Ten Blessings You’ll Find at the End of Your Rope – AND – Book Launch News

Suggested Reading: Matthew 5:1-12 (The Message)

During a conversation at a local coffee shop, my friend shared that she’d been struggling with pain after an injury that required months of physical therapy.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’ll pray for you.”

“I know I’m going to get better,” she said. “But I don’t know how much longer I can take the pain.” She sighed heavily as she stirred a packet of sugar into her coffee cup. “How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“How do you stay happy? How do you stay strong? Why aren’t you falling apart?”

I shook my head as I gently slapped my hands, palms down, on the table. “You haven’t read my book yet, have you?”

She raised her eyebrows and smirked as she tilted her head. “Are you really plugging your book now, when I’m losing it . . . right in front of your face?”

I laughed, leaning back into my chair. “No,” I said, lifting my cup of coffee in the cheers-position. “But if you had read my book, you would know that I do fall apart. I call those moments my wah-baby-meltdowns. And I don’t ‘stay happy’ or ‘stay strong.” The only way I make it through each day is by giving up.”

She picked at her blueberry muffin, sniffed, and narrowed her eyes. “That makes no sense.”

I exhaled. “When I say ‘giving up,’ I mean surrendering to the Holy Spirit.”

She wrapped both hands around her drink container. “What?”

“I mean refusing to try to do what God never asked me to do. When I quit striving to do the Holy Spirit’s job, I’m ready to invite Him to do what He promised.”

The truth lingered in the silence between us.

I reached across the tables, nodding an invitation to place her hands in mine. “Let’s pray.”

We didn’t care who was listening as we approached God’s throne of grace from our small corner table in that crowded coffee shop. After I whispered a grateful Amen, I shared some of the ways God helped me through one of the toughest seasons in my healing journey ̶ the months during which He empowered me to write Waiting for God.

My friend stood to give me a gentle hug. “Okay,” she said, “maybe I need to order your book.”

“Maybe?”

We enjoyed the rest of our visit wrapped in God’s peace.

A few months later, my friend called to let me know that she has completed her physical therapy and was no longer struggling with daily pain. She committed to praying for me regularly. “I still don’t know how you do it,” she said.

“You still haven’t read my book, have you?”

She laughed. “You just don’t give up, do you?”

“Wrong again,” I said. “I give up daily, Sis. And the Holy Spirit never lets me down.”

After we prayed, I hung up the phone. Callie, my service dog, approached me with her tail wagging low. She nudged my hand with her snout and looked at me with her droopy hound-eyes. When I smiled, she placed her front paws on the edge of my seat and leaned in for a hug.

I wiped away the tears God had used to refresh my weary spirit.

Though my healing journey remains hard and often feels overwhelming and unending, I still believe that giving up and relying on the Holy Spirit is the best answer.

This year, as I read the Bible in a year with the Our Daily Bread reading schedule, I’m enjoying meeting God daily using The NIV and The Message Parallel Study Bible. (More details on how you can join me below.)

 

In Matthew 5:1-12, I discovered ten blessings we can find when we’re worn out and whipped up and barely hanging on to the end of our ropes. Those blessings are only attainable when we give up and invite the Holy Spirit to do what only He can do.

Jesus noticed those who committed to walking with Him, especially when the path of faith required uphill and undeniably hard paths. Scripture says that Jesus “sat down and taught his climbing companions” what is now known as the Beatitudes.

As I listened to the familiar teaching in this unfamiliar translation, the Holy Spirit affirmed these blessings:

  1. ‘You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”

When we realize we can’t go on or we have nothing left to offer, we’re ready to receive God as our only hope. This position of submission prepares us to step aside, to stop striving, to stop trying to do God’s job so we can experience the wonderful things God has already planned for us.

  1. “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.”

Instead of hanging on the false hope of self-help or clinging to things we have falsely believed would fulfill us and keep us on steady ground, we can let go and trust God to hold us close. As we free-fall by faith, God will remind us why we need to remember that He is always with us, always working, always enough, and always all we need.

  1. “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are ̶ no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.”

Though we should enjoy growing, serving the Lord with excellence, and using the gifts He’s entrusted to us for His glory, the idolatry of self-reliance and self-worship can sneak up on us. Being self-focused leads us into attitudes that breed divisive competition and self-defeating comparison. With our value secured in Christ alone, we can experience complete and lasting contentment.

  1. “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.”

Though self-care is biblical and important, the purpose of biblical self-care is to be replenished by the Holy Spirit so we can serve Him and others more and more effectively. When we’re generous in loving others, we’ll discover that God always meets our needs and often blesses us more through the moments we thought He was using us to bless others.

  1. “You’re blessed when you get your inside world ̶ your mind and heart ̶ put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.”

Realizing the depth of our depravity helps us recognize the depth of our endless need to depend on God’s life-transforming love and mercy. As the Holy Spirit makes us more like Jesus, from the inside out, He gives us an eternal perspective. We can see God’s fingerprints in the world. We can praise Him as we acknowledge His continual work in the small miracles we once considered ordinary moments in this extraordinary God-given gift we call life.

  1. “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.”

When we discover the beautiful complexity of God’s intentional design for the interdependence of His image-bearers, we can embrace our purpose as one uniquely created and unconditionally loved member of the Body of Christ. As the Holy Spirit empowers us to live like we truly believe we are better together, we can become peacemakers devoted to God’s purpose. With our confidence rooted in Christ, the Holy Spirit empowers us to value of each person God made as we celebrate our connectedness in His Kingdom-Mission.

  1. “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.”

As Believers in Jesus surrender to the Holy Spirit, we begin to look like Jesus, love like Jesus, and live for Jesus. As He affirms His life-changing love for us, He will change the desires of our hearts and align our wills with His. He deepens our devotion to Him and His purposes, so we can stand firm on His infallible and unchanging Word. Though those who oppose and reject Jesus will oppose and reject us, we will continue to speak His truth with Spirit-empowered boldness and fierce faith.

  1. “Not only that ̶ count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens ̶ give a cheer, even! ̶ for though they don’t like it, I do!”

Our Kingdom-Purpose reaches beyond our personal space or comfort. We can rejoice in the victory we know Christ has already won, as He empowers us to love those who mock, reject, or deny Him. When we embrace Jesus’ love for us, we can live to express our love for Jesus. The cost of discipleship ̶ the prices we pay for following Him ̶ is higher than we dreamed possible but worth every bit of struggle as we celebrate the ones who step out of the darkness and into God’s glorious light.

