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A Year in the Spiritual Life... Discover Your Purpose

A Year in the Spiritual Life... Discover Your Purpose: September 2012

Saturday

Praise Dance 101

I Hope You Dance


I always wanted to dance. I never did.

The closest I ever came was as a 13 year old girl, when Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" came out, I was moved to choreograph what I thought was a stirring display of teenage angst. I invited my parents (via a note slid under their bedroom door) to come at seven in the evening to watch my performance.

My disappointment was profound when they did not show. Yet, the show must go on, and that silly, over emotional, and highly dramatic 13 year old version of me danced anyway. The summer night was hot, and the fireflies were the only audience to my one lyrical expression of emotion.

My friends (some of whom are dancers) have never laughed so hard as when I told them of my angst and my performance that summer night so long ago. Mostly because I was so naive that I did not even realize the song was about teen pregnancy and not about having a deacon dad who held a high standard of behavior for his family.

So I am drawn to all things dance.

"Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp" Psalms 149:3



This video really ministered to me earlier today and I could not get it out of my mind. I love when God uses the talents He gives to His children to bring encouragement to the body and witness to the lost. "This is My Story" is one of my favorite hymns.

No matter your past, your story can end in praise. God wants to be your peace, He has plans for you, and they are yes and amen.

"This is my story, this is my song. Praising my Savior all the day long."

He is worthy of our praise. He is worthy of our trust, and hope and love and gratitude. He is worthy of my Praise.

Join the Conversation: 


Do you have a crazy embarrassing childhood story to share? Leave a comment now.


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Friday

Not Made for a Cookie-Cutter Life

Photo Credit: (c) Mikella Hammonds

What's Next? 

“So what are your plans now that you have graduated?”

I get this question a lot, and I dread it every time because my answer is always the same...I don’t know.

I pray often about God’s will for my life, asking Him to lead me down the right path.

What is your “right path”? Do you know what it is? Are you on it, or do you feel like you mistakenly passed it up?

Sometimes, I feel as if I’m not on a path, like I’m lost in the woods. At times, it feels as if everyone else has moved on to their next phase in life, and I’m still stuck in the same place.

Are you feeling the same way? Read Jeremiah 29:11. This is my favorite verse especially right now considering the season of life I am in.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

God has Plans for Me. 


I may not know what they are yet, but I just have to trust that my life, my dreams, and my future are safe in His hands. This applies to you as well. He has a specific plan for every single person, and it’s not what some would call a “cookie-cutter” plan. It’s personal.

It fits you and no one else.

This is something that I have to keep in mind when I feel pressured to do what everyone else is doing.

The world says that in order to be successful, you have to go to college, get a career that brings in lots of money so that, one day, you will have enough to retire and live out the rest of your days worry-free. This is that “cookie-cutter” plan I was talking about.

By no means am I saying that any of those things are bad, but I don’t believe that God intended for everyone to follow the same path.

Living With The Pressure of the Unknown.


Because I just graduated high school, I feel a lot of pressure to go to college.

However, I have never felt a major draw towards college. I often pray “God, where do you want me? What is the next step?”

I considered a number of different options, but none of them seemed quite right. So, I decided to stay at home for a little longer, work a job, save up some money, and continue to pray about it.

Of course, there are times when it worries me that I don’t have a clear plan in my near future; and I’m definitely not going to sit around and wait for that plan to come to me.

I will continue to seek it as I seek the Lord. Though it is a trying season of life, I know it is a growing one as well.

It Comes Down To Trust.


Sure, I have had my moments. I've cried, gotten angry and frustrated, felt confused and alone; but, still, I remember that God has a perfect plan for my life.

I also try to remember that God’s timing is not my timing.....at all.

I am the type of person that likes to know what I am getting into before I get to it. I like to be prepared, and I’m not that fond of surprises. So this season I am in is a stretch for me. I just continue to trust and pray.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” 

So, if you are in a season where you are not sure what to do next or your life’s purpose seems unclear, just trust Him. Pray continually, and never stop seeking God’s will for your life because He always knows what’s best.

Join the Conversation: 

Do you know what your God-given purpose is yet, or are you still trying to figure it out?

Meet Our Guest

Eighteen year old Mikella Hammonds was home schooled and recently graduated in the Spring of 2012. As a pastor’s kid (PK for those in the know) she grew up actively involved in the church. Her favorite things are photography, singing, shopping, and playing the piano. Like any teenager, she also loves hanging out with her friends. She is the eldest of four children and all around amazing kid. (Don't tell her I said that!) 

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Wednesday

Who Will You Impact?

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Discipleship? What is it? 


Tutoring, mentoring in your field, pushing, being a sounding board, reflecting Jesus. Pointing back to Him and His ways... teaching, supporting, raising up, training, cheering....

These are some of the things it means to disciple. It does not have to look like full time "ministry", it does not have to look like daily or weekly devotionals, or bible studies with friends. 

It can be quiet moments of prayer together. It can be as simple as listening to someone's story, or meeting a simple need. When we live by example we are teaching and discipling those around us. 

All that we read about Jesus in the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) is about the things He did that were "big". He bucked the old religious folk. He healed the blind, the leper, the crippled, and the lame. He ministered to prostitutes and tax collectors. He raised the dead back to life. These were the big moments. 

