Post By: Sally Burke

Did you know that thanksgiving is a mighty weapon in the armor of God? Thanksgiving activates an important part of the armor: the shield of faith. Each time you thank God, it automatically lifts up your shield of faith.

Think about how the shield of faith is described in Ephesians 6. “In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16 emphasis added).

God says all! So our shield of faith can extinguish everything the enemy is sending our way! As we begin to thank God, our faith will grow and the enemy will lose his foothold in our lives. Every thanksgiving defeats the enemy and empowers you forward.

Each year, the women of Moms in Prayer International go to battle for the lives of the children and schools around the world through prayer. We are witnessing revival and spiritual awakening worldwide as we pray. At the end of the school year, many of these women will gather to celebrate the answers to their prayers. I call it a Holy Spirit party! Every time we thank God, it is a time of great joy and victory. It is also a time of transforming one’s heart. Many women can lose hope until they spend time remembering what God has done for them. If you want a victorious life in Christ, Thanksgiving is the key!

The people of Israel were to do that which was impossible in Joshua 4!  They were to cross the Jordan River at the height of flood season. God miraculously led them through the river to the promise land. Then He told them to take 12 stones from the river and place them on dry land. It was to be a memorial to the sons of Israel forever. There would be more battles ahead for the Israelites, but they could look back on these rocks and remember what God accomplished for them. By the end of the book of Joshua, the children of Israel were victorious and had a time of rest.  Joshua told them to never forget all God had done on their behalf, so they could live securely in the land God had given them.

What impossible situation are you facing today?  How can making stones of remembrance build your faith to be victorious? Are you praying for a prodigal child who has wandered from the faith? Begin to thank God for what He has already done. Are you struggling in a marriage or with a friend or relative? Transform your thinking by focusing on what you’re thankful for in that situation, and watch God bring healing.  He wants to lead you to your promised land!

God knows what you are facing today! As you begin to thank God, your shield of faith comes up and your worries, problems, and fears go down. Make a thanksgiving list and have your own Holy Spirit party— share with others so they can celebrate with you.

“Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” Psalm 40:5 (niv)

Sally Burke, President of Moms in Prayer International

From her latest book “Start with Praise.”

Recently, I found myself in a slump.

You know a slump, don’t you? Baseball pitchers hit them all the time. After a streak of bad throws, they think their past throws are their future portion. Losing is their destiny.  A few too-far-left or too-far-right throws become a heavy weighted burden. I’m messing up the whole game, I’m not going to do well, I can’t fix how I am throwing.

A slump is when you get so down on yourself, you can’t see out of the hole you’ve put yourself in.

Are you there today?

Regarding my slump? I didn’t like how I was acting. I wasn’t seeing God’s goodness. I was judging others, thinking negatively, becoming offended and perturbed by little issues. Ugh. I don’t want to do this anymore.

I decided to try harder. I can act better than this!

Which, of course, only made matters worse. Deeper, I went into the hole. One I couldn’t climb out of.

Maybe you’re here today: angry that you keep on thinking about that one girl, unsure how to ditch that mindset of comparison, destroyed that you can’t win your battle against finances, broken because you keep responding unkindly to people, uncertain because God still hasn’t shown up yet, sad because you thought life would be better than this. Are you in a hole you can’t climb out of?

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds, which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

I translate this personally as: He saved me, not by the hard work of Kelly Balarie, nor the decisive nature of my strong will to “not sin”, but according to the unwarranted mercy Jesus poured out on the cross, which works itself into me today through a washing and renewal solely done by the work of the Holy Spirit.

This mouthful makes me hope-filled. It’s not me that does the work, but God. It is not my saving work that saves me, but Jesus’ saving power at work within me. I come and ask for forgiveness, and it is God who gives me every divine thing I need for godliness.

The same goes for you.

Yet, it is hard to receive life, if we aren’t surrounded by it. I’ve noticed when I flood my mind with truth, it starts to believe and receive it. Yet, when I am drowning in my own thoughts and not finding that renewal, I sink.

One way to surround yourself with truth, new life and the renewal of the Holy Spirit is to join the 2018 Journey Together Summit (40+ authors/leaders will share about their life struggles, issues and how they overcame through Christ). This event starts today a and continues through to Friday. I’d love it if you join in with me as I talk with some amazing Christian authors, leaders and ministers.

It is all new content from last years summit (and we pray – a lot!)

Topics include: 
Why Your Mind-set Matters
When a Marriage is Blowing Up
Fighting the Lies Every Parent Hears
Hope for the Financially Frustrated Mama
When Spiritual Strongholds Keep You Stuck
Confronting Shame
When Health Issues Isolate You
When the Past Hurts
I am Discouraged
People Tire Me

and more…

See the full agenda here: www.journeytogethersummit.com

The starts today, THIS TUESDAY, so sign up ASAP. (And if you can’t grab the interviews live, feel free to upgrade the ticket to watch them when they fit your schedule.)

Get all Purposeful Faith blog posts by email – click here.

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Blog Post by Abby McDonald

“I am going to die.”

That’s what I kept telling myself on repeat as I talked to the OBGYN nurse over the phone. I tried to catch my breath but the tightness in my chest made it difficult to breathe.

“Don’t try to come here,” the she said. “Just go straight to the E.R. Tell them you just had a c-section.”

All my symptoms pointed to a pulmonary embolism, which could be fatal. I sat there in shock, rocking my newborn while I fed him and wondering what to do. Take him with me? Finish feeding him?

My mother-in-law and husband were the only source of calm in the room. I looked at them both, searching for answers to questions I didn’t feel capable of asking.

“Finish feeding the baby and we will take him. I will send Larry out for formula,” my mother-in-law said. The evenness in her voice steadied me for a moment. She didn’t seem worried. Perhaps things were going to be okay.

A Love that Casts Out Fear

When I look back this moment when my firstborn was just days old, I see a person who was wrecked by fear. It was one of the scariest times of my life. All I could tell myself was to keep breathing in and out, from one second to the next.

I didn’t have a pulmonary embolism, but anxiety and side efforts from some medication I was taking contributed to my symptoms. Within a couple of days, the chest pains and shortness of breath passed, but the lessons I learned after those few hours in the E.R. would play out for years.

Sometimes God allows us to face our greatest fears so we see that there is no fear greater than his love.

Most of us would be afraid if someone told us we could be about to die. It’s the second most common phobia, with the first being public speaking. But what about those of us who live life scared, all the time? Scared of what people will think, scared to take that step of faith into the unknown, or scared to reach out to someone who may reject us?

For a large chapter of my life, this was my every day. I was terrified to truly live because I thought if I did, I would mess things up. What would I mess up? Anything that mattered. Relationships, career, kids, you name it. God’s grace was a gift I couldn’t fathom or recognize.

In the year following my experience at the E.R., God captured my heart in a way I can’t explain. A latticework of events that included a friend reaching out, a book I read at the right time, and many others all combined to reach my tired soul. Day by day, I realized: God’s love will drown my fear, if I let it.

For years, I read the following verse and thought I understood it, but didn’t.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears has not been made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 NIV

I thought, “Well, that sounds nice. God loves me and watches over me. I need not fear.” And this is true, but then it hit me. If I’m living as though the words of this scripture are true, I must not only accept his love, but live in it.

When I live in God’s love, I know nothing I can do will separate me from him. I know other’s rejection of me doesn’t matter because he will never reject me, once I’ve declared my devotion to him.

Living in his love means I can walk forward without fear because I know even if trials, discomfort or tragedy lies ahead, he will be with me.

The trials are not punishment, but an opportunity for me to grow in his love even more. They’re when I declare his truth over me- that his presence goes before me, beside me, and has my back.

Living in his love means I can love others even if they don’t reciprocate, because the love Christ gives me is sufficient, complete, and unconditional.

Friends, his love changes everything. But for it to take a radical effect on our lives, we must not only say we believe it, but mean it in our core. A love like this captures every aspect of existence and makes us view it differently.

Fear looks at a trial or struggle and says, “How can this be happening to me?”

Love looks at it and says, “What can God teach me through this?”