  1. “And all heaven applauds.”

As long as there are people in this world who have not heard the Gospel and accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit will equip us to fulfill the Great Commission and the Greatest Commandment. When we share God’s truth and love to the ends of the earth, the cheers from heaven will drown out the jeers from those who reject Jesus. We can praise God for loving and saving us, but we can’t stop sharing the Gospel or praying for those who don’t know Jesus’ life-transforming truth and love intimately.

  1. “And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.”

Believers in Jesus who came before us, stand with us, and are being prepared to join our faith-walk are intertwined with one another. We thrive when we realize we are always at the end of our ropes, because we can do nothing without Jesus. We need Him and each other as we move forward by faith, in victory, embracing out dependence on the Holy Spirit with joyful shouts of praise.

To God be the glory, the honor, and the praise, praise, praise!

(Scripture in bold, Matthew 5:1-12, The Message)

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Loving Savior of the World, thank You for always being with us, always working, and always being all we need. Please make us more like You so we can love like You. Empower us to surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit, one breath at a time, as we fulfill the Great Commission and the Greatest Commandment. Please give us opportunities to share Your truth and love to the ends of the earth, proclaiming the Gospel and praising Jesus as Lord wherever You lead us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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To join me in reading God’s Word every day, using the Our Daily Bread Bible in a Year Reading Schedule, please subscribe to receive the daily devotions from Our Daily Bread.

The daily Bible reading is below each devotion, which you can choose to receive via email or the Our Daily Bread app. (To subscribe to Our Daily Bread, Click here!)

I plan to post a reflection or a prayer every week on my blog. If you are not a member of my blog family yet, please subscribe today.

I have been struggling with increased pain and fatigue, so please pray for me and extend me a bit of grace if am not able to post weekly on this blog. God has been blessing me with all I need to complete the wonderful writing and speaking ministry opportunities He’s been sending my way. Your prayers have been priceless gifts!

I am reading the daily Scriptures, following the Our Daily Bread Bible in a Year reading schedule. I am also praying for those of you who are joining me.

If you are reading this post in your email, please click the title and visit my blog to make a comment under this post. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL.

I’m looking forward to being rooted in God’s Word and growing with God’s people. That means YOU!

Thanks for being a member of my blog family and for supporting Callie the Service Dog and me as we serve the Lord together.

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You Come from Greatness by Sara Chinakwe releases on January 17, 2023, BUT you can PRE-ORDER YOUR COPIES TODAY and help support one of my favorite children’s picture book authors! Stay tuned for more details about Sara’s book launch party and special book giveaways!

I met Sara Chinakwe during an online workshop for Christian writers. When she told me about her book, I said, “We have to be friends!”

It is my pleasure and privilege to introduce you to my sister in Christ and fellow author, Sara Chinakwe, as we celebrate the release of her first children’s picture book, You Come from Greatness.

Sara is a wife and mother, life-long learner and educator found her passion in early childhood education. A God-breathed vision led Sara to start writing professionally. She started Faithful Life Ministries to help women pursue their Godly purpose. She has created several self-published devotionals and resources to help women and children grow in Christ. You can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and on her website.

In You Come from Greatness, a young boy learns that he is walking in the footsteps of greatness through a vibrant, lyrical retelling of Black history—both a love letter to Black children and an anthem empowering them to know their God-given worth.

You Come from Greatness celebrates family and historical change makers and status shakers, from inventors, engineers, astronomers, and doctors to philosophers, storytellers, and world leaders. Empowering readers to step into their own God-given greatness, each page of poetic prose and vibrant illustrations honors the legacy and impact of Black ancestors whose determination, strength, dedication, creativity, and leadership contributed to making the world better.

The twenty short biographies at the end of You Come from Greatness can be used in curriculum that prioritizes the value of diversity and inclusion.

I am so excited about this beautiful children’s picture book. I have multiple copies on the way, one for my personal library and two for my grandbabies.

Please help me support Sara by ordering your copy of You Come from Greatness and a few extra copies to share as gifts today!

Thanks for celebrating diversity and inclusion as we show the world that representation matters in God’s beautifully and intentionally diverse Kingdom.

To God be the glory, the honor, and the praise!

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Thanks for all of you who have been supporting the ministry God has entrusted to me by loving your neighbors and ordering extra copies of Different Like Me, Diferente como yo, and Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace.

Your prayers and encouragement are priceless gifts that God uses to help me press on by faith, especially when I’m struggling with pain and fatigue management. I can do nothing without God or your ongoing prayers, encouragement, and support.

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SHOUT-OUT to those of you who have written reviews on Amazon.

Every review makes a difference and helps Amazon know that they need to share my books with more readers. So when you write a review, you’re helping me share God’s truth and love to the ends of the earth. To God be the glory!

We need more current reviews, so if you haven’t yet, please take a moment to write a review on Amazon.

You are making a difference!

I thank God for you and am praying for you as I type these words.

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Because God Is

Suggested Reading: Psalm 145

“Why should I trust God when He doesn’t seem to care about me?”

When my friend asked that question, I understood her struggle. I had asked the same question before. I had grappled with accepting the goodness of God when His actions or His inaction resulted in grief. I had cried out, “It’s not fair.” I had sobbed prayers filled with variations of disbelief: Why, God? Why not, God? When? How long? Do You hear me? Do You care?

My friend didn’t need encouraging platitudes. She didn’t even need answers or a plan of action.

She simply needed to know she wasn’t alone.

So, I led her to one of the psalmists who understood the pain of waiting, the frustration of not knowing which way to turn, the discouragement of wondering how much longer the rough waters would last, and the heartache of dealing with the negative consequences of his own poor choices.

In Psalm 145, the psalmist David demonstrates the reasons we can trust God.

 

  1. We can trust God because He is worthy of all our praise.

David begins Psalm 145 with an intimate prayer, speaking directly to the Lord. His first utterance is not a list of demands or complaints. He starts off praising God as King, declaring a commitment to praising the Lord “for ever and ever” (v. 1).

“Every day I will praise You and extol Your name for ever and ever” (v. 2). Extol, to worship, to praise, to lift up, and revere. And with his next breath, David exalts the Lord.

“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom” (v. 3).

 

  1. We can trust God because He has a reputation of faithfulness.

David says God’s generations will be talking about His mighty acts (v. 4).

He will not allow anyone to worship God alone. When they speak of “the glorious splendor” of His “majesty,” he will “meditate” on God’s “wonderful works (v. 5). When they “tell of the power” of His “awesome works,” David will “proclaim” His “great deeds” (v. 6).

