Blog - Purposeful Faith

A Truth I love

December 19, 2017

“Believing we can have it all, all the time is a myth and a lie and a joy-stealer. What I do believe is that we can have God’s best for us. A full life and a life to the full are two very different things. One is about grasping, the other is about receiving. One is about cramming in, the other is about room to breathe. One is about striving, the other is about trust. One is about control, the other letting go – sometimes for a moment and sometimes for always.”

When I read this, in Holley Gerth’s new book, Fierce Hearted, all I could think was, yes, yes, yes. She nailed it and was saying everything I was living. You see, God recently invited me into this beautiful place of, “Set it all down Kelly. Come. And follow me.”

Set down the social media stuff. Follow me.

Set down your plans. Follow me.

Set down your busy work. Follow me.

Set down your dreams. Be with me.

My answer was, “Yes, God!!!”

But you see, it’s easy to speak, but much more difficult to do. To leave behind the striving to be seen, to turn away from the control that comes with manhandling my schedule and to surrender my busyness that covers over the sense of lack I don’t want to see. . . well, it all sounds nice, but. . .

It leaves me feeling exposed. What if I am not doing what I should be? What if I miss out? What if I am left behind? What if I don’t get what I dream of? What if my time spent with God ends up (and I’d probably never vocalize this). . . wasted? What if I get disappointed?

Yet I am finding it is always in the letting go that God works his way in. It is always in the relinquishing that we get a broad-stroke view of what God is doing. It is always in carved-out space that we see God draw new stories right over the old versions of insecurity.

But we must give leeway to His ways. It’s the only way.

When we clear out everything so God can come, He does. With power, strength, dignity, honor and a pen that redraws all we ever wanted – and more. He also has an eraser. One that doesn’t feel like denial, remorse or pretending, but recovery.

“Our everything” is not found in “our doing,” but “His everything” is found in “our undoing” before Him.

Ahh…peace.

Come, Jesus. Restructure us. Let us let go of what we clench so tightly so we can find ourselves held tight in the power of your love. Amen. (and thank you Holley!)

Buy Fiercehearted: Live Fully, Love Bravely on Amazon or wherever books are found.

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Your Worst Enemy Isn’t Them…

December 18, 2017

purposefulfaith

awe, Contentment, doubt, faith, fear

2 Comments

Have you hurt someone, but can’t seem to apologize?
Is there an argument you feel completely entitled to uphold?
Does anger overwhelm you?
Do you have the feeling your assumptions were completely off base?
Are you ashamed of what you’ve done?

Sometimes, I internally know I am 100% wrong, but externally cannot admit the truth. It’s like my heart knows what it needs to do, but my mouth can’t speak.

It feels like everyone might hate me or turn away. It feels like I might be the bad egg that falls down the chute. Bye-bye…Kelly….!

Ever been there?

Perhaps, you’re trying to maintain a good status at work, or defending an issue you know you need to change your mind on or coming down on hard on one specific person because you always have. Maybe you do this. . . all to the detriment of truth.

But, it is the truth that sets us free. (Jo. 8:32)

John Piper boils this vicious cycle down to one issue. He puts it like this:

“Pride is the enemy inside us that speaks to us like a friend. Its counsel sounds so much like self-protection, preservation, and promotion we are often blinded to the fact that it’s destroying us and others. It rises in great indignation as a prosecuting attorney when others’ pride damages us, but it minimizes, qualifies, excuses, rationalizes and blame-shifts our behavior when we damage others. We can easily be deceived into believing that our pride wants to save us, when really, it’s our internal Judas betraying us with a kiss.” – John Piper, DesiringGod.com

What if rather than being tethered to insular pride, we were released to outpouring love? What freedom might God have for us?

“And the truth will set you free.” Jo. 8:32

Kelly’s new book, Fear Fighting: Awakening Courage to Overcome Your Fears has been called “A must read,” “Breathtakingly honest” and a “Great Toolbox to Overcome Fear.” Read it today.

Discover how to flee from fear and fly in faith through 4 Days to Fearless Challenge.

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Need Answers?

December 15, 2017

purposefulfaith

blessings, busy, Contentment, doubt, faith

2 Comments

You don’t have to have all the answers.

Relieve yourself of this. You don’t have to have it all marked out with lines pointing to things, with circles around events, checkmarks next to your part and supporting roles delineated.

It’s not your show. It’s not your story to write.

God is Creator. He is also Author God. Let him write a better story than you can. Give up your need to theorize, summarize and categorize people and all the details that go with them.

If Jesus wanted you to be ruler, he would have let you know this before he died, but he didn’t.

His grace is your grace when you give Jesus space to fill the blank lines. Then, you actually get a chance to see God work. But if you already have every line filled in and filled up, what room does this leave an active, always-writing, ever-working God?

Avoid your need to know. Eve wanted to know everything. Satan wanted to know he was higher than God.

Knowing is not our goal. Abiding is. Stick to abiding. Self-soaked ambition masked in some cover of godliness is still nastiness. Intellectual know-how covered with a know-it-all attitude still stinks.

Jesus talked to the Pharisees like this:

“You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Mt. 23:27-28

Choose instead to let Jesus wash you. White. Clean.

Need him.

Let him be highest. The highest scheduler. The highest orchestrator. The highest lover. The highest mountain. The highest plan.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to know every detail. You don’t have to be in tune with the whens or the whys. You know the WHO. It’s Jesus. He has you. He has a plan.

Prayer: Jesus, it’s all about your heart. It’s all about your desires. It’s all about you coming to earth, so that we could come to heaven and be with you always. Don’t let us lose sight of what matters. What a waste it is to have eternity with you, but to miss daily life with you. We want every moment with you. Restore that to us. We repent of what is not ours to keep, manage and rule. We trust you with what you want to give us. We lean on you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Discover how to flee from fear and fly in faith through 4 Days to Fearless Challenge.

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To Freak or Not to Freak?

December 13, 2017

purposefulfaith

Contentment

1 Comment

You’re lying if you say life is absent of turbulence. You’re either lying or denying.

We all have rough spots. If we’re honest we all have itchy spots we think unworthy of prayer, problem areas we’re tired of addressing, or pasts we’ve tried to pretend are done.

So we stuff them away in some cob-webby attic, pretending.

Out of sight, out of mind.

We deny them, hoping we’ll get by them. But the problem is, we don’t get by them because much of what we do is driven by them. The crux of our responses, defensive ways and judgements are a result of them.

Sometimes, the only way to get through a storm is by addressing it.

Jesus did that.

“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’

He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Mark 8:23-26, emphasis mine

Jesus spoke to the waves, “Stop.” They did. He rebuked the winds. They listened.

Jesus did not see the storm and hide from it. He met it face to face. What if we did the same?

Let’s consider things from the disciples’ perspective for a moment. Did they meet the storm face-to-face? In some ways, yes. They saw it before them. In other ways, no. They took things in their own hands. They demanded Jesus handle the storm the way they thought right. They woke Jesus up from the rest he needed.

But Jesus is always aware. Jesus always sees. Jesus always knows. Jesus always has a plan.

He may look voiceless, but he is interceding for you.

He may look silent, but he is advocating for you.

He may look immobile, but his will prevails.

Rather than being the ones who demand our way to God, what if we trusted his ways no matter what problem was trying to sink us?

What if we said, “Christ, with the power to calm every storm, can powerfully calm my storm and I am standing on that fact. Jesus, with the heart to bring people where they are meant to go, will bring me, and I am banking on that. Jesus, who has a plan, has not lost the plan for my life – and I believe that.”

What kind of miracle would we see if we didn’t wake Jesus, but trusted him?

How might he arise to say, “You of great faith,” verses, “You of little?”

What might we see transpire?

Discover how to flee from fear and fly in faith through 4 Days to Fearless Challenge.

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Beware of Forcing the Wrong Season

December 12, 2017

purposefulfaith

Contentment, doubt, failure, fear, grace

16 Comments

I worked really hard to get up the hill. Pumping, huffing, standing, sitting, then standing again, I. Was. Going. To. Make. It. To. The. Top.

Nothing would stop me and my bike.

It’s often easy to get on a mission. We want to get somewhere and when we’re really committed, we see it through.

I made it to the top. Then came the decline.

Victory. As I glided down, I kept on peddling hard. Why?

No, really. . . why?

Why did I feed the need to peddle when it was a time to glide?

God says there is a time for everything:

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Ec. 3:1KJV

There is a season to pump our legs hard; there is a season to glide; there is a season to cry; there is a season to rest; there is a season to give; there is a season to take.

Peaceful living, I am determining, has much to do with knowing the season God has placed you in. You don’t want to be laughing in the midst of your spouse’s grieving.

As I went down the hill, it was representative of a season: to glide. To let go of worries. To trust God with all the stuff I normally do. To hear his voice calling me to ministry outside of the internet. To wonder and awe at him doing really special things alone with me.

To step away from life, demands, blog requirements, and doing stuff as usual, because it’s not God’s heart for today…(noticing is half the battle).

Letting go is the other half. It’s recognizing that our current season doesn’t have to look like our last. In fact, I have to tell you, it shouldn’t. This is my opinion, however. It is my belief that when we push a round peg into a square hole, frustration feels as ever present as a hangnail.

But to move with the grace of God. . . this is like windsurfing in the direction of God’s move. You go with him. You let go of what you think things should be. You enjoy the wind on your face. You feel the moment. You come alive in what he is doing.

What season is God calling you into? What if instead of despising it, you decided to embrace it?

Prayer: God, in your presence there is fullness of joy. Keep me in your presence and peace. Keep me going in the direction you desire for me, and nowhere else. Let me go not according to what I think I should do, but according to what your heart is for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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What is in a Name?

December 11, 2017

purposefulfaith

approval, awe, Contentment

5 Comments

Names. What is in a name?

I didn’t used to think a name amounted to much. Until years later…

Now, you all might see me as a fighter kind of girl. If you’re read this blog long enough, you know I wrote a book called, “Fear Fighting.” But, what you may not know is I am also writing a book called, “Battle Ready.” You’ll meet it come July.

The point is not me; it is my name. My name means “warrior”. Kelly is warrior. I never knew that. I never knew I was a warrior, until God called me to write these books.

Before this point I would have laughed at this idea. But, now. Now I say, “Wow, God, I really am who you say I am. You knew day #1 who I would be, even though I never believed in who you made me to be.”

He is amazing.

Even though I used to call myself other names, like… “You stupid!,” “You idiot!”, “You worthless piece of…”

Still, God never had names like those for me.

What names do you give yourself? What name might God give you?

Did you know, even if your name has no obvious meaning…God gives you names: daughter, loved, friend, royal priest, light of the world? These are your names, even if you can’t believe them now, Christ’s fulfillment is written over each and every name, just like I learned mine was.

I pray you come to see…

Sometimes, I doubt my name. I am all…I am not a warrior today. But, do you know what is best of all? Jesus always is Jesus. Father always is Father. Daddy is always still there.

Knowing the firm names of God supersedes the names of doubt we call ourselves.

This is why, this Christmas, I delight in the names included in the Christmas book, “The Unwrapping of the Names of Jesus” by Asheritah CiuCiu.

Jesus is:

King of Kings (the height above any height moving on our behalf)
Light of the World (the light that casts out all darkness, always and forever)
Lion of Judah (the roar that makes every knee bow)
Alpha and Omega (the start of everything and the end that has no end)
Prince of Peace (the only answer to peace and the fulfillment of it in our lives)
Bread of Life (the only truth we eat to feel full)
Lamb of God (the lamb slain so that we don’t have to be when we feel self-doubt and shame)

Jesus’s name is the height of all names. It gives cause to my name, even when I doubt myself. This does not matter, because God remains the same, consistent and power-full.

This Christmas Season, what if you were to usher in, not just the baby, but the power of Jesus’ name with a humble in-awe view of the saving light it casts on you?

How might, through Christ, you begin to see yourself differently?

Learn more about Asheritah’s new book, Unwrapping the Names of Jesus: An Advent Devotional.

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3 Faith Halters that Make Faith Falter

December 8, 2017

purposefulfaith

Contentment

2 Comments

Faith. We want her to be alive and well. We want her to thrive so we see the miraculous, the amazing and God’s handiwork all over our lives. We want relationships changed due to faith. Hardships pacified, due to faith. Loneliness gone, due to faith. A marriage healed, due to faith. A deep authentic closeness to God, due to faith.

In God’s economy, faith finances the spiritual great. Yet, doubt robs our spiritual banks.

I should know; I just emerged out of a horrible season of doubt. While shame tells me to hide this fact and feign godliness to you, authenticity tells me, “Everyone has moments of doubt, fear and uncertainty. Freedom is fighting the urge to hide.”

So friends, today I tell you that as much as I wanted to believe God was near me, I kept on believing He was far and He didn’t much care for me. Thank God, I’ve stepped up and out of that pit.

So today, from a place of retrospect, I look back to discover the faith-halters that make intimacy with God falter.

What are they? How can I avoid them in the future? What do we need to be aware of?

3 Faith Halters that Make Faith Falter

1. Demanding Understanding.

When we demand to figure out godliness completely, we can figure ourselves right out of it. I wanted to have every I dotted and every T crossed, so much so that I was cross-eyed with frustration because I couldn’t figure God out. Guess what? God isn’t meant to be figured out by human understanding.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…” Is. 55:8-9

Beware of: Trying to understand what, by faith, God simply says – is.

2. Keeping track of the attack more than God’s love.

I kept saying, “I am being attacked, I am being attacked…” When we count up attacks more than we count all the ways God loves us, we lose footing. It’s the prodigal daddy running out to fetch us more than the snake ready to bite us that leads us back home.

“Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.” Ps. 63:6

Beware of: Giving the enemy more credence than God’s saving power.

3. Constant Self-Critique

The more I counted my failings, the more I was sure I was failing. The more I was sure I was failing, the more I was sure I was still falling. The more I was sure I was falling, the more far away God felt.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…” Eph. 2:8

Beware of: Counting up all you’ve done wrong rather than resting under the cross, signifying all Jesus did right.

Beyond these faith-halters, there is one sure-fire faith-exalter. Do you know it? God’s Word. It is always steady, always working, always waiting, always truthful, always healing, always loving, and always our answer.

“Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Ro. 10:17

Prayer: God, pour out the grace I need to stay strong in you. I pray that I am so spiritually guarded, I remain earthly effective. I ask that you equip me with every good thing I need to stay close to you. Do not remove your hand of protection from me and keep me under the cover of your love. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Discover how to flee from fear and fly in faith through 4 Days to Fearless Challenge.

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The Best Pause When Life Feels Frantic

December 7, 2017

Angela Parlin

busy, Christmas, peace, Regular Contributor

2 Comments

Blog Post By Angela Parlin

I love so many things about the month of December.

The memories, the gatherings, the excitement for what’s coming. Twinkle lights everywhere after dark. Remembering the story of Jesus’ birth with the angels and shepherds and a star leading souls toward a newborn King—the one who changed everything.

One of my favorite things is looking back to remember. Another favorite is looking forward. It’s the in-between that trips me up. Do you know what I mean?

I’m at that point in December—like every other year—where I feel buried by the schedule and all the many to-do’s. It’s like I have to keep running, running, running–to make this pick-up time and that deadline and those purchases and these events. None of it is too much, on its own. But add it all together, and I’m one frazzled Mom.

Today, however, I read a passage that transformed my frantic feelings, and I wondered if you need this too. Do you need to press pause on all the things, in the middle of December, in order to behold the glory of God?

I know a place where we can always go–not to hide from our lives but to find refuge instead.

I hope you’ll come with me. Let’s dig into the Word of God, and let Him do His beautiful thing in our hearts. Right now. Today.

I hope you’ll spend some time reading these scriptures, and read the passages around them as well. I like to copy the words by hand, sometimes on a colored card or along the edges of my day planner…yes, I still use paper planners. ? You may want to read them repeatedly, even memorize them. Any time you spend focusing on the Lord will be a gift to you.

5 Places to Pause When Life Feels Frantic

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2 (NIV)

Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? Exodus 15:11

For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? 2 Samuel 22:32

I love you, Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:1-2

I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:5-6

Angela Parlin is a wife and mom to 3 rowdy boys and 1 sweet girl. In addition to spending time with friends and family, she loves to read and write, spend days at the beach, watch romantic comedies, and organize closets. But most of all, she loves Jesus and writes to call attention to the beauty of life in Christ, even when that life collaborates with chaos. Join her at www.angelaparlin.com, So Much Beauty In All This Chaos.

Dealing with Old Memories

December 6, 2017

purposefulfaith

Contentment

2 Comments

I flew down the hill, free. My bike moved without any exertion. This was supposed to be the fun part. The easy part. The fast-paced glide. But it wasn’t.

My mind flashed back to years ago. The time I got nervous. The time the handlebars shook electricity into my numb hands. The time my mind got scared to death that my bike would flip over on one of the potholes. The time my middle loosened like a noodle in anticipation of what would certainly befall me…

And then, so long ago, I fell.

Anticipating my fall, I practically welcomed it. Anticipating demise, we often, subconsciously, do the exact same.

It’s coming. I’m ru….ined!

Tense, scared and precautious, we prepare to fall. Freaked out, we ready our mind for the worst. Even years later, memories haunt us, repeating the same powerful and engrained lies.

Just consider me. As flew downhill, gone was my moment of enjoyment. Active in my mind was a moment of torment.

The pain of yesterday undoubtedly tries to come to steal the joy of today. Often in a form of a memory seared in our insides. Reminding us of what can never be.

What pain of yesterday steals your joy of today? Your hope? Your peace with God?

In what ways does it hold you back? Torment you? Hurt relationships?

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said. (Mt. 4:19)

How can we follow Jesus when we’re too busy looking back? How can we see where Jesus wants us to step, who he wants us to reach, and what paths he wants us to walk when we are busy filling our mind with the past? When we’re busy asking ourselves why that person did that, where we went wrong, how we could have done better?

“Come, follow me.”

Give up your sore neck that’s always looking back and choose today to look ahead. This doesn’t mean those old memories won’t come, but it does mean you don’t have to indulge your time with them. You don’t have to become consumed with them.

Follow Jesus. A simple gospel: walk how He walks, think how He thinks, love how He loves.

Don’t look back. Jesus covers all that. Just follow Him.

Prayer:

“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing….” Is. 43:18-21

God, we don’t want to be so consumed with old things that we can’t see your new thing. Renew our minds, in you. Renew our strength, in you. Renew our life, in you. Help us to let go of the old, so we can walk into your new. We need you. We hunger for your help. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

Discover how to flee from fear and fly in faith through 4 Days to Fearless Challenge.

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The Gifts We Overlook

December 5, 2017

Abby Mcdonald

blessings, Christmas, Contentment

1 Comment

I scroll through my phone and stare at another Christmas party post.

Smiling faces beam back at me as I rock my sleeping babe and wish mine was wedged between them. Praying she won’t wake, I dance to my daughter’s crib and put her down as softly as possible.

Immediately, she cries. Breathing deep, I stand there a moment with a small glimmer of hope that she’ll calm.

She doesn’t.

This was my life a year ago. It was my first holiday season with a baby girl I desired for years. I remember fighting tears and thinking about the irony of it all. I’d waited months for this time and now all I wanted was sleep. I’d felt her kick in my belly and longed to see her face, and then wondered how such a tiny thing could scream with such force.

Before leaving the hospital, the nurse told us not to bring her into crowds for a month.

Continue over to Abby McDonald’s place and join us for the #RaRaLinkup!