Purposeful Steps

By Sherri Holbert –

Do you have changes you’d like to make in your life? Perhaps you would like to exercise more during the week. Maybe you would like to have more time to simply relax and read a book. Perhaps you love to read so you’d like to read 10 new books to learn about a new area of interest. Maybe you’d like to start planning for a family vacation you’ve not been able to take. Maybe you have that one thing you keep saying, “I wish I could do this. I wish I could do this.”

We all have changes we’d like to make in our life. This means we all have goals we want to accomplish. Yet many people say, “I’m not goal-oriented.” The word “goal” can be scary to some people.

If you were an athlete in high school or college, what was your team goal? To win, of course. Everything you did in practice was designed to help you achieve that goal. What is your goal as a Christian? It’s to be more Christ-like. This means we work to take purposeful steps, creating the change we want in life. Train our minds to focus on the positives and train our mouths to say kind and loving things to others. It takes work—especially patience and faith. There is only one way to do this and do it well. Have a plan—a plan to keep yourself on target.

You may not see the need for putting goals into a written plan on paper but Paul taught us goal-setting is scriptural. Here are some key points we can learn from Paul to apply to our lives:

• God has a plan for my life. He will guide me with the plan.
• I will practice strict control.
• I will make each step purposeful.
• I will run straight toward my goal without wavering.
• I discipline my mind and body to do what it should.
• I strive for eternal riches.

Paul said it best when he said that the important thing is to take small steps to accomplish the goals God wants you to achieve so you don’t get overwhelmed and quit.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, help me to run the race with strength and courage so that I am accomplishing the goals that are part of Your big plan for my life. Keep me focused on things that make an eternal difference. Keep reminding me that I accomplish Your work through daily small steps.”

“Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So, I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step… I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NLT).

This devotion is by Sherri Holbert, a life coach, author and co-founder of Walk of Purpose Ministries. Her study, DIVAS of the Divine:  How to Live as a Designer Original in a Knock-Off World guides you through setting a step-by-step plan in place to help you accomplish the changes you want to make in your life. Learn more at www.walkofpurpose.com

Impossible? Depends Who You Ask

Rosemary Flaaten –

Have you ever felt like God was calling you to do the impossible? You believe He created you and that He knows you more intimately than you know yourself, but you just can’t help but wonder if somehow He got you mixed up with someone else. The job before you is far beyond your natural capabilities, outside your comfort zone or just plain impossible. Why would God ask you to do something that is seemingly unattainable?

I wonder how many people down through history have asked this same question. Did William Wilberforce ever feel that challenging the established slave trade was too daunting? Did Mother Teresa ever feel overwhelmed by the needs surrounding her? The young maiden virgin, given the responsibility to bear the Saviour, asked “But how can this be?” (Luke 1:34). Great callings always seem out of reach.

What has God brought into your line of vision, prompting you to pursue? Is it a new position at work? Is it to take the ministry He has given you to a wider audience? Is it to uproot your family, starting again in a new community with new friends and neighbours? Is it to be still and do less?

The apostle Paul revelled in his inadequacies by claiming that God’s grace is sufficient and that God’s power is made perfect in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). The second part to this verse gives us a peek into how this happens. “Christ’s power may rest upon me.” This is a similar statement to the angel’s promise to the Virgin Mary: “The power of the Highest [will] hover over you” (Luke 1:35 MSG).

The only way we will accomplish the purpose which God has put on our lives is to have His Spirit “move in on [our] weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 MSG). Having the Spirit hover over us will empower us, emblazon us and propel us.

Rather than focusing on the impossibilities that lie before us, let’s keep God as our focal point, trusting that He not only calls but equips. Just as Peter walked on the water, may we seize the opportunities that God brings, trusting that His Spirit is resting upon us. Then we can say with conviction: With God all things are possible.

PRAYER: Spirit of the Living God may You rest upon me, filling me with courage, strength and an unwavering conviction to follow You wherever You lead.

“For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37 NLT).

Today’s Devotional is by Rosemary Flaaten. Her successful book, A Woman and Her Relationships helps women process their outside-of-work relationships, so now she’s delving into these 9-5 relationships in A Woman and Her Workplace. Her Relationships book won The Word Guild Award, which is Canada’s top Christian literary honor. A dynamic speaker—Rosemary challenges women of all professions to view their work as a calling and their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ’s love. Rosemary lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.

Meaningful Work

By Cynthia Ruchti –

“Meaningful work.”

That’s what I said over the phone when in conversation with someone who shared my rant over the four-volume to-do lists sneering at us both. Looking for a spark of hope in the murky fog of responsibilities, I cheered the caller with the line, “Our lists remind us we have meaningful work to do.” Nervous little laugh. Then came the soul-heavy recognition that the Lord had just spoken, not me. And not through me but TO me.

My mom’s final days on this earth, almost a year ago now, were marked by struggle and a pathological inactivity that often rose with a greