Category Archives: Personal Growth

Wrestling God for Control

We were on our way to church a few weeks ago. Everybody had done a good job getting ready on time and getting the house picked up, so we had time to stop at our Sunday morning favorite place—Wawa. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Wawa, it’s a glorified gas station with food screens to be able to order pretty much anything your heart desires. So we came out armed with breakfast sandwiches for the kids and coffee for Matt and I. It was a rainy day, but we were making the best of it.

Our Accident

We were less than ten minutes away from the church, driving and talking, when we saw a car come around the corner ahead of us and lose control of the vehicle. Matt tried to get out of its way, but it came into our lane and crashed into us. The airbags went off, coffee cups exploded, tossing coffee all over the front of the car and the windshield, breakfast sandwiches got smashed. All in all, it was a mess. Everybody was stunned but okay. Matt helped get the kids out of the car. My door was hit and unable to open, so I crawled out Matt’s door. Then we stood in the rain for the next hour or so while we waited for emergency crews to get there, the police to take our statement, and finally get a ride to church.

A Rough Morning

It went from being a really great morning to being a wreck…literally. Matt and I were soaking wet by the time we got to church. My hair was dripping water down my coffee-soaked and rain-soaked shirt. Needless to say, it was a rough morning. That morning came after a series of months of struggles—nothing serious but just things that were taking our time and attention. We’ve been trying for five months to get our kids insurance reinstated; it’s been a ridiculous process. The county has lost at least three of our applications, we’ve been given insurance and then had it pulled weeks later, due to negligence on their part. As a family with a daughter with major medical needs (our eight-year-old has Type 1 Diabetes), it’s been a stressful few months. We’ve spent hours and hours on the phone trying to get things straightened out. There have been some other pressures and things we’ve been dealing with the last few months as well.

God’s Protection

And yet, I can’t complain because God’s been good. The same weekend we had our accident, a family we know of also had an accident. They didn’t fare nearly as well. The mom died at the scene of the accident, and the sixteen-year-old daughter died a few days later. It’s absolutely heartbreaking. So when I compare, we have nothing to complain about; I am so thankful. And yet, life just keeps happening.

Have you ever been there? Nothing is truly, terribly wrong, so you feel like you shouldn’t complain. But the stressors and pressures just seem to be piling up.

Losing Control

I pulled back recently after feeling discouraged and honestly depressed. I struggle this time of year—when it feels like summer will never come in PA. We’ve had literally hundreds of days of rain and overcast skies, and that eventually wears you down. I’ve wondered what’s going on? Why do I feel like this?

And then in our small group on Tuesday night, Matt asked each of us to tell the group what it seems God is doing in our lives right now. I thought about it, and while I waited for my turn, I considered everything from these past few months…and it sort of hit me suddenly. I figured it out. God has been wrestling me for control, and I’ve been wrestling right back.

In my scheduled, planned out, homeschooled, writing world, control is everything for me. When I don’t have control, I spiral out of control. As I waited for my turn, I thought about how I’ve spent the last several months trying to control things that are absolutely out of my control. I feel like the accident was the icing on the cake of control…or lack thereof.

Wrestling for Control

So when it was my turn to share, I told everybody, “I think God is trying to take control, and I’m not letting him. I’m fighting him for control.” The group, who knows I’ve been losing my mind fighting for insurance the last several months understood exactly what I was talking about. This isn’t something new for me; fighting for control is something I’ve struggled with my entire life. And yet, I know that when I surrender those things that are out of my control to God, I have so much more peace. I know that; I just forget it sometimes. Tuesday night, I needed to be reminded of that.

So, I’m choosing, in the midst of my circumstances, to release the death grip I have on my life, my plans, my schedule…and letting God have control. I’ll still struggle and fight him for control, but He will graciously remind me that I don’t have any control. He’ll continue to shake up my life when things are starting to settle. He’ll get my attention. How do I know that? Because he’s done it time and time and time again in the past.

