Living With Less Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chelsey DeMatteis
The Living With Less Podcast was birthed in 2019 when The Lord placed the words “live with less” on Chelsey’s heart. As she began diving deeper in prayer about this phrase The Lord led her to John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Every week since He has continued to challenge, change, and shape Chelsey’s heart as He reveals the things in our lives that get in the way of who He’s calling us to be. Join Chelsey each Wednesday to dig into these areas as we pursue Christ-centered lives in the midst of our me-centered world.
Chelsey runs hard after God's heart, His truth, and making Him known. She is a wife, stay-at-home mama, podcast host here, and devotional writer for iBelieve, Crosswalk, Lifeway Journey Women, and YouVersion. To find out more about Chelsey head to her website www.ChelseyDeMatteis.com and come join her on Instagram @livingwithlesspodcast!
Grab your coffee, put in your headphones, or however you listen to your podcasrs and settle in to hear Chelsey's heart about the season God has her in. You'll feel right at home hearing the way God is working through the hard and beautiful parts of life, showing Chelsey how to walk forward faithfully no matter what her circumstances may be.
- 1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
- 1 John 3:18 - Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
- Hebrews 12:1-2 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Casey Martin joins Chelsey to finish up the second Hear Her Story series with an incredible testimony of knowing, seeing, and experiencing Jesus through life and the grief that comes with unimaginable loss. I pray Casey's story encourages you to trust that a life with Christ is worth it - no matter what it is that you're walking through.
What a gift it is to hear the testimonies of women to see how God has worked in their lives through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Revelation 12:11 is the anchor to this series, "we conquer him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimonies".
Connect with Casey:
IG: @agazefixed
Website: agazefixed.com
Book: Joy of Every Longing Heart
Sarah Nichols joins Chelsey for the Hear Her Story series! What a gift it is to hear the testimonies of women to see how God has worked in their lives through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Revelation 12:11 is the anchor to this series, "we conquer him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimonies". May Sarah's story encourage you to surrender what you wish was and recieve what God has for you right now.
Connect with Sarah:
Instagram: @sarahnicholswrites
Website: www.sarahnicholswrites.com
Devotional: Falling for Freedom + Prayers for the Summertime Mom
Hanna Seymour joins Chelsey as the Hear Her Story series continues! What a gift it is to hear the testimonies of women to see how God has worked in their lives through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Revelation 12:11 is the anchor to this series, "we conquer him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimonies". May Hannah's story of experiencing God's Grace, trusting in His good things in the waiting, and finding answers among hard seasons of wrestling, spur you on to live BOLDLY for Christ.
Connect with Hanna:
Website: hannaseymour.com
Instagram: @hannaeseymour
Book: The College Girl's Survival Guide
Racahel Adams joins Chelsey to kick off the second Hear Her Story series! What a gift it is to hear the testimonies of women to see how God has worked in their lives through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Revelation 12:11 is the anchor to this series, "we conquer him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimonies". May Rachael's story spur you on to pursue Christ and live for Him boldly.
Connect with Rachael:
Instagram: @rachaeladamsauthor
Website: https://rachaelkadams.com/
Book: A Little Goes a Long Way: 52 Days to a Significant Life
Today Chelsey is fired up in this quick, fiery epsiode that will leave you encourgaed to pursue what God is prompting you to do! You'll be reminded that the enemy's attacks are defeated by the truth of God's Word + our obedinece to be used as a vessel for the Kingdom!
Website: ChelseyDeMatteis.com
Devotional: SHOP HERE!
We're headed into week five of the HEAR HER STORY series! This series was stirred up in Chelsey's heart when God continued to nudge her with Revelation 12:11, We conquer him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies." There is nothing more powerful than sharing how we've seen the work of the cross + the redemption of Christ in our lives. Chelsey's prayer is that God will use series will stir your heart to share your story, rest in the truth that God IS writing your story, and there is VICTORY over the darkness!
Kaley Olson takes the seat this week to share her incredible story of how God pursued her heart from a young age, how God is calling her to trust more deeply, and how important our relationships are.
Connect with Kaley:
IG - @kaleyolsn
We're headed into week 4 of the HEAR HER STORY series! This series was stirred up in Chelsey's heart when God continued to nudge her with Revelation 12:11, We conquer him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies." There is nothing more powerful than sharing how we've seen the work of the cross + the redemption of Christ in our lives. Chelsey's prayer is that God will use series will stir your heart to share your story, rest in the truth that God IS writing your story, and there is VICTORY over the darkness!
Rachel Spiller (my sweet neighbor) takes the seat this week to share her incredible story of how God drew her in at a young age, how she pushed Him away - yet He still pursued her heart, and how God healed her marriage! You will be blessed, sharpened, and spurred on by her love for Jesus!
Connect with Rachel on Instagram!
Chelsea Roberson takes the seat this week to share her incredible story of how her grandfathers faith shaped her's and her life, the way God has called her to release control, and how to trust God where He has us. You will be so encouraged by her testimony and leave knowing that what God is doing in your life is for YOUR good and HIS glory.
Main Takeaways:
- God is so sweet to gently correct us when we try to take control of things.
- I knew at a very young age that Jesus was always with me.
- We need to remember God is with us even when we're in the trenches.
- When the Lord shows up when our lives are most messy, those are some of the most special moments.
- Scriptures: John 10:10 // Gal 2:20
Connect with Chelsea:
IG - @heychelsearoberson
We're headed into week two of the HEAR HER STORY series! This series was stirred up in Chelsey's heart when God continued to nudge her with Revelation 12:11, We conquer him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies." There is nothing more powerful than sharing how we've seen the work of the cross + the redemption of Christ in our lives. Chelsey's prayer is that God will use series will stir your heart to share your story, rest in the truth that God IS writing your story, and there is VICTORY over the darkness!
Megan Jenkins takes the seat this week to share her incredible story of how God drew her in after coming from a family that had no relationship with Jesus, how she saw powerful redemption in her marriage, and that when we make Jesus priority over everything - we see Him everywhere! You will be blessed, sharpened, and spurred on by her love for Jesus!
Connect with Megan
- Website - His Kids Company
- Instagram - @hiskidscompany
- Youtube - linked here!
This week kicks off the HEAR HER STORY series! Hailey Everett shares her incredible story of faith, redemption, and God's mercy. You will be blessed and encouraged by the mark of Jesus on her life.
Connect with Hailey:
Today wraps up the Mini Summer Series on Taking Teachable Moments and Turning Them Into Gospel Truths! What a 5 weeks it has been unpacking the most simple moments that God has used to point us to the gospel. He is just so good!! Today we end our series in Matthew 11:1 being challenged to look at the way we live. Do we live a life that shines for Jesus? Are we putting actions behind our words? Let's bring our hearts before the Lord and grow in His grace together today!
Matthew 11:1
- When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
Connect with Chelsey:
Instagram - @chelseydematteis
Website - www.chelseydematteis.com
52-week Devotional Book - More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World
Week 4 of the Minis Summer Series is live! We're taking another teachable moment and turning it into gospel truth. Chelsey shares how God used a rain storm to reveal that she often lived her life like so. Rainy, stormy, and joyless. Through the last 8 months the Lord has brought her to a place of being joy filled and instead of being the girl to allow rain the forecast to ruin her days, weeks, and months - He's led her to being a woman who delights in where God has her + she'll grab an umbrella with joy in her heart, and live in the moment He's placed her.
- Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:3-5
This week Chelsey continues the series for week 3 of the "Teachable Moments Turned Into Gospel Truths". She's talking all about our reactions - (the good, the bad, and the ugly)! Then she unpacks how the way we react causes people to respond back to us and how the level of our reactions can affect our witness positively and negatively.
Scripture reference John 4
- 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
You made it to week 2 of the mini summer series!! You'll leave this episode with your heart feeling encouraged, equipped, and commissioned to live with your eyes wide open looking for GOSPEL truth in all your moments. This week come hear how the Lord used a moment of discipline as the perfect opportunity to share about the Holy Spirit!
- When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13
- Conviction is a GIFT from God. It is how Jesus dwells within us! God uses the Holy Spirit to direct and protect His people!
- In a moment that leads to discipline, think how you can turn that into teaching a gospel truth.
Taking Teachable Moments and Turning Them Into Gospel Truths
This is mini summer series will leave your heart feeling encouraged, equipped, and commissioned to live with your eyes wide open each day looking for GOSPEL truth in all your moments. Come hear how Jesus used Chelsey's son learning to ride a bike without training wheels to show her that even when we can't see God's hand in our life, we can trust that He is always behind us + beside us.
- Psalm 139:5 - You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
- Psalm 91:1-2 - He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Connect with Chelsey:
Instagram - @chelseydematteis
Website - www.chelseydematteis.com
52-week Devotional Book - More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World
Today Chelsey talks about different seasons of discipleship + what a gift it is to love and serve the next generation. You'll also leave this episode knowing why and how our life is marked by the community we are doing life with. At the end of this episode Chelsey prays you'll feel challenged to take an inventory of your community, invite an older woman to speak wisdom into your life, and extend the invitation to someone in the next generation to hangout with you!
Matthew 28:16-20
- 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Connect:
www.chelseydematteis.com
IG: @livingwithlesspodcast
Purchase the Devotional: More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World
This week kicks off a 3 part series you won't want to miss! Chelsey begins by sharing what the Lord has stripped away from her, how it happened, and that He's replaced with something that offers LIFE, LIGHT, and TRUE JOY. This is a special series you won't want to miss and one that you will want to share because we all can have found ourselves in these season.
Scripture Reference:
- Romans 11:36 // 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
- Ephesians 3:12 // 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Connect with Chelsey:
Instagram: @livingwithlesspodcast
Buy her book: click here!
This week Chelsey is sharing about what happens when we're called to a season of pause. She shares what the Lord has done in her life through the long pause He took her through in 2021-2023, and how God is always doing so much more than we can imagine during these seasons. While they are filled with pruning, they ultimately bring us closer to Him and give Him the glory.
Scripture References:
- Nehemiah 1:4-11 // 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.
- Nehemiah 2:2-8 // 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
- Nehemiah 2:17-18 // 17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
To purchase More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World
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Chelsey unpacks 10 parts of scripture to see what it looks like to be truly marked by Christ. This episode will leave you feeling reminded and refreshed about who we are called to be and how to put God's call into action!
Scripture references:
- Mark 12:30 // 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
- Mark 12:31 // 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
- Matthew 28:18-20 // 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
- 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 // 17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
- Galatians 1:10 // 10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- Galatians 5:25 // 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
- Ephesians 5:1-2 // Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
- 1 John 3:18 // 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
- Titus 2:1 - But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. // 2:15 - 15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
- 1 John 4:1-5 - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. // 4:7-8 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
This week Chelsey shares about the weight of our witness and that we can only share truth with authority in love. We're looking to Malachi 3, Ephesians 3, and 2 Timothy 2 to see what God's Word says about the posture of our hearts as we live out our faith in this world.
Scripture References:
- Malachi 3: 16-18 // 16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
- Ephesians 3: 14-21 // 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,15 from whom every family[c] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
- 2 Timothy 2:1-13 // 1You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
The Unraveling of An Arrogant Heart | Hope, Healing, and Redemption
What a special week of the podcast this is. God has been peeling back the layers of the sin in Chelsey's life: arrogance and pride. She walks you through the unraveling of this sin and the gift of promised forgiveness. You'll find yourself diving deeper in the book of Malachi when you hear for yourself just how good God is and how He desires for us to be right with Him. He will always offer that opportunity, yet we must return to Him. We must be full of repentance and desire His redemption.
Scriptures:
- Malachi 4:1-4
- Malachi 3:6-18
A note from Chelsey:
- I wanted to put myself in a box, a box created by man that is. However, there is no box I can check on earth that I fit fully into. I realized why, my heart belongs to heaven. I’m a daughter of the One true King. No political group, no denomination, nothing will fully encompass who GOD is. So the box I will check, is this - God’s girl. On fire for Jesus. Wanting to extend compassion while being fully ready to give account of truth. I want to be marked with the distinction of grace, mercy, and righteousness. I want to be known as a servant of Christ, and from that comes being a disciple ready to serve man. // I want the fruit of my faith to bless my husband and my children. I don’t want to be marked by arrogance and pride. I don’t want to live this life with a head of knowledge at the cost of a heart that is hardened. // Knowledge and wisdom matter, but when it repels people with a stench of arrogance and pride..we’ve lost our witness.
Click here to purchase More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World
Happy 2023!! Listen this week as Chelsey shares about her hopes that this year, will be the year where we begin extending the invitations to bring the body of Christ into our homes. When Jesus gave us the Great Commission (Matt 28:17-18), He never told us that we could only open up our homes if they looked a certain way, were a certain size, or were deemed perfection by the world. However, He did tell His followers to "go therefore" - this means we must live out our faith in ACTION by INVITATION.
Scripture reference:
- Matthew 28:18-20 // 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Takeaway:
- Inviting people into our lives is it only a sweet thing, it’s a sacred thing. Being in community with other Bible believing women is not only a command from the Lord, but also a gift from Him.
- You can’t have deep relationship without invitation.
Scriptures Referenced
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:14-16
The Spirit of God Moving
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13
As always this space has been full of the truth and grace that God has continued to pour out over Chelsey's life and today she shares that she will be taking a pause from the Living With Less Podcast in this season. This choice wasn't made lightly but with much prayer and the prayer of a few trusted mentors this is exactly where the Lord is leading, and there is undeniable peace in this decision.
- Chelsey and her husband will be welcoming their second child at the end of this year, through this the Lord has made it very clear that it's time to press pause in this space while focusing on what He has entrusted her within their home.
- You can always connect with Chelsey on IG - @livingwithlesspodcast and her website - www.chelseydematteis.com! Her devotional: More of Him, Less of Me: Living A Christ Centered Life in a Me Centered World, will be launching October 5th!!
A note from Chelsey
- From the bottom of my heart I cannot thank you all enough for being a part of this special gift the Lord has given me. Getting to connect with so many of you and to know the Lord has entrusted your hearts with me means more than words can describe. This pause is out of obedience because that is what is most important, pleasing God FIRST will always bring peace. Today, I pray you leave here knowing you are fully known and loved by God Almighty. May He increase in your heart as you deny the flesh and take up your cross. Hugs, Chelsey
This week Chelsey is re-airing a fan favorite episode after having such great feedback from "Choosing Boldness". We must know how to share the truth in order to be bold for Christ and His Kingdom! Two weeks from today, Chelsey will be sitting down with Alysha Miller to dig deeper into ways we can be bold for Christ where He has us: this means in our homes, community, local government, and globally!
Today Chelsey unpacks 2 Timothy 2:1-13 and digs into what we are called to do as we share the truth that sets us free.
2 Timothy 2:1-13
- 2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
James 1:5-6
- 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Sharing The Truth:
- Teach others the truth we've been entrusted with.
- Share in suffering.
- Do not get caught up in fleshly issues.
- Ask for understanding.
- Know the word is not bound but living and active.
- Endure all things for the sake of others coming to know Him.
This week Chelsey sits down to dive deeper into the pivotal place Christians are finding themselves in today. Will we choose boldness in Christ or submission and silence in a godless society? Looking to Matthew 5 and Acts 4 we see what we are called to and what boldness in Christ looks like in action.
Matthew 5:13-16
- 13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Acts 4:1-10
- And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. 5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.
There will always be a cost in this world when being bold for Christ. We must look at the ultimate cost, Christ's life in place of our sin and us being made right to God the Father through His bloodshed on the cross.
This week we wrap up the Month of Mission series with Michelle Myers sharing all about the ministry: She Works His Way. This conversation will leave you feeling encouraged to be a doer of the Word, to make disciples as you go, and to find accountably within the body of Christ!
Connect with Michelle and SWHW:
Michelle IG : https://www.instagram.com/michellelmyers/?hl=en
SWHW IG: https://www.instagram.com/sheworkshisway/?hl=en
SWHW Website: https://sheworkshisway.com
Free Resources:
https://sheworkshisway.com/resources/
This week I got to sit down with Yohonna Smith who began The Girls Talking Life Podcast and now launched the Gather Project to help you Plan, Prep, and Gather your girlfriends!
Connect with Yohonna!:
- Website: https://girlstalkinglife.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlstalkinglife/
- Podcast: https://girlstalkinglife.com/podcast/
Sign up for the Gathering Project here!:
- https://girlstalkinglife.com/thegatheringproject/
This week Chelsey sat down with her friend, Tabitha Deller. A seasoned wife, mom of 4 boys, and steadfast follower of Christ. She shares the duty of being a Godly mother and also how we are called to be spiritual moms to those God has entrusted to us!
At the end of this week's episode, you'll hear all about the Mother's Day Giveaway and how to enter!!
1) Tell us about you, your family, and your ministry!
I loves words — written or spoken. I am passionate about God’s Word and the life changing truths found in it. I love reading it, writing about it, and challenging others to do the same.
I have had opportunities to do just that on several occasions through writing Bible Studies of my own and teaching them both in person and online, as well as through speaking engagements at events and retreats . Anytime I can write or talk about God's Word and His great love for us is such a blessing, and I always learn and glean far more than I teach or give.
My highest calling is to know Him and make Him known. My heart’s desire is to do that everyday, first in my home, and then wherever He calls me to “go.” I want my words to go where even I can’t, and I want the way I live my life to always point others to His Word and the way He lived and died and rose again to bring everlasting and abundant life to all who believe and receive.
I am a southern girl from North Carolina but have lived half my life in Pennsylvania. It was during my college years that my life was radically changed by my discovery of an ongoing, daily walk with Jesus through the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. It was through the ministry of Campus Crusade that I met my husband of nearly 20 years, Steve, during the summer of ’96. We were both on a summer project in Branson, MO that proved to be the impetus for passionately pursuing ministry opportunities throughout our marriage.
We have four sons, Joshua (about to be 20 (was born the day after Mother’s Day)), Caleb (18), Nathan (16), and Isaac (14). We are in a mixture of educational stages — 2 in college, one in high school, and one in Jr. High. We’ve homeschooled, public schooled, dually enrolled, etc...
I have always had a desire to teach and share God’s love with others. My passion for writing surfaced when I was as a mother of small children and would use writing as a way of praying, processing, and preparing myself for the future. When I'm not writing, teaching, or speaking, I can be found in the stands at one of my boys’ volleyball or baseball games cheering them on. I love cheering people on and am a natural encourager in every sphere of influence God has provided.
I loves to travel and experience new things but am also a self professed creature of habit. I love routine but welcomes interruptions as I have learned those interruptions are oftentimes God’s divine interjections that lead to ministry opportunities and kingdom building.
If you spend any time with me, you will understand very quickly just how much I love God, His Word, and His people. The deep abiding joy that comes from that love oozes out of me in conversation, and I welcome opportunities to share God’s love with others, in both word and deed. He has truly changed my life, and I seek to spend my life changing others’ lives every chance I get.
Mother’s Day Interview Living with Less Podcast
2) I’ve been so excited to sit down with you for this Mother’s Day episode to not only talk about being a physical mother of 4 boys but also as a spiritual mother for those entrusted to you. I want to first unpack the Biblical call of being a mother and how we are to called to steward well those God has given us. Can you share some scripture with us and talk through the role of being called Mom.
Well, I know the Proverbs 31 Woman sometimes gets a bad rap, but I truly feel like she’s an awesome example to glean wisdom from. Things we are trying to “pass down to” or “teach” our children are more caught than taught. We must model them. A closer look at P31:
NIV
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. 16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
NLT
A Wife of Noble Character
10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She finds wool and flax and busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. 16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night.
19 Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm[c] clothes.
22 She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders.
Mother’s Day Interview Living with Less Podcast
24 She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.
28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. 31 Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
ESV
The Woman Who Fears the Lord
10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. 16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
Initial thoughts:
We can feel like we have to be WONDERWOMAN OR SOME SUPER MOM after reading this passage...
THESE HAVE TO BE FIRST DONE WITHIN THE HOME...YOUR PRIMARY PLATFORM, MISSION FIELD, BEFORE WE CAN BE OF EFFECTIVE SERVICE ELSEWHERE...
A P31 Woman is:
- She is TRUSTWORTHY and CONFIDENT (GODFIDENT). (31:11)
- She is DILIGENT. (PRODUCTIVE not just BUSY) (13:13,15)
- She is GENEROUS. (31:20)
- She is SHREWD/PRUDENT. (PRACTICAL CLEVERNESS) (sensible, wise, on top of it) (31:21-22) 5. She is CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT SHE SAYS. (Offers words of wisdom to others...teaches) (31:26)
3) You and I are on the same wave length on all levels. I think we have to address what we’re watching take place culturally in society. Culture wants to strip away the true meaning and value of women being mothers. For all those listening today, how would you encourage them with TRUTH to stand firm against this false, godless narrative in society?
Be in the WORD, before you step foot in the WORLD. Learn and grow from HIS TRUTH, so you can recognize and reject the world’s lies. Surround yourself with LIKEMINDED women, mentors, teachers, prayer warriors. KNOW THE WORD, and wield your SWORD. It does no good to keep it in the sheath.
4) As a mom of 4 boys you’ve seen a lot. I’d love to know what have the most important things the Lord has taught you through your journey as a mom?
Be in the moment. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Always take time to listen. Laundry, dishes, and all other mom duties can wait. Prioritize them. They are your primary mission field.
Shoveling the walk before it stops snowing is like cleaning the house before they stop growing.
5) Being a mom to Cam has changed my world in the most incredible way. God has used it to sanctify me and glorify Himself. Through this though, I’ve been blessed to have several strong Christian women (mentors) come alongside me as motherhood has unfolded. I’d love to hear your heart on Biblical mentorship and how important it is!
Titus 2:3-5 ~ Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
These three verses say it all...again, more caught than taught. Model it. Spend time cross generationally. You should always be learning from someone older and pouring in to someone younger. Watch, learn, ask questions, pray together, GROW in your walk with the Lord and in your motherhood.
6) What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received through your years of being a mother?
Don’t stress over the mess.
Shoveling the walk before it stops snowing is like cleaning the house before they stop growing. If you want to see me and my family, stop by anytime, if you want to see my house, make an appointment.
Mother’s Day Interview Living with Less Podcast
Make time. Take time. Don’t waste time.
Involve them in EVERYTHING.
Pray. Pray. Pray. (for them, with them, over them...and let them pray for you, too). More caught than taught. Don’t just GIVE advice. LIVE wise.
7) To wrap up I’d love to know if someone asked you what they needed to begin Living With Less of in regard to their relationship with the Lord what would it be and why?
Social Media. Ugh. Such a time hog. Turn off the devices and tune in to HIM!! Less of the world means more time in the Word.
8) How can everyone find you - IG, FB, website!
www.tabithadeller.com
https://www.instagram.com/tabdeller/ https://www.facebook.com/Tabitha-Deller-Author-Speaker-Teacher-101629781970442
Mother's Day Giveaway Details:
- Head to @livingwithless IG page!
- Like the Mother's Day Giveaway post
- Please follow Oil of Joy, Tabitha Deller, and Entrusted By Him
- Comment on the post for extra entires!
This week's Month of Missions episode is a sit down with Amy Ford from Embrace Grace. She unpacks the heart of her organization and how powerful the church can be in the pro-life movement. Your heart will be encouraged and excited to get involved to serve these women, men, and babies.
Connect with Embrace Grace:
- Website - embracegrace.com
- Book - www.helpherbebrave.com
- IG - embracegraceinc
Connect with Amy Ford:
- IG - @amyfordeg
For this week's Month of Missions series I'm taking us back to last years fan favorite month of missions sit down with Love One founder Suzanne Mayernick! We talk all about Love One International, the heart and mission behind it, how the Lord called her to begin this journey, and my favorite part is how her heart for Christ shines through.
Love One's Mission:
In 2007, Mike and Suzanne Mayernick flew to Uganda to bring their little girl, JosieLove, home from Uganda. When they arrived, the 15-pound shell of a 3 1/2-year-old who they came to adopt was raging with a 105 degree fever and at a routine medical exam, they found out that that she had malaria, tuberculosis, and was HIV positive.
After just a few months at home receiving the love, attention, and the medical care she needed, this once dying little girl blossomed into a healthy, thriving child. Watching JosieLove's transformation sparked a fire inside of Suzanne and she knew that she was called to help more children like her daughter...so she started Love+One.
Love+One International got its name from JosieLove and the plus sign represents the mission to support the HIV positive population.
A few of my favorite things Suzanne said in our conversation that I felt needed to be out there in written form:
- "It’s been really cool to watch the lord move the way he does and I’ve been holding onto the kite string as it took off into the air."
- We saw what love and medical treatment could do for a child like her who could’ve died. My heart just continued to be broken for kids like her.
- I have no idea how it’s happened. It’s just God. The doors have just continued to open and I’ll obediently walk through them.
- When I look in these children’s eyes I see Jesus. It’s the only way on this earth I feel like I’m looking dead in the eyes of Jesus. I feel his presents more than ever before through these children.
- When we resettle these children it’s not love one, it’s the love of Jesus that is why we do what we do. We get to share the love of Christ through this sick kids.
- In the heartache and the hard He brought JOY everyday through these little children he’d given me to care for.
- The goal is to build a bigger facility so we can hold 50-100 children.
- “Submit to His will and I love living in that freedom.”
How to get involved!
- Follow on social media
- Pray for the children by name!
- Pray for our goal: love one - to love that one child that is in our arms or in front of us at that moment.
- Prayer for our staff.
- Donate - loveoneinternational.org
This week kicks of the Month of Missions series! This is a 4-part series where I'm bringing on some of my favorite ministries to share about the heart behind their missions, how God has used it to grow their faith, and how you all can get connected with them! We start off this week with Be Still Ministries! Karen McAdams and Rachel Faulkner Brown join me to talk about how their ministry began, the power of prayer, and their hearts behind wanting women set free from their bondage!
Meet Karen:
- At 17 years old I walked the aisle of the big white church and prayed “the prayer” to get my golden ticket. But it was another 17 years before I ever heard the Lord speak to me personally, and when He did I was completely blown away! That day was a catalyst in my life that undid me in every good way and began my healing journey, unraveling decades of carrying the heavy burden of shame from childhood trauma. Now, whether I am teaching bible studies or doing inner healing prayer, I am passionate about leading women to the Truth that sets them free, empowering them to lay down the masks and walk in the beauty, power and authority they have as daughters of the Most High. Since emerging into my years as an empty nester, I have passionately found a deep longing to equip women. As the Director of Equipping for Be Still Ministries, I collaborated to release a video didven bible study curriculum called Father's House in 2020. I am greatly blessed to have three amazing strong men in my life, my husband Kevin who I have been married to for almost 25 years and my sons, Connor and Cade.
- Connect with her here - @karenmcadams1111
Meet Rachel:
- Rachel Faulkner Brown is a girl with a past like your worst nightmare and a present that is pretty darn fun. Rachel has experienced the loss of two husbands tragically in an instant, one to an aneurysm and one in an Air Force plane crash. After marrying for the third time in 2013, Rachel began Be Still Ministries in Atlanta, Ga. Rachel and her ministry partner, Karen McAdams, published their first Bible study in January 2021 called Father's House. The study is now available on digital platforms reaching 4 million women and in 20,000 churches. Be Still Ministries has hosted over 200 widows for the their curated retreats over the last three years and received a grant from the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2020 to expand the ministry for military and first responder widows. Although Rachel stays busy telling the story of Be Still Ministries and Never Alone Widow Retreats, she still would say her greatest role is that of wife and mother.
- Connect with Rachel here - @rachelfaulknerbrown
Be Still Minsitries:
- We believe that all women should FULLY embrace their freedom as lavishly loved daughters who release the kingdom on earth as it is in HEAVEN.
- Freedom begins at the finished work of Jesus Christ.
- It's not about how good we are but how about how good our God is.
- An adventurously expectant life is the inheritance of every daughter of God.
- There is more of God to experience and discover in every woman’s life.
- Website - https://bestillministries.net/
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bestillministries/
Be Still Ministries is a community of women who are in pursuit of radical freedom + transformation for every daughter of God.
This week wraps up the 3 week series of re-airing some of Chelsey's favorite episodes over the last two years. Today we close out this series with an episode full of Godly wisdom on how to handle disagreements in a Godly way with Angela Donadio. Angela brings such great perspective and the Word of God to this very timely topic!
1) Tell us about the wonderful you!
My husband, Dale and I pastor a church an hour south of Washington DC - in Fredericksburg VA. I serve as a pastor on staff with a focus on women and leadership. We have 2 young adults - Gabrielle, who just graduated from JMU with a musical theatre degree, and is home for a little bit performing regionally, and a son, Christian, who is attending college at VOUS University in Miami - an extension of Southeastern U.
So we're in a new season in our family - and there's never a dull moment. And of course, our favorite member of the family, our Shih Tzu, Chewie - short for Chewbacca. :)
My degree was Music Education and I served as a Worship Pastor for 20 years and have 3 CD's with original songs and arrangements before I started writing Bible Study resources for women. I'm still active musically in my local community theatre as a Music Director and pianist. That's a fun, creative outlet for me.
2) I felt so compelled to reach out to you when you posted about the topic of disagreements. In our time of history it’s SO hard to disagree without walking away with someone feeling “bullied or belittled” “misheard or judged”. When you’re in a conversation that’s heading this way what do in this situation? Do you address how it’s feeling or do you redirect?
I completely agree with you. Unfortunately, society has shifted from dialogue to debate, and we can't simultaneously listen empathetically and try to win an argument. Conflict is inevitable, but learning to handle conflict in a godly, respectful way is so important. I don't always nail this, I confess! We don't have to agree with someone to honor them. A mentor once encouraged me to filter disagreements through this lens: "Am I trying to do right or be right?" If the disagreement is with someone close to you - family, or close friend, allowing for things to settle down and revisiting it after emotions have calmed down can help. Listening for - and validating - the other person's feelings is critical - even if you don't agree. Validation doesn't mean agreement. It simply means you understand where that person is coming from. Until someone feels "heard" or "understood" it's hard to move on past that place. But if the disagreement is with someone you barely know, for example social media, or you realize you're not going to get on the same page. It's best to let it go.
A conflict at work can sometimes be a bit trickier and needs other resolution approaches.
3) We can’t control what people do or don’t do. Stand for or don’t stand for. I spoke about holy boldness on my podcast 2 months ago, God’s Boldness is much more gentle than our fleshly boldness. How have you navigated this with ones close to you?
I love that truth - think of how God handles us. We can be grateful He is gentler with us than we are sometimes! We can't control other people's reactions; we can only control our responses. We waste a lot of emotional reserves and energy focusing on trying to control where we disagree. Ultimately, I'm not the Holy Spirit and I can't convict anyone of sin or help lead someone to heart change. Only He can do that. I can love people where they are and point people to Jesus. I'm still learning to adapt to having young adult children, and the 4 of us are now adults with strong opinions. Sometimes we disagree and some topics just aren't wise for us to discuss. But relational conflict needs open and honest communication and respect for the other person's viewpoint.
4) Your statement, “No one has power over you unless you give it to them”. Do you have any biblical encouragement for girls like me who struggle with this!
I can really credit Eleanor Rosevelt for this statement - she said it this way, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." But it is challenging! I think immediately of Esther in the Bible. Once she learned that Haman, high up in the King's command, planned the genocide of her entire people, she had to sit on that information until the right moment to act. She gave us a template:
Stop and pray.
Enlist a couple people you trust to pray with you (they don't even have to know the details.)
Wait for God's timing.
Speak the truth in love - more concerned with the good of others than your own feelings.
A friend once said to me - If you have to talk with someone about an offense or a disagreement, it should hurt you as much to say it as it will for them to hear it. If we haven't prayed through our emotions and listened for God's voice on how to respond until we can honestly say we're at this place, we're not ready yet.
5) Love is fuel. Can you elaborate on this and why we’ve got be better at being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Anger is fuel but so is love. We have to choose which we're going to be fueled by. One repels and estranges us from others, and one endears us to others. One of the titles of Jesus I'm most intrigued by is those who called Him a "friend of sinners." Somehow he navigated speaking truth but in love - so people were drawn to Him and drawn to a new way of living. Scripture says that the Kindness of God leads to repentance. When our actions and words are fueled by genuine love for others - which can only come after we've spent time with Jesus privately, then others will be drawn to Jesus. In my upcoming Bible study I put it this way: "We'll be the best version of ourselves in public when we've spent time with Jesus in private." If I haven't gotten His heart I can't show His heart to others.
6) Living With Less Question - the podcast is all about Living With Less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they should start living with less of in regards to this what would you tell them and why?
Live with less unmet expectations. The root of a lot of conflict is unmet expectations. This leads us to disappointment and resentment. It doesn't mean we shouldn't have realistic expectations of ourselves or others. It means we need to constantly release any unmet expectations to Jesus, because ultimately, only He is able to fully meet the expectations of our heart.
If we're feeling stuck, we can get unstuck by talking our emotions through with the other person, if that's the right solution, or settling our sideways emotions in Jesus' presence. Bring as few people into the drama of a situation as possible. It makes it much harder to resolve and adds unnecessary dynamics of conflict.
Also, living with less insecurity. Insecurity feeds a lot of conflict. When we ground our worth in the Word we aren't as prey to the dangers of insecurity. Insecurity drives us toward competition with others rather than celebrating others. If we look for ways to bring peace into a situation and elevate others rather than win an argument, we'll live stronger, healthier, happier lives.
7) Favorite bible verse and why
So many! 1 John 3:1 - See what great love the Father has lavished on us - that we should be called children of God." When we live loved, we can love others.
8) Share with us your new bible study coming out!
Fearless, Ordinary Women of the Bible who Dared to do Extraordinary Things - launches October 1st! They can pre-order today at angeladonadio.com and purchase at their favorite retailer on October 1st! 6-session Bible study designed to help us find our fearless as we discover what happens when uncommon faith has an unexpected encounter with an extraordinary God. Whether you're longing to realize your purpose, fighting for a God-given cause, or kicking fear to the curb, these women of the Bible will help us stop the cycle of comparison and overcome the barriers to fearless living.
This week's episode is one my heart needed and I pray it meets you in a tender way too. Let's Talk Friendship is exactly what Alysha Miller came on the show to do, talk all things friendship! 1) Why we need it. 2) How it's a call from The Lord. 3) How to stick it out when things get hard.
I don't know about you but recently my heart has felt weary so I pray you to find yourself listening to this episode feeling like you're one of our friends sitting at the table with us.
1) Tell us about you!
Alysha Miller lives in Southern California where she serves her local church in the 5-6th grade ministry and also is a full-time wedding photographer.
Being around a lot of couples stepping into marriage, in 2015, she felt the Lord move her heart to compassion for marriage as a whole and for those who were stepping into marriage without fully realizing what they were stepping into. She wanted to use the gift of photography the Lord had given her to shine a light on what marriage is, who defines it and answer questions from a biblical perspective pertaining to it. Who better than to ask then married couples who have traversed this path? Learn how ironically God would use a single girl to set out on a journey to get to the heart of His heart for marriage.
The project is a photography project turned podcast in hopes that interviewing couples with Christ at the center of their marriage can answer some of the harder questions yet ultimately, the objective has always been to glorify Christ through marriage as it points to our relationship with Him, Christ, and His church.
And help us realize, He is our first love. Nothing will satisfy us, apart from Him. No relationship, no person, no marriage was ever intended to take the place of Him in our hearts.
2) I’ve been so excited to sit down with you and talk all things friendship. Not only because of the one God has gifted in us but because of the way God has grown your faith through the strong friendships he’s given you. How have you seen The Lord use the strong biblically-centered friendships you have to keep you focused on Him?
It would have been much easier to miss on Sunday or not stay committed to things had it not been for the girl's God has placed in my life. It’s accountability but it’s more than accountability. It’s love. I want to show up, I want to see my friends! Church on Sundays is a place that has been built into a habit and I get to see my friends.
Love what Pastor Ed shared on Sunday, the LOVE of Christ that fills us. 1 John 4 — it’s His love, real love, for one another and when we have this in common and come together and hear what He’s doing in each other’s life, supporting each other in prayer, caring for the other, we’re showing His love for us to each other.
Prayer support is HUGE. They have carried out the ministry things I’ve done bc they’ve prayed over future plans with me, and have listened to my heart and dreams and listened intently. carry one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
It’s not one-sided, I do the same. One of my best friends, how we met, heart to heart across a couch and went on a prayer walk a few hours after meeting. The deepest friendships are formed there.
There’s just been heart to hearts and safe places to land my heart when it’s needed a place to confess, work through heart things.
Listening and being trustworthy, being someone friends can trust and come to with things they need to talk about. Good listeners, but it takes one to be one. Learning the art of listening, with your heart. That was a season God took me through, no always waiting to talk but just listening to understand. I didn’t always need to get a word in.
Cell phones face down on the table don’t count. Heart to heart, over a table, no phone out. Also, no gossiping or slandering. That’s a hard one! I slip so much when it comes to speech and those are usually the more convicting verses for me reading about the power of the tongue,
James 4:11 “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.”
There are at least 32 verses about gossip according to Google and 27 pertaining to the tongue and maybe there’s an overlap on some, but that’s a lot!
My call as a friend is to be encouraging, building my friends up with my words and pointing THEM back to HIM and pray for them. They don’t need my opinion about other people. I need to repent of that when I mess up, (repenting pretty much daily) and ask the Lord to cleanse me from the hidden sins lurking in my heart and to keep me from the deliberate sins lurking there. Psalm 19:12-14
The hidden sin is the word or impulsive blurb about somebody that comes out of my heart, the deliberate sin is knowing I don’t need to say that, chewing on it and saying it anyway. I’ve been working with the Lord on this one, thinking ahead. Where will the conversation turn if I say this? Then probably don’t need to say it.
3) Biblically speaking friendship is a call, we’re called to be in relationship with other believers. What would you say to someone who gets caught up "taking back their yes?”
I used to be that girl. I would flake, I would make commitments than decide to cancel last minute. And hey, I probably still do that every now and then. BUT in Christ, He has given me a different perspective. TO be a good friend is to show up, even when I last minute feel tired or want to be an introvert.
A loving Creator designed us to exist in a relationship with Him, with each other and with the rest of creation. Friendship is a good thing, a God thing.
Romans 12:10 Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. This is GOD’S HEART.
I have learned and am still learning how to use my yes’ more thoughtfully, not just gleefully excitedly saying YES to every invite and asserting my no’s when I’m being pulled a lot of different ways or no even when I want to say yes because it’s the responsible thing or I know the yes isn’t the thing God wants for me.
Then I feel more purposeful in fulfilling the “yes’” and knowing there are blessings on the other side of that yes when the day comes around to meet up with said friends and maybe my feelings are telling me to stay home because it’d be more convenient for me. Whenever I’ve followed through on my yes (and I pretty much will now with any YES unless I’m really sick or there’s rain or something out of my control happening) I am always SO glad I followed through because I would have missed out on SO much with that friend. And it’s two-sided, I am filled up and so is she!
The devil is in those lying feelings to stay home, he wants to RIP US OFF of anything productive, fun, fruitful, enjoyable, edifying, good for us that’s going to build up the Body.
4) Personally speaking, I know it can be really hard to put myself out there ESPECIALLY with women my age. How have you learned to do this?
It started with bible study. That’s where most of my friendships in the Lord have blossomed out of. I’m blessed to be a part of a women’s bible study that is multi-generational, so we get to hear wisdom from someone more seasoned in life yet also been paired with women my age. Our church is pretty intentional about that. So within the safe parameters of studying the Word of God together and a group setting, we’ve gotten to know each other through speaking about life’s situations but with prayer and the Word of God around it. Then it’s branched off from there and we already know some things about each other.
The branching out part though might take some going out of our comfort zones. Being the one to text and invite to coffee or lunch, and I think being the first to share things about me invites this person to share more about herself. It can be an awkward thing if you make it that, but it also doesn’t have to be.
But having the Lord in common makes girls I’ve literally just met feel like sisters, we have this immediate bond and it’s awesome!
5) Hardship in deep friendship is inevitable. Knowing your part of your story can you share the difference between allowing the Holy Spirit to work verses hashing it out in the flesh.
Yes! Sharing the iron sharpening iron thing, living together, and having an honest conversation about where we were disagreeing, how we hurt each other alone felt like we had done it in our strength because I walked away shaking and with nothing resolved. We went in around and round circles and were just not understanding each other.
But we even talked about going our separate ways if it just couldn’t get better because we couldn’t keep living this way and we realized if that happened though it be like a divorce, other friends had connected through the two of us, and we didn’t make other friends have to choose between us the rest of their lives. But God!
I Didn’t text her going to church that Sunday, she came and sat next to me and the message was on the power of forgiveness and we just hugged after and it was gone. Without any words yet a Mediator and He just took it.
We later realized what held us for that year and a half of bitterness and hurt feelings for each other had felt like a prison sentence….and I kid you not this is literally what I had said a couple years prior. I had just got done reading a book called Captive in Iran (such a good book!) and the testimonies of these two women in jail together had me saying, “What if we went to jail for our faith together?” And we said, dang we felt like we had.
Mark and Paul (sent Mark away but then called Barnabas to bring Mark back to him as he was helpful in ministry 2 Tim 4:11
6) Living in a world of instant gratification it can feel hard to navigate “lasting” friendships. They seem uncommon and honestly, counter-cultural. What would you say to the person desiring deep relationships in our current fast pace, on the go, busy world?
Pray about it! My mom told that. You can pray for a friend in the Lord! God will be happy to answer that. He’s answered it a hundredfold and in one on one’s, discussing the Word of God, praying together like I said and just being intentional in investing and listening and being genuinely interested in your friend’s life!
Also, because we live in a fast-paced, busy world, there needs to be much grace… I need to be less and less offendable. If a friend doesn’t get right back to me through text, grace. If you see her with another friend on Instagram and you feel left out grace.
Don’t just exit the friendship and start over. Next time, just say OH ID LOVE TO JOIN YOU GIRLS NEXT TIME if that’s something you really would want.
7) The living with less podcast birthed from John 3:30 is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this, what would you tell them and why?
I’d say, less of isolation, more community. Do the thing you’re flesh is telling you not to do. Go to the Friday night study, sign up for the women’s bible study, say yes to the book club even if it’s not your favorite book, drive 30 mins out of your way to meet up to study alongside her.
Less shutting down, more opening up. Be willing to share and be real with that friend.
Fewer friends who only like things you like, more sisters in Christ who may challenge you to do things you’d never do before.
Like run or indoor rock climb, go out on a limb and think less of self and more of others!
8) Can you share a small snippet of what The Marriage Project podcast is all about?
Yes! The Marriage Project is an extension of my wedding photography business and an extension of God’s heart for marriage. He’s led me to create a platform for Christian married couples to share their testimonies and to glorify Christ through the messier, harder parts of their stories and hopefully, in doing so, others can learn more about marriage, what it is, what God’s heart is for it and understand the weight of the calling marriage is. Hoping it can equip many!
That is scraping the surface, you can read more at www.themarriageproject.co or on Instagram @themarriageprojectco.
1) Tell us about you! (Family, work, ministry, church, etc)
- I come from a large family in Oklahoma, married to husband Danny and live in OC - love our life group, community, church RHMV, and walks to the beach where our story started.
