Category Archives: Finding Direction

Planning, goal-setting, and making big decisions can be hard, but the Lord is here to guide us through them. Read specific strategies and broader ways of thinking to help through these times of transition and change.

Four Practical Steps to Overcoming Problems – Overcoming Series, Pt. III

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by Lydia Floren

In the Overcoming blog series, we have been talking about—well—overcoming problems. In this process, it helps to:

Remember who Jesus is, and what God can do.
Accept the truth that problems are a part of life.
Jesus has overcome the world. He has conquered the ordered system of evil we live in.

But how do we apply this to our everyday lives?

Four practical steps to overcoming problems:

1. Face your problem

Face the problem honestly. Don’t avoid it, blame someone else, or pretend it isn’t really a problem. In intense emotional reaction to a situation, especially if it seems out of proportion to the facts, may be a clue to you that you have an unidentified issue; examine it with courage.
Identify YOUR problem. Ask questions. For example, if you have a problem with a coworker, ask yourself, “What is happening? What is my reaction? What reasons might I be reacting this way? Am I making false assumptions? Generalizing? Why?” Asking questions helps you get to the real problem, which may be that this co-worker triggers something from your past and brings up old pain.
Don’t let problems become your identity; keep the problem the problem. For example, say “I experience anger in certain situations” not “I am an angry person.” And don’t generalize about someone else, as in, “They are a no-good-very-bad person because they make me angry.”
Be willing to change in your reaction to the problem. Problems are opportunities and avenues for change. Be flexible and teachable. Own your own emotions. Be willing to change.

2. Focus on God by giving thanks.
Giving thanks is a powerful way to return our attention to God, and put our problems in perspective. Give thanks for the following:

The situation, and that you are learning from it.
Who God is, and his faithfulness to you.
What God is showing you about the dilemma you are facing, and what His perspective might be.
What God offers you: strength, direction, His presence, and–most important–his promise to work everything to a good end.

3. Follow God’s Leading: ACT

ACT: Step forward in the direction you sense God is leading.
If you really don’t know what to do, wait for clarity, if possible. If a decision is pressing, align your choice with previous ways He has led. Use your best judgment, after reviewing as much information as possible.
Sometimes you will misunderstand what He is telling you, and head off course. That’s OK. It happens a lot, actually. It is part of the process of learning to listen and follow. Think of it like this: it is much easier to steer a moving ship than one that is dead in the water. As you go, God will adjust your path and redirect you as needed.

4. Repeat

When you face difficulties, it is great to have a solid habit in place for dealing with challenges. Repetition creates habit. As you choose over and over to face, focus, and follow, you will build a pattern of strength and wisdom to address the next problem. Which, after all, is only two weeks away!

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10 NASB

Share with us! What practical tips do you use to overcome problems in your life?

Learning to Fish on the Right Side of the Boat – Overcoming Series: Part I

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Painting by Alexei Birvukoff

by Lydia Floren

There is a great story in the Bible where Jesus was at the shore of a huge lake, looking out over the water. He was watching a boat approaching: His disciple Peter was returning home from a fruitless night of fishing. Peter must have been discouraged. Who wouldn’t be after working their tail off and seeing no results? As he stowed away his gear, he glanced up and noticed someone standing on the beach: Jesus.

“Hey Peter, throw your nets out on the other side of the boat”. Jesus hollered out to him.

That’s nuts, Peter thinks. He just doesn’t understand. We’ve been at this for hours and hours.

“I’ve been fishing all night,” Peter hollered back, “we haven’t caught a thing.”

Silence. I can just hear Peter talking to himself:

OK, Peter, that was kind of stupid. Jesus knows everything. I’m sure He is aware that it’s not been a good night of fishing. Yet still…he said to put my nets back down, this time on the other side of the boat. Maybe he knows something I don’t know about where the fish are. I’ve seen him do some pretty amazing stuff. Like the whole feeding the 5000 thing. [sigh] If Jesus says to do this, it is probably worth a shot to haul up the nets and throw them out one more time, wherever He says to throw them.

