Faith Filled Friday

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thank you for joining us for Faith-Filled Fridays!  I love these little but powerful truths that Jennifer shares from her heart to ours. Grab your coffee and your strand of faith and let’s go tie some knots in there to avoid deception and strengthen our faith!

One of the anthems of starting a new year is putting off the old and putting on the new.  How often do we really practice it?  For many of us I think that it is something we thing about on December 31^st and maybe throughout the first week of the year.  In Ephesians, Paul addresses this principle of exchange in 4:24 when the Christians there were told to dress more like God (a God-fashioned life) and take off the old and put in the new.  They were asked to shed or strip off the clothes of deception. 

This is an ongoing process. We are to renew our minds each day, so it’s safe to say that deception begins there…in the mind.

Deception can be a sneaky thing.  We can choose to believe lies for many reasons.  Every area in our lives can be traced back to the lies that we believe.  I chose to believe that I wasn’t good enough, perfect enough.  This “belief” has bled over into all areas of my life.  It causes me to doubt myself and my Savior.  It pushes an unhealthy drive to achieve, be the best and the brightest.  I have felt broken for most of my life, unworthy and unlovable.

In the past couple of years I have learned that these are lies.  I have had to work hard at replacing the old with the new, to replace lies with the truth.  It has been important to me to grab a hold of 2^nd Corinthians 10:5: The need to take every though captive – believe what God says and reject everything else. 

Below are the lies I have believed and the truths I have replaced them with:

• Lie: God doesn’t love me. Truth:  He loves me (Jer. 31:3; Rom. 8:38-39).
• Lie: I am unacceptable. Truth:  In Christ, I am accepted (Eph. 1:6).
• Lie: I am worthless. Truth:  God knows my name. He knows every single thing about me (1 Cor. 6:20; Matt. 10:29-31; Matt. 6:26; Isa.  43:4).

Are there any lies in your life?  Take a moment to see them.  Then move forward, take your thoughts captive and counter those lies with truths you can bank on! Declare them over and over. His truths don’t lie!

Jennifer

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Wednesday’s Word

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A Little Doubt Goes A Long Way!

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting for he who doubts is like a wave in the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in ALL (emphasis added) in his ways.”

 James 1:7-8

Oh, my goodness; the first month of this New Year is just about over! Whew, time is still flying by but oh, what a joy it is to learn to live in more of the moments and not be so focused on what lies ahead so as to miss the blessings right in front of us. That’s kind of what doubt does; it steals from our now, our present, and definitely affects our later! Grab your coffee and your strand of faith and let’s go tie some knots as we take a look at the power of doubt!

Have you ever been going through something…for a long time and look up and ask “Why can’t you just make it stop? Why can’t you just heal me? Why do you have to allow this?” And then you read a scripture like James 1: 7-8! Don’t you just want to throw up your hands in frustration? I mean, maybe I’m the only one here, but if I hear one more person say your sinuses are not healed because your faith isn’t strong enough, or you’re doubting, or you’re not praying enough, I think I am going to scream…or get on my broom and take a very long ride! :-) Those spiritual subliminal messages from those who “care” can really do more damage than good, but I’m so glad that His principles and promises are there to guide us to the truth and they are ours for the asking.

So why haven’t I been healed…yet? Could it be that there is a tiny seed of doubt within somewhere that is clogging up the process? I got to thinking about this the other day --after going through days of weeks of yet another sinus infection, this time having to take two rounds of antibiotics PLUS a titrating steroid pack and finally the light turned on: could it be that I am doubting Him as to where the healing is going to take place? Have I been so bound by my terror of surgery that I have demanded my own way of healing…involving no surgery?

As I allowed that conviction to work its way down into my heart, I knew it had to be true for there were no clogs and the conviction landed quite comfortably, making me humbly uncomfortable!