Finding Peace

If you’re in the same boat as me, wrestling God for control, or the thought of control because we don’t actually have control, find encouragement today in the fact that you can release your death grip on that control. You can allow God control and release that pressure you feel. I promise He will carry you and give you that peace you are longing for and work on your behalf along the way.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Release What’s holding You Back or check out my devotional, Finding Free.

What Are You Giving Your Best Hours To?

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Did you know that you are the most productive you’re ever going to be right after you wake up? Your best hours are first thing in the morning. Matt read that in a book recently, and it totally makes sense. When else are you more productive than after you’ve just had a good night’s sleep? I know, of course, there’s a case for night owls and those who get a lot accomplished at night. I get it. Sometimes, I feel that way too. But there really is no better time, when your brain is awake and active to get things done…well, maybe after that first cup of coffee.

Your Best Hours

There are so many reasons that make it hard to get out of bed in the morning. I get it. I really do, but I also know that if I don’t get up early and tap into those quiet morning hours before the kids get up, my day is going to be shot. Your best working hours are those first few hours after you wake up. So that begs the question–what are you giving those hours to?

What’s the first thing you focus on in the morning? What gets your attention first thing? What are you giving your best hours to? There’s an argument to be made that whatever you spend your first attention on in the morning is where your priorities and focus are. Our focus should be on getting out of bed and starting our morning time routine, but life happens. Things take our focus, first thing in the morning. If we don’t make our morning time with God a priority, the day will be over before we realize it. We have to choose to make God a priority first thing in the morning.

Our Focus

I remember a lady came up to Matt after he taught on morning time and told him that he shouldn’t drink coffee for his morning time. She told him that he should focus on God first and not coffee. To that, he responded, “You do you.” Seriously though, we each have to do what works for us. For some of you, you might have to get up and nurse a baby first thing. Others may have to see a husband off to work right away. Life is messy, so it’s not going to look perfect. The goal is simply to do your best to focus on God first thing in the morning. That’s going to look different for each of us, but God knows our hearts.

Here’s a few quick tips to get your mornings back on track:

Go to bed at a good time the night before, so you can get up early.
Light a candle.
Make a good cup of coffee.
Buy a good journal and a nice set of pens.
Have a good Bible or devotional on hand.
Keep everything together in one basket so you don’t have to track it all down each morning.

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post Jumpstart Your Morning Time Routine and check out the devotionals and journals we have to offer at Manney Resources.

Adapting and Growing Stronger Through Storms

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We had an amazing opportunity to visit Assateague Island yesterday. Assateague Island is a thirty-seven mile island that runs the coast of Maryland and Virginia. It’s a beautiful beach with a national park. But the most amazing thing about this island is its inhabitants. Wild horses roam freely on the island. When we heard about it, we knew we had to visit it for our horse lovers in the family.

Visiting the Island

Macey, our youngest, has been begging for us to make the trip. We were waiting for nicer weather, and yesterday was finally our chance. We drove there yesterday, unsure what to expect. The island boasts of somewhere between seventy to eighty wild horses, but we weren’t sure if we’d be able to see any. But we did, and it was incredible! We counted a total of about thirteen horses that we saw. It’s crazy because they just wander around. You can find them on the beach, in the parking lot, in the campsite, and everywhere and anywhere. We even got to see one of the two foals on the island! It was an amazing experience, and our kids are already asking when we can go back.

Adapting to Life on Storm Island

One of the things that stood out to me when we were at the visitor center and then later on the island is that these animals have adjusted to life on the island over time. This island is an island that’s seen a lot of storms. Malachi said that he read that it’s called storm island. Because of that, the horses have had to adapt. Their bodies are slightly different than that of the average horse. I am definitely no horse expert, but I read about how these horses have stockier bodies and shorter legs. Macey and I read that they’re fatter than normal horses as well because the grass they eat is salty from being near the ocean, so it makes them drink double of what a normal horse drinks. We also read that they have smaller ears because of the blowing sand all the time.