Together, they will “celebrate” God’s “abundant goodness” and “joyfully sing” of His “righteousness” (v. 7).

 

  1. We can trust God because He is gracious and good.

“The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all’ He has compassion on all He has made” (v. 8-9).

David had experienced God’s mercy time and again. He had been wrapped in God’s loving patience, overwhelmed by God’s forgiveness, and comforted by God’s all-sufficient grace.

 

  1. We can trust God because He is always working in the lives of ALL His children.

The testimonies of God’s goodness and faithfulness in the lives of others penetrate our present struggles with an aroma of enduring hope.

So that “all people may know of [His] mighty acts and the glorious splendor of [His] kingdom” (vv. 10-12), His “everlasting kingdom” and sovereign reign that will endure “through all generations” (v. 13).

 

  1. We can trust God because He is consistent.

David declares God is trustworthy in all [He] promises and faithful in all [He] does” (vv. 13-17).

God holds us up, lifts us up, and provides “at the proper time” (vv. 15-16).

He hears us and cares for us, even when we feel unheard and left to fend for ourselves.

 

  1. We can trust God because He is intimate.

 David had been on the run, hiding from Saul and trying to deceive himself after falling prey to temptation through idleness.

He had wept bitterly, felt abandoned, grown weary, and seen his own wickedness destroy those he loved dearly. Still, God remained close and comforting.

“The LORD is near to all who call on [Him], to all who call on [Him] in truth” (v. 18). He knows our deepest needs and transforms our greatest desires to align with His heart as we draw nearer to Him each day.

 

  1. We can trust God because He is just.

 Though God doesn’t rescue us from the consequences of our deliberate sins, His compassion and forgiveness transforms our wounded hearts and even uses our past to draw others closer to Him.

David sings a final prayer and testimony that inspires others to praise the Lord.

“My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever” (v. 21).

 

  1. Like David, we can trust God because He is . . . God.

 

Mighty and merciful Jesus, for remaining the same and being with us yesterday and today and forever.

 Please help us praise You, simply because You are God.

 Transform our minds and our hearts so that we will want to live in alignment with Your flawless Word. Empower us to love You and others with our words, our actions, and our attitudes.

 Thanks for blessing us with the privilege of praising You and proclaiming the goodness and faithfulness of Your mighty name.

 In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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If you need a burst of enduring hope as you continue waiting for an answer to prayer, for a trial to pass, or for a door to open or slam shut, join me for 31 devotional readings filled with biblical truth and Scripture-based prayers that will empower you to trust daily in God’s plan and pace.

Invite a friend and meet with me as we inhale God’s Word, exhale prayers and praises, and rest in God’s love through each chapter in Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace.

If you’ve already read Waiting for God, please help me spread the word and reach more readers with God’s truth and love by writing a short review on Amazon today.

Pause for Prayer with me by subscribing to my YouTube channel today.

I’m looking forward to growing with you!

Give the Gift of Radical Forgiveness for Christmas

(Suggested Reading: Luke 23:32-43)

As Christmas approaches and our world continues seeking some sense of normalcy during this pandemic, some people are not social distancing from family because of the virus. Some are grieving over unresolved family conflicts. Some have given up on broken relationships long before the pandemic. And some are licking their wounds and widening divisions over differing opinions on masks, politics, and tension caused by racism and an idolatrous sense of nationalism.

Instead of singing carols about Jesus’ birth, some are crushing hearts with careless words and graphics shared on social media.

Not many of us can escape the crossfire.

The enemy doesn’t have to work hard to divide God’s people when we do most of the legwork work for him.

As I prayerfully prepared to write this Christmas article multiple times, I couldn’t get past the first paragraph. After a few personal attacks I endured over the last year , I’d allowed resentment and bitterness to take root in my heart.

How could I write about celebrating the birth of Christ if I couldn’t obey the Greatest Commandment ̶ to love God and to love my neighbor as I love myself?

The Bible clearly explains God’s command to love our neighbors includes all people who are created in His image no matter what their beliefs, differences, or sins.

When I truly love my neighbors, I’ll treat them as Jesus would treat them.

It’s easy to love the kind neighbors, the neighbors who agree with me, who encourage me, who understand me, who stick up for me, who don’t rub me the wrong way.

But Jesus calls me to love the neighbors who need the most grace, the neighbors who are as depraved and dependent on God’s mercy as I am.

How can I do this if I allow pride and hurt to fester until gaps of resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness feel too wide and too deep to repair?

I cried out to God, trying to justify the list of people I had tucked in the dark corners of my unforgiving heart. “What do You want me to do, Lord?”

Forgive.

But I’m angry.

Forgive.

But I’m tired of forgiving when there seems to be no remorse, no repentance, no willingness to listen to learn or even empathize.

Forgive.

But I’m still hurt.

Forgive.

But I’m afraid to get hurt again.

Forgive.

As I wrestled with God, He reminded me of the countless times He’d extended undeserved mercy toward me and led me to Luke 23:32-43.

While Jesus hung on the cross, He willingly submitted to the nails that pierced His hands and feet. As an atonement for my sins, He paid the insurmountable debt my wickedness earned.

What does this have to do with Christmas?

Our loving Savior intended on offering us radical forgiveness before He left His heavenly throne, put on flesh, and allowed Himself to be wrapped in swaddling cloth and placed in a manger.

During Christ’s earthly ministry, He had countless reasons to hold grudges, to become bitter, to seek revenge, to refuse to forgive . . . especially when He chose to endure the suffering on the cross.

But as He looked on the ones who cheered for His execution‒those who mocked the King of Kings without remorse or repentance‒Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, NIV).

The ones Jesus loved, the ones Jesus asked the Father to forgive weren’t remorseful . . . at all.

In Total Forgiveness, R.T. Kendall states that “[asking] the Father to forgive them showed that not only had [Jesus] forgiven them and released them from their guilt, but also that He asked His Father not to punish them or take revenge on them . . .” (p. 3).

Though I’ve read this book over half a dozen times and have read through the Bible yearly since 2005, I still choke up when I consider the words Jesus cried out while hanging, bruised and bloody, on the cross . . . paying the price for my sins.

Am I truly willing to love with such selflessness?

Are you?

When we think of Jesus in the manger, we cannot forget Jesus on the cross.

 So this year, would you join me in asking God to help us give the gift of radical forgiveness for Christmas?

No more pleas for payback.