- part time for AKB as the Trauma Trainer and Director of Organizational Health
- part time in private practice in Newport Beach serving children and families through counseling
2) Can you share about the mission of AKB?
- Activate Government, Business and Faith leaders to end the crisis for kids in foster care.
3) When did you feel called to start serving in this space and how did that feel when you first began?
- I had a heart for children for forever & the fatherless since about 10 years old
- Family’s foster/adopt journey + family mission trips seeing hurting people led me to study social work
- Masters program - clearly interested in working in foster/adopt world
- Felt difficult, beautiful, energizing, sad, overwhelming, and yet “right” for me
4) Something that I found really incredible about America’s Kid’s Belong is how it talks about the collective impact. I love that the Church is included in this. Can you share how the church can help make a lasting impact in regards to this organization?
- That is something I am pretty passionate about too!
- Church/Bride of Christ is the only thing that will last, most sustainable
- Only body of people with biblical mandate to care for & bring justice for & uphold the rights of the orphan/widow (James 1:27 & Psalm 82:3)
- Churches/Faith communities are everywhere- Over 300,000 churches in US- widespread
- Faith communities built for caring for people, supporting family, advocating for wholeness
- RESEARCH: Identify families in your church who are (or have) already fostering. Listen to them. Organize and recognize them as a key ministry team in the church.
- RETAIN: Support them with a “Wrap Around Ministry”
- RECRUIT: Host a “Belong” Sunday and a “Next Steps Event” to recruit new families.
- provide space (video shoots, visitations, meetings, child welfare events)
- host trainings (trauma, WRAP around, child welfare trainings, documentary showings like Resilience Film or REMOVED films)
- start foster care related ministry
- educate self & surrounding community on felt needs
- care for & love on local child welfare workers
- wrap around foster/adopt families
- provide parents night out
- teach/preach on current foster care related issues & needs
5) Can you share a little bit about the in’s and out’s of adoption here in America? What is the timeline, what ages have the hardest time with placements, and what does the need look like?
- U.S.Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau -- AdoptionandFosterCareAnalysisandReportingSystem
- https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport26.pdf
- 125,422 kids WAITING TO BE ADOPTED (legally free)
- 262,956 kids ENTERED FOSTER CARE
- 437,283 kids IN FOSTER CARE
- 61,901 kids ADOPTED through foster care in 2019 report (25%)
- Home Study approval process anywhere from 3 - 6 months
- Age 12+ high risk for aging out
6) “It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. – Frederick Douglass This quote nearly took my breath away. Is there a story that stands out in your memory of a time The Lord placed a child with a family and a miracle happened within their heart?
- Educate about and advocate for ALL three responses
- Upstream: Provide care for at risk families before child welfare is involved
- In the stream: Provide care for kids in care & foster families
- Downstream: Provide care for aged out youth
- We get to hear of teenagers and young adults in their 20’s being adopted
- Go upstream and catch them before 10 social wounds
- People need People! Stuff without people/relationships is a bandaid.
- First few months of placement honeymoon, then grief/loss hit, then slow adjustment and steps toward healing
7) For someone listening that what’s to get involved with your organization, what can they do to help? Whether financially, prayerfully, or if they are interested in adoption?
- Pray
- Follow social media to stay up to date
- Wrap around families
- Learn/educate watch videos
- GIVE!!
8) The Living With Less Podcast was birthed from John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease.” If someone approached you and asked what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this what would you tell them and why?
- What are you carrying that you don’t need to carry anymore?
- Our unresolved pain, loss, & shame prevents us from fully experiencing all that He is and desires for us in relationship with Him
- For Him to increase in our lives, our barriers to him must decrease
- Resolve those things through healthy community, counseling, support groups, reconciliation, and inviting Him to heal wounds.
- Connects to caring for those in pain - How can we lead the hurting to a place of healing if we have never been there ourselves?
- You can’t give a child what you have never received
This week Chelsey sits down with Kelly Balarie to talk about resting with the Lord. Truly resting with Him - in His Word, through His directing, and living in surrender with Him.
I’ve been so eager to have this conversation for a few reasons. 1st being I know this will be a blessing to each person that listens - this message is one that so perfectly fits with what The Lord has laid on my heart. 2nd this book met me in the midst of a few weeks where I felt like I was drowning in “un-rest”. So first I wanted to start by diving into talking about the first chapter of this book - “the endless pursuit of more”. One of my favorite parts was the Counting of Counterfeits. Can you share about these “counterfeits” of more that seemingly creep in and begin fighting for the throne of our hearts that belongs only to The Lord.
- What takes your eyes off of the Lord?
- What takes your attention of what the Lord is doing in your life?
1 John 2:16, "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” This is huge in culture today, we live in the most self seeking, self preserving, self centered generations. What would you say to the women who are getting sucked into these messages of, “me, me, me..and all the world offers.”?
- Keep your eyes on Jesus and the simplicity of His message!
- Be obedient to His call over our lives as His followers.
Where can listeners get your book and connect with you!
- Website - https://purposefulfaith.com
- Instagram - @kellybalarie
- Twitter - @kellybalarie
- Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/purposefulfaith
This week Chelsey digs into 1 Corinthians 3:4-9. Paul writes this letter to the church of Corinth to point them back to the heart of God that in Him is where all growth comes from and we as His followers are His servants. We cannot have divisions in the church based off an allegiance to man, when the only One on the thrones of our life should be Jesus Christ.
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1 Corinthians 3:4-9 - 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.
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1 Peter 5:2-3 - 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
This week Chelsey dives into submitting our desires and preferences before the Lord, seeking His heart through the study of His Word, and having constant reminders around that point us back to Him.
Women In The Word:
- We have to approach God's Word seeking His heart and not through the lens of what we prefer.
- We have to have dialogue with other believers that will challenge us to seek His Word, we can't just agree with what everyone says God's Word says and claim we know it to be true.
- God's Word will never contradict itself.
Stories in scripture where we see the slippery slope of leading with what we prefer and the detriments of giving into the desires of our flesh:
- 2 Timothy 3:2-7
- 2 Samuel 11 & 12
- Numbers 15:32
We Need Reminders:
- Numbers 37-40 - We need reminders and things/people to hold us accountable to what God desires for us!
- He told the Israelites to make blue tassel cords as reminders of God's commands, to keep them, and to not follow their own heart + eyes.
- Our flesh's preferences and emotions do not have authority over us.
- We can't allow our flesh's preferences and emotions to deluded the work of Christ on the cross.
- Get your freebie blue tassel reminder book mark/printable here!
Provoked to Proclaim: Spotting False Teachers, Keeping Honor in Women's Bible Study, & Knowing God Rightly with Marcie Morris. Episode 114 is packed with much needed truth to equip us as we walk with the Lord and keep Him and His Word as the center of our lives.
False Teachers: 2 Peter 2:1-2
- But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 2 Peter 2:1-2
- False teachers bank on unsteady souls and biblical illiteracy, they bank on you not reading your Bible.
- If you think your pastor has fallen into this or you have questions take them to Him in love and respect. Take God's Word and ask him to clarify what he meant and to point out in scripture where he drew his conclusion from.
- A good, faithful, honest pastor will tell his people and want his people to go to Scripture and hold him accountable to it!
The Difference Between False Teacher and Heretic:
- False teachers believe in core doctrine.
- Heritics deny core doctrine.
- A false teacher does not always mean a heretic.
- A Heretic will always be a false teacher.
Scripture Reference to Mark and Avoid:
- Romans 16:17 - I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
- Titus 3:10 - As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him..
- 2 John 10 - If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting..
Women's Bible Study
- If you are leading a women's ministry, be FAITHFUL to scripture, don't bank of the felt need of the women.
- Study God's Word and use a solid commentary. Go verse by verse.
- Edmund Clowney book - The Unfolding Mystery: Discovering Christ in the Old Testament
- We must KNOW God in order to worship Him rightly.
Connect with Marcie:
IG: @provokedtoproclaim
Twitter: @provoked2proclm
This is one of Chelsey's favorite episodes ever recorded. She walks through Exodus and points out the call over our lives as followers of Christ to have hearts full of reverence for God, to desire accountability for ourselves and others, and that we are promised a distinction between God's people and those of this world.
Exodus 35-40
- goes through the construction of tabernacle, making the ark of the covenant, , making the alter, making priests garments. These chapters show us that God desires for us to keep sacred what He has called sacred.
- We need to approach God's HOLY PLACE knowing that it is a HOLY PLACE.
- The alter is not a place for a show or a place to glamorize to make it look attractive to the world. It is a place dedicated to God the Father.
Exodus 12:24-27 - The Passover
- We must uphold the call that the Lord gave the Israelites to SHARE what God has done.
- We need to share scripture and TELL of ALL His wonderful works.
- Psalm 9:1-2
Exodus 15 - Moses' Song of Praise
- We should desire to write down the details of our lives that the Lord has orchestrated.
- We should always seek God with a heart of PRAISE!
Exodus 21-23 - Accountability
- We see in Ch. 22:1-4 that ALL are held accountable no matter who they are or what they came from.
- We need to stop withholding consequences and start to allow people to see the detriments of their sin, because in this place - they see the cost, redemption, and heart of the Father at work.
- Holding people accountable is NOT withholding grace.
Exodus 32:26, Exodus 10:21-23, Matthew 10:34-39 - Distinction
- Exodus 32 - the call to those who were on the Lord's side.
- Exodus 10 - the LIGHT over ONLY the Israelites (God's people) when darkness was over the Egyptians for 3 days.
- Matthew 10 - There will be a separation between people who choose a life for Christ or a life that loves the world
This week Chelsey sat down with Alisha Illian to dive into a deep conversation of living surrendered to the Lord and pursuing Christ's heart in a world that desires to distract us with living for ourselves.
Alisha is a wife, mom, founder of Women (re)Purposed, author of Chasing Perfect: Peace and Purpose in the Exhausting Pursuit of Something Better, and she loves equipping women with biblical truth and hope for their day-to-day struggles.
1) Tell us a little about you!
- Two years ago I moved from Dallas, TX back to my hometown of Wichita, Kanas with my husband of 14 years and our three, high-octane kids who are 8,10, and 12. We are the in the golden years — the are old enough to rides their own bikes on family bike rides, but no hormonal rollercoaster rides yet. My kids are big into sports and extracurricular activities. Even when we just do one sport per child....it gets busy fast. MOST CHALLENGING PART of ministry and family life. NOT BALANCE, BUT JUGGLING.
- I’ve been in women’s ministry both at home and in the local church for the past 20 years. Currently the founder and director for Women rePurposed, a ministry that God planted in my heart a couple of years ago and is just now launching with a full team this summer.
- WRP MISSION: Encouraging and Equipping Women to Love God, Learn Truth, and Live Transformed
2) I am really excited to dive into this conversation today - I’d love to start with this. Your book is titled, “Chasing Perfect”. Can you give a quick run down of the book and then share where this message came from in your own life. What changed/shifted/conviction did you feel on your heart from the Lord?
- Chasing Perfect: Peace and Purpose in the Exhausting Pursuit of Something Better. Authors often write books, not because they have it all figured out or have perfectly overcome a struggle, but they have learned to STRUGGLE WELL.
- Not all women would probably consider themselves “perfectionists”, wanting all dishes put away, beds made and counters immaculate. I certainly don’t! But many of us are constantly seeking the next best thing or reaching for something better in order to feel content.
- We are chasing after so many things — satisfaction in our jobs, happiness in our homes, a great tribe of friends, and a beautiful body. THE PERFECT PLAN, CONTROL, IDENTITY.
- I honestly believe that the most socially acceptable idols of our day IS ACHIEVEMENT — the continual desire to be great or better. I would add...to be in control. The pandemic and state of our world right now has made that painfully clear. We are looking for an answer. So we strive to be better, do better, find better, live better in an attempt to manage, tidy, and control the outcomes of our lives.
- BUT GOD ISN’T ASKING US FOR TIDY LIVES, BUT TRANSFORMED LIVES. HE CALLS US TO PERFECTION, BUT NOT THE PERFECTION THAT WE CAN ATTAIN, BUT THE PERFECTION THAT HE PROVIDES.
- “Be perfect as I am perfect.” Matthew 5:48
- The NT Greek idea of “perfect” here ‘TE-LE-AS’ is less about doing everything just right AND WITHOUT FLAW as the English word describes it and more about living into your purpose and identity we were designed and called to ... “being brought to it’s end, complete and mature”
- NOT A COMMAND TO ETHICAL EQUALITY WITH GOD, BUT THE COMMAND TO IMITATE AND REFLECT GOD. WHICH IS WHY JAMES 1:2-4 IS SO POWERFUL WHEN IT SAYS TO “COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YOU MEET TRIALS OF VARIOUS KINDS, FOR YOU KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES STEADFASTNESS. AND LET STEADFASTNESS HAVE ITS FULL EFFECT THAT YOU MAY BE “PERFECT” AND COMPLETE, LACKING IN NOTHING.”
- We are called to aim for increasing holiness and sanctification. He wants us to grow. But through Him and for him and in him. We aren’t chasing perfection in ourselves or for ourselves.
- “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” Hebrews 12:1-3
- The more I studied the scripture on this idea of “perfection” and contentment, the more I realized that the desire is not wrong. But, In fact, it may be intentional, part of how God created us.
- The problem is that, in my life, I often had and still often do, chase the wrong things.
- We were made to chase Jesus.
3) The idol of self has blazed a trail in our world and taken the Lord off of the throne of our hearts. Where do you see this being most destructive and where in scripture would you take someone as they are trying to move away from this way of living?
- It saddens me that so many books, and supposedly Christian authors anchor their messages on self-determination and personal fulfillment. That true hope and purpose is found in “fulfilling your potential”. They may have large followings, but they fail to tell you WHO you should really follow and that the meaningful life is not found in self-empowerment, but the surrender of self to God’s power and provision.
- Rachel Hollis - was on New York Times best seller list 46 weeks, sold over 3 million copies, 1.6 million followers. Her books are flying off the shelf and women are listening and admire her. Says a lot about our culture.
- HUSTLE CULTURE trend - started when a very popular book was released “Girl, wash your face.” This book was released by a Christian publisher, but is more of a motivational and self-help book with a little Jesus sprinkled in. But the idea of the message and this authors message is that YOU CONTROL YOUR OWN HAPPINESS AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS LIVING INTO YOUR BEST SELF POSSIBLE. YOU CONTROL YOUR HAPPINESS AND DESTINY.
- THE MANTRA ... LIVE INTO YOUR POTENTIAL. SO, you need to constantly chase your “ideal self”. You can take active steps to be happy and fulfilled. Definitely a self- help type message. You are in control of your fulfillment in life. Although some of these things can be helpful, we can’t expect to find soul peace and purpose outside of God. According to this author — “lost” means living into other people’s expectations of yourself and not your own. Ultimate happiness is living into your own potential!! (How you look, how much money you have, how you feel about yourself) the posture is rooted in the here and now! Almost a “chasing of your ideal self” that is her idea of heaven. The mantra is ... “Just try harder!”You are your own Savior!
- It seems like culture (and even Christian subculture) is really BUYING INTO THIS IDEA OF THE “GOSPEL OF SELF” — it’s everywhere
- ITS HONESTLY EXHAUSTING TO BE FORCED TO BELIEVE THAT I AM ENOUGH AND THAT MY HAPPINESS IS DEPENDENT ON ME. DEEP DOWN INSIDE I KNOW I’M NOT ENOUGH.
- And the Bible says I’m not enough. - In Romans it says that I am a sinner. In Eph 2 it says that I am dead in my sins. In Is 64:6 it says that my good works are like filthy rags. We have to get the diagnosis right before we can accept the cure. If we think we are good and able and capable, we will never accept God’s remedy. The endless chase for hope and purpose will go no where and in the wrong direction.
- Self is not the answer. It’s the problem.
- The Gospel is the answer, the good news. Jesus perfection for me. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 For. 5:21
- I needed reminded that the GOSPEL changes everything. In my struggles, insecurities, anxieties ... I need to settle my mind and heart in the hope of the gospel. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
- The “yoke” was a visual of the harness that was used for sen to get them to pull a cart or farming equipment. One yoke for two oxen. The yoke of Jesus was his teaching ... the gospel. The Jews of Jesus day were living under the heavy weight of the law, trying to earn favor with God through adherence to over 600 laws and many extra laws that were merely tradition. This was exhausting. Jesus way was light because it wasn’t dependent on their efforts that were futile, but on his sufficiency. Anytime we look inward to find hope and peace, we pick up our heavy yoke.
- It’s so easy to start feeling frazzled and discontent when the source of our hope comes from ourselves...how we measure up, how we perform, how we compare. It’s exhausting. We will never be ENOUGH. We are the problem, so we can’t also be the solution. We know we aren’t enough, so when the world or even the Christian sub-culture tells us that we are, we get disheartened.
- But Jesus is enough, his perfection is enough. He is our hope...not the number on the scale, your spouses mood, your ability to accomplish or impress. Sure, we are called to put forth effort in life, steward our bodies, gifts, and passions, but the point is .... Our acceptance and identity can’t be dependent on those things. We work from a place of acceptance, not for a place of acceptance. That is life-giving and liberating.
- And let’s not forget that the gospel message transforms or should transformed every aspect of our lives. Because of the grace of God, we can forgive others, live in the freedom that we are found worthy on the merit of Jesus, not our performance. We can extend grace to others in the same way. Because of Jesus, we don’t need to find our significance in our significant other, our waist line or even our ability to handle every situation perfectly. The gospel gives us hope outside of ourselves or our uncertain circumcstances, so when we walk in obedience, aiming to live into the “teleas” or perfect completion, we are not fighting for hope and peace, we are living in and from his provision and purpose.
4) Self-help doesn’t work, the blood of Christ is what saves. You have the quote that went wild on the internet, "You can eat all the kale, buy all the things, lift all the weights, take all the trips, trash all that doesn't spark joy, wash your face and hustle like mad, but if you don't rest your soul in Jesus, you'll never find peace and purpose.” I’ve seen so many women caught in the trap of “self-help” culture. How would you steward someone away from this lie and to the truth of God’s Word?
- THE IRONY IS THAT THE SELF-HELP GOSPEL ISN’T HELPING OURSELF— ...We think we are STRIVING FOR ACHIEVEMENT, POWER, OR POPULARITY. What WE ARE really AFTER is JOY, PEACE, PURPOSE, SATISFACTION, LOVE, CONTROL .... JESUS!
- We don’t need transformed out of our idols of success, being better, having more, comfort, control, etc. .... We needed transformed out of our DISBELIEF AND DISTRUST.
- Ultimately, WE don’t believe he is enough. We don’t trust him. The kingdom of God says ... Surrender self ... not this idea of promotion of self or focus on self. Surrender is required for soul peace.
- NLT “If you cling to your life, you will lose it. If you give up your life for me, you will find it.” Matt 10:39
- To bear fruit (the fruit of what we are all after — joy, peace, purpose, etc) we must “die” to ourself. John 12:24 (unless the kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains only a single seed ... it won’t produce abundant life)
- The worship of God, the centrality of God in our lives, not self, is the life-giving well that will bear much fruit.
- THE GREATEST SELF-CARE IS SOUL CARE. THE GREATEST WAY TO LOVE YOURSELF (OR HELP YOURSELF) IS TO LOSE YOURSELF.
5) Submission to God’s will is difficult for all of us at some point. What has this looked like for you - where in your life did you see surrender to the Lord needed to happen most?
- I’ve always struggled with wanting to control the outcomes. Jesus said to cast my cares on him. I liked that idea, as long as I didn’t cast them so far that I couldn’t manage them.
- HE KNEW I HAD A CONTROL PROBLEM. Knowing that, he allowed me to experience and struggle through a condition that would affect the part of the nervous system that we have no control over and with no real clear control over or answer to what it would turn into or how to manage it. I now have temperature control issues, twitching muscles, heart rate/BP. My hands shake ... but my heart no longer does.
- “If dependence is the goal, weakness is the advantage.”
- But anything that makes us lean on him and turn to his word for truth, security, and hope is a blessing.
- C.S. Lewis said this ... “Pain makes us put away our toys”
- In our struggles we tend to turn away from ourselves, our insufficiency, our entertainment and turn toward the ETERNAL, the sufficient. We cling to the steady and immovable.
- It was this season that I realized I was chasing my own sufficiency and control over Jesus for happiness. My joy was dependent on circumstances, not his presence.
- But ... every day is A daily decision to trust God. SOMETIMES HIS DELIVERANCE ISN’T TO TAKE US OUT OR REMOVE US FROM THE DIFFICULTY. HIS DELIVERANCE IS HIS PRESENCE.
6) This makes me want to address the beloved verse Jer 29:11, many in the world even love this. Though many disregard that this is a call to submission, not a promise to have what we want, when we want it, with no pain in life. I’d love to heart from you, how have you seen God draw you in through the “plans and provisions” He’s had for you that were NEVER what you thought it would look like?
- The 3 most important aspects of good Bible study is ....CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT. We have to read scripture in light of the immediate context of what is happening and the big story of scripture if we want to properly interpret. This particular verse is frequently plucked out of context to convey this idea that God will only give us a pleasant and prosperous life....according to world standards. That feels nice. It seems so uplifting. But God was actually giving a promise to his people ISRAEL (who were going to be exiled to Babylon and have their nation and temple destroyed). It was a specific promise that they would return to the land in 70 years. See verse 10. This was a re-assurance that God would not forsake them.
- So the primary application is not for us today. BUT we can apply it as a general principle of God’s consistent character, his grace and affection for those he loves, including us...his daughters! For us, in Christ, he has promised that our sins are forgiven, we stand before God justified (Jesus perfection as ours), and will work all things together for our good ... even the trials and difficulties of life. (Romans 5:5, Romans 8:31-39).
- So, as I walk this out ... I’m daily deciding to trust him. It’s easy to trust him with my soul, it’s harder to trust him with my life. With my chronic neurological condition, with my marriage, my family, my ministry. Sometimes God is quiet.
- He asks me to trust him in the middle moments, when I do the things that don’t get immediately recognized or appreciated. He wants me to walk in step with the spirit, yielding to him instead of controlling and micromanaging every aspect of my day or planning out every step. I’m learning that often his plan isn’t this specific “thing”, but his will is daily dependence and surrender.
- Will I turn to the world’s answer and solution or trust God and his plan, even if it means that the answer may not come or the promise for good may not be realized until I see him face to face and the world is renewed and restored?
7) I ask all my guest this -T he Living With Less Podcast was birthed from John 3:30, “He must increase, I must decrease.” If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of what would you tell them and why?
- First, can I just say that that is my favorite verse in the Bible. It’s actually my life verse. My pastor preached on John 3 last week and talked about JTB. John said these final worlds as a response to his disciples who were frustrated at the greater success of Jesus disciples. What humility to realize that it wasn’t about him! His efforts were always just a response and desire to make much of Jesus. I read the book, “The Voice of Prophet” by A.W. Tozer last month and he talks about how God will use the man (or woman) with whom his glory is most safe.
- This was a mic drop moment for me as I considered how so often I don’t think God’s glory is safe with me. I want the glory. I want applause. I care about what people think, if they like me and approve.
- I want to live with less of me — concern for acceptance, approval and applause. I want to live for the praise and love of Jesus. I want him to lifted, glorified and increased.
- And here’s the crazy thing, the more I live for him, surrender to his will, and willing to lose my life ... the more hope, joy, purpose and freedom I will find.
- We were never meant to chase perfection, but chase the Perfect one. In him alone and for his glory alone will we find what we are looking for and rest for our souls.
Connect with Alisha:
- www.womenrepurposed.com
- Order Chasing Perfect HERE!
- @womenrepurposed - Instagram
- @alishaillian - Instagram
This week Chelsey sits down with Lacey Rabalais from the Homegrown Theologian to talk about The Cost Of Grace. We dive into the price of Christ's life so that we may receive grace, the difference between grace and mercy, how cheap graces cheapens all of the things of the Lord, and why we need to know God's Word so that we can deepen our knowledge of the glory of God.
Scripture Reference:
- Genesis 3
- John 19
- Isaiah 53:5
This quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
- Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."
- Costly grace - "Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him."
- He shares this lastly - "Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: "ye were bought at a price," and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”
What has been seen under the microscope of the last year and need to accountability:
- A lack of biblical literacy from all facets of the church. We need to know God through His Word personally.
- Accountability - we need sound people to hold us accountable. In the early church disciples were never sent out alone. We were not intended to be in isolation.
Connect with Lacey:
IG: lacerab
Website: https://laceyrabalais.com/
This is the last episode of the deception series. Chelsey shares why we have to stop holding hands with the world and why we must live only for Christ. She breaks down several of the main issues we see happening within the church and Christ followers, and reminds us of what God's Word says for us to do on this earth.
Scriptures:
- Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
- Matthew 10:34 - “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
- Ephesians 5:6-11 - 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
- Matthew 4:10 - For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
- 1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
This week Chelsey is sharing about God's command to love in deed and in truth. This is yet another post we must not waver from holding. To love like Christ we must LOVE in action and in truth, always.
To love in deed and in truth we must be walking in the light:
- 1 John 1:5-10 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
- To to walking in His light means you've accepted Christ as Lord and Savior - you believe in Jesus's life, death, and resurrection.
- We in Christ confess our sin and seek true repentance because we know He is faithful and just to forgive our sin.
To love in deed and in truth we must know what the Lord commands of us because those who know Him seek to obey Him:
- 1 John 2:3-6 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
- We in Christ must know His commands.
- Keep His word.
- Abide in His ways and WALK like Him.
To love in deed and in truth we must not desire to live and love like the world:
- 1 John 2:15-17 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life —is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
- To love like Christ we must get comfortable with being unpopular.
- We have to daily seek God's desires over our fleshly desires.
To love in deed and in truth we must reject the deception of the world and lead others in truth:
- 1 John 2:18-24 18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.
- We must remember the truth we were taught - VS 24.
- Uphold the truth so you wont be "taken captive by empty deceit". Col 2:8
To love in deed and in truth we must know who we are in Christ, His beloved Children:
- 1 John 3:1-10 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
- True Christ followers have conviction because of the Holy Spirit living within our hearts. We seek repentance and walk in sanctification.
- We love in deed and in truth - 1 John 3:19 "By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him.." 1 John 3:23-24 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God,and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Stand Firm: Standing Firm In Your Faith Against Deception:
- You can get the 7 day devotional at the link here: STAND FIRM DEVO
- Part of the proceeds for the sale of each devotional goes towards donating Bibles to kids through Compassion!
This week Chelsey dives into Proverbs 3 and why we have to hold our post for the Lord and what He commands of us.
Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart* 3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.
* 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man.
* 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.
* 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.
* 11 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.
* 13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called blessed.
* 19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.
* 21 My son, do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be life for your soul
and adornment for your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way securely,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror
or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being caught.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to do it.
* 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
who dwells trustingly beside you.
30 Do not contend with a man for no reason,
when he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a man of violence
and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
but the upright are in his confidence.
33 The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the scorners he is scornful,
but to the humble he gives favor.
35 The wise will inherit honor,
but fools get disgrace.
This week's episode is mostly diving into the deception of worldly love and how this has begun to infiltrate the church. Chelsey also shares at the end of the episode about who the "Godless" are and who the "Lost" is. People often blend these two sets of people together when in fact, they are different.
Deception of Worldly Love:
- People twist the meaning behind Jesus's words in Matthew 22:39, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
- These same people also fail to read past Matthew 7:1. If they read the verses to follow they would see that they are told they will be held to the same standard they hold others too. "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you."
- Many get caught up in believe that "love" is something that can at times withhold truth. The love of God never sidesteps truth. Matthew 8:11 we see the example of Jesus telling the adulterous woman that He didn’t condemn her, but to sin no more. In Mark 2:17 we Jesus openly share that He came for those He was sitting with; which are the sinners.
- John also tells us in 2 John 1:6 what is means to LOVE like Jesus called us to. 2 John 1:6 what this “love” is to look like that Jesus commands of us in Matthew 22:39. “And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.”
The Godless: (link here for biblical definition)
- "The principal idea lying at the root of the word is that of pollution and profanity; a condition of not merely being without God but assuming an attitude of open and blatant opposition toward God. The godless man is not merely the atheistic, unbelieving or even irreligious, but the openly impious, wicked and profane man. Indeed it can hardly be rightly claimed that the idea of hypocrisy is involved in the meaning of the word, for the "godless" man is not the one who professes one thing and lives another, but the one who openly avows not only his disbelief in, but his open opposition to, God. Doubtless the idea of pollution and defilement is also to be included in the definition of this word; see Jeremiah 3:9; Numbers 35:33; Daniel 11:31." -BibleStudyTools.com
- Scriptures: Isaiah 9:17; 10:6; Psalms 35:16
The Lost: (link here for full reading)
- "Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The Bible compares human beings to sheep (Psalm 23; John 10:11–14) because sheep are, by nature, defenseless. They are not overly bright and tend to follow a leader, regardless of where that leader is taking them. Sheep need a shepherd to survive. A shepherd protects them from attacks, guides them to good grazing, and keeps watch so that none are lost. Sheep tend to wander from the herd and can become easy targets for predators. In a spiritual sense, people are prone to wander and become easy targets for our enemy, Satan. Without Jesus, our Good Shepherd, we are spiritually lost and unable to find God on our own.
Jesus told a parable about a lost lamb to explain the Father’s heart for lost people (Luke 15:3–7). The Good Shepherd was willing to leave the ninety-nine sheep in the fold to go in search of the one lost lamb. The lamb would never have found the Shepherd on its own. This parable demonstrates God’s tender concern for every individual. He stops at nothing to find those who need Him and bring them safely into His presence. Just as lost sheep cannot find the Shepherd on their own, lost people cannot find God on their own (Psalm 53:2–3; Romans 3:11)." -GotQuestions.org
In today's episode, Chelsey shares about leading those God has entrusted to us well, loving them by not dismissing truth, and running into 2021 with boldness for the Kingdom.
Habakkuk 1:5-11
- 5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. 9 They all come for violence,all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. 10 At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh.They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. 11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on guilty men, whose own might is their god!”
1 Timothy 6:20
- Guard the deposit entrusted to you
Matthew 28:19-20
- 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
1 Corinthians 15:58
- Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Sola Sisters:
- join us as we read the whole Bible chronologically study in 2021
- Follow on IG @SolaSistersCo AND/OR join the FB group!
This week's short episode, "They Went With Haste", is diving into the Shepherd's story from Luke 2:8-19. Chelsey shares about their desire to seek the promise of what God told them they would find without any hesitation. She shares that we too, are called to seek the Lord in the very same way, with haste. Haste to seek Him above all things and to share His truth to the ends of the earth.
Luke 2:8-19
- And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
Psalm 119:2
- Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
Ephesians 5:15-17
- 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Matthew 28: 16-20
- 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 5:13-16
- 13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
This week Chelsey dives deeper into the attributes of those who deceive, those who are deceived, and those who are working on behalf of the Kingdom. We see that God plainly and boldly has in His Word what all of this looks like and by His grace, what we in Christ are called to do in the midst of watching deception take place.
Worker Approved by God: 2 Timothy 2:14-26
- 14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” 20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. 22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
Those Under Deception: 2 Timothy 3:1-9
- 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
What Believers Are Commanded: 2 Timothy 4:1-5
- I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Attributes of Deceivers: 2 Peter 2
- But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness. 17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
Today's episode is short but intense, Chelsey is filled with passion from start to finish. Her heart has been unsettled watching the deception taking place in the world and within believers. She dives into the battle being waged against us in Ephesians 6, why we need to implore believers to seek God's word about the truth of what takes place in the unseen heavenly realms, and what we are commissioned to do in 2 Corinthians 4.
Ephesians 6:11-12
- 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
2 Corinthians 4:1-6
- Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
In this week's (re-air) episode we're diving into why we must hold fast to God's truths and diving into truths that we must hold fast too.
- 2 Chron 20:17 - You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
- Psalm 23:4 - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
- Isaiah 41: 13-14 -For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. - Isaiah 41:17-18 - and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water. - Isaiah 41:20 - that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.
- Jeremiah 1:10 - See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
- Romans 17:15-25 - For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
- 2 Corin 5:20 -Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
- Galatians 5:17-18 - For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
- Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
- Ephesians 5: 15-17 - Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
- Ephesians 6:11-18 - Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
- 1 Thess 5:5-28 - For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.Do not quench the Spirit.Do not despise prophecies,but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. Brothers, pray for us.Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
I pray you find 1 of these 13 scriptures as encouragement and an equipping in your heart to hold fast to the goodness and the truth of God.
This week Chelsey sits down to wrap up the final episode of the Proverbs 31 Woman Series with Scotti Beth Lawson. Scotti Beth shares with us that the Proverbs 31 woman was not placed in God's Word only for wives and moms, but for all created by Him. She reminds us to approach this portion of scripture with no preconceived notions. Lastly, through the Proverbs 31 woman, we see a woman who honored God wherever He placed her and it flowed out in all facets of her life.
A woman of noble character:
- She led with integrity rooted in Christ.
- She was filled with a servants heart.
- She was always willing when God called her.
- Obedient in all the ways she could serve the Lord.
- We should desire to be women of noble character - rooted in Christ alone!
Approaching this portion of scripture:
- Hand over any preconceived notions to the Lord.
- Ask for fresh eyes and clear ears.
- Remember the Bible from beginning to end is about the Lord.
- The Proverbs 31 woman was a common woman who loved God.
- Ask the Lord - what can I learn about you in this portion of scripture, rather than approaching the word for what "you" can get.
Speaking life into the next generation:
- Watch their screen time - set boundaries - be bold and brave in your conversations with them!
- Encourage their dads to love and lead them the way the Lord commands.
- Encourage them to have a relationship with Christ over anything else.
Connect with Scotti Beth:
- Instagram - @scottibethlawson
- Blog - www.SimplyScottiBeth.com
Advent Devotional : Good News, Great Joy - 25 Advent Devotions to Steady Your Heart in the Joy We Have in Christ.:
- Sign up atwww.ChelseyDeMatteis.com
- You will receive your 25 day devotional in your inbox on November 30th.
Blessing Box Giveaway:
- Enter every Wed. on the @livingwithlesspodcast Instagram page
- Winner will be selected on Christmas morning!
- Donors: Love One International - Hopefuel - Daughter of Delight - Buhbay - Hebrews Coffee NC
This week is the 100th episode of the Living With Less Podcast! Chelsey sits down this week to share her heart with you on what God's Word says about distractions, shepherding, and His promises.
Distractions:
- Nehemiah 6: 1-9 Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.
Shepherding:
- 1 Peter 5:2-11 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- 1 Peter 4:12 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
God's Promise:
- "...Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." (1 Peter 5:10)
Week 3 of the Proverbs 31 Woman Series is a sit down with Michelle Myers founder of “she works His way”. Michelle shares with us in this episode that the Proverbs 31 woman is the standard of a Godly woman and who He has called all of us to be. She is not a “check list”, she is a character list. She points us to the truth that we are never off duty for The Lord. We are always called to obey Him in whatever way He calls us. This episode will encourage and equip you as you learn more about the heart of God through this woman.
The heart of the Proverbs 31 Woman
- Proverbs 31 isn’t a check list. It’s a character list.
- The Proverbs 31 Woman is the standard of woman God has called us to be.
- Charm is not genuine. Charm can be turned on and off.
How do we smile at the future and be disciplined in our faith?
- My future is in heaven because of what Jesus did on the cross and my belief in Him.
- Our disciple is out of God’s love and favor.
- In Christ we have everything that we need.
- The Proverbs 31 woman is willing to obey in whatever God asks.
- We are never off duty for The Lord.
Unpacking Proverbs 31:15-16
- Women were not put in our path to be inferior or superior. When God puts them in our path we need to ask - how can I serve her, how can I help her, and how can we do more for the kingdom together.
- God does not need you to increase to make Him increase. This is not a dual increase equation.
Connect with Michelle:
- @michellelmyers
- @sheworkshisway
- www.sheworkshisway.com
This week Chelsey shares about God's command for us to seek Him for all understanding. As culture seems to be driven more and more by people's feelings and emotions, Chelsey shares that we are called to continually seek The Lord for direction. We see that as we seek understanding from The Lord and desire to know His heart more deeply we won't so easily be tripped up by our feelings and emotions. And, we'll be able to love and serve others the way Christ calls us - through His grace and mercy.
What happens when we don't seek for understanding from The Lord?:
- Hearts become depleted and overly emotional.
- Lives become ran by feelings.
- Decisions are made based off of what the flesh desires.
- Psalm 119:1-8, Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame,having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
As we seek understanding in Christ pulls us away from the world, the lies of the enemy, and desires of the flesh.:
- As we lean into The Lord we will be drawn closer to Him and His truth.
- Psalm 119:29-32, 29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! 30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. 31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! 32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!
As we seek understanding from The Lord, He will always lead us in His truth.:
- The Lord will always lead us in truth and the Holy Spirit points us in the direction of clarity.
- James 4:7-8, 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The Dawning of Indestructible Joy
- By John Piper
- Advent Devotional
Week 2 of the Proverbs 31 Woman Series is a sit down with Katy McCown. Katy reminds us in this episode that we can't skip over parts of God's word that we don't feel relates to our realities, The Word isn't bound by time. She points us to the truth that the Proverbs 31 woman is a woman we must learn from, that's why God has her in His word. Lastly, Katy shows us in this portion of scripture that the Proverbs 31 woman's hearts position, preparation, and pursuit were all deeply tethered to The Lord.
- I originally thought of the Proverbs 31 as an unreachable standard. Then as The Lord convicted my heart I realized this is not at all what this portion of scripture is all about.
- We see that she is actually so relatable. She has pressures, she has plans, and she has people just like we all do.
- She is not a perfect person. There has only been one perfect person to walk this earth and that is Jesus Christ.
- She is not the standard to reach for. Jesus is the standard to reach for.
- The Bible is not bound by time. The Lord placed the Proverbs 31 Woman in His Word - we cannot skip over her.
- I started approaching the P31 woman with a lens of the heart behind the action and the motives behind the motions.
- Jesus did not die on the cross so we could try and be good enough.
- We can mimic her hearts position, her hearts preparation, and her hearts pursuit.
- She exchanges her fear of the future for fear of The Lord.
- We so often want to start with pursuit and then throw in preparation and position along the way.
- Proverbs 31:10 - An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
Connect with Katy:
- https://katymccown.com
- http://shelaughsconference.com
- Instagram - @katymccown
This week I sit down with Katie Walters to kick off the Proverbs 31 Woman series! She is a pastors wife, Founder of the non-profit Francis and Benedict, and mom to six (#7 on the way). She begins this series with a message that points us to the heart of our Heavenly Father and the truth that the life of the Proverbs 31 Woman is what we can look to for who a Godly woman is. Katie reminds us that we wont be able to do every thing listed in the 31 verses each day but that The Lord calls us to live a life fully surrender to His plans, just like this woman exemplifies.
Scripture:
- Proverbs 31:11-12 The heart of her husband trusts in her,and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
- Proverbs 31:25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
- Proverbs 3:15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
Notes:
- Ruby is the strongest gem stone and God uses this to describe a woman who lives for Him.
- Finding a woman of noble character is very difficult to find in culture.
- God calls women in Christ to be noble and strong in Him.
- We as women continue to hold our low points up to other’s high points.
- As a woman we must learn to be kind and gracious to ourselves.
- We need to look to the Proverbs 31 woman as the aim of a life of someone who loves The Lord with all her heart and lives fully surrendered to Him.
- Sometimes the best yes is not doing the thing that needs to be done and spending time where God desires you to be.
- One of the hardest things to surrender to God is our future.
- We need to live with less of culture telling women who they are and what makes them roar. We need to go to The Lord for that. We also need to live with more grace and humility that comes from The Lord.
- We must always remember God uses the small things.
Connect with Katie:
- Instagram:@katiewalters
- Francis and Benedict : francisandbenedict.com
- Francis and Benedict Instagram: @francisandbenedict
This week I sit down with Pam Lozano to talk about Raising Godly Women in a World that Teaches Otherwise. Pam is not only a girl mom but has served as a youth pastor with her husband for 23 years. Her wisdom and desire to lead girls to walking in purity in every facet of life is so needed and such a blessing to hear. You will leave this conversation feeling encouraged to parent your girls from a place of full reliance on The Lord, equipped with resources to walk them through God's truth, and met by another mom who has walked the road before you.
1) Tell us about you!
-My name is Pam Lozano. I am passionate about mentoring and empowering next generation women with truth. Truth that God created them uniquely and adores them just the way they are. That He has a specific purpose and plan for their lives and if they pursue that plan, they will be fulfilled in ways they cannot imagine! I am a mom of three grown children - a 23 year old daughter, Caeilen and two sons - Judah is 19 and Markus is 13. I love writing, leading worship, decorating, taking long walks and enjoying a Starbucks peppermint hot chocolate over a long chat with a friend.
2) I loved getting to sit down with my friend Shanda Fulbright to talk about raising Godly men in a world that teaches otherwise and now I’m just as excited to sit down and talk with you about raising Godly women in a world that teaches otherwise. So I first wanted to start with this: the world deems masculinity in men as a bad thing and then in the very same breath they deem femininity in women as weak. We see secular feminism which is built on earthly strength, hardened independence, and a “trailblazer” attitude. This is sweeping young women off their feet and into a life that doesn’t fit God’s desires.
As a mom of girls how have you trained up your daughters to know what God says about them regardless of what culture teaches? What negative effects have you seen happen to our women through this culture?
-Caeilen is now 23 and grew up with us in youth ministry throughout her teen years. I tried to always instill that what God says about her trumps everything culture teaches. That His word is truth and the only thing we can anchor our hearts and emotions to. That no matter who said what - she is unconditionally loved by God for who she is - HIS daughter. And that she doesn't have to do anything to earn God's love.
There are so many negative effects from what culture teaches our daughters. Culture portrays beauty as stick-thin, air-brushed models of perfection. Anything less is unacceptable and less than. This generation of women compares themselves to the women on the covers of Cosmo or Teen Vogue, forgetting that these altered images aren't truth.
These photographs are photoshopped, cropped and filtered to create an unrealistic image to be idolized and sought after. This results however, in demoralized women who hate themselves and their bodies because perfection cannot be achieved. They often then fall into self-destructive behaviors when they realize they can never attain this level of beauty.
3) I love your ministry Pure Design. I’d love to unpack that a little bit. How do you share purity with your girls? What have those conversations looked like over the years.
-Pure Design exists to empower girls with truth and authenticity. Three main areas of impact are self-image, self-worth and pure beauty.
Purity is a big piece of what we talk about with young women, but it isn't the main focus.Desiring to walk in purity comes from a place of first loving God.When we love God, we want to please Him. But secondly, it comes from a place of VALUING ourselves and SEEING OURSELVES as God's treasured daughters - so deeply loved and valued by Him that we KNOW what we are worth.When we know our worth, we take pride in ourselves and THAT keeps us desiring to please and honor God.
-I go more in depth in this in my new devotional - Purity's Still in Style - there's an entire week on sexual purity - but there's 2 pages called Why Wait that I believe gives a great Biblical overview and perspective.
My message / conversation has changed over the years... I've really moved away from any type of Do's and Don't's list or any fear tactics.
