BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

What’s the recipe for a successful new month of life? How do you rock this thing and make August count? What if I told you God has it clearly lined out for you in scripture? Yes, a clear plan for making August 2019 one of the best and most successful months of your life is right here in your bible. Listen closely, I’ll be reading from the Message translation, 1 Peter 1: 13-17. “So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready… Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves… doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.” There it is, your recipe for living well this month. First, 3 things: “Roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready.” This means, a successful month of life won’t just happen, you have to be willing to work for it. Are you willing to work for your BEST life? There are no short cuts. Stop spending your energy, time and money trying to find the cheat. Living BIG requires work. There’s no way around it. Take full responsibility for the work required here, roll up your sleeves and let’s do this! Set your mind now to becoming the person you were created to be. Get a vision of you at your best and refuse to settle for anything less than the journey to her. It won’t happen overnight, but be ready for the journey. Then it sassy “Don’t lazily slip back into those old groves of doing just what you feel like doing.” Oh, who has a groove of only doing what you feel like doing when you feel like doing it, and that groove has created a deep rut. Following our “feelings” gets us in deep trouble. Your feelings never lead you to the life you truly want. They lead you to little life living far short of what you were created for. The enemy plays in our feelings. The truth is we rarely feel like doing what we need to do, so how about you stop checking in on your feelings so darn much. How about this month you commit to being tough, doing what needs to be done, then checking to see how you feel about it after you’ve done gone and did it! Oh, there’s the ticket sister! Guess how you’ll feel after you did what needs to be done … awesome. And guess how you’ll feel 97% of the time before you do it … you totally won’t want to do it. So the key is, stop asking if you feel like doing the right thing, and just show up and do it! This scripture says, “you didn’t know any better then, you do now.” That’s great news. You don’t have to guilt yourself into change here. You can’t do better until you know better. And here you are girl, you know better now. Don’t live in regret and shame for how you spent precious years of your life making bad choices and digging that hole. You’re here today with a whole lot of experience now, knowing what doesn’t work. That’s a valuable tool for your journey. If you know it doesn’t work, let’s not do that anymore! Now that you know better, you can do better. YAY YOU! Here be in BIG Life we say “your life gets better when you do.” This month is about simply getting better. That’s all. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. As you get better, your life will get better too! Now that’s exciting! You are closer today to your potential. You are on the path to living the life God had in mind for you when he created you. Don’t slip back now. Don’t get lazy. Isn’t it crazy how quickly we will regress back to our old ways if we don’t continually push forwar...

Do you remember when this month of life all began? It was a fresh clean slate and you dared to believe this month could be different. This month could be BIG. This month you could change. And you were right. This month had all the potential to be BIG. You could change … but did you? Did you show up and do what you said you would do in July? Did you give your best effort? Are you proud of the life you lived? Here in BIG Life we say, prove yourself worthy of the life you were created for. Did you live up to that potential over the past 31 days? Here’s what I’ve found … we are each tested by two things. Of course there is the test of overwhelm. Everything’s happening at once. You’re busy, you’re scattered, you don’t know what to do first so you’re overwhelmed. That’s a test. And then there’s the opposite, but an equal test. Underwhelm. The overwhelm is easy to spot, and almost a badge of honor we wear, as if being busy is some kind of prestigious award signifying your value and importance. But the underwhelm goes unidentified, eating at us from the inside. We’re simply not impressed by life. No longer excited to wake up to a new day. Not expecting anything great and not bringing anything great. It’s all become unimpressive. We’re bored out of our minds by the monotony of the routine. And it’s a test. Today you are being tested. Some of us are better tested by overwhelm. Will you give in and will you give up when the going gets tough? While others are better tested by underwhelm. Will you settle into what is easy and never push to get more? Where are you being tested today? Recognize each test asks a question and the question is “how bad do you want it?” Through today’s challenge is the way to the next level. You want to graduate to the next level of living? You want to move on up in life? Pass this test. Prove you’re not giving up. Prove you’re not settling. Prove you’re no longer seeking easy. Prove YOU WANT IT BAD. What is it you want? You want the very life you were created for? You want to live up to the potential God has placed within you? You want to enjoy life to the fullest? You want to experience more and be more? You want it? Ahhhhh, how bad sister, how bad? It’s pretty darn easy to trust God when everything is going your way, but it’s tough to trust him when a job is lost. It’s tough to trust him when you don’t know where you’re going to get the money to make ends meet this month. It’s tough to trust God when someone you love walks out of your life. But these are tests. Will you endure? Will you be disciplined? Will you stay in the game? Will you refuse to grow bitter? Will you be faithful? Will you finish what you started? Or the flip side of the coin. While it’s easy to trust God when everything is going your way, it’s real easy to forget you need him. Will you trust God even when you don’t have to? When life is void of crisis, will you still seek him? When today is remarkably like yesterday so you already know the routine, will you stay in the game? When you could sit on the sidelines and no one would really miss you, will you still show up? Will God still see you giving your best when your best isn’t even being put to the test? What are you being tested in right now? Are you overwhelmed – or are you really just underwhelmed? What have you started that you need to finish this month? Yes, here we are the final day of July 2019, did you do what you said you would do? What could you do to finish well? In scripture the Corinthians had made a commitment and Paul wrote to them and reminded them of that commitment. 2 Corinthians 8:11 says, “Finish what you started, carry this project through to completion just as enthusiastically as you began it.”