What’s amazing to me is that the storms that have impacted this island over the years haven’t driven the horses off. Instead, they’ve changed and adapted to their surroundings, making them stronger and able to endure the storms that come their way.

Adapting and Becoming Stronger

It reminds me so much of our lives as Christians. We can either let the storms of life drive us away from what God has for us, or we can adapt and become stronger. We read in the Old Testament how Joseph’s trials made him stronger. The writer of Psalms says this about Joseph:

Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—
    Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
They bruised his feet with fetters
    and placed his neck in an iron collar.
Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,
    the Lord tested Joseph’s character.
Psalm 105:17-19

The King James says it this way:

He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.
Psalm 105:17-19

That phrase laid in iron from commentaries literally means that iron came into his soul. His trials made him stronger, turning him into the leader God needed him to be to save an entire people group from starvation in the coming famine. Had Joseph refused to become stronger through his trials, if he had given up, God couldn’t have used him in the way he did.

Growing Stronger and Adapting

What trials are you going through right now? How is God developing you and growing you and putting iron in your soul?

Rather than trying to dodge the trial, recognize it as as opportunity for growth. God is refining you, fortifying you. Embrace the process; it’s preparing you for what lies ahead.

The best way to grow through the trial is to spend time with God and allow him to work in your life. Adapt to how he’s working and choose to get stronger. Only then will we able to withstand the storms and ultimately be usable to God for what he has in store for us.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, read my post God Uses Trials to Develop Iron in Our Souls or check out Matt’s book Breakthrough.

You Are Responsible for the Life You Want to Look Back On

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Do you ever stop and notice how fast life is passing you by? I do. It seems like just yesterday we had four little ones under six. In the blink of an eye, we have two teenagers and two tweens. Life just keeps moving on, whether we want it to or not.

You Are Responsible

I read this quote recently in Grace Not Perfection by Emily Ley, and it has since become one of my favorites:

You are responsible for the way you’ll look back on your life when you’re eighty years old. You’re in control of the way you’ll feel that day in your rocking chair on your front porch.
from Grace Not Perfection by Emily Ley

A Life Well-Lived

I love this quote for what it represents. It represents a life well-lived. It’s the idea of a person sitting in a rocking chair on their front porch and reflecting back on life. The simple fact of the matter is that all of us are headed towards that. There’s going to be a chance one day to sit and reflect, to look back on our lives. Will we look back with regret or in gratitude for the life we lived?

All of us want to look back on our lives with gratitude and not regret, but how do we do that now? What do we need to do to be sure that happens? The answer could be so many things–spend time with the ones we love, work hard, start each morning with God, serve others, fulfill God’s purpose for your life…and on and on the list could go. Or we could boil it down to one thing:

Take responsibility for that future today.

If we lived today (and every day after that) with that truth in mind, we will live on purpose. We will spend time doing all those things mentioned above–spending time with the ones we love, finding God’s purpose for our lives, starting each morning with God, and more.

Life is Short

Life is short. David reminds us of that over and over again.

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.”
Psalm 39:4, 5 NLT

Before we know it, life will be passed. We will be the one sitting in the rocking chair on the front porch. Will we look back on our life with regret? Or will we reflect on the amazing life God gave us and know that we made the very best of the time we were given? You are responsible for the answer to that question.

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Don’t Live with Regret or snag Emily’s book, Grace Not Perfection. It’s currently sixty percent off on Amazon!

What I’m Feeding My Soul

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I don’t know if you’re like me, but I often find myself running around frazzled, defeated, overwhelmed, and most days just plain tired. Part of it is the stage of life I’m in, but part of it is this driving force to work harder, do better, accomplish more. Somehow, I’ve convinced myself that if I just try harder, I can have it all—a clean and organized home, perfect homeschool days, fitting in my writing every day, having people into my home, ministering to others…on and on the list goes. The simple fact is I can’t do everything, not all at the same time. Sometimes, I just need grace. I’m reading Grace Not Perfection by Emily Ley right now and loving it. I love all her books! They are so filled with practical wisdom and advice for a mom trying to do it all.