No more daydreams of dishing out a cold bowl of revenge.

No more harboring resentment.

When we ask God to help us release our offenders into His loving and merciful hands, we can trust Him to work in and through their lives as He continues working in and through our lives.

The more we pray blessings over our offenders, the more God helps us see them through His eyes of loving grace . . . and the more peace reigns in our hearts.

When we offer radical forgiveness, we’re not condoning, minimizing, or even forgetting an offense. God is righteous and just. He is full of compassion and understands our need to process, heal, and sometimes close the door on a relationship.

But when we place the offense and the offender into God’s trustworthy hands, we no longer have to carry burdens that don’t belong to us.

We can choose victorious freedom through right relationships with God and others instead of insisting on being right, gloating in someone else’s remorsefulness, or demanding apologies before forgiving.

As imperfect humans in desperate need of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ, we will need to forgive others and ask for forgiveness all the days of our lives. We’ll need prayer and encouragement every step of the way.

Radical forgiveness requires an ongoing commitment to surrender to the Holy Spirit but begins with the choice to love Jesus and love others like Jesus loves us.

Will you give the gift of radical forgiveness for Christmas this year?

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Lord, thank You for forgiving us and for empowering us to forgive. Please prepare our hearts to receive and submit to Your truth and love. Show us our wickedness and lead us into the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). Help us recognize, confess, repent, and turn away from our sins. Please help us reconcile, even if restoration of a relationship isn’t possible, as we embrace the peace and freedom of living in radical forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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I ordered a revised and updated copy of Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall, a book God has used to help me understand what forgiveness is and isn’t, as well as what He says about forgiveness in the Bible.

I’ll be reading Total Forgiveness as I read through the Bible in a year with the Our Daily Bread Ministries reading schedule, which is posted with each day’s devotion starting on January 1, 2021.

Please let me know if you are going to join me in reading Total Forgiveness and/or if you are going to join me in reading through the Bible in 2021, which only take 15 minutes per day (30-45 minutes if you read slow like me).

I look forward to growing with you!

Merry Christmas!

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To inhale God’s truth, exhale prayers and praises, and rest in God’s presence, please join me for Pause for Prayer: Thriving through the Wait by subscribing to my new YouTube Channel today.

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Pause for Prayer: Thriving through the Wait Video Series Begins Today

I’m excited to announce the second season of Pause for Prayer: Thriving through the Wait, which you can find on my new YouTube channel.

I need 100 subscribers before I can receive a custom YouTube channel.

If you enjoy my videos, please help me beat that goal by subscribing to my YouTube channel and encouraging others to do the same. Thanks in advance for your prayers and support. I can do nothing without God or your ongoing encouragement.

From November 21, 2020 to December 21, 2020, I’ll be sharing new videos daily on YouTube that can stand alone or be used as you read the thirty-one chapters of Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace.

During each Pause for Prayer video (5-15 minutes each), we’ll dig deeper into God’s Word, seeking to know Him and trust Him with every moment of the wait.

I’ll be reading selected Bible verses, offering biblical encouragement, and leading a Scripture-based prayer as I explore the challenges, the purposes, and the rewards of waiting.

As we continue trusting God with every moment of our lives, we can walk with confidence in His character, His truth, and His love as we thrive through the wait.

To watch Pause for Prayer: Thriving through the Wait Day 1, November 21, 2020, please click here.

To watch Time to Grow, a message I shared during an Our Daily Bread Ministries chapel time on May 20, 2020, please click here.

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I have wonderful news to share, too.

Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace was awarded second place in the Selah Awards, hosted by the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, and placed as a finalist in the Cascade Awards, hosted by the Oregon Christian Writers Conference.

To God be the glory!

I enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship with the sisters who joined me for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait.

I’m thanking God for every person who participated.

Special thanks to my fellow author and speaker Mabel Ninan, who facilitated the chat and organized the giveaways, and my wonderful sister in Christ, Amy, who took Callie for her morning walk so I could reserve my strength.

Congratulations to the recipients of the five exclusive giveaways I offered during the event: Becky Heartsfield, Kathryn Robinson, Tamara Glover, Dora Jean Benson, and Carmen Perez.

Some of you have asked how you can pray for me and how you can support me as I continue sharing God’s truth and love to the ends of the earth.

I’ll need your help spreading the word so I can keep spreading God’s Word.

How can you serve alongside me?

  1. PRAY and praise the Lord with me daily!
  2. Subscribe to my blog (link on my home page) and my YouTube channel.
  3. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (links on my home page).
  4. If you enjoy a blog post, a graphic, a social media post, or a video, please share those links on your social media platforms.
  5. When you share a post, tag me so I can give you a shout-out and interact with your family and friends in the comment section.
  6. If you’ve read Waiting for God or Different Like Me, please write a short review on Amazon then share the link to purchase Waiting for God and/or Different Like Me.
  7. If God encouraged you through any of my speaking events or writing workshops, please let me know so I can share your testimony/comments on my speaker page.

I’m looking forward to being rooted in God’s Word as we grow closer to Him and each other over the next few weeks.

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Exciting Change of Venue for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the First Baptist Church Vacaville Women’s Ministry will no longer be hosting Flourish: Thriving through the Wait on their Facebook LIVE page.

But God . . . Hallelujah . . . God quickly affirmed that nothing would stop me from sharing the message He’s placed on my heart to share with you.

If you registered in the month of October or before for Flourish through the FBCVV Women’s Ministry, the lovely leadership team has already given me your contact information.

You do not need to register again. You will receive the Zoom link via email so you can join me for this spirit-refreshing time of worship, fellowship, biblical encouragement, and prayer.

If you haven’t registered yet, please click HERE and fill out the form.

You will receive the Zoom link and instruction via email. All registrants will automatically be entered for a chance to receive one of the exclusive giveaways I’ll be offering during this FREE LIVE Zoom Event.

That’s right! FREE LIVE Zoom Event!

As I prayed over the change of venue, the Lord nudged me to make this event more personal.

I am looking forward to connecting with you via Zoom on November 14, 2020 from 10 am to 11:30 am (Pacific).

After the message, we’ll connect and celebrate with some fun giveaways.

Here is the original invitation with more details:

Are you feeling tired, frustrated, discouraged, stuck, lonely, or simply longing for a deeper connection with God and other women?

If you answered yes, you are not alone.

Please join me for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait.

We’ll enjoy a spirit-refreshing time of worship, fellowship, biblical encouragement, and prayer as God equips us to thrive through the wait with our hope, joy, peace, and our identities rooted in His unchanging and infallible Word.