When I read these verses, my heart absorbed their painful truth and I was reminded of what I had learned years ago about a mustard seed of faith, which talks about not just the size but mostly the purity of our faith. (A mustard seed is the only seed that cannot be cross-pollinated!) As that truth collided with these words, I was amazed at how quickly a little doubt could come in and infect our faith. And then to read that if I doubt my God, His sovereignty, His provision and protection in just one area of my life, I am unstable in ALL my ways! Oh, Mylanta, but I don’t want to be considered unstable in any of my ways.

So back to this question of healing: just because it doesn’t look like I think it’s going to look, does that mean He’s withholding that healing? Not only no, but heck no! He has decided to bring me healing through surgery and in that process, He will multi-task and accomplish things for my good and His glory, things like ridding me once and for all of my terror of the sensation that has been a constant companion, that of not being able to breathe through my nose, He will once again refine my faith while loving me through this time in a way I’ve never experienced. It’s going to be one of those free-falling experiences of which I’ve only experienced twice, falls where my faith can only increase and doubt will disappear and He and I, well, our hearts will be entwined and I will be considered stable in all my ways!

How about you? Is there any area of your life that is requiring a doubt-check? Oh, friend, a little doubt can go a long way in inhibiting our faith. May I encourage you to feed your faith and starve your doubts this week…and next…and every tomorrow!

Love,

Evinda

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Jenn’s Journey

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy Monday! Welcome to a new week and thank you for being here this morning.

at buildings, houses, and yards. I like to see the unique designs and sometimes I get ideas for my house or yard. There is a building in downtown Redlands that I always admire. It's Spanish style, with a beautiful paint job and a beautifully manicured yard. The other day I happened to have an appointment in that building. I arrived early so I walked around the outside a few times to get a little exercise and see the building up close and personal.

I was a bit surprised, to say the least. Have you ever noticed how getting close gives you a different perspective? As I walked around this beautiful building, I noticed something. There were areas where the paint was chipping away. There was garbage strewn in some of the bushes, and there was a not so nice smell about the place.

Isn't it easy to judge by appearances? To judge ourselves, or others, by what we look like. Last week I wrote about shells. A shell is just what we see on the outside. In 1 Samuel 16:7 God says, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

I used to worry about my physical appearance a lot more than I do now. Perhaps it's age. Maybe it's that my shell is cracked and God is working on what's inside. Personally, I hope that is what it is! Some days I feel like that building...my paint is peeling; there's garbage everywhere and the smell is less than pleasant. Maybe someone has pointed out a fault or two, or I regret words that flew out of my mouth...yes, life has a way of chipping away at my reserves.

This is when I know that I have to head to the feet of Jesus. I need my time with Him so He can remind me who I am. He loves me, shattered shell and all. He gently restores.

"He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake." Psalm 23:3. I’m so thankful for His presence, His principles and His promises that refresh me, the very depths of my soul!

Until next week, be blessed,

Jenn

Faith Filled Friday

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

It’s Faith-Filled Friday! Grab your coffee and your strand of faith for some great knot-tying in and for your faith! Jennifer has a thought-provoking question to ask us…and an answer, her answer to that same question! Come on in for a few!

How would it change your mindset if you suddenly realized that you were born to solve a problem? 

When I was young I would read history books or stories of people who did great things and marvel at what they were able to accomplish.  If only I could do great things.  If only I had a special purpose in life.  That hope was tossed aside by the realities of my life: Parents who often worked late and weren’t home, bullies at school, an abusive husband.  I have often felt unworthy, not good enough and that having a purpose in life was for someone else and not me. 

Then one day I heard… “You are a solution to a God problem.”  It wasn’t a voice from on high but from the pulpit. I had just moved to Florida and it was the second or third time attending this church.  The pastor went on to explain that all of us were created to solve a “God problem.”  Every hard situation, every joy was meant to fulfill that purpose. 

Every person is born with purpose, to solve a God problem.

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” (Proverbs 20:5)

All people are made in the image of God. Each of us are born with a purpose and calling that we can discover… or completely miss. The influence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers gives us insight to His purposes for us.