Feeding My Soul

A few days ago, I read something in her book that really made me stop and think about what I’m feeding my soul. Our soul is what makes up our character, thoughts, feelings…who we really are inside.

If our well is fed by a stream of comparison, anxiety, and stress, guess what we will have to give to our families? Sharp words, headaches, and impatience will brim to the top. Nothing good can come out of that poisoned well. But what would we have if we let our wells be filled with things like rest, laughter, confidence, good tea, hugs, and adventure? I want to overflow with that sweet water.
from Grace Not Perfection by Emily Ley

What Comes Out of the Heart

Jesus taught this same message to his disciples when he talked about fruit. He taught that a good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. Then he talked about our hearts—how what we say comes out of our heart.

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Luke 6:45 NLT

Pulling from a Poisoned Well

If we constantly fill our soul with social media, carefully curated images of other people’s homes, comparison, anxiety, stress, feelings of not enough, overwhelm, shame, and guilt, what’s going to come out?

First, there’s the emotional toll—anger, bitterness, gossip, the need to put others down. Then comes the physical toll—headaches, body pain, sleepless nights, heart racing, and more. Just like Emily said, it’s like pulling from a poisoned well.

Why would we do that to ourselves? Why would we fill our minds with things that don’t bring us peace, hope, and joy? I think it has to do with the fact that it’s easy; it’s mindless. In a world that’s filled with stress and decisions and work to be done, it’s easier to just sit and mindlessly scroll.

Filling Up With Joy

Instead, we need to find opportunities for joy. Do more things that make us smile, that fill us up. Spend more time doing the things we love with the people we love most. I’m not good at this, at all; but it’s something I want to do better with.

This last week, we got a chance to do this. We got to spend a few days at the beach with my parents. We spent time together eating good food, laughing, playing games, and just spending time together. We also fit in a few sunrises because that brings me incredible joy.

What can you do right now in your present circumstances to add more of what you love, what brings you joy, what fills you up? How can you spend more time doing things with the people you love and putting into them instead of into things that don’t matter. I’m challenging myself to find ways to spend more time doing things with my kids, creating opportunities for love and laughter, and finding ways to just add more joy to my life.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement on this topic, check out my post, My Reminder from a Heart in the Sand.

Just Ask

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*excerpt from Praying for a Change Devotional

My kids have this thing they do. I call it “hovering.” They call it “Dad, I need you attention right now, even though it’s not life or death and no one’s bleeding, I need to see your eyeballs RIGHT NOW!” Or something like that.

They will stand next to me, put their head on my shoulder, and sigh in my ear. Some days I tell them, “This is my ‘No-No’ square. Don’t touch me anywhere.” On my better days, I ask them what they need.

Most times they want something to eat, drink, or a new app downloaded on a device. My oldest usually has a high-priced pair of sneakers he wants. You know what my response will be? “Christmas is coming.”

What Do You Want?

The other day, my youngest pulled the old “hover-head-shoulder-sigh” approach. “Yes, can I help you,” I said like a British butler.

“Dad, when a movie maker person wants to use an actor in a movie and another movie person wants to use the same actor in a movie…do you know what I mean?”

“Yes, my love. I understand what you mean.”

“Well, I’m wondering how does that work?” she asked.

She didn’t need a toy or a treat. She just wanted some time. So, we had a nice little chat about movies, actors, production schedules, and theater release dates. You know, the usual stuff dads and daughters chat about.

Taking the Next Step

I loved that conversation. We connected over something she’d been thinking about. I don’t know that I had the right answers, but it sure was fun watching the wheels turn in her head. I love watching things grow. My grass…not so much. But my kids, you betcha.

I love watching people take their next step in their walk with God. I love it when someone pursues a dream they’re passionate about. Watching people take steps of faith and risk certainty for the clarity that God is calling them to launch out into a new adventure is something that lights me up. All they have is the wind at their back and their eyes of faith fixed on God.