Do you need God to come down like ASAP and get in the middle of your situation? Do you need him to show up and do something? Well, I know his call card. I know the guaranteed way to get his attention and move to action. Here it is … it is your praise. Psalm 22:3 says “You are holy, enthroned on praises” Enthroned on also means “dwelling in.” God is dwelling in our praises. Our praise of God causes him to come down in our midst and inhabit our praises. Your praise is like a magnet to God. He can’t resist your praise and worship of him. If you are seeking guidance, if you’re seeking answers, if you’re seeking healing, if you’re seeking a breakthrough, your answer is to praise him. You praise God with your offering of gratitude through word or song. What do you have to be grateful for today? Tell God about it! This is praise. And when you praise him, he comes down and dwells in your praise. And I know this for sure, when God is invited to front and center of your life like this, he starts making things happen. He just can’t help but move on your behalf. Your praise moves him to action. Yes, this is your answer today. Praise him. Offer your gratitude through word and song. Have you gotten into the habit of only talking to God when you need something? Do you only bow your head or hit your knees when there’s nothing else you can do? Hey, this isn’t a guilt trip. God will take your prayers any way he can get them, but what if the very reason you’re going through a crisis is because you wouldn’t come to him without it? Hey, I’ve been there. I’ve been brought to my knees because for one reason or another I was just too busy and distracted to do it without the crisis. Today, whether you feel you’re in desperate need of God’s guidance or not, won’t you praise him? Won’t you offer him your gratitude through word or song? He can’t resist your praise. Understand this, when you intentionally choose to praise God, you are breaking strongholds. The enemy works in your mind. He plays with your thoughts. The very things you are thinking come out of your mouth. When you fill your thoughts with gratitude for all God has done, is doing, and will do in your life, the enemy is pushed right out. When praise flows from your lips, the very things which have been holding you back are diminished. The work the enemy has been doing in your mind comes to a screeching halt and God’s power is unleashed. How? All through praise. Could it really be that simple? Why wouldn’t it be? Why wouldn’t God’s power be drawn to the one who is praising him? Why wouldn’t he want to come sit a while in your presence while you talk to him and sing to him? Why wouldn’t he draw close to his girl who is focusing on him instead of the storm? And I’ll tell you this, the bigger your storm, the more valuable your praise. Call God’s presence down into your storm today with your words and song of gratitude to him. If you don’t know any specific songs, I encourage you to search “Today’s Christian Hits” on Spotify, pick a playlist and let it play. Start there. Every bit of beauty your eyes fall upon, whisper a “thank you” to the one who created it and blessed you with it. Each time you do, you’re calling the Almighty’s presence down into this ordinary Tuesday. You don’t have to wait until Sunday to praise him. You don’t have to be in a church building, don’t you know God has just been waiting for an invitation to dwell in your house. Your praise is his invitation. The most powerful prayer you can pray in the middle of a crisis is a prayer of praise. Why? Because this shows your ultimate surrender and faith in your God. Your praise says “God,

I wonder how often we simply settle for far less than God has available to us? We settle for less than our best and less than His best. Where have you settled in your life? I’m talking about an area where you’re playing little when you were created for BIG. An area where you backed down when you should have stood up. An area where you opted for easy when the victory was yours if you would have fought for it. I wonder just how close you are today to your breakthrough, right now at this very moment. I wonder if today could be the last time you have to start over. I wonder if the very thing you’ve been seeking is just around the corner, but you’ve been too tired, too scared, too lazy, too busy, too distracted to round the corner. Oh, who am I talking to today? Somebody has been settling in life. You’ve talked yourself right into less. You’ve bargained with your own destiny because the daily walk wasn’t easy. We are tricked into settling by a masterful enemy who knows our weakness. He knows your fears. He knows your downfall. He knows your love of icecream and clearance racks, trash tv and compliments from men that smell good … that’s why they’ll show up today when you’re trying to practice willpower. The enemy’s desire is to make you ineffective and keep you living a little life. A little life far short of the BIG Life you were really created for. And here’s why … if you ever really, I mean really, stepped into the life you’re capable of living, every single life around you would be impacted. So if a bowl of icecream will shut you up and keep you in the corner feeling less than awesome about yourself, icecream will be all around you. If it’s a marathon of your favorite trash TV that will keep you on the couch, boom … there it is. If it’s a clearance rack that will cause you to spend more than you make and go further in debt, yip … it’s all on sale! If it’s a paycheck, then you’ll be offered a little raise in a job you were never supposed to be stuck in. Just a little something to make the walls of your comfort zone a bit taller and keep you stuck. Understand this, the enemy doesn’t care if you’re slim and trim. He has no concern over your health. Your finances are not his worry. Your marriage isn’t even on his radar. However, if the demise of any of these things will render you ineffective, then it’s game on for him. At your best, you’re a threat. This is why everything good in your life is threatened. This is why you are tempted. This is the cause of the ice cream, the clearance racks, the trash TV, the flirty guy that smells good … an enemy using any cracked door he can to screw up your life and make you settle for less than you were created for. Girl, you better check for cracked doors in your life and lock the enemy out. He’s like a roaring lion roaming the halls of your heart looking for any way to get in and devour you from the inside out. He doesn’t give a flying flip about your success, but here’s what he knows … your success may cause boldness and confidence. Your success may cause you to walk in the power of God available to you, and that’s the last thing your enemy wants. The roaming lion ready to devour whom we call Satan attacks your success, attacks your health, attacks your marriage, attacks your happiness, because he knows what you’re capable of! But if he can keep you playing little and settling for less, you’re no threat at all. Isaiah 54:17 is a promise to you “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” That’s a promise of God’s protection and provision over your life, but girl you gotta get out of your own way!!!!! You will never discover what’s inside of you until you’re challenged.