How are we going to respond today? I’m still a work in progress and am far from having this whole thing figured out. But I’m learning.

I grew up singing “Jesus Loves Me,” but it’s taken me half my life to believe it and become fully alive because it’s true. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to go back. I want to sing it with its truth in my bones.

Abby McDonald is the mom of three, a wife and writer whose hope is show readers their identity is found in Christ alone, not the noise of the world. When she’s not chasing their two boys or cuddling their newest sweet girl, you can find her drinking copious amounts of coffee while writing about her adventures on her blog. Abby would love to connect with you on her blog and her growing Facebook community.

You’re invited! Don’t miss The Journey Together Summit. 40+ Christian Authors and Women’s Ministers will talk about their battles and how they overcame them. Learn how to stand strong, faithful and to trust in God, no matter what you face. See the full agenda here: www.journeytogethersummit.com

I’ve noticed that when I feel bad about myself, I draw back. I don’t want to burden others. Can’t pull them down. I’ve gotta seem like I somewhat have my act together.

To pull away emotionally, mentally or physically is my safest bet. No one likes a Negative Nelly, after all. People can take a couple of minutes of hard-times talk, but after that – we’ve all seen it – their eyes start to wander and you just know they’re strategizing their exit.

It’s usually safer to stay away from people when problems hit. You usually get less-hurt this way. But, a whole lot more lonely. That’s the paradox. What you want the most – to be seen and known – then, feels utterly impossible. Pain heightens.

And rightfully so. God did not intend for us to live this way.

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 1 Cor. 12:26

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Ro. 12:15

Clearly, rather than running away from those in pain, we’re supposed to run towards them. Why? Because often our healing comes as another does a deep revealing of their own painful story.

Certainly, God speaks through His Word, prayer and life happenings, but especially He talks through others. We don’t want to shut the door in His face as He’s trying to send us a message.

I put together The Journey Together Summit for those like me. Those who may be suffering silently. Those who need help but are afraid. Those going through a hard battle. I wanted to address a wide variety of issues and provide help. I wanted you to hear personal stories, wisdom and biblical insights, to help you.

You ARE not alone. I believe there is help for you. I hope this event feels like a whole bunch of sisters coming alongside to help you.

I’ve gathered a bunch of girlfriends (authors, speakers and women’s ministry leaders) to join me on video to openly talk about their issues, hardships and life problems.

Filming this was amazing. As I heard so many of these women’s difficult stories, I started to hear the voice of Jesus saying to me: I’ve got you, Kelly. I know your way. I want to heal some things. You’re not alone. This was powerful.

I believe The 2018 Journey Together Summit, will be powerful for you too.

Learn from experts, how to stand faithful and firm the worst of life’s trials hit. Whether you’re struggling with finances, your marriage, grief, uncertainty, doubt, discouragement or despair -there is a topic for you.

See the full agenda and speaker line-up here: www.journeytogethersummit.com.

At this event, you will:

• Gain practical and biblical tips to break the power of uncertainty, doubt and worry in your life.
• See past the mountains before you to the heights of your victorious God.
• Come to believe God really can do exceedingly abundantly more than you can ever ask or imagine as you trust Him.

All the General Sessions (40+ videos) are FREE.  Beyond this, you can upgrade your pass to the Practical Application sessions if you want to dive deeper on a subject, get practical wisdom on how to proceed or if you want to watch the videos over the next year.

What are you waiting for? Grab your FREE ticket today. And, if you can’t attend Sept. 11-14, we’ve got you covered. Get the All Access Pass and you’ll be able to watch the videos post-event.

Visit: www.journeytogethersummit.com.

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“Ugh.”

My body language said much more than those three letters. I stomped around the kitchen huffing and puffing, while making dramatic hand movements as I tried to clean the horribly messy kitchen.

The whole world needs to know right now that I am irritated right now. 

My husband looked at me and said, “Oh no, here we go again.” That really irritated me and threw me over the cliff. At this point, I cleaned the messy counters with increasing levels of frustration.

All the while, I hated that I was so flustered. I hated that I was so annoyed.