God Loves To Hear Your Voice

Sometimes my kids need things. Who am I kidding? My kids need things all the time. But there are times when they just want to talk. They want to get something off their chest. They want to understand why something is the way it is. Why do some kids say unkind things? Will people ever stop hurting each other? Why does a trip to Papa and Grandmas take so long? Why does Christmas feel like it will never get here? What is heaven going to be like? Will you and mom ever stop kissing? Just the everyday run of the mill kind of questions.

Sometimes my kids will hesitate to ask a question. They might be afraid I’ll say no. They might not be able to verbalize what they’re trying to say. Or they think I’m too busy to take the time to listen.

Jesus Teaches Us How to Ask

In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us about prayer. But more so, he tells us about how our Heavenly Father handles our prayers.

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
Matthew 7:7-12 NLT

Jesus tells us to ask, seek, and knock. What’s the difference?

Asking means that we need to know an answer to a question. Asking means that we need God to provide for a need.

Seeking means that we are trying to find something we’ve lost; we’re looking for something we value. Seeking means we are trying to uncover something that’s hidden.

Knocking means that we want to be on the other side of the door. We want access to what is beyond the door. We want to get into the room, and we want to leave the cold, the emptiness, and the uncertainty.

Keep Asking

Jesus uses the word “keep” in relation to each of those actions. Why? Jesus wants us to keep asking even after we’ve received. He wants us to keep seeking even after we’ve found. He wants us to keep knocking even after the doors been answered. Why? God wants us to realize it’s not about receiving, finding, or being answered. He wants us to engage him, pursue him, and connect with him continually.

God wants you to ask him the stupid, silly, and foolish questions. He wants you to ask the hard, heart-breaking, and doubt-filled questions. He’s okay with that. He can handle that. He’s God after all; He can handle a lot of things.

“Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!”
Andrew Murray

He’s Waiting for You to Ask

Jesus wraps it up with an illustration. If a child asks for bread or a fish, will a parent give them a stone or a snake? Of course not. He then uses our humanity to reveal God’s divinity. Jesus says, “If you’re an imperfect, sinful parent, and you know how to love on your kids, how much more will a perfect and holy God know how to give his kids good gifts when they ask?”

God is just waiting for you to ask. Will he always drop a thousand dollars into your bank account? Nope. But he wants you to ask the question. He wants you to talk to him. He’s waiting. He’s willing, and he’s listening.

I’m praying that you’ll take the time, even risk it to ask God, to engage God.

***This excerpt was taken from Praying for a Change, a 30-Day Devotional.

More Encouragement

If you enjoyed today’s devotional, check out Matt’s devotional, Praying for a Change. Be sure to check out the accompanying study guide to work through with a small group as well. You can also read my post, How to Know if God is Answering my Prayer.

Using the ABCs to Combat Discouragement

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Ready for Spring

I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for spring to actually arrive in PA. This is the time of year that I struggle with discouragement. The days aren’t quite warm yet, the sun doesn’t shine often, and spring seems just out of reach. On days that I feel discouraged, I need something to combat those feelings.

The best way to combat discouragement is to be thankful. Gratitude defeats discouragement every time. So if you’re feeling discouraged or just down today, I have something for you to try.

An Assignment for Today

Get out a sheet of paper and write the alphabet, one letter per line. Then spend a few minutes thinking of something you’re thankful for that starts with that letter. You can get creative; some of the letters are harder than others.

I did this assignment this morning, just to see if it works. I had fun doing it; it tapped into my creative side as well as my gratitude. The ones I couldn’t think of, Matt helped me finish off. Like I said, you have to get creative. We did (e)xperiences for x. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You’re just spending a few minutes remembering how good God has been. (Don’t mind my changing colors; my pens kept taking turns going out on me.)

God’s Command to Remember

God told his people over and over again to remember the things he had done for them. I read it again this morning in my morning time.