The BEST motivating factor is love - when we love God, we want to obey and please Him.
4) How have you and your husband tackled hard issues/conversations together in regards to leading your daughter and pointing her to living out what God desires for her life?
Well let me say, we haven't always done it right. We made our fair share of mistakes in conversations...In fact, my biggest mistakes were made when I parented out of fear - being afraid she might mess up or make a mistake... rather than trusting and empowering her to make right choices. There's a different underlying factor - and as believers we are called to parent and lead from a place of faith.
-It hasn't always been easy... we've walked through some difficult seasons with Caeilen. But the key word is WITH. We stuck by her side and loved her no matter what. There were times when we didn't see eye to eye when it came to boys, but we talked it through, sometimes more than talked... but we stayed committed to the relationship and God has really seen us through... We always strived to keep communication open between us. We were involved in her life and asked a lot of questions - probably more than she ever liked. And today we have a great relationship, one where she includes us and asks our opinion on things way more than she did in the past. We love working together and growing and developing Pure Design Ministries & Magazine as a team.
5) I know you and your husband have done youth ministry for years. I know there is a mom listening to this episode who has kids in the “youth group” age. What is the best wisdom you’d share with them in regards to pointing them to Jesus? (Devotionals/one on one time/less busy schedule)
-Yes, Jake and I have been Youth & Young Adult Pastors for 23 years.
Best wisdom - is get your kids to church... YES, MAKE them go!
I hear so often parents say - I don't want to make them go to Youth Group if they don't want to - yet in every other area of life we "make them" do things they don't want to... We make them go to the doctor, we make them go to the dentist, we make them eat their vegetables... why in the world then wouldn't we MAKE them do something that we know is spiritually good for them. I know there are many reasons teens don't want to go - they don’t know anyone, the music isn't their style, they don't love the Youth Pastor, but let me ask you this - if you think your kid MIGHT have a chance to encounter God and have a chance to grow spiritually - don't you think it's worth encouraging them to get over themselves and just go!?
My husband challenged a young man over 20 years ago to get back into youth group and really TRY - and within months, this teen was the strongest leader, who would pray, preach and lead the group in ways we couldn't have imagined. It all came from a challenge to get over the uncomfortable and simply say yes and show up. To this day, this man is a strong Christian leader.
6) Something that I’ve seen play out over time in our culture is the attack on how God created a woman. I think of what God’s word says about His daughters. He uses them in mighty ways yet talks about them with a sense delicacy. The world wants to create harsh women, but God created women to be - skillful, tender, refined, delicate, loved, wise, discerning, trustworthy, honorable just to name a few from scripture. We don’t want harsh women, we want Godly women. I don’t want to be known as Chelsey - the harsh one. I want to be known as Chelsey - the woman that loved the Lord.
-As a mom how have you tackled this? How have you taught your girls to seek these things above the things of this world? We talk a lot about this very topic in our brand new issue of Pure Design Magazine - Fierce Femininity. I truly believe just like a coin - there are two very powerful sides to every woman. I think God did create us to be fierce and powerful. If you are a mom - you know creating a life inside of you, growing that life, nurturing it and then bringing that child into the world - takes some grit and determination and fierceness. God desires kingdom minded women who are powerful, resourceful, skillful and able to do what He has gifted them to do from a place of securely knowing they are His daughters. You see as Daughters of the King - we have the rights and authority of God's kingdom. Just as a princess or queen would on the earth.
-But, that doesn't mean we have to "lord it over men"... he did create us to reflect his beauty, grace, tenderness and so many other amazing traits that are usually found in the beautiful gift of femininity. You see in Genesis - God called Adam AND Eve to have dominion over the earth - as equal partners. So we don't have to fight for position or importance. It was granted to us in the garden. We simply have to be secure in knowing who we are.
7) The Living With Less podcast was birthed from John 3:30, He must increase, I must decrease. If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to what gets in the way of Him what would you tell them and why?
Honestly, I believe this answer is the same and yet different for every single person. Firstly, we must live with less of ANYTHING that gets in the way of our relationship with God. The greatest command is to love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, soul, mind and strength.
Anything else is less than ALL... So anything that creates a barrier from our relationship with God has to go - whether that's food, money, relationships, alcohol, whatever... we have to let go, so God gets more.
But the items or issues for each one of us are very different depending on our history, our weaknesses and our tendencies. So it really takes listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and walking in obedience every single day.
Connect with Pam here!
Pam Lozano is the Founder & President of Pure Design Ministries & Magazine. She is a speaker of topics on faith, self-image, self-worth and purity. Pam has been a Youth & Young Adult Pastor for over twenty years. She is passionate about mentoring young women to identify and pursue their dreams and to live whole-heartedly for Christ. Pam has written two devotionals for teen and young adult women on self-image and purity. Pam leads Pure Design with her daughter Caeilen, who oversees social media and is the Fashion & Style Editor of Pure Design Magazine. You can find more information about or follow Pure Design at:
Website: www.puredesigngirl.com
-Instagram: @PureDesignGirl
-Facebook: @Pure DesignGirl
-Twitter @PureDesignTeen
- For moms of teen daughters: Private FB Group – Pure Design Mom2Mom
This week I sit down with Shanda Fulbright as we dive into the topic of Raising Godly Men in A World That Teaches Otherwise. Shanda shares about how she and her husband navigate conversations with their sons from a biblical perspective. She points us to why we must teach our boys to be men of God because someone else will teach them otherwise. She reminds us to teach our boys what The Word says about what He calls them to: to lead, protect, and grow in their relationship with Him (to name a few.)
Next week I will be sitting down with Pam Lozano to talk about Raising Godly Women in a World That Teaches Otherwise.
1) Tell us about you!
- I am happily married to my husband o 19 years and together we have 3 boys: 17, 15, and 10. We live in the Central Valley in Ca. I am an ordained minster with the COG as well as a credentialed teacher. I felt the Lord leading me out of the church and into a new way of ministering and I started blogging 2 years ago. Last year I started a podcast called Her Faith Inspires where I really combat cultural Christianity with the Word of God. I currently teach online Bible studies and am hosting my first “How to study the Bible like a scholar class” which I anticipate being a repeat.
2) As a mom of boys - lets start with this - how have you seen culture attack our young boys, who become young men, who become grown men. What scriptures do you use to combat these lies from culture.
- This is a great question because I just heard this week that the American Psychology Association came out with an article that says that masculinity is harmful. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing so I went and read the article and sure enough, they are teaching psychologists how to treat men to suppress their masculinity.
- Feminism is another movement that has demoralized and put down men with the sole purpose of elevating women.
- We are currently hearing the message that the roles of men and women are interchangeable. We hear the message from Disney that girls are independent and strong and don’t need a man. It’s all about girl power, and while that message in isolation may not be a bad thing, it is always congruent with the message that boys have to suppress their masculinity. Our culture doesn’t celebrate manly traits.
- It’s clear in God’s word that God made a distinction in the male and female creation and I always go back to Genesis 1-3 with this argument, although it is in the new testament as well. I wrote a study called Reflections of Eve and I explain in depth the male and female roles. God gave the man specific jobs and duties and when the man fell short of this, God came looking for him to give an answer. God will never reverse or the mix the roles of the male and female. Society and culture may try but it won’t work because this is outside of God’s design.
3) I loved the episode you did with your husband about the attack on men (episode 25). How do you and your husband lead your boys in biblical truth?
- This is one I am big on as a parent. My first job is to teach inside my home. I will not gain the world and lose the opportunity to pour into the souls of my boys. With that said, we have devotionals and talk to them about God all of the time. I am currently teaching them apologetics curriculum because they go to a public school and are BOMBARDED with ideologies that conflict with biblical truth.I have taught them creeds by Voddie Bauchum to defend biblical truth and the scripture that goes with it. It is imperative that our kids know what they believe and why because I tell my boys all the time that faith is often tested … it’s truth and the quest for truth that stands. When one of my boys admits that they are struggling or doubting, I don’t fret. Truth sets us free and I know that’s what they want. Only God can reveal it to them, but I make sure they get it. I also encourage my older two to read their own bibles because they need to develop this disciple and relationship with the Lord on their own. There aren’t too many bible studies that are deep in spiritual truth so I just teach them from my own bible and we talk often about how to contend for the faith.
4) Tell everyone about your #boymom bible study! How has being a mom of boys grown your faith? What things have you learned about the heart of God that you wouldn’t otherwise?
- I wrote #Boymom because the Bible is full of them. Every man in the Bible has a mother who influenced their relationships with God and the call God plead on their lives. So, I took 8 moms in the Bible, even ones who made hellacious mistakes because we all do and we can learn from them, and I wrote this study for all of the boy moms like me who are running alongside our boys and cheering them on even when the world does not.
- I wanted girls. I cried when I found out I was having boy #1 and then boy #2. But God showed me several things:
- He knows what we need more than we do.
- He has called me to be an advocate for good men. I will not allow the world to brand my boys before they have a chance to become men.
- The call of a son is entangled in his mother. What I mean by that is Sampson’s mom had to commit to the Nazirite vow while he was in her womb. She had to make the commitment follow the Lord before her son ever did. Our call as a mother is so important and it is the highest call we will ever have. The corporate ladder, education or anything else pales in comparison to the impact a mother makes in the lives of her children.
- What I’ve learned about God: He loves my boys more than I do. He teaches me through them. When I see their hurts, their joys, their fears, I realize through glimpse the relationship the Father has with me.
5) Something I see often is this attack on men to suppress the gifts God has given them. As you train up your boys are there specific things you talk with them about in regards to what God calls them to be as follower of Christ?
- From the time my boys were very little I told them they are men of God. They will choose an occupation, become a husband and fathers one day, but first and foremost they are men of God. I tell them the kinds of things I pray of them: that they will grow in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man. I tell them they don’t have to have it all figured out because God knows the path they should take and will guide them. I tell them all the time that they need to have their own relationship with God and they have to come to the knowledge of the truth on their own.
- I tell them what I see they can be in Christ when they’re defeated. I remind them of God’s truth when they get fearful because this world bogs them down too. I speak truth into them all the time and teach them to call on the Lord with their own heart and mouth.
6) Something my husband and I often talk about is the lack of responsibility the current americanized christian movement has led men into. They don’t have much in the way of accountability to lead their families, share what God’s doing, and speak up on behalf of the gospel. I don’t believe its because they are weak - I believe its because they’ve not been taught. Can you share with those tuning in what God does command of our men and that it is different than what He commands of women women.
- God gave Adam the responsibility to tend and keep his home. To keep means to guard in Hebrew. Men are the watchmen of their homes.
- When I wrote #Boymom, I realized that God has asked men to do hard things.
- Paul wrote the chain of command in the word: God, Christ, husband, wife.
- The man will answer to God for the way he leads his family and home. As women, we must also remember that the husband is the only one in the relationship commanded by God to love his wife like Christ loves the church and to give himself up for her. That is the highest example of love we have.
- So, as a mother, I have to teach my boys their responsibility according to God’s word, AND allow him to do this when the time comes. That is also the call of a #Boymom … to let him leave me and cling to her.
7) The podcast was birthed from John 3:30, “He must increase, I must decrease”. If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this what would you tell them and why?
- I would say more of Jesus means less of the world. We are bombarded with ideologies and information and it can bog us down and we carry these things around like baggage. The truth of God’s word sets us free and when we fill up on Him, those things fall away. As Christians, we must learn to read, pray and study the word of God. We must cling to it and fill out minds with it. More of Him means less of the world and that is the best way to live.
8) What is one of your fav bible verses and why!
- 1 Cor 9:27 partly because I do crossfit and partly because I teach the word. “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should, So that after preaching to others, I myself may not be disqualified."
This week I sit down with my friend and host of the Home and Hearth podcast, Rebekah Hargraves to talk about the lies moms believe and how the gospel refutes them. Rebekah shares about how the Word is what equips us for the work God has called us to, how the enemy always uses extremes, and why we must always turn to The Lord before answers from the world.
Rebekah is also the author of 4 books. Lies Moms Believe, Lies Moms Believe companion Bible Study, Advent Devotional, and co-authored Walking by The Spirit.
1) Tell us about you!!
- My name is Rebekah Hargraves, and I have been married to my husband, Owen, for 6 years. We live just outside Chattanooga, TN and have two kiddos, Anna (5) and James (3). As for church, we attend Concord Baptist here in town, which describes itself as a "gospel-centered, gospel-shaped congregation", which I love. I'm a work-at-home mom, so I stay at home with my kids but also blog, do freelance writing, podcast, homeschool, and am the author of 4 books and coauthor of 1, soon to be 2, books. My first book was Lies Moms Believe (and how the Gospel Refutes Them), and the second was Lies Moms Believe: The Companion Bible Study. I then wrote an Advent devotional study for women in 2018, co-authored a book on walking by the Spirit that released this January, a Lent devotional study for women that released this spring, and I'm currently working on co-authoring a book on friendship that will release this fall.
2) I’ve been looking so forward to this conversation because I am a momma who has definitely believed lies spoken to me from others or straight from the enemy himself. Can you share why and how this message became so important to you to share with other women?
- Absolutely! The funny thing is that this was not my original book idea. The original idea (which is one that I have in the works to go the traditional publishing route with, up to this point I have done all self-publishing) was on the topic of the mommy wars. But one day I had this "random" idea (that, looking back, was clearly God!) to write a little blog post addressing a few lies moms commonly believe and the gospel truth which refutes them. I had every intention of just writing about a handful of the lies I myself have dealt with, imagining that if I have battled them, surely other moms have, too. Well, instead, I had another "random" thought right before I sat down to work on that blog post - I had the idea of instead of just relying on my own thoughts and experiences, to instead take to IG and FB to ask fellow mamas what some of the most common lies were that they found themselves believing. That way the blog post could be as relevant and applicable as possible. I was only expecting maybe a handful of answers, but what ended up happening was that within the first 10 minutes of making that post, tons of responses came flooding in. At that moment I knew this area of lies we're believing as moms was a huge issue that did need to be addressed. At that point I thought I would then create a short little freebie ebook instead of a blog post, as the list of lies had now grown beyond what a blog post could handle. By the time all was said and done, however, and I had received all the input from various women on social media, I ended up with 32 lies to address and a full-length paperback book that is over 250 pages long! I never set out on my own to write this book and it was never my initial project or idea - it was all God! But I'm so grateful His plans were different and bigger than my own, because, honestly, the Lord has used this book and the process of writing it to change my own heart and life and to free me from lies I didn't even know I had been believing!
3) 1 John 4:18 tells us - His perfect love drives out fear. For me, fear is a huge lie I’ve taken the bait from in motherhood. Fearful of the world my son will grow up in, fearful of something happening to him, or just little fears throughout the day that seem normal. How would you lovingly challenge someone like me, with God’s word to move past the fear and cling to God’s truth that He has everything under control.
- I can totally understand that! Especially after the insane year we have all been experiencing. From the moment my first child was born, I had fears set in about whether or not I was doing the best job possible, making the best choices, what life would hold for her, how I would protect her from the darkness in the world, etc. While sometimes those fears do again try to rise to the surface, there is something I have found to be incredibly helpful, and that is to know the character of God. That is so, so key for me. I have to know that not only is God in control and sovereign, but that He is also wise, kind, loving, tender, gracious, caring, concerned for our wellbeing, and compassionate. If I can remember all that, then I can remember that He allow absolutely nothing to touch me or my children that He will not ultimately use for our good and His glory. Furthermore, I do not believe it is a coincidence that it has been said that there are 365 verses in the Bible addressing the topic of fear - one for each day of the year! The Lord knew we would battle fear (fear comes from the enemy and is one of the biggest ways he tries to get at us and our faith), so He provided truth and encouragement in His Word for how we can battle it. Studying, meditating on, and memorizing the Word is so key. And, finally, one particular story in the Bible that always helps me battle fear is the story of Joseph, found in Genesis.
4) What are some of the most common lies moms believe and why do you think they’ve become such a stumbling block in our lives?
- There are so many, but one interesting thing I have found is that many of them come in pairs of opposites - the enemy lies to us with extremes on both sides. For example, the lie that motherhood is a woman's highest calling is common, but so is the lie that motherhood is unimportant or worthless work. That lie can also be accompanied on the other side with the lies that we are to find our ultimate fulfillment and identity in being moms.
- But, beyond those, I would say that some of the most common are that mommy guilt is just something we have to live with, that we are bad moms, that our success as moms is tied to how our children turn out, and that theology isn't important for the daily work of mothering. All of these are tied directly to wrong understandings as to the truth and implications of the gospel. The enemy wants us to doubt Christ, so he will do anything he can to keep us from understanding and living out the gospel. And we have just fallen for it because we do not take the command to "take every thought captive" seriously.
5) What have been the lies you’ve struggled with the most?
- One of the big ones I have struggled with the most is the lie that my children would be better off with a different mom (and close behind that being the lies that I'm a bad mom, mommy guilt will always be something I just have to deal with, and that I have to be a perfect mom).
6) What has been the greatest blessing/teachable moment from being a mom and stepping out in faith to trust God and put the lies behind you?
- Two things instantly come to mind for me here. One is just the sheer freedom, joy, and lightness I feel now that I have intentionally chosen to take God at His Word and truly and fully believe - for me!- that I was never called to be a perfect mom, but rather to point my kids to the perfect Savior. That takes such a load off! I don't walk in guilt anymore. Sure, I am convicted, sure I apologize to my children and grieve that I have sinned in anger or what have you, but I am no longer buried under all that self-inflicted guilt and condemnation anymore, because I know the full truth of Romans 7 and 8. Which brings me to the second thing - a sweet story with my 3 year old at the time, my daughter, Anna.
7) Is there a way you would steward someone to see what lies they are believing?
- One key thing here is to be a student of the Word. You won't know the lie, the counterfeit, until you know the truth, the real thing. Likewise, you can't take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ unless you know what the obedience of Christ is. I've done a Bible study 101 episode on my podcast for anyone interested in diving into that. But, beyond studying the Word in order to know truth for yourself, I would also say to pay attention to what your thought patterns are. Journal through that. Assess what it is that is filling your mind most often. When you are feeling down, anxious, depressed, stressed, or discouraged, take an assessment of your thoughts and intentionally stop to see what it is you really are thinking. Chances are, the thoughts leading to those negative feelings are lies you have been believing. Then take what you find to the Word and search for the truth that will combat those lies. Talk to your pastor if need be, use a concordance to find all the passages that speak to that topic, etc.
8) John 3:30, says “He must increase and I must decrease. If someone were to ask you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to what gets in the way of The Lord in their life, what would you tell them and why?
- I would say live with less of the thoughts and opinions of man. Every human being is fallible, so every teacher, pastor, blogger, podcaster, social media influencer, commentary writer, parenting "expert", online guru, etc. is going to get it wrong at some point. You need to stop having google be your guide and start turning to the Word of God first and foremost as your ultimate guide. Sure, we can and should learn from our pastors, mentors, and others, but we have to know the Word of God first and foremost and follow it more than we do some self-proclaimed expert.
1) Tell us about you!
- I am from Pennsylvania originally from Ohio. I moved to Pennsylvania after getting married to my husband Jon! We met on eHarmony and commuted for 2 hrs each way until we got married and lived together. I love helping women find freedom from their part and healing in their bodies.
2) I’ve been so eager to tackle this topic of doubt especially with you since you LOVE combating the lies with THE TRUTH! Doubt can look different for everyone BUT, I think we as Christians can all agree doubt begins to invade when we’re not fully trusting God. Even if we don’t mean too - it always goes back to that. When you’ve experienced doubt in your life - is there typically a commonality in each time you’ve walked through it?
- We can see doubt form, first within ourselves and our capabilities. Whether we don't think we are capable of love or being loved, whether we feel qualified or not. The list can go on. We first experience the doubt at a surface level within ourselves. As we begin to dig deeper we can then confront the issues of our hearts which could lead us to not receiving Christ's love fully, doubting in our hearts what God is capable of doing (especially when we depend on our senses to tell the Gospel), or trusting that He will come through. I will typically add myself to the equation where only Jesus is supposed to stand.
3) These seasons of wrestling with questions or doubting where God has me have certainly taken me to deeper places and conversations with The Lord. What are some of the things you’ve learned about God and who He is as you’ve wrestled through these seasons as well?
- Learning to discern the voice of the Father I believe is so crucial. Many people equate the way their earthly relationships and situation to be equal to the Father and how He would respond. The Father's voice is not harsh, does not rush, is not condemning, nor does it cause us to question who we are.
4) This piggy backs on #3 - What places in scripture do you go to when you feel this creeping up? Whether it’s your own questions, doubting what God is doing in your life, or a full on attack from the enemy.
- Some of my favorites are the scriptures that remind me that when I do things in the Kingdom, God's way, I don't labor in vain.
- "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
- "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands." Psalm 90:17 NASB
- "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:19 NIV
- This helps remind me it's not about the works as much as it is about my heart posture. God is the owner. We are the stewards.
5) I always think of Eve in the garden when I dig into this topic. Because, as fallen people, I feel satan begins his attacks with the “what if” questions. From these what if’s come doubting God’s goodness. What would you say to a someone sitting across from you if they told you they were dealing with the enemy attacking them with “what if” questions.
- To be true to myself, I would honestly ask a question back, "Who told you that you could XYZ?" They would insert their situation. Truth and lies is all about getting to the root of voice speaking. Our what if's can provide valuable feedback from all different angles but ultimately we have to decide if we are using excuses to not follow the call or if we are using these questions to take a closer look. With Eve, the question the serpent posed back was just slightly different than God's word.
6) Your ministry is all about removing the lies from our lives and replacing them with the truth of God’s word. When you hear a woman doubting what God has for them because it seems to good to be true, to far off to ever happen, or they think someone else is better suited for the assignment how do you encourage them and equip them with the truth.
- Usually, it begins with what they are willing to confront. We can't renew what we are not aware of. With so many lies going around in our heads, the willingness to pick out one and focus on it to bring truth to it can be so critical in the healing journey. Since every situation is different I would begin to help them work through what they are experiencing, dig deeper into the lie to help them get to the root, so that you can move through it instead of it getting stuck within them.
- You are not broke and damaged goods. Some parts can be messy or unsued but God is a kind Father to show you how to begin using them again.
7) The Living With Less podcast was birthed from John 3:30, “He must increase, I must decrease.” If someone were to ask you what they needed begin living with less of in regards to these words spoken by John the Baptist what would you tell them and why?
- Less emotional reaction and more dependent on God's word. There are a lot of things I see and experience with my emotions. However, living by faith requires me to not deny my emotions but hold God's word above them.
Rise up & Build dives into the book of Nehemiah and looks at how well he sought, waited, moved, and discerned because of His deep relationship with The Lord. This book in the Bible teaches us what it means to wait on The Lord, trust His timing, discern distractions, and know our strength is rooted in Him alone.
Join Chelsey this week as she shares how God is stirring her through Nehemiah's story and how we all in Christ must be diligent as we walk with Him.
Nehemiah's Diligence
- Nehemiah 2:11-13 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.
Nehemiah Shares The Call
- Nehemiah 2:17-18 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
- King Jehoshaphat's Prayer - 2 Chronicles 20:12 - O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
Nehemiah Tells The People "Do not fear. Remember The Lord.."
- Nehemiah 4:14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
Nehemiah Confronts the Distractions
- Nehemiah 6:8-9 I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”
What is our call?
- Pray + Seek The Lord
- Wait on His timing
- Move when He commands!
This week Chelsey dives deeper into Psalm 73:28, "But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord my refuge, that I may tell of all your works." The Lord revealed to Chelsey that these 3 commands are choices we have to make. We have to choose to be near to The Lord. We have to choose to make Him our refuge, and we are called to tell the world of His works.
The Lord made it clear to her that while He desires to be near her (He slways it), He desires to be her refuge, and He desires her to share of the amazing things He does...that it's her choice to be obedient in all 3 of these things.
What does Psalm 73:26 Call us to Do?
1. Be near to God! This doesn't change because of circumstances, this should be a constant in all of our lives.
2. Make The Lord our refuge - we need to stop turning to earthly things to fill this void and create a false safety net.
3. We are to tell of all His works. The Lord calls us to share the amazing things He does in our life (in His timing, not always right away) but to give examples to the world around us that The Lord is moving even in our days!
How Do we Live This Truth Out?
• Get in His word even when we don't feel like it. His word NEVER returns void (Isaiah 55:11). We grow nearer to The Lord by having a growing relationship with Him.
• First we need to ask Him to reveal what things we turn to when we should be turning to Him. Repent of not turning to Him, receive His forgiveness and choose Him daily as your refuge!!
• Share what God is doing in your life with someone! It can be family, a neighbor, a friend, your barista at Sbux, just SAHRE HIM and what He's doing in your life with anyone that will listen, it will always bless them! (Remember Isaiah 55:11).
Q & A
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How do you handle being friends with non-believers?
◦ Proverbs 17:17 - A friend loves at all times. - The Lord will call me into relationship with people who love Him and those who don't know Him. He calls me to love them and how them the hands and feet of Jesus. There are friendships I've had for years where they are not walking with Jesus but they fully respect my faith and what's important to me.
◦ Proverbs 11:14 - Where there is no guidance a peoples fall. - God calls us to walk in wisdom so if you're finding yourself feeling tempted within friendships who don't respect you, your faith, cause you to stumble due to their lack of guidance this is where we have to lean into the Holy Spirit and ask The Lord what to do with these friendships. -
What are you favorite stories in the Bible?
◦ I love 2 Chronicles 20 - King Jehoshaphat's pleas with The Lord when He is facing something he doesn't know what to do with is such a testament to how we feel when we cry out to God in the same way. His words in vs. 12 are, "For we are powerless against this great horde coming against us, for we don't know what to do but our eyes are fixed on you.
◦ Habakkuk - this short book is a powerful one. It gives great perspective on God working in the midst of things we don't understand as well as us seeing we are able to go to God with all of our feelings and trust that He hears us.
◦ John 4 - The Woman at The Well - This was the first story in the Bible that opened my heart to fully accepting the truth that Jesus loves me regardless of what my past sin was. I am redeemed in Him and I'm filled with joy to speak of the redemption He's worked out in my life. -
Do you think social media is a distraction or blessing? How do you balance screen time when you find yourself with lots of time on your hands?
◦ I think it can be both a blessing and distraction. The Lord gave me Matthew 6:19-25 last year when working through discontentment. This is what I use to keep my social media time as a blessing. When it begins to cause me to feel tripped up by my emotions or falling into feeling of discontentment I know I need to take a break and get my heart back aligned in what God wants to use this for.
◦ For balancing screen time, I don't get this perfect but one thing that has worked is all apps on my phone are locked until 9AM. I also set a time limit for the day on IG at 40min a day. (this is the only form of SM I have). So setting limits and alarms are helpful! The Lord gave us boundaries for a reason so we certainly need them in all areas of our life.
This week Chelsey shares about God's command for us to seek Him for all understanding. As culture seems to be driven more and more by people's feelings and emotions, Chelsey shares that we are called to continually seek The Lord for direction. We see that as we seek understanding from The Lord and desire to know His heart more deeply we won't so easily be tripped up by our feelings and emotions. And, we'll be able to love and serve others the way Christ calls us - through His grace and mercy.
What happens when we don't seek for understanding from The Lord?:
- Hearts become depleted and overly emotional.
- Lives become ran by feelings.
- Decisions are made based off of what the flesh desires.
- Psalm 119:1-8, Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame,having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
As we seek understanding in Christ pulls us away from the world, the lies of the enemy, and desires of the flesh.:
- As we lean into The Lord we will be drawn closer to Him and His truth.
- Psalm 119:29-32, 29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! 30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. 31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! 32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!
As we seek understanding from The Lord, He will always lead us in His truth.:
- The Lord will always lead us in truth and the Holy Spirit points us in the direction of clarity.
- James 4:7-8, 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The Dawning of Indestructible Joy
- By John Piper
- Advent Devotional
His Immeasurably More Bible Study:
- Bible study kicks off this Sunday, September 6th!
- If you still need to register head to ChelseyDeMatteis.com and you'll find the registration on the homepage.
Summer of Sisterhood Series Writers:
- Mandy Johnson - @mandycjohnson
- Elle Cardel - @daughterofdelight
- Alysha Miller - @themarriageproject & @alysha.miller
- Kristen White - @kristen.white
- Rebekah Hargraves - @rebekahhargraves
- Kendra Schwarz - @kendraschwarz
- Shanté Grossett - @herstyleoftea
- Bailey DeHaven - @my.holistic.heart
- Nichole Godsil - @nlgodsil
- Racahel Adams - @rachaeladamsauthor
Thank you to all who have left a rating and review! It means the world to me to hear the way God has used this space in your walk with Him. Thank you for sharing your heart, it has blessed me.
This week Chelsey dives into the call of Sharing The Truth after last week's episode was on knowing the truth. She unpacks 2 Timothy 2:1-13 and digs into what we are called to do as we share the truth that sets us free.
2 Timothy 2:1-13
- 2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
James 1:5-6
- 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Sharing The Truth:
- Teach others the truth we've been entrusted with.
- Share in suffering.
- Do not get caught up in fleshly issues.
- Ask for understanding.
- Know the word is not bound but living and active.
- Endure all things for the sake of others coming to know Him.
This week Chelsey shares why we must know God's Word, stand firm in hardship, lean in when the Holy Spirit prompts, and be attentive to all the places God plants us.
As followers of Christ we are seeing more and more people give into the comforts of complacency, fear of man, and the twisting of the Word of God. Today, we look at what Paul lays out for us in 2 Timothy 4:2-5 on the things that will happen in this world and what we are called to as Christians.
2 Timothy 4:2-5
- 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
What will people say that are misleading?
- "It says _____ in the Bible". Yet the cannot give you any scripture reference.
- "God said _______." But, cannot tell you where or context of what their words mean,
- "I read ____ in the Bible and felt ____ so it means ____." They speak from their feelings and call it truth. They go by their feelings and NOT what God's Word says/means.
The breakdown of 2 Timothy 4:5
- Keep your head in all situations - Christians are not exempt from conversations that happen in the world. We are called to engage and share. Vs 2. says to reprove, rebuke, exhort with patience and teaching.
- Endure Hardships - 2 Tim 3:12, all who desire to live a Godly life in Christ will be persecuted. Persecution is promised. Now, what we see happening in cultural Christianity are people claiming to live for Christ, yet they sidestep the truths about Him that cause persecution.
- Do the work of an evangelist - keep sharing the good news and don't shy away from the conversations God places you in!
- Fulfill your ministry - Keep doing what God has called you to do. Allow Him to lead you, teach you, and sanctify you no matter what it looks like in a particular season. Hebrews 12:3, "Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." This reminds us of what Christ endured. We find our strength and endurance in Christ!
The Gate is Narrow - Matthew 7:13-14
- 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
- Seek Him - seek the narrow gate, the hard way that leads to life.
His Immeasurably More Bible Study
- Sign up at ChelseyDeMatteis.com
- Study kicks off September 6th!
- All details can be found on ChelseyDeMatteis.com homepage!
THANK YOU DONORS
- Thank you to everyone who has supported the ministry. It means more than you can imagine and is a tremendous blessing to the ministry.
This week is diving deeper in last week's topic of conviction and sanctification. Chelsey shares her heart on the truth that conviction is a gift from God. It's His heart pursuing us on display. She shares from Psalm 119:71-72 where it shares that affliction is good and causes us to lean into God's word, commands, and desires for our life.
Psalm 119:71-72
- It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
4 week online bible study His Immeasurably More info:
- Registration opens August 17th at ChelseyDeMatteis.com
- Study kicks off the first Sunday of September
- All resources and links will be sent to your email each week!
This week on episode 85 Chelsey shares all the Lord has beed stirring in her. From the deep convictions being brought to light, reminder to be a doer of the word and not only a hearer, to His constant pursuit of her heart. The Lord continues to use this season that is so unlikely to peel back the layers of unseen things getting in the way of Him.
Stop Blaming and Start Changing:
- Once the sin is confronted - don't place blame where it doesn't belong. Turn your face to the Lord, repent, and allow Him to heal that place.
- Be a doer of the Word - James 1:22
- We should desire to walk in our convictions - this is a gift of grace from the Lord.
- When we are walking with The Lord, that is when we see life change inside our hearts.
- We have to stop saying "it's sin ...but...". Sin is sin. There is no way around it and it must be addressed.
Hard seasons = Fruit Bearing:
- We have to ask ourselves - what is God birthing in me during the season He has me in?
- Some of the seasons God uses to unearth the worst of who we are, are where the most life-changing growth comes from.
Scriptures:
- James 1:22, 25
- Ephesians 2:10
- Romans 8:28
- Psalm 91
- Psalm 92
September Online Bible Study:
- Registration opens August 17th on ChelseyDeMatteis.com
This weeks episode was birthed from Acts 4. In this chapter of the Bible it talks about the boldness we're called to have in our faith. The Lord took me back to a conversation I had four years ago with a friend that was without a doubt the boldness of the Holy Spirit. What God showed me in this is the difference between me desiring to be bold in my flesh and me being obediently bold with the spirit.
Acts 4
- Acts 4:13-14, 21, 29, and 31
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.
29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Holy Boldness
- At our point of history we all can agree we live in a time where we tend to be hesitant, timid, or fearful in regards to standing firm in our faith to the outside world. We get caught up in the fear that we will be misheard, labled judgmental, or a hypocrite. While all these feelings are certainly valid because of what we see day to day, Acts 4 gave me a new perspective and helped change my human way of thinking on the topic of boldness.
- When we're acting in the boldness of the Holy Spirit our demeanor isn't one of intimidation or trying to put your "opinion" on someone else. Boldness from the Holy Spirit is quite the opposite, it's approachable and truth filled.
- If you read this story in Acts you'll also see when the council saw the man who had been healed, they couldn't deny what had been done. This goes for us as well, when we show and share the things God has done for us, people cannot deny what we have experienced.
Chelsey's Story
4 years ago a friend and I were meeting for dinner and I He boldly put on my heart I was to talk to her about her relationship. I remeber being so concerned with how this would even come up, not to mention she's not walking with The Lord. I remeber packing my bible, getting to dinner early to pray, and just kept asking Him to open up the converstation because I didn't know how to. About a half hour into our meal it somehow came up and God blew my hair back.
We talked about the relationship, we talked about all the things God wanted for her life, how special she was to Him, and why He wanted her to be treated with respect.
I walked away from that dinner with my heart filled to the brim but I also walked away thinking how on earth did God do that! Well..4 years later He's answered. God centerned boldness.
God Centered Boldness
- As I wrestled with this chapter of Acts I kept coming back to the place of seeing that our fleshy boldness is NOT the boldness of God. When we act in the flesh things feel off, words feel pressured, and the person were talking with becomes unengaged. I know this because I've been on both sides. I've been the non-believer with someone making me feel uncomfortable while sharing their faith. I've also been the believer trying to have a conversation with someone that I felt needed to happen and things went nowhere.
- When our boldness is set in the things Christ is doing, it becomes filled with truth and love. It's captivating. It causes believers and nonbelievers to lean in to what His word says. His truth gives wandering souls a safe place to land.
So, if God has asked you to share the gospel with someone, pray over someone, or just ask someone too lunch to be the hands and feet, trust that He will pave the way. He will make the conversation happen. You follow the call, He's got the plans.
I pray this week's episode leaves you feeling encouraged to step out in Godly centered boldness as you pursue your kingdom work. Whether that be in your home with babies, at a corporate workplace, in ministry, or a mixture of these together if God is on the throne of it all that's the best place you can be.
This week Chelsey sits down with her friend Rebecca Dotson George to talk about having Courage in Christ. We dive into why God calls us to have courage, how it looks different from season to season, and why we must know God's word to understand His heart when we don't know what He's doing.
Rebecca is a pastors wife, dog mama, podcast host of the Do The Thing Movement, and founder of 818 Ministries. She runs hard after Jesus, loves serving her people, and is always pointing people back to Him.
1) Tell us about you!
- My name is Rebecca Dotson George and I'm a newly married pastor's wife! I live in Brookhaven, MS with my husband and almost 1-year old puppy Jasper. He pastors Easthaven Baptist Church where we're serving now together. I have a podcast + community called Do The Thing Movement where I bring a guest interview each week of someone chasing hard after their God-given calling. It's my greatest joy to cheer on my friends in pursuit of how God has asked them to uniquely serve and glorify Him. Lord willing, a book will be the next step in this journey!
2) You wrote a post for my blog this past summer and I loved every word of it. You talked about courage. This is a word we don’t hear enough about, especially when attached to being courageous in Christ. Can you share a little bit about what you felt the Lord teaching you when He placed “courage" on your heart.
- Courage: possessing the ability to do something brave.
- Where we miss it most often is we think we're stepping into this brave-ness by our own strength. That is a lie straight from the enemy! It's "doing the thing" scared, anxious and maybe fearful because we know the Holy Spirit is dwelling inside us and we're operating out of HIS strength and not our own. We were made a new creation the moment we trust in Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 - Do you not know that you[a] are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
3) I love that you shared being courageous in Christ as this, "It's a quiet confidence that I'm not doing this alone. As a follower of Jesus, the same power that raised Him from the grave on the third day lives inside of me. Therefore, I'm never alone, forgotten or forsaken.” I believe we live in the most encouraged generation to date. Every where we turn there is a person, a sign, or a trendy shirt that is tell you, YES YOU CAN. But, I’ve found in most people I encounter these words from people don’t really propel them forward and what’s missing is Jesus. How would you encourage a man or woman who is feeling exhausted by trying to do it all on their own, when you and I both know Jesus is one choice away?
- This is the person I feel called to speak into - the stay at home momma, the ministry leader, business owner, network marketing girl, all of it! We are fed lies around us each and every day that if we do more, get up earlier, drink more water, work out harder, put in a few more hours, etc. we will finally be "enough". I would put my hands on either side of their face and say, "Your worth and identity have absolutely nothing to do with your productivity level, a number on a scale or how many items you checked off your to-do list today. Has God called us to be good stewards of our time, our bodies, our finances, etc.? YES!
- Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
4) Can you share a few of the BIG things that have happened that took leaning into Jesus as your source of courage and strength.
- -Marraige "Quote by Gary Thomas: "What if the primary goal of marriage is to make us holy and not happy?"
- Quote by Tim Keller: "Within this Christian vision of marriage, here's what it means to fall in love. It is to look at another person and get a glimpse of what God is creating, and to say, "I see who God is making you, and it excites me! I want to be part of that. I want to partner with you and God in the journey you are taking to his throne. And when we get there, I will look at your magnificence and say, 'I always knew you could be like this. I got glimpses of it on earth, but now look at you!”
- -Ministry: Acts 20:24 - However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
- -Podcast : 1 Timothy 1:6-7 - For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
- Fan into flame (in original language): to kindle afresh, inflame one's mind, strength, zeal, to stir up
- The gift (in original language): a favour with which one receives without any merit of his own; grace or gifts distinguishing certain Christians and enabling them to serve the church of Christ, the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating on their souls by the Holy Spirit.
5) I love what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9:10 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
This ties in so beautifully with John 3:30. He and John were certainly on the same page. We must decrease and The Lord must increase in our lives, in all areas. What is an area in your life that you’ve had to let die in order to see Christ increase in your life.
- I think this side of eternity, if we're honest, we all struggle with wanting to "please others". I think my personality type, Enneagram 3 wing 2, especially struggles with this. But God has called us to chase after that which glorifies Him! This is a process for me this side of eternity.
- Galatians 1:10 - For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
6) "Whatever the LORD pleases, He does. In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps." (Psalm 135:6) This passage takes a lot of trusting in the Lord and the way you’ve put it, courage is believe in what God has planned for you. When you’re in seasons of wonder/worry about your plans what do you do to get back into the place of trust what God has in store even when you can’t see it?
- I remember His promises. His character never changes. God's Word is living and active. When I find myself worrying or have an anxious heart, most times I've taken my eyes off of Him and onto my circumstances. I turn to Him in prayer as we're instructed to in Philippians 4:6.
- Philippians 4:6 -do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7) The living with less podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be, if someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this what would you tell them and why?
- The expectations and thoughts of other people - it's crippling! Our aim and mission is to please God and bring Him glory! If we spent more of our time sold out to chasing after this, it would remove a lot of our wandering thoughts about others' opinions!
8) What has been the best part of moving to your new town!
- I think Brookhaven will always be special to us because it's where we started our marriage. We both live away from our family and many of our closest friends so it's brought us closer together. Mississippi is a part of the country I haven't explored a lot yet, but we're only an hour from Jackson and Natchez, Mississippi AND only 2 hours from New Orleans!
Connect with Rebecca:
https://www.dothethingmovement.com/
@rebeccadotsongeorge
Courage blog post
This week's episode Immeasurably More digs into a few truths from God's word that do a great work in our hearts when we allow the Word of God to have authority over us! You'll hear as Chelsey digs in that these 3 parts of scripture can often times be used out of context to fit an earthly agenda. These verses are ones that command and commission us to be doers of the Word, remove the things that get in the way of The Lord, and remember that we're ambassadors for Christ.
Ephesians 3:20 - Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us
- This verse can be easily taken out of context if you don't read the verses that surround it!
- 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
- The immeasurably more is talking about the GLORY that God does in and through us. It's not about our things/stuff but what God does in us.
- What are the things that God has done in and through your life that is more than you could've imagines?
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 - Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
- Verse 24 is one that hustle culture/self-help culture tries to attach itself to. They claim God will do what they desire for their own life, not what GOD desires for their lives.
- These two verses together show us that Paul was talking about the promise of sanctification through what God will call us to.
- Sanctification is a beautiful part of walking with The Lord. He loves us too much to leave us unchanged.
James 1:22 - But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
- We are called to be doers of the Word of God, not just a hearer.
- When we live by the Word of God we know that Jesus' dying for us was the only way our soul was saved.
- We cannot side step living out the truth of the gospel.
- We as followers of Christ must be doers - we must be different from the world.
- 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
This week I pray you will spend time in prayer with The Lord with these parts of scripture. Seek His wisdom, His peace, and the good things He is doing in and through you.
Tell us about you! (Where you’re from, family life, church, ministry, podcast)
- Bailey Stone is a Montana raised blogger, podcaster, speaker and soon to be certified Life Coach. She is the founder of This Illustrious Life and host of The Illustrious Podcast. Bailey aims to empower women in the pursuit of their God-given calling through personal development practices that boost confidence and clarity. Bailey loves baking, taking walks with her husband Kyle and nurturing an ever growing army of houseplants.
2) I’ve been so eager to sit down and dig into confidence rooted in Christ with you. As women we’re living in a time where confidence is displayed more apart from Christ than with Him at the center. Can you share biblically speaking what true confidence looks like!
- I too have been so excited for this conversation because you are absolutely right! Whenever I prepare to make content on confidence I always hear that Demi Lovato song “what’s wrong with being confident” and while that’s a catchy tune it grieves me a little bit because when we place our confidence in ourselves we are setting ourselves up for disappointment, and heartache and ultimately the antithesis of confidence!
- Because the truth is we humans are fallible. We are created with amazing abilities but we all fall short of the glory, we all fail and we all make mistakes so if we are the sole source of our confidence, we’re bound to be let down...