If you pre-register and attend the FREE LIVE ZOOM EVENT, you will be eligible for a chance to receive one of two signed copies of Waiting for God, or one of two copies of God Hears Her, an Our Daily Bread bestselling compilation.

The grand prize will include: a signed copy of Waiting for God, a copy of God Hears Her, and a signed copy of my first children’s picture book, Different Like Me, with some fun swag.

Register for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait today!

If you cannot make it to this FREE LIVE Zoom Event on November 14th, I still want to connect with you in the comment sections on my blog and on social media.

I will be recording Flourish to share as the kick-off video for my brand-new YouTube Channel, as I prepare to present the second season of Pause for Prayer.

On November 21, 2020, you’re invited to Pause for Prayer: The Waiting for God Video Series.

 This stand-alone series, designed to complement the 31 chapters in my devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace, will include Scripture reading, biblical encouragement, and prayers.

 You do not need to purchase a copy of Waiting for God to enjoy this season of Pause for Prayer videos.

Join me on November 14, 2020 for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait and for Pause for Prayer, from November 21, 2020 to December 21, 2020.

I’ll share more information on this blog and through my social media pages.

If you haven’t connected with me on social media, please check out the links in the purple section at the bottom of my website pages.

I’m so excited to see what the Lord has in store for us!

Father God, thanks for assuring us that You have a purpose for every second we spend waiting for You. Please align our hearts with Yours and fill us with wisdom, courage, and confidence rooted in Your Word and Your proven faithfulness.

When the days feel way too long, fuel our perseverance with Your enduring hope. When the road ahead is covered in a fog of frustration, discouragement, loneliness, impatience, selfishness, fear, insecurities, or doubt, clear our vision and sharpen our hearing so we can discern Your directions.

Help us recognize our desperate need for You as we submit to the plan and pace You’ve set for our growth and our good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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SPECIAL EVENT:  If you want to join me in reading through Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace while we enjoy the Pause for Prayer: Waiting for God Video Series, I’ll be hosting a book discussion and prayer time on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 6 pm (Pacific).

I’ll share the registration information on my blog and on social media soon.

Love your neighbors by ordering extra copies to share as gifts on Amazon, at Barnes and Nobel, from Our Daily Bread Publishing, or on the Christian Book website today.

If you’ve read Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace, please prayerfully consider writing a short review on Amazon and any other review platforms you enjoy so we can reach more readers with this empowering message of hope.

Thanks for your loving support and encouragement!

***

Waiting for God – Chapter 9 – Pace for Preparation

Last week I shared how I’d struggled through a spiritual drought and decided to read the Bible in a year, using a consistent schedule again. As I’ve been reading the familiar stories, God took my hand and drew me into His arms. He refreshed me with confidence in His faithfulness and filled me with a revitalized hope.

This week, I decided to pick up where I left off last year on my blog, with the chapter 9 reflection questions from Waiting for God. I re-read the chapter I’d written in 2018 and laughed at God’s perfect timing when I read the following:

“I learned that spiritual growth is a lifetime process and that God’s timing is purposeful and necessary as He prepares us for all He has in store for us. God, the Maker of time, is not a timewaster. He knows when we’re ready to step into the next phase of the plan He’s designed for us and when we need more time to prepare. He also knows how easily we forget our lives are entwined with the lives of others—those we know, strangers, and those yet to come.” (p. 51, Waiting for God, X.E. Dixon)

Am I the only one who forgets what God has already confirmed?

Am I the only one who wanders into the valley of discouragement and doubt when I fail to savor the sweet fragrance of God’s unchanging word and never-ending assurance?

The Bible is filled with examples of God using the priceless commodity of time for our good and for His glory.

In Genesis 1, God took His time to create the world and showed us how to rest.

Noah had to work in obedience and faith for years, facing ridicule and rejection.

Doing the math and calculating the years passed between Shem and Abram makes my head spin.

How many times did Abram have to wait for God to show him the next step as he followed Him into unknown territory?

How long did Sarah wait to experience the fulfillment of God’s promise to her?

Jacob required quite a bit of character refining, which included his personal investment of time and suffering before God reunited him with Esau.

And Joseph powered through every twisted turn in his faith-journey and ended up proclaiming God as sovereign and good.

All of these people struggled and cried out to the Lord during their seasons of waiting. All of them faced some sort of opposition. And all enjoyed close relationships with God.

Each one of these faith-warriors still inspires us to trust that the Lord has a pace set for our life-journeys, and time is necessary for our preparation.

 

Reflection Questions

 

  1. How do you feel when someone says you’re not ready to do something God has placed on your heart to do?

 

I’m a recovering people-pleaser. When someone questions a decision or is critical, I can be tempted to question if I’m following God’s nudging or making a decision based on my fleshly desires and ever-changing emotions. I experienced more peace and gained confidence as I committed to praying before making decisions. I would seek wise counsel and ask for prayer support. Since then, when people offered unsolicited advice or harsh criticism, I was able to stand firm in my personal relationship with Christ and walk by faith.

 

  1. Describe a time when you jumped ahead of God and took on a role you weren’t ready for or a role that wasn’t meant for you.

 

I wanted to make friends in a local writing community, so I volunteered when they expressed a need for someone to help with an ongoing project. I didn’t pray or seek wise counsel before committing. As soon as I started the position, an anonymous complainer slammed me with harsh criticism and false accusations. After months of working under a leader who failed to support me, questioned every decision I made, gossiped about me, and judged me unfairly, I started praying for direction. With my health declining, the decision became clear. Within weeks after I stepped down, we found out we would have to prepare for a cross-country move. Several people stopped “being my friends,” but God wrapped me in peace. Since then, He provided so many opportunities for me to serve in ways that aligned with my passion‒sharing God’s truth and love to the ends of the earth! I grew through the experience and tried to restore the relationship with those who were upset with my decision to leave. Though my attempts to reconcile have been rejected, I am sure that leaving was the best thing for me and, hopefully, for the organization that I continue to pray for as God uses them to advance His Kingdom.

 

  1. How does knowing that God includes preparation time in His planning help you trust Him when the wait feels endless?

 

When I remember that God is working while I’m waiting for Him, it helps me to remember He is good, in control, and always with me. Trusting that His character never changes helps me to rely on His sovereign goodness when I don’t understand my circumstances.