But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.
I Samuel 12:24 NLT

It is so easy to get discouraged and forget what God has done in the past, or what he’s done even today. Just today alone, he gave you another day, a sunrise, strength to get out of bed, a job, food on the table, family to enjoy life with, a warm bed to sleep in, a home to live in, a car to drive, friends to do life with, a church family…and on and on the list goes. Those may not all be true for you, but most of them probably are. We have so much to be thankful for.

Spending just a few minutes today and every day remembering to be thankful changes your thought process. It can turn discouragement into gratitude. Try it and see if it works!

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, How Nature Helps Me Combat Discouragement.

If you enjoyed today’s post and writing down what you’re thankful for, check out our Faithfully Stepping Journals. We provide a section to write down every day what you’re grateful for. I can’t tell you what a difference it makes to take the first few minutes of your day (every day) to write down what you’re thankful for.

Pay Day is Coming

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Pay Day

Pay day is the most exciting day…even when we know the money is most going to be used to pay the bills. There’s still a part of us that gets excited. We’re getting the payoff for our hard work. Bonuses are even more fun because they are just “extra.” It’s an extra payment for doing a good job or going above and beyond.

Getting paid helps us to remember that somebody sees us, sees our work. It’s the payoff for working hard.

Similarly, God tells us that he sees our work.

“I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.

God Sees You

He sees all the things you do. He sees your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance.

He’s seen that you love when nobody else does. He sees the constant love you pour out on your family, your neighbors, and those around you. He sees that you give of yourself tirelessly, often with nothing in return.
Hes sees your faith. You’ve been so tempted to give up, to throw in the towel. Yet you haven’t. You’ve believed when there was nothing to see. You’ve stayed faithful when everybody else walked away. You’ve dug deep see to continue to see God’s goodness, to trust that goodness…even when nobody else could see it.
Your service has not gone unnoticed. He’s seen the million times your served in nursery, kids club, your ministry. He’s seen all the times you’ve made a meal for someone or given money to help those in need. He’s seen your hours of service, and he doesn’t forget it .
Lastly, he’s seen your patient endurance. You’ve haven’t given up when times were hard, when money was low, or when discouragement was rampant. You’ve refused to give up and walk away when everybody else has. You have patiently endured.

Pay Day is Coming

Then he takes it a step further. He sees your growth in each of these areas. He’s taken notice. And the amazing thing about God? He has a long memory. He doesn’t forget. In fact, he keeps a tally, a record. I don’t know when it’s coming, but pay day is coming. One day, God is going to reward you for the things you’ve done. And while we spiritualize things so often, it doesn’t have to be just in heaven. Yes, our ultimate reward are in heaven, but God promises blessings in the here and now as well.

So stay faithful because pay day is coming. God has been watching and keeping track, and he is going to reward you accordingly.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Stay Faithful because a New Season is Coming or check out Matt’s book, Breakthrough: Transforming the Death of a Dream into the Birth of a Breakthrough.

Doing Something Great with God

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Do you ever feel like you were created for something more? It’s the desire to do something great with God. You have this burning desire inside you to do something more, to create something, be a part of something greater than you. Have you ever gotten that itch inside, an itch that can’t be scratched? Sometimes it lasts a few days; sometimes it lasts a few years. Other times, it lasts a lifetime.

Those God-Urges to do Something Great

I’ve felt this urge so many times. The first time it got really strong was many years ago, before we had kids. Matt and I talked and dreamed about what God had in store. It was in that next year that we left the church we’d been working at for five years and went out on our own to start a church outside of Philadelphia.

The next time that urge came really strongly, our kids were all little. We were full-on in the kid-rearing years. We were raising four kids, all born within five years of each other. It was crazy and chaotic, and yet, I felt like I wanted something more. I felt like God was leading me to do something more. I did lots of journaling, praying, listening to sermons and reading books. Out of that time, this blog was born.

That urge would come back again a few years later when the bottom fell out, and we stopped getting paid at our small church for several months. When we did start getting paid again, it was less than half what we previously made. Urgency to be able to help bring in an income along with a desire to create led me to publish my first book, Red Rose Rising.