What is God calling you to? What is he doing? Where is he taking you? And what is he taking you through to get there? Oh how we all want the promise, but we don’t want the process. We want the success but we don’t want the journey to success. We’re seeking instant, immediate, right now, and God’s plan will take you through a long process of pruning and growing, molding and becoming. It’s in the process we become disheartened. It’s in the process we grow frustrated over the pace and we give up. What you want, you’re simply not ready for. God’s still taking you through the process. What if this time instead of giving up, you lean in and just see what God’s up to. Imagine waking up every morning with a positive energy of curiosity about every detail in your life. No longer a worry or a fret, but a curious question of “I wonder what God’s up to here?” God has promised that he will work all things together for your good (if you love him and if you are seeking his will in your life). The promise is yours, but the process is his. You don’t get his promise your way. I feel pretty certain I know where God is taking me. I have hope for that big picture plan over my life. But may I be honest with you here … the process is sometimes more than I bargained for. And every time I complain to God about how long it’s taking or how difficult the journey is, God gently reminds me “sweet girl, you’ve been fighting me. You’ve been getting in the middle of my plans and YOU are responsible for these delays. You haven’t been ready. You still haven’t fully surrendered to me.” And once again, I recommit to going through all I need to go through to get to where he is taking me. Here’s what God wants to say to you today … IT WILL BE WORTH IT. Whatever you’re going through today, wherever you find yourself on the journey right now, however hard it may be, however frustrating it may be, it will be worth it. Look at the process Jesus had to go through to fulfill the promise. Even Jesus wasn’t spared from the process. In Mark chapter 14, we read about Jesus preparing for the cross and he’s in the garden of Gathesemene where he’s praying and preparing. In verse 36 he says ““Abba,Father,everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” He knew what was ahead. A brutal death on a cross. That was his cup. His portion. And yet he said, not what I will, but what you will. This is the ultimate trust in the father. I want to go where you are taking me, so I’m willing to go through whatever I need to go through to get there. Jesus knew he had come to bring LIFE, but first he must go through DEATH. Think about that. With that perspective, doesn’t it make more sense that you would be going through what you’re currently going through. God is doing something big in your life, but first, you have so little. He’s building you up, but first you’re stripped down. It doesn’t mean the process will be any easier, but it does mean we can trust the purpose in it. The message translation of Mark 14:36 says “Papa, Father, you can—can’t you?—get me out of this. Take this cup away from me. But please, not what I want—what do you want?” Not what I want, what do you want God? What a simple and sincere prayer. Can this be your prayer today? Not what I want, what do you want God? Recognize in an instant God could change everything for you. With one touch absolutely nothing would be the same. And perhaps that is his plan for your life. Be ready for it. Or perhaps he is going to take you through a process that appears the exact opposite of your destiny. It looks like death when he’s taking you to life. It feels like failure when he’s leading you to success.

Have you ever felt like surely there is something wrong with you because you struggle hard core to simply do what you know you should do? Like when God was passing out willpower, you must have overslept? Of course … because you lacked the willpower to get up and show up! We like to complicate things and make them seem harder so our excuses are covered, but the truth is, we know the good we should be doing and we plain and simple don’t do it some days. Sister, you’re not alone. Every single one of us has questioned what the heck is wrong with us. Every one of us has been incredibly frustrated with our lack of follow through and our continual falling off the wagon. And God totally gets it … he not only gets it, he has a plan to help. The apostle Paul, the one chosen by God to write a big chunk of the New Testament even had his moment of “what the heck is wrong with me?” Check out Paul’s words in Romans 7: 18-20, “Now what I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. If I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, isn’t it obvious that God’s command is necessary?” Does that sound like an entry from your journal? Your own battle with willpower and following through on your commitments. This is not only your battle, this is the battle of every living being. We make a decision, then we act against that decision and sabotage ourselves, doing the very things we said we wouldn’t do. This makes it obvious that God’s command is necessary. God’s command … is that like a rule thou shall not eat more than 30 carbs per day? A law stating thou shall wake up before 6 am? A clear guideline telling you every step of good living? No, God’s command is his strong position over your life. It’s his power outsourced to you through his Holy Spirit. Do you have God’s command and power over your life? This is the key for every single one of us who struggle with staying strong and steady on the right path of life, making the right decisions and following through with our commitments … God’s command over us. Are you trying to do this on your own? Is it your own strength and might you’re relying on here? How’s that working out for you? Don’t you know God wants to partner with you in this? Your willpower will fail, His power will not. Your willpower is a limited resource, His power is not. With one cry for help and the next moment of complete surrender to God over your temptation, you have access to an unfailing and unlimited power that will strengthen you and guide you in making the next right choice. I Corinthians 10:13 says “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” What does this mean? This means you will be tempted. Likely the same exact day you make a commitment to start doing the right thing, temptation will come stare you down. It never fails when I make a 30 day commitment to not buy any extras, the very thing I’ve had my eye on for a purchase goes on sale. Temptation. I make a commitment to eat right and stay on plan and boom, family party with all my favorite goodies are sitting directly in front of me. Why? The temptation is everywhere. Have you ever noticed when you make a commitment to wake up early the next morning, you have the most restless night of sleep ever? It’s almost comical how ironic life can be sometimes. But what does that scripture say, with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape. God will always give you a way out. Always. Temptations will come, but God has already made a way for you to overcome the temptation and escape without utter destruction of your commitment.