- So with that in mind I want to dig into scripture a bit and explore what God’s design for confidence is. I few prominent figures always come to mind when I think about Biblical confidence like Ruth, Esther and Abigail but today I wanted to throw out some verses that your audience could explore and meditate on...
- First, I love Romans 8:37 which says, “You are more than a conqueror through Christ”. That word conqueror makes me feel so powerful like I am capable of crazy cool things BUT the caveat is those last two words “through Christ”. What this verse means to me is that I can do big, bold things but ultimately the source of my confidence is in my gifts and abilities is Christ.
- I also love the encouragement we are given in Hebrews 4:16 one of the only verses in the bible to use the word confidence. Hebrews 4:16 says this”Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”.
- So not only can we be confident in ourselves but we can boldly approach our creator. What this means to me is that I don’t necessarily have to rely on my own gifts and talents and trust that God is hanging out in the sidelines. This means that when I am feeling insecure, when I am scared I can run to the source of my confidence and get a fresh injection of that confidence.
- So Romans 8:37 - I can have confidence in myself and my endeavors because of Christ.
- Hebrews 4:16 - I can boldly approach my God and the source of my confidence and a final verse I want to throw out, Joshua 1:9 which is a life verse for me.
- Joshua 1:9 says “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Those three verses as well as stories from women in the Bible like the ones I mentioned above have really shaped my understanding of confidence. It’s boldness, it’s reliance on Christ and it’s courage.
3) Something that many people get confused with when it comes to confidence (and I see many women doing this right now) is they think just because a dream is on their heart it means God will make it happen. They believe if a dream is on my heart then why wouldn’t He do it? How do you/would you walk a woman through this thought process of needing to be confident in the abilities/giftings God has given them BUT also understand that just because we “want” to do something with those gifts doesn’t mean He will do it. Because for some women if He doesn’t do it - then they allow that to weaken their confidence in Him.
- Again, you hit the nail on the head. It is SO easy to runaway with the beautiful dreams that God plants in our hearts and that’s an analogy that I like to use a lot. I like to think of God planting little seeds.
- When we start to see little seeds sprout we can get carried away and start overwatering or exposing our “seeds” to too much sunlight or buying fancy gardening gadgets and gizmos to make our little “seedlings” or dreams flourish. But God is the ultimate gardener and apart from his lead, again, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. For rot, decay, and sometimes death.
- When we place our confidence in God he is faithful to see our dreams through to fruition.
4) I’d love to hear some of your story in this area of being a confident Godly woman. Did you have a season where you saw your confidence wasn’t rooted in Him or did you feel like you lacked confidence in Christ because of something not happening the way you desired.
- I have always been pretty naturally confident. From a young age I was pretty “large and in charge” which is funny because I’ve always been a tiny blonde thing. And I’ve had a really strong relationship with Lord from a young age too.
- I was that girl going to church at least 2-3 times a week and participating in all the summer camps, church events and volunteer opportunities.
- But it was around age 12 that I started to first feel a wane in my confidence and my faith. From ages 12-14 I became REALLY hyper aware of what other people thought and I started to drift farther and farther from my faith and actually found myself in a pretty dark time by the age of 17.
- I was crippled with anxiety, filled with a self loathing that expressed itself in gossip and anger and a bit of paranoia and I would have to say that that was the lowest point in my life so far. I was separated from God and I was so depleted of confidence.
- And I don’t think my story is super unique or surprising because A LOT of young girls start to experience a confidence shift at that age. Your body is changing, your social climate and skills are changing at break neck speed and suddenly, for a lot of us, the opinions of others start to feel a lot more important than God’s opinion.
- Fast forward a few years and I really got my confidence back after my freshman year of college. I’m not a confidence legend and I certainly don’t have the concept of confidence mastered but when I returned back to God full force and moved farther and farther away from what others thought of me (which is still a daily struggle) the more confident I got and the more clarity I received about my calling which is why I’m so passionate about confidence and clarity work today!
5) I think Rahab is a beautiful example from the Bible of being confident in her God. (Joshua 2) Her story was one of much suffering, terrible life choices, but a mustard seed of faith. How can you and I + all other believers help steward women away from their suffering to true confident relationship with Christ?
- Such a great question. I’m a huge advocate of community over competition. As women I think we struggle with cheering each other on and supporting each other and in that kind of world it's hard to inspire confidence in one another.
- So the first thing I would say is support other women. When you see something that God has uniquely equipped a fellow sister in Christ to do, cheer her on!
- And how do we do that? We silently observe, listen and use our words sparingly.
- So to break that down, when you see a fellow sister is Christ doing something great encourage her! Let her know she’s rocking that mom life, let her know you see her crushing that side business she’s got going on our even just simply remind a friend that you appreciate her perspective. Encouragement doesn’t have to be big grand gestures or speeches, it’s often just a simple, unexpected word.
- Next, sisters, I know many of us love to chat! But, man, I haven’t met very many humans that genuinely love to listen. And it doesn’t necessarily build confidence to give unsolicited advice and lecture one another. What really inspires confidence is the feeling of being heard and having valid feelings. We all love that feeling of being able to pour out our heart and just be heard, right? Extending that feeling of “your worthy of being heard” can be a HUGE confidence boost!
- Finally, I want to throw out this idea that unsolicited advice can be a big confidence killer and I see this ALL the time in the church. We blow right past the two things I just mentioned, listening and encouraging and we rush right to scolding, blaming and shaming. There is a time and place for Christ like correction but I would caution anyone listening to check how often they are correcting versus listening and encouraging.
6) You and I address on your podcast holy endurance over hustle culture. I think confidence fits right in with that. The hustle culture preaches the message of a selfish self confidence (in my opinion — you can disagree if you feel so and we can talk through that!). How do you blend the two of being bold in your calling but keeping your confidence rooted in Him.
- I actually couldn’t agree more. This is such a tricky tightrope to walk. Walking this tightrope, so to speak, requires a high degree of sensitivity. Sensitivity to what God is speaking, what He is up to and what His will is.
- We know that we can be confident in Christ, we know that we have each been given unique gifts, skills, talents, passions and burdens to fulfil our calling but we also know that apart from God we are susceptible to heartbreak, failure or wild success. Success that ultimately leads us astray from God.
- So my commission to anyone who wants to be bold in their calling with a confidence rooted in Christ is to be sensitive. Take time for stillness, silence and solitude. And again, these are things that I am not perfect at but I value because I know they lead to the source of both clear direction and confidence in my calling.
- Lately, for me, this has looked like being really slow to take action. I have to ask “God is this from you” and if it’s not I have to walk away and that’s been so hard because I’m a girl who like to hustle for her worth.
- So again, be sensitive, slow down, find some stillness (the opposite of hustle) and have confidence in your God to sift and sieve the assignments in your life that truly align with where you are being uniquely called in this season. This may sound like the opposite of boldness too but the more concentrated your energies are on the things that are aligned with God’s call the bolder and better you can be in those pursuits.
7) If someone were to ask you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to John 3:30, “He must increase, I must decrease." what would you tell them and why!
- I feel like I should say less insecurity to stay on topic BUT honestly I think I would say less hurting and more healing.
- I feel like in order to become less we have to do some hard, personal work which is why I am so passionate about personal development. I feel like we can be better wives, sisters, moms, mentors and disciples when we have less baggage and bruising from our past because the longer we carry that heavy load and wounding around the less effective our witness is.
- When we’re stuck in hurts from the past we are more focused on ourselves than we realize. Doing the hard work of work on yourself which actually equips you to extend more love and kindness to others which is what being a disciple is all about.
- I’ll not here that I’m not necessarily talking about BIG traumas. I think it’s obviously important to work through those but I don’t want to communicate that you're a crappy Christian because you have some deep wounding from the past that you haven’t recovered from. What I’m saying here is identify your blindspots, your character defects and your biases so that you can become a more effective witness.
- Ultimately, this kind of hard work that leads to healing can really inspire confidence not only in yourself but in those you have influence over so there you go I brought it all together!
8) What have been your current favorite worship songs!
- Okay, I love that we are talking about confidence today because the worship song I ALWAYS return to and constantly have on repeat is Confident by Steffany Gretzinger.
Find Bailey here!
Podcast - The Illustrious Podcast
Website - thisillwstriouslife.com
IG - @thisillustriouslife
Tell us a little about you!
- Brooke is a wife, a mother, social media faith-blogger and currently a student at Liberty University pursuing her Bachelors of Science in Religion with a focus in Christian Counseling. Brooke uses her voice and heart to not only share her personal life’s journey in Christ, but also to encourage women to seek after God first hand. In a world where it is easy to access biblical theology and doctrine through a variety of sources (podcasts, social media, books etc.), Brooke states that secondhand faith has nothing on true, firsthand relationship that abides and walks with God. Brooke enjoys writing, reading, learning and talking about all things pertaining to theology and God’s word. To contact her personally, you can find her on Instagram @thegorgeousgrace or email at brookietabor@gmail.com
What has God been teaching you in 2020?
- Obedience in the uncomfortable
- I’m learning what it means to lose.
- To have an eternal mindset
- I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord,who made heaven and earth.He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:1-4
- How comforting it is that I don’t have to stress myself because God is in control. All he asks is that i trust him and keep an eternal mindset.
How have you felt spiritually during this season? (Be honest!!!)
- Grieved and homesick - Ecclesiastes 3:11: He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
- Humbled and hopeful - Hebrews 4:16, ESV: "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."
In what way do you know God more deeply because of this year?
- I feel like this year has been one gigantic trust fall. - Jumping into the pool as a child. It was scary the first few times, but as my father caught me, i began to jump more confidently (Hebrews 4:16)
- The more times you fall and let the Lord catch you, the more confident you are that you are going to be caught.
What’s one portion of scripture you’d share with someone who you knew you’d never see again?
- Ephesians 2!
- This passage I think speaks to both unbelievers and believers. (which the entire bible does) but the sections within this chapter break down what it is to believe.
- Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
This week's sit down is with my sweet friend Alysha Miller. She's a California girl, Host of the Marriage Project Podcast, wedding photographer, and writer who most importantly loves God and has a deep reverence for His word. Your heart will be encouraged and equipped with His truth as you listen to us talk about what God is doing in our lives, what He's teaching us, and my favorite part how we're knowing Him more deeply.
What has God been teaching you in 2020?
- One thing God has been teaching me is He has been and always will be in control. I can’t plan anything that would supersede His.
- He is our strong-tower. The name of the Lord is Strong tower. What a picture that we get to cling to.
- He is safety - He is God almighty.
- God is not a God of confusion.
How have you felt spiritually this season?
- And I’ve seen Him spiritually renew me as I’ve been obedient in prayer with Him.
- When my phone was in my hand I felt Him saying to my heart you have a piece of the armor down.
- Search me God and know me. Give me clean hands and a pure heart.
How do you know The Lord more deeply?
- I’m more in the rhythm of God than the rhythm of the world.
- This whole thing has caused me to pause and lean into what He's doing.
What part of scripture would you share with someone if you knew you'd never see them again?
Romans 6
- 6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Where can everyone find you!
- www.themarriageproject.co
- Instagram @themarriageprojectco.
What has God been teaching you in 2020?
A few things come to mind –
- Clear the path so that God can speak. Prior to COVID-19, there were so many days I thought to myself, “Oh if I just had time to do quiet time, get in the word, listen to a sermon, etc. then I’d grow closer to the Lord.” But time wasn’t the issue, it was me choosing to not prioritize Jesus as much as I knew I wanted to.
- Being forced to stay at home, where God has literally wiped my schedule clean, has shown me that when life goes back to “normal or normal-ish”, I have to make an effort to clear a path for God to speak. To choose to seek him first in my heart, mind, and schedule.
- I can’t wait for another pandemic to clear my schedule so that I can focus on him with unwavering dedication. It takes effort from us to actively remove what gets in the way of following Jesus. And, for me it’s a filled schedule. He rewards those who seek him earnestly. Second, this year has reminded me of a question Andy Stanley often asks, which is, “What does love require of me?”
- I’ve watched several family members and friends respond differently to this pandemic, and it reminded me that I need to actively respond with love – not judgment – in all circumstances. Just because someone responds to an issue differently than I do doesn’t make them better or worse or more or less faithful – it makes them still loved by God, just with a different opinion. And, it’s not my place to judge them for that!
- So, I ask, “What does love require of me?” Most of the time love requires me to take a step back, to listen, to learn, to show empathy. So, I’m learning/relearning to constantly ask that question: What does love require of me? And being at home is a great place to start. My husband, Kyle, is wonderful and I love him to pieces but we can both get on each other’s nerves – I mean that’s any relationship, right?! So, in those frustrating moments, instead of letting my emotions take over, I pause to ask: what does love require of me? And as we continue to ask that question over and over again at home it begins to trickle outside of our home too.
- Third, it’s that resistance builds our resilience. Watching people suffer is the worst, and it breaks my heart just as it breaks God’s. But we serve a God who doesn’t waste our pain or sadness. In fact, he uses it to help us grow in our faith and grow closer to him. So, in a season of what feels like resistance on all sides (someone losing their job, getting sick, becoming a teacher/mom at home, etc.) I’m learning that God must want to teach me something – or all of us something. It’s painful and it stings, but it also bridges the gap between where we were and where we want to go spiritually. Resistance is an opportunity, and it’s a way to build our resilience.
How have you felt spiritually during this season? (Be honest!!!)
- Filled is the first word that comes to mind. As crazy as it sounds, I haven’t worked since March, we’re stuck at home for the most part, there is a lot going on that wants to steal our joy, but I’m filled. The Lord is near. And of course, my heart breaks for the people hurting – but I believe in the power of hope. Clinging to hope and the ability to clear a path for God to speak has left me feeling filled in this season.
In what way do you know God more deeply because of this year?
- I think I’ve seen him more as a protector and provider this year. Nashville was hit with tornados in early March, and houses just two miles away from where I live are gone. Still, to this day, there are houses and businesses with broken glass windows and rubble all around. It was devastating. I feel very strongly that the Lord protected us that night. Kyle still has his job. Protection. We haven’t gotten sick. Protection. I even received the news while at home that a devotion that I wrote will be published in a Proverbs 31 book – so not only is he protecting me, Kyle, our house – he’s progressing the dream he placed in my heart which is to write. He’s providing above and beyond for us even in a pandemic. And if your story is different, that doesn’t mean he’s not protecting you or providing for you – he’s intricately writing your story too. But for me, in this season, I know him more deeply as a gracious, protective Father.
What’s one portion of scripture you’d share with someone who you knew you’d never see again?
- Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” I think for most of us, faith can be tough to navigate whether you’re not a believer or you’ve been a believer your entire life. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Faith is not ignoring painful circumstances; it’s believing in the hope of Jesus in spite of them. It’s knowing that he is with us no matter what. Don’t lose hope. He loves you and he’s with you!
Episode 77 is a re-air with my sweet friend Rachael Adams. She is the host of The Love Offering podcast. In this interview we dive deep into what it really means to love like Jesus and what our individual love offering looks like. God created us all differently with unique giftings Rachael challenges us to use that unique call God has put on your life to show His love to others.
1)Tell us about you and share with everyone about the Love Offering mission and where it was birthed from?
The true inspiration of the love offering actually started about 10 years. I was in a transitional season where I stopped my career to be a stay at home mom. Motherhood gave me a greater sense of purpose than I had ever had before, however there was still this inner longing I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I was questioning my purpose, my significance, my value, my worth. I was questioning do I matter? Why am I here? I was on a search to determine my purpose and fulfill it. I began to notice that serving my husband and children gave me purpose. Serving in my church and my friends gave me purpose. God continued to speak to my heart this recurring theme of service. The more I served others and the Lord my empty heart was filled.
One specific night I woke up with the idea of the service project. I had recently read the happiness project by Gretchen Rubin and while I agree with a lot of what the author had to say I thought that there had to be something more to the equation other than simply making ourselves happy. From a Christian standpoint our happiness is derived from staying connected with the Lord and sharing His love with others. So I began journaling for years on the topics of servanthood and purpose in the Bible.
Fast forward about 10 years later, I was sitting in the church pew on Sunday morning and I looked at the back of the pew and there was a love offering envelope. These envelopes are typically used for monetary giving, over and above your tithe. But on this occasion I got to thinking about how we as Christians are love offerings. We give our lives as love offerings to the Lord and we give our lives as love offerings to the world around us. That we can tangibly go above and beyond for others and for the Lord.
2) God put on your heart, “Rachael, who do you want to feed them, who do you want to hug them, who do you want to give them a home?” You followed by saying it’s not enough to just pray, we have to be active in loving people tangibly. How can you encourage someone in this place. When God does choose them to do the very thing they are asking Him to send someone else to do?
Yes one night my daughter Kate and I were reading a book that she chose from our local church library titled Willie’s Soup Kitchen. In this book there is a baby in a high chair and Kate who was 4 at the time began to question how a child did not have anything to eat because she had no frame of reference for lack of food. This lead to a conversation about hunger and homelessness and orphans/. I told her that it broke my heart to think about a child out there somewhere that has no one to hold them when they cry. Hearing this reality, Kate began to weep as if she was physically hurt, but it was an emotional hurt I had never witnessed from her before. Due to her reaction I was prompted to pray, Lord please give them a home and give them someone to comfort them and give them food. And in the middle of the prayer I clearly felt the Lord speak my heart and say, Rachael who do you want to feed them? Who do you want to clothe them? Who do you want to comfort them? That is why I put you here.
It was this call to action then and it is a call to action now. I am a firm believer in prayer. Prayer does work. God does listen to our prayers and we must communicate with him, however there is a point when He says quit praying about this and act. I have given you everything you need to change this situation. You have the time or the talent or the finances or the capacity to make a difference in this person’s life. So often we just wait for someone else to move or for God to move, when that is why He’s put us here on earth, to be his hands and feet. He uses us to accomplish His purposes. I have to remind myself of this often. We can be the answer to someone else’s prayer.
3) One of my favorite verses in the Bible is 1 Timothy 6:20 - “Guard the deposit entrusted to you.” I felt this when I listened to the episodes. We’ve got to love people with the gifts God has given us. Unfortunately, we live in a world where comparison and the enemy tries to make us look at everyone else’s gifts as better than our own. Was there a time when you felt this way and how did you get to the place of knowing the gifts God gave you were sacred and needed to be shared.
I would love this verse too. It reminds me of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. God gives us these talents and we can bury them or we can use them and we can invest them for His Kingdom. At the end of my life I want God to say well done good and faithful servant. Not well sad or well thought, but well done.
You know I still doubt the gifts that God has given me. I feel like it’s so much easier to call out and see the gifts in other people than it is to recognize our own. But when we read in the Word, God says that we are all special. We all have a talent. We all have a treasure and time to share. But it is love that makes all of our gifts useful and we can all love.
When I doubt the gifts or wish for the gift He have to someone else, I am doubting God who gave them to me. When we start to compare our gifts to other people we are undermining God‘s workmanship and providence. God gave us these gifts and God does not make mistakes.
I have not overcome this doubt and insecurity in my gifts. I question what I have to offer and I don’t know if this will ever go away altogether. But honestly, I wonder if this is for the best because it keeps me humble and reliant on the Lord. If I could do it on my own or in my own strength or because I have worked so hard, then I would take all the credit and I would get the glory. When the reality is, I can’t do this on my own. Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. That is why I delight in my weakness, for when I am weak, then I am strong. It is only because of Him that we can do or accomplish anything and that way He always gets the glory because he is the only one who deserves any glory.
To answer the second part of your question, how did I get to the place of knowing these gifts needed to be shared, I began to realize I was insecure in my giftings because of my concern or fear of man’s reaction, but the turning point for me was the realization that I feared God more. This fear is more of a reverent fear and a posture of obedience to His call to use the gifts He has given me. Not in an arrogant way, but in a humble responsible way. I got to the point that I can’t not do the things God was calling me to. It was a realization that I didn’t want to waste my life. I want to live this one life well, so that at the end of my time here on earth, He will say well done good and faithful servant.
4) If someone sees the need, knows God is calling them, but they don’t know how to move on it, how would you speak into the life of a woman who comes to you with that? “I know God is calling me to “this” and wants me to use “this” gift, but where do I start”.
Gosh this question really resonates with me. It’s a daily battle isn’t it? The main thing is simply to start. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is in Mark 14 about a woman who anoints Jesus head with perfume. Everyone around her rebukes her and calls her offering a waste, but Jesus says she has done a beautiful thing. She did what she could. Those five simple words. And I believe that is all that He is asking of us as well - to simply do what we can.
If your listeners are anything like me, we tend to get overwhelmed with the enormity of the problems and our lack of time and resources. But what these verses reveal to me is that we don’t need to exhaust ourselves thinking we have to do it all and do it all perfectly. There is such freedom in these verses.
My family has a motto that says “do our best and let God take care of the rest.” We can't get stuck in the opinions of others, our our insecurity in our gifts, or fear of failure. Because if we do we stay stagnant, apathetic, and complacent and end up doing nothing instead. My hope is that through the love offering our generation is inspired to do something to manifest the better world we want to see.
I do want to make it clear that we are not saved by our deeds, we are only saved by faith, however the book of James says faith without deeds is dead. It is our faith that saves us, but it is our active obedience that proves that our faith is genuine.
So for the woman listening wondering where to start, first pray for God to lead you and secondly, start wherever you are. Where does God have you? Love there. And who has He surrounded you with? Love them. From the book of Eshter, who knows? You were there for such a time as this.
5) How do you inspire others to do the things God calls them. I can see we live in a place of we want to share seats at the table but at the same time hate seeing others get ahead of us. One thing I’ve learned is if I’m in step with the Spirit, I’m right where God has me. How do you push people God-ward?
I am directionally challenged in a physical sense, but also very much in a spiritual sense. I can get lost, sidetracked, and detoured so easily. I love the image in the metaphor of staying in step with the spirit, because where He leads I want to follow. I want nothing more than to be in the center of God’s will. However, how easy it is to question if the direction or step we are taking is in the right direction. We wonder if we heard God correctly, but I’m finding God can redirect us if we are on the wrong course, look at Jonah for example. He brought a fish to get back on track!
God can get us back on track if we make a misstep. When we stay in tune with His voice by reading His Word, He will lead us. We need to trust that God will open and shut the right doors. He is the light for our path and Scripture assures us in Isaiah 30:21, whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk in it.
In regards to saving seats at the table, we do have a tendency to believe there is not enough room for all of us, but the reality is, God just keeps making a bigger table. He is a God of abundance, not scarcity. I want to be the kind of woman who helps others, rather than hinder others in their walk with Christ. And yet I fall short daily. Thank goodness for God’s grace. I can only hope I don’t push anybody in any direction, but rather point them in God‘s direction, so they too can stay in step with His Spirit. We never know whose eyes are on us, and so we would benefit from keeping our eyes fixed on Him. He is our shepherd and He will lead us, guide us and direct us Godward.
6) People are feeling weary, excited, anxious, joy filled. There are so many emotions going on this time of year. How do you feel we can live out the rest of this season with our arms wide open and be the hands and feet of Jesus? How can we be a love offering?
There are so many emotions this time of year. And I think the first step is to recognize that it’s not always joyful for everyone. I know for me and my relationships that even though people may be smiling on the outside, there is always something deeper on the inside that someone may be battling. Whether it’s a physical, emotional, or spiritual need. We all have need. We all need love. We can be a love offering by first allowing Christ to fill us with His love, because without the love of Christ we don’t truly have anything valuable to give. Then through Him and through the help of the Holy Spirit we are able to notice others. We can pray to be sensitive to His leading and to open the eyes of our hearts to see first the need and then act on the need. So many times we worry about having the right words to say or giving the perfect gift, but in reality people just want you to see them and to care about them and their needs. The greatest present you can give this season could simply be your presence.
7) I love when you talked about starting a chain reaction that points people to Jesus. I love the thought of what this looks like. Encounter after encounter. What are some simple things people can be focused on to start this chain reaction?
I also love this image. I believe our small acts of love in God’s hands can make an enormous impact. Throughout the Bible God always used ordinary people and ordinary objects to do extraordinary things. He is a God of multiplication. Although I’m not much of a scientist, when I think of reaction, Newton’s Law of motion comes to mind which states for every action there is an equal or opposite reaction. When I apply this to my Christian life, God’s love should prompt a response of love in me. This concept has proven true in my own life. When someone smiles at me it causes me to want to smile. When someone laughs it makes me want to laugh. When someone gives me a hug it makes me want to hug them back. If someone makes me a meal, I want to make a meal for someone else. It’s this pay it forward concept for Christians.
We also need to be mindful that this chain reaction can go the opposite way. Our harsh words, our judgement, our lack of forgiveness, our lack of mercy, and our inactivity can do as much negative as our positive can do positively.
In order to start a positive chain reaction we must first stay in God‘s word, stay in step with His spirit like we talked about earlier, pray, and be willing to be interrupted. So often, especially during the Christmas season we are busy with all the things. This season let’s make it our goal to slow down enough to notice and be aware of the needs around us. Simply take the time to invite someone to get together, text someone a kind thought, pray for someone, give someone a gift, or surprise them by doing a chore. It’s not as much about what you give but, just that you do give and with the right motive.
8) The Living With Less podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this, what would you tell them and why?
I love the name of your podcast. It brings to mind less of me and more of Christ. That we are dying to our self and living a newness of life with Him. Our natural sinful tendency is to be selfish and focus on our needs and our wants. So in this respect, to live with less would be to live with less of ourselves- to be selfless. God has called us to take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus came as a servant and we are to model our behavior to live like Him.
Isaiah 40 talks about being a servant of the Lord and one of my favorite phrases in the commentary I read about this chapter stated majestic works prompt majestic responses. Because of God’s love we should respond in love to Him and to those around us, so they may respond to God’s love too. That is our purpose. To have a relationship with Him so that we can spend eternity in heaven and to lead others to relationship with Him so they can spend eternity in heaven too.
9) What's been the best thing God has taught you in this season of “The Love Offering” podcast?
Gosh this is a hard question because He is teaching me so much every day and through this podcast I feel so lucky to be able to talk to so many amazing women and get to learn from each of them. So many times we hear a lot of negative news, but there really are a lot of people doing a lot of great things in this world. And that is something to celebrate. Everybody’s life and offerings look different and they’re all at a different pace, in a different place, in a different position, but they are all important to God and kingdom work. We just simply must all do our part.
When I think about the love offering and I think about God as the most extraordinary giver, we give because God gave first. He created us in love. He sent His son Jesus because He loved us. Jesus died on the cross because He loved us. And we are to love because He first loved us. That is our greatest offering.
Where you can find Rachael at her website https://rachaelkadams.com, on Facebook, and Instagram @rachaeladamsauthor.
As I sat in prayer and asked God what He wanted me to share, if anything at all this week, I felt over and over the story of Jesus's birth, the gospel, and what this meant for you and me. So this week is the re-airing of the Christmas episode.
In this short 18 min. episode Chelsey shares on the portion of Luke 2 that stood out to her most this year. The Shepherds response when the angles left them, "LET US GO". They had no hesitation in the truth they heard. They wanted to see Jesus and share the good news of great joy with all people. Which is exactly who Jesus came for. You, me, and everyone else. Let us do just as the shepherds did. May we declare this year as one where we will urgently, without hesitation share the GOOD NEWS.
This week Chelsey shares how God began peeling back the layers on a sin issue that has been a long time growing in her heart. He landed her in Psalm 115 and showed her what it looks like for people to want God's glory displayed through all who know Him and trust in however He makes it happen.
Psalm 115:1, 9-18
- 1: Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
- 9-18: O Israel,trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; he will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great. May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth! The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore, Praise the Lord!
What We Learn Here
- The author shows that they were completely OK with however God chose to display His glory and whoever He chose to do so through.
- They trusted God's best and provision.
- God's glory is about God, not me.
- We can rest in His eternal promises/blessings - provision, protection, help, mercy, grace, eternal life.
- Someone else's blessings don't negate God's goodness in your life.
- Their blessings don't change God's plans for you!
What We Need To Do:
- Stay in step with The Spirit (Galatian 5:25)
- Repent of the jealousy, pride, fear, and eagerness to get ahead!
- Ask God to help us see where this is rooted in our lives.
- Cheer on those who are in the same space as you!
- Celebrate God using others to reach people on behalf of His kingdom!
This week Chelsey shares her heart on the power of Godly community and prayer intersecting. For some people, it takes really hard, scary things to make them reach out vulnerably for prayer, while for others asking for prayer comes so naturally. This week Chelsey shares a few stories and places in scripture that have shown her on a deeper level why we need community and why we need those people praying for us.
This week is a short, deep, raw episode. Chelsey's sharing a prayer she wrote to The Lord while in this season of navigating life with a seemingly constant weary heart. Weary of missing people, weary of wanting God to end this, and weary of missing our normals. Her prayer is this short episode will meet your heart in a tender way and most importantly point you to Him.
Prayer:
How long O’Lord? I know these words are very familiar to you. They’ve been muttered, whispered, and screamed at you. Our hearts are aching for normalcy and connection. Our hearts yearn for the day this is over and past us.
Lord, I am not alone and I know that. You make it so evident you are with me. In this time where we are physically distant from others, I pray we all feel a deep sense of your presence.
God, my heart in some ways has turned to stone. Lord - remove it. I pray Ezekiel 36:26-27 over me and anyone listening. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Lord, remind us you are outside of time. You don’t ask us to control the next second before us. You just ask us to trust you. To stand firm. To await the eternal glory you have called us to. 1 Peter 5:10.
Jesus wipe mud on my blind eyes so that I see you when I look at my circumstance. As my earthly heart shatters from its lack of control remind me that even in my sin-filled flesh you love me. You died for me so I can live for you.
Help me, love where you have me. Help me wake up every day grateful for another opportunity to grow closer to you and help me rest peacefully knowing you see me.
God, bind the enemy and shut his condescending mouth. Remind us that his head has been trampled. Help us to speak your truth out loud as he tries to defeat us in our thoughts.
You’re in charge. You’re on the throne. YOU’RE THE ONLY ANSWER.
I ask this all in Jesus’s mighty, powerful, redeeming name. Amen.
This week I was honored to sit down with Alicia Bruxvoort for a refreshing, honest, and God led conversation about motherhood. As a mom of 5 herself she has walked out many of the seasons you and I are currently walking through. Her heart for moms to know The Lord and make time for Him in their middle minutes completely shines through during this entire conversation. I cannot wait for you to hear it!
*Giveaway Details at the end of the show notes!*
1) Tell us about the wonderful you! (Where you live, church, writer/speaker, family, etc.)
- I’m a writer and speaker and abundant life seeker. I’m a sunset chaser, a carpooler, and a storyteller. I am a member of Proverbs 31 Ministries’ writing team, so I have the privilege of reaching over a million readers around the globe each month with hope from God’s word. Best of all, I’m a mom and a wife. five kids ranging in ages from 11-21 with our sixth child coming home through adoption sometime in the year ahead. I’ve been married for 26 years to the cute boy who sat behind me in the fifth grade. Rob and I have 5 kids ranging in ages from 11-21, and we’re in the process of bringing our sixth child home through adoption. We live in Holland, Michigan.
2) When I met you at She Speaks and sat in the Motherhood meets Ministry session I loved your raw honesty about the blessings, beauty, and challenge within the gift motherhood. Can you share how The Lord used a crayon box to restore your colors of contentment.
- When I was just two and a half years into my journey of motherhood, I finally admitted that there was a huge gap between what I’d expected motherhood to be and the reality I was living. It was harder. Lonelier. More draining and demanding than I ever could have imagined. When I’d imagined life as a mom, I’d pictured this colorful season of joy and abundance, but with two little ones 2 and under, I just felt empty----and disappointed.
- So, one day, as I was cleaning up after my toddler had sat in his high chair and colored (for 2 minutes at the most)--I crawled under the kitchen table to pick up the splattering of crayons, and as I reached for the empty crayon box, I started to cry. And there under the kitchen table, I poured out all my disappointment to God. I picked up that empty box and told the Lord, “This is exactly how motherhood makes me feel…. So empty……” After my rant, I put the crayons back in the box and began to crawl out from under the table, and a verse I’d memorized as a child in Sunday School rose out of the depths of my heart and ran through my mind. “I”ve come to give you life and give it to the full”-John 10:10. In the days ahead, the Lord began to assure me that I wasn’t created for an empty life--- and the life I was looking for was possible--- but it wasn’t my kids who would fill me or add the color to my days. He would…” In that decade, our family grew from 2 kids to five and God kept His promise to restore the colors of joy and contentment in my life. He showed me how to take hold of life that is really life, to refuel my heart with His Word; to seize joy that couldn’t be wrecked by a toddler tantrum or a grocery store disaster, and how to thrive in the throes of motherhood instead of merely survive.
3) When mom’s in any season are feeling discontent and wishing their life looked a little different, where would you send them in God’s Word to not only encourage them but equip them to trust where God has them?
- I love the stories in God’s word that remind me that God can do big things with our small offerings--
- God enabled David to kill Goliath with five small stones; He fed 5,000 people with a little boy’s small lunch, He changed the world forever with a small band of just 12 ordinary men,
- So often motherhood feels like a mundane exercise in smallness-- and we start dreaming of doing something bigger than reading Dr. Suess over and over again and washing faces and bottoms and floors a dozen times a day, and soothing silbing spats--- but in Zecharaiah 4:10, God says--- Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”
- We have to remember that God’s measuring stick isn’t like us. He doesn’t major our value by the “size” of our work our the accolades we receive. God is pleased when we do small things with big love.
4) What are some of the best things God has taught you within motherhood?
- Oh, my! He’s taught me nearly all of my important lessons in the past two decades in the context of motherhood.
- Significance and success are NOT the same thing.
- It’s easy to grow blind to the gifts right in front of me--- gratitude opens our eyes.
- What we plant today determines what we will harvest tomorrow.
- Just because it’s small doesn’t mean its insignifcant
- If the enemy can’t defeat me, he’ll simply distract me.
- Time is a sacred gift; I need to steward it well
- Joy is found in unlikely places
- Comparison is the quickest road to discontentment
- Presence trumps perfection every time.
- The color of motherhood often feels brown--monotonous and mundnane-- but --- ask any artist and she’ll tell you the way to make brown is by mixing RED, BLUE, and YELLOW. When we learn to celebrate the beauty in the brown, our homes change; our hearts change; our perspectives change.
- Hurry steals joy.
5) What has been the best mothering advice you’ve received and if you remember who it was from can you share who told you!
- Pray for a passion for the present-----Ask God to give you a passion for the life you live right now, not the life you wish you had. --wisdom shared with me by a beautiful pastor’s wife, mom of four.
6) Spending time with The Lord in the midst of motherhood can feel like a challenge, but we’ve also began using that as a crutch. In your experience how would you help a mom who is trying to add this time to her life? Were there or are there any unlikely places you found/find yourself digging into God’s word that?
- Examples: Laundry, Carpool line, doing dishes, wee hour of the morning.
- Motherhood has made me desperate for Jesus. And I’m so thankful for that desperation.I made a pact with God when I was up all night with my fourth baby with colic--- told Him I’d spend the night in His word if He’d keep His promise and give me energy in the morning. I sat up every night with a fussy baby oin one hand and my Bible in another--- when I was too tired to open my eyes, I just listened to scripture. And God’s word began to be my lifeline. And 13 years later, He still hasn’t broken His promise.
- The simple truth is this-- In the end, we make time for the things that have captured our heart. When all my kids were little, I asked Jesus to wreck me and to woo me with His love. As He answered that prayer, I would find myself grabbing ANY time I could get with Him-- I hauled out of bed in the dark before dawn to be with him before my kids woke up. I scheduled a coffee date with Jesus when my last one went to preschool and I finally had a few precious hours to myself-- refused to run errands or clean or do laundry-- just met Jesus with a cup of coffee and my Bible and journal once a week for a couple of hours. I would take my kids to a fastfood playland a few times a month and bring my Bible--- just sit there in the crazy chaos and soak up the Word.
- But often my best time with Jesus was with my kids on my lap just reading the Jesus Bible Storybook together. I can’t even count how many times I’d read that precious book aloud and start crying as God spoke to me through its simple words and it’s powerful pointing to Jesus.
7) The Living With Less Podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If a mom or anyone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this what would you tell them and why?
- I think we need to eliminate hurry. Slow down. Look up instead of around. Become wonder-chasers---- watch more sunsets, jump in mudpuddles, laugh more. We have such a joyful and amazing God, but so often, we don’t pause to ENJOY Him or pay attention to His presence. Kids are natural wonder-chasers. Let them teach you how. Follow their lead. Kids are rarely in a hurry. We need to leave margin in our day to just savor the present and BE present.
Connect with Alicia here!:
https://aliciabruxvoort.net
Mother's Day Giveaway Details
- There will be 2 winners selected on Mother's Day (5/10/2020)
- Winners will receive - 2 - 8X10 prints + In The Garden Book
- To enter please like the photo on the @livingwithlesspodcast IG page!
This week Chelsey shares a snippet of her life with the unexpected passing of a family member during a very unexpected time in history. God has shown her that while we don't know all things, we can't control all things, we can rest in the assurance of who does AND...the He faithfully prepares our hearts.
The Psalm 138:8 Story:
- I felt God place this on my heart the morning of the day my uncle would pass.
- I felt I was to share it with the young man installing our new garage door. Turned out his grandmother had just passed away the evening before in North Canton.
- As I ended the day, I got a call from my dad sharing the news that my uncle had passed away. He was around the same age as the younger mans grandmother AND he lived in North Canton.
- I then remembered the verse and that I had written the date...I quickly realized while God used that for the young man in the morning, He was using that to prepare my heart for what was ahead.
- Psalm 138:8 will forever be my Uncle Ralphie verse.
While We Don't Know All - We Know Who Does
- We can't know everything that will happen, which is why we deal with unexpected things every day, BUT we know who DOES and we can trust in that.
- God prepares our hearts are we seek Him. He points us to places in His word, lays verses on our hearts, and sends us gentle reminders of how much He loves us.
We CAN Control Our Obedience
- While we cannot control most of what goes on around us, we can control if we obey God.
- We can control if we turn to Him in the midst of hardship or victory.
- we can control making the time to be in His word.
This week Chelsey dives deeper into a very well known portion of scripture and shares how the message behind it is not to encourage us to work in our strength but it's an invitation to share in God's holiness. The race The Lord has set before us is His, not ours and hustle culture tries to sidestep that truth. You are not your own hero, Jesus is.
Hebrews 12:
- 1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
- 10 - They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.
- 14 - Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
- 15 - See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
God's discipline vs Hustle Culture:
- God's discipline is out of his goodness and holiness.
- God didn't design us to be the energizer bunnies.
- He designed us to need rest, he designed us to work within His will.
- Hustle culture is out of self motivation and pride in ones strength.
- Hustle culture is a lie - it tells us YOU CAN DO IT, YOU'RE YOUR OWN HERO.
- Hustle culture sidesteps God's grace and mercy.
God's Call:
- His race he has set before us is an invitation to share in his holiness.
- Make every effort to be holy and that we don't miss the grace of God.
- Do not cause trouble or defile many.
1) Tell us about you! (Family, work, ministry, church, etc)
- I come from a large family in Oklahoma, married to husband Danny and live in OC - love our life group, community, church RHMV, and walks to the beach where our story started.
- part time for AKB as the Trauma Trainer and Director of Organizational Health
- part time in private practice in Newport Beach serving children and families through counseling
2) Can you share about the mission of AKB?
- Activate Government, Business and Faith leaders to end the crisis for kids in foster care.
3) When did you feel called to start serving in this space and how did that feel when you first began?
- I had a heart for children for forever & the fatherless since about 10 years old
- Family’s foster/adopt journey + family mission trips seeing hurting people led me to study social work
- Masters program - clearly interested in working in foster/adopt world
- Felt difficult, beautiful, energizing, sad, overwhelming, and yet “right” for me
4) Something that I found really incredible about America’s Kid’s Belong is how it talks about the collective impact. I love that the Church is included in this. Can you share how the church can help make a lasting impact in regards to this organization?
- That is something I am pretty passionate about too!
- Church/Bride of Christ is the only thing that will last, most sustainable
- Only body of people with biblical mandate to care for & bring justice for & uphold the rights of the orphan/widow (James 1:27 & Psalm 82:3)
- Churches/Faith communities are everywhere- Over 300,000 churches in US- widespread
- Faith communities built for caring for people, supporting family, advocating for wholeness
- RESEARCH: Identify families in your church who are (or have) already fostering. Listen to them. Organize and recognize them as a key ministry team in the church.
- RETAIN: Support them with a “Wrap Around Ministry”
- RECRUIT: Host a “Belong” Sunday and a “Next Steps Event” to recruit new families.
- provide space (video shoots, visitations, meetings, child welfare events)
- host trainings (trauma, WRAP around, child welfare trainings, documentary showings like Resilience Film or REMOVED films)
- start foster care related ministry
- educate self & surrounding community on felt needs
- care for & love on local child welfare workers
- wrap around foster/adopt families
- provide parents night out
- teach/preach on current foster care related issues & needs
5) Can you share a little bit about the in’s and out’s of adoption here in America? What is the timeline, what ages have the hardest time with placements, and what does the need look like?
- U.S.Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau -- AdoptionandFosterCareAnalysisandReportingSystem
- https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport26.pdf
- 125,422 kids WAITING TO BE ADOPTED (legally free)
- 262,956 kids ENTERED FOSTER CARE
- 437,283 kids IN FOSTER CARE
- 61,901 kids ADOPTED through foster care in 2019 report (25%)
- Home Study approval process anywhere from 3 - 6 months
- Age 12+ high risk for aging out
6) “It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. – Frederick Douglass This quote nearly took my breath away. Is there a story that stands out in your memory of a time The Lord placed a child with a family and a miracle happened within their heart?
- Educate about and advocate for ALL three responses
- Upstream: Provide care for at risk families before child welfare is involved
- In the stream: Provide care for kids in care & foster families
- Downstream: Provide care for aged out youth
- We get to hear of teenagers and young adults in their 20’s being adopted
- Go upstream and catch them before 10 social wounds
- People need People! Stuff without people/relationships is a bandaid.
- First few months of placement honeymoon, then grief/loss hit, then slow adjustment and steps toward healing
7) For someone listening that what’s to get involved with your organization, what can they do to help? Whether financially, prayerfully, or if they are interested in adoption?
- Pray
- Follow social media to stay up to date
- Wrap around families
- Learn/educate watch videos
- GIVE!!
8) The Living With Less Podcast was birthed from John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease.” If someone approached you and asked what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this what would you tell them and why?
- What are you carrying that you don’t need to carry anymore?
- Our unresolved pain, loss, & shame prevents us from fully experiencing all that He is and desires for us in relationship with Him
- For Him to increase in our lives, our barriers to him must decrease
- Resolve those things through healthy community, counseling, support groups, reconciliation, and inviting Him to heal wounds.
- Connects to caring for those in pain - How can we lead the hurting to a place of healing if we have never been there ourselves?
- You can’t give a child what you have never received
1) Tell us about you!
My family and I relocated from Chicago to Charlotte, NC three years ago when I joined P31 and Lysa T’s team as Director of Theology and Research. My wife and I have been married over 10 years and we have three little boys under the age of 8 (Liam, Levi, and Lucas) and we are expecting our 4th, a baby girl any day now! In addition to serving at P31 I also serve my local church, Transformation Church on the preaching team with my Pastor Derwin L. Gray.