“OK guys let’s do this,” Peter ordered. “Grab the nets, and cast them on the far side of the boat.”

His crew might have just stood there, incredulous. They were as bone-weary as Peter was, and were savvy enough fishermen to know when to pack it in. Maybe they muttered a few choice comments to each other, waiting for Peter to come to his senses.

Peter didn’t care. He knew Jesus. They didn’t.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” He shouted. “Get moving.”

The sailors suddenly scrambled into action. They gathered the nets, and then cast them once more, this time in a most unpromising place. Or was it? Their skepticism shifted to awe as their nets immediately started filling with a catch so huge that they started to break.

Peter just shook his head, bemused. He’d seen Jesus do this kind of thing before. Yet even with all Peter’s experiences–after having witnessed miracle after miracle–it was still so easy for Peter to forget who Jesus was, and what God could do.

2000 years later, nothing has changed.

It is so easy for us to forget who Jesus is, and what God can do.

In our lives today, it is so easy to forget who Jesus is, and what God can do. We have seen God do amazing things in our lives–and the lives of others–yet when we face difficulties, we tend to focus on the problem instead of keeping our eyes fixed on The Solution. We worry about what we see, instead of looking beyond to what God is doing. When we fixate on the problem, we might get to work trying to find a solution on our own. The busier we get “solving problems,” the more distracted we can become, and it gets harder and harder to remember what—and Who—is important.

In overcoming problems in our lives, we must stay focus on God, and do our best to follow His lead.

Next week: our problems are not the problem.

How do you stay focused on God when you have problems?

Recent posts: Circling Back, Sharing a Sunset, Enjoying God’s Presence.

The Right Things For The Right Reasons: Goals series part 3

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by Lydia Floren

Can we learn to be free from our performance-based roots, and still be “in the game” of life? Yes. Paul advised this:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

Transformation of the way we think is crucial to following God. First this involves a change of focus, as we discussed in the last two blogs on goals. Instead of adopting our culture’s definition of “success,” we must embrace the more compelling goal to “make love our aim.” When we focus on things that matter for eternity, our “success” has far-reaching consequences.

Every believer has at one time or another done this, at least for awhile. But it is easy to slip back into old performance-based habits, and just call them by a different name.

For example, we decide to follow Christ. We have a revelation, a turning. We have come to accept that not only is God real, but He truly rewards those who genuinely seek Him. But somewhere along the way, we have lost the vibrancy of those first days of faith, and we are back to the grind. It might be a different grind, but grind it is. Instead of sharing our faith or time, or money, or energy because we have been led by God to do so, we do so out of duty, guilt, or fear. Or if we don’t do these things we feel guilty because we “aren’t doing more.” We find ourselves in a different kind of competition, with a different kind of goal– to be a professional Christian—The Best. And if we are honest with ourselves, we do it to remain a “member in good standing” with whatever Christian community to whom we might be attached.

We are not alone in this. Since the first generation of believers, people have succumbed to the temptation to take matters back into their own hands, and revert to rules and regulations instead of being guided by God. This is what Paul referred to in the first part of 1 Corinthians 13: “I can speak with the tongue of men and angels,” Paul says, “but if I have not love, I am nothing.”

We must choose to remain free
We must vigilantly guard our freedom in Christ, and resist the temptation to reduce a life of following God to a set of rules. God simply doesn’t work that way. He is consistent in His character but unpredictable in his methods. We must remain committed to Him first, not bound to a standard or a norm, or we slide into the pit of shoulds and coulds all over again.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Share with us: How are you choosing to remain free? We would love to hear from you.

