It Is Time

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By Bindu Adai Mathew

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

It is the dawn of a new year. In Christ I am a new creation. You are a new creation. The old things have passed. Now let them go.

Thank you, Lord for where I’ve been. For what you have done, for how you’ve provided, for how you are going to use everything from my past–the good, the bad, and the ugly–for Your good. For Your glory.

It is time. Time to put away the excuses. Time to use my (our) gifts to glorify You. Time to put into practice every Truth you’ve imparted. Time to forgive others. Time to forgive myself. Time to stop being negative. Time to stop complaining. Time to look forward.  And time to stop talking. It is time to be still. To listen… to hear… Your voice. To meditate on Your words. Your Truth. Until that is the only Truth I measure my life by. Until Your Voice drowns out my own.

It is time.

Let’s do this together, FemmeFuel readers!  The journey begins.

 

 

The Invisible World Book Series (December ’15)

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Join me as I share my thoughts on Louie Giglio’s book Passion.  For now, this is the final book in the Invisible World series.  I hope your week is filled with the peace of knowing today is a good day and that God can do anything, even bring to life our dry bones.

 

The Invisible World Book Series (December ’15)

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Join me for more thoughts on the Invisible World following by a reading from The Boy and His Horse – – where the invisible forces are portrayed so well.

I wish I had one video for you, but until I master this process, here are three (Intro, Reading and Conclusion)

Riding the Storm: Warrior Mindset

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Mindset of a Warrior

By Chris Sweet, guest contributor, leadership trainer guru, life is awesome consultant, and oh-so-cool parent

Argh.  I sighed surveying the seemingly endless dark, steep walls around me.  Oxygen seemed to be leaving the room slowly after I got thrown into the ditch by my enemy.  The fight I was just in was longer than one I have ever experienced in my life.  Every part of me was impacted severely.  I felt my emotional, physical and spiritual break apart under the weight of the experience I was going through.  I laid down.  “God, “ I sighed.  “Do you love me?”  I started sobbing as the weight of my enemy’s memory sat on my chest.  The enemy mocked me, lied about me, and choked every part of me until what was remaining of me was slight.  I read through scripture, listened to sermons and I tried to do the right thing as the attack continued.  As it continued, the truth kept me grounded.  The truth kept my eyes on Christ.  As my life sometimes felt like it was draining out of me during my trial, my center felt safe in Him.  Even though my mind and brain was processing the devastation and asking the questions of why to God, the Holy Spirit calmed my angst and reminded me of His love.  He spoke through the books I read, my friends who prayed alongside me and the pastors I listened to.  I took each word, each encouragement and put it around me as bandage each day as I woke up to a new day of pain during my trial.  Life is hard.  No question about that.

I wish I could have told you that I was a rockstar and said “Thank you God” and didn’t once question His love and why.  But I did.  I did. I think that God wants you to have real conversation with Him.  He already knows your heart.  Nothing that we say is a surprise to Him.  I’ve had to remind myself of that repeatedly.  God loves me.  His intentions are love and to protect me.  This world is chaotic.  I am subject to the choices made by the people in it.  And, I’ve learned that the warrior mind is not to run from the war or battle ahead which could be our version of personal issues at work, family or life.  But to do our part in it and chose to be courageous.

So, how do we stay focused right in the midst of the battle?

  1. Remind yourself of God’s love towards you and He will bless you for living right.

God’s curse blights the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you’re down on your luck, he’s right there to help. Wise living gets rewarded with honor; stupid living gets the booby prize. Proverbs 3:34 (MSG)

I’ve written verses down on post-it notes and carried it with me during the work day so I could be reminded of God’s promises.  I’ve captured phrases or words in books on paper so I could be forced to change how I view what I am going through and change my actions as a result.

  1. Read books and tap into resources from experts on battling your mind, strengthening your mental health, keeping physically strong and strengthening your spiritual armor.

Thank goodness that God created experts in these fields of survival and there are books out there to help.

  1. Change the filter through which you view what you are going through. It’s easy to be caught up in self-pity.  I’ve done it.

“The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.” ― Carlos Castaneda

If you change your filter on how you are viewing what is happening to you as a challenge, suddenly the challenge has purpose.