But there are some moments we will never know about. Moments when Jesus and the twelve were walking miles from town to town. The time when they talked freely about the word, the world, family, friends, relationships, and faith. These moments were when real discipleship happened. 



"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book. " John 20:30



There are moments like this in my life I can always point back to. Moments when other people spoke into my life, or taught me something that has stayed with me through the years. 

When Mr.Chaney, my 9th grade English Lit substitute  said "I think you have talent, and can learn to write." 

When Ms. Coleman, invested her days off to pick me up just to get me out of the house and show what it meant to care. 

People stopping to say "you can" even when everyone else, including myself, said there was no way. 


The Impact of Discipleship 


Giving time, teaching, encouraging, loving people and serving them changes the world two people at a time. It changes them, and it changes you. 

God's heart has always been us. When we love God, a natural progression of His presence in our lives is that we begin to love people. That is why discipleship is so important. It shows that love in a tangible way. It  makes the love of God easier to understand. 

This is why blogs like Michael Hyatt's and Jeff Goins' are so popular: because they disciple. Both men are natural leaders and have taken the time to remember it is not about what they can get from people via the world wide web, but about what they can give that matters. 


We all have a purpose. We all have a calling. Whether that purpose is to sing to millions or build the best buildings in the world, use your talent to disciple someone. You will be better for it. 


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Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!

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Join the Conversation 

Who influences you? 

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Tuesday

Find Your Inner Creative

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

A Crafty Situation 

I remember watching my childhood babysitter's son, Bryan, whittle away at wood for hours. He always carried a knife and a piece of wood in his hand. I was fascinated by the rhythmic slicing and the meticulous nature of wood carving. 

I have shared with you before that I like to sculpt. Perhaps some of my fascination can be traced back to watching Bryan hone his craft. 

Creativity is something we all admire in some form or another. We admire musicians, actors, writers, and artists. Sometimes though, we forget we were made to be creative too. 

We need to remember that God designed the universes and all that is in them: from the largest star to the smallest micro-organism, then He made you and I in His image. No wonder we aspire to be creative. 

If you are anything like me, you often may not feel very creative. You may in fact think you are not creative at all. 

I have been known to say "I don't craft." While that may be true, that is not the only outlet of creativity I have. It is only one I admire because I am not good at it. 

Have you felt the same? Have you thought "I am not a creative person"? 


This is not true. If you find a new way to clean up stains on your carpet, you are being creative. If you write a poem, or short story, you are being creative. If you are good at creating seating arrangements for church banquets you are being creative. If you are balancing a budget for your family and trying to meet all the bills, save money and create moments of recreation for your loved ones, I guarantee there has been some creativity used there. 

Sometimes we discount our own creativity because we are too busy comparing it to others'. We should not do this. It discounts God's purpose in you and it puts you down as His kid. If you believe you are not something God says you are (remember: made in His image) then you are choosing to believe a lie. 

That has the enemy written all over it. Choose instead to remember this: You have something to give. Everyone does.  

I was reading Exodus 35 just a few minutes ago, and I saw something amazing I want to share with you. This passage is about creating the dwelling for God: the tent Solomon's temple would be based on hundreds of years later. 

"All of you who are skilled in crafts should come forward and make everything that the Lord has commanded: the dwelling, its tent and its covering, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its posts, and its bases, the chest with its poles and its cover, the veil for a screen, the table with its poles and all its equipment, the bread of the presence, the lampstand for light with its equipment and its lamps, the oil for the light, the incense altar with its poles, the anointing oil and the sweet-smelling incense, the entrance screen for the dwelling’s entrance, the altar for entirely burned offerings with its copper grate, its poles, and all its equipment, the washbasin with its stand, the courtyard’s drapes, its posts, and its bases, and the screen for the courtyard gate, the dwelling’s tent pegs and the courtyard’s tent pegs, and their cords, the woven clothing for ministering in the sanctuary, and the holy clothes for Aaron the priest and his sons for their service as priests. The whole Israelite community left Moses: everyone who was excited and eager to participate brought the Lord’s gift offerings to be used for building the meeting tent and all its furnishings and for the holy clothes. Both men and women came forward. Everyone who was eager to participate..." Exodus 35:10-22a (CEB) 

Find Your Inner Creative


Not everyone has the same gifts and talents. The people who made the tent were probably not the same ones who carved the beautiful wood work, or sewed the priest's garments. 

We are all uniquely designed and uniquely gifted. But every single one of us has something to offer God. Whether it is filling up the washbasin, or weaving fine clothe, the people were eager to do even the little things with a good heart and with excellence because they were doing it for God. 

There is creative juice flowing in you. You just have to find it. Once you do you only have to answer one question. Now what will you do with it? 

Subscribe!

Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!

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Join the Conversation: 

How do you express your creative side? (Leave a comment below) 
 


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Monday

Follow the Leader

Original Photo:CC. Edits by Dayna Bickham

"You're Doing it Wrong!" 


Remember the playground game "Follow the Leader"? 

I do. I always wanted to be the leader. I did not like following. I was strong willed and always thought I knew best. My favorite phrase was "You're doing it wrong!" I was not a gracious child....

How upside down and inside out Jesus turned my world. Now I follow Him, trying to be exactly like Him, and somehow, I am always falling short. 

The good news is His grace covers the gaps. 