2) I sat under one of your teachings at She Speaks 2019 and from that, I have so enjoyed following you on social media. I love the way you teach people how to not only read God’s word but you teach the importance of finding what it truly means in the contexts of the time it was written. So, that's where I want to start first with our conversation today. For those just getting their toes wet in the Bible, can you share a good place is to start when reading scripture?
I think for anyone that just gets into the Bible they approach it like any book. You open the first page and start reading. But this gets real confusing real quick when you start in Genesis then you eventually hit Leviticus! I’d recommend starting in one of the Gospels. Personally, I love the Gospel of John and Acts. In the Old Testament, you can start with Genesis and Exodus or Judges.
3) Now that we’ve talked about a good place to start what recourses would you point people to use to give a better understanding of what the text is actually saying! I think this is what trips a lot of people up, we think we know what it means because we look at it through the lens of 2020 and not 2,000 years ago.
I think the crucial first resource is a good study Bible. I love the ESV Study Bible. I also often turn to the Faithlife Study Bible that is free online via an App because of the many infographics and media images that helps us visualize the text and what is taking place. There are some great websites like BibleHub and BlueLetterBible that can get you access to some good commentaries.
4) Now that we know where to start and what good recourses to use, I’d love for you to show us how to actually do this! How would you study John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease”.
Before I get into the text I want to be aware of the context: Historical Social Literary I try to start by Bible Study process with these four steps: Observation Interpretation Application Correlation
5) Now I want to move onto something that stood out to me you spoke on this summer, I wish I could remember your words because they were much more eloquently put, but you shared on why we shouldn’t “cherry-pick” God’s word. At the end of 2019, there was a very controversial circumstance that had Christians feeling at odds with one another. One of the main reasons people felt unsettled was the way the topic was being supported was by one verse in scripture without using any surrounding text around it. Can you share why it’s important for us not to do this as well as why we need to be sure those leading us are looking beyond their views/feelings and actually teach what the word says/means?
I’d love to start this conversation by briefly talking about Humble Theology. Its something that I’m really passionate about. I think when we approach the text we need to approach it from a posture of humility and when possible extend grace to others that are trying to work their way through the text the best they can.
The main challenge and danger of cherry-picking verses is directly connected to a misrepresentation of the Scriptures and coming to conclusions (Interpretation and Application) that are not implicitly or explicitly in the text. When we cherry-pick verses to validate our agenda’s we get into a lot of danger because we are attempting to be masters over the text, and not be mastered by the text.
6) I remember as a very new Christian I didn’t know how to read God’s word but I read it anyway and I believe God honors that pursuit of our hearts as we’re beginning a relationship with Him, but we can’t stay in that place forever. How can people be encouraged to grow from finding a verse that fits them that day to reading God’s word with a heart open to receive what He’s trying to teach us?
I think this comes with dedication, repetition, and conviction.
- Dedication - We need deep devotion when it comes to God’s Word. Without devotion and dedication we will never see progression in our spiritual formation
- Repetitions - we need to create rhythms of Bible reading that creates routines that lead to spiritual maturity
- Conviction - We need to approach the text with a conviction that this is the true and authoritative Word of God.
7) Lukewarm faith, these are scary words for Christians. This is something stirring in my heart, and I think we all have a deep desire to live in a world with less lukewarm Christians. We as His kingdom kid’s have to get serious about what the call of a Christian really is. Most know what it means to accept Christ. But for whatever reason, it seems to stop after the honeymoon season. I think it stems from a few things: lack of community, lack of leadership, they either don’t know the word of God, or they feel intimidated by it. What would you say to someone who feels intimidated by the Bible and how would you encourage them to step out of the shallow waters of lukewarm faith or keep pursuing Christ after the honeymoon phase?
It is maybe helpful to understand where the phrase “Lukewarm” comes from. It’s been popularized by the passage in Revelation 3:16 - If you are Lukewarm you will be spit out. This language comes from the water systems that carried hot water through the Roman empire. But, if the water ran on the pipes too long it would become lukewarm and not useful for it’s intended purpose.
Being Lukewarm seems to indicate a situation where you are stuck. I think you hit it when you talked about community and the lack of corporate engagement amongst the people of God. We are living in a culture that is increasingly pursuing autonomy and individuality. However, the Scriptures point not to individualism but a corporate gathering of believers - the Ekklesia or the church. I really think the local church is the key to this issue.
8) The Living With Less Podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this what would it be and why?
When I read this question I really just thought about myself. And I think that I need to live with less expectations of my own personal wants and desires and submit myself to the authority and kingship of Jesus.
You can find Joel on Instagram at @muddamalle. There you will find so much information that can help you with your walk with The Lord.
This week's episode is one my heart needed and I pray it meets you in a tender way too. Let's Talk Friendship is exactly what Alysha Miller came on the show to do, talk all things friendship! 1) Why we need it. 2) How it's a call from The Lord. 3) How to stick it out when things get hard.
I don't know about you but recently my heart has felt weary so I pray you to find yourself listening to this episode feeling like you're one of our friends sitting at the table with us.
1) Tell us about you!
Alysha Miller lives in Southern California where she serves her local church in the 5-6th grade ministry and also is a full-time wedding photographer.
Being around a lot of couples stepping into marriage, in 2015, she felt the Lord move her heart to compassion for marriage as a whole and for those who were stepping into marriage without fully realizing what they were stepping into. She wanted to use the gift of photography the Lord had given her to shine a light on what marriage is, who defines it and answer questions from a biblical perspective pertaining to it. Who better than to ask then married couples who have traversed this path? Learn how ironically God would use a single girl to set out on a journey to get to the heart of His heart for marriage.
The project is a photography project turned podcast in hopes that interviewing couples with Christ at the center of their marriage can answer some of the harder questions yet ultimately, the objective has always been to glorify Christ through marriage as it points to our relationship with Him, Christ, and His church.
And help us realize, He is our first love. Nothing will satisfy us, apart from Him. No relationship, no person, no marriage was ever intended to take the place of Him in our hearts.
2) I’ve been so excited to sit down with you and talk all things friendship. Not only because of the one God has gifted in us but because of the way God has grown your faith through the strong friendships he’s given you. How have you seen The Lord use the strong biblically-centered friendships you have to keep you focused on Him?
It would have been much easier to miss on Sunday or not stay committed to things had it not been for the girl's God has placed in my life. It’s accountability but it’s more than accountability. It’s love. I want to show up, I want to see my friends! Church on Sundays is a place that has been built into a habit and I get to see my friends.
Love what Pastor Ed shared on Sunday, the LOVE of Christ that fills us. 1 John 4 — it’s His love, real love, for one another and when we have this in common and come together and hear what He’s doing in each other’s life, supporting each other in prayer, caring for the other, we’re showing His love for us to each other.
Prayer support is HUGE. They have carried out the ministry things I’ve done bc they’ve prayed over future plans with me, and have listened to my heart and dreams and listened intently. carry one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
It’s not one-sided, I do the same. One of my best friends, how we met, heart to heart across a couch and went on a prayer walk a few hours after meeting. The deepest friendships are formed there.
There’s just been heart to hearts and safe places to land my heart when it’s needed a place to confess, work through heart things.
Listening and being trustworthy, being someone friends can trust and come to with things they need to talk about. Good listeners, but it takes one to be one. Learning the art of listening, with your heart. That was a season God took me through, no always waiting to talk but just listening to understand. I didn’t always need to get a word in.
Cell phones face down on the table don’t count. Heart to heart, over a table, no phone out. Also, no gossiping or slandering. That’s a hard one! I slip so much when it comes to speech and those are usually the more convicting verses for me reading about the power of the tongue,
James 4:11 “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.”
There are at least 32 verses about gossip according to Google and 27 pertaining to the tongue and maybe there’s an overlap on some, but that’s a lot!
My call as a friend is to be encouraging, building my friends up with my words and pointing THEM back to HIM and pray for them. They don’t need my opinion about other people. I need to repent of that when I mess up, (repenting pretty much daily) and ask the Lord to cleanse me from the hidden sins lurking in my heart and to keep me from the deliberate sins lurking there. Psalm 19:12-14
The hidden sin is the word or impulsive blurb about somebody that comes out of my heart, the deliberate sin is knowing I don’t need to say that, chewing on it and saying it anyway. I’ve been working with the Lord on this one, thinking ahead. Where will the conversation turn if I say this? Then probably don’t need to say it.
3) Biblically speaking friendship is a call, we’re called to be in relationship with other believers. What would you say to someone who gets caught up "taking back their yes?”
I used to be that girl. I would flake, I would make commitments than decide to cancel last minute. And hey, I probably still do that every now and then. BUT in Christ, He has given me a different perspective. TO be a good friend is to show up, even when I last minute feel tired or want to be an introvert.
A loving Creator designed us to exist in a relationship with Him, with each other and with the rest of creation. Friendship is a good thing, a God thing.
Romans 12:10 Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. This is GOD’S HEART.
I have learned and am still learning how to use my yes’ more thoughtfully, not just gleefully excitedly saying YES to every invite and asserting my no’s when I’m being pulled a lot of different ways or no even when I want to say yes because it’s the responsible thing or I know the yes isn’t the thing God wants for me.
Then I feel more purposeful in fulfilling the “yes’” and knowing there are blessings on the other side of that yes when the day comes around to meet up with said friends and maybe my feelings are telling me to stay home because it’d be more convenient for me. Whenever I’ve followed through on my yes (and I pretty much will now with any YES unless I’m really sick or there’s rain or something out of my control happening) I am always SO glad I followed through because I would have missed out on SO much with that friend. And it’s two-sided, I am filled up and so is she!
The devil is in those lying feelings to stay home, he wants to RIP US OFF of anything productive, fun, fruitful, enjoyable, edifying, good for us that’s going to build up the Body.
4) Personally speaking, I know it can be really hard to put myself out there ESPECIALLY with women my age. How have you learned to do this?
It started with bible study. That’s where most of my friendships in the Lord have blossomed out of. I’m blessed to be a part of a women’s bible study that is multi-generational, so we get to hear wisdom from someone more seasoned in life yet also been paired with women my age. Our church is pretty intentional about that. So within the safe parameters of studying the Word of God together and a group setting, we’ve gotten to know each other through speaking about life’s situations but with prayer and the Word of God around it. Then it’s branched off from there and we already know some things about each other.
The branching out part though might take some going out of our comfort zones. Being the one to text and invite to coffee or lunch, and I think being the first to share things about me invites this person to share more about herself. It can be an awkward thing if you make it that, but it also doesn’t have to be.
But having the Lord in common makes girls I’ve literally just met feel like sisters, we have this immediate bond and it’s awesome!
5) Hardship in deep friendship is inevitable. Knowing your part of your story can you share the difference between allowing the Holy Spirit to work verses hashing it out in the flesh.
Yes! Sharing the iron sharpening iron thing, living together, and having an honest conversation about where we were disagreeing, how we hurt each other alone felt like we had done it in our strength because I walked away shaking and with nothing resolved. We went in around and round circles and were just not understanding each other.
But we even talked about going our separate ways if it just couldn’t get better because we couldn’t keep living this way and we realized if that happened though it be like a divorce, other friends had connected through the two of us, and we didn’t make other friends have to choose between us the rest of their lives. But God!
I Didn’t text her going to church that Sunday, she came and sat next to me and the message was on the power of forgiveness and we just hugged after and it was gone. Without any words yet a Mediator and He just took it.
We later realized what held us for that year and a half of bitterness and hurt feelings for each other had felt like a prison sentence….and I kid you not this is literally what I had said a couple years prior. I had just got done reading a book called Captive in Iran (such a good book!) and the testimonies of these two women in jail together had me saying, “What if we went to jail for our faith together?” And we said, dang we felt like we had.
Mark and Paul (sent Mark away but then called Barnabas to bring Mark back to him as he was helpful in ministry 2 Tim 4:11
6) Living in a world of instant gratification it can feel hard to navigate “lasting” friendships. They seem uncommon and honestly, counter-cultural. What would you say to the person desiring deep relationships in our current fast pace, on the go, busy world?
Pray about it! My mom told that. You can pray for a friend in the Lord! God will be happy to answer that. He’s answered it a hundredfold and in one on one’s, discussing the Word of God, praying together like I said and just being intentional in investing and listening and being genuinely interested in your friend’s life!
Also, because we live in a fast-paced, busy world, there needs to be much grace… I need to be less and less offendable. If a friend doesn’t get right back to me through text, grace. If you see her with another friend on Instagram and you feel left out grace.
Don’t just exit the friendship and start over. Next time, just say OH ID LOVE TO JOIN YOU GIRLS NEXT TIME if that’s something you really would want.
7) The living with less podcast birthed from John 3:30 is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this, what would you tell them and why?
I’d say, less of isolation, more community. Do the thing you’re flesh is telling you not to do. Go to the Friday night study, sign up for the women’s bible study, say yes to the book club even if it’s not your favorite book, drive 30 mins out of your way to meet up to study alongside her.
Less shutting down, more opening up. Be willing to share and be real with that friend.
Fewer friends who only like things you like, more sisters in Christ who may challenge you to do things you’d never do before.
Like run or indoor rock climb, go out on a limb and think less of self and more of others!
8) Can you share a small snippet of what The Marriage Project podcast is all about?
Yes! The Marriage Project is an extension of my wedding photography business and an extension of God’s heart for marriage. He’s led me to create a platform for Christian married couples to share their testimonies and to glorify Christ through the messier, harder parts of their stories and hopefully, in doing so, others can learn more about marriage, what it is, what God’s heart is for it and understand the weight of the calling marriage is. Hoping it can equip many!
That is scraping the surface, you can read more at www.themarriageproject.co or on Instagram @themarriageprojectco.
This week Chelsey dives deeper into Psalm 73:28, "But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord my refuge, that I may tell of all your works." The Lord revealed to Chelsey that these 3 commands are choices we have to make. We have to choose to be near to The Lord. We have to choose to make Him our refuge, and we are called to tell the world of His works.
The Lord made it clear to her that while He desires to be near her (He slways it), He desires to be her refuge, and He desires her to share of the amazing things He does...that it's her choice to be obedient in all 3 of these things.
What does Psalm 73:26 Call us to Do?
- Be near to God! This doesn't change because of circumstances, this should be a constant in all of our lives.
- Make The Lord our refuge - we need to stop turning to earthly things to fill this void and create a false safety net.
- We are to tell of all His works. The Lord calls us to share the amazing things He does in our life (in His timing, not always right away) but to give examples to the world around us that The Lord is moving even in our days!
How Do we Live This Truth Out?
- Get in His word even when we don't feel like it. His word NEVER returns void (Isaiah 55:11). We grow nearer to The Lord by having a growing relationship with Him.
- First we need to ask Him to reveal what things we turn to when we should be turning to Him. Repent of not turning to Him, receive His forgiveness and choose Him daily as your refuge!!
- Share what God is doing in your life with someone! It can be family, a neighbor, a friend, your barista at Sbux, just SAHRE HIM and what He's doing in your life with anyone that will listen, it will always bless them! (Remember Isaiah 55:11).
Q & A
- How do you handle being friends with non-believers?
- Proverbs 17:17 - A friend loves at all times. - The Lord will call me into relationship with people who love Him and those who don't know Him. He calls me to love them and how them the hands and feet of Jesus. There are friendships I've had for years where they are not walking with Jesus but they fully respect my faith and what's important to me.
- Proverbs 11:14 - Where there is no guidance a peoples fall. - God calls us to walk in wisdom so if you're finding yourself feeling tempted within friendships who don't respect you, your faith, cause you to stumble due to their lack of guidance this is where we have to lean into the Holy Spirit and ask The Lord what to do with these friendships.
- What are you favorite stories in the Bible?
- I love 2 Chronicles 20 - King Jehoshaphat's pleas with The Lord when He is facing something he doesn't know what to do with is such a testament to how we feel when we cry out to God in the same way. His words in vs. 12 are, "For we are powerless against this great horde coming against us, for we don't know what to do but our eyes are fixed on you.
- Habakkuk - this short book is a powerful one. It gives great perspective on God working in the midst of things we don't understand as well as us seeing we are able to go to God with all of our feelings and trust that He hears us.
- John 4 - The Woman at The Well - This was the first story in the Bible that opened my heart to fully accepting the truth that Jesus loves me regardless of what my past sin was. I am redeemed in Him and I'm filled with joy to speak of the redemption He's worked out in my life.
- Do you think social media is a distraction or blessing? How do you balance screen time when you find yourself with lots of time on your hands?
- I think it can be both a blessing and distraction. The Lord gave me Matthew 6:19-25 last year when working through discontentment. This is what I use to keep my social media time as a blessing. When it begins to cause me to feel tripped up by my emotions or falling into feeling of discontentment I know I need to take a break and get my heart back aligned in what God wants to use this for.
- For balancing screen time, I don't get this perfect but one thing that has worked is all apps on my phone are locked until 9AM. I also set a time limit for the day on IG at 40min a day. (this is the only form of SM I have). So setting limits and alarms are helpful! The Lord gave us boundaries for a reason so we certainly need them in all areas of our life.
In this week's episode we're diving into why we must hold fast to God's truths and diving into truths that we must hold fast too.
- 2 Chron 20:17 - You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
- Psalm 23:4 - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
- Isaiah 41: 13-14 -For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. - Isaiah 41:17-18 - and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water. - Isaiah 41:20 - that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.
- Jeremiah 1:10 - See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
- Romans 17:15-25 - For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
- 2 Corin 5:20 -Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
- Galatians 5:17-18 - For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
- Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
- Ephesians 5: 15-17 - Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
- Ephesians 6:11-18 - Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
- 1 Thess 5:5-28 - For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.Do not quench the Spirit.Do not despise prophecies,but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. Brothers, pray for us.Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
I pray you find 1 of these 13 scriptures as encouragement and an equipping in your heart to hold fast to the goodness and the truth of God.
Heavenly Father,
It’s hard to put words together in times like these and because of that I’m so thankful you know our hearts. (Ps. 139:2) Lord, I pray that you quiet the anxious thoughts that take our eyes off of you, I pray that the heaviness that seems to be looming in our hearts all over the world and our country would turn to hopefulness in knowing these events did not blindside you. You know all, permit all, and have all authority. You make beauty from ashes.
Jesus, I pray that you would cover the families who’ve been tragically affected by the pandemic of the Coronavirus, the flu strands that have hit hard this season, and tornados that devastated Nashville. May these people feel your all-consuming love wrap around them from head to toe and may they experience the love of Christ in a mighty way.
We ask a covering of protection for all of those who are at high risk of this virus. I’m sure their hearts are filled with worry and uncertainty and I pray they sense your peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7).
Lord, may you cover all our homes with hedges of angels and may no plagues enter our dwelling places (Ps. 91:10). Give us hearts that willingly love like you and help us to serve our families from a cup overflowed by you while we all begin experiencing the call to stay at home.
Lord, lastly I pray that your word would be the first thing we turn to when we begin to feel fearful about this situation and all the situations to follow. Help us to state the facts in these moments about who you are; Alpha, Omega, Beginning, End, Holy, Perfect, Just, and Kind. Then help us to state the facts about who you say we are; chosen, secure, precious, seen and handmade by You. May we all rest our weary hearts in your hands and always trust in what you are doing.
In Jesus's name, amen.
Verses from A Prayer for Protection in The Midst of Uncertainty:
Psalm 139:2 - You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
Psalm 91:10-11 - no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1) Tell us about you! ( Family, church, where you live, ministry, job etc.)
My name is Emily Lauren Cardel, but I go by Elle! I am 26-years-old and live with my husband, Michael, and our sweet lab-mix, Tucker, in a historic fixer-upper home in Shelbyville TN- which is about an hour outside of Nashville if you’re familiar.
I graduated from Lipscomb University in May 2015 with a degree in theology. I spent several years in children’s ministry during college and actually graduated with a job as a children’s minister for a church in Birmingham, AL, where I worked for almost two years before my husband proposed and brought me back to sweet Tennessee.
Now, I own my own business and am a certified wedding planner. I do this part time while I focus on pursuing the call to women’s ministry God has laid on my heart through my online women’s ministry, Daughter of Delight.
2) Daughter of Delight is your ministry that is used to speak to the everyday woman, when did you feel God birth this in you and how did you begin walking out that calling?
I really love this question because I honestly don’t share this story enough, so thank you for asking! God planted the idea of an online women’s ministry in my heart during my junior year of college. What’s funny is that I pulled a total Moses on Him. I literally thanked Him for considering me, but assured Him I was not the girl for the job...that there was someone else out there who was more qualified and less sin-filled than I.
Thankfully, the Lord was patient and persistent with me. Over the course of the next month, the see He had planted continued to grow and the conviction to pursue an online women’s ministry continued to sit heavier and heavier in my heart. It honestly got to the point where it was all I could think about.
But I was scared about what people would think and that I was only going to embarrass myself in sharing my voice.
However, one day I found myself in a conversation with a friend and she asked me what my God-sized dreams were. It was in that moment that I connected the dots and realized there was no way I was going to be able to run an online women’s ministry on my own, but that was never God’s intent. He was inviting me to partner with Him in something beautiful. He would see His plan through, all He needed was my trust and obedience.
It was in this conversation that I spoke the God-sized dream of running an online women’s ministry into existence. Up until this point, it had been back and forth battles in my head. It felt so good to let it out and I loved my friend’s response! When I told her, she said, “Well, what are you waiting for? You’ve got nothing to lose!”
And she was right. I had nothing to lose, but so much to gain! So I went back to my apartment on campus and was up until 2 AM writing down the logistics and brainstorming the name for this ministry. I even created the Instagram account for it.
For the first 87 days, it was just me and God. As a full-time, 18 hours a semester college gal, I was showing up and writing devotionals- every single day- as the pen in His hands. It was AWESOME and I know I only pulled it off by the strength and power of His Spirit in me!
But I also felt like there was something more for Daughter of Delight. I knew it wasn’t intended to be just me, so I prayed and prayed for God to share more of His vision and heart for this ministry with me. And on day 87, He did. He opened my eyes to the fact that Daughter of Delight would be a ministry that encourages and empowers women through sharing their voice through their gift of writing with the women who make up the Daughter ofDelight community in order to encourage, challenge and help women grow in their relationship with our Creator.
And that’s where Daughter of Delight stands today. Every three months, I look for a team of women to write one devotional a day for 12-13 weeks (depending on how many weeks are in the quarter). It’s amazing to see what some of these women have gone on to do- some have published books, launched a successful blog of their own, or just walked away with a greater understanding of their purpose. And it’s also amazing to see the impact God is using these women to have on the thousands of women that make up our online community! He has been faithful from the get-go, and I’m just so grateful He used me to birth something so beautiful and special AND that I am still on this journey, five years later!
3) When you find yourself in a season of hardship is there a particular verse you find yourself going back to that reminds you God delights in you!
Yes, absolutely! Zephaniah 3:17 is what inspired the name, Daughter of Delight, actually, and one I take great joy and comfort in.
It says, “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
This verse gives me a wonderful taste of the joy of the Lord. It reminds me of the bigger picture at hand and the eternal joys that await His children. God is glad because we are glad in Him, and when we sing for joy, He delights in us with singing. And it is only in Him we can experience this type of joy and gladness, hence the name, Daughter of Delight!
4) Speaking of delight. This one small word holds so much meaning. Can you share with us what it means to you in reference to how God sees you.
Ah, yes. This small word is jam-packed with truth! This is how I see it:
What God delights in about us is that we delight in him. His Word not only tells us that He delights in us, but commands us to take delight in Him. Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord. So this tiny word of “delight” has a beautiful, life-giving two-fold meaning. When we truly take delight in God, He rejoices because our sight is more set on Him. Therefore, our joy is more complete in Him. So, when I choose to take delight in His ways over the selfish, sin-prone ways of my flesh, I become more complete in Him and in my identity as a daughter of the Most High King. I become His daughter of delight.
5) I know you have lots of younger women who follow along with your devotions, what is it that you want them to walk away with more than anything.
You know, it’s always been my prayer that God would use this ministry to meet women where they’re at & to help fuel their fire to keep going- despite their circumstances. I pray that women would be encouraged and challenged to step into God’s Word and pursue His heart all the more.
There are a lot of people who think they are too ill-equipped to understand the Bible, but I want to push against this mindset and challenge women to step out of it. The Bible was not just made for preachers and teachers to share its truth. The Bible proves this! Look at all the people that couldn’t keep quiet about all the things Jesus did. AND, God used His Spirit to inspire and speak through everyday people like us to write His Word.
Rooting ourselves in God’s Word will help us understand why we believe what we believe and propel us all the more into the identity He has gifted us with as we continue to draw near to Him.
6) Something that struck me about your ministry that inspired me is your sharing your space with other women who love God’s word. What made you desire to create room at the table God gave you too bless these other women.
Oh, yes! I am a strong advocate for making sure people know there is room for them at the table to offer the gifts God has given them. I’m going to be completely honest with you...one of the reasons I was afraid to start an online women’s ministry was because I already knew of some out there and they were doing it what I thought as ten thousand times better than I could. The Lord really had to work on my heart and open my eyes to the truth that there really is room for everyone at the table- which is another reason why I love the vision He had for the heart of this ministry to make way for other women and their voices.
There are over 8 billion people in the world. We need as many ministries and advocates for Christ as we can get- online and offline!
7) I just really feel like the Lord wants me to ask you about waiting. How do you cling to Jesus in the midst of a wait and what truths would you point women to in these seasons?
Oof, what a great question! God has taught me so much about it throughout my Daughter of Delight journey. Truth be told, my desire is to be able to give Daughter of Delight my undivided attention. I really believe the Lord is calling me to do this full-time, but even after 5 years I’m just not there yet. So, there’s been a lot of waiting and frustration over the course of my Daughter of Delight journey. It really is a full-time job and I’m so ready to financially be able to let go of everything else so that I can be ALL IN.
That being said, what I have learned about waiting is ultimately rooted in my being content in Christ. Christian contentment is completely contingent on the all-sufficient resources of Christ.
It’s not found in getting, doing or having. It's found in knowing Jesus. Read what Paul shares with us about it in Philippians 4:10-20.
God knows what He is doing. Even if we don’t, He does. The Creator of the Universe knows me more than I know myself. Because of this, I can rest assured my life is in not just good hands, but the BEST hands- even if I’m impatient with His timeline at times. And you know, when I take the time to look past my impatience and instead focus on the ways in which His sovereign hands are at work in my life, I see the blessings I am surrounded by.
Even in the waiting, God is at work in us. It is not our place to doubt Him, but to trust Him. Trusting Him is the only way.
8) The Living With Less podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this, what would you tell them and why!
I would ask them to make a list of the things they value and prioritize. Then, I would have them reflect and evaluate their list and ask them to decide what needs to be modified or completely removed in order to make room for Christ to reign in their heart.
For example, maybe some of us misplace our worth in people pleasing and therefore lose sight of who we truly are in Christ. Or, maybe we are so consumed with the speed of this fast-paced life that we have come to the conclusion that we are too busy for God, but He knows our hearts. Maybe, we spend ridiculous amounts of time on our phone instead of showing up in God’s Word.
Whatever it is, we have to make ourselves aware of the worldly treasures that have stolen our attention so that we can make room for God and allow Him to be our true treasure. He is the most invaluable treasure and the only treasure that will every satisfy!
9) I know you’re also an event planner! What is your favorite part about being in the details of these days!
This question just made me love my job all the more! The details are definitely my favorite part. Particularly with weddings, I love piecing the details together and then getting to take a step back when I’m done and watch how each detail tells a part of the wonderful love story God has written in the hearts of the couples I have the pleasure of working with. It is such a rewarding feeling!
This week begins off the Month Of Missions Series! You'll be hearing from 4 wonderful organizations with missions that are fully committed to being the hands and feet of Jesus. Suzanne Mayernick is kicking off the series sharing the heart and mission behind Love One International. She also gives us a deeper dive into her own story of how God birthed Love One in her heart years before it began.
Love One's Mission:
In 2007, Mike and Suzanne Mayernick flew to Uganda to bring their little girl, JosieLove, home from Uganda. When they arrived, the 15-pound shell of a 3 1/2-year-old who they came to adopt was raging with a 105 degree fever and at a routine medical exam, they found out that that she had malaria, tuberculosis, and was HIV positive.
After just a few months at home receiving the love, attention, and the medical care she needed, this once dying little girl blossomed into a healthy, thriving child. Watching JosieLove's transformation sparked a fire inside of Suzanne and she knew that she was called to help more children like her daughter...so she started Love+One.
Love+One International got its name from JosieLove and the plus sign represents the mission to support the HIV positive population.
A few of my favorite things Suzanne said in our conversation that I felt needed to be out there in written form:
- "It’s been really cool to watch the lord move the way he does and I’ve been holding onto the kite string as it took off into the air."
- We saw what love and medical treatment could do for a child like her who could’ve died. My heart just continued to be broken for kids like her.
- I have no idea how it’s happened. It’s just God. The doors have just continued to open and I’ll obediently walk through them.
- When I look in these children’s eyes I see Jesus. It’s the only way on this earth I feel like I’m looking dead in the eyes of Jesus. I feel his presents more than ever before through these children.
- When we resettle these children it’s not love one, it’s the love of Jesus that is why we do what we do. We get to share the love of Christ through this sick kids.
- In the heartache and the hard He brought JOY everyday through these little children he’d given me to care for.
- The goal is to build a bigger facility so we can hold 50-100 children.
- “Submit to His will and I love living in that freedom.”
How to get involved!
- Follow on social media
- Pray for the children by name!
- Pray for our goal: love one - to love that one child that is in our arms or in front of us at that moment.
- Prayer for our staff.
- Donate - loveoneinternational.org
This week Chelsey shares about The Lord taking her on a journey to revealing the unwillingness that was buried in her heart. He showed her through her word that an unwilling heart leads to ungodliness and unfruitfulness. May this episode lead your heart to a place of seeing the attributes God calls us to and why we need the removal of those that are not from Him!
Attributes of An Unwilling Heart:
- Unfruitfulness
- Ungodliness
- Sinful, fleshly desires
- Not seeking the truth
His Commands To Us:
- Willing hearts (1 Corinthians 2:14)
- Make disciples (Matthew 28:19)
- Send the gospel to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19)
This week's scriptures:
- Romans 1:18-23 - 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[a] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
- Ephesians 5:11 - 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
- Ephesians 5:15-17 - 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
- 2 Timothy 2:16 - 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,
- Titus 2:12-15 - 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. 15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
This week's episode is diving deeper into 3 questions that are changing my faith and they all have to do with discernment. This theme is one that God is continuing to weave into all of my days. Reminding me that it's all about knowing Him better and making Him known.
3 Verses in the ESV:
- Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect
- Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Hebrews 5:14 - But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
3 Questions That Are Changing My Faith:
- Is my life pleasing to The Lord?
- Do I discern the intentions of my thoughts and heart?
- Do I know good from evil? Wise from unwise?
Winner of Phylicia Masonheimer's Book:
- @alyssamtee
I pray take some time this week to sit with these verses and questions, my prayer is they help to steward your heart to a deeper relationship with Him.
This week Chelsey sits down with Phylicia Masonheimer to talk about the importance of discernment. Phylicia shares her wisdom on what discernment is, how to know if we're growing in it spiritually, and most importantly why God desires it for us. You'll leave this episode challenged, equipped, and pointed to truths that will change your walk with The Lord.
What is discernment?
- Wisdom in action
- The Holy Spirit will give them the discernment they need as they expose themselves to The Word.
- 1 Corinthians 1:19
- Hebrews 5:14
- Hebrews 4:12
- Romans 12:2
Why we need to study God's word to grow in discernment:
- We cannot live the Christian life apart from Christ. You can only know Christ through His word and His spirit.
- You'll know if you're hearing from His spirit if you're in His word.
- We learn that just because things may resonate with us in the world it doesn't mean it's biblically true.
- If we say we're Christians we're saying we align with the teaching's of Jesus Christ and to be in alignment with them we have to know them.
How to make time for God's Word:
- We first need to realize that we've Americanized "quiet time" with The Lord. It will never be the "perfect setting" especially as seasons change in our lives.
- Try doing 3x a week deep study. On the other days read through the Psalms and read it back to The Lord.
- Just show up.
- We make time for what we care about.
Holy Spirit:
- In scripture is always accompanied by He when talked about.
- Power to dwell in us for a specific task - dwells in us for a specific task.
- Does NOT lead to disorders and disarray.
- It leads, teaches, and equips.
- It will NEVER lead you to sin and will NEVER contradict His word.
Conformation in His word and questions to ask when you're in prayer:
- If you're in His word and you know what The Word says you can trust Him to lead you.
- Does the principle match who God says He is?
- Would this action glorify God and bless others?
- Does this sanctify, grow, and mature me?
What would you tell someone who asked what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to becoming more like Christ?
- Living with less shallow distractions. They keep us from depth with God.
- We will stay in the shallow, confused, un-discerning state if we don't choose to lay down our Cross.
Connect with Phylicia:
- Website: phyliciamasonheimer.com
- Instagram: @phyliciamasonheimer
This week's diving deeper episode is all about community. The call to it, the joy of, and at times the heartbreak it brings. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 gives us a very clear picture of why The Lord calls us to Godly relationship and what happens when we don't have it.
Car Key Story:
- God gives us the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus for others.
- This is how we as a church need to lead by example for others.
Fear & Rejection:
- These two words are what keep us away from going deeper with our relationships.
- These two words lie to our hearts and allow the enemy the take a mile.
"Come To Me":
- Jesus calls us to come to Him for rest - rest comes with having a community to love on you.
- It's an invitation to be able to walk alongside people who we can help and they can help us. It's a gift from Christ.
Community:
- There is heartache and heartbreak within community but the beauty and blessings that come from it far outweigh the hard.
- If you're in a church that continues to make getting into community difficult it may be time to ask The Lord is this where He wants you.
- The Lord may to calling you to be the one who speaks up in your congregation to share with leaders about that issues.
Live The Truth is an episode showing why we need to outwardly live the truth to those around us. Chelsey's heart was stewarded to a place in God's word because of a friend continuing to speak it. She wasn't speaking it directly to Chelsey but since God's word doesn't return in void (Isaiah 55:11) it was doing a new thing in her heart. The Lord used this powerful example to show why it is so important to live out His truth in our lives so we can steward others to Him.
What Happens When We Live The Truth
- Our hearts grow deeper in Christ.
- Peoples hearts begin to change around us.
- We steward people to The Lord and His word.
- It changes everything.
Scripture References
- Matthew 13:24-30 The Parable of the Weeds - 24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.
- Matthew 15:13 - 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.
- Luke 17:6 - 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
- Jude 1:12 - 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
- James 1:5 - 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Find People To Pray For You
- Find a few women/men who can come alongside you in prayer when you're struggling.
- Be in a community of believers who don't just encourage you but equip you to have a deeper faith and pursue a life that bears much fruit.
This week we're diving deeper into the power of praying God's word and the call to be obedient even when He's fighting the battle for us. If you missed last weeks episode (55) with Wendy Blight it is one you'll want to be sure to tune into.
2 Chron. 20:12,15,17
- 12- For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."
- 15- Thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's.
- 17- You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.'Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you.
- The Lord calls us to be obedient even when He's fighting the battle for us.
Matthew 15:13
- 13- He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.
- The Lord wants to eradicate everything in our lives that is not meant to be there.
2 Corinthians 10:5
- We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
- The Lord gives us the opportunity to hand over the thoughts that are not from Him and we then allow Him to remove it from our lives.
- This has to become a habit, not a one time thing. (This is a HUGE work in progress for me).
This week's episode with Wendy Blight is one that teaches us why we need to have God's word tucked in our hearts and know His word for ourselves. She shares her story of overcoming the darkest of times by learning God's word and His deep love for her.
Trigger Warning: Wendy's story involves sexual assault happening to her. If you'd like to skip that part it is at the end of the ninth minute, 9:49-9:57.
1)Tell us about the wonderful you! (Family, where you live, ministry, church, etc.)
- I’m married to Monty and have two children, Lauren and Bo. Monty and I have been married 32 years!! We were college sweethearts, and he was my first, and only, boyfriend. Lauren was born 6 years after we got married, and she is now married (age 26) and living in Atlanta with her husband, Morgan, who is the best ever answer to prayer for her. Bo was born 4 ½ years after Lauren, and he is 21 years old, a senior in college academically and a redshirt junior for basketball. He plays college basketball at UNC Charlotte and is also actively involved with FCA.
- We attend a newly formed church called Moments of Hope. I teach weekly Bible study for our women with our pastor’s wife. I love our community. Though less than a year old, we already have over 1500 attending and have 300 women participating in our Bible study. So exciting!
- I work part time for Proverbs 31 Ministries as the Biblical Content Coordinator for P31 Online Bible Studies, and I absolutely LOVE my job. And, I work with the best people, one you know … Kendra … she has been your guest a few times.
As we dig into the meat of this episode I think we need to set the stage a bit for what Spiritual Warfare looks like. For some this part of scripture seems so foreign or uncomfortable. Can you give a breakdown about what it is and where people can read about it in the Bible.
- Spiritual warfare is REAL. It began in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and it will continue until Jesus comes back as our Ruling and Reigning King. Satan slithered into this world, entered the serpent, tempted Eve and has been around ever since. And, he is not alone. Simple summary of the beginning of this war … At one time, Satan was one of God’s good angels. But, he decided he wanted what God had and rebelled against God. God threw him out of heaven along with 1/3 of the angels who sided with him. He has been battling God’s people ever since. The first chapter of Job gives us a great vision of what this warfare looks like!
- We hear most about spiritual warfare in Ephesians Chapter 6. Paul tells us in this chapter that we do not fight against flesh and blood enemies (though it often feels like it). We really fight against Satan and those fallen angels. But, we need not fear spiritual warfare because of so many truths in Scripture. First, when we are children of God, we have God’s Holy Spirit living in us. John tells us in 1 John 4:4 the truth about this situation … GREATER is the ONE who lives in us (Holy Spirit) than the one (Satan) who lives in this world. Paul tells us in Romans 8:37 that we are MORE than conquerors in these battles through Christ who lives in us. And, Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 God doesn’t leave us to fight alone. We have weapons of warfare … The Armor of God … Helmet of Salvation, Breastplate of Righteousness, Belt of Truth, Shield of Faith, Sword of the Spirit and the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace. That Sword is the Word of God. It is our OFFENSIVE weapon with which we can fight.
3) Many people live their lives taking others word for who God is and what His truths say. You and I both know the importance of knowing His word for ourselves and having that deep relational connection with who He is. Can you give an example when you were so thankful you knew God’s word for yourself in a season that was hard and filled with attacks from the enemy.
- The very worst, most horrific event in my life brought me closer to God and into a deeper understanding of God’s Word than anything else I’ve walked through. I had nothing else. In wrestling with God … in being so very angry with God … I came to know, trust and love Him by exposing my heart and mind to the Bible. I learned it was living, active and penetrating (Hebrews 4:12) meant to speak to us today and bring healing and life transformation. I learned that when His Word goes out … spoken or prayed or written … it will not return void but will accomplish His desires and achieve the purposes for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11).
We also know there are many people who know God’s word but don’t know the weapon that it can be against the evil one! Can you explain how to stand firm in faith or stand firm from our knees in prayer when things get hard/painful/questionable.
- Share the power of praying God’s Word and how it came to fruition when I saw a wall of the angels surrounding my house as I was faithful to pray Scripture to free me from fear.
Since we know the enemy can’t create, but can twist and manipulate is there a tactic you feel the enemy uses with you over and over? How can someone begin identifying when he is attacking them instead of chalking it up to bad luck/bad day/ etc.
- My latest battle has been with anxiety. Our enemy knows our weaknesses. Peter tells us to be alert for the work of the enemy in our midst because He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to desire. So, Satan observes us and sees those places where we have no confidence, we struggle with trusting God and he attacks, pounces, lies and deceives. The enemy knows what things make me anxious. So, the more I began to pay attention to my anxious times and what was causing them, the less he could claim victory over me. I found Scriptures on peace and I memorized them (Isaiah 26:3 the biggest one) and I prayed them. I stopped allowing the anxiety to paralyze me. Baby steps. Riding the wave.
One of my favorite verses I turn when under attack to other than Eph 6:16 is John 10:28, “I will give them eternal life, they shall never perish, no one will snatch them out of my hand.” What are some of the truths of God you point people to when they feel the enemy is coming against them?
- 1 John 4:4, “Greater is the One who lives in us than the one who lives in the world.”
- Romans 8:35-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
My favorite question of the episodes are this - the living with less podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regard to this what would you tell them and why!
- Worry less about what you fear and what causes you anxiety. It truly sucks the joy and life out of us. I did me. When I look back, I think it’s where I lived for my late childhood and young adult life. Once I experienced the power of God’s Word and truly lived loved by God, I found myself living with more hope, more confidence, more faith. Faith and belief that God is BIGGER than my fears and anxieties. He is ABLE … MORE THAN ABLE … to equip us to overcome whatever challenges us right now. And will will only be able to live with more hope, confidence and faith when we KNOW God intimately and KNOW His Word so deeply that we’re familiar with it as we would be a favorite song or book. Know God’s names. Know the stories. These are what you can recall in those hard moments so speak truth and God’s promises over your heart and mind.
FUN question - I know you’re a huge college football girl, who is your team and how do you root them on? From the stands or the comforts of home!
- Great question! I went to Baylor and my husband was on the football team for a few years while we dated. So, we are Baylor fans first. And, they are undefeated as I write this. But, our daughter went to UGA, so we have also adopted the Dawgs and love to cheer them on. When we lived in Texas, we did go back for games. When my daughter was still at UGA, we would drive to Athens for some of the games. But, now we mostly watch both from TV. I also love college basketball!! My son plays for UNC Charlotte, so we go to all their home games and some away.
To learn more about Wendy and see her resources head to her website wendyblight.com and follow her on Instagram @wblight.
This week kicks off the first bi-weekly devotional episodes for the Living With Less Podcast. These will be shorter episodes that dive into a main point and scripture from the previous week's topic to help you go deeper with The Lord in your relationship with Him.
Does This Honor God or Me:
- Does my word or theme for the year honor God or does it honor me and what I want?
- When when sit with our word/theme does it point people to Jesus or does it point people back to me?
- Does it challenge me, change me, and shape me to look more like Christ or does it keep me in a place of comfort?
- Does it stand up to God's word? His word's and truth never change.
- Proverbs 21:21 - Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.
This week's episode is exactly what you'd think, it's getting back to the basics of the podcast. Why we need to rid our lives of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. As a new year begins Chelsey points us to the truth that what God did in us in 2019 and what He will do in 2020 are things that He wants to shape our whole life with. It's so much more than a "year" to Him, it's about our life being more tethered to Him.
Why We Need To Get Rid Of Stuff
- We don’t want to be triggered emotionally by "stuff" that has no reason being in our lives.
- "Stuff" takes up room in our minds and hearts that belong to Christ.
God's Word Is For You and Me
- The words in the Bible are for you and me, not just the person who wrote them. People always say, "well I’m not like ___ who wrote that book of the Bible" and while they are right to some degree, all of us are different. God put these words in this book for you and me to learn from.