I hated that I was reactively responding to the fact:

1. I was hungry and hadn’t eaten anything this morning.

2. I had just finished a couple grueling rounds of doing my daughter’s hair.

3. I was already late to get the kids to school and there was still more to do in the house.

All the dominoes had fallen, on me. Now, here I was contending with that feeling I thought I’d beaten: anxiety. I hated myself for feeling this emotion. I thought I was done with this life-sucking feeling that rises in a chest and acts-out like a jerk.

The guilt hit when I got back from the school drop-off. I really dropped the ball this morning. I really let the family down. I really – did it again. God, I am sorry. Forgive me. 

5 minutes later: I was still hating myself for it.

10 minutes later: I thought back to it.

15 minutes later: I still was coursing through my mistakes.

So here I am writing a blog post to process through it all, with you. And, I want to process it, because to examine your heart with God, is to heal it – once and for all.

I’m angry at myself. I hate how I do what I’m not meaning to do.

Yet, as I get to the bottom of what is happening in my heart, I can hear God. He practically says:

Like clothes of old, I give-away remembrance of your old mistakes.
I’m in charge of transformation. Just keep connection with me.
Come to me when you’re weary and heavy-laden. I have your rest.
It’s not what you do for me, but what Jesus has already done for you that matters.
You don’t work up repentance to appease me, on the contrary, because of Jesus I’m pleased with you.
Fear not, I am with you and for you, always.
Today’s mistake becomes tomorrow’s learning that delivers your “breakthrough”.
The best part of you falling down is me helping you up, so we can do “it” together.

Because of Christ, I am no longer angry at you.

“For the mountains may move
and the hills disappear,
but even then my faithful love for you will remain.
My covenant of blessing will never be broken,”
says the Lord, who has mercy on you.” (Is. 54:10 NLT)

Get all Purposeful Faith blog posts by email – click here.

I tried “God’s way” without results, so now I’ll do things my way. 

I couldn’t see this malignant heart-belief, but, certainly, it had taken root within me. God has let me down.

Amazingly, I wouldn’t have even recognized it, except I started judging someone, thinking, They’re striving by works, They’re so caught up in their mission, They’re missing the point.

God hit me back with love. Kelly, it is less about them, and far more about the heart-of-the-issue within you.  

Oh really, God??!!

But He was right… After all the prayer…  After all the giving… After all the believing… After all the seeking… All the hoping… All the wanting… All the pursuing… All the doing…

…God didn’t answer exactly how I thought He would.

Therefore, in the place of abiding, I started striving. Perhaps you are there today too.

You may be “there” if you feel:

1. God hasn’t yet shown up for you.

2. You get the sense you’re doing things wrong and have to fix them.

3. Nothing ever appears to change.

4. Greater is the mission God has for you than the work He is doing in you.

5. People are blockages to your goals.

Here, you may be saying, “The going has gotten tough, so the tough in me’s gotta to get going!”

But, daughter or son, beware. Work only toughens the skin around a heart; it never softens it. Additionally, it makes an idol out of impact.

You may, unknowingly or knowingly, be sliding into a works-mentality if:

1. You are becoming judgemental.

2. You are charting out your course, scheming “breakthrough” strategies, formulating outcomes, or believing organizational goals are your “breakthrough”.

3. You tell people what to do and how to do it.

4. You have a passive-aggressive or controlling approach.

5. If you find yourself less and less authentic with God and others.

6. You cannot receive love or help.

These are huge wake-up signs. They woke me up.

The reality is: God does show up. Today, I choose to cast off the lie that I am “in it” on my own, that God has forsaken me, that I fight my own battle and that I have to make people agree with me. Today, I receive the truth, that even when I do nothing, Christ has done everything. Today, I trust that even when I don’t “work” God is working all things out for my good. Today, I ask for forgiveness. Today, I delight in God’s perfect work within me. Today, I rest in love. Today, I trust His work to change others. Today, I make room for the leadings of the Spirit, verses the aspirations of Kelly. Today, I trust His timelines. Today, I breathe in the fresh air of God.