Trust Issues


My need to control, to be the leader, points out a very real issue I have had to deal with many times and in many ways: trust. 

When we do not trust, we fear. There is no way around it. Trust and fear are opposites. I do not want to be ruled by fear. I have had enough of the dark days of "what if" and "Oh no". I want to live in the light. I want to be free to completely trust that if I obey God's voice, then He will never let me down. 

So when God prompts you to go speak to someone, will you obey? What if He tells you to give your last dollar to the woman who lives under the overpass, would you do it? What if He told you that person was not "the one" for you, would you walk away? 

God wants our whole life, not just a part of our lives. He wants our whole heart, not just a piece on Sundays. 

"For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Deuteronomy 4:24

This jealousy is not just about God controlling everything. This jealousy is about relationship. God wants you to trust Him with every part of you. Your heart. Your body. Your finances. Your future. Your past. Your hopes. Your dreams. Everything! 

Before Fear Comes Intimidation


Bullies on the playground are not really feared until after they have done a little intimidation. The intimidation factor is an important component to any enemy's strategy. Too little and they will not achieve the desired effect. Too much intimidation and it may cause the powers that be to notice and take action. 

Isn't this exactly how our enemy deals with us when it comes to obedience to the Lord? He brings the intimidation factor and we fold under the pressure and do not obey. 


"If you do that, people will think you are weird!"  
"If you give your last dollar, what will you do later?"

"If you do not hold on to this guy, no one will ever love you again!" 

This internal dialogue happens all the time. Even Jesus had it. What do you think His time in the desert was
He battled with the enemy and He won. Because He trusted what God said in His word, and because He knew, that like any bully, Satan is powerless in the face of truth and courage

Before Trust Comes Surrender

Surrender. Abandon. Total trust. These words and phrases are easy enough concepts to understand, but difficult to live out. Why? Because our free will gets in the way. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, what "broke" was more than a way to fellowship with God, even more than sin. The fall broke our focus. We no longer look to God as our source for everything. Now we look to ourselves. This creates it's own set of issues. 

We can never be the solution to our problems because we are our problem. 

We have to give up our selves. Turn ourselves "in" to God and surrender our rights, our will, our emotions, our fear, our heartache, our hopes, our fears, all of it. Without total surrender there cannot be total trust. 

As I wrap up this post I want to remind you of the "trust fall". If you have not seen this done, a person turns their back to another, then falls with complete abandon backwards, trusting that the person behind them will catch them. 

Jesus has us. He will not forsake us




Subscribe!


Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!

Join the Conversation:

Have you ever done a trust fall with friends or coworkers? Share your story below. Click on "Leave a Comment" or "Add a Comment".

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Saturday

The Power of Words

Photo Credit: Dayna Bickham CC License 

In the beginning...God said...and there was....

Words.

They have the ability to create and the ability to destroy. They are powerful. This is one way we are like God: our words form our world.

Words also have the amazing ability to linger. They can linger like a sweet perfume if they are positive, or linger like an offensive flatulence.

"You're not good enough." 

"You'll never make it." 

"You won't amount to much." 

"You're not special." 

Words grip our heart, and if we take them in, and do not call them what they are then we open ourselves up to the destruction they bring.

These kinds of words destroy our identity, they destroy our confidence, they kill our hope. They rob us of our future.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy..." John 10:10a

Words like these are the darts of our enemy: fiery and sharp, they are meant to wound, maim; even to kill.

How do we counteract these words? How do we avoid the darts and the farts?

1. We say what God says about us.
2. We pray for our eyes to see what God sees.
3. We actively build our faith. (Faith as a shield: it can withstand any dart)

Do you know the second part of the verse from above?

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10b

Through Jesus you can have life. You can have joy. There is no reason to live under the weight of those destructive words anymore!

So now, I want to challenge you. Women, take a pen. Write it down. You are who God says you are.  Now begin to say this anytime you "hear" those words that have hurt you, that the enemy uses to destroy you.

"I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am designed and unique. i am chosen. I have a purpose. I am full of life. Living waters flow out of my belly. I am beautiful. I am a child of the King!" 

I wrote mine down: on my body. It will wash off in a few hours. But I am reclaiming some the territory that Satan has claimed as his, and I am not letting him win any longer.

I am also praying this prayer, won't you join me?

Father, let my words and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You. Let me see myself as You see me, and forgive me for beating up on Your child, and letting the enemy do the same. I will take Your side from now on. I will say what You say. I will chose to believe what You say concerning me. When I struggle, when I fail, bring me back in line with You once again. Give me a soft heart and a firm faith. In the name of Jesus! Amen. 



Subscribe!


Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!


Join the Conversation:

What words did you write down? Leave at least one of the words in the comments below. 

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Thursday

Moved by God

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

An Epiphany 

Writing for me is more than a job, or a hobby. It is an expression of who I am, and my heart. I often wonder, and sometimes lament here, if there is any point to what I do.

Then last night I got to chat with a friend, She has been through some extraordinary stuff. Born and raised a Texas girl, God uprooted her and her family last year and sent them to the hills of Virginia. There was no beach in sight, the closest stores were thirty minutes away, and the culture was completely different. Her journey was filled with plenty of "Huh?" moments, but as she began to trust God and really give into obedience, God began to move in some really amazing ways.