I have an assignment from God specifically for me.  Jeremiah 29:11 states, “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.”

This truth opened up a world of hope and a resolve to discover that plan and achieve it.   I no longer feel like someone tossed about by my experiences.  I feel free to walk out what God has called me to do.

How about you?  Do you feel bound up by the past and/or how you view yourself?  Do you believe God has a special assignment for you?  He does, and He is waiting for you to accept it.

Until next week,

Jennifer

Spots are filling up!

Join us in the trenches to learn how to live fearlessly, forgiven and forgiving, because a life lived forgiven is worth the living!

Part I: Living Fearlessly, Forgiven and Forgiving: What do you do when conflict arises? Do you duck and hide or are you able to face it without creating more conflict? Is there something you haven’t forgiven yourself for, or someone who needs your forgiveness? Join us in the trenches as we tackle our seven most common fears and learn how to give and receive forgiveness because a life lived forgiven is worth living! (Cost: $50 and includes materials. First class begins 2-4 -16 to 3-17-16).  Click here to register.

WEDNESDAY’S WORD

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Mission Statement

Welcome to Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United. I love Wednesday’s Word time, a time where we can take a scripture and apply it to our own life in a way that brings it to life within us so that it may come out of us! Grab your coffee and your Strand of Faith and let’s go ties some knots together!

A couple of years ago, I was asked to emcee a pretty impressive event for an organization I had never heard of before, NAWBO, which stands for National Association of Women Business Owners and it was for the San Bernardino County Chapter.  Thereafter I was encouraged to join and did so, wondering what in the world, and why in the world, as if I didn’t have enough to do already!

To make that LONG story short, there was a significant purpose for that adventure; I learned all about a mission statement, the value of a mission statement for a business/ministry and how it can lead others to you. At that time, our mission statement for the ministry was so long and so deep, one really had to read it several times and come up for air in order to understand what the heck we were trying to say. J Ugh, sometimes I can be so deep! Praise God for lessons learned and the grace to stay in the classroom of life!

A commercial mission statement should have three essential components and/or answer these three questions:

1. Who is your target client or customer?
2. Contribution: What product or service do you provide?
3. Distinction: What makes your product or service unique?

A mission statement gives a business, a ministry a purpose, a direction to head and hopefully a destination to reach. I got to thinking about that and I thought what would our worlds look like if we each had a personal mission statement as believers and followers of our Loving Father? If it is developed and created with the same three principles followed for a business, ministry, non-profit organization, it would include what you or I wish to focus on, what we wish to accomplish and what we’d like to achieve or become as a result of that focus.

See, a personal mission statement reveals where our energy is focused, helps determine our actions, our choices and behaviors. In other words, our personal mission statement reveals a lot about what is most important to us.

Wouldn’t it be fun to begin reading His promises and principles in search of your own personal mission statement? What is it that you would like to achieve in this life to prepare you for the next? What is nearest and dearest to your heart? I’ll share one of mine with you and by all means, in the Christian economy, I wouldn’t be the least bit offended if you adopted my mission statement as your own! After all, these words are directly from Christ Himself, for me and for you!

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven”!

So let’s answer the questions to see if this is a good personal mission statement: Who is our target audience? Anyone He puts in our path! Our light should be on at all times…except when we’re sleeping! :-)

What service or contribution do you or I have to offer: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, goodness, gentleness and self-control! Against these there is no law! Those are some good works for all to see in our actions! (Galatians 5:22-23)

What makes you or I unique in the offering of all these? He that is within you and me! He says we are wonderfully and uniquely made to do good works.

Oh, how I earnestly yearn to be a light before all, even those I know don’t like me, that they may recognize His love in me producing good works and ultimately come to the reality of the necessity of their need of a Savior, our Father in Heaven!

Thanks for joining me today!

Evinda

Did you know conflict can be a character developer?

Join us to transform your conflicts into character and live fearlessly!