The Eternal Perspective
- We get so hyper focused on the “year” that we forget about wanting our changes to be lasting over our lifetime.
- The words God Miss Joyce year after year are still working in her life now.
- Just because 2019 is over doesn’t mean things He did in my life this year aren’t going to carry into my life next year.
- God what do you want for my life this year that is going to impact people around me for generations to come.
In this short 18 min. episode Chelsey shares on that portion of Luke 2 that stood out to her most this year. The Shepherds response when the angles left them, "LET US GO". They had no hesitation in the truth they heard. They wanted to see Jesus and share the good news, and great joy with ALL people. Which is exactly who Jesus came for you. You, me, and everyone else. Let us do just this as we head into our new year. May we declare it as one where we will urgently, without hesitation share the GOOD NEWS.
Episode 51 makes us take a closer look at all God has entrusted to us. Everything from the day to day little things to the big life moments. 1 Timothy is a book that has made Chelsey realize that every moment matters to the Kingdom. There isn't one second of our day or one relationship in our life that isn't important to The Lord.
Join Chelsey as she walks through 1 Timothy and ends with the sacred words Paul wrote to Timothy, "Guard the deposit entrusted to you." (1 Timothy 6:20)
The Mentions Of "Entrusted"
1 Timothy 1:11 - Paul writes that he has been entrusted with the gospel.
1 Timothy 1:18 - Paul writes that now Timothy is being entrusted with this sacred calling.
1 Timothy 6:20 - Paul concludes to Timothy to guard what's been given to him.
The Ramifications of Disobedience:
- 1 Tim 6:1 - God's name and the teachings will be reviled.
- When we misstep it causes others to stumble, grumble, and at times question God's character.
What we need to steer clear of and what is Godliness:
- Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
What We Need To Pursue (1 Timothy 6:11):
- Righteousness
- Godliness
- Faith
- Love
- Steadfastness
- Gentleness
What We're Called To:
- Be an image bearer of Christ.
- Living according to His word.
- Lead in truth, love in truth, serve in truth.
- In the places God is trusting us we need to look at it as a "call" not an option.
- We need to be willing to learn what His word means when we don't understand something.
- Know that we were all given specific things. Yours are different from everyone else.
How To Be His Hands and Feet:
- We stop grumbling about where He has us and start seeking His purpose.
- Start serving where we are and not thinking we'll serve when we get where "we want" to be.
I pray this weeks episode leaves your heart in a posture to ask The Lord what things are you not taking care of that He has given to you. Your family, co-workers, husband, wife, children. The list goes on and they all matter. Every detail. I pray you guard what He's given you and that you join me in pursuing the Godliness He's calling us too!
Episode 50 is a sit down with Sharon Hodde Miller, author of Nice. She shares her season of wrestling with "niceness". It keeps the peace, wins friends, gains influence, and serves our reputations well. It looks a lot like following Jesus, but it takes all the power and freedom out of our lives. Sharon shares her own battle with this false faith, confesses some of the bad fruits it produced in her life, and she shares biblical wisdom, insight, and deep convictions to lead women Godward in who God is really calling us to be.
What made you address this issue of "niceness" as an idol in your life?
- I started to serve my niceness more than Christ. It's a false virtue and false idol. My motives became muddy. I was a nice Christian girl because it got me things.
What is the difference in being nice and being kind?
- Nice has soft edges with a soft core.
- Harsh has hard edges and a firm core.
- Kind has soft edges - firm core - and conviction.
- When someone doesn't reciprocate your niceness we feel hurt. It makes "niceness" transactional.
- Kindness counts the cost. It's about honoring God and loving people no matter how they treat you back.
How has the church failed in this area of niceness?
- The church has failed because we've become good at looking "Christian". We have to have souls that are actually filled with the Holy Spirit.
- We have to have the courage and trust God. It's a muscle we must exercise.
- We want to look like Jesus instead of becoming like Jesus.
Things that indicate we're falling prey to "niceness":
- Niceness protects US.
- When we shy away from "hot topics" to keep the peace. We're really giving territory to the enemy.
- We classify "niceness" as faithfulness and wisdom.
What is a sentimental faith?
- A feel-good faith can begin to conveniently sidestep the cross.
- Driven by Christian subculture.
- It can look like a faith rooted in nostalgia and feel good emotions.
- It doesn't stand firm in the storm.
- Feeling/emotionally driven.
- Can confuse/cloud our motives.
If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to becoming who Christ is calling them to be what would you tell them and why?
- Less yes - so you can do well with what He's calling you to.
You're a pastors wife, mom of 3, and book writer.. what is you fuel besides Jesus!
- Cinderella Latte! - you can actually order this a Sbux!
You can find out more about Sharon by visiting her website: https://sheworships.com and follow her on Instagram @sharonhmiller. You can get her books, Nice and Free Of Me at main retailers!
Episode 49 is a sweet sit down with Rachael Adams. She is the host of The Love Offering podcast. In this interview we dive deep into what it really means to love like Jesus and what our individual love offering looks like. God created us all differently with unique giftings Rachael challenges us to use that unique call God has put on your life to show His love to others.
1)Tell us about you and share with everyone about the Love Offering mission and where it was birthed from?
The true inspiration of the love offering actually started about 10 years. I was in a transitional season where I stopped my career to be a stay at home mom. Motherhood gave me a greater sense of purpose than I had ever had before, however there was still this inner longing I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I was questioning my purpose, my significance, my value, my worth. I was questioning do I matter? Why am I here? I was on a search to determine my purpose and fulfill it. I began to notice that serving my husband and children gave me purpose. Serving in my church and my friends gave me purpose. God continued to speak to my heart this recurring theme of service. The more I served others and the Lord my empty heart was filled.
One specific night I woke up with the idea of the service project. I had recently read the happiness project by Gretchen Rubin and while I agree with a lot of what the author had to say I thought that there had to be something more to the equation other than simply making ourselves happy. From a Christian standpoint our happiness is derived from staying connected with the Lord and sharing His love with others. So I began journaling for years on the topics of servanthood and purpose in the Bible.
Fast forward about 10 years later, I was sitting in the church pew on Sunday morning and I looked at the back of the pew and there was a love offering envelope. These envelopes are typically used for monetary giving, over and above your tithe. But on this occasion I got to thinking about how we as Christians are love offerings. We give our lives as love offerings to the Lord and we give our lives as love offerings to the world around us. That we can tangibly go above and beyond for others and for the Lord.
2) God put on your heart, “Rachael, who do you want to feed them, who do you want to hug them, who do you want to give them a home?” You followed by saying it’s not enough to just pray, we have to be active in loving people tangibly. How can you encourage someone in this place. When God does choose them to do the very thing they are asking Him to send someone else to do?
Yes one night my daughter Kate and I were reading a book that she chose from our local church library titled Willie’s Soup Kitchen. In this book there is a baby in a high chair and Kate who was 4 at the time began to question how a child did not have anything to eat because she had no frame of reference for lack of food. This lead to a conversation about hunger and homelessness and orphans/. I told her that it broke my heart to think about a child out there somewhere that has no one to hold them when they cry. Hearing this reality, Kate began to weep as if she was physically hurt, but it was an emotional hurt I had never witnessed from her before. Due to her reaction I was prompted to pray, Lord please give them a home and give them someone to comfort them and give them food. And in the middle of the prayer I clearly felt the Lord speak my heart and say, Rachael who do you want to feed them? Who do you want to clothe them? Who do you want to comfort them? That is why I put you here.
It was this call to action then and it is a call to action now. I am a firm believer in prayer. Prayer does work. God does listen to our prayers and we must communicate with him, however there is a point when He says quit praying about this and act. I have given you everything you need to change this situation. You have the time or the talent or the finances or the capacity to make a difference in this person’s life. So often we just wait for someone else to move or for God to move, when that is why He’s put us here on earth, to be his hands and feet. He uses us to accomplish His purposes. I have to remind myself of this often. We can be the answer to someone else’s prayer.
3) One of my favorite verses in the Bible is 1 Timothy 6:20 - “Guard the deposit entrusted to you.” I felt this when I listened to the episodes. We’ve got to love people with the gifts God has given us. Unfortunately, we live in a world where comparison and the enemy tries to make us look at everyone else’s gifts as better than our own. Was there a time when you felt this way and how did you get to the place of knowing the gifts God gave you were sacred and needed to be shared.
I would love this verse too. It reminds me of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. God gives us these talents and we can bury them or we can use them and we can invest them for His Kingdom. At the end of my life I want God to say well done good and faithful servant. Not well sad or well thought, but well done.
You know I still doubt the gifts that God has given me. I feel like it’s so much easier to call out and see the gifts in other people than it is to recognize our own. But when we read in the Word, God says that we are all special. We all have a talent. We all have a treasure and time to share. But it is love that makes all of our gifts useful and we can all love.
When I doubt the gifts or wish for the gift He have to someone else, I am doubting God who gave them to me. When we start to compare our gifts to other people we are undermining God‘s workmanship and providence. God gave us these gifts and God does not make mistakes.
I have not overcome this doubt and insecurity in my gifts. I question what I have to offer and I don’t know if this will ever go away altogether. But honestly, I wonder if this is for the best because it keeps me humble and reliant on the Lord. If I could do it on my own or in my own strength or because I have worked so hard, then I would take all the credit and I would get the glory. When the reality is, I can’t do this on my own. Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. That is why I delight in my weakness, for when I am weak, then I am strong. It is only because of Him that we can do or accomplish anything and that way He always gets the glory because he is the only one who deserves any glory.
To answer the second part of your question, how did I get to the place of knowing these gifts needed to be shared, I began to realize I was insecure in my giftings because of my concern or fear of man’s reaction, but the turning point for me was the realization that I feared God more. This fear is more of a reverent fear and a posture of obedience to His call to use the gifts He has given me. Not in an arrogant way, but in a humble responsible way. I got to the point that I can’t not do the things God was calling me to. It was a realization that I didn’t want to waste my life. I want to live this one life well, so that at the end of my time here on earth, He will say well done good and faithful servant.
4) If someone sees the need, knows God is calling them, but they don’t know how to move on it, how would you speak into the life of a woman who comes to you with that? “I know God is calling me to “this” and wants me to use “this” gift, but where do I start”.
Gosh this question really resonates with me. It’s a daily battle isn’t it? The main thing is simply to start. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is in Mark 14 about a woman who anoints Jesus head with perfume. Everyone around her rebukes her and calls her offering a waste, but Jesus says she has done a beautiful thing. She did what she could. Those five simple words. And I believe that is all that He is asking of us as well - to simply do what we can.
If your listeners are anything like me, we tend to get overwhelmed with the enormity of the problems and our lack of time and resources. But what these verses reveal to me is that we don’t need to exhaust ourselves thinking we have to do it all and do it all perfectly. There is such freedom in these verses.
My family has a motto that says “do our best and let God take care of the rest.” We can't get stuck in the opinions of others, our our insecurity in our gifts, or fear of failure. Because if we do we stay stagnant, apathetic, and complacent and end up doing nothing instead. My hope is that through the love offering our generation is inspired to do something to manifest the better world we want to see.
I do want to make it clear that we are not saved by our deeds, we are only saved by faith, however the book of James says faith without deeds is dead. It is our faith that saves us, but it is our active obedience that proves that our faith is genuine.
So for the woman listening wondering where to start, first pray for God to lead you and secondly, start wherever you are. Where does God have you? Love there. And who has He surrounded you with? Love them. From the book of Eshter, who knows? You were there for such a time as this.
5) How do you inspire others to do the things God calls them. I can see we live in a place of we want to share seats at the table but at the same time hate seeing others get ahead of us. One thing I’ve learned is if I’m in step with the Spirit, I’m right where God has me. How do you push people God-ward?
I am directionally challenged in a physical sense, but also very much in a spiritual sense. I can get lost, sidetracked, and detoured so easily. I love the image in the metaphor of staying in step with the spirit, because where He leads I want to follow. I want nothing more than to be in the center of God’s will. However, how easy it is to question if the direction or step we are taking is in the right direction. We wonder if we heard God correctly, but I’m finding God can redirect us if we are on the wrong course, look at Jonah for example. He brought a fish to get back on track!
God can get us back on track if we make a misstep. When we stay in tune with His voice by reading His Word, He will lead us. We need to trust that God will open and shut the right doors. He is the light for our path and Scripture assures us in Isaiah 30:21, whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk in it.
In regards to saving seats at the table, we do have a tendency to believe there is not enough room for all of us, but the reality is, God just keeps making a bigger table. He is a God of abundance, not scarcity. I want to be the kind of woman who helps others, rather than hinder others in their walk with Christ. And yet I fall short daily. Thank goodness for God’s grace. I can only hope I don’t push anybody in any direction, but rather point them in God‘s direction, so they too can stay in step with His Spirit. We never know whose eyes are on us, and so we would benefit from keeping our eyes fixed on Him. He is our shepherd and He will lead us, guide us and direct us Godward.
6) People are feeling weary, excited, anxious, joy filled. There are so many emotions going on this time of year. How do you feel we can live out the rest of this season with our arms wide open and be the hands and feet of Jesus? How can we be a love offering?
There are so many emotions this time of year. And I think the first step is to recognize that it’s not always joyful for everyone. I know for me and my relationships that even though people may be smiling on the outside, there is always something deeper on the inside that someone may be battling. Whether it’s a physical, emotional, or spiritual need. We all have need. We all need love. We can be a love offering by first allowing Christ to fill us with His love, because without the love of Christ we don’t truly have anything valuable to give. Then through Him and through the help of the Holy Spirit we are able to notice others. We can pray to be sensitive to His leading and to open the eyes of our hearts to see first the need and then act on the need. So many times we worry about having the right words to say or giving the perfect gift, but in reality people just want you to see them and to care about them and their needs. The greatest present you can give this season could simply be your presence.
7) I love when you talked about starting a chain reaction that points people to Jesus. I love the thought of what this looks like. Encounter after encounter. What are some simple things people can be focused on to start this chain reaction?
I also love this image. I believe our small acts of love in God’s hands can make an enormous impact. Throughout the Bible God always used ordinary people and ordinary objects to do extraordinary things. He is a God of multiplication. Although I’m not much of a scientist, when I think of reaction, Newton’s Law of motion comes to mind which states for every action there is an equal or opposite reaction. When I apply this to my Christian life, God’s love should prompt a response of love in me. This concept has proven true in my own life. When someone smiles at me it causes me to want to smile. When someone laughs it makes me want to laugh. When someone gives me a hug it makes me want to hug them back. If someone makes me a meal, I want to make a meal for someone else. It’s this pay it forward concept for Christians.
We also need to be mindful that this chain reaction can go the opposite way. Our harsh words, our judgement, our lack of forgiveness, our lack of mercy, and our inactivity can do as much negative as our positive can do positively.
In order to start a positive chain reaction we must first stay in God‘s word, stay in step with His spirit like we talked about earlier, pray, and be willing to be interrupted. So often, especially during the Christmas season we are busy with all the things. This season let’s make it our goal to slow down enough to notice and be aware of the needs around us. Simply take the time to invite someone to get together, text someone a kind thought, pray for someone, give someone a gift, or surprise them by doing a chore. It’s not as much about what you give but, just that you do give and with the right motive.
8) The Living With Less podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in regards to this, what would you tell them and why?
I love the name of your podcast. It brings to mind less of me and more of Christ. That we are dying to our self and living a newness of life with Him. Our natural sinful tendency is to be selfish and focus on our needs and our wants. So in this respect, to live with less would be to live with less of ourselves- to be selfless. God has called us to take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus came as a servant and we are to model our behavior to live like Him.
Isaiah 40 talks about being a servant of the Lord and one of my favorite phrases in the commentary I read about this chapter stated majestic works prompt majestic responses. Because of God’s love we should respond in love to Him and to those around us, so they may respond to God’s love too. That is our purpose. To have a relationship with Him so that we can spend eternity in heaven and to lead others to relationship with Him so they can spend eternity in heaven too.
9) What's been the best thing God has taught you in this season of “The Love Offering” podcast?
Gosh this is a hard question because He is teaching me so much every day and through this podcast I feel so lucky to be able to talk to so many amazing women and get to learn from each of them. So many times we hear a lot of negative news, but there really are a lot of people doing a lot of great things in this world. And that is something to celebrate. Everybody’s life and offerings look different and they’re all at a different pace, in a different place, in a different position, but they are all important to God and kingdom work. We just simply must all do our part.
When I think about the love offering and I think about God as the most extraordinary giver, we give because God gave first. He created us in love. He sent His son Jesus because He loved us. Jesus died on the cross because He loved us. And we are to love because He first loved us. That is our greatest offering.
Where you can find Rachael at her website https://rachaelkadams.com, on Facebook, and Instagram @rachaeladamsauthor.
The Tug Of Persistent Distractions dives into the story of Nehemiah and how he stood firm against the distractions the enemy was trying to scheme. Not only did he stand firm against the but he called on God to give him strength. Because his trust was in the faithfulness of God, not in himself.
This week will challenge you to ask God to reveal to you the things that are persistently distracting you from Him and all He is trying to do in and through you.
Nehemiah's Distraction Story:
- Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.”8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God,strengthen my hands. 10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” 11 But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me.14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.
Nehemiah Trusted God:
- In 6:9 you see at the end that Nehemiah not only trusted God but called on Him to "strengthen his hands".
- He hadn't forgotten all God had been faithful in prior.
- He trusted God's heart for him.
What is Persistently Distracting You?
- Sin issues // unseen sin issues
- Health issues
- Family issues
- Friendship issues
How Do We Stop Getting Distracted and Persistently Pursue Christ?:
- We get serious about God's word and realize it is not a book of suggestions.
- We ask The Lord to help us with our priorities.
- We get honest with God about where our hearts are and lament to Him.
GIVEAWAY:
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Entires will be open 11/27 through Christmas morning 12/25 at 6AM EST.
Entry Details:
- EACH WEDNESDAY there will be a post for the Blessing Box Giveaway
- Enter by following, liking, and sharing on your stories!
- Tag your friends in the comments extra entries
In episode 47 Chelsey sits down to talk singleness with Brice Mitchell, Student Director at 514 Church in Columbus, OH and Kendra Schwarz, OBS Manager for Proverbs 31 Ministries in Charlotte, NC. Brice and Kendra give a refreshing perspective on how this season of life is not a curse, maybe not desired in their hearts, but that God is preparing them for what He has prepared for them. We all have seasons we may not desire but that God will use to grow us. Single or not, this message is for all of us.
How have you learned how to live with the desire for marriage but also being okay with God’s plan for your life?
- K: It hasn’t been easy. Remembering God is sovereign and good and all-knowing puts my life into perspective. Also, taking a year from dating in 2016 helped re-align my wants/desires with what God has in store for my life (thoughts matter, desires matter, motives matter, how we understand love matters).
- B: - I actually think that I repressed this desire for the longest time. While marriage was something I wanted, I kept telling myself and everyone else around me that I was “too busy” to date—that between my job, my friendships and social life, and my own walk with God, that I just didn’t have the margin to add in a romantic relationship. I’ve been on a journey of discovering that a lot of it was that the idea of marriage and letting someone be that proximate to my pain was hard for me, even though I wanted it desperately. I’ve learned to see where I’m at in life as a season of specific growth. I’m planted, I’m rooted, I’m being nurtured, but I’m also being pruned into becoming more and more like Jesus. When you see your season as a season of growth, it changes the way you see the rest of your life. God is preparing me for what he has prepared for me.
How can we stay content when God has us single even though we may not think it’s the best plan for our life?
- K: wanting to please God and be kept in His perfect plan is my motivation to embrace singleness. Also, understanding why He might have us in this season helps too. For example, you’ll never have more freedom than you do now. So recognizing I have a lot of time to dedicate to friends and freedom to make my own schedule and fill it how I want helps me be content. Understanding He may be cultivating something in me to match His character. What would I miss out on if He removed me from this season right now? Would I miss out on being more patient in the future? Also, after struggling with it for years, I’m finally seeing some fruit come from my struggle. Speaking at small conferences about singleness, talking to friends who struggle, connecting with people on social media… it’s given my struggle a purpose and it’s been neat to see.
- B: This one is a little more tough. It’s incredibly difficult. As a type four on the enneagram, I struggle to be content with anything that I have—I create inner-idealized fantasies of where I should be in life, the things I would like, the way I want things to play out, and reality tends to never match that of what I create in my mind. That’s a dangerous place to be. I have been striving to live in the season I’m in rather than wait for the season to come. There’s so much happening right here and right now that I’m too afraid to miss what God has placed directly in front of me — friendships, ministry, my small groups, etc.
How do you navigate new seasons and changing friendships when all your friends start getting married and having babies besides you?
- K: I love people and I love celebrating people. I’d be lying if I told you I can go to weddings and not think, “why not me?” but as I’ve gotten older and spent more time with God and understanding His character, I’m able to re-focus my attention not on a girl in a white dress professing forever to a guy but on the beautiful covenant they’re making to each other and this makes me excited for them. Also remembering it’s not all blissful. So if I get married, it’s not going to fill the void in my heart. De-throning my future husband/role as a mom is something I’ve had to learn.
- B: I’m in the same boat as Kendra on this one. I absolutely love weddings and love celebrating life’s biggest milestones, like having a child, but it can also be really difficult. I don’t think I’ve ever become apathetic or have lost sight of celebrating, but what tends to happen to me is all of those little thoughts in the back of your mind the next day. I’m fully present in the moment, but the next moment leaves me a little sad and yearning for what they have. I’ve had to check myself and check my heart. I think yearning is okay, but yearning can quickly become jealousy or envy. I think it’s okay to say, “I wish I had that,” while also learning to say, “I’m happy that they are experiencing this amazing, beautiful thing.”
What do you do in your season of singleness to live life and just live in the moment?
- K: I keep busy. I’ve been in a little quarter-life crisis mode. It’s an exciting place to be though because it’s kicked my butt into high gear to do things while I’m young and “free” before I settle down (go to Italy, visit family who live far away, etc.)
- B: I fill my margin. Now, this did become a dangerous thing for awhile, so I’ve had to learn boundaries and how to prioritize my time, but when I’m at my healthiest, I’m spending time with people. As a youth pastor, my heart breaks for students but my heart is also filled by doing life with them, so I spend a lot of time building relationships with them. Living in the moment is one thing, but owning the moment (Carl Lentz) is another. I’ve been learning to utilize every moment, to not just live in it, but to consciously choose to be present, to show grace, to experience joy, and to point others to Jesus.
Where do you turn in God’s word when you’re wrestling with trusting Him in this area?
- K: Mentors and past journal entries of how He has come through before.
- B: Psalm 23:1, My boss, my roommate, my journals.
Do guys struggle with singleness as much as girls do?
- B: I can’t speak for everyone, but in speaking for myself and the other men that I have surrounded myself with…ABSOLUTLELY. I honestly think that one of the biggest factors in why many people, especially men, struggle with singleness is because of how it’s portrayed by the modern-day church. Marriage is celebrated while being single is almost either never talked about or it’s seen as an obstacle in life. The amount of times that I’ve heard, “you’ll find someone,” or “God has a plan,” while in the context of the church is almost disheartening. Most churches don’t talk about singleness, but they’ll talk about marriage all day long. As a 26 year old Christian man, I would love to hear some messages about how to be content in this season, how I can glorify God through my singleness, rather than just hearing messages on how to become the right person or how to find the right person. Those are important messages, but they portray a sense of yearning for something that I don’t have, which can almost come off as “you’re not good enough for marriage.”
Living with less question - the living with less podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they 1st needed to begin living with less of what would it be and why?
- K: Live with less control and expectation.
- B: less PRIDE. The more you focus on God and who He is, the less you think of yourself and you begin to become more informed of who you are called to be, rather than who you want to be.
What do you think the score will be for the Ohio State/Michigan game?
- K: LOL
- B: Honestly, same as Kendra, but 48-20.
I'm so thankful these two took the time to sit down and get real about this season. I love that they shed like on a topic that the church can get negative about. You can find Brice and Kendra on Instagram, @br1cekr1spy and @kendraschwarz.
Episode 46 is one for the books. Chelsey got to sit down and talk with Kasey Van Norman as she shared the heart behind her book, Nothing Wasted. Kasey shares how God used the hardest parts of her story to show that a holy, sovereign God lovingly works, not in spite of our past, but through it.
We Serve A God Of Redemption
- God wants to redeem the worst parts of who we are.
- God uses the back door. He doesn't care to see the cleaned up versions of ourselves. He wants every single part of us. He wants to do a new thing in us!
- Through Kasey's husband, God showed her the true love of Jesus in the midst of the worst pain she'd ever put her husband through.
All Christian's Have Messy Seasons
- It's hard to believe when we walk in church sometimes that there are people with lives that are unraveling. You may feel like you're the only one in the room with a problem, but there is probably a dozen other people in a hard season as well.
- One thing Kasey stated that I LOVE in regards to addressing sin is this, "A mature Christian seeks out change. A person who is truly free in Christ has the self-awareness to learn from others without compromising their own obedience."
Wounds and Healing
- "God doesn't waste the wounds we've buried. He orchestrates events to resurface them for healing.
- "God wrote an entire book about people who need saving just as much as we do."
- "God does not waste our traumas. He uses them to overwhelm us into grace."
You can find Kasey www.kaseyvannorman.com and also follow her on Instagram @kaseyvannorman. You can purchase her book from her website. I pray that you find Nothing Wasted into your hands at some point. It shows the deep love Christ has for us in the midst of devastating seasons. Kasey has a true heart of gold and a bold love for Jesus!
Episode 45 is all about why life is not about us. At the end of the day it is all about Jesus, how we cling to Him, and how represent Him to others. That not everything God shares with us needs to be immediately shared on a platform or with another person, but tucked in our hearts. How we have to spend time within Him before we can properly handle anything that comes our way in this world.
What Happens When He's Sanctifying Us
- Phillipians 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
- Chiseling
- Molding
- Removing
- Giving fresh perspective
Why We Need To Ponder His Word
- There are certain things God wants to teach you before you share them. Example: I wanted to do an episode on the 3 words He gave me a few weeks back. I felt Him nudging my heart that He is still teaching me things through this, He is not calling me to share.
- He needs to heal things in your heart. Example: There are seasons of brokenness where God is using that time to heal us and steward us through His word.
- We're all in a process of learning. If we're breathing God is working in and through you, there may be something He's trying to give you clarity on.
Why It's All About Him
- And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. Revelation 21:6
- God calls us in relationship with Him because of His deep love for us, apart from Him we have nothing to offer this world.
- Everything in life is to give God glory. We all have countless opportunities to give God the glory.
- He is the Creator, the Author, the Perfecter, the Healer. He is omniscient, He is omnipresent. He is this great I AM. We are His creation and He thought about you and me. His son is our gift to eternal life with Him.
- When it's all about us, its ridden with pride and sin.
Episode 44 is all about the seasons of wrestling with go through in our walks with The Lord. It digs into why they are nessacary for our growth as they bring our fleshy desires, pride filled hearts, questions, worries, doubts, and fears all to the surface. These seasons give us the ability to let God truly work in the places that we can find oursleves hiding away.
Why We Wrestle
- We are fallen people who want nothing more than control and the ability to see the outcomes.
- Our flesh wants to do the things our faith tells us not too.
- We want God to work within our timeframe.
God Never Breaks His Promises
- John 15:1-7 - Abide in me and I will abide in you.
- Jeremiah 29:13 - You will seek me and find me when you seek me with your whole heart.
- 2 Chronicles 20:12 - For we are powerless against this great horde coming against us, for we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.
5 Things God Has Been Teaching Me
- A hard seasons is always coming. This is why our faith cannot stay stagnant. A growing faith with The Lord can endure when the hard things come.
- God can handle my words. I cannot let fear keep me from speaking my jumbled thoughts. He just wants me to surrender the words to Him. (Philippians 4:6)
- Keep up my shield of faith at all times. Take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. (Ephesians 6:16)
- The Lord wants to reveal himself to us. (Psalm 25:14)
- As for His will and hold fast to it.
Keep Your Eyes On Jesus is all about why we need to do so and how we can get off track. Chelsey shares some of the things The Lord has shown her during her 4 weeks off podcasting. How she needed to be knowing Him just as much as she was serving Him.
John 15:4-7 Clarity On Why We Need To Be Fixed On Jesus.
- 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Cling To Jesus In The Dry Season
- When the dry season comes, don't shut your bible! Don't put it on the shelf and promise you'll open it later. Run to Jesus. Run to His word.
- Keep showing up. Keep going to the hard places and surrender the scary things to Jesus.
- He'll depend your faith in unexplainable ways.
He Is Always Doing A New Thing
- The Lord wants to always be doing new things in and through us.
- He loves us so much He wants to invite us into partnering with Him.
- If we trust Him with us, He will do the new thing.
The Areas Of Distraction
- The distractions that come from to many good things on our plates.
- Our sin nature - the sins we easily fall prey to if we're headed into complacency.
- The attacks of the enemy. If you're following Jesus the enemy will attack you.
Verse To Cling To When We Feel The Enemy Coming
- 2 Chronicles 20:12 - For we are powerless against this great horde coming against us, for we do not know what to do but we will keep our eyes fixed on you.
1) Tell us about the wonderful you!
I am a wife to one, and momma to 4. My husband is in the Air Force, we currently we are stationed in San Antonio. Texas is seriously awesome, we love living here and our church is great! We've really grown in the Lord and have people around us that help us, help our marriage, help our family and have truly been great encouragers in the Lord.
2) This topic is one that causes deep feelings of grief and questioning. How have you found a way to cling to The Lord in this rather than retreat from Him.
Right before we lost our baby, I felt a revival in my heart after a season where I had been stagnant. So leading up to the miscarriage, I had been re-baptized 2 months prior. I had been baptized once before when I was 10, but as a grown adult, I wanted to redeclare that decision and rededicate my life to living for him. At the time didn't know that I was pregnant, nor were we trying.
God knew. He knew I would need Him. My clinging was simply an acknowledgement that God was holding onto me first. It was nothing on my own doing, but the Lord calling out to me and me just reacting to his irresistible grace and love.
3) I’ve had several friends walk through this, but as someone who hasn’t experienced it for myself, I never know what to say. I don’t want to say too much or too little. What did you need from your friends in this season?
This is a hard question, because I think everyone can respond differently. For me, I secluded myself and I didnt want to do anything. So when I had friends who reached out to check on me first, that was encouraging. I didn't want to be the person who would text someone or turn the subject of conversation to something sad, so when friends acknowledged and asked me about it, it gave me an opportunity to share and outwardly express my grief.
But most of all, I needed people praying for me and pointing me back to God. The enemy could have used this season to turn my back against the Lord, but I truly believe that God was close to me during this season of suffering.
4) When people experience miscarriage it seems doubting God’s goodness would be easy to do and definitely something the enemy would use to distract. Were there any scriptures you held tight to during this time to keep focused on the GOODNESS of God rather than letting your mind go the other way.
I found verses in stages of grief:
Psalm 55- explained the beginning of my grief
The passage starts out with (1)“Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.”, (4) my heart is anguish within me”, (5) Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.”
The passage ends with the words, (23) “As for me, I trust in you.”
Daniel 3:17-18 “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if He does not,”
I began to pray that even if he does not, that He was still good. God cares about the posture of your heart, and getting my heart to accept this was the hardest part.
John 11:35 “Jesus wept”- the shortest verse in english* (3 shortest in its original greek)
This passage was about the sisters of Lazarus who were grieving and mourning the loss of their brother. And in verse 33 it says, “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was moved in spirit and troubled.”
Jesus cares about my loss. He was there with me, weeping and holding me close the entire time.
The final verse that continues to bring healing 1 Peter 5:10- “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
This verse just kept showing up everywhere. I felt like I was at my most vulnerable and the enemy was prowling around me. I was short tempered during this time, I was impatient and I felt like I had no choice but to truly believe that God works all things for His good(Romans 8:28)
I just didn't know what “the good” was yet, so in a season of waiting, I had to trust that God had a plan. Which was to restore, confirm, strengthen, establish. I put my whole heart in that verse and truly believed it, and still do.
5) Jesus promises to be near to the broken hearted, this would be one of the most painful heartbreaks, can you share a little about the dream you had where you felt the Lord’s presence.
The morning I woke up to come to the realization that I might have been miscarrying, I started praying immediately. My husband met me at the doctor but they couldn't actually confirm our loss yet. I did a blood draw and ultrasound. They told me to come back in 3 days for another blood draw.
Those 3 days were the long days of my life and without a doubt the most sorrowful. I prayed Psalm 55, Daniel 3, JOhn 11:35 and 1 Peter 5:10 like they were stages of grief.
When the Doctor told us that we lost the baby after those 3 days of waiting… I went home confused because I had prayed the most I had ever prayed up to that point in my life.
I feel asleep on my husband's chest with his shirt soaked in my tears and I had the dream.
I had recently lost my great grandpa(I was pregnant at his funeral- i just wasn't aware of it yet). I Regularly have had dreams of my great grandma who died a few years prior and she's shown up in my dream in major point of my life. (engagement, marriage, pregnancy) kinda cool because she’s always been in my dreams like that after her passing. Well my great grandpa had never been present in those dreams until after his passing and on the night we lost our baby.
I dreamed that both my Grandpa and Grandma were walking towards me carrying a baby in a swaddle. We were in the clouds and my rocking chair(that was in Kennedi’s room) was in the clouds with us. I sat down in the rocker and they handed me the baby. I rocked the baby for what seemed like hours. Holding and rocking. The baby told me that his name was Jackson(Which wasn't a name we had picked for him- but is his name now) and he was going to be ok. And that I was going to be ok. Right before I woke up, I handed Jackson back to my Grandparents, watched them walk off into clouds until I couldn't see them anymore and then I woke up.
6) What was the best Godly guidance you received during this season that you’d love to share with the other women walking through this currently or have walked through it.
Allow God to use you during loss and suffering. Accept Him into the suffering and don’t let the suffering go to waste. God is close to the broken hearted. I truly believe that.
Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Because I allowed this suffering to not make me bitter, the story God gave me through Jackson has become a light. I asked God to give me courage to share Jackson and his life and prayed for God to use this for HIS GLORY. He then started sending me women who had or were experiencing loss. He equipped me to be a helper. (which is funny because my enneagram is 2)
7) I had a friend who went through this loss and someone said to her, “I thought you had enough time” in regards to grieving. Speaking from your own story have you felt like part of you holds that loss in your heart each day?
He's changed my perspective slowly. Grieving is a process and no one can put a number on the days.
Psalm 30:11 says, “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.”
That “joy” I will receive might not be in this lifetime on earth… but this promise is still true because one day I WILL be reunited with Jackson. And we will be dancing together on golden streets.
Grief doesn't mean that I don't accept God’s plan, grief becomes my acknowledgment that I need His presence within His plan. And everytime I talk to someone about this, I pray that he will continue to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish.
8) I typically ask each guest on the show to share what they would tell someone if they asked what they needed to live with less of in regards to becoming more like Christ. BUT I felt the Lord wanted me to ask you, “How did you want others praying for you while you walked through this season.”
That the Lord would reveal that His plans are greater than my own.
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Praying that the pain will be taken away, to me, sounded like an empty prayer. Not saying that the Lord couldn’t use that prayer, but I selfishly wanted to hold onto the pain because the pain was associated with something I lost. And that meant if I held onto the pain, then I wasn't giving up on my baby. Grief becomes a matter that overtakes your heart, so praying that the Lord will give me a new heart within the suffering.
The Lord has given me a new heart on this. The reality is, God holds Him now. He is greater than I. His plans are greater than mine. When I realize that God is still good despite the pain, that's where I was able to heal.
Job 1:21 “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
That the Lord would instill THAT perspective. That He gives, He takes away. That even if He doesn’t save, his ways are still higher than mine.
God hand picked me to carry an angel for Him. Jackson's first steps were on holy ground. And his first words were singing in a choir of angels. I am confident that his life was not in vain and I refuse to allow the enemy to tell me otherwise.
This week Amanda Bacon is joining the Living With Less podcast as a special guest. She works for Proverbs 31 Ministries, is co-author of Shiny Things, co-host of All The Mom Things podcast, a wife and superwoman to 8 kiddos..yes, you read that correctly I said 8! Today we’re going to be talking all things Jesus, book writing, mothering, and choosing lasting things over lesser things.
1) Tell us about the wonderful you! (Family, home, church, job, ministry, etc.)
-Hi! My name is Amanda Bacon and I live in Charlotte, North Carolina. I've been married to Jeremy for twenty years and am the mom of eight children ages 7-18. We're relative newbies in the South, having lived here just over three years. My husband and I grew up in Alaska, and all of our children were born there! I serve on staff at Proverbs 31 Ministries on Lysa TerKeurst's team, and write online at themasterpiecemom.com and amandabacon.com. I'm the co-author of Shiny Things: Mothering on Purpose in a World of Distractions, which released in April 2019.
2) When did you feel the call to become an author/writer! What started the whole idea of writing the Shiny Things?
-I've loved to write since I was in the 4th or 5th grade and continued to love it through my college years. I even enjoyed writing research papers! Shortly after I became a mom, I started to blog in 2006 and have been doing so ever since. What started out as updates for faraway friends and family turned into something different. Through the writing I was doing, I found that I loved to encourage women using biblical truths and examples from my own life. In 2014, Anne-Renee Gumley (my co-author of Shiny Things) and I started an online ministry to moms called The Masterpiece Mom. The writing we do at TMM turned into a blog post that turned into a book idea that a publisher noticed! And now we have a book.
3) What was your favorite part in writing the book? I find when I write I learn so many things about myself and The Lord. What do you feel stands out most to you in seasons of intense writing?
-My favorite part of writing the book was doing so as a duo with Anne-Renee, and the dependence on the Lord that grew out of that experience. I also found I loved writing for a long time on a single topic!
4) I loved the story you shared when you talked about being at that conference looking down at your belly and knew you and your husband were supposed to grow your family again, what was that like? What was it like sensing God so clearly in a moment.?
-Yes, in Chapter 11 of the book, I tell the story of being in a hotel shower at a mom conference far from home and seeing the formation of a "bow" formed as the blood came to the surface of the skin on my abdomen in the hot shower! I had been praying in the shower and crying out to God about whether or not we should start trying to conceive a 4th baby. It was an amazingly personal and vivid moment with God. I heard the message He was sending loud and clear: Children are a gift. Our 4th baby was born 18 months later.
- Even for the people listening to this episode who aren’t growing their families, don’t have children, or honestly aren’t married! I think we all have moments where we feel God move in this way but some chalk it up to just a thought/feeling. What would you tell someone who experiences this type of moment.
-I would say two things: 1) Don't push it away or flippantly disregard it. and 2) Don't run full-fledged after it either! Take it to the Lord in prayer.
5) I loved asking Anne-Renee this question! Since your book is all mainly geared towards moms, who has been the best role model in your life when it comes to this season of life.
-I'll have to say, I haven't had many mentors in my life. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but it has grieved me many times throughout the years! But I do have one special friend who is near and dear to me and is a stage ahead of me who has helped me so much through my mothering years. And I have always looked up to moms who have raised or are raising four or more children, since that's my life. I love to hear how they do things. My life now mothering eight children is very different than when I was mothering one to three children, so I love hearing from the women who have juggled lots of kids!
6) What’s the hardest distraction you deal with when it comes to mothering in our world today?
-I'd say I am my biggest distraction. I don't compare myself to other moms or women, but I do get lost in thoughts that might be negative about my life or myself. And those painful thoughts can lead me to want to get lost in the apps on my phone.
7) Our sweet boy Cam is actually turning 2 the week this airs! What is your best encouragement for us younger moms in the throws of littles.
-I had to come to a point where I realized I won't be perfect and neither would my kids. It sounds simple, but how often do we expect this from ourselves and kids? Let your kids be imperfect and offer lots of love and grace.
8) The Living With Less podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you something they needed to live with less of in regards to becoming who God is calling them to be what would you tell them?
-I love this question! I think we all could live with less swirling thoughts that are left unchecked in the secret spaces of our minds and hearts.
2 fun things to wrap us up! Favorite Bible verse and why.
-I love the story in 2 Chronicles 20. So that whole chapter is amazing! I've been camping there a lot lately.
Best part of having a family blended with adoption!
-The best part of having both bio and adopted kids is the compassion I've seen grow in my older kids' lives. It's been beautiful to see!
You can find Amanda at themasterpiece mom.com , Amandabacon.com, and @amanda_bacon_
Tell us about you! (Family, home, church, job, ministry, etc.)
- Grew up in the PNW, went to college in Oregon … met a boy from Alaska
- Have 2 kiddos, ages 14 & 15 (both learning to drive … prayers appreciate)
- Worship at our church here in Alaska
- Amanda and I met 14 years ago through MOPS; co-coordinated group
- Love writing and doing ministry w/ Amanda
- We joke we’re the Mom Opposites (8/2 … public school / homeschool … working outside the home … now total opposite sides of the country)
- But between the 2 of us, we represent moms all over, with different backgrounds & various seasons/stages of mothering. (We weren’t meant to be cookie-cutter versions of each other. We serve a creative God!)
When did you feel the call to become an author! What started the whole idea of writing the Shiny Things?
- Loved working together through MOPS, dreamed of writing a book together someday
- Brought a book proposal to She Speaks in 2013. Met w/ several publishers, one of which was Harvest House. Told us quite frankly that this was more than a book. It was a ministry.
- So we started an online ministry: blog / podcast in May 2014
- Amanda wrote a blog post on distraction … it really seemed to hit a chord and really resonated with us. Suddenly we were hypersensitive to all these things pulling at us, keeping us from being intentional with our time and our people, and decided this was a message we needed to write about.
- Fast-forward 6 years and here we are with a ministry and a book.
What was your favorite part in writing the book? Did you find healing in it, did God teach you things about yourself you hadn’t seen before?
- I had no idea until we stared writing this book how big of a topic distraction really was. Not just for our mom community, but for me personally. It was really eye-opening for me to realize and acknowledge that distraction is so much more than just an issue of technology and social media. It’s comparison. Discontentment. Fear. Worry. Pain. What others think of me. It’s what I use when I’m bored or just trying to avoid doing what I know I should be doing. I realized it’s all the things that keep us from fixing our eyes on Jesus … and keep us from focusing on what matters most: our faith / families / the callings God has put on our hearts. That was sobering.
- Writing was therapeutic, but also really revealing. Distraction is a heart issue, revealing what truly matters to us. And I had no idea how many things I was allowing to get in the way of growing in my walk with the Lord. The ways I’d allowed discontentment to creep in. Areas where I’d invited worry and anxiousness to take over. And really being honest in identifying these areas and being willing to work on them.
The Chapter “What The Day Dreams Wont Tell You” absolutely changed my life. It was like a key unlocking a part of my heart I never let the Lord get to and he used your words to do so! Can you share a little bit about the why behind this chapter?
- The heart behind that chapter was one of fear and trepidation. It was a chapter I felt very strongly that I needed to write, but one I was fearful to put out there into the world. It talks very strongly about what happens when we’re distracted by the what-ifs and could-bes. When we invite discontentment in, and what the long-term effects can be. How dangerous certain thought patterns can be … and how it can have heartbreaking life-changing results.