Now, after about a year there, and really settling in, God is moving them back to Texas. Her friends here in Texas could not be more excited, but there is sadness in Virginia. Her friends there will miss her and her family. Together with her husband she ministered to the youth and they will be missed most decidedly there.

When I heard about this last night the first thing I thought of was Paul. The Apostle Paul went to other  churches, and stayed for a year or two at a time.Then he would leave. That is what happened with my friend.

Now this church in Virginia has experienced real love and relationship. They have experienced an awakening and walls have come down that they did not even know were there because of my friend and her family. Now, as the church moves forward it will be with the understanding that there is more to be had in their lives with Christ, and they are hungry enough to begin to search and grow on their own.

Most of the New Testament is made up of Paul's letters. After I signed off talking to my friend, I began to think about what I do. These are my letters. I am not saying I am equal to Paul, but I am similar. I may not be chained in the natural to a soldier, but my heart is chained to this blog. I feel constrained if I do not write, even when I do not know what to write.

  It is what God has called me to, and I need to stop doubting it

As more and more people read my words around the world, I see this as an opportunity to spread the Gospel, to minister to the broken and to set free the captive hearts. Just as surely as I know that God has a call on your life, I know that He has a call on mine.

So I will write. I will also pray. I will pray for you to gain confidence in God and who He designed you to be. I will pray that you would begin to grow in compassion and love for people because that is the only reason God does anything in our lives: He loves people. I will pray that He will grab you by the belt like Peter and begin to lead you where He wants you to go, and  like my friend, you will obey even in the "Huh?" moments.

May God bless you above all you can ask or think, may He love you in a way that is as unique as you are and may your heart be soft enough to receive it.

Subscribe!

Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!

Join the Conversation: 


Have you ever had a "move" or change in your life that changed everything?



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Wednesday

Stopping Identity Theft

Angela's* Story 

She is single, and a mom of two girls. She has struggled, but always managed to put food on the table, and clothes on her children's backs. But she wants more.

Angela wants to be a nurse. Under-educated and in her 30's, she faces some real challenges before achieving her goal of nursing. She has to pass an ACT and go back to school. These daunting tasks are not insurmountable, but she feels unequal to them.

So she sought help. She got a tutor. A friend who writes every day to help her with the things she struggles with: the English portion of the ACT.

Last night, after an hour and a half session, she sat at my table, defeated before we have really begun. I heard her thoughts almost as loudly as my own, because they were written on her face. She did not believe in herself, and she felt her dream was unreachable.

She heard "NO!"

God wanted her to hear "Yes!" 


I began to remind her that God does not give us a spirit of fear (or defeat) but one of power, love and a sound mind. I felt compelled to tell her about who she was, God's kid, and NO ONE can beat up on God's kid. Not even her. I reminded her that God made her unique and for a purpose. She wanted to be a nurse because her purpose, her "yes" in God was to lay hands on the sick and to see them comforted and recovered! There was more said, but it was for her alone.

Tears streamed down her beautiful face, as she took in the love God was pouring out on her in that moment. She was hearing Him say "Yes".

Too often we let the world, the enemy, well meaning friends, and even family tell us who we are. This is where we miss it. We let someone steal our identity in Christ. 

Only God, through a relationship with Christ, can tell you who you are, what your purpose is, and what your "Yes" in Him means. When we let others tell us differently, we let the enemy steal who we are: our very identities. The thief has to be stopped!

Today we cover the last two chapters of The Gospel of Yes by Pastor Mike Glenn. This book has been an amazing tool for me, and I hope for you. If you have not read this book, it's okay, but if you want, you can get it here. (affiliate link) We have been blogging through this book together, chapter by chapter. (Links to other posts will be at the end of this one for you to read through if you want.)

The Final Chapters

Mike Glenn saved the best for last. In the last two chapters of this book, Mike explores who we are designed to be: the unique aspect of every individual and what that means to the body of Christ.

I was so excited to see that I am not alone in feeling like a bit of an oddball, I mean unique (different) person. I was made for a purpose, designed from the start, and God has not changed His mind just because I am different. He uses my differences to expose another aspect of Himself to the world.

"Like a little piece of glass in a stained-glass window, I reflect and refract light from God's glory in a way that nobody else can." Mike Glenn, The Gospel of Yes page 187

You are unique. You have been designed from the start. Life may have been unkind, you may have lost your way, or perhaps, you have always followed Christ, but just do not know where to go from here. All of these things are okay. Do you know why?

Because we have a promise from God that He will never forsake us, we can be confident that He will bring us to a good, acceptable, and even a perfect end.

I want to remind you, that while I may never know you, God knows you. He sees you where you are, He loves you more than anything, and He has plans for you.

Join the Conversation:


Has there ever been a moment in your life when you felt your differences were not a good thing? Can you share 1 way you see God changing that for you? Leave a comment below. (Just click on "Add Comment")



Blogging Through the Book is a group of bloggers who literally blog while reading the book. It’s different than merely reading a book and posting a review. We have a chance to read and share our thoughts in our community. Click HEREto find out about other blogger's perspectives on these chapters and join the discussion!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


If you liked this post, try these too!

Blogging Through the Book: The Gospel of Yes
The Zone
Do You Hear "No" When God says "Yes"? 
Can God Use You? 
A Mess in a Dress: Getting Past Your Past
Discovering the Yes of Your Purpose
Find Your Calling
The Inconvenient Truth of God's Yes



Subscribe!


Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!

* Angela's name has been changed out of respect for her privacy. The story is true. 

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Tuesday

Worship is More than A Song




Worship is more than a song....

I do not know about you, but this song floors me. I am moved beyond words when I hear it. My heart is pricked and I find  myself examining my motives.

I need to get back to the heart of worship before my Father. Circumcise my heart O Lord. Make me more like you. I am so sorry I ever put anything before You. Search me O Lord, know me, and show me Your ways.

Join the Conversation: What is your favorite song/video right now? 

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Monday

Hurry Up and Wait!

"All Aboard! " Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Where to From Here? 

This life is a journey and sometimes it feels like there is no map. We jump on a train that will take us to "The Future" and begin barreling toward it. Sometimes we have a destination in mind. Sometimes we know our calling.

Other times we stand on the edge of one season of our lives looking forward to the next leg of our journey and suddenly we realize we do not know where to go from here.

Without a map to guide us, we can feel lost. Some make it up as they go. Some take it as a sign that they need to "find themselves". Others move ahead determined to do something, anything, as long as it seems to be going forward.

Sometimes though, the best next thing to do is wait.

Waiting Takes Understanding


Last night I attended an event that celebrated young girls who have achieved wonderful things. These girls have read the Bible through, memorized large portions of scripture, been taught how to lead someone to the Lord, and developed overall as young women who will one day lead in the body of Christ.

They have given their heart to Jesus, let Him shape their world, and are finding out His purpose for their life.

They ranged in age from 11 to 18 and each have a wonderful future ahead of them. How do I know? Because the word of God says so.


God has plans for them and He has plans for you. You may not realize what they are yet. Do not lose heart. Do not forget whose child you are. God does not leave the righteous forsaken, or His kids begging for the scraps at the table of life. He gives abundantly more than you can ask, or even think.

Waiting is a word that I love. It has so many meanings. It can mean passing time in anticipation of a coming event or happening, and it can mean serving another (as a waiter does). It can mean "to be in a state of readiness", a delayed event or it can mean to look forward eagerly.  Combining these meanings is the greatest fulfillment of that word and I believe where we will derive the greatest satisfaction in life, no matter what season we are in.

When we wait for direction from the Lord, fully anticipating that He does have good things planned for us, and we wait on others (serve) while we are passing time waiting for our "next steps", and look forward in readiness to a delayed event (our future)  a wonderful thing seems to happen: our future finds us.

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. " Romans 8:28 NKJV
He is already at work on your behalf. God cares about you and He wants to use you. You have a purpose and a greater meaning than even you know.

So put your hand to the plow! Find a way to serve God by serving others and just continue to seek Him and Love Him with everything you are. As you serve and love God, and serve and love people you will find what you are looking for. With God, all things are possible.

Right now you are being prepared. So make your heart and you neck soft before God, Bow to what He says. Surrender to His guidance and you will have your way made clear.

Join the Conversation 

 I am not the most patient person. I am once again preaching to myself. Do you find it difficult to remain patient too? Share with us your ideas on waiting and patience. Leave a comment below.

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Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!

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Saturday

The Procrastination Dance

Let the Whining Begin! 

I have so much to do. It is practically the same exact list I started out with when I began this week. You see, I have a very bad habit.

I procrastinate.

There are times when, in my head, I justify the waiting.

I don't feel good. (That excuse is always handy.)

I can get to it later. (It isn't going anywhere!)

I don't want to get stressed out right now, and ______ always makes me stressed out.

I need help. (This is a great one for when no one else is around!)

As a matter of fact I think I have used every single one of these tactics (IE. excuses) this week. Here it is Saturday, with a full day of ministry and services tomorrow, and I still have tons of stuff to do. My piles begin to turn into mountains and soon my life looks like this:

My desk as I write this.... do not judge me....lol.

(That isn't dirt all over the keyboard tray, it is just very old and worn down particle board.) 

This is why I want to redo my room. So I can have a new desk, bright colors on the walls, and some organization. I do not know if this inspires you today to clean your own mess, but it inspires me to get busy! 

Enough excuses. Time to get on with the chores! 

I know, I know. That word is the most dreaded word in my house. It makes my kids cringe and my husband break out into a cold sweat. Chores are no fun, but they need doing. They have needed doing for a while. See? Pro-cras-tin-a-tion! 

I need to break up with procrastination. We have been dancing too long. I have put it off and put it off, but no more. I will clean. 

As soon as I post this, and take a nap. It is Saturday after all. 

Join the conversation: 


Do you tackle chores right away or do you tend to procrastinate? Do you have any hints to help get my act together? 

Share your comments below. 


Subscribe! 


Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!


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Thursday

Here Lies Dayna Bickham

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

I have a problem. 

My problem is the same no matter where I go. Sometimes my problem is loud, ugly, and gets lots of attention. Sometimes, if I am really working at it, my problem is not as noticeable. It quiets down, does not seem to be more of a problem than anyone else may have. Sometimes, it is all I see, and sometimes it gets in the way of my pursuit of God. 

My problem is me. 

One of my favorite scriptures is John 3:30 (Read it here in context



"He must increase, but I must decrease."

It is a scripture that reminds me that it is not all about me. Jesus is the way God saved me. He is the culmination of God's love made manifest on the earth and glorified before His Father. 

He now lives in me. 

He is the one that needs to increase and I must decrease. It is not how much I can do, but how I can obey so Christ is seen in me. It is not about my talent, but about using what I can to show God's love and mercy and glory off to others. 

I wrote yesterday, "I have been pious".  What I should have written is "I have been self-absorbed". 


Aren't We All?

Part of the human condition is to look at ourselves. Don't believe me? Let's look at Adam and Eve after the fall. They looked at themselves and discovered they were naked. They were so ashamed of it that they clothed themselves. For the first time their focus was not on God, or the task He had given them, but on themselves and on each other. 

When a baby is discovering the world, he does so through the filter of "me". As he waves little arms and legs around, reaching for mobiles and bottles, he begins to differentiate between "me" (his hands) and not "me" (bottle). We are conditioned from birth this way. 

That is why Jesus said this: 
 
"If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also]." (Amp

The Challenge 

This is possibly THE hardest lesson I have to learn. Probably because every time I want to say "I get it" something else comes up that proves I have not. So I have devised a challenge. We have done it before. It is pretty simple, but worth revisiting. Write your "self" obituary. 

The key to a good self obituary is to be honest. Kill all your little "me's". In another post I wrote it this way: 

"The point is to have a definitive moment where you choose obedience to Christ over yourself. Let obedience kill you. Let God resurrect a new you and a new life in Him."


The second thing is this: hold yourself accountable to do what you say you will do. There is power in writing things down, but there is equal power in speaking it out. Share with someone, anyone, that you plan on murdering your "me's" and let them read your self obit. This will prompt you to work harder when you fall into habits that take the focus off of God and back onto yourself.

Here Lies...  

As always I will go first. Do not leave me hanging. Be sure to add your obit to the comments section. Then we can be in the "grave" together and pray for each other as we strive to decrease as Christ increases.

Here lies Dayna Bickham. 

She has been here before. She said she laid it all down. Then she slowly and surely began to get back up again to do life on her own. She thought she was doing life right. She attended church and even prayed. Yet, somewhere along the way it became about her. 

So today, we bury her again.

Today she leaves behind her old self: the one who cared little to nothing for others, who always needed to be admired, feared, and knew better than everyone.

Today she dies by a thousand little cuts of self-inflicted wounds because today she crucifies her flesh, she lays down her “self” and she takes up the cross.

She surrenders her pride, her reputation, and her hard demeanor. She lays it all on the line, she lays it all at the feet of Jesus. She lets go of her frustrations and her heartaches and she grabs a hold of God's peace and justice instead.

She surrenders her hurt. She surrenders her insecurities. She surrenders her rights.

Today she stops wondering what she has to offer, and instead offers what she is: an earthen vessel, created by a Master Potter. 


To be used in what ever way He sees fit. 

Here lies Dayna Bickham. Resurrected into a new life as a new creature. Old things (her old self) have passed away. Behold, all things are becoming new

Join the Conversation: 



Your turn. Won't you take a few minutes now to write and share your "self" obit? Come on, you can do it. Kill your "me's". Leave your obit below in the comments.

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Wednesday

The Inconvenient Truth of God's Yes

My Struggle...

The moments of God's loudest yes for me seem to always be in my weakest moments of no for myself.

I don't think I can, He says Yes, I made a way.

I say no one will listen, He says Yes, I am paying attention.

I say I want to give up, He says I called you out of the darkness into the light, now MOVE FORWARD.

I cannot tell you how many times, in the last week alone, I have doubted myself. I have questioned my calling. I have struggled with my purpose. Ironic? Maybe. Human? Absolutely.

As I have read The Gospel of Yes by Mike Glenn, I have warred with my ideas of self worth, calling, purpose, and relationships. I have been challenged on every level. Chapters 11 and 12 have been no different.

I hope you have been reading along. That is what Blogging through the Book is about. Yet, if you have not, I hope what you read here resonates with you. (By the way, you can get the book by visiting my Discover Shopping page or by visiting Amazon.com - an affiliate link.)

There are two things I want to touch on today.

The first is marriage. 


As I read these chapters I found my self agreeing with large sections of text. I once foolishly believed that loving another person meant you found your other half. I found that after entering a marriage under this assumption left me feeling more lonely than before I married. Why? Because when  you are wounded, another wounded person cannot make you whole.

Instead, when we are whole, when we are in Christ, living our yes, we can fully live out our lives with freedom. Knowing that the person we are married to is responsible for their lives and we are there to partner with them as they pursue God's yes, just as they are there as we pursue our yes in God. This creates a need-free environment.

What do I mean? I mean that instead of looking to another flawed human for your needs, you can look to The Source for all your needs. God's grace is sufficient. He supplies all you need. No other human can do that.

Marriage is a beautiful and Godly thing. It is also meant to edify and not drain us. If your marriage is not edifying you, then you may not be living your "yes" in God. You may be looking to the wrong source for your happiness. It will never be that person you lay next to at night. Your yes can only be found in God.

When we are freely and completely invested in God's yes for our lives, it becomes easy to let go and stop trying to control our spouses. It gets easier to forgive their shortcomings because we see God's yes for them active in their lives just as it is active in ours. By finding our yes, we are free to be happy independently of our spouse, yet made one in God (this is the mystery Paul spoke of concerning marriage). Now we can look to our spouses for companionship and encouragement, not spiritual sustenance and emotional anchoring.