Join us to Transform your conflicts into character!

Jenn’s Journey

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Good morning, Friends. How is January treating you so far? Sometimes this can be a melancholy month after the excitement of the holidays. To me, it seems it's already going by so quickly! Thanks for joining me here today for my reflections.

I may use Facebook a little too much but I swear I find the most thought-provoking posts and memoirs. The one that stood out to me this week was, "You can't use an egg unless it's broken." The post went on to say how perhaps we are best used by God after we are broken. I posted this on my own wall and some of the comments were thought-provoking.

My boyfriend remembers an experiment he saw as a kid. Hold an egg in the palm of your hand and try to crack it…apparently this is very hard to do. I Googled this to read more about it, and I guess this has been tried a lot! One of the experimenters concluded that if you hold an egg in an upright position, it is impossible to crack. It's very difficult, yet possible, to crack one when holding it on its side.

A shell is made for protection. Eggshells protect life growing inside. Seashells protect the animal inside from harm. Necessary, right? At some point though, the life inside the shell has to break out to completely fulfill its purpose. If that does not happen, it equals death.

We tend to build shells around our lives and our hearts. Perhaps there are wounds so deep we want to encase them so as not to remember the pain. Maybe routine and rigidity keep us in familiarity. Staying inside the shell, our own little world, feels safe and comfortable. I am here to tell you, you cannot grow that way.

I tend to fear 'cracking.' I don't want to be pushed out of perceived safety. At times, life does this to us just by its nature. Other times, choices we make cause breaks in the shell. I don't believe God causes harm to come to us…but I do believe when it does, He uses it to help us and those we come in contact with. Yes, we have to allow Him to do that. How better to allow Him than to first admit we're broken? It's okay to be shattered. Let's stop trying to hold the shell in place, or piece it back together.

Since it's January and we're still full of hope for a new year, I challenge you to let the pieces of YOUR shell fall away. Grow in 2016, and let your growth be an encouragement to others. God has a plan!!!

Until next week, be blessed

Jenn

Faith Filled Friday

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

It’s that time again, our Faith-Filled Friday Coffee Hour! Grab your coffee and your strand of faith and join us for a powerful message from Jennifer!

Whew!  What a week.  It was hard and intense but my faith is stronger today than on Monday.  Through all the large and small lessons I walked through and captured, Mathew 19:26 was illustrated the most.  As Christians, we can fall into the “Christianese” trap and recite this verse as an answer to any question, especially when we don’t know what to say.  “With God all things are possible”…..we know it’s true but do we believe it in our heart?  The Message Bible puts it this way “Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”

What a change in perspective.  It’s saying the same thing, but I read “all things are possible” as passive.  To me it’s like saying “someday this will happen,” and it feels lofty and in the distance.  The definition of possible is being within the limits of ability, capacity, or realization.  When I am in a difficult spot, knowing that God is capable is not the issue.  He’s God, He can do anything.  Duh! :-)  But how does this apply to me? 

Here’s how The Message version spoke to me.

When I am in a place where there is no possible way I can fix, change, push, manage, do [or even when I’m not in that place] I have to realize that I can’t do it myself; there’s no fruit or good by-product of doing it in my own strength or will.  Every chance if we trust….

Trust means a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. It’s the same or similar definition but with one difference, firm belief.   “Firm” is having a solid, almost unyielding surface or structure.  I don’t just want to know it’s possible…. I want to firmly believe that He can do it.

What’s in your heart, possibility or firm belief?  It’s not always easy to be firm.  It can take practice or even someone to hold you accountable.  My prayer is that you are or are becoming an unyielding structure of faith.

Until next week, may your faith hold you firm

Jennifer

Transform has transformed!

I am excited to present to you, Transform, the Series and I hope and pray that you will join us back in the trenches:

Part I: Living Fearlessly, Forgiven and Forgiving: What do you do when conflict arises? Do you duck and hide or are you able to face it without creating more conflict? Is there something you haven’t forgiven yourself for, or someone who needs your forgiveness? Join us in the trenches as we tackle our seven most common fears and learn how to give and receive forgiveness because a life lived forgiven is worth living! (Cost: $50 and includes materials. First class begins 2-4 -16 to 3-17-16).  Click here to register.

Part II: Living Fueled by Hope, Free from Anger: Do you often feel let down by others? Have you ever been hurt by love? There are five things we, often unknowingly, put our hope in, causing unrealistic expectations to rise and relationships to fall and as the cycle perpetuates hopelessness and anger can become two emotions that drive our emotional cars. Join us in the trenches to learn about realistic relational expectations that fuel us with hope and free us from anger. (Cost: $50 and includes materials. First class begins 4-29-16 to 6-09-16).  Click here to register.

Part III: Embracing Truth and Letting Go… Often what we do to minimize a problem in our life is the same thing that maximizes it! Would you like to be more easy-going, not feel like you have to have everything manageable, or managed? Join us in the trenches to learn how to embrace truth and let go and live more flexible. (Cost: $50 and includes materials. First class begins 8-11-16 to 9-15-16) Click here to register.

Part IV: Finding Your Identity without Chaos and Confusion: Do you fear being alone? Do you believe you have to have someone to be someone? Relationships can be so confusing! Join us in the trenches to embrace your identity based on YOU and rise above relational chaos and confusion! (Cost: $50 and includes materials. First class begins 10-27-16 to 12-8-16) Click here to register.

WEDNESDAY’S WORD

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Word Lego’s

Thanks so much for joining me for Coffee Hour @ ChicklitPower and Trench Classes United for Wednesday’s Word. I just love this little break away from the demands of life, a few moments where we can just get a fresh perspective on things, all things! Grab your coffee and your Strand of Faith and let’s go tie some knots in that baby!

Just a few weeks ago, I was visiting my grandchildren, Dillan, Ty-Ty and our newest baby, Isaiah who live in Austin, Texas. Just writing that makes my heart sigh, wondering if I’ll ever be completely content with this separation, but then again, God’s in control and it is what it is so I must. Anyway, the weather was not so kind the entire time I was there and so we were inside for most of the ten days.

God definitely has a sense of humor for I was forced to just “be” with my favorite little people, not that I haven’t practiced that before with them, but it still is not something that comes naturally to/for me. While Isaiah slept most of the time away, I was given some beautiful opportunities to connect with both Dillan and Ty-Ty on a greater level and connect we did!

I just love talking with Dillan, a bright ten-year-old who has lots of questions, is a sort of black-and-white kind of thinker and has a need to understand why things are the way they are…and whatever that may be, it needs to be explained with the upmost of patience. And Ty-Ty, well, she’s quite the entertainer, almost always the center of attention, and quite good at it. Not very much time goes by before you’re laughing with her, not at her and finding the little child within. Well, Tyler had some Lego sets for us to build, one of them looked quite daunting. It was my thinking we should start with the small one, but this precious little giggle-maker wanted to start with the big one, so we did.

Oh, my goodness, I had no idea it would/could be so much fun. As we built the castle from the ground up, I was amazed at all the detail Lego thought of, from tables and chairs, to doorposts, to decorations for the outside. It was absolutely amazing. And the crazy thing for me was time flew! I sat still, being and building with my granddaughter for three+ hours!

Putting this Lego set together with Ty-Ty was unbelievably therapeutic for me. As we built it together, one Lego at a time – we literally took turns, each of us getting to place one Lego at a time -- it made me think of our words, how every last word that comes out of our mouth has some power, some significance, either to build up or to tear down. And the longer we wait in order to choose our words/pieces carefully, the more accurate we can be, and maybe we’d even say less!

When we completed the first Lego project, I felt this sense of accomplishment, and of course, my heart was full of joy having created this memory with her.  I stared it in wonder, captivated by how this project drew me in instantaneously, restoring something within I never knew I had lost, a piece of my childhood, for I had never, ever taken the time to build a Lego set, not as a child, and not even with my son when he was a child.