- I can’t tell you how many times I almost deleted that chapter. But it felt so important to keep in there. To tell the whole story of what happens when we allow the enemy of our souls to whisper distracting words into our ears. Because of course the enemy does not want to see godly families raised up! So he’s going to do everything in his power to keep us distracted and keep us from focusing on what’s most important … which of course is those things with eternal impact and value.
Since your book is all mainly geared towards moms, who has been the best role model in your life when it comes to this season of life.
- I have been blessed with some really amazing role models and mentors in my life through the years. But I would have to say, the #1 role model in my life has definitely been my own mom. She is someone who speaks life-giving words to me on a regular basis and helps me gain perspective in whatever mothering season I’m in. She encourages me. She prays for me. And regardless of how hard things are, she always points me back to the feet of Jesus. So do not underestimate the power of encouragement, ladies! We are called to be the “iron that sharpens iron.” To speak the truth in love. Be that kind of friend. Be that kind of sister. And be that kind of mom to your kids.
What’s the hardest distraction you deal with when it comes to mothering in our world today?
- It would be easy to say that my phone is the biggest distraction, but really, it’s deeper than that. For me, my phone just represents a deeper heart issue. And in writing this book, I discovered how much I’ve allowed Comparison to rule my heart and my time. Social media can be a wonderful tool to connect and encourage, but it can also be a major time suck and something that keeps me from flourishing in my relationship with the Lord. … When I compare my life to others, it stirs up discontentment and insecurity. I don’t need to constantly be looking at what others are doing. I need to follow what God has for me and be confident in that!
I’ve got an almost 2 year old. What is your best encouragement for us younger moms in the throws of littles?
- Recognize the gift of right now. That this is a season. This is not forever.
- Wishing for these years (or this season) to be over blinds us to see what a gift it is right now.
- There will be time for callings, hobbies, and other things later on.
- But ask yourself: Is right now the right time?
- Don’t be too quick to wish these years away. They’re precious. They truly are.
8) The Living With Less podcast is all about living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you something they needed to live with less of in regards to becoming who God is calling them to be what would you tell them?
- I would say to ask yourself as you go throughout your day: Is this a lesser thing, or a lasting thing? And go from there.
- Identify the threat of distraction. Really wade in deep and figure out your top distractions are. Identify them. Label them. And then get rid of them.
- And don’t let them creep back in. We can’t resist of the pull on our own. We need our friend, Jesus. And we need accountability. We need the Body of Christ.
- As with any struggle, you can’t just get rid of it without replacing it with something. Get into God’s Word. Spend time in prayer. Fix your eyes on Jesus and let it all come back to Him.
2 fun things to wrap us up!
Favorite Bible verse and why!
- Prov. 16:9 (“A man’s heart may plan his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”)
- I’m really good at planning and not so good at trusting His heart
- It reminds me to fully rest in His perfect purposes and plans.
Best part of Alaska living - and where to visit if we ever travel there!
- It’s taken me several years to really love where we live and see (truly see) the beauty all around me. And now it’s like I can’t stop. I’m just in awe of our God and His amazing creation.
- The best part of living in AK: is seeing God’s fingerprints all over the state
- We are surrounded by majestic mountains and breathtaking scenery everywhere we turn.
- Where to visit: South Central Alaska (some of my favorite places are within a 2 hour radius of where we live – Denali, Talkeetna, Hatcher Pass, Girdwood, Portage Glacier… they’re all so gorgeous. Like everywhere you turn, God’s just trying to show off.) So come see us! We would love to introduce you to our incredible state.
Places you can find Anne-Renee:
- ShinyThingsBook.com (Book / Blog / Podcast info) / #shinythingsbook
TheMasterpieceMom.com / AllTheMomThingsPodcast.com
FB: The Masterpiece Mom / Instagram: anne_reneegumley
1) Tell us about the wonderful you!
My husband, Dale and I pastor a church an hour south of Washington DC - in Fredericksburg VA. I serve as a pastor on staff with a focus on women and leadership. We have 2 young adults - Gabrielle, who just graduated from JMU with a musical theatre degree, and is home for a little bit performing regionally, and a son, Christian, who is attending college at VOUS University in Miami - an extension of Southeastern U.
So we're in a new season in our family - and there's never a dull moment. And of course, our favorite member of the family, our Shih Tzu, Chewie - short for Chewbacca. :)
My degree was Music Education and I served as a Worship Pastor for 20 years and have 3 CD's with original songs and arrangements before I started writing Bible Study resources for women. I'm still active musically in my local community theatre as a Music Director and pianist. That's a fun, creative outlet for me.
2) I felt so compelled to reach out to you when you posted about the topic of disagreements. In our time of history it’s SO hard to disagree without walking away with someone feeling “bullied or belittled” “misheard or judged”. When you’re in a conversation that’s heading this way what do in this situation? Do you address how it’s feeling or do you redirect?
I completely agree with you. Unfortunately, society has shifted from dialogue to debate, and we can't simultaneously listen empathetically and try to win an argument. Conflict is inevitable, but learning to handle conflict in a godly, respectful way is so important. I don't always nail this, I confess! We don't have to agree with someone to honor them. A mentor once encouraged me to filter disagreements through this lens: "Am I trying to do right or be right?" If the disagreement is with someone close to you - family, or close friend, allowing for things to settle down and revisiting it after emotions have calmed down can help. Listening for - and validating - the other person's feelings is critical - even if you don't agree. Validation doesn't mean agreement. It simply means you understand where that person is coming from. Until someone feels "heard" or "understood" it's hard to move on past that place. But if the disagreement is with someone you barely know, for example social media, or you realize you're not going to get on the same page. It's best to let it go.
A conflict at work can sometimes be a bit trickier and needs other resolution approaches.
3) We can’t control what people do or don’t do. Stand for or don’t stand for. I spoke about holy boldness on my podcast 2 months ago, God’s Boldness is much more gentle than our fleshly boldness. How have you navigated this with ones close to you?
I love that truth - think of how God handles us. We can be grateful He is gentler with us than we are sometimes! We can't control other people's reactions; we can only control our responses. We waste a lot of emotional reserves and energy focusing on trying to control where we disagree. Ultimately, I'm not the Holy Spirit and I can't convict anyone of sin or help lead someone to heart change. Only He can do that. I can love people where they are and point people to Jesus. I'm still learning to adapt to having young adult children, and the 4 of us are now adults with strong opinions. Sometimes we disagree and some topics just aren't wise for us to discuss. But relational conflict needs open and honest communication and respect for the other person's viewpoint.
4) Your statement, “No one has power over you unless you give it to them”. Do you have any biblical encouragement for girls like me who struggle with this!
I can really credit Eleanor Rosevelt for this statement - she said it this way, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." But it is challenging! I think immediately of Esther in the Bible. Once she learned that Haman, high up in the King's command, planned the genocide of her entire people, she had to sit on that information until the right moment to act. She gave us a template:
Stop and pray.
Enlist a couple people you trust to pray with you (they don't even have to know the details.)
Wait for God's timing.
Speak the truth in love - more concerned with the good of others than your own feelings.
A friend once said to me - If you have to talk with someone about an offense or a disagreement, it should hurt you as much to say it as it will for them to hear it. If we haven't prayed through our emotions and listened for God's voice on how to respond until we can honestly say we're at this place, we're not ready yet.
5) Love is fuel. Can you elaborate on this and why we’ve got be better at being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Anger is fuel but so is love. We have to choose which we're going to be fueled by. One repels and estranges us from others, and one endears us to others. One of the titles of Jesus I'm most intrigued by is those who called Him a "friend of sinners." Somehow he navigated speaking truth but in love - so people were drawn to Him and drawn to a new way of living. Scripture says that the Kindness of God leads to repentance. When our actions and words are fueled by genuine love for others - which can only come after we've spent time with Jesus privately, then others will be drawn to Jesus. In my upcoming Bible study I put it this way: "We'll be the best version of ourselves in public when we've spent time with Jesus in private." If I haven't gotten His heart I can't show His heart to others.
6) Living With Less Question - the podcast is all about Living With Less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. If someone asked you what they should start living with less of in regards to this what would you tell them and why?
Live with less unmet expectations. The root of a lot of conflict is unmet expectations. This leads us to disappointment and resentment. It doesn't mean we shouldn't have realistic expectations of ourselves or others. It means we need to constantly release any unmet expectations to Jesus, because ultimately, only He is able to fully meet the expectations of our heart.
If we're feeling stuck, we can get unstuck by talking our emotions through with the other person, if that's the right solution, or settling our sideways emotions in Jesus' presence. Bring as few people into the drama of a situation as possible. It makes it much harder to resolve and adds unnecessary dynamics of conflict.
Also, living with less insecurity. Insecurity feeds a lot of conflict. When we ground our worth in the Word we aren't as prey to the dangers of insecurity. Insecurity drives us toward competition with others rather than celebrating others. If we look for ways to bring peace into a situation and elevate others rather than win an argument, we'll live stronger, healthier, happier lives.
7) Favorite bible verse and why
So many! 1 John 3:1 - See what great love the Father has lavished on us - that we should be called children of God." When we live loved, we can love others.
8) Share with us your new bible study coming out!
Fearless, Ordinary Women of the Bible who Dared to do Extraordinary Things - launches October 1st! They can pre-order today at angeladonadio.com and purchase at their favorite retailer on October 1st! 6-session Bible study designed to help us find our fearless as we discover what happens when uncommon faith has an unexpected encounter with an extraordinary God. Whether you're longing to realize your purpose, fighting for a God-given cause, or kicking fear to the curb, these women of the Bible will help us stop the cycle of comparison and overcome the barriers to fearless living.
This episode is diving into an open heart surgery season God is doing in Chelsey. No matter where we're at in our walks with The Lord there are always things of our flesh that need wrestled out of us. This episode will encourage you to sit with Jesus, get in His Word, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what's going on inside.
Seen and Unseen Sin
- There are sins we are blind to in ourselves but God will do what it takes to rip them out of us.
- God's word tells us to TURN away from evil. (Proverbs 3:7)
- But then follows right after with what replacing the sin with His calls on our life will give us. Healing and refreshment. (Proverbs 3:8)
Question Marks
- God doesn't leave us with question marks so we can try to "figure things out" on our own in our flesh.
- God gives us His word and direction to give us what to do next.
- We in our flesh cannot remove sin. It is our Heavenly Father who is able to convict, remove, and restore.
Obedience and Promptings
- When He gives us prompts through the Holy Spirit. He's inviting us to make the choice of obedience.
- We get the opportunity to say, "Yes Lord!, I will follow you, I will fight for my faith."
Episode 37 digs into the hard things that our world tells us it's fine to overlook and walk away from, but God calls us to more. There is freedom found in working through the hard seasons, the hard sin issues, and the hard parts of God's word.
The Lord took Chelsey to Proverbs 2 and showed the gift of wisdom and discernment He has for us. BUT, to get there we have to seek, ask, and dig.
Proverbs 2:1-17
1 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you,
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 men whose paths are crooked,
and who are devious in their ways.
16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden[a] woman,
from the adulteress[b] with her smooth words,
17 who forsakes the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
Hebrew for attentive and inclining - LISTENING & LEAN
- This is what I love about the word and truth of God. It causes us to lean in and listen.
Hard Seasons and Teachable Moments
- When we look back we can all see seasons we allowed God to work in and through us AS WELL as seasons where we chose to walk away from doing the hard work,
- Hard things will always be hard things until we unpack them. LIGHT can't be shed in a place that we lock up and bury.
Fight For Your Faith
- Go deeper
- Keep learning
- Stay teachable
- Fight in prayer for truth
- Bear witness to this dark, jaded world
Peter Denies Jesus
- In Matthew 15:15-16 we see Jesus asks Peter, "who do you say that I am"? Peter responds with, "you are the Christ, the son of the living God."
- The just chapters later, Peter denies Jesus...3 times. It's easy to read this and feel so critical of what Peter did.
- How many of us have denied the call of The Lord. When something seemed to hard, to outlandish. Or we're to selfish, prideful, or busy to give it a second thought.
Courage In Christ and Faith In The Work He's Doing
- We can choose to walk away from something or we can choose to cling to Jesus and walk through it with Him. His word promises us, "understanding with guard us" (Prv. 2:11). "Wisdom will deliver us fom the way of evil". (Prv.2:12)
- This doesn't mean we will be exempt from trials, it gives us a promise of God's provision over our life.
The Best Challenge
- Sit with Him
- Get in His word
- Wrestle out your thoughts and put them on paper
- Pray with someone about these things
- Get with your pastor, mentor, or Christian counselor to ask the hard questions.
Learning to love and learning to lead takes a look into Chelsey and Corey's marriage. They continued to find themselves in hard seasons of marriage due to both of these things. If Corey didn't lead Chelsey, she didn't want to love him. If Chelsey didn't love Corey he wrestled with the desire to lead her. Over the last 6 months of being challenged and convicted by the spirit this episode takes you into the redemptive gift they've found in their marriage. A heart willing to love regardless of how one is leading and a heart willing to lead regardless of how the other is loving.
Learning to LOVE
- We are called to love our spouse regardless of how we feel.
- Ephesians 5:33 - "let the wife see she respects her husband".
- This means LOVING him in all circumstances.
- 1 Peter 3:1-2 also give us clear dicrection on why we are called to show them the love of Christ at all times.
Guard the GIFT of MARRIAGE
- This is the most sacred relationship God entrusts us with on this side of heaven.
- If I'm not guarding it, praying for it, and doing the hard work I'm missing the call God has aked of me.
- We need to see marriage as an HONOR and PRIVILEGE.
- We need to show our mixed up culture what marriage was designed for, to glorify and honor Christ.
Wives - our man isn't called to be our savior
- I found myself putting Corey on the throne and not Jesus.
- I was putting expectations on Corey that we as sinners can't measure up to.
- The Lord tells us many times in scriputre there is NO other God. One being 1 Timothy 2:5.
Learning to LEAD
- I found myself in a place knowing I wasn't living out the call in my life.
- I was spending more time "doing good things" then doing "the BEST things" in regards to serving my family.
- Matt Chandler quote - "God needs more men, not boys who shave."
- I was able to finally see leading Chelsey isn't a choice, it's a call God placed on my life.
Mens Group and Having Accountability
- I'd been in groups before and I know I'm always in a better place when surrounded by community.
- This group has become a band of brothers for me. Some of us are in great seasons, some of us are in hard seasons, and I knew I'd fall somewhere inbetween.
- It keeps me accountable to being in the word and staying connected.
Fixer Tendency
- I found it was easy for me to see you were being fed in bible studies and other ways so I felt it was being "taken care of".
- The problem with this is we should be growing in our faith together, even if we're not at the same place in our walk.
One of the things I really want to tell the wives is, you probably wont be the one to lead your husband back to Christ. It's hard but you need to pray for a heart willing to ask Jesus to bring someone into his life that can. There are some things wives can push their husbands to but faith doesn't seem to be an area that is well recieved. -Corey
Pride isn't something anyone likes to admit or talk about. Which is why this episode is here, God revealed the beginnings of pride invading Chelsey's heart. He stopped her and met her with the truth from Galatians 1:10. This episode will give you a self-inventory of knowing that you're in step with the spirit or have you asking if you're trying to sprint ahead.
How To Detect Pride's Invading Your Heart
- You dread doing something but keep showing up due to "fear" no one else can do it as well as you.
- You sit down at a table and believe you have nothing to learn from anyone.
- You address before you confess.
Verses God used to get Chelsey's attention
- Galatians 1:10, "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of God."
- Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction."
What Does Pride and Approval Of Man Do To Our Hearts?
- It takes our pure intentions for The Lord and rips the purity out of it.
- It steals blessings.
- It steals joy.
- It blurs the line of "good" and God's best.
We Are A Example For The Kingdom
- We need to be open and honest with others/believers when we are struggling in this area.
- This helps new believers KNOW they don't walk alone.
- This helps potential wandering souls from walking away when the enemy baits them with lies.
Truths The Lord Shared With My Heart
- Pride disolutions us to believe we have to carry "our thing" all on our own.
- The Lord CONVICTS and CORRECTS,
- The enemy CONDEMS and CONFLICTS.
- Galatians 5:25, "If we live by the spirit, let us also keep in step with the spirit."
- When we are daily allowing the word of God to be the lamp that lights our paths, it keeps our minds on the eternal perspective.
How Do We Protect Ourselves From Pride?
- Regualr time in the word.
- Accountability partners (1-2) who KNOW all the stuff you wrestle with.
- Prayer Warriors - pepole regualrly praying on your behalf.
The greatest gift next to Jesus God gave us is His word. It calls us out of our sin but always gives us the corrections we need to make. Praying this weeks episode will cause you to pause and allow God to pull the things out of your heart that are getting in the way of who He's calling you to be!
Head to the @livingwithlesspodcast on instagram to get daily encourament!
This weeks episode is all things encouraging, sweet, and a true testament to following God's call on your life. I got to talk with Shaina Kidd before she and her husband leave for a 2 year long mission trip to Cambodia. Shaina's heart for The Lord shines through every word she speaks, may this episode bless your heart to do the things God is calling you too. Near or far.
About Shiana:
- I have been a wife for almost two years now. I am originally from Ashland, Ohio, which is where my parent’s and brothers still live, but I moved to Phoenix, AZ right after I graduated high school to go to college at Arizona State. I’ve been living here for eight years now! It’s crazy how fast time flies! Within the first couple of weeks of being here, one of my friends randomly met a pastor who had just moved here from Boston to plant a church near ASU. I’ve been a part of Antioch Community Church ever since! Garrett and I served on staff with college ministry for about a year and a half before stepping down to pursue our move to Cambodia!**
How Shaina met her husband!
- This is my favorite story to tell! Back in college, my best friend started dating my husband’s cousin, who actually lived with Garrett. I found myself frequently third wheeling to their house to hang out and he became one of my good friends. I thought so highly of him: he was trustworthy fun, kind, and what seemed to be the perfect catch. But I needed a lot of healing, ultimately allowing God to be my lover, provider, comforter, and Lord over my life, before even thinking about dating anyone. Fast forward to 2016, God was capturing both of our hearts individually, and we surprisingly both decided to do a discipleship school at our church that same year. This year was amazing for us individually and together! We started dating, got engaged, and married within 10 months and the rest is history!
What led you individually when it came to doing missions and then what led you two as a couple to pursue missions together.
- Since I was young, I have always wanted to live overseas to share the Gospel with those who have never had the chance to hear. Garrett on the other hand, loved going on short-term trips but didn’t necessarily feel led to long-term missions. When we were engaged, we got the chance to spend almost two months in India & Cambodia, concluding the end of our 9-month discipleship school program. Those two months were life-changing for both us. We saw God move in powerful ways, like the book of Acts came to life in front of us. It was amazing and we couldn’t deny that God was moving in powerful ways at the ends of the earth.
- In 2017, we were asked by a couple of our friends to pray and consider moving to Cambodia with them. Of course, I was ready to pack my things up the next day, while Garrett was very hesitant. We had just gotten married when we were asked to consider this, so life was already more intense than normal with all the learning that takes place. This was a very significant time for me, going from super independent to allowing Garrett to lead me. I realized that this dream God had placed on my heart from when I was a little girl, also had be placed at the foot of the cross and held with open hands, even though it was good. Through God showing me this, I got to a point of being okay if we didn’t go, because I knew Gods plans were to give me a hope and a future, even if it meant not going overseas.
- We began praying and asking God to give us a sign, give us peace, just anything to confirm if we should go or not. Through an experience I had in Cambodia, God spoke through someone at a conference we attended that could only be connected to my experience and we felt like that was the confirmation we needed.
Who/how will you be serving in Cambodia?
-Some facts about Cambodia:
• 80% of the population lives in villages
• From 1975-1979, the Khmer Rouge took place which killed over 2.5 million people, so the median age right now is 25 years old.
• Buddhism is the largest religion.
• 99% of the country is considered unreached.
- We are going with two other couples from our church, and three kids. We are believing to help end sex trafficking through a church planting movement, which will consist of village house churches. The first year, we will be living in the capital city, Phnom Penh, to attend a language school. Right now, we think the best way to reach people is to stay in the city because each week, lots of people travel into the city for work, and then go back to their villages after. We are believing to find people who are open to us, open to the Gospel, and want to share it!
- There are organizations already helping to fight sex trafficking there, so we hope to partner with and learn from them to help see women and children rescued, rehabilitated and of course, given the chance to chance to hear the Gospel. God is the hope of the world!
How can people be supporting you financially and prayerfully while you're away?
Prayerfully
- God would continue to give us His heart for the Cambodian people.**
- We would be 100% financially supported by August 10th!
- God would prepare the hearts of those we will come across, and the seeds would fall on good soil.
- Matthew 13:23 “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case va hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Financially * We are 93% monthly funded so we are close to being 100% funded, but we are looking for a couple more people to partner with us monthly to see Cambodia reached. We have $354/month left to raise People are called to go, and people who can’t go, are called to give. It’s a beautiful way God designed it in order for all people to be a part of how God is redeeming the world. * If you would like to partner with us financially, please click the link and steps below:
https://antiochphx.com/give
-Click give to staff
-Under giving type, choose G. & S. Kidd
-If you wish, you can set it up recurring if you would like to be a monthly supporter.
What are you most excited about and what are you most nervous about?
- Excited: loving on the Khmer people, seeing them through God’s lens, and seeing the chains fall and they would find hope and freedom in Him!
- Nervous: learning the language
What were your families reactions when you told them you were pursuing long term missions?
- I get asked this a lot actually! The initial reactions were a mixture of confusion and sadness, but also accompanied by excitement. For our families and lot of other people, it’s hard to understand fully why we made the decision, because they haven’t experienced what we have through seeking God on whether Cambodia is where he wants us or not. When we made the decision to go, we truly experienced Phil 4:7 peace that surpasses all understanding, and also felt like God said that our yes was going to allow even our families to experience his love in a deeper way and we have seen this play out over the past year of preparation.
The Living With Less podcast is all about John 3:30 - living with less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be! If someone asked you what they needed to begin living with less of in their lives in regard to becoming who God is calling them to be what would you tell them and why?
- Overcoming the performance mentality, which is normally rooted to shame. I have dealt with having my value and worth being tied up in my accomplishments during numerous seasons over the course of my life. Basically, it’s the belief that through my self-effort and striving, I have to win God’s love.
- Ephesians 3:8-9 says “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift from God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
- It’s crippled me when I lived this way. I was so concerned on what I was doing right or wrong, that I couldn’t see God’s goodness and my joy was completely gone. Praise God that it is by his works that we are saved and not our own. We can free ourselves from the religious mindset and the idea of working to attain his attain his love, and instead rest in him.
- “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gently and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30
Favorite bible verse and why
- Psalm 139-- When I read this passage, it reminds me how detailed our God is with the way that he created me, and that he is with me always.
Favorite season in AZ and best place to visit if traveling there!
- Spring: it’s the perfect temperature! Sedona is beautiful!
This episode focuses on keeping our eyes on the eternal perspective. "Kingdom Eyes" is the term God put on Chelsey's heart in regards to how she is supposed to view people in the world, other believers, and how to use this mindset to stand firm against the enemy.
How do we address the people of the world and lukewarm Christians with Kingdom Eyes?
- View them as the unsaved version of yourself - you will extend 10 times the grace when you see them this way!
- Speak to them as the unsaved version of yourseld.
- Speak the truths of God over their broken hearts. His word heals from the inside out.
- Take it as high honor when God trusts you to speak life to a non-believer or someone struggling in their faith.
- Remeber God loves them just as much as you. Despite their sin, they are still His children.
- Give them your time, even if its 5 minutes. Let them know you see them!
- Why the world does what it does - Habakkuk 1 gives such great insight!
How do we fight the enemy with our Kingdom Eyes?
- Instead of looking at our hard things, we need to tell those things we see right through them and have kingdom eyes! Eyes that see all God is doing and eyes that trust the unseen!
- We can look at our hard things and tell them where they belong. They have no dominion over us. We can stand in the victory of Christ Jesus! We have the power to stand firmly against it because of Christ living within us!
- FIND YOUR SHORT VERSES - find the verses you can quickly go to when the enemy comes to strike. My go to's for anxiety are Colossians 3:2 and Ephesians 6:16.
- Remeber God NEVER steps out of His character.
- Learn how God speaks to you. We have to open our eyes and look around at all He's doing.
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This weeks episode was birthed from Acts 4. In this chapter of the Bible it talks about the boldness we're called to have in our faith. The Lord took me back to a conversation I had four years ago with a friend that was without a doubt the boldness of the Holy Spirit. What God showed me in this is the difference between me desiring to be bold in my flesh and me being obediently bold with the spirit.
Acts 4:13-14, 21, 29, and 31
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.
29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Holy Boldness
- At our point of history we all can agree we live in a time where we tend to be hesitant, timid, or fearful in regards to standing firm in our faith to the outside world. We get caught up in the fear that we will be misheard, labled judgmental, or a hypocrite. While all these feelings are certainly valid because of what we see day to day, Acts 4 gave me a new perspective and helped change my human way of thinking on the topic of boldness.
- When we're acting in the boldness of the Holy Spirit our demeanor isn't one of intimidation or trying to put your "opinion" on someone else. Boldness from the Holy Spirit is quite the opposite, it's approachable, kind, and truth filled. If you read this story in Acts you'll also see when the council saw the man who had been healed, they couldn't deny what had been done. This goes for us as well, when we show and share the things God has done for us, people cannot deny what we have experienced.
Chelsey's Story
4 years ago a friend and I were meeting for dinner and I He boldly put on my heart I was to talk to her about her relationship. I remeber being so concerned with how this would even come up, not to mention she's not walking with The Lord. I remeber packing my bible, getting to dinner early to pray, and just kept asking Him to open up the converstation because I didn't know how to. About a half hour into our meal it somehow came up and God blew my hair back.
We talked about the relationship, we talked about all the things God wanted for her life, how special she was to Him, and why He wanted her to be treated with respect.
I walked away from that dinner with my heart filled to the brim but I also walked away thinking how on earth did God do that! Well..4 years later He's answered. God centerned boldness.
God Centered Boldness
- As I wrestled with this chapter of Acts I kept coming back to the place of seeing that our fleshy boldness is absolutely NOT the boldness of God. When we act in the flesh things feel off, words feel pressured, and the person were talking with becomes unengaged. I know this because I've been on both sides. I've been the non-believer with someone making me feel uncomfortable while sharing their faith. I've also been the believer trying to have a conversation with someone that I felt needed to happen and things went nowhere.
- When our boldness is set in the things Christ is doing, it becomes filled with truth and love. It's captivating and causes even believers and nonbelievers to lean in to what His word says. His truth gives wandering souls a safe place to land.
So, if God has asked you to share the gospel with someone, pray over someone, or just ask someone too lunch to be the hands and feet, trust that He will pave the way. He will make the conversation happen. You follow the call, He's got the plans.
I pray this weeks episode leaves you feeling encouraged to step out in Godly centered boldness as you pursue your kingdom work. Whether that be in your home with babies, at a corporate workplace, in ministry, or a mixture of these together if God is on the throne of it all that's the best place you can be.
Episode 31 is all about God asking me to go back to a place that once left me feeling insecure and inadequate. I know I'm not the only that's felt like this. You leave a place wondering why God ever brought you there to begin with, then comes the hesitation when He's clearly calling you to go back. This week is all about the truth of Isaiah 30:21 in my life. How over the last 7 years God has used this truth to guide me in my steps of obedience even when hesitation and emotions want to take over.
Why would God call us to go back somewhere?
- When you read in Acts 15:16-18 you'll see where God says "I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild it's ruins, I'll restore it." Here God shows that He will "go back" and restore something that was wrecked.
- This is the same thing God has to do with each of us. In order to restore broken things He has to take us back to where things began. Whether in memory or take us there in person. When a hurt is left unattened it can't be healed when left in its desolate state.
Where did God ask me to go?
- God asked me to go back to She Speaks. When I was there two years ago I left feeling inadequate, insecure, and with a huge question mark looming over my head as to why He brought me there. Have you been there before? God asks you to present something, interview for a job, and then it goes so differently than you planned. I get it and I get the emotions that come with it.
- We must remeber that God never causes pain, hard things are unfortunatly a part of this world. He is there to walk us through them and teach us about His unfailing love for us.
How did He meet me in my obedience to go?
- My first feeling was getting on the plane, as someone who doesn't like to fly. I had no anxiety. He gifted me with seeing a heart formed by the sun shining in the plane for a few seconds, that was my first gift from Him.
- Second, which I didn't notice this till 2 days after my trip but God had gifted me with 4 ladies I'd already been talking to over social media/phone/email leading up to the event. I felt so unconnected last time I was at the event, this time I showed up already feeling connected by women who were here for the same reasons. To grow in their calling, to grow in their faith, and to meet other women like them.
- Anointing night. This was probably one of the sweetest gifts from God in my life thus far. When this woman prayed for me and felt the Lord tell her to draw a heart of my forehead. Which, as I stated above, hearts are my thing with The Lord.
The list could go on. He met me in so many incredible ways that left me feeling secure and take care of.
How do we know when God is calling us to go?
- We have to know His voice. This comes from spending time in His word and submerged in a body of believers. The only way we will ever learn how He speaks to us is time. It's like an y relationship, you have to put in the effort if you want something to grow and be fostered.
- When The Lord nudged me, I just asked Him to keep making it clear, and He did just that. Day after day and week after week it became more and more evident this is what He wanted for me.
I hope you know whatever circumstance you're finding yourself in God wants to meet you there. If you're unsure if He's calling you to move on, stay put, or go back, the best thing you can do is ask Him for His wisdom and direction. Pray over Isaiah 30:21 and ask The Lord bodly to answer this, whether through His voice, you hearing it through someone else, His word, He will answer. In His time.
If you loved this weeks episode please share it on social media and I'd be SO honored if you left a review on Apple Podcasts or iTunes.
Guarding Your Gifts is all around 2 Timothy 1:14. When Paul tells Timothy to guard the things entrusted to him. This episode walks us through the ways we can guard the things God has given us in a Godly way. Whether that be serving someone, submitting to Gods call, or walking out in obedience just by stepping out in faith.
2 Timothy 1:14 - "This precious thing God placed in your custody by the Holy Spirt who works in us."
What has God entrusted us with?
- Marriage
- Children
- Family
- Collegues
- People we pass in the world
- Your spiritual gifts
What are the different levels of the things He's give us?
- Some are lifelong - spiritual gifts, marital, parenting, loving our family
- Some are shorter term - jobs (because they can changed), the daily encounters with strangers
How can we guard what He's trusted us with?
- EXPECT HIS BEST.
- Think of the BEST thing God can do. Even if that means expect His peace.
- Spirutual gifts - If God calls you to do something expect His best in HIs provisions for how this will play out in your life.
- Marriage - expect the very best of your spouse by surrendering them to the Lord. Instead of going to the worst place, take it to the best place..the hands of God.
- People we pass in the world - serving the people in the world out of the love of Christ is how people come to truly expereice Jesus on a deeper level. You can serve them by helping at the grpcery, paying for their coffee, holding the door, and easiest yet..smiling at someone!
How do we trust God's best?
- Believe that even if it doesn't feel good, God is still good and can do good things in hard places.
- Spend time with Him and let His word change our hearts.
- Allowing His word to give us better understanding of who He is.
I pray this week you can find yourself submitting the plans you want and ask Him to pave a way through His provisions so you can see His hand working!
Kendra Schwarz from Proverbs 31 Ministries joined me on this weeks podcast for an interview that is all things fun, gritty, and real.
Kendra is an Ohio native gone southern. She's known to be overly optimistic, a little upbeat, and has a strong love for kettle cooked chips. She's passionate about the power of encouragement, showing up, and building relationships! She works as the Online Bible Studies manager with Proverbs 31 Ministries and believes staying relevant is the key to understanding the next generation.
Where Kendra works:
Proverbs 31 Ministries is a non-denominational, non-profit Christian ministry that seeks to lead women into a personal relationship with Christ. With Proverbs 31:10-31 as a guide, Proverbs 31 Ministries reaches women in the middle of their busy days through free devotions, daily radio message, speaking events, conferences, resources, online Bible studies, and training in the call to write, speak and lead others. We are real women offering real-life solutions to those striving to maintain life’s balance, in spite of today’s hectic pace and cultural pull away from godly principles. Wherever a woman may be on her spiritual journey, Proverbs 31 Ministries exists to be a trusted friend who understands the challenges she faces, walks by her side, encouraging her as she walks toward the heart of God.
Click here to learn more about Bible Studies.
Advice to working with youth?:
- Show up and be intentional!
- Know that you don't have to have all the answers.
- Help them through the hard stuff.
Life verse:
- "If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land." Isaiah 1:19 (NIV)
In regards to Living With Less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be, what would you tell someone if they asked you what they should start with?
- "We need to live with less scarcity mindset and focus on God's promises to bless us abundantly where we are with what He has given us. We need to remember God never runs out of blessings."
- 2 Corinthians 9:8: And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
- John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
- Ephesians 3:20: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
To follow Kendra you can find her on Instagram at @kendraschwarz
Guard Your Eyes shares a part of her story Chelsey wish she didn't have. It began as a 7 year old sitting at someone else home exposed to something someone her age shouldn't ever see. After years of praying why and how certain areas of sin and fear entered her life, God finally showed her it wasn't something that was done to her or anything she did, but something she saw. The seed of destruction and curiosity was sewn.
This episode gives you places in God's word that bring clarity to the discernment we need to keeping the things we see at God's standards for our lives and others.
Matthew 6:22-23
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Accountable & Responsible
- We are called as Christian's to be responsible to how people are directly affected by the way we live out our faith.
- We've got to have accountability in our lives to keep us on the narrow path.
- We are called to lead our children and those around us in the faith.
- When people are in our homes they should be pointed straight to Jesus and no where else just by the way you conduct your home. (Fruits of the spirit)
Psalm 119:37
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
Turn Our Eyes
- The world doesn't care about you, your soul, or your faith.
- We've got to ask God for the discernment to turn our eyes away from what we shouldn't be seeing.
- When you begin asking God to lead you in this you'll probably find the things you once did don't feel right anymore. In this place we've got to ask God to replace the dark with His light.
What evil/promiscuity/deception we see as children plant seeds, those seeds get watered by the world, those watered seeds turn into weeds that entangle our hearts.
I pray this message has you asking Jesus what in your life do you need to get rid of that gets in the way of what He has for you. What are your eyes taking in that needs to be removed and restored with the light.
Kaitlin wrote the book Not From God and when I saw this, I had to get her on the podcast. Her whit, love for Jesus, and biblical truth are so refreshing in our world filled with watered down Christianity. She tells us about her life, how God gave her the mission for this book, and of course all things Jesus.
Tell us about you?
I have been a wife for two years and a dreamer for 26. I started writing when I was about 7 years old and held art contests for my friends to illustrate my stories. I can't imagine I was the most fun play date. I have wanted to publish a book for as long as I can remember, and that prayer became a reality on December 13, 2018 when I released my first book, "Not from God: Taking Back the Narrative of Your Life." When I'm not writing or reading, I love speaking to women about how much Jesus loves them and how they can learn to love themselves. I also thoroughly enjoy a good cup of coffee and tacos and queso... just not all at the same time. My parents and two brothers mean the world to me and I love them and my friends hard and with abandon. My favorite hobby is traveling, and Naples, Italy is my favorite place I've been so far, second only to Tianjin, China. I don't neglect the U.S. though -- my husband and I are on a mission to visit all the Major League baseball stadiums in the country.
How did you get to the place of feeling like you needed to write this message?
My first year of marriage was very difficult, not because of my husband, but because it was the same year I began struggling with a really deep depression. I have always been known as the "happy girl" who can "light up a room," but when I was alone, all I felt was darkness. My husband watched me cry myself to sleep most nights and my counselor consoled me the best she can. I couldn't put my finger on just why I was so miserable, but I prayed A LOT. And during my battle with the darkness, God birthed a book inside me. He reminded me that not all the feelings I feel are from Him -- in fact, many are NOT from Him. And so "Not from God" was written to shine a light on the lies we believe and replace them with Truth from God's Word.
How can we begin to take our thoughts captive as new believers and old?
I heard a message recently where the pastor said that our hearts change when we find Jesus, but our minds don't -- and THAT is why we have to take our thoughts captive. One major way new and old believers can take thoughts captive is by replacing lies with Truth, and that's why I put a truth replacement at the end of every chapter of my book. The best way to replace it fast is by memorizing and hiding scripture in our hearts.
How do we recognize whats from God and what is not?
One thing I have really learned about God is how very kind He is. I used to see Him as a judge and a punisher. And He does discipline us for sure, but more than anything, He is kind and generous and loving. Now, when fear or shame or anxiety creep in, I remember that He is way to kind and way too good of a friend to pin any of those feelings on me. Those feelings must be from an enemy trying to destroy my soul, and NOT from my God.
Darkness and light, I talk about how the two can’t coexist in harmony and God is always fighting for His light to permeate us when darkness is trying to take over. Do you have a story you could share about a time you felt God doing this.
I talked earlier about the darkness of depression. When I was at my saddest and would lie down to go to sleep at night, I would try to find something to bring me joy. I don't have curtains on my bedroom windows, so the moonlight would pour in and dance on the walls and on the floors of the room. It made me smile every time. That to me was God's reminder that on the darkest nights, the moon shines the brightest, a reminder that He would not leave me in the darkness. And He didn't.
Arsenal of truths you use when feeling defeated, anxious, & full of fear.
Fear can teach us how to fight. When the enemy ushers in fear, we see how God ushers courage into our hearts and knocks down and fears we have. Our God has already defeated death, so what else is there for us to fear?
"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you." Deuteronomy 31:6
Anxiety might not be from God, but God allows us to experience emotions like anxiety to remind us of the calmness and stillness we feel when we stop placing so much weight on worry and start worshipping Him to lift the weight of the world.
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7
Confidence is the key to cracking the code of insecurity. But our confidence is not found in what we wear, who we hang out with, or where we work -- we have a confidence in Christ with a lock that can't be picked with any coat hanger or credit card. Choose to guard your heart with that confidence instead of letting insecurity break in and wreck every room.
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10
For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. 1 Thessalonians 5:5
If someone were to ask you what they needed to live with less of in their life that’s getting in the way of who Christ is calling them to be what you would you tell them?
Living with less of ourselves is something I have found to draw us so much closer to Christ. When I take the focus off myself, my problems, my fears, my insecurities and turn my gaze to praise -- to praise God for His solutions, His power, and His love, I remember that He is so much bigger than anything I will ever face. I encourage people to get out of their own way of the blessings God has waiting for them on the other side of their doubts and fears. We need to live with less of us and more of Him.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
We're giving away a super fun bundle, 1 copy of Not From God, 1 of Kaitlin's bookmarks, and a beautiful necklace!
To enter:
Be sure you're following both of us on Instagram.
@livingwithlesspodcast and @kaitlinchappellrogers
Like the photos for the week of the giveaway.
Tag your friend in the comments on each days post for extra entries.
Winner will be picked on Monday night 9PM EST.
Stay On The Bus is all about God showing me these last few weeks how important these words are. Jesus doesn't get off the bus in regards to our relationship with Him, He doesn't assign anyone else to do the hard work within our hearts, He stays. Whether you've struggled with keeping your commitments or you've had someone fail you in a big way over this topic, know God loves you, sees you, and wants you to know how important His commitment is to you and the value of our commitments to others.
Commitment
This word is filled with the power to bring life or death to a situation. Standing by it can show an amazing act of love or choosing to forget about it can blaze a way for destruction.
Fear
Is what gets in the way of wanting to stick it out and stay committed to things. Fear says the situation you're in will never change, it doesn't matter if you show up. Fear trips us up into believing we know better than God.
Jesus Stays On The Bus
John 4: 1-26 is the amazing story of the woman at the well. A story you must not miss about Jesus and His pursuit of us. Jesus spoke to this women words that changed the entire trajectory of her life.
When we get off the bus we miss seeing the power that commitment has to someones life. We miss getting to see our faith changed due to thinking something wasn't important or worth it.
Jesus Doesn't Find Someone Else to do The Hard Work Within Our Hearts
John 8:1-11 is another one of the greatest stories of Jesus doing hard things to meet us where we are in the midst of our messes. In this story of the woman who was going to be stoned Jesus was able to address everyones sin. The men and hers.
Staying for the hard work is where we get to see chains broken in Jesus name. With God on the throne of our situation we know the victory is coming, the fruit from obedience will come!
Jesus Doesn't Replace Me With Somone Elase to Love When I Fail Him
John 13:36-38 we see when Jesus foretold that Peter would deny Him. I still ponder this, that Jesus knowing all things could still love and serve Peter.
In John 21:15-19 You'll see when Jesus revealed Himself to the group of disciples Peter was with Peter jumped in the water and booked it to the shore. I love the beautiful picture this paints. Jesus never stopped loving Peter.
We've got to stick to the commitments God has called us to even when their in the hardest places.
When the enemy comes
When the enemy comes and the world starts to shout to add chaos we need Gods word to combat Him. I always cling to Ephesians 6:16 The shield of faith will extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. This is what we have to cling to.
Obedience To God
God calls us to be obedient to Him in all things, even when He calls us into uncharted waters. Choose to stay, choose to stay on the bus, choose Jesus, choose His truth, choose to stand in the power of His commitments.
Episode 25 is all about the power of what we speak over ourselves and what who we believe God to be. The perception I have of myself will become the reality of my life as well as the perception I have of God. If we speak words over ourselves that are discouraging, hurtful, or filled with lies from the enemy we will claim them as our identity. And the same goes for God. If we allow the world to skew our view of Him we miss the reality of who He really is.
How we start our day:
- Do we begin our day with the words of God or with the words of our humanness?
- Do we being by thankful for what God has done for us or do we wake up wishing for me?
- The statements we start are day with will be setting the tone for everyone we encounter.
Women's Conference Story:
- I allowed the lies I'd been saying about myself join the lies the enemy was trying to tell me and let them override what God said about me.
- I was trying to walk in the confidence of "man" and not in the confidence of Christ!
- I let others gifts become better than mine. God gives us all different gifts that deserve and need to be celebrated.
"Perception Becomes Reality"
- These words that were sent to me stung 2 years ago. But 2 years later God made them His message to me about how I view myself and Him. (because He's just thank GOOD!)
- We say these negative statements about ourselves that end up becoming the reality of what we believe.
- Negative Statements- We're not good enough, we're not pretty enough, we're not smart enough, we're failures, know one likes us.
IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OUR STATEMENTS BECOME WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT US. * We are children of God, I was made in His image, I have a sound mind, I am chosen, He loves me with an everlasting love. * When these words become the words of our life our identity becomes set in Him.
This weeks challenge: choose one statement that God says you are. Speak it when you look at yourself in the mirror first thing in the morning and right before bed time. These words will being to let you see yourself the way God sees you.
- I am Chosen. - 1 Peter 2:4
- I have a sound mind. - 2 Timothy 1:7
- I am loved with an everlasting love. - Jeremiah 31:3
- I was made in His image. - Genesis 1:27
- I am a child of God. - 1 John 3:1
Please share on your Instagram stories which verse you choose! I'll be videoing myself saying these when I wake up and when I go to bed! Tag @livingwithlesspodcast so we can all see and celebrate with you!