There is a phrase that I have heard bandied about in the church: "Hurting people hurt people". This is often true.  Yet, what if we turned that around? "Whole people love people wholly."

This would change the very nature of every relationship we have. Our spousal relationships, our parental relationships, and even our peer relationships would experience an overhaul.

This brings me to my second point.

How should we interact with our world?


I cannot speak for you. I can only speak for myself. Here I have failed. I have isolated myself in my own comfort. I sit behind my computer in my comfortable chair in my comfortably air conditioned house and I ask for God to soften my heart toward the world.

I have been pious and I have been weak.

I am not saying that we should sell all and live in huts to prove we love Jesus. I am saying that laying down our lives to follow Him should not be convenient. It is not convenient. I can not live a life of convenience if I am going to live out my Yes in God.

For me, it means that moments of stretching and discomfort in my life should occur regularly. I should come to the end of me more often than I should want to because I am pouring into other people's lives. This is what God means when He calls us His vessels. We are meant to be filled with His love, His yes, to pour out into the hurting around us. Until we are emptied and need to be filled again.

Living life that way sounds exhausting doesn't it? It also sounds like the heart of my Father. He poured out all He had in His son. His heart hung on a tree. Blanketed by the sin of the world until it was so dark it nearly rent the universe in two. He literally had to turn his face away from the very creation He sustained. His love put everything on the line. For me. For you. For the world.

How can I do any less?

Today, I will rest in Him, get filled as much as I can by His presence and then pour myself into serving. Into giving. I will empty myself into others. It may be into my children, it may be into my neighbor, but I will hold nothing back. I will love the way I am loved. I will love with God's Yes.

Join the Conversation: 


Have you ever felt stretched beyond your limits by something God asked you to do? Can you share what you learned in that experience? Leave a comment below.


Blogging Through the Book is a group of bloggers who literally blog while reading the book. It’s different than merely reading a book and posting a review. We have a chance to read and share our thoughts in our community. Click HERE to find out about other blogger's perspectives on these chapters and join the discussion!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Tuesday

True Confessions of a Christian Blogger

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Let's Get Real

In the moments when I feel undone, when I am at the end of my self and feel unable to give anything else, I learn that God’s grace is truly sufficient.

By writing almost every day I have learned more of what I do believe and what I have yet to learn. I have reached the end of “me” many times since starting this blog. Every time that has happened, God has honored His word, and His grace was enough.

Writing is not glamorous. Sometimes, it isn’t even fun. Yet, when I do not write I feel like I have missed something; like dreaming you have no pants on at work, which is just weird.

The last nine months have stretched me like never before. I have worried about comma splices and I have worried about hacking up the Word. I have worked out my faith in front of you and I have struggled. I have shown you the world’s most unflattering picture of myself on this blog and I have been raw and open about my past and about my present.

Soon the year will be up. I have only a few more months to share with you and I wonder if I should continue doing this beyond that time.

I have written about marriage issues in the church, how to set priorities, finding your purpose, following your dreams, and my everyday foibles. Some posts have gotten wonderful responses, and some things have barely registered.

I have never “gone viral” but I have typed away while battling a virus. I have gotten up at five a.m. and I have prayed over this endeavor many times.

Now, I am sick of “I”.


How do I write stories that are effective? How do I reach more people? Should I keep doing more of the same or should I stop when the year is up?

When I read Jon Acuff’s Quitter I burned from within to get to the “next” thing. Then I read You are a Writer by Jeff Goins and I knew I am a writer, and this is what I was called to do. Next came Michael Hyatt and Platform. I began to focus on building an audience, on gathering a following, on publishing my name.

I am sorry. 

I am not enough. I never was and never will be. I am not the solution to any problem; I am not some all-knowing swami, and I am not some big time minister: I am just me, Dayna.

I struggle with my temper and my kids have their own set of issues and rebellions. I struggle with maintaining friendships and over the course of the last nine months I feel like I have turned into a whiney baby. You have been there through it all. Thanks for that.

If you have gotten anything out of this blog, and I hope you have, I want you to know, it has very little to do with me and everything to do with my Father.

He gave me a gift. I have struggled to use it correctly. He has given me favor where I deserved none. He has given me ideas when my mind was bogged down by emotional clutter.

Ultimately, He will be the one that says keep going forward or stop. For now, we have three more months together, and I will keep plugging away to bring you content that hopefully speaks to you.


Join the Conversation


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Monday

Three Steps to Overcome Your Bad Mood

Grumpy "This is my happy face!" Disney Creative Commons

Nerd Alert!

Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this son of York; And all the clouds that low'r'd upon our house In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. Richard The Third Act 1, scene 1, 1–4


I am a Shakespeare fan. I love plays and iambic pentameter aside, Shakespeare knew how to tell a story. In high school as a freshman and sophomore I was writing A-level papers for my Senior friends on Macbeth and Hamlet. 

Today I shared this little tidbit for a reason: the quote above is less about Shakespeare and more about me. Last  night, well, this whole weekend, I have been in a funk! I wanted to start of this post like this: 


"Now is the hour of my discontent..."  

What About You? 

Have you felt ever like that? Discontented? 

(Why do I have a vision of Horshack from Welcome Back Kotter in my head right now? Are you raising your hand?) 