When God looks at you, what does he see? He sees who he created you to be. He sees your potential. He sees his beautiful creation on a journey to becoming all he imagined … and girl he’s moving heaven and hell to help you get there! Today I’m here to help you lean into what God sees in you. To help you start believing in the potential he has placed inside of you. To step into the destiny that has your name on it. God is calling you to what you’re going to be all while you’re trying to fit in with what you used to be. Repeat after me, I’m not who I once was! Now, you can drop those old ways, old thoughts, old habits, and confidently step into the life available to you. In yesterday’s devotional, episode 387 titled “I’m Ready Now”, we heard about two brothers who were fishermen, Peter and Andrew. When Jesus walked by them and said, follow me, they dropped their nets and followed him. We learned that it is the following of Jesus, the pursuit of Jesus that changes us. We do the following and Jesus does the changing. Today we’re going to dig a little deeper in this story and see how it applies to our own lives and journeys. I’ve been inspired by an old journal entry from a TD Jakes sermon on Matthew chapter 4. Peter and Andrew had to first do one thing before they followed Jesus … they had to drop their nets. Understand the value in their nets. This was their one tool for income and survival. This was all they had. They had likely spent their entire lives caring for and mending their nets. Leaving it behind to follow Jesus was a tremendous step of faith, but imagine if they would have tried to drag it with them. To step into the life Jesus was calling them to, they had to drop it. How many times have you dropped something, experienced some success, then gone right back and picked up that old thing again? Maybe it was a habit. You broke the habit, you were doing so good, then for some reason you picked it back up again and before you knew it you were right back where you used to be. Maybe it was an attitude. You changed your attitude and perspective. You were like a new person with a new and improved attitude and darn it felt so good. Then something happened and it took you right back to your old way of thinking and talking, then you found yourself worse off than you were before. Isn’t this the real life journey of every single one of us? We make progress, we taste success, then we relapse. And isn’t it harder the second time around because we now know what we can have, we’ve tasted it, we even lived it for a time and going back to who we were and how we were is painful. Have you ever lost weight, then gained it back? How many times will you lose and gain the same darn 20 pounds? Have you ever ran a race, then stopped running? Have you ever slayed one of our challenges to simplify your life, then gone out and bought a bunch of stuff you don’t need? Or have you ever taken on the zip-it challenge with us and successfully restrained your tongue with no nagging, nit-picking or complaining for a period of time, then boom … you’re right back to running off at the mouth like a mad woman, screaming at the kids, nagging at your husband, and complaining to your girlfriends? We sure have a way of screwing this up don’t we? We make progress with one step forward, then it’s two steps back. Picking up again those habits and choices we once put down, taking us back to who we once were instead of moving forward to who we’re being called to be. Peter and Andrew did the right thing when Jesus walked by with an invitation to follow him. They immediately dropped their nets and followed. But let me tell you something, these two fishermen often went back and picked up their nets again. Jesus told them to drop it, but they kept picking it back up again.

I recently read “your new life is going to cost you your old one.” That’s a really scary thought … and so true. If you’re seeking a new healthy life, your old Cheetos snack time’s gotta go! If you’re seeking a rockin’ marriage, your old life of nagging and complaining is bye bye now. If you want a debt free life, your old life of impulse shopping at the Target is over now. You know how to do you … but how to become who you want to be is a mystery. Or is it … is it really all a mystery, or does it all boil down to one right choice at a time? The mystery serves to keep us stuck, when the truth is it’s really not that hard. You can do this and God wants to help you! How bad do you want that new life? How bad do you want change? Bad enough to give up your old life? Peter and Andrew were fishermen. Fishing is what they did. It was their life. One day they were working and they were given an invitation for a new life. Jesus walks by Peter and Andrew and in Matthew 4:19 says “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.” They stepped into a new life that day, a life as the best friends of Jesus. His disciples who would be trusted to tell his stories and help build his ministry. You know what the bible doesn’t tell us … how many other fisherman Jesus may have walked by that day with the same invitation. How many others were offered the same opportunity, but they said no. Why would they say no? For the same reason we do … they didn’t want to let go of what they had. The mystery scared them. What we have may not be great, but it’s familiar. The unknown is … well, it’s unknown. We’re comfortable with what we’ve always known. And so we miss opportunities for something so much more, because we settle for the little that has always been. Would you be willing to pay the price of a new life if it cost you your old one? Would you be that daring? What if God is prompting you to a new place, a new career, a new opportunity. What if he has it all available to you, but you’ll have to step into the mystery with faith and go before you know for sure? Would you? Will you? Peter and Andrew’s lives were radically changed the day Jesus walked by. An invitation was extended and what was their response? Straightway they left their nets, meaning right then and there. There was no delay. They went. Understand this, Jesus is here for you this morning with an invitation. An invitation to trust him enough to surrender your life fully to him. And what does that really look like? It looks like bringing all you worries, all your messes and all your stresses to him and saying, “I can’t do this without you. Help. My way doesn’t work, I want it your way.” Here’s what I really love about the story of these two fishermen, Jesus made the roles very clear. Your job is to FOLLOW. My job is to MAKE something out of you. Jesus said FOLLOW ME and I will MAKE YOU fishers of men. We get all caught up in the details of when and how, when all this time all we needed to do is follow him. Our job is to follow Jesus. Follow him. Pursue him. It is the pursuit of Jesus that changes us. It is our pursuit of success and our pursuit of money, our pursuit of status and our pursuit of approval that leads us astray. Pursue him. All along all we’ve needed to do was pursue Jesus and follow after him and all that needs to change in our life will change. The pursuit changes us. This is how we become who we were created to be. And we can begin that journey immediately. Jesus is extending his hand once again and saying “hey, I have this great life available to you. I have had these big plans in mind for you all along. Dad and i were in on this together and if you’ll trust me,