 

*** Thanks for joining me to discuss the Waiting for God end-of-chapter questions. Please remain focused on what God is doing in and through your life and refrain from sharing full names or negative comments so we can keep this blog family a safe place to share. All comments will be monitored and modified to maintain a loving and encouraging atmosphere that is glorifying to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I look forward to growing with you.

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To share your answers for the previous chapters of Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace, please follow the links below:

Chapter 1 – The Weight of Waiting

Chapter 2 – It’s Not All About Me

Chapter 3 – Holy Vision

Chapter 4 – Just Say the Word

Chapter 5 – Resting in God’s Refuge

Chapter 6 – Enough for the Wait

Chapter 7 – F.R.O.G. Faith

Chapter 8 – Deliberate Delays and Detours

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If you haven’t read Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace, I invite you to pick up your copy today.

Don’t forget to love your neighbors by ordering extra copies of Waiting for God to share as gifts!

You can order your copies on Amazon, through Barnes and Noble, at Christian Book, or from the Our Daily Bread website.

I look forward to growing with you!

***If you have read Waiting for God, please consider writing a short review on Amazon and helping me spread the word on social media.***

I thank God for you, Blog Family!

 

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How to Avoid a Spiritual Drought

During our first full year in Wisconsin, Alan and I met wonderful people and missed the wonderful people we’d left on the West Coast. We celebrated great news and grieved great losses. We struggled with adjusting to the extreme winter temperatures and enjoyed watching my service dog, Callie, romping in the snow.

As my health declined, I struggled to finish writing, editing, and spreading the word about my first full-length devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. (Click here to find out what readers are saying about Waiting for God.)

Alan got tired of caregiving and I grew weary of struggling with pain management and fatigue. We stuck together and picked each other apart as frustrations continued to overwhelm us.

I praised God with steadfast faith and reacted with a complaining spirit when the days felt too-long and too-hard.

After one of my difficult days, Callie licked away my tears and snuggled next to me until we fell asleep.

Why was I so exhausted?

After much prayer, I realized I was in a spiritual drought.

Although I had been studying the Bible for my writing and speaking ministry, I wasn’t communing with God when I read Scripture. Instead of listening for His voice, I worked to understand everything I read. I craved the structured and often lengthy quiet time I used to enjoy before our move and before my health declined, instead of enjoying His loving and powerful presence.

I knew I wasn’t physically able to do the things I used to do, but became upset when what I could do didn’t seem like enough.

As I wrote that sentence, I finally understood that God had been allowing me to embrace my weakness and rely on His strength.

He was helping me internalize the message He helped me share through Waiting for God!

My loving Lord reminded me that the struggle was a good thing . . . a necessary thing that helped me realize I needed to surrender to the slowness as I saturated my heart with God’s Living Word.

Still, I missed God!

I enjoyed pouring into others each day and supporting people in prayer. God continued to deepen my faith as I watched Him working in and through the lives of others, and in and through my life as I practiced relying on Him one breath at a time. I still thanked God each time He encouraged me through notes from readers.

But I missed Him!

So, I made the commitment to read through the Bible in a year again.

I started using the Our Daily Bread Ministries Bible in a Year reading schedule on January 1, 2020. (You can find the Bible in a Year daily readings under the titles of the articles you receive when you subscribe to the Our Daily Bread encouragement devotions, which are available in multiple languages via email or print.)

I invited others to join me, too.

God is refreshing my spirit as I read portions of the Old and New Testaments for familiarity each day.

Sometimes, it’s tempting to stop and dig deeper. But the Lord keeps reminding me that I need to remain in listening mode. I’ll have plenty of opportunities for deeper study as He leads me through writing and speaking messages.

But for now, I’m savoring the pleasure and the privilege of sitting in His presence . . . opening my heart to hearing His voice.

I’m saying, “Here I am, Lord.” And I’m waiting with a listening spirit . . . expectantly.

How do we avoid a spiritual drought?

We can surrender to the Holy Spirit, who Jesus refers to as Living Water in John 7:37-39, every moment of every day. He will be our strength, our peace, our hope, as He illuminates the meaning of Scripture and empowers us to live in courageous obedience and faith.

During my spiritual drought, I missed God. But I am so grateful He never gave up on me, never left me, and never stopped revealing Himself to me.

In many ways, 2019 was one of the toughest years in my faith-journey. But now, I can understand why the writer of Psalm 119 can sing with confidence: “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” (v. 71-72)

If you’re interested in joining me as I read through the Bible in a Year using the Our Daily Bread Ministries reading schedule, please comment below.

I will be sharing what God is doing through this adventure on my blog.

I’m looking forward to hearing what the Lord is doing in and through your journey, too.

I’d also like to invite you to join me for another adventure.

To celebrate the new year, I decided to continue a tradition I’ve enjoyed since 2005.

I love buying Bibles and asking God who He wants me to bless with the gift of His Holy Word.

This year, Callie helped me choose a Bible and a pack of Bible tabs for the person God placed on my heart to receive the first Bible giveaway of 2020. I’m excited to say that she is reading through the Bible in a year with me. Hallelujah!

Would you prayerfully consider starting or continuing this tradition with me?

How many Bibles can we give away this year?

What would happen if we prayed for the recipients of these Bibles together?

I look forward to hearing from you and growing closer to God with you this year.

Thanks for being a part of my blog family!

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If you haven’t read Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace, you can order copies on Amazon, at Barnes and Nobel, from Christian Book, and through Our Daily Bread Publishing.

Love your neighbors by ordering extra copies to share as gifts!

If you have read Waiting for God, I would appreciate it if you would write a short review on Amazon and the Our Daily Bread Publishing website.

Reviews make a difference in so many ways.

You can write a review by answering these questions:

  1. What did I like about this book?
  2. What did I not like about the book? (optional)
  3. Would I recommend this book to others?

Thanks for your prayers, encouragement, and ongoing support, Blog Family! It is my pleasure and privilege to pray for you!

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Waiting for God – Chapter 4 – Just Say the Word

When God blessed me with the opportunity to serve as Emma Mae’s writing coach, I never expected He would use her to ignite my faith and free me from the chains of unforgiveness I thought I had broken and left behind me.

Though I believed I had forgiven the people who hurt me in the past, I allowed their behavior to hinder me from moving forward in Spirit-empowered courage and confidence. When I forgave them . . . with all my heart . . . God wrapped me in peace and assured me that He would not be wasting the heartaches.

When I remain focused on the Lord and tuned into His Word, I won’t be so worried about my reputation or bound by what others think about me. Spiritual growth requires the ebbing and flowing of surrendering our wills so we can submit to His authority.