Recent posts: Beginning With The End In Mi nd: Goal Series – Part II, Taking Aim: Goal Series – Part I,

Beginning With The End In Mind: Goal Series- Part 2

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by Lydia Floren

We have three sons, who all played sports at various stages while growing up, and we quickly learned that youth sports were not only competitive for children, but even more so for parents. When our son made a great play, we would get more high fives from other parents in the stands than our kids would from their teammates. When there was a victory, there was as much or more cheering on the sidelines as there was on the field. (Of course at the early stages, the main reason the players were cheering at the end of the game is because it was time for treats! Aaaah! Those were the days!)

So how does a parent cope with the temptation to be drawn into this ultra-competitive environment? And how does one then teach their child to keep things in perspective? Well, I could write a whole book on this (I made many mistakes) but a couple questions really helped me keep my feet on the ground through the whole kids-in-sports thing:

“Is my child likely to be in a professional athlete?”
“Does he have that drive, that desire, and that amount of natural talent?
“Is that the way I see God leading him?”

I asked myself these question repeatedly over the years, and my answer was invariably “no.” (Sorry, guys.) If most kids aren’t destined for ESPN highlights, the next question is obvious:

“Why should kids even participate in organized sports?”

What was the goal, the aim of that activity?
If it wasn’t to get him a scholarship to a Division I school on the way to a pro contract deal with commercials, what was and is the point?

Unfortunately for many of us parents, the answer might be more about us than about them. Be honest, sideliners. At some point or some level we have all enjoyed basking in the glow of our kids’ successes, not because of what it says about them, but what it says about us: “you must be a good parent because your kid is a great sportsman.” (How warped is that?)

There are many good reasons for enrolling your kids in organized sports that have nothing to do with grooming them for a professional career. (Years later I continue to see, long after their playing days were over, the great things my sons still carry with them from their playing days.) Here are a few great reasons to have a child in organized sports: physical fitness, learning how to be a team member, being a part of a group, learning discipline, hard work, excellence, selflessness, honesty, restraint, self-esteem, working with good and bad coaches [translate bosses].

Organized sports teach kids how to lose, to win, to encourage, to stay positive, to be consistent, to do the job you have been assigned, to lead, to follow. I could go on. None of these things in any way requires that your child be a standout performer on the fast-track to the pros. In fact, having that star distinction can hamper him/her from gleaning many of these benefits.

What is success?
I am getting to a point here. What is success? Making a bunch of money and having a body that doesn’t work well for the last half of your life? Risking life-altering injury for a few moments of glory? Spending all your college days on the field or in the pool instead of exploring your many other interests and abilities?

How does God view success? What would he consider a worthy aim in life? Jesus was quite clear on this point:

“Love the Lord your god with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.”

Or as Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 14:1:

“Make love your aim.”

Now that is a goal worth aiming for.

Share with us: How do you decide and review goals? We would love to hear from you.

Recent posts: Taking Aim: Goal Series – Part I, A Note In Your Lunchbox, To Be, To-Do To Be

Taking Aim – Goal Series: Part I

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by Lydia Floren

Even though our beloved Packers missed the Super Bowl by a hair’s breath, we will be part of the football faithful watching the big game this year. We watch a lot of football at our house. So the Super Bowl is an event rivaling the importance of Thanksgiving or Christmas, no matter who is playing.

In fact, you could consider us a football family. Football lore and stats are often bantered about our house. My husband Andrew is fond of mentioning that Drew Brees, the quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, is more accurate than a world class archer. Brees once took a challenge to see how many times he could hit an Olympic archery target at 20 yards throwing a football–he hit the bull’s-eye ten out of ten times. Check out the video.

That is crazy. How does he do that? Practice, certainly. But the first step in any skill is deciding where you want to go—identifying your target, and taking aim. Drew decided years ago he wanted to be a great quarterback, and he has been practicing his throws ever since.

Taking aim

There is a saying by Zig Ziglar that says, “If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it.” Another great saying is “A long journey begins with the first step.” if that is true, it makes sense that your first step of the rest of your life should be to figure out what you are aiming at in your life.