Some of us woke up today to the life we once prayed for. You’re in a season of blessing and fruits. A season of joy and happiness. God has been faithful and you have proof of it. He has provided. He has made a way when there seemed to be no way. Look around you today and I bet you’ll find an abundance of answered prayers. Now, what if God asked you to give it all up? What if the very thing he gave you was required as a sacrifice? In episode 385 “God Said Yes”, I shared the story of Abraham and Sarah, the couple in their 90’s unable to have children and then God shows up and says “ahhh, no … that’s not the way your story will end. I will give you a child and many nations will come from you.” Now we fast forward a few years later after Abraham and Sarah have their promised child. Life was now good, they have what they want. Their son Issac is growing up and he’s a good boy. He’s everything they ever imagined. Everyday they were waking up to the life they had prayed for. And then God asked for it back as a sacrifice. This child for whom they had prayed, this miracle which God had given them, their hope and their future was now at risk. Genesis chapter 22 in my bible is titled “Abraham Tested”. I wonder if the current chapter in your life could be titled something similar. You’re being tested. Verses 1-2 says “Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Yes, the son which Abraham had waited 100 years for, his pride and joy, his hope for the future is now being requested to be sacrificed by God. How do you even come to terms with that? Yo, like what God? You want me to give up the single most precious thing you have given to me? Now imagine being the mama in this story for a moment. Imagine looking out the kitchen window and seeing your husband gathering wood. Wood for a fire. A fire that would burn an offering to God. A sacrifice. She must have known. She must have wanted with every ounce of her to run after her husband and son as they carried the wood to a mountain to build the fire. What a mother Sarah was. What an example for us today. She was willing to sacrifice the best she had for the greater good in full trust that God would redeem it. What if she would have held on too tightly. What if she would have done what every single one of us would want to do – go slap your husband, call him crazy, and grab your child. Then become bitter at God for even asking. But she didn’t. She watched as they walked away carrying the wood. She trusted God would follow through with his promise to not only give them a son but build nations from them. I wonder if we hold so tightly to that which God has given us that we restrict life from fully flowing through us. I wonder if we treasure the gift so much that the gift itself becomes more precious than the giver. I wonder if we really truly trust God with the very things which he gave us first. How tight is your grip? Oh I must admit, I have a death grip on some gifts in my life. I cling so tightly to that which I treasure and I sometimes hold back when God is telling me to let go. I have to wonder how much bigger and more beautiful some of the things in my life could be at this point if I would have loosened my grip. Why do I have to have it my way? Is this a lack of faith? What has God given you? Are you willing to let him fully have his way with your life and all that he has given you? Will you trust if God takes it away, he will redeem it? Will you believe that he has a plan, and it’s a good plan? A plan to prosper you, not to harm you. A plan to give you a hope and a future.