I’m ready to praise the Lord as you share your comments or your answers to the reflection questions in the comment section below.

Reflection Questions

  1. Why is it hard to wait for God to handle our reputations when we’re feeling attacked?

When I feel like I’m under attack, it’s not easy to remember that God is working behind the scenes. The Lord is working all things out for the good of all who love Him. But I don’t always want to care about the “good of all who love Him” when I’m the one hurting and waiting for Him to work things out. If I keep focusing on my feelings, I won’t be able to release my grip on my desire for my definition of justice. But when I focus on Jesus, He will help me cling to what I know is truth‒Scripture‒and help me shrug off the lies I’m tempted to believe.

  1. What lies or opinions of others have you chosen to believe about yourself?

Someone told me that “no one would ever love me” and that I was “useless.” When I first heard the Gospel, I struggled with the thought of Jesus dying for me because He loved me.

 

  1. How can knowing what God says about us help increase our confidence and courage as we wait for Him to work in and through our situations?

When we read the Bible, God plants seeds of truth in our hearts and minds. The more time we spend with Him, the more we get to know and trust Him, the more we will understand He does not lie. Through our intimate relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit can help us believe the unchanging words of Scripture. We can remember the God-breathed words of Scripture are God’s words, infallible and unchanging. Jesus is the Word and He is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hallelujah!

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To find out more about Emma Mae Jenkins, check out her Facebook page and her YouTube channel. You can read the article about Emma Mae’s response to being bullied on CBN.

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If you’re just joining the conversation and would like to share your thoughts on the previous chapters, I’ve posted the links below.

End-of-Chapter Questions

Chapter 1 – The Weight of Waiting

Chapter 2 – It’s Not All About Me

Chapter 3 – Holy Vision

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*** Thanks for joining me to discuss the Waiting for God end-of-chapter questions. Please remain focused on what God is doing in and through your life and refrain from sharing full names or personal information (yours or anyone else’s) so we can keep this blog family a safe place to share. All comments will be monitored and modified to maintain a loving and encouraging atmosphere that is glorifying to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I look forward to growing with you.

—–

To order your copy of Waiting for God or to love your neighbor by ordering extra copies to share as gifts, please take a look at my book page.

—–

I look forward to having you join the conversation!

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The Same Old Story

MEME - Blog - Genesis 1 v 1 - Edited Jan 5, 2019

A strange sadness weighed on my heart as I stared at my Bible.

Why wasn’t I excited about reading God’s Word?

Alan and I had been reading the Bible in a year since 2005.

Each year, we’d been amazed at how the Lord revealed Himself in new ways and used His Word to stretch and strengthen us at the perfect time.

So, why was I struggling with focus?

Why didn’t I feel that twinge of expectation and excitement when I prepared to start the year’s reading plan?

When did I start losing sight of the immeasurable value of each God-breathed word in Scripture?

As I beat myself up over the unanswered questions, the Lord patiently massaged my weary heart and prepared me for an unexpected answer.

When I approach Bible reading as a task, I fail to acknowledge God intentionally provided and protected each word from the time of oracles through the years of transcription and translations so He could place His story at my fingertips.

To the enemy’s delight, I’d fallen for the lie that made me skim through Scripture as if I had nothing left to learn from the same old story, as if I didn’t desperately need to listen to my loving Savior’s unchanging voice, as if I didn’t need Him to transform my heart with His words every single day of this life He’s given me.

I prayed for forgiveness and asked God to ignite my passion for His Holy Word, to help me approach Scripture with a new and more grateful perspective, to strengthen me through the same old story that changed my life on December 14, 2001 . . . the day I surrendered my life to Jesus.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

In the beginning, before life as we know it started, God existed in all His triune perfection and decided to create something out of absolutely nothing.

God created the heavens.

He designed and gave purpose to every galaxy, every planet, every star, every black hole, every atomic particle in the universe.

The Lord created the heavens, in all its marvelous and mysterious vastness.

He created the five basic elements of the universe. Fire. Wood. Water. Metal. Earth.

From the nothing that existed, God created the earth.

He created the inner core, the outer core, the earth’s mantle, and the solid crust that gives us firm places to stand.

He decided where the land would separate the water, where vegetation would flourish, where desert sands would stretch across miles, where mountain ranges and valleys would be carved by trickling streams and the winds that answer to His voice alone.

The Maker of time decided when this world would begin and when man would be created.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

The mind-blowing implications of that simple declaration confirm our Almighty Creator started His story by providing a place for us to be with Him.

Every God-breathed word preserved in the Bible assures us that we can depend on “the same old story” being the foundation of our faith and the proof of His unchanging and unconditional love.

God’s unchanging story gives us confidence in the foundational truths on which He builds our faith.

Why would we want God to change His perfection, to lead us along a different path so we won’t get bored?

Why would we want Him to change His story, to shake things up so we could have a foundation we couldn’t depend on?

Would we really want to follow Him if He was untrustworthy, if He kept changing the rules to fit our weaknesses?

“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

Why would He change anything? Why would we want Him to change anything?

As I prepare to read the same old story this year, I’m now excited about the prospect of deepening my faith as He strengthens my confidence in His unchanging Word.

I don’t want to miss one syllable.

I don’t want to skim through one story.

I don’t want to risk giving up an opportunity to hear His unchanging voice declaring His unconditional love for us.

My attitude toward reading God’s Word was a direct result of The Fall. Like Adam and Eve, I listened to the enemy tempting me to doubt the value and surety of God’s unchanging words of truth and love.

Did God really say this or that?

How will we know if we don’t sit at His feet every day and invite Him to share the beautiful story He’s preserved for us in Scripture?

Lord Almighty, thanks for blessing us with confidence in Your unchanging truth. Please ignite our passion for Your Word and help us understand Your truth as we sit at Your feet each day.

Please forgive us for the moments we forget to truly hear what You are saying through Your words preserved in Scripture.

We love You and praise You and thank You for the beautiful love letter You’ve placed in our hands‒the Bible. Please help us approach daily Scripture reading with grateful hearts surrendered in prayer and excitement at the opportunity to know You more.

In Jesus’s name, Amen.

In what ways have you struggled with reading the Bible?

How does considering the magnitude of the statement in Genesis 1:1 make reading God’s story more exciting?

 How has the Lord used His unchanging Word to change your life?

