol of pain are you still clinging to?

Reaching down from Heaven, the Lord is handing you a quill, filled with the crimson ink of Christ. It’s time to edit your story. And when you return to Him one day, my prayer is that your chapters have corrections marked in mercy and strength. That your page in His book will be packed with new paragraphs of peace, and extra spaces replaced with great purpose.

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” – Romans 5:1-6

Posted on

When You Want To Give Up

Isaiah 45:5-6, rising sun, the Lord is the Author, trishakeehn.comHe’s the Author and the Finisher of our Faith. He’s all about finishing what He began in your life. He’s more passionate about your purpose than you are.
 
When you look at what you’ve accomplished as your own doing, you must also accept your own unraveling. May I encourage you with this reminder that what He started, He will finish.
 
When doors don’t fly open in your timing, remember His timing is perfect and your time is coming! It’s easy to get overwhelmed by discouragement from “no’s”. Remind the enemy of your faith that the Author is the Finisher. God has a plan here. You can rest in the confidence of knowing that God is going to provide your “yes”.
 
The Lord will finish what He began. It might not look the way you want it to look, but He’s going to get the work done whether the people you had in mind want to be a part of it or not. Nothing can prohibit God’s purpose through you. No lack of support is going to move you out of the position of your purpose.
 
Believe God has your best in mind.
 
“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
 
“I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:5-6
Posted on

When Life Is Difficult

Life may have you competing for better positioning, or standing at the edge of your patience right now. Maybe it has you on the floor with fear or drowning in your own tears. I can’t take away the pain or turmoil, but as your sister in Christ, I want to point you to the One on the throne who is listening even now, standing ready and willing to encourage you today.
encouragement of the cross, the cross sits is at the center, look the crossWhen the day intersects with difficulties, may you land on the fresh encouragement of the cross there at the center of your decisions. Refocus. The cross is always at the center when you shift your gaze. May you be empowered to rise above the rough places to see the perspective here; the Lord has already paved a straight path to victory for you. It’s covered in grace and certainty. Be expectant when it doesn’t look the way you thought it would; He’s a God of surprises and delights to bring even better things than you can comprehend.

There is power in your stance. So pull your shoulders back, feel the strength in your body and lift that head up knowing whose we are. He is the Author and Finisher, and He’s penned your story with the good things. (Proverbs 28:10)

Jesus, we’re thankful for your grace. It means there’s no amount of human effort that can change the ending. We are covered by a love that paid the price with the blood of Jesus, once and for all. Signed, sealed and delivered for the freedom of God’s children. The chains of addiction, shame, and depression have been broken. The strongholds of negativity, anger and negativity have no power over the Lord’s purpose and plan for your life.

Grace has put us in the winner’s circle. Our strength comes from the Lord who has already overcome anything and everything that should come against us today. Breathe new life into us, Lord. Restore hope and purpose in us. Help us to be quick to resist temptation and make decisions that honor you. Thank you, Lord for the wisdom to make great decisions in life. Thank you for going before us and making our path straight.

Lord, we ask that you open the right doors and close the wrong doors. Bring the right people and weed out those who should not be there. Help our spiritual ears and eyes to be open and sensitive to your voice so we can clearly hear what the Spirit is saying.

You are the true and living God and we thank you that you are bigger than anything we are facing. You are fighting for us, Almighty God, and all those against us will fail by the power of your strong arm. I thank you Lord that every force of darkness is broken in the name of Jesus. And we thank you for bringing healing, peace and joy to your children.

Help us to let this light of yours shine brighter in us this week, Lord. Help us to restore the broken and lift the fallen. Lord, you said you would be a friend who sticks closer than a brother. So I pray that anyone experiencing loss or unfair situations may feel the comfort from your arms wrapped around them today.

Thank you Lord, for joy that comes in the morning. Thank you for a new day of victory and hope that is springing up inside. Thank you for restoring a vision of new beginnings. We thank you for restoring health physically, spiritually and emotionally.

We declare we are strong in the Lord and the power of Your might, Jesus! Amen.

Posted on

Your Best Days Are Ahead

best days are ahead, trishakeehn.comThose who live by the law also live in the land of ‘what if’. It’s time to stop rewinding the reel of your broken dreams.
 
The law says, ‘look at what I did’. Grace says, ‘look at what Jesus did.’
 
The devil can’t stand to see you free. He might be surrounding you with discouragement and disappointment now. Hang on, Friend. Wait on the Lord. You shall have your strength renewed soon and mount up on eagle’s wings.
 