God has made promises over your life. He always keeps his promises, that’s never in question. So, why are you still waiting? Why the frustrating delay in your life? Here’s a thought … maybe God has already said yes, he’s already made a way, it’s already completely possible, HE’S JUST WAITING ON YOU. Remember the story of Abraham and Sarah? The old couple with no babies. God had promised them a baby. In fact he did more than that, he promised Abraham that he and his children would possess the earth. But how was that possible if Abraham and Sarah couldn’t have children? It almost seemed a cruel joke “hey Abraham, you can have ALL of this, oh but wait, you can’t have children.” Have you ever felt like that? Like God planted a dream and vision in your heart and then made it impossible for you to have it? You get your hopes up thinking things are going to happen and then they don’t? Oh come on somebody, are you willing to be honest enough with me here to say yes, that’s exactly how I feel. Where you at God because this thing isn’t happening? “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) – Well, I have one really departing HARD here God, where you at? “The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still.” (Exodus 14:14) – Hey, I seem to be losing this battle God, where you at? “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31) – Not soaring here God, not at all. I’m grounded with no flight, where you at? “God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) – Alrighty, so I need a job. I need mo money like stat. I need answers God, where you at? “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) – Uhhh yeah, about that – the future’s not looking so bright here in this crapfest Lord, where you at? This must have been how Abraham felt too. Lord you promised you would give us a family but it ain’t happening, and let’s be honest it’s not going to! But look what God did for Abraham and remember you have the same God with the same power today! Romans chapter 4 is Paul’s account of this famous promise God had given to Abraham. I’ll be skipping throughout that chapter reading from the Message translation. Starting in verse 13, “the promise was not given because of something Abraham did or would do. It was based on God’s decision to put everything together for him, which Abraham then entered when he believed.” God had decided in advance to put everything together for Abraham. It wasn’t because of anything Abraham had done or would do. No, God had already put everything together, but Abraham didn’t step into it until he what … until he believed. He didn’t step into it until he believed. My sister, listen to me, God has already put everything together for you, but you won’t step into it until you believe. This isn’t about what you did or what you will do … this is about your belief. Picking up in verse 18 it says “the fulfillment of God’s promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing him and what he does.” Abraham didn’t like God’s way. God’s way seemed impossible. He was an impotent 100 year old man by this point and Sarah had suffered from decades of infertility. They had already tried everything and nothing worked. No baby. But all along it wasn’t about what Abraham could do, it was about what God could do. Abraham had to embrace God and his way. You’ve been wanting something.

Do you ever get the feeling you’re being followed? Being watched? Oh you are. I’m here today to tell you you’re being chased and you need to know about it! Psalm 23: 6 – MSG – Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. God’s love was chasing after you yesterday. His beauty was begging for your attention. Did his love catch you? Or were you too busy? Did you notice his beauty, or were you too distracted? Hot dang we are busy aren’t we? But what do we have to show for all of our busyness? I mean really, after one month of non-stop go go go, do we have a noble list of successes and accomplishment worthy of our time sacrifice? And distracted – goodness gracious, I was once the Queen of Distracted. I might have been sitting in the same car with you, but just because my body was there didn’t mean my mind was there. I was there, but I wasn’t fully there. Ever. And here’s God, with his love and beauty chasing after us. He is relentless in his pursuit of us. I guarantee you even though you may have blown it yesterday, he has a plan to pursue you again today. The sunrise, well that was for you … he was hoping you would stop and see it. Those flowers in your favorite color – they are there just for you. The light will turn red so that you would be forced to stop and sit – an opportunity to see something beautiful – something priceless – something you will love. But you will likely sit at the red light stealing glimpses at your phone screen, or mindlessly stare forward without a second thought. And so God ups his game. How hard is God’s beauty and love having to chase after you? How many beautiful priceless moments are you going to miss because you’re too busy or distracted? Recently I received a text from a mama I have the honor of mentoring. She said “I’m sitting here trying to decide if I should deep clean my kitchen or take my kids to the park.” My immediate reply? PARK NOW! You and the kitchen can have a date tonight. Her reply was priceless. She said “my kids thank you – they all just screamed with excitement. I just needed that one little push.” And so that mama took her kids to the park– when she could have been deep cleaning her kitchen. And she sent me a photo with all kids and you know what … she was IN the photo. She not only took them, but she was in the fun with them. And you know what I think God said – God said …. YES, my beauty and love caught her! I got her. I don’t know how long God had been chasing after her, begging her to stop cleaning the kitchen and enjoy the blessings he has given her. I don’t know all the attempts he had made in the past, but I know this much – he was successful yesterday. God finds pleasure in our pleasure. He delights in our delight. Our joy brings him joy. God’s beauty and love are chasing after you today. Stop playing hard to get. Slow down. There are important, once in a lifetime opportunities today and while they won’t be forced on you, God is sure hopeful you will embrace what he brings your way. Now, let’s talk about that kitchen. This mama was perplexed because she needed to deep clean her kitchen. That’s noble. I love me a good clean kitchen. I clean mine every day. I’m known to be slightly grouchy and on edge if my kitchen is dirty. In fact, when my kids lived at home, they knew me well – if they were going to ask for anything, they would go spiff up the kitchen first. Hey mom, look we cleaned the kitchen – now can we have 20 bucks for Sonic. Worked like a charm. But here’s the thing, you won’t look back on this day of life 5 years from now and say “wow, I’m glad I deep cleaned my kitchen!” Nope – that won’t happen. But you may look back and say, “wow, I’m glad I said yes – I’m glad I went – I’m glad I experienced that.” God’s beauty and love caught me on that day!!!! Quick,