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This year I’m using the Our Daily Bread reading schedule to read through the Bible in one year. If you would like to receive daily encouragement devotions and the daily reading schedule from Our Daily Bread, please visit www.odb.org/subscriptions

For encouragement and prayers, please connect with me on my Facebook Author Page, Xochitl E. Dixon at  https://www.facebook.com/Xochitl-E-Dixon-239776362714751/

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Honoring God When Loving Family Ain’t Easy

MEME - Genesis 45 v 8 - Jan 22, 2018 Blog Post - Honoring God When Loving Family Ain't Easy

Note to Reader: My heart aches for those of us who have been wounded by the sins of abusive family members. Please note I’m not referring to abuse when referencing conflicts or wounds caused by family members in this article. If you or someone you love is suffering abuse of any kind, please contact a professional and seek help immediately. I am praying for you as I write this note. You are not alone.

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Honoring God When Loving Family Ain’t Easy

While some folks enjoy healthy and holy communication within godly familial relationships, some of us endure more than our fair share of seemingly endless family drama.

Too many of us are grieving over estranged relatives or heartbroken watching loved ones reject family as they battle addictions.

A few are tired of those who blame others instead of taking responsibility for their poor life choices. Some struggle with family members who instigate arguments, shame or belittle, hold grudges, judge harshly, or gossip.

Family members mock or persecute us because of our faith. Some have lied to us or about us, stolen from us, cheated us, and some have even verbally, emotionally, or physically abused us. (Please see Reader’s Note at the beginning of this article.)

How are we supposed to respond to folks who exaggerate or deceive to prevent others from knowing who they really are or what they’ve really done to us or others we love?

But wait . . . what if some of us are the people I’ve just described . . . or have been that person in the past?

What if we’re the ones who need to seek forgiveness and ask God to change us and help us make amends and work toward restoring or renewing relationships with those we’ve hurt in the past?

The fact is, it just ain’t easy honoring God when we realize we’re all imperfect people who have a tough time loving our kin or being lovable ourselves.

Over the last couple of years, the Lord brought me through some heartbreaking relational conflicts. I wrote a six-part series entitled “Radical Forgiveness” as I prayed over broken or barely surviving relationships with family members. As of today, I have continued praying over several of those still-broken relationships.

Family strife is a fact of life that we don’t have to allow to steal our joy or destroy the genuinely loving relationships we can experience with God and others.

It’s tempting to get stuck on the merry-go-round-of-complaints, get caught up in being angry, get even, or get as far from the drama as humanly possible. Instead, we can take a closer look at how God worked in and through familial discord in Scripture to help His faithful servants thrive despite family strife.

In Genesis, we see how Jacob favoring Joseph caused his other sons to hate their younger brother (Genesis 37:3-4), so much that they sold him into slavery (v. 28). They even lied to their father for years (vv. 34-36).

God remained with Joseph and blessed his life (Genesis 39:2-6). Though he wasn’t exempt from more painful trials or injustice (vv. 9, 11-20), the “LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love” (v. 21). Whatever Joseph did, “the LORD made it succeed” (v. 23).

Instead of allowing his experiences to taint his attitude or shake his faith, Joseph honored God by living with integrity and treating others with love, compassion, and kindness (vv. 6-7).

Two years of being wrongly imprisoned didn’t stop Joseph from glorifying God (Genesis 41:14, 16). Rejoicing over the family the Lord gave him through marriage, Joseph proclaimed, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house” (v. 51).

Joseph was happy. What could possibly go wrong?

Well . . . those scoundrels who sold him into slavery showed up. For the first time in years, Joseph stood face-to-face with the strangers he recognized as the brothers who betrayed him and his father. Though Joseph wasn’t upfront with his siblings when they came begging for help, he didn’t fake forgiveness either.

God gave him time to process his emotions (Genesis 42-44). Even though Joseph had plenty of reasons to be mad, he didn’t cast blame, hold a grudge, run to Pharaoh and gossip about his brothers, or demand punishment.

Joseph accepted how God had caused him to thrive despite his suffering. He didn’t waste time trying to prove to the world that his brothers were wrong for what they’d done.

Instead, Joseph trusted that the Lord had remained in control and stayed with him through everything that had happened in his life (Genesis 45:5-9). He knew from experience God could bring good out of painful circumstances (Genesis 50:20). So, Joseph didn’t fear extending grace, or being generous in love and kindness (v. 21).

As we deal with challenging familial relationships, God can empower us to surrender to His mercy, live in the freedom of forgiveness, and love others as selflessly as He loves us.

God will stay with us, protect our reputations, guide our steps according to His perfect will, and enable us to experience peace and joy as we choose to honor Him . . . even when others do not.

Unfortunately, since we’re all imperfect people who live in a fallen world, family members will hurt us and we’ll hurt those we love. But we can protect our mental, emotional, and spiritual health by placing our trust in the Lord.

We can ask Him to help us make time to process our feelings, remain calm, and be courageously and respectfully honest with Him and others.

We can ask God to help us create and respect healthy and holy boundaries, as we honor Him with our words, attitudes, thoughts, and actions.

We can trust the Lord to give us all we need to keep on praying for and working toward building stronger familial relationships.

And we can thrive as we honor Him . . . even if our closest family relationships end up being connected through Christ’s blood (The Church) instead of our genealogy.

Father God, thanks for helping us honor You in the ways we love others in healthy and holy ways. Though sometimes it’s unsafe, unhealthy, or unwise to restore a broken familial relationship, please help us trust we’re all in Your hands as we choose to forgive and pray we will all be forever changed by Your love and grace. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

How can we benefit from extending forgiveness to someone who doesn’t apologize?

How does it help to know forgiveness doesn’t mean excusing, ignoring, justifying, or minimizing sin?

How does it help to know reconciliation doesn’t require us to pretend things are fine or the same as before (restoration), or better than ever (renewal)?

How can we honor God when we can only show love from afar, because a familial relationship is reconciled through forgiveness on our part, but not physically or emotionally restored?

How can we honor God and love family members who do not want a relationship with us?

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Radical Forgiveness Series

Part 1: Radical Forgiveness Begins with a Prayer (July 7, 2017)

Part 2: Radical Forgiveness is Loving Obedience to God (July 15, 2017)

Part 3: Radical Forgiveness Frees Innocent Victims (July 24, 2017)

Part 4: Radical Forgiveness is Possible (August 5, 2017)

Part 5: Radical Forgiveness Diminishes the Power of Hate (August 14, 2017)

Part 6: Radical Forgiveness Requires Us to Accept God’s Forgiveness First (August 23, 2017)

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