Check out my new book, Battle Ready: Train your Mind to Conquer Challenges, Defeat Doubt and Live Victoriously! Learn how to stand strong and faithful during trials.

Get all Purposeful Faith blog posts by email – click here.

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“What can I do to help?” my friend asked. “How can I be there for you?”

I was going through another foggy season of depression, struggling to get out of bed in the morning, unable to focus on tasks I normally enjoyed, and just not feeling like myself. Even though I wasn’t surprised my friend of over fourteen years posed the question, that didn’t make me any less grateful she was willing to ask.

It’s difficult to know how to support friends in their seasons of sorrow, especially if they’re going through disappointments, betrayal, and loss we haven’t experienced before. Thankfully, the Bible offers general principles for being a purposefully faithful friend in seasons of sorrow:

Be quick to listen and slow to speak {James 1:19}.

Proverbs 25:20 says, “Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda.” There are times when using words to address your friend’s pain is not only useless but causes more harm. When words are necessary, focus on acknowledging your friend’s pain or asking questions to better understand what they are going through. We live in a culture that values quick fixes, but some types of heartache are long-suffering or can’t be fixed, especially with words. Have faith enough that God will bring healing, understanding, peace or comfort in His perfect timing.

Pray without ceasing {1 Thessalonians 5:17}.

Your friend may feel so discouraged they don’t have the energy, words, or desire to pray. Remind them their pain and anxieties are still being lifted up to heaven by saying: “Even when you don’t know how to pray, I am praying for you.” And then pray for miracles. Pray for peace that passes understanding. Pray for beauty to be created out of the dark, ugly ashes of your friend’s sorrow. Pray Jesus will come back and wipe away your friend’s tears once and for all.

Contribute to their needs {Romans 12:13}.

Show up in your friend’s life in tangible ways. Bring them dinner, coffee, or a treat you know they love. If applicable, offer to babysit their kids for a couple hours, clean their house, or fold laundry. Instead of saying, “Let me know if you need anything,” offer something specific.

Let your love bear all things and endure all things {1 Corinthians 13:7}.

You don’t know when your friend’s pain will end. This is a hard truth that can make friendship in seasons of sorrow frustrating or downright awkward. But persevere, remembering there may come a time you will need them to be a purposefully faithful friend in your life.

In his book Lament for a Son, Nicholas Wolterstorff wrote, “In commanding us to love, God invites us to suffer.” Learning true compassion means being willing to walk alongside our friends in times of both laughter and tears.

***

Bio:

Kendra recently launched an online community called Mourning Companion to teach readers the lost language of lament and share advice for people supporting friends in seasons of sorrow. Follow along her ministry on Facebook and Instagram as @mourningcompanion. Kendra also enjoys writing about her everyday experiences of motherhood and neighboring on Facebook and Instagram as @kendrabroekhuis. She is the author of Here Goes Nothing: An Introvert’s Reckless Attempt to Love Her Neighbor. The book highlights her 30 Day journey to recognize God’s love in her daily life, as well as her somewhat awkward attempts to share that love with her neighbors. For her day job, Kendra stays home with three of their children in the city of Milwaukee.

Amazon Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Here-Goes-Nothing-Introverts-Reckless/dp/0718083261/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Website:

www.kendrabroekhuis.com

Facebook:

General writing page: https://www.facebook.com/kendrabroekhuisauthor/

Mourning Companion page: https://www.facebook.com/mourningcompanion/

Instagram:

@kendrabroekhuis

@mourningcompanion

Post By: Elisa Morgan

We women are praying people. We can hardly help ourselves.  When we lose it and run out of patience – at 9am – already four hours into our day. Under our breath in a moment of frustration. For our friends and husbands and children so in need of hope and help. Over our troubled world. After a stunningly happy surprise. We pray.

And yet, we can find prayer baffling. At times, even unsatisfying. We wonder, does this make any difference? Is God listening? Will he answer? Why is he taking so long? Why do we feel so cut off from him? What if we’re praying in the wrong way?