In scripture, mountains represent the problems in our lives. The hardship, the difficulty, the impossible. What is the mountain in your life today? Think of it now. Got it? Now here’s what your mountain needs to know today: Psalm 97:5 says “The mountains melt like wax before the Lord.“ Nahum 1:5 says “The mountains quake before him and hills melt away.” This is the answer for your problems today, bring them before the Lord. This is where you find your solutions. This is where you find your way. Make your mountains bow before the Lord. Broken relationships, strained finances, delayed dreams, unmet goals, a hurting heart, a weakened spirit, a sickened body are all mountains in our lives, and every single one of them can be shaken by our God. He can make them melt like wax. Under our own power, we are overcome by our problems. We can’t climb these mountains on our own. Oh we’ve tried haven’t we? We may have temporary success, we may think we’ve got it figured out, but we always come tumbling back down don’t we? I’m here to remind you there’s victory available to you. You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. Through him you will stand on top of this problem victorious. You will overcome. You will rise above. But without him, you will always struggle to find your way. Why do we keep trying to do this under our own power? Gosh sometimes I look around and realize, GIRL THIS ISN’T WORKING BECAUSE YOU’VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS ON YOUR OWN AGAIN! I get so frustrated with myself. I’m a sucky mountain climber on my own! And I don’t have a chance of moving a mountain on my own. And neither do you. Is that what you’ve been trying to do? You’ve been trying to lose the weight, or fix the marriage, or find the job, or get the house, or raise the family without God’s help … not because you don’t believe in God … not because you don’t trust him … but honestly just because you get wrapped up in your world and your mountains and you start trying to push and climb out of habit. What God wants more than your push is your surrender. Where his power is truly unleashed in your life is when you first surrender to him, then you push WITH him. What could happen in your life with your faithful action? What could move with your obedient push? What could you overcome with your fully surrendered climb? Answer: More than you ever imagined possible. For some of us, we’ve been facing the same darn mountain for years. It’s still not happening darn it. We’ve surrendered it before. We’ve even climbed it before. We’ve seen it move a little, but now it seems stuck. You’ve prayed and you’ve pushed, and you’re now on the verge of giving up, believing maybe this mountain will never be moved. Ahhhhhh, my sister I have a scripture for you this morning. Habakkuk 3:7 says “He shatters the everlasting mountains and levels the eternal hills. He is the Eternal One!” Your everlasting mountain, the thing that has stood in your way and been impossible to overcome FOREVER and a day, is about to be SHATTERED!!!!!! This problem that has lasted and lasted and lasted, exhausting your every means, pushing you to the edge, overwhelming you, frustrating you, making you feel hopeless and helpless, it’s about to be leveled by the Eternal One. It will be no more. It’s coming down! One touch of the Almighty changes everything in your life. An addiction you’ve battled for 20 years can be shattered. A traumatic childhood can be overcome. A body can be healed. A mind can be restored. A marriage can be saved. A life can be redeemed. A way can be made. A mountain can crumble. None of this can happen under your own power. This is all the result of bringing it before the Lord. A surrender, then a push.

2 Peter 1: 3-4 “Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God …” MSG You have been invited to live a life only God could create. The one who created the majestic mountains, the mysterious jellyfish, the rainforest, the firefly, the bald eagle, waterfalls and the perfectly painted sunsets also created YOU. He created a life for you that could compare to the beauty of all his creation. Your ticket to living this life and participating in all he has available for you is getting to know His son. That’s it. It really is that simple. Because here’s the thing, the more you know about Jesus, the more it changes you. The more you’re molded into who you were created to be. You don’t have to bend and contort yourself into someone you’re not, you just need to know Jesus and the transformation begins naturally. My favorite example of this comes in the life and writings of Bob Goff. Bob is an attorney in Southern California who rides a skateboard to work and calls the island of Tom Sawyer at Disney Land his office. He does wild and crazy things that leave people in shock and awe, and inspires his readers to be ridiculously over the top with our love. His book “Love Does” was a game changer for me. His way of living is an open book to letting the love of God flow through you in every single thing you do. He’s quirky and eclectic … he’s spontaneous and energetic … his default is a yes. Jesus shows us how to set our default to yes. Jesus went to the wedding, he showed up at stranger’s homes for dinner, he went, he did, he saw, he was there. He said yes. Yes I’ll go. Yes I’ll help. Yes I’ll be there. Yes I’ll give. Yes I’ll love. And the more we get to know Jesus, the more we’re called into a life of doing the same. Yes. My answer is yes. I’ll take the chance. I’ll show up for the opportunity. I’ll go and be the one. I will participate in the life God has created me for. Why would you ever sit this out? Why would you willingly miss one thing your creator intended for you? You can trust his plan. You can trust that everything required to live a ridiculously good life has already been given to you. The secret is unleashing what’s already inside of you … the only way you do that is getting to know the One who has invited you to God, that is Jesus. How do you get to know Jesus? I mean I’ve never once seen him. I’ve never heard his voice. I see a bearded robed man wearing sandals in the movies, but is that my Jesus? There’s only one way to get to know Jesus, seek him. Look for him. Look for him in your every day life. See evidence of his love for you. Watch for proof of his provision and protection over you. It’s all around you today. Scripture says seek and ye shall find. If you’re looking for Jesus, you will find him. Evidence of his works and power has surrounded you. It all begins with a decision to seek him. Life is busy and loud and often times we’re seeking all the wrong things and we miss what’s most important. It’s a work of the enemy to keep you distracted and scattered, overwhelmed and worried. Has he been successful in your life? Are you missing the point? There’s one true game changer here, don’t miss it … Jesus wants to help you with everything, always. There’s not a single thing in your life he doesn’t want to help you with, nor is there a single thing in your life he can’t help you with. His power extends over every detail. His reach covers you entirely.