I took pictures because the detail was just amazing to me. Each Lego had such significance, and had to be placed just right because if we tried to put the wrong Lego in, often we wouldn’t know it until we had laid many more so we would have to tear it apart and rebuild it.

I couldn’t help but think what if we were to carefully build one another up with our words, such that when we walked away, we had a sense of accomplishment knowing that what we had planted could/would help them with any other negative messaging they may be receiving from others? See, unlike Lego building, we don’t get to take our words back, and once they leave our mouths, well, there are consequences: building up or tearing down.

Ephesians 4:29 tells us not to let any corrupt word proceed out of our mouths but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearer.

Oh, Abba, help me, one word at a time, to build others up, and not tear them down. Help me to be mindful of the things that I say so that whatever I say, when I walk away, I know that You will use each word to build them up, to remind them that they are precious in your sight. Help me to remember when I want to tear down and inflict pain with my words that the real enemy is not them, but the Enemy of this world just using them to get to me!

Love,

Evinda

Transform Tuesdays!

Did you know that the way that we resolve conflict…or not reveals a lot about our character?

Join us to Transform your conflicts into character!

Jenn’s Journey

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy Monday! I’m so glad you stopped by for a few minutes. May your day be full of blessings!

This week my daughter is Student of the Week at school. She has been anxiously awaiting her turn. Monday was her first day back after two wonderful weeks of vacation. She was dreading going back and there were a few tears that morning. When I picked her up after school, the attitude had completely changed. Excitement was written all over her as she chatted up a storm on the way home. "Mom, it's like I am King or Queen of the land!" I was nearly moved to tears by the sweet happiness she has in this important week of her life.

One of her other comments perked my ears.. "Everyone likes me now" Immediately it triggered memories of being her age and feeling very alone and 'un-liked' at school. I was an insecure child and I felt like an outsider most of my school days. I asked my daughter, "I wonder if you feel liked when you're not student of the week?" "Oh yes, Mom, I do!" Of course this eased my mother's heart but it did set me to thinking.

I've known for a long time that I looked for love and acceptance in people way too much throughout my life. It started young…and it didn't take much, even now, to trigger the fear of 'not being liked.' I made some poor choices in friends and boyfriends in my younger days for lack of self esteem. I've only recently begun to figure out who Jenn really is. I no longer want to base my feelings about myself on who/what people think I am. I want to fully understand and embrace who God sees me as and declares that I am. It's a struggle to put the focus on Him rather than on people; let me tell you!

I heard a sermon on this topic just last week. In a nutshell the point was that we as humans are obsessed with being the best. So much so that we will often sacrifice who we are to do so, and that as Christians, we are called for much more than that.  God did not make me, or you, to base our self-worth on whether other humans love us or not. Is human love important? Of course it is. It's one of the special things about life on earth...it's just not THE most important thing.

Ephesians 2:10 says:"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."  I am a masterpiece. You are a masterpiece. How can this not change how we see ourselves? With Jesus, we can do and be good things...no matter the messages we've gotten from other humans.

I want 2016 to be the year I embrace who God says I am and be who He created me to be as an individual. In His eyes, I am the best 'Jenn'.

Until next week, be blessed,

Jenn

Faith Filled Fridays

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Welcome to Faith Filled Friday! Grab your coffee and your strand of faith for some heart-to-heart truths from Jennifer!

Repeat after me….Nothing is impossible.

I have always loved the story of Joseph, starts in Genesis 37.  God revealed his purpose to him at a young age.  Unfortunately, those around him didn’t understand what his dreams meant and took matters into their own hands. 

Every time I read the story I am in awe on how God uses our “bad situations” to lead us right to where He wants us to be.  I don’t know about you, but if my brother put me in a hole and sold me off as a slave I’d be pretty PO’d.  Maybe he was and that detail isn’t included but Joseph went on to live life with integrity and purpose. He believed he had heard from God… his purpose was to preserve the nations of Israel.  He may not have known that was the end goal but I think he felt it in his heart.