Like a coin, prayer possesses two sides. We see this in how Jesus prayed. In the deepest hours of his personal life on this planet, in a garden the night before he went to die on a cross, Jesus prayed “Take this cup, yet not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Two specific prayers: First: Take this Cup. Then: Not my Will. Such a duality powerfully displayed in three of the gospel accounts, and mentioned in the fourth. Two sides of Jesus. Two sides of us. Two sides of prayer. The Prayer Coin.

When Jesus says, Take this Cup, that’s the honest side of the prayer. He reveals his own desire, “This is what I want.”

Then Jesus flips the coin, praying Not my Will, the side of abandon. Abandon is saying to God, “But what do you want, God?”

Notice that in between the two sides of honest and abandon is the word “yet” which forms the edge of the coin – a kind of pivot where we tip back and forth between each side, experiencing one side at a time: honest (what I want) – pivot – abandon (what do you want, God?) – pivot – honest – pivot – abandon.

Take this cup, yet not my will but yours be done.

The Prayer Coin.

I remember my heart beating a bit faster when I paused to take in this realization. It still steps up-tempo even now as I try to put this discovery into words. This prayer is quoted more than any other prayer in the Bible. Yet…(there’s that pivot!), have I ever prayed it? For myself? For those I love? Have you?

Is that even a “thing?” Do I dare consider praying this prayer? I mean, this was Jesus’ garden prayer. He prayed it in the last night of his earthly life. Before his heavenly Father. When he was in torture in the anticipation of death on a cross. Surely my circumstances will never match up to that.

Yet…(again!) in each of the gospel tellings, Jesus repeatedly invites his disciples into the prayer. That their exhaustion sends them to sleep instead is not the point. The point is that Jesus invited his first century disciples (and his twenty-first century disciples as well) to pray a daringly intimate prayer of simultaneous and opposite pleas.

Here – I’m holding out this Prayer Coin to you. Take it? Feel the weight of it as you turn it over and over in your palm. Honest. Abandon. Abandon. Honest.

Now, are you ready to try it out? This Prayer Coin that might just cash in a deeper faith for you?

First – be honest: What are you currently wanting, needing, desiring before God?

• Maybe you’re concerned about your three-year-old. Is she using enough words for her age? Take this cup of delayed speech God!
• Your husband isn’t super attentive – in fact, he’s hardly attentive at all and you’re wondering just why you married him. Take this cup of a lukewarm marriage God!
• You look around at other women you know, all happy in their Pintresty friendships and you wonder what’s wrong with you. Take this cup of feeling so excluded God.

And after you’ve poured out what’s really in your heart, instead of saying what you think you’re supposed to say… try a pivot. Flip the prayer coin to the other side: abandon. What might you want for me Lord?

Abandon asks how far will you go to commit your wants, needs and desires to what God wants for you and your life?

• Your daughter may need testing – expensive testing – in order to determine her need. I’m willing to sacrifice my coffee money. Not my will, God.
• Your husband may come from a family where affection was doled out in tiny sips rather than generous doses. I’ll reach out to him rather than insisting he change for me. Not my will God.
• Women around you may be just as lonely as you are. I’ll go first and risk rejection in order to see if friendship is possible. Not my will God.

And then in each need, back again to honest. Then a pivot to abandon. Again and again, all the while learning more and more about what you really want and what God wants as well.

Prayer is like a coin. On one side is honest: the freedom to be ourselves in relationship with God. On the other side is abandon: the calling to yield to his desires in our lives and in our world. We spend prayer best, like a coin, with the currency of both sides: honest and abandon. Pivoting from one to another. Flipping first one then intentionally turning to other to allow one side to influence the other.

As you do, you’ll journey deeper in your relationship with God, who uses both sides of prayer to draw us closer to him, just as he did in a garden long ago with his Son.

BIO:

Elisa Morgan is an author and speaker.

Her latest book is The Prayer Coin: Daring to Pray with Honest Abandon. Her other books include The Beauty of Broken, Hello, Beauty Full, and She Did What She Could.

Elisa is the cohost of Discover the Word and contributor to Our Daily Bread. Connect with Elisa at www.elisamorgan.com, @elisa_morgan on Twitter, and elisamorganauthor on Facebook and Instagram.

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