What if doors that have always been locked for you are about to open? What if something that has never worked for you in the past is now preparing to work? What if God has prepared a breakthrough and success for you, but you have to be willing to try again? Would you dare to face down possible failure today for potential success tomorrow? Today we’ll look at a story hidden within the bible you’ve likely never heard about. A story of 4 men without names who God used to save an entire city. A story of what God caused in the face of the impossible. This story is found in 2 Kings chapters 6 & 7. Israel was under attack by the Arameans. The people of Israel were starving, having been cornered in their own city with no food or water, even resorting to cannibalism for survival. Outside of the city were 4 men who had it even worse. These men were not even allowed within the city because they were infected with leprosy. They were treated as outcasts and left to face the enemy outside of the city gates. And here in the worst place of their lives, in a place where everything had gone wrong, a place where all hope seemed to be gone, is where God used them, blessed them, and worked through them. Someone listening today is in a place similar to this. Your situation seems to be hopeless. You never imagined life would come to this for you. All you desire in life seems to be out of reach and you have been stuck, locked out, maybe even abandoned by those you thought would help you. But you have no idea what God is doing right now in this darkness. You have no idea how God is working! These 4 men were faced with death if they went to the enemies camp to beg for food, but also knew they faced death if they stayed where they were and starved. So they boldly decided to march right into the camp of the enemies. They went. They went afraid. They went desperate. Sometimes God allows us to become desperate. Why? Because in desperation we will do hard things. A mother in desperation to save her child has been known to lift the weight of a car. A marriage in desperation seeks help. A father in desperation hits his knees. It’s in the darkness of despair we call out to God and God is moved by our cry. If this is where you find yourself today … in the shadows of the enemy, in the valley of hardship, in the darkness of despair, know this is where God moves. This is where God causes things to happen. This is not the end for you … this is the beginning of something new you never imagined. We all want the breakthrough … but don’t you know it only comes after the breaking. There is no breakthrough without the break. These 4 lepers were desperate and at their breaking point. They faced what they assumed was certain death and entered the enemies camp to beg for food, and there they found empty tents with piles of food. More than they could eat. Enough food for their entire starving city was right there. And the enemy … the enemy was gone. All their food, their clothes, their tents and their treasures were left behind. Now what had happened here? Understand this and apply it to your life today, in those dark places of despair, those places covered in the shadows of your enemies, those valleys of hardship and disappointment. Let’s read and see what had happened. 2 Kings chapter 7, beginning in verse 5: “At dusk (the 4 lepers) got up and went to the camp of (their enemies). When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, for the Lord had caused (their enemies) to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army … so they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.” Notice these words THE LORD HAD CAUSED. The Lord had caused their enemies to hear the sounds of an attacking army that wasn’t even there.

2 Corinthians 8:9 – You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich. You know that Jesus died to pay for your sin, right? That’s kind of old news today. Yeah, yeah yeah, we’ve heard it a thousand times and it likely stopped giving you the warm fuzzies a long time ago. It’s still a big deal – the biggest deal to ever happen for us – it changed everything forever. But today, I want to remind you Jesus traded it ALL on the cross for you. Everything you will ever struggle with, everything you’ve ever battled, it was all considered and all traded on the cross. It’s a done deal. Jesus in all of his glory took on shame so that you and I who should have shame can instead have glory. You don’t have to spend one moment of your life feeling unworthy. Jesus traded that for you on the cross. Your worth has been proven. A high price has been paid. You, dear daughter of the most high, you are of extreme value … indeed priceless. Not because of what you have done, but because of what has been done for you. That truth does 2 things for me. One, it gives me extreme confidence. It’s like knowing the rock in your ring is the real deal, it’s a pure and genuine diamond so you wear it with more pride. When you know you’re the real deal, chosen, selected, set apart and PAID for at a premium price, you take more pride in your life. My confidence comes through Christ Jesus. On the cross he traded my self-doubt for my true identity. Do you have that confidence in your identity? Did you wake up this morning remembering what has been done for you? Did you look in the mirror and see yourself as a CHOSEN one worthy of good and beautiful things? If you didn’t, my sister the enemy has been playing in your head. Don’t let him lessen what was traded for you on the cross. Now here’s the second thing this truth does for me – it not only gives me extreme confidence, but it changes the way I see others. That person may be acting like a total jackwagon, their head may be squarely planted up their butt, but if Jesus can offer them grace and still die on the cross for them, I’m pretty sure I can offer them some grace and let them cut in front of me in traffic without honking my horn. I’m pretty sure I can smile and just be kind. I’m pretty sure I can focus on what is good about them because Jesus did all the hard work of trading what might be bad about them. Isn’t that great news … you don’t have to try and change anyone today. That’s not your job. Let Jesus work on them. You just be nice. Whatever you’re struggling with today has already been traded on the cross. What is it – laziness, bitterness, anger, jealousy, an affair, a lie, a dirty little secret, or a bad habit you just can’t seem to kick … well my friend, Jesus had it in mind, he knew about it all and he included it on the cross. It was traded on the cross. Take responsibility for your actions and behaviors – so you’ve screwed up and made a real mess of things. You may have a price to pay in a relationship to fix, 60 pounds to lose, or cigarettes to put down AGAIN, but you don’t have to do it alone. A way has been made. The shame has been carried. It was traded on the cross. You can walk in your truth of freedom – Free to be exactly who you were created to be. The best version of you. You can start living like that today.