Whether he was in a hole in the ground or being falsely accused, he was living in God’s perfect will. His assignments came with his journey.  It’s the same for all of us.  The journey can be full of uprooting (physical or emotional).  This stirs things up and gets us moving.  Water that has been sitting too long is no good; it’s stagnant. This happens when no water is being drawn out.  None of us have been called to produce stagnant, murky water. 

Another truth that has settled in my heart is this: When God wants to change your life He will give us a picture of what could be.  All we have to do is start walking towards it.  Provisions will come, our assignment comes from the journey as well as the equipment. We just need to be willing, full of faith in Him and have the heart of a servant.

Don’t take my word on it…read Hebrews 11.  It’s been called the Hall of Faith.

 “The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.” Hebrews 11:1-2

If you look at the life of Joseph…nothing is impossible.  Trust in Him to see you through!  Trust in Him that your life has meaning and purpose.  Trust in Him that nothing in your life is impossible to overcome. 

Filled with Faith,

Jennifer

WEDNESDAY’S WORD

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy Wednesday! 2016 is really here! Whew, is your mind filled like mine with wishes, desires of things you’d like to change about you, your life? Oh, every day is a new day and we don’t have to wait until New Year’s comes by again next year to be the change we want to see. Thanks for joining me for Wednesday’s Word and Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power. Grab your coffee, and your Strand of Faith, and let’s go tie some knots in our faith!

The other day I saw a post on Facebook that is a quote by Lao Tzu and it really caught my attention as it collided with the cry of my heart for this New Year, to stay in my moments that I might have more joy and a consistently thankful heart. Here’s the quote: “If you are depressed, you are living in the past; if you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present,” or as I say, in your moment!

Oh, this hit me right in the heart, especially because it was year-end and I was way too anxiety-ridden thinking of everything I had to do to get ready to meet and greet 2016! This quote was some fresh water on/in my soul, splashing truth into the lies, sending them back to where they came from: the pit of hell!

Here are some truths to accompany these wise words of Tzu:

We need to look back, not fall back, that we may recognize unhealthy tendencies and change our choices for we cannot change that which we don’t recognize as a problem.   Looking back can be one of the most valuable tools to change accompanied, of course, with the grace of God! It’s this other tense that got me, the one that says if you are anxious, then you are living in the future, in other words whatever you are doing, you are not really there, or at least all there! Are you catching what I’m throwing?

I don’t know about you, but this is where I struggle, staying in the moments because of all my responsibilities. But is that a crutch of an excuse? Is that just a pass to remain busy, and often too busy? Oh, if we were just given the perfect equation for balance in our lives, huh, some sort of recipe to follow that we would achieve that ability to consistently stay in the present so as to not be ripped off in the future.

I think I found it…yes, the answer to this dilemma!! But I must confess, it sounds easier than it is but it really is possible! I’ve already tried putting it into practice and I’m telling you, it works! See, this life is just temporary, a sort of practice run to learn how to dwell in eternity with the One whose perfect love will carry us there, so whatever we endeavor to do, wherever we put our most energy, whatever rents the most space in our head…must have eternal value!

Pouring truth into the mind is necessary to keep out the lies that keep us chasing after another thing to check off on our to-do list, or trying to control circumstances, situations or even worse, others. We must discipline the mind with spiritual truths which will then feed the soul so as to not be caught off balance like that of a double-minded, wobbly-legged weakling struggling to stay afloat grasping for air, for a future that is secure.

So as we enter into this new year, my prayer for you, for me is found in Isaiah 26:3: He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You…because he/she trusts in you!

Oh, that we would live in the moment, one moment at a time that we would recognize and learn to trust that your hand goes before us, protects all that is behind us, and provides for us all that we need.

Until next Wednesday,

Keeping my mind stayed on Him…

Evinda