When the World Presses In, Press On

I don’t care how old you are. If you’re old enough to be reading this, you’re old enough to know that along with life’s blessings and joys comes life’s setbacks and disappointments. You don’t need me to tell you that. Maybe you’re tired. Maybe you’re burdened. Perhaps you’ve become so accustomed to discouragement that now you stand on borderline hopelessness. So … how do you deal when you feel you’ve been given more than your fair share of trials?

The world will tell you several things:

· “Time to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps!”
· “Buck up, Kiddo, no one said life would be easy.”
· “Try harder.”
· “It’s a cruel world out there. You need to stand up for Number One no matter who gets in the way.”

None of these is helpful. None of these will actually get you anywhere. But because we live in the world, we by default hear the world’s so-called advice.

Praise God, what He has to speak into your situation is entirely different. Here are just a few things He wants you to know right now in your struggle:

· “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:7)
· “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
· “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)
· “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:10)

God’s words are truth. Do you believe what He is saying to you in the verses above? It’s one thing to acknowledge what He says, it’s quite another to live by what He says.

It’s also probably obvious to you that the Lord is not promising to make your troubles disappear in an instant. Rather, He reveals what is to be your focus during this time of trial: Himself. You center your attention on Him by spending time with Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6). Think about Him as your Help, Savior and Friend. And then what? “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

But if you’re still wondering how to think about anything other than what’s weighing you down, consider the very next verse: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

What is holding you back today? Do you need to take some time in prayer right now to confess your unbelieving heart and wayward thoughts? Do you need to ask for God’s grace to help you really live by His truth? Talk to Him. Let Him meet you in your need. He’s eager to hear from you and walk with you through your struggle.

“Who Do You Think You Are” Book Feedback

If you ask any of us here at Greater Reach about the book “Who Do You Think You Are,” you’ll hear nothing but good things. (We can’t help it … we love it. We believe its message has life-changing power.) But you can’t just take our word for it! Women around the world are excited about it, too.

Read this unedited book recommendation from reader Susan Marovic:

“Women looking for a greater role in the world and wanting to know how to be MORE . . . this is the book for you. Dr. Beasley explores some of our assumptions about ourselves and how our families helped us form these assumptions. For example, “when we have a painful emotional experience, we women often blame ourselves.” I do not know of a woman who has not done this very same thing. She helps us find out if our assumptions about ourselves are rooted in our culture or society and how to come up with more accurate views of ourselves. Jesus communicated a true respect for women in His day and was quite revolutionary in His thinking. ‘Jesus intentionally included women in His Kingdom work’ helped me realize that God has a definite place and job for me in His Kingdom. “

Another area that helped me understand others was the area of self-esteem. This is one of the fruits of skewed assumptions about ourselves. For example, Dr. Beasley states:

“‘If you have chronic low self-esteem, I need to tell you that you are most likely self-absorbed. Women with low self-esteem are as self-absorbed as the biggest egomaniac because their thoughts revolve around themselves, their problems, and how bad or unworthy they are. This will hold you back from accomplishing anything.’

“She also helped me understand that my career is not necessarily a mandate from God—‘your personal mandate is about something much bigger than a paycheck. It involves your entire life, not just your working hours.’

“This book is written for the woman with a busy career AND a woman who does not work but desires true significance—it IS more than a paycheck, despite what the world would have you believe!”

And there you have it … straight from not our lips, but from the fingertips of an eager reader!

Perhaps you or someone you know will have more than an “ah ha!” moment when you read this book; you may have an entire reawakening to the person God created you to be. You may unearth the very specific purpose for this life He has called you to live. Don’t wait! ORDER NOW

By: Kristin Beasley (Jodi Carlson)

The Feast of Your Dreams

Let’s say you’re invited to the White House for a once-in-a-lifetime dinner gala. Of course you buy a new dress and wear the most painful heels. But the dinner rewards you a hundred-fold. It is nothing short of spectacular. You eat five courses of endless deliciousness. Every bite of each dish is proof that you’ve died and gone to heaven. Exquisite flavors. Divine delight. Nothing was held back in the preparations for this fine feast! Now, what if you were given the original recipes that the chefs used, and you wanted to go home and recreate each of them so that your family could taste what you did? The task may seem daunting. You don’t have the same expensive cooking tools or equipment. You don’t have access to the rare ingredients that were used. You don’t have the time, and you certainly don’t possess the cooking prowess.

There in your own home, the flavors fading fast from your tongue, you’re tempted to settle. You want to make substitutions and take shortcuts. In the end, you’ll serve the meal on your worn and chipped dinnerware. You may have started this task with gusto, but along the way, the difficulties cause you to shrug your shoulders and settle for something that’s a poor imitation of the original.

Now, what if I told you your God-given dreams face the same threat? The truth is, God has mighty plans for you. They are as specific as each of the five courses of that White House meal. God’s plans for you are wonderful and magnificent! When we first realize them, we rejoice as a hungry dinner gala guest. But when it comes time for us to pursue His dreams for our lives (which He places in our hearts), we feel we’ve been given a recipe card and nothing else. There’s no way we can create the feast ourselves! We balk at the thought. We stall under the obstacles (our grocery store doesn’t carry those exotic ingredients.) We become frozen by the setbacks (20-year-old cookware). We see a cook who doesn’t stand a chance (our own lack of training and skill).

It’s SCARY!

It’s certainly IMPOSSIBLE!

So, we then do one of two things: we try making cheap substitutions for the real dream along the way, or we give up on the dream entirely. Neither one is what God wants for us.

What He wants is to bring His dreams to fruition in your life! He does not want your obstacles to have the last say. He does not want you substituting. Or whining. Or giving up. What He wants is for you to take your inexperience, your lack of resources, your skeptical outlook, and give it all to Him. He is the Master Chef. HE has the experience. HE has the resources. HE has the ways and means. HE will accomplish His purpose for your life.

So, how do you embrace the impossible dream? You recognize that you are not the chef, after all. He is. You are His assistant. You are to listen for His voice in the kitchen and respond by doing what He asks. It’s your life, yes, but they are His dreams. Obstacles do not have the last say. You are to simply bring your insufficiencies and shortcomings to Him. Let Him slice, dice, and blend up the perfect concoctions … His dreams for your life.

He wants the feast of your dreams even more than you do. Together, the two of you will accomplish “the impossible!”

“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

By: Kristin Beasley (Jodi Carlson)