God Leading Once Again

It hasn’t surprised me then when Matt and I sat down together a few months ago and started talking about what God has in store for us next. I told him how I felt God working and moving again, and he told me how he’s felt the same. I told him how I’ve felt the “winds of change.”

That’s what I use to describe what’s happening when the ground beneath you isn’t quite as steady as it used to be. You start noticing things, small things at first. But those small things start adding up until you realize that something is happening. It takes a while to put it together, but then you realize that the Holy Spirit is working and moving, and things are starting to change.
from my blog post When the Winds of Change Begin to Blow

We’ve talked at length about we believe God is moving us to do and create next. And we’re so excited to see what he has in store! What do you do when that starts to happen? How do you know God is moving and preparing you to do the same, whether that’s an actual physical move or simply a new business venture, product, opportunity, or ministry?

It Starts in the Mind

In the Old Testament, specifically in the book of Deuteronomy, God started preparing his people for what he wanted them to do next. He was preparing them to actually go into the Promised Land after forty years of wandering in the wilderness. We can look at that example and see how God led them.

“You must destroy all the nations the Lord your God hands over to you. Show them no mercy, and do not worship their gods, or they will trap you.Perhaps you will think to yourselves, ‘How can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?’ But don’t be afraid of them! Just remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all the land of Egypt. Remember the great terrors the Lord your God sent against them. You saw it all with your own eyes! And remember the miraculous signs and wonders, and the strong hand and powerful arm with which he brought you out of Egypt. The Lord your God will use this same power against all the people you fear.
Deuteronomy 7:16-20

God wanted them to remember what he was capable of. He encourages them to remember. He wanted them to remember what he did in the past. He reminded them of what he did to get them out of Egypt. Why? Because that was how he was going to work again.

Time to Work

After God reminded them how he worked in the past, it was time to get to work. And it was going to be some serious work! God wanted them to go into the Promised Land and conquer the nations already living there. They had to go to war and defeat seven nations, living in their own strongholds. That’s a pretty heavy task.

Yes, God would be with them. Yes, He would give them the victory. But they had to do the work. They had to prepare and go to war time and time again until the Promised Land was theirs.

What does this look like in our lives? When we feel God leading us to do something, to create something, to start something? What do we do?

What’s It Look Like for Us Today?

We can follow the same example. For us, it looks like this. We look at how God has worked in the past. Matt and I take time to talk through and write down ways God led us in the past—how he worked, where he worked, what he taught us, and more. Then we write down what we believe he is leading us to do next. We do the research, reading, discussing, and whatever else we need to do before we can move forward.

Then we get to work. It sounds simple, but that’s often where people get stuck. They know God wants them to do something, but they never actually do the hard work. God will lead us and direct us, but he won’t do the work for us. We have to roll up our sleeves and do actual work. This is the non-romantic part, often the not-fun part. It’s way more fun to sit and dream and talk about what God is doing and how he is working than it is to actually do the work. But this is how God accomplishes his work through us.

If you’re in that place today where you feel like God is actively moving, it’s time to take the next step. Spend time praying, reading God’s Word, journaling, and remembering how he’s worked in the past. See where he is leading you now. Get counsel, make plans, research what it is God’s leading you to do.

Then, get to work. Do the hard work; put in the time. Take the chance. Build something great with God; create something amazing. Then watch as God leads you into what he has in store and allows you to do something great with him.

One Last Note

Notice I’ve been saying “do something great with God,” not for God. I think this is where a lot of us get messed up. God doesn’t need us to do anything for him. He allows us to do work with him. He’s not sitting back watching and waiting for us to build him something, create something for him. No, he wants to do a great work with us. It’s just like making anything with our kids. The finished product is not the most important part; the most important part is the time we spent building it with them. I think it’s the same thing with God.