What are you aiming for in life?

What are you aiming for in life? What a great question to ask yourself as the New Year begins. Putting it another way: What drives your decisions? What are you focused on in life?

Are you even aiming at anything?

I think most of us are aiming at things, and usually these goals are based in core beliefs that we hold, and/or driven by needs we feel compelled to meet. But our beliefs and motives may not be obvious to us. In fact, we can be immobile, and still be aiming at something. Perfectionists have this down to an artform: we stop before we start, because we don’t BELIEVE there is any possibility of success. Here are a couple of examples:

You might believe that you are worthless, and have nothing to contribute. So you choose to not try.
Or you might believe that whatever you might attempt, it must be done “perfectly.” You might tell yourself: I can’t do anything right so I might as well not start.

Floating

Is it possible to live life without focus or aim? Maybe, but I doubt it. Some people truly seem to float through life. We all know people like this. Floaters are professional victims. Life “happens” to them. It is as if they have given up on themselves. They can be in a perpetual pity party, or just aimlessly floating along from one thing to another. Even though is seems like they don’t have any goals or focus, I believe they do, but it is rooted in a fixed false belief: they don’t have any power over themselves or their circumstances, or they care more about doing nothing than making a difference. Their goal is to do the least amount possible. They think doing nothing (except maybe complaining) is the path of least resistance, but it truly is not. Passivity carries much more problems and headaches than purposeful action, and leads to much greater misery. Floaters eventually float right over a waterfall, pitching them—and anyone with them– right out of the boat and into a torrent of churning water.

How to figure out what you are aiming at: Take a look at the past.

We are all aiming at something, whether we realize it or not. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, so if you want to know what is important to you–what you are currently aiming at in life–take a look at the past. How you spent your most important assets–time and money—is a great indicator of what has been important to you, and what will likely guide future decisions. This is relatively easy to do.

How to find out your main goal (s) for the past year:

1. Just pull out your checkbook and your calendar for the past week/month/year, and ask yourself: How did I spend my time? How did I spend my money?

Start with broad categories, and then estimate what percentage of your time and money was spent on each, or how many hours you spent on each. (Don’t get all OC about it. We are just getting ballpark figures here.) Here is an example and some possible categories (Make these as broad or narrow as you like.):
Time:
- Sleep (8 hours/day, 56 hours/week, 240 hours per month) 30% of the time
- Eating (2 hours/day) 6% of the time
- Internet/TV/video games
- Exercise
- Time with people (face to face or phone, not texting or internet)
- Work
- Chores
- Travel
- Prayer/worship/meditation
- Reading the Bible
- Reading
- Hobbies/Interests
- Childcare
- Volunteering
Money:
- Bills
- Housing
- Groceries
- Starbucks
- Out to eat
- Savings
- Presents (friends and family)
- Charity or similar giving
- Schooling
- Entertainment

2. Why? A very powerful question If you want to take this one step further, go to each of the categories (at least the most important ones) and ask yourself “Why?” three times:

For example: 30% of your time was spent sleeping.

Why? Because my body needs sleep to function properly.
Why? Because that is how my body is built.
Why? I want to be healthy and for my body to function optimally.

Asking why repeatedly helps you to drill down to your more basic motivations, which can uncover true or false assumptions, or assumptions that need to be challenged.

Do I need to sleep?
What amount of sleep is optimal for me?

(Of course most of us would agree that 8 hours of sleep in our day is a pretty good use of our time. But some areas might not be so clear.)

3. What has been your main goal?

Now look through your lists and your whys. What common themes are there? If you could summarize your life, what would you say your main focus or goal has been? Come up with 1-3 things. Now you have a much better idea of what you have been aiming at (if anything) in the past year, and, therefore, where you are likely to be focused in the coming year.

Is this really where you want to go?

So now comes the kicker question: Is this where you want to go? Why or why not?

For example: If you can see that your primary focus has been to get an education, ask yourself: Why are you doing this? And why are you studying this? Is this your ultimate aim in life? If not, what is? What led you to this decision? Is it a direction you still feel you need to go? Why? It may lead you to other questions: How much money DO you need to make? What kind of career ARE you supposed to have? Does it fit the set of gifts/talents God has given you, or is it just a means to a financial end? What beliefs or thought processes are guiding these choices?

When you start asking these type of questions, you are well on the road to figuring out not only what has guided your past choices, but consciously [as opposed to passively] choosing if this is the right way for you to continue in your future.

Share with us: What have you discovered as you examine your goals this year?

Recent posts: A Note In Your Lunchbox, To Be, To-Do To Be

To Be

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by Lydia Floren

In my last post, I talked about TO-DO lists, and the importance of BE-ing restored every day. That got me thinking: What are some great things to have on a TO BE list?

TO BE:

Be Restored. (see last week’s post for more on this)

“He [The Lord] makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:2-3
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:12
I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be filled. John 15:11

Be Cherished. You are fully known and completely loved. Not because of what you do, but because of who you are: a precious creation of God’s.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3
You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5
I have called you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

Be Forgiven. There is no reason at all to keep carrying around regret and guilt and shame. Choose to receive God’s forgiveness, and forgive yourself.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. Isaiah 53:6
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12
Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Romans 4:7

Be Free. Let go of worry, resentment, unforgiveness, expectations for yourself and others, old habits.

Now by “the Lord” is meant the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom is enjoyed. 2 Cor. 3:17
For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1
Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free. Luke 6:37
I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free. Psalm 119:32

Share with us: What’s on your TO Be list?

To-Do, To Be

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by Lydia Floren

I am a big list person, always have been. I have little scraps of “to-do’s” on sticky notes stuck around the kitchen, my office, in my purse, the car…I have learned a thing or two about myself in my years of list making.

One thing, I have learned, is that for me, the act of writing something down on a list helps me remember it, even if I never look at it again.
Another thing, I have discovered about myself, is that I am not a very good judge of time. (I know that shocks those of you that know me.) I tend to cram my to-do list with more tasks than I can reasonably accomplish, which means I am more likely to be frustrated and hurried as the day goes on.
A third thing, I have learned about myself, is that if I really want to remember to do stuff, I have to put the list somewhere obvious. My favorite location is the refrigerator, since I seem to love to go open the door every hour or so when I am home. (Why do I do that BTW? Do I think a magic fairy is going to deposit delicious calorie free food in there when I’m not looking?] If it is really, really, important that I remember something: I write a reminder on my hand. I learned from my kids.

I have also learned a few great habits in list making:

Have 3 to-do lists.
- General overall list, so you don’t forget stuff. This might have sub-categories like shopping, online, work, home, meal prep, etc., it could be written, or on your computer or phone.
- Weekly to-do list.
- Daily to-do list.
Schedule tasks from your to-do lists’ into your calendar. Once a week, look at your calendar, and your overall tasks, and jot down things that must be accomplished in the coming week. As much as possible, set aside time in the week to accomplish these tasks, and actually write them in your calendar.
Limit your daily TO-DO list to 5 or 6 items. This little habit has a great impact. It forces you to narrow down what is most important to accomplish in your day, and reigns in the temptation to expect yourself to do more than can reasonably be accomplished. And that reduces stress, worry, hurry, and frustration, and increases a sense of accomplishment.

My daily to-do list always begins with this:

1. Be Restored

Be Restored: It is kind of ironic that my daily TO-DO list begins with something TO BE. As I choose to be quiet, to be available, to meditate on God’s word, and be attuned to what He is saying to me, I am connecting my heart and spirit with the one Person in the universe who knows me completely and loves me more than I can imagine. In this process, He restores my mind, emotions, spirit, and even my body. He forgives, He gives perspective, He reminds me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and that He is taking care of me. He encourages me to release the past, move forward, and to enjoy the day.

No, I haven’t (and likely won’t) give up my TO-DO lists, but I have learned this: the most important thing, I can DO in my day, is TO BE restored. I can really tell if I miss it.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3

Read my meditation on Psalm 23:1-3 or check out the Belovedlove Psalm 23 Bracelet.

Share with us: What tips do you have for list making? How do you keep things in perspective?

The Blessings of Giving Thanks

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by Lydia Floren

What one habit has most transformed your life? For me the answer would be the practice of thanks-giving.. Here are a few of the blessings of giving thanks that I have experienced:

Attitude. I see even a little blessing in life as a bonus, not a right, when I appreciate that my life—and everything in it—is a gift from God.

Contentment. I am free to enjoy each day–even if things are difficult–when I give thanks that God is working all things to good.

Trust. It is easier to trust God’s direction, especially when the future seems uncertain, as I give thanks for God’s love and goodness.

Fearless following. I can boldly follow God’s lead–the best i know it–as I give thanks for God’s commitment to safely guide me. I know that He will make any mid-course corrections if I misunderstand or just wander away for awhile.

Self-concept. I am at peace with who I am when I give thanks for my life–the unique blend of attributes that makes me “me”. It settles me. I have nothing to prove. I am valuable, and valued by the most amazing being in the universe, the person that made me.

Encouragement. I am en-couraged—given courage to be myself, when I appreciate my identity and value. And I can then en-courage others.

Hope. I have hope to see beyond a hardship when I am giving thanks in the middle of it. I can also more readily see benefits of those challenging situations.

Perspective. Giving thanks for eternity reframes my perspective, and reminds me what is really important.

Focus. Giving thanks for others takes my focus off myself.

Tolerance. When I give thanks for the unique gifts of others, I more inclined to celebrate differences, instead of being annoyed by them. I can appreciate that each person’s individuality makes life rich, just like one spice combined with another creates a wonderful flavor.

Freedom. Giving thanks for Christ’s sacrifice allows me to leave the past behind, and to quit beating myself for being “imperfect.” God completes me. In Him I am perfect.

Calling. There is nothing like the deep soul-satisfying joy of God working through me to love another person in my own unique way. Giving thanks to God for calling me to be loved, and then to love–Him, myself, and those I encounter–brings me joy.

Presence of God. Giving thanks in all things brings me into the very presence of God.

The practice of giving thanks in all things has changed–and continues to change–my life.

How has giving thanks blessed you? We’d love to hear from you!

Living Grace

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by Lydia Floren

Do you ever feel bogged down? Not by anything external, but by what goes on inside your head? I know I do. Regrets and hurts sap my strength. Worries and frustrations drain away my joy.

Lately I’ve been figuring out a cool way to get back on track every day, so that I can go forward refreshed and energized: I’ve been learning to pray GRACE.

Pray GRACE:

Give thanks

Release

Continue

Enjoy

For example, in the morning I might pray something like this:

Give thanks

Thank You Father, for life that is in me and in the world around me. Thank You for air to breathe, a beating heart, five senses and four limbs. Thank You for the past, present, and future. Thank You for You: Your goodness, Your commitment to be with me and within me, Your love and care. Thank You for the particular situations that are on my mind, that You work all things to good, that You understand and will lead me in the right way to look at things, and how best to proceed.

Release

Father, I know I have been carrying around all kinds of baggage, and right now I just want to leave everything right here at Your feet. I release

My self-reliance: when I go my own way instead of Your way
Regret for what I have done that may have hurt myself or others, and
Any hurt that I am experiencing as a consequence of someone’s else’s actions
My habit of beating myself up over stuff. Thank you that you do not want me to live under condemnation, a slave of shame or guilt. That is precisely what you gave your life for.
Grudges I am holding against others: resentment and/or unforgiveness
Things dragging me down that I’m not consciously aware of: You know even more than I do what those things might be.

Accept

Thank you for my life

Where I am in time and space,
My unique gifts and talents, my incredible value, and belonging to you and the family of God
The privilege of joining with You to love those around me, and that you use me just as I am, “imperfect” by my own false standards.

Thank You for You

You being with me and within me, and never leaving me.
That You are committed to me: You have my back.
That you are Truth, and You have freed me.

Thank you for the freedom

Of your forgiveness
From hanging on to hurt, condemnation, and the expectations of others.
From fear, as I leave my worries with you.

Thank you that everyday is a new day, that I can embrace with anticipation.

Continue

Help me to continue moving forward in the direction You’ve already led me.

According to the plans carefully – and prayerfully – formulated.
Utilizing the habit(s) you have led me to establish
Keeping the commitments you have asked me to keep.

Thank you that You fill in the blanks of my imperfect efforts with Your perfect sufficiency.

And as I go, thank you that You will show me what changes you might want to make in those plans, habits and commitments.

Enjoy today

Thank you for the constants in my day: your love, your presence, your commitment to provide and protect and lead me, your working in this world.

Thank You for the unexpected:

The gifts You give me throughout the day: a beautiful sky, a smile, a connection, a new friend.
The surprising ways You work sometimes. ways I don’t anticipate or understand.
Opportunities to love and bless those around me.
Unique ways You communicate with me through your still small voice, your word, circumstances, your creation, and other people

Praying GRACE – it’s a great way to live!

p.s. I am really excited about this GRACE model! I am finding all kinds of applications for it. Expect to hear more about Living Grace in the near future! Below is a tool that can be printed on a 4×6 card so you can try Praying Grace, filling in your own blanks. (You can also find this on our Pinterest page)

Take a moment and share with us: How are you living GRACE in your days?

The Barnacles of Busy-ness

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sunrise_beach Busy-ness is a persistent parasite, like barnacles on a sea shell. Busy-ness attaches itself to my life through “extra” expectations and goals and plans. If I allow these barnacles to grow and multiply, my priorities and my calling become almost unrecognizable. I come to believe that these embellished plans are God’s will for me, and I convince myself that no one but I can accomplish these plans–not even God. My time is consumed by either working on these altered plans, or worrying about them. Gone is my willingness to begin each day in God’s presence, and to seek His guidance throughout my day. There is no time. I must hurry. There is much to do.

Through Psalm 23 my Patient Father, My Shepherd calls me back to reality, to the truth deep within me. He calls me to remember, rest, reflect, restore, and refocus:

REMEMBER:

The Lord gives me plenty–more than enough—of everything I need to do what He calls me to do.

plenty of time.
plenty of resources.
plenty of His love and acceptance and grace.

He has done this before, and He will do it again. And again.

REST: Being still—resting—allows me to…

absorb His presence, and
remember His provision, power, guidance, faithfulness and love.
be strengthened for the day ahead.
step back and see the big picture, instead of being caught up in meaningless minutia.

REFLECT: His quiet waters allow me a safe place to…

see my reflection,
face my recurring tendency to wander, and
re-clarify truth, and recognize what barnacle-lies might be attached to that truth.

RESTORE: He refreshes my soul with…

His grace.
His love and acceptance.
His affirmation of my identity, value, belonging.
His calling for me
- to be loved, and
- to love,
- and to let go of everything else.

REFOCUS: He guides me to…

freedom from the barnacles of busy-ness—those expectations of myself and others that attach themselves to my life, keeping me from seeing and following God’s true plan for me.
increasing understanding of truth, and the exposure of lies I have long believed to be truth.
new ways to love Him, myself, and others who cross my path.

Every day, in hard times and good ones, when I follow the Lord my Shepherd He guides me to Joy— the hallmark of an abundant life.

Do you ever feel like you have collected barnacles of busy-ness? How has God been leading you to joy, and freeing you of the barnacles of busy-ness? We would love to hear from you!

barnacles of busy-ness By Lydia Floren