God loves me even in my foul mood. This good news begins to stir up in me a hope and a light-ness that dispels even the darkest mood. 

Funny little things like an encouraging tweet from Joyce Meyer Ministries in the morning remind me that I can take anything, even my bad attitude to God. 

"@JoyceMeyer: It's pretty easy to get negative, downcast and looking at your circumstances. But God is our glory and the lifter of our heads! (Psalms 3:3)" 

There are times when I get in bad moods. Everyone gets them. Hormones, circumstances, kids, bills, you name it, there is a reason for a bad mood around any and every corner. We have to learn to move past the bad attitude and into the peace and joy of the Lord.

How do we do that? Well, here are three things that work for me.


1. Read the Word - John 1:1 says the "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Reading the Bible allows me to get closer to God because it is filled with Him. It is His Word. It may only be a chapter or two. I may not get everything there is to glean out of it, but it preps my head and my heart to begin to change back toward God and away from my bad attitude. 
2. Listen to great music. - I don't espouse listening to just anything. There is some great music out there, but music that focuses on God, that edifies is what I love. Praise and Worship Music. Music can remind us of our smallness and God's perfect brilliance. It is something that takes our focus off ourselves and puts it back where it belongs: on the Father! 

I love Spotify. (I am not getting paid to say so.) There is a free version (with commercials) and an upgradable version as well. Check it out here.  On this program you can send playlist to friends on your Facebook account or tweet out what you are listening to.

(Add me to your Facebook friends here, and I will send you a song I love if you message me from Spotify!)
3.Pray. - Sounds easier to say than to do sometimes. I know that when I feel "yucky" I don't think God particularly wants to hear about it, but I would be wrong!  Even King David, who God delighted in, was downcast a time or two. 

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." Psalms 42:5

God wants to hear from you. Just be real and honest. Tell Him what is on your heart and mind. He is the lifter of our heads!


Join the Conversation

What do you do to get out of a funk? Share your answer below. (it does not have to be a "spiritual" answer, just share what works for you!)


Subscribe! 

Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!


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Friday

The Power of Personality

Little Orphan Annie Columbia Pictures 1982 Creative Commons

"Why I Oughta!" 

She was spunky. Full of life, and oh so loyal. Little Orphan Annie (Columbia Pictures, 1982) was an icon of my childhood.

I loved that she never left a room without leaving people changed forever.

I love that she could break out into a fight or break out into song just as easily!

My childhood was filled with loud and off key renditions of "Tomorrow". I wanted a shaggy dog and a brood of orphans to lead.

When someone asked me, "who do you want to be when you grow up?" I answered "Annie!"

So here I am, all grown up...now what?

Reality Is...

If I had to measure my expectations to my reality I would fall short. I think we all do. No one can live up 100% to a childhood icon. However, if I take stock of my life and look at the core of who I am I can say I am a close match.

I too can break out into a fight or song with ease. I rarely enter a room and people don't notice. When I leave, eventually the quiet that follows announces I have left the room. Whether that is a good thing or not I cannot say!

My hope is that I have an impact that is positive and not negative on the people I encounter.

When God made me, I did not get curly ginger hair. Though, I am sad about that more than you know since so many in my family are gingers. (Maybe this is one reason I like Jeff Goins so much!)

I was however given a decent singing voice and a penchant for leadership. I am spunky and pretty loyal. I love people and I have been in tough times in my life too: just like Annie! These things in me identified with a fictional character who was brought to life on the big screen during the 1980s.

They are the same characteristics that drive me today. I have developed other areas of personality and character over the years, but the ones I admired as a child are still very active in my life. They are part of my design.

I am sharing this with you because I want to touch on something that isn't as spiritual as we normally talk about, and I think we miss out in the body all the time: personality.

Everyone Has One

Personality is as individual as a fingerprint. It is what makes you an individual distinguishable from all other humans. We all have the same physicality, but personality is first designed by God then developed throughout our life.

Sometimes circumstances or insecurities affect our personality. If we are naturally a more introverted person, then our quiet natures might be amplified by an insecurity or because you married an outgoing person you may just become even more quiet in the public moments.

If you are loud like me, you may feel like it was not a fun and successful night out with friends unless everyone talked and laughed at least once. If you find a shy person in the room, you may spend extra time talking to that person just to make everyone happy.

Regardless of your personality leanings, whether you fall at one extreme or another or sit comfortably somewhere in the middle, you were designed that way for a reason.

Paul covers this in 1 Corinthians.

 "If our bodies were only an eye, we couldn’t hear a thing. And if they were only an ear, we couldn’t smell a thing. But God has put all parts of our body together in the way that he decided is best. A body isn’t really a body, unless there is more than one part."

Be You

Be the person God designed you to be. Life may have kicked some dust up onto you, but that can be washed away. If you notice there seems to be something stuck or clinging to you that is not true to your design, then that can be refined out of you too. 

You, your laugh, your smile, your quirks, YOU were made you for a reason. Be the best "You" you can be and let God continually have way in your life. With God adding to what He already made you to be, there is no where you can't go and nothing you can't do! 

As a friend of mine says, "personality is required!" 


Join the Conversation


When you were a kid, did you strongly identify with a TV, movie or comic book character like I did? Who was it? 


Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!


Subscribe to our newsletter
  

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