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
Just Do It points to the book of James in the Bible that shares with us to be obedient to the promptings of the the Holy Spirit, that faith without works isn't a good thing and why. It shares with us when we obey God we get the blessing of being the hands and feet of Jesus to others. We end up growing in our faith while also helping to possibly strengthen someone else's, all by saying YES to Gods call on your heart.
James 1:19-25
Hearing and Doing the Word
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Hearing and Doing
- The difference in hearing and doing is one stops after taking in the word and the other one is just getting started oncce the word has been spoke.
- We are called to walk out what we hear in The Word of God.
- We are deceiving ourselves, other believers, and non believers when we choose to not have works in our faith.
James 2:14-26
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[b] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Faith Without Works
- A heart filled with the spirit of God will want to willingly follow God's calls on our heart.
- Each believer has a feeling they get when the spirit is telling them something!
- For me it is a feeling in my stomach, every single time!
- If you look at the two stories from verse 23-26 you see that the works was uncomfortable but what came out of them was blessing and growth in their faiths.
The Ripple Effect Of Obedience
- When you make one choice to obey God the chain reaction begins. Whether in your heart or it begins in someone else's life.
- My one choice of obedience opened me up to a while day of experiencing Christ in an amazing way. Getting to be the hands and feet of Jesus is the most amazing feeling,
- God showed me that the obedience can be in a small way or big way, the size doesn't matter to God, its the growth of the heart that does.
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
This episode is covering what happens when we take God out of our plans and create our own expectations of what something should look like. In 1 John 5:21 it tell us to keep away from anything that might take God's place in our hearts. This is what expectation does. It creates a tendency in our heart that wants to take God's will out and have everything go our way. In that happening we end up having our expectations unmet and find ourselves in a harder place than we started.
1 John 5:21 "Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts."
Expectation - a strong belief that something will happen.
What expectations are and what they do
- It's an idea of how we think things will be.
- Not all expectations are bad but they become an issue when what we want to have becomes greater than what God wants us for us in that moment/season.
- In my story I shared, I shared how I thought this would be perfect for our marriage and make us feel closer.
- I never though about what God wanted in this or if God wanted us to do this.
"Jesus, I want what you want today". -Miss Christy
The Trap
- The list of pressure keeps growing on people as it becomes easier and easier to gain access to everyone's best moments.
- 16th birthday is now about the picture with the car instead of just being excited to have wheels.
- Engagement is now more about the ring and dreamy social media post than it is about the promise made between the couple in that moment.
- Christmas Card debacle we try to get the perfect picture to send everyone to feel like we've got it together, when in reality someone probably had a melt down on the way.
"We can't let unmet expectations seal the anticipation we should have in all Christ is doing."
"We can't have our expectations and standards for life set in photographs or the what we think should be's. Our expectations and standards need to be in Christ.
Where to find Godly standards
- Ephesians 4:17-32 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self,[a] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. * We can't let the cloud of what we want block out what God is wanting for us. * God commands us to set our minds on things above, not on thing that are on this earth. Colossians 3:2
We need to ask God to keep our expectations in line with His will for us and help us to surrender the places that we'd rather control in our thoughts.
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
God has been speaking to clearly to me about a question I posed to Him a few weeks ago. "Why couldn't I have just been a good girl?". He responded to my heart with, "Your God's Girl now." This was a huge breath of fresh air reminding me of the promises God speaks about His children. This episode dives into the powerful truth that we are not deemed unworthy because of our past, we are worthy because of Christ living within us (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Story of David
- David was the man God said chased after His own heart.
- David was full of sin and brokenness
- David knew how he needed God, and God met him in this. God called him worthy and made him a King.
- Repent, Receive, Believe, Grow
The GIft of Repentance
- For the first time I was able receive forgiveness and reconciliation.
- I had to ask God to restore what I had given away and ask Him to restore what I had taken,
- God gives us the gift of restoration in deep places of pain.
I'm God's Girl
- I posed the question to God, "Why couldn't I just have been a good girl?" and He responded to my heart with, "Your God's Girl now."
- Once we accept Christ, WE ARE HIS.
- We are no longer looked at as good or bad, we're just God's.
- Don't let the lie that you're not a good enough girl steal the JOY, PEACE, and LIFE that Christ has to offer you.
3 Truths When You're Facing Spiritual Battle
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 - I am a new creation in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Peter 2:4 - I am chosen and precious in His sight.
- Psalm 139:14 - I am fearfully and wonderfully made, wonderful are your works.
Letting God Use You
- Once you've accepted Him and allow Him to work in your life, pray He'll lead you to people you can speak life to.
- He can use you to help others see His love for them through your story.
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
Episode 21 digs deeper into last weeks truth that if we don't have a teachable spirit, we miss out on blessings God has for us. 2 Timothy 3 and gives 3 verses that ensure us that we'll be up against adversity, there will be imposters trying to pull us away from truth, and we've got to know what God's word says not just believe it because someone else said it to us.
2 Timothy 3:12-14 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it.
What does it mean to be teachable?
- Have a spirit that wants to know who God is, what His word says, and wants to live out the calling God has for them.
- To take the time to learn His word, even if it means starting with a bible verse a day to get comfortable!
- He knows your heart, and honestly you know yourself if you're in a place of really wanting to know God better.
Why we become complacent with learning from "Pop Culture Christians?"
- It feels easier
- It feels more comfortable
- It feels like less responsibility
Quenching Your Spiritual Thirst in Truth
- If we're quenching our spiritual thirst with Gods word, we learn more about who He is, and not who someone else says He is.
- The Holy Spirit will begin guiding you in Godly ways, you'll see changes and choices in yourself and KNOW its all God.
- The books and feel good messages you listen to will become less informative compared to The Bible.
- You'll find yourself able to hold authors, speakers, pastors up to a Godly standard. There will be things that will stand out to you that you know is contradicting to the Bible.
Find Your Cheerleaders!
- Find 1-3 women who can help you with learning God's word.
- Get yourself a bible that also has all the verses numbered!
Y'all GO FOR IT! Open that Bible and dig in! Don't just take someone else's word for it. Let His word challenge, change, and shape you!
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
Stiff Arming God. This is what happens when we allow our pride, discouragement, and lack of trust take over. We put our hand up to God and demand He just stay out of it. God used this analogy with me to speak into a place I couldn't see before and I pray it meets you where you are. Despite the hard parts that can come with sanctification when we allow God to gently or abruptly take the ick out of our hands the hard becomes worth it.
Stiff Arming God
- Throwing my hand up to God's face when I'd rather work things out my way.
- I begin protecting the very things causing pain in my life. Pride, fear, discouragement.
- I'm doing this all while God is simultaneously trying to free me!
Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Lord Help This Girl, I Am This Girl
- When I'm clenching tightly to the hard things and not handing them over to God I'm choosing to not believe in what He says.
- There will always be things going on that make us think, "really God.?" But its what we do after this thought that is most important. GO. TO. GOD.
- Stiff arming God is me simply not wanting to be teachable.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
Being Teachable
- If we're not teachable we can't receive the blessing of all God's word can do in us and through us.
- This verse = changing words. Change, challenge, teaching, and training will all happen to our flesh when we continue to become closer to Christ.
- We need to put the stiff arm down and run straight to the arms of our Savior.
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
It takes a village has been a motherhood mantra for years but I believe we need to take this mantra one step further and apply it to our faith. As Christians our village, our community, our prayer warriors matter. These need to be people who can point us to Jesus, get into the hard places with us, and push us to keep following the call God has on our lives. This week is digging deeper into the noise going on in our lives that comes from our community. Are our friendships life giving or life altering distractions?
If you're a believer you need your village to point you to Jesus, to point you to the truth, and to point you to the cross when you're headed the wrong way.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "Bad company, ruins good morals."
- We typically fall to temptation because of someone else's bad choice first. (not in all cases, but most.)
- Peer pressure goes far beyond the younger years, it goes well into adulthood. Especially if you're running around with the wrong crowd.
- We also need to know that the wrong crowd may not be bad people but it could they are not right for you and me.
Proverbs 11:14 "Where there is no guidance a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 13:20 "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise. The companion of fools suffer harm."
- No guidance = we'll fall.
- Company of fools = we'll suffer.
- the Bible makes it very clear who we're called to have as our close knit village.
- When a friend lovingly points out an area of sin in your life - STAY!! Don't leave when they're trying to love you through as hard place.
- When you're feeling conviction satan will try to pull the "fool and judgment card". When we feel God's conviction the enemy tries to confuse us to feel like its condemnation. There is NO condemnation in Christ.
- We need our community of believers to remind us of Gods blessing in the midst of conviction.
Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all time."
- Friends deeply rooted in Christ and hand picked for you by God will love you at all times. (maybe not in a perfect way every time but they ultimately love you!)
- Friendships rooted in the wrong things can lead to hurt, discouragement, and feeling one-sided.
- Hold you friendships up to these 4 verses from todays episode.
Do these your friendships/community/village help you in keeping Godly morals, are they wise companions, and do you feel safe with them?
Know your people and deeply know yourself.
This weekend on Mother's Day be sure to love on your momma and all your spiritual mommas who have pushed you to know Jesus in a deeper way!
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
- To enter head to the Living With Less Podcast Instagram page and like the posts from this week. Be sure you're following the page as well. For extra entries tag all your mom friends and share on your stories!
- 3 Winners will be picked this Sunday, Mother's Day!
GIVEAWAY DONATORS
- Love One International is a missions company based out of Nashville, TN. Their mission is to transform the hearts of children, families, and communities by caring for one child at a time, encouraging family preservation, by teaching sustainability and empowerment, and sharing the love of Jesus through relationship. To learn more about their ministry head to loveoneinternational.org.
- Sue Aughtmon, blogger and ministry leader at tiredsupergirl.com. She is a Christian momma who has written books to meet you where you are. Queen of The Universe Devotional is full of witty humor, God's deep truths, and all the emotions we feel as moms.
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
Episode 18 dives deeper into last weeks truth of "If I can't hear God's voice, He can't heal my heart." You'll hear all about John 10 and the guidance it gives us in knowing God's voice and hearing God's voice above the noise in this world. God put it boldly on my heart that it all has to begin with knowing the spiritual condition of my own heart, learning His voice by getting in His word, and then begin trust His plans even when I cannot see past my circumstances.
Knowing The Spiritual Condition of Your Heart
- In seasons of adversity, suffering, and chaos it can be hard to see past the fog of your circumstances.
- If you're struggling to get in God's word ask a few others to be praying specifically for what's happening and for the supernatural desire to get in the word.
- When you begin to feel the fog lifting you can find yourself secure in His hands.
John 10:27 - My sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me.
- We as believers have discerned the difference between God's voice and the rest of the noise in the world.
- He knows ALL of us, and this is by us choosing to have a relationship with Him.
- We follow Him. He doesn't make us follow Him. God gave us the choice to free will.
Example: In the movie 101 Dalmatian's when the puppies were following their parents Pongo and Perdita through the snowstorm when fleeing from the evil Cruella de Vil. The puppies were emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted. At one point they had to turn around because they were going the wrong way. I can see it so clearly there was one of the puppies who put his sweet little head down and turned around without even seeing his daddy. He trusted him, he knew his voice, and he knew he would always lead him to safety. This is just like our relationship with Christ. When we begin to really understand who He is and His voice, we can trust Him when we aren't sure exactly what's happening.
John 10:1-5 - “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
- He who does NOT enter the sheepfold is a thief. Meaning: Evil, Sin, & Destruction (outside/worldly noise)
- He who enters the door is the shepherd. Meaning: God entering in our HEART.
- The Shepherd leads and goes before the sheep. Meaning: The Lord, our light, ALWAYS leads us.
- A stranger they will NOT follow. Meaning *Sin always makes us lead our own life, the enemy leads us to the sin then we choose to indulge in it. *
Let's stop and discern all the noise we're allowing to enter our life. Who and what are we hearing from? Does it leave us feeling safe and secure? Or squeamish and dirty?
*If you're like me you may find yourself unfollowing, unsubscribing to blogs, deleting playlists, and not spending money on certain things or at certain places. Join me this week in getting quiet with God and asking Him to reveal these things in our lives so we can more clearly hear from Him or learn what His voice sounds like if you've never felt like you've experienced
it.*
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Episode 17 is full of thirst quenching truth to get quiet with God. When our pain feels like it has no purpose, our strength has run out, and the noise of the world is taking over, we've got to get back to the basics with God. What does His voice sound like and where do I find it? In this episode I'm sharing about my current season and how God met me with the truth that if I can't hear His voice, He can't heal my heart.
Psalm 76:23 My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.
Fleshly Failure
- Our failures typically stem from someone else failing us in the same area.
- Even though I fail and others fail me, these things don't change who God is.
God is the STRENGTH of my heart
- This truth can sting when we're in a hard season and can't see Gods heart within hard places.
- This is where we have to allow God's light to permeate the darkness trying to seep in.
- I cannot be the strength to my own heart.
My strength runs out, my hope can become hopelessness, and my flesh can only get me so far.
My PORTION forever
- God is literally all I'll ever need.
- This is a verse to rest your security in - He is your portion FOREVER.
- Deep insecurities begin to block how we should properly see God and allow Him to be this for us.
How our insecurities skew how we see God
- The dream I had 2 weeks ago had my thoughts in a downward spiral - I felt like I couldn't hear God at all.
- I realized I needed to stop telling my friends about my issues and get help from someone who could help sort out my thoughts.
- God used my counselor to deliver what I needed to hear. I asked Him on the way to my appointment to please put the words in her mouth I needed. So that I could glean wisdom and discernment. He met me here and used her in a mighty way. Gave me a completely different outlook on what the dream was all about.
Hearing and Healing
- If we're allowing the noise of our lives, mind, the world around us get to loud we'll miss what God is saying.
- HEAR is the main part of HEART.
"If I can't hear God's voice, He can't heal my heart."
- We've got to get quiet with God or also with another believer and get back to hearing His voice to make sense of this life. Apart from Him none of the nonsense makes sense (AMEN).
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Episode 16 is an open heart surgery in the form of God's hands. I'm taking you guys through a current season of pain that just unfolded but I have full belief in Gods redemption. The hardest parts of our life can become the very best God parts of our story. I hope you feel met in the midst of your messes, big or small. I pray this leaves you knowing no matter the condition of your heart spiritually God loves you where you are, but loves you too much to leave things in the dark.
Job 34:32 Lord teach me what I cannot see.
- ask to see the unknown within myself and others that need to be brought to the light.
- know that when you ask for super natural changes in others close to you God will be doing a work in you as well.
- remember the Lord knows all things and prepares us because He is a Good Father. When life lends itself to a big qustions mark, remember it all sifts through His hands.
God loves you no matter what condition your heart is in spiritually.
God loves you to much to keep to keep things in the dark.
Being intertwined in someone else's bad decisions/painful story
- remember God loves you and them the same.
- God uses the deepest parts of pain/growth to be the most beautiful parts of our story if we let Him.
- I have to not only know what God promises, I need to TRUST what God promises.
If you're finding yourself hiding something in the dark, ask God to bring it to the light. Don't let the enemy steal another second of your joy in your relationships, marriage, friendships, family. Let God do the mighty work to bring healing and restoration to your tired weary soul.
Lysa TerKeurst quote - God's tweaking of us in private, is God saving of us in public.
https://www.proverbs31.org/study/online-bible-studies/uninvited
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. I'd LOVE if you left a review on iTunes! Thanks for joining me today.
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Episode 15 is an interview with a Christian based counselor in Columbus, OH. Heather Nicol joins the show to wrap up the 3 part series on Emotional and Physical Compulsiveness. She answers questions on ways we can better handle our emotions and how to invite God into the moments we feel tempted to give into things to fill the void in our hearts on Christ can fill.
A little about Heather - She has a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work and an undergrad in Social Work and has been working the mental health field since 1996. She started her own practice in 2006, took a few years off to run a non-profit agency in Columbus, and then went back to private practice in 2012. She's been married for 21 years to a fabulously patient and Godly man, and has been blessed with two children, a senior and junior in HS. We attend Grace Polaris Church. In her spare time she loves teaching yoga, working out, playing with her dogs, or reading a good book.
If someone finds themselves letting their emotions control them what are a few things they can do in the moment to try and help take a step back?
- Often our large emotional responses are due to other stressors we may be feeling at the time. Think of rating stress on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being no stress and 10 being that “Total Freak Out.” If we are constantly at a level 5 or 6 stress level then it will take very little to send us to a level 7 or 8 response to something that really should only be a level 3 or 4 response. So our first step needs to be a commitment to lowering our feelings of stress on a daily basis. Making sure we take care of our bodies, minds, and souls should be a priority. Getting into the habit of starting every day with a quiet time with the Lord, exercising, eating right are all ways to start our days with less stress so our emotional responses will be lessened.
What is the best way to propose a discussion with someone when it’s a topic you’re really passionate about?
- Begin with seeing if your proposal is a harsh set up vs. a soft set up. Start with a question asking your spouse if he/she is open to a conversation. “Hun, do you have a few minutes to speak with me about something?” “May I share something with you that’s been on my heart?” If it’s going to be an “ouchy” conversation, suggest you and your spouse simply pray together first. Ask God to put the words in your mouth He wants you to say. This way the conversation will be guided by the Lord rather than by our own selfish desires.
When it comes to relationships what’s your best Biblical advice to fighting fair?
- Beware of Pride! Pride causes us to be focused on our own agendas. Do you know that there are at least 63 references to “pride” in the Bible? God knew we were going to need lots of reminders on how to deal with the sin of pride! Proverbs 13:10 tells us “Pride breeds quarrels.” Proverbs 16:18 reads “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” If each spouse/person would simply try to “Hear” the other and be willing to put his/her own agenda and his/her own pride aside most couples/friends/families would automatically argue less. So rather than trying to be heard or trying to persuade your spouse/friend/family to your side, simply try to listen and truly hear whatever your they are trying to say. It doesn’t mean you have to agree and yes, sometimes we need to compromise. Respectfully listening will go a long way.
What is the most used way to fill voids and what are some good ways to stop these habits.
- When we are trying to change a habit often we need to start with changing a simple behavior leading up to that habit. For example, I once had a client tell me he was drinking a 12 pack of beer each night. Upon further questioning I discovered he stopped at a gas station each night on the way home from work to buy his beer. I asked him to simply drive past the gas station and go directly home. He stopped consuming the beer! Sometimes it can be that simple.
- However, sometimes we need to dig deeply to figure out what void the negative habit might be filling. For example, sometimes negative habits are started from feeling lonely or sad. It’s important to identify the negative feelings and then figure out what we can do about them in a positive manner. The best way to do this is to ask God to reveal to us what we may not be willing to see - which is a very hard thing to do. Most of us don’t want our sin nature to be revealed because we then feel convicted. But you know what - God already knows what our sin nature is! So trying to pretend it’s not there is only hurting ourselves.
When giving into the compulsive behaviors, what do you see as counselor that people lose most of when they do this?
- When we give in to our compulsive behaviors and temptations wether it’s over eating, over spending, etc these things become idols in our lives and keep us from having a fulfilling relationship with the Lord. That, in turn will impact how we view ourselves, our family, our friends, and how we impact others around us. In the book of Genesis The Lord commands us to be fruitful and increase in number so we can grow His Kingdom. Matthew 28 speaks of the Great Commission telling us “to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Temptations and idols will limit our abilities to do this. Not to mention we are going to feel pretty crummy about ourselves as we will feel separated from the Lord.
If someone were to ask you what they first thing they needed to live with less of in regards to becoming who Christ has called them to be, what would it be and why?
-It depends upon the person. We are all different and subject to different temptations. For example, if I said you need to live with less shoes - well some of us may only have 3 or 4 pair of shoes while some of us have 300 or 400! Instead of seeking an earthly answer I would ask God to reveal what His answer would be as it’s going to be different for each of us.
What's your favorite bible verse and why?
- 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” I really like that verse because I’m athletic and competitive and I can relate to it in that way. But I also feel like life is a marathon made up of smaller races. We have the race of being children. Then the race of young adulthood. Then the race of being a newlywed and young parents. Then the race of being empty nesters. And each race often feels like a battle that requires a whole lot of faith. I can look back on certain aspects of my life and say “Yep, Lord, we got through that one!”
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. I'd LOVE if you left a review on iTunes! Thanks for joining me today.
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Episode 14 dives into the physical things we use to fill the voids in our heart only God can fill. Living With Less Physical Compulsiveness is something God has been with me every step of the way in regards to overcoming these 3 areas in my life. Sex, food, and spending money. We serve a mighty and forgiving God. Who wants nothing more than for us to turn to Him and begin living a life in pursuit of Him. Romans 12:2 gives us the guidance to keep our feet to God's path as we allow Him to restore our brokenness.
Compulsiveness
- irresistible urge, gripping, uncontrollable
We need to first see that these words when not linked with the gospel are NOT good. They are NOT holy. They are tempting and typically devastating to our lives. Nothing should ever be taking over our life other than living out Christs calling in our lives.
Sex
- Using sex not within God's design was all based on insecurity in my life. I was trying to fill a deep desire of feeling loved by a guy instead of seeing I didn't need a mans approval to be deemed lovable. God calls us "his beloved".
- Sex can also be used in the wrong context within marriage, be sure you and your spouse are on the same page at what you both feel comfortable with.
- Don't fall prey to the lie that satan will try to plague you with. If you've struggled with this area he will try to convince you that if you've done it all before it doesn't matter. THIS IS A TRAP FROM THE PIT OF HELL. With Christ all things are redeemable.
- My prayer during the season of when we put God at the center of our relationship before we were married: God please be bigger than my temptation.
- Find a good Godly accountability partner, that can check in with you every week!
Food
- I constantly teetered back and forth from eating my feelings or choosing to not eat enough to feel in control.
- The enemy is going to try to fill your mind with reminders that you'll never get past this, BUT I'm here to tell you, YOUR GOD IS GREATER.
- Romans 12:2 gives so much insight into this trap of eating issues. It can be overcome when we allow Christ to control and renew our minds another great took is a good Christian Counselor.
Spending Money
- There is a difference between treating ourselves from a bad day and self care to keep ourselves feeling rejuvenated every once in a while.
- It starts with one thing then snowballs into $80+ dollars down the drain - only leading to feeling worse than we started.
- We find ourselves explaining we deserve something when really we don't deserve anything that's been given to us. When we start looking at our things as OURS, we're in trouble. They are God's. (this is very hard to me as well)
- When we start to believe we control our own happiness we're headed down a deep hole. Christ controls my happiness, better yet Christ controls my FULLNESS.
- Doesn't this look like a scary picture when we run to buying something vs. going to God about our situation. Example: Latte > Jesus. This is crazy, I just put $3.49 latte from Starbucks over Jesus. WOAH, wake up call.
*All 3 of these areas I talked about today have one thing in common they are all used to fill a deep void only God can fill.
Sex, food, and a new purse won't renew me, they won't fill the gaping hole in my heart only Christ can mend, I end up worse off than I started and feel farther from God.*
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. I'd LOVE if you left a review on iTunes! Thanks for joining me today.
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Episode 13 is the start of a new 3 part series on Living With Less Compulsiveness. This week we are looking deeper into Emotional Compulsiveness. How God has shown me even though this feels like a small area of sin in my life, it still creates a barrier between me and Him.
To truly know God we've got to also study the Old Testament. God took me to 2 Samuel 6:6-7 "But when they arrived a the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah rached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. The The Lord's anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. so Uzzah died right therebeside the Ark of God."
*This story can be looked at as very cruel but it shows the reverence we're supposed to have for God and His commands.
"When we get to complacent in our walk with The Lord our obedience becomes loose."
- When Uzzah touched the Ark, he probably wasn't doing it to be rude toward God. I think he did it because he'd become to comfortable with his actions around God.
- Even though this area of sin in my life seems small, it's still creating a barrier between He and I.
- If we could un-blind ourselves and realize if Jesus was in the room with us we'd never act the way we are, we'd be a lot better off.
How do we turn from these compulsive behaviors?
Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable, and perfect."
- Do not be conformed to this world - Turn away from the world and your old self.
- Be transformed by the renewal of your mind - Accept Christ and pursue being transformed in His image
- Discern the will of God - Learn His voice by having a relationship with Him.
- Do what is good, acceptable, and perfect - Pursue Godliness
Notice all 4 of these are a choice, but when we choose these we're choosing God's best for us and able to pursue freedom.
"God blessed us with emotions and expects us to feel them, we just have to learn to not let them overpower us. When we let our emotions get to loud, we'll no longer be able to hear the quiet whisper of the Holy Spirit."
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. I'd LOVE if you left a review on iTunes! Thanks for joining me today.
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Episode 12 is all about Living With Less Discontentment and what it steals from us. The Lord took me Matthew 6:19-21 and He showed me the earthly things I've been storing up my treasures in. I share a story from a few years ago that continues to rise up from season to season in my life. I hope you leave this episode feeling encouraged to be free of the thief discontentment is, and ask God to show you all you're missing from Him in your heart.
Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
- Discontentment robs the gift of JOY God so graciously wants to give us.
- Discontentment is like a leaky valve in your heart, if left unattended it'll send you into spiritual heart failure.
- How many times have you been robbed of the joy due to this very word. How many seasons that could've been bearing much fruit ended up filled with grief and sorrow because something else looked better?
- We continue to find our selves hungry again for things that look better, when they have nothing life giving to offer.
- It's in these places though we can find ourselves desperate for God. Open the Bible up for yourself and ask Him to speak to you. It's amazing what you'll feel when you begin to discern what He's speaking to you. You'll see little by little He's peeling back the layers of you life, asking you to leave things behind because of all the good He has for you instead.
Trust me on this, the truths tucked into the word of God you don't want to miss. These are the treasures that can never be taken from you, they don't rust or become destroyed. They give you life, peace, true contentment.
- Look around at all the things God has entrusted to you when you start to feel like you don't have enough, or someone else life looks better. He's entrusted you with souls to take care of and show love to. Your family, friends, spouse, workplace, the list goes on.
Don't let the discontentment of this world steal another season of your life. Claim Matthew 6:19-21 and put your treasure in Christ alone.
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. I'd LOVE if you left a review on iTunes! Thanks for joining me today.
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Episode 11 is all about a deeper understanding of inviting Jesus into our anxiety. God showed me I need ask Him to join me in my situation instead of demanding He change it. He took me to 3 parts of the Bible that I believe give so much power and freedom for what He wants for us in this hard place of anxiety. Mark 4:37-40, Philippians 4:6-7, and 1 Samuel 17:20.
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Mark 4:37-40 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
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We've all been in the midst of a raging storm in our life, and we've all probably felt like God wasn't seeing us. (BUT HE WAS!)
- I love that the disciples in this verse didn't ask God to stop the storm, they woke Him to invite Him into their panic.
- I also LOVE that Jesus was sleeping until they called up Him. This is what He wants from us, He wants to ask Him to come into the anxiety with us.
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Instead of thinking Jesus is choosing to ignore us, we must call on Him to get in the boat with us!
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Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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This verse gives us the permission to go to God about anything.
- I love that this verse in the ESV says "requests" - request doesn't always mean things will workout the way we want.
- Then it follows with - the peace of God will (which is a promise word) guard your heart and mind. God gives us the promise that even if our request doesn't come to pass the way we ask, He is still giving us His peace.
-God's peace changes us. It changes our reactions, it changes our feelings, it changes everything.
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1 Samuel 17:20 And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry.
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STORY OF DAVID AND GOLIATH - ANXIETY = GOLIATH. He's BIG, LOUD, & INTIMIDATING.
- "David rose early in the morning." This is a crucial part of the scripture - David was EAGER to obey God.
- Note in my bible : Eager to obey = Opportunity to conquer
- When we submit to God and invite Him into the anxiety in our life we are setting ourselves us to conquer anxiety with Christ!
When we are eager to pursue God, big things change. Chains are broken. With Christ at the center we can defeat the Goliaths in our lives.
Living With Less Giveaway-
I'm giving away one copy of a life changing book, donated by Angela Brittain this book walked me through a very hard season and got me into really pursuing my issues with anxiety and panic attacks from a Christian perspective. In "Don't Forget To Look Up", Angela gives real ways to pursue freedom with Christ at the center. She knows it because she walked it out, and from my experience it's sometimes hard to take advice from someone who doesn't get it, but she does! To enter into this giveaway you need to be sure you're following the @livingwithlesspodcast on Instagram, like the photo, and comment your favorite part of todays episode. Please enter in if this is something you are struggling with or are giving to a loved one, as this is to be a tool and resource for you/someone to overcome this issue!
Resources:
Book: Don't Forget To Look Up, A Christians Guide to Overcoming Anxiety and Panic Attacks.
Author: Angela Brittain
Website: www.overcomepanic.com
Twitter: @BrittainAK
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
CELEBRATORY GIVEAWAY EPISODE! Come listen this week as I interview my husband on this whole Living With Less journey and what it looks like to him. Come here the story of how God used the same 3 words "Live With Less" with him. You'll get to hear is heart on a good place to start this journey in your faith, how he got to see God bring unthinkable to fruition, what trusting God and his goodness looks like. You may also find out how he likes his coffee and some other fun things.
What did you think when God laid "Live With Less fear and anxiety" on your heart?
- As I started to feel overwhelmed I thought that I needed to pause and just pray.
In doing so I felt this rush from within, which I know is the Holy Spirit, and in that moment I
heard God speak to me, telling me to take a step back, breathe, and to *“make one decision at a
time, Live With Less fear and anxiety.”* It’s so simple, yet so complex.
I, like many, I have a tendency to dwell on the current and then project it out to what it could be, but that’s more than God made us to handle.
If you could tell someone what to rid their life of first when it comes to Living With Less of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling them to be, what would you tell them?
- If I could share one thing I believe this ties back into my previous answer of “anxiety”. This is
something that everyone struggles with and the enemy is so good at using it to make us doubt
God and ourselves. It consumes us entirely. Despite scripture telling us to “cast your burdens on
Him” and to “not be anxious about anything” we often can’t help ourselves. ***There’s immense
peace in learning how to take a step back, make one decision at a time, and taking it from there.***
What was something God put on your heart 8-10 years ago that has now come to fruition? What would you tell someone who is having a hard time trusting God's goodness?
- I wouldn’t have thought my life would have turned out the
way it has. Where I was at with my career, with relationships, it just didn’t seem possible. At times I was overloaded with decisions and struggling to follow my
path. ***Looking back I can now see how God has graciously opened doors, guided me to them,
and at times even pushed me through.*** I know it’s a bit cliché, but the old saying is so true: to
make God laugh tell Him that you’ve got a plan.
Favorite bible verse and why?
- Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ. I no longer live, but it is Christ who lives in me.
The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved and died for me.
I have this verse tattooed on my arm, along with my baptism date of 4-4-10 as a reminder that I am a
new creation in Him, that He loved/loves me SO much that He gave his only Son for me, and that
Christ is still alive, in me. The last part I feel often gets overlooked, but is so incredible and
powerful to think, to realize that Christ is IN us. ***Going back to my LWL moment, this is so
important to remember as God tries to keep us focused on the here and now, and when we get
off track like I did He is there to speak to us, like he did to me.***
LIVING WITH LESS GIVEAWAY DETAILS
Head to the Living With Less Instagram page. Be sure to like the GIVEAWAY post, you have to be following @livingwithlesspodcast page, for extra entries tag your friends in the comments who you think would love the show! Winner will be announced on Saturday evening at 9PM.
GIVEAWAY PRIZE - Book donated by Holley Gerth - You're Made For A God-Sized Dream and a Starbucks gift card!
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. I'd LOVE if you left a review on Apple Podcasts! Thanks for joining me today. Have a great week this week, thanks for coming here to CELEBRATE 10 episodes! Very special thanks to my hubby who joined the show!
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Episode 9 is all about the fear we have of surrender. Chelsey takes you through how we can help get ourselves in the posture of trusting God with our most precious things. You'll hear about the need of community as well as our deep need for a constantly active relationship with Christ.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you declares The Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and future.
This verse is not a promise to exempt us from trials, this verse is a promise that God will be with us in it all.
Surrender
- This is a choice of free will.
- There's no bargaining or leveraging with God when it comes to surrender.
- We have to be willing to surrender all of it. The BIG stuff and the LITTLE stuff. (SO HARD - I know!!!)
Trust with Surrender
- Trust can only come from deep personal relationship, it has to be pursued and active!
- We can't be in a posture of surrender without a relationship with Christ.
- We can't expect to trust God if we're not actively trying to know Him better.
Find Community
- Find someone who walked out the very thing your afraid to surrender to Christ. Ask them how they got to the place to trust God and His plans for them.
- Find someone who you can process your raw thoughts with. (Christian Counselor, Pastor, Wiser friend.) When you can share you thoughts on what you're afraid to surrender in a safe/uncensored environment it creates a place for you to find out what's really going on.
Surrender becomes active
- When we realize us holding onto these things and not giving them to God doesn't make them better, easier, or different.
"Surrender isn't glamorous, but it's absolutely GLORIOUS."
Last Point
- If you're in a hard, painful place, in fear of surrendering something to God because of what you're going through REMEMBER THIS it was never supposed to be this way. When the enemy tries to fill your mind with doubting Gods goodness SPEAK OUT LOUD -God gives me a HOPE & FUTURE despite this circumstance and despite this pain. He is the source of my strength in this battle.
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. I'd LOVE if you left a review on Apple Podcasts! Thanks for joining me today. Have a great week this week, I can't wait to CELEBRATE with you all next for our 10th episode! My hubby joins the show and you'll all get to hear what God's been doing in his heart through Living With Less. We also have a super exciting giveaway in store!
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
This episode is all about leaving behind the parts of us that Christ has redeemed and approach God with our arms wide open for all He has for us. Chelsey shares the way God pursued her and showed her all He has for her. That on the other side of the choice to accept Christ are the greatest gifts you could ever imagine! 2 Corinthians 5:17 gives us hope, redemption, and promise for all Jesus did for us.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Being Judgmental of Our Past
- If we're ever going to move on with our life we have to stop judging who we once were.
- I can't outrun and I can't change the sin in my life - I don't get a do over. When I can truly humble myself and accept this verse for what it says I find Gods grace!!
Unrealistic Expectations
- We set the bar so high for who we think we should be, when who we think we should be and who God is calling us to be are two very different things.
- I'm trying to plan who God wants me to be, I forget to sit with Him and ask God, now that I am a new creation Lord what do you have for me.
Living With Less fear For Who I'm Becoming in Christ
- When you ask the Lord with your hands wide open, "Okay God who do you want me to be. My hands are wide open for whatever you have for me." That's a scary place to be sometimes.
- When we ask God these questions we have to know He might answer in completely unexpected ways.
- We have to trust that because we are a new creation in Him it's going to be good for where we're at and where we're going.
"When I look back at my old life I see what my thoughts, choices, and day to day was like before I knew Christ. I can’t believe this was the life He had for me waiting on the other side of that."
- Isaiah 43:1 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
- When we can wrap our mind around the fact that He created me just to be His, that is how much He loves us. He loves us despite our past and despite the fears of our present.
- Hold these verses as VICTORY over our life
"HE HAS CALLED YOU BY NAME, YOU ARE HIS.
"YOU ARE A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST."
"No one can take these truths away from you. Your past cannot take these truths from you."
"The cross goes so far beyond what you have done, He went to the cross because He had so much more to offer for us and He loves us so much."
Big Daddy Weave - Jesus I Believe.
I in my flesh apart from Jesus have nothing to offer to this world, but God in His holiness has everything offer to me and everything to offer for you.
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. These episodes are now available on iTunes and Spotify. I'd LOVE if you left a review! Thanks for joining me today. Have a great week and talk to you next Wednesday!
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
Episode 7 is all about the fear we have in others accepting us. In this segment Chelsey gives 2 questions we have to ask ourselves: 1) why am I looking to be accepted by these people. 2) What kind of friend am I looking for, and what kind of friend am I looking to be? It's in these questions that God began to break the barrier and show that it all begins with prayer and vulnerability.
Why am I looking to be accepted?
- Typical answers are superficial. All about feeling validated.
- The answer should be we want them to leave noticing something different about me - JESUS. The only thing that can illuminate something like that is a soul rooted in Jesus.
Ways to invite Jesus into these awkward situations
- Ask to do a prayer before the meal begins, doesn't have to be long but just set that tone!
- Drop little Jesus truth bombs. Talk about what season God has you in, or how God has recently blessed you/seen you through a hard time.
Our job here on earth is to point others to accepting Him. We just by His grace get to be a part of that process.
What kind of friend am I looking to be, and what kind of friend am I looking for?
- Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at ALL times.”
This is what I was looking for and looking to be.
What does this fear get in the way of?
- God's greatest blessings by plaguing our vulnerability.
- It was over shadowing how much I really needed this Proverbs 17:17 friendship.
God wasn't going to assign just anyone random person to my life, He had the perfect friend picked for me.
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. These episodes are now available on iTunes and Spotify. I'd LOVE if you left a review! Thanks for joining me today. Have a great week and talk to you next Wednesday!
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
Episode 6 is the first part of the Living With Less Fear segment. We're tackling Living With Less Situational Fear this week. Taking God's word and holding it up to the big and small things in our lives we have to navigate day to day. Join me as we hang Mark 5:36 as a banner over our lives!
Mark 5:36 - "Do not fear, only believe."
We find ourselves so paralyzed with fear in certain situations we can't even find words to pray. If you're here, ask people to pray for you! It was in this place 2 weeks ago, I was so thankful for the people in my life we could call on.
Gods Divine Appointments
- Make no mistake, God will use what He has to in order to get our attention. Not in a malicious way but in a MIRACULOUS way.
Help with finding a verse and help to memorize that verse
- Finding a verse - Go to the back of the bible and seek out the words that fit your feelings. Then find where they're at in scripture and apply the truths to your life!
- Memorizing a verse - Add your name to the beginning or the end (this can help make it feel personal - the way all of God's word is. Write it on a sticky note and hang it where you will see it everyday. Bathroom mirror, coffee cabinet, car dash, work station! Say it every time you look at it, but BELIEVE it when you say. Don't let it become another phrase, let is become the POWER in you God intended it to be!
Beth Moore quote - Feet to the path, Hands to the cross!
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media tagging @livingwithlesspodcast. These episodes are now available on iTunes and Spotify. I'd LOVE if you left a review! Thanks for joining me today. Have a great week and talk to you next Wednesday!
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved
Episode 5 is all about Living With Less Jealousy of Others Blessings. God is showing me that not only does He see me in a beautiful way, but He sees everyone else that way too. He wants everyone to experience His gifts. We're still hanging out in Psalm 139 this week tackling verse 23. I pray God challenges you with the same question He's challenged me with - "Why shouldn't she have it all?" and "Why has what I've (God) given you not good enough?".
Psalm 139:23 "Search me and know me, O'God and know heart! Try me and know my thoughts."
This is how change begins, we have to ask God to dig into these jealous and critical thoughts. I know this makes God so happy I can hear Him saying , "Shes trusting me in this area and she knows I want more for her life."
We don't serve a God who gives us things to shut us up, we serve a God who craves our attention and conversation.
Lysa TerKeurst quote - "I've learned to say to myself, I'm not equipped for the bad that comes along with that good. It's always a package deal. If I saw the whole picture, I'd probably never want that package, I'd just be a little more grateful for my own life."
We have to remember we only see the BEST of most people lives. The ones we know the in's and out's of, including our own are NOT perfect.
It's probably the people we are most jealous of that we should be praying for.
Before we can let the thief of jealousy steal our joy, we've got to invite the author of our lives in and ask Him to search our hearts to heal what is broken.
If you loved today's episode please share it on your social media pages tagging @livingwithlesspodcast and #livingwithlesspodcast. Feel free to DM on Instagram all the amazing ways God is speaking to you!
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Episode 4 is looking deeper into Living With Less Destructive Self Criticism. I talk about how God is showing me to change our view of our appearance, our achievements or lack there of, and most importantly the gifts God gave us as individuals. In Psalm 139 we see parts of God's word that we can declare when we begin to see ourselves through worldly eyes and not Godly eyes.
139:4 Before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.
- Our Appearance
Think of how this makes The Lord feel when we say these things about His creation. He created me perfect and here I am picking it all apart.
If we got to live in a world where we all got to pick what we looked like there would be so much perfection we'd drown in it.
Claim the truth and the confidence WONDERFUL ARE HIS WORKS.
- Missed Achievements
When our missed achievements get highlighted we feel inadequate and filled with self disappointment.
Don't forget that God didn't create us to be X,Y, and Z. These things that WE think we need to be. He created us to be the way He wants us to be.
God calls us all to do things differently. Embrace the fact that you're walking with The Lord and if we are on the plan and path He has for us, that's what He wants for us.
When you find yourself in these places of doubt pray "God this is making me feel very critical about who you made me to be. Can you re-route my thoughts Lord."
HE IS SO PROUD OF YOU! Don't sulk in our human mind disappointments.
Bloom where you are planted.
Psalm 139:14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
- Our God Given Gifts and Talents
We always end up wishing we had someone else's gifts. We're telling God what you gave me isn't good enough.
In Gods eyes these gifts are a big deal - We need to be answering with a celebration! The whole reason God gave us these gifts in the first place is to bring Him glory and give us some joy.
Chelsey's mesh of verses - I am a child of God, chosen and precious in His sight. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are His works.
Stand in His truth and cling to Him in ALL things. Above all else, there is NO achievement greater than your relationship with Christ alone.
If you liked today's message please screen shot it and tag @livingwithlesspodcast as well as #livingwithlesspodcast! I love all of your support and pray this message will help to shape you as it's shaping me!
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Episode 3 is diving into Living With Less curiosity of others. Diving into 1 Thessalonians 4:11 we're finding out the reasons God doesn't want us to go searching someones life if we have no desire to have relationship with them.
3 Parts of 1 Thes. 4:11
-
- Aspire to live quietly - Don't make issues for no reason or out of
nothing. * 2. Mind your own affairs - Don't go digging up other
peoples business. * 3. Work with your hands - Instead of working to
figure out someone else's life, do the work God has called you to do.
Do it for His glory.
What God spoke to my heart on this matter : "If I don't care to have relationship with this person, I certainly do not have permission to know their business."
God could be protecting us from something He doesn't want us to see or taking up residence in our minds.
Ask God to give you the discernment to know if you're having Godly curiosity or un-Godly curiosity over a situation.
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1 Corinthians 14:40 “But all things should be done decently and in order.”
3 questions to ask about your friendships:
- Do they point me to Jesus?
- Do I point them to Jesus?
- How do I feel when I’m done meeting/talking to them?
Miss Joyce quote - “If I can’t be the Godly friend someone needs, I need to pray for someone who can be.”
2 most important groups of friendships to have:
- Your close nit group, (2-5 girls) they are in your season of life and you can share about anything.
- Mentor friends, the women who have walked the roads before us. Who can serve us with their wisdom!
I pray this message can help you see more clearly who God wants in your life, who He doesn’t want in your life, and the type of people He’s desiring for your life.
Living With Less Podcast, LLC © 2019. All Rights Reserved