  1. Practice gratitude.  Praise God for the trial so that it can be used to develop you.

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.  So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely.  Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” James 1:2-4 (MSG)

“Recognizing all you have to be thankful for – even during the worse times of your life – fosters resilience.” Amy Morin, “7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude That Will Motivate You to Give Thanks Year-Round”, www.forbes.com

Continue your mission to ride the storm courageously.  Consider each trial a time to practice what you’ve learned and to reassess the habits and tools you use in crisis and to change them if necessary.

Resources:

“13 things mentally strong people don’t do” by Amy Morin

“The Secret Power of Speaking God’s Word” by Joyce Meyer’

Image:

Clipart Soldier Silhouette

 

Peace: Walking Through November

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As I continue to read through Mark, I see the simplicity of how Jesus spoke of common, everyday life to shed light on deep truths.  For the moment, I’m stuck on the meaning of bread.  Bread has a very comforting way of fulfilling hunger and the hungry soul.  Jesus had compassion for the multitudes he spoke to.  After meeting their spiritual needs, He fed them bread.

Jesus fed 5000 and then awhile later, another 4000, with the loaves of bread on hand.  I imagine it was a sight to see — God’s plenty rising up in the baskets whenever the bread supply became low. I think about those holding the baskets and serving the bread.  I imagine they felt peace as the problem of hungry was solved.  They probably experienced gratitude for the shift from less to more than enough.  I am certain that I would have flooded with overwhelming joy to be able to give to others.  Peace.  Gratitude.  Joy.  It’s not at all a surprise that we experience peace and joy from carrying the baskets He asks us to.  Whether we have big or little faith, it is all wrapped up in our willingness to carry the basket.

Later, as Jesus and the disciples headed into the boat, Jesus gives them a truth about bread.  He says, Beware of the leaven of bread and the leaven of Herod.  Despite the miracle of feeding many with little, the disciples figure Jesus is making reference to the fact that they forgot to buy bread for their journey in the boat.  As an old friend of mine would say, Really?  Could the disciples really have thought Jesus was concerned about their lack of food or that they forgot to buy it?  Was it really that big of stretch for them to catch the spiritual meaning?

I’m stuck on bread because I think Jesus is saying something very powerful here.  Why do you reason because you have no bread?  Do you not yet perceive or understand?  Having eyes, do you not see?  And having ears, do you not hear?  And do you not remember?  Matthew 16.

I think about challenges in my life.  Struggles.  Times when I don’t understand.  Seasons of less.  Lack.  Pain.  Hurt.  Trembling.  The truth is I’m still here (with enough bread).  He’s always delivered the hurt to healing.  Trembling to peace.  Less to more.  But yet, every time I experience less and not more.  Pain and not ease.  Whenever I go from big picture living to lack of understanding, I crumble on the inside.  I figure there’s no more bread.

So, like the disciples, I sit in the boat with God.  Whose resources are beyond my comprehension.  And, I worry about no bread.  I ponder all of the mistakes I’ve made to contribute or cause the lack of bread.  I get numb to the miracles I’ve seen.  I get dumb to the metaphor of bread.

But, Jesus has compassion for me.  He knows all too well my physical and spiritual needs.  He knows that when He quiets my soul that I can understand.  Jesus wasn’t bothered by the disciples mistakes or what they felt they lacked.  He’s not necessarily trying to teach me about the leavening in bread.  He’s working towards a deeper meaning.  He’s pulling me away from things like the doctrine of hypocrites and false religion.   He’s pulling me towards truths to fill my hungry soul.

Riding the Storm: Living Monday like it’s Friday!

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Chris Sweet

leadership training guru, life-is-awesome consultant, and oh-so-cool parent

Ride the Storm Month

Happy Friday Monday Femme Fuelers!

I am excited to be a guest contributor to Femme Fuel this month.  This month, I will be talking about how to ride the storms of life with God.

I know that today is not Friday and “Fun” should not be part of this conversation on a Monday.  But, what if we did live Monday like it’s Friday.  Like it’s the day before THE Weekend!!  Let’s turn our Friday party jam during Monday.  That’s right.  Let’s play with our minds to see what they will do, if we actually went through Monday with a Friday confidence.

Clip Art People Dancing Silhouette

Here’s the deal.  I too have gone through my share of anxious workdays like you.  And, it has caused my body, spirit and mind to be impacted.  That high amount of stress is just not good for you. That’s why it is so important to take care of your entire self: mind, body and spirit.

So what can you do?

  1. Figure out what is causing your dread on Monday.  If you love what you do at work, you are less likely to feel the Monday Blues.  But if you aren’t passionate about what you do, then it’s easy to feel the dread.  Sometimes, it may be just the season to bear through the angst of work for the time being or this might really be the moment to leave your job.

I believe that we have to live our days intentionally grateful and with positivity.  Sometimes that may seem difficult when it seems that at almost every minute your world seems to be crashing on multiple and different levels (work, health, family).  I understand.  I have been there.  I have asked myself that question like you, “Ok am I carrying an internal magnet which is attracting all of this negativity?”

  1. Acknowledge that the moment you are going through is difficult. But know that God, your Creator and Father, pays attention to every single detail of your life including the ones that you are going through that seem too difficult.  And, He loves you and He is holding you.  Sometimes that seems doubtful, when your part of the planet seems to be under perpetual darkness.  Get these verses through your spirit to stand on your identity (God’s view of you):

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV

 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

 Psalm 139:13-16 ESV

 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”

  1. Realize that there is a purpose behind the traumatic event. It is easy to get upset with God that many of our traumatic events are happening successively or simultaneously.  Sometimes, I have the tendency to think that there is something wrong with me to attract the dark cloud over my head.  There are times, I want to hide from the cloud when it storms.  Sometimes, I have had to just allow the rain to pour on me.  Standing in the rain is a cold, spiritually stripping experience for me.  It makes me uncomfortable to allow myself to voluntarily expose myself to the elements for a long period of time.  But that rain, like the circumstance we are going through is necessary for getting rid of all that we hold onto that is not good for us.  And, after the rain (because there is always a respite period of after), the sun shines bright on our back healing our wounds.  But, we have to stand in the rain and we have to choose to accept the sun’s gift of healing. And, the hard thing to do, is to thank your Creator for the stormy cold rain as well as the bright life restoring sun.
  1. Change your mindset from the victim to warrior. This will require time with God and getting your armor of God on.  You can’t achieve peace and contentedness without having that spirit and soul-lifting pursuit as you go through your journey of pain.  That would be like a tree trying to sprout without the life giving seed.

Let your warrior mind influence your words and actions through your trial.  Sometimes, you have to be professional and calm through the worst of attacks.  Staying calm through the assault is important for you to not only to survive but to succeed.

“The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.” ― Carlos Castaneda.  I so love this statement because taking everything as a challenge is a mindset I too am trying to have no matter the situation.

We will talk about this during the next few weeks on how to accomplish this warrior mindset.

  1. Express gratitude to God for 1) this time in your life even if it is really bad 2) be transparent with God on your feelings of loss and lack of clarity about why the events are happening and 3) then express, “But, God, I trust you. I lean into You.”  When I go through these tough periods, I have prayed to God, “I am so painfully human Lord God and please forgive me when my heart feels despair for the weight of the tragedies that I am going through.  And, I praise you through these circumstances with my mouth even though my heart is not yet there.  Please forgive me.”

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things”  Matthew 12:34-35.

At some point, your heart will catch up with your mouth.  So, thank God for everything in your life.

  1. Have fun!

Your season will pass. And when it does how will you serve? Encourage your friends, family and associates on what has happened to you in your life.  Also, have fun and live fully in the moment.  Laugh with someone.  Tell that joke.  Dance with your kids or dare I say it- by yourself!  Put your arms around your family and hug.  Love.  Love.  Love.

There is no question that this life is hard.  But for some reason, God has appointed us to live here on this earth for whatever season.   And, I have gone through experiences in life that revealed to me the dark side of humanity.  But, here is what I have learned. We are all created intentionally and uniquely not to live our part of life solo, but to work with others to engage our world and leave a successful blue print for the next generation of what we’ve done so that they learn from our mistakes and do better.  We also have an opportunity to help hurting people around us when their hurts are similar to ours.

So, let’s together live our life each day like its Friday.  Here are things I have been reading that help me ride storms.

Tim Storey, The Comeback and Beyond

Gretchen Rubin, Happiness Project

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/02/25/11-ways-to-beat-the-monday-blues/.

Read about the Warrior’s Mind Training, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/27072979/ns/health-mental_health/t/warrior-mind-training-helps-troops-stay-calm/#.VkYQtfmrTjY

Art image:  http://cliparts.co/cliparts/5iR/Ko5/5iRKo586T.jpg