Trust the Father with your future. Your best days are not behind you, they are still out in front of you.
Posted on

What Complaining Really Says

complaining, your problems are under God's palm, God's power is bigger than your problemThe most powerful words in the world are the ones you use to talk about yourself and your situation. When you choose those words to be praise first, you put your problem in its proper position; under the palm of the Lord.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. (Psalm 100:4)

And if it’s that kind of day and you don’t know where to begin praising Him, Psalm 104 will give you a good start.

Posted on

Grace Was Meant For Us

grace, love of God, Jesus gave us graceWe celebrate Love today. Love that woke you up this morning even after…
 
Some of you are still standing at the cross with your hands full of shame; the enemy has you holding onto the pain of your wretchedness. It was really bad what you said, what you did.
 
But Love. Love reached down from the Heavens and asked for everything in your hands and said, ‘it is covered’.
 
The enemy’s primary weapon against you is shame. If he can get you to walk in shame, you won’t come to the altar and ask God for forgiveness. Accepting the high gift of grace draws you closer to the Father and that’s exactly what the devil doesn’t want you to do. The enemy wants you walking around expecting punishment.
 
Here’s what I want you to know: Jesus already went to the cross for that. You can come boldly to His throne with the tears and the pain and leave it there and He’ll be glad you came. His love and grace was meant for you and me.
Posted on

Respect Yourself

respect yourselfRespect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer improves this better version you are becoming.

It’s a disaster to stay miserable because it’s familiar.

Fear will have you curling up to yourself. I’m asking you to reject the lure; it’s a trap to keep you fixated on the troubles.

If you know Jesus, then tap that reserve to the unfailing spring buried within. It’s time to show the natural life some supernatural power.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

 

 

Posted on

Now More Than Ever He Loves You

‘Not this time.’

Yes, this time.

‘You don’t know what I’ve done.’

It doesn’t matter.

‘But it was really bad. I knew better.’

It is covered.

‘How? Why?’

His love spreads wider and sinks deeper than anything you’ve ever thought about doing.

His compassion is the kind that chases you down with aging roots of longing.

God's love, Jesus's love, God loves you, Jesus loves you, His devoted affection has been waiting forever for you. Yes, you.

His ferocious, fiery passion is to shower you in favor; He has forgiven it all.

His gut-wrenching yearning for you paid a price in blood so that you could come home to be with Him.

His arms remain open with kindness. His friendship anticipates holding you closer.

His mercy desires the ashes you have to offer. Bring your brokenness and mistakes. Hand over your battles and the hurt. The grace of God intends to trade them all for abounding beauty and joy. He breathes resurrection into your life.

His unfailing love chose you before you could ever choose Him. His entire existence is made to love you. He longs to lavish and bathe you in a spring of all-consuming peace.

Leave behind your regrets. Don’t try fixing it yourself. Just come as you are.

He loves you now more than ever. The Father’s arms are open wide and waiting…

Posted on

Travel Light If You Want To Go Far

traveling light, trishakeehn.com

traveling light, trishakeehn.comIf you want to go far, you’ve got to learn to travel light.

We all have baggage to some degree hanging around from the last journey. Part of you will want to stuff what’s familiar into your bags ‘just in case’.

But picking up the weight you had on the last trip will only be a burden on this road to where you’re heading now.

Where you’re going requires freedom to jump into new opportunities.

You need a clear mind and alertness to dodge the casualties up ahead.

A humble heart is your guide to accepting direction from those who’ve been on these roads before.

My best advice for those looking to travel far in life is to pack light.

Take off all your pride and selfishness, the envy and unforgiveness, and leave fear behind.

Posted on

When You Lose Your Enthusiasm

dreams, live looking to God, butterflies, butterfly estates, fort myers, florida, trishakeehn.comWhen you have no vision from God, no enthusiasm left in your life, and no one watching and encouraging you, it requires the grace of Almighty God to take the next step.

Just to take a step to the table to receive His Word, you need His grace.

To lean into your family life when the demands are mundane and never seem to end, you’ve got to have His grace.

To press in for more community and the pursuit of friends when everything in you wants to pull back… it is absolutely necessary to have His grace.

When you lose interest in the things around you and everyday life seems filled with the trivial tasks, it is by the grace of God that you can persevere.

Receiving His grace takes a greater awareness of drawing nearer to Him.

The only way to live an undefeated life is to live looking to God. Ask Him to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the Heavens, and it will be impossible for drudgery to discourage you.

And be cautious of thinking that some tasks are beneath your dignity or too insignificant for you to do. Remind yourself of the example of Christ.

May your heart unfold and the petals of your spiritual devotion, family life and community of friends blossom in this fresh light today, and may all your dreams take flight.