It’s not about what we are actually creating; it’s the process of working with God. It’s the time we spend talking to him, dreaming, listening to his voice, and searching for him and his wisdom. Then it’s about working with him. It’s God at work in and through us, not about we can do for him.

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God.

Finding Inspiration and Creativity through Beauty

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Salt Water

Have you ever had salt water? Maybe as a mouth rinse or maybe after getting dunked in the ocean? It’s a nasty experience. One you’ve gotten that salty taste on your tongue and on your lips, it’s hard to get rid of it. The only way to get it out of your mouth is to drink fresh water or something else to wash away that salty taste.

Salt can do so much good. It can add flavor to food; it can preserve meat. But too much salt makes you gag. I remember my brother-in-law made an apple pie for a party once, and he accidentally used salt instead of sugar. We took one bite of that pie and spit it out; it was terrible. Salt is only good in small quantities, and you definitely can’t live on salt water. You have to have fresh, clean water to survive.

Salt Water vs. Fresh Water

I read a verse in my morning time this week that caught my attention. James talks about this concept of bitter water and fresh water.

Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
James 3:11,12

That phrase, you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring, caught my attention. You can’t get fresh water from salt water; it’s just not going to happen.

Feeling Empty

If you’re at a place in life where you’re discouraged, tired, worn out, bitter, frustrated…there will be no inspiration, no creativity. There will be no fresh ideas, dreaming, and excitement about the future. That’s not a fun place to be; I know because I’ve been there. I’ve also been on the other side, the side that’s teeming with life, ideas, creativity, and excitement.

What do you do when you get stuck in that worn out and discouraged cycle? What do you do when you feel like you’re drawing from a salty spring instead of fresh water? One of the best ways to combat this feeling is to find beauty.

Recognizing Beauty

Rebekah Lyons, in her book , Building a Resilient Life, says this:

When we recognize beauty, we encounter the divine. God himself draws us close, and we behold him, the author of beauty itself.

When I realized I was more obsessed with what was broken than with what was beautiful, I made some changes. I took more walks in nature, looking for the God-created beauty all around. I noticed baby birds singing a chorus in a nest above my head, natural springs with the sound of water gurgling under a rock, and a green tunnel of leaves with a soft, mossy floor where a mama fox protected her young.

Encountering beauty isn’t just about noticing the natural beauty in the world around you; it’s about noticing the beautiful things God has planted inside you and allowing those things to flourish. It’s about reclaiming your creativity and seeing how that creativity is a God-given thing.
Building a Resilient Life

Finding Beauty

One of the best ways to find creativity, fresh ideas, and encouragement is to find beauty both in the world around us and in what God is doing in and through us.

Beauty can be found in so many places, some of which we don’t expect. We found beauty yesterday at a funeral, not the typical place to find beauty. Our neighbor passed away last week, and Matt had the privilege of doing the funeral. At the funeral, Matt told everyone there that yes, he was a pastor and was officiating the service. But he told them that he was more than a pastor; he was a neighbor. What’s amazing is that there were two other neighbors at the funeral as well. Because of that funeral, the gospel went out to our neighbors. There is beauty in that. There is beauty in seeing God’s grace flow out during a time of sorrow and connecting us as more than neighbors, as people created God in God’s image.

10 Ways to Find Beauty

When we get discouraged and feel there is nothing good around us, it’s time to look around. Find beauty in what God has created and where he is working. Here are a few ideas and ways to find beauty:

Take a nature walk.
Listen to beautiful music.
Read an inspirational and uplifting book.
Do something for somebody else to show love.
Take a scenic drive.
Express yourself creatively- through art, music, writing, poetry, crafting…whatever it is that you love to do creatively.
Make a list of the good in your life.
Get up early to watch the sunrise.
Sit beside water and be still.
Visit a garden, arboretum, or other nature place.

If you’re finding yourself in a place of no creativity, no life, and only discouragement, take the time this weekend to find beauty. Find something fresh and new to give you life.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, read my post, How Nature Helps Me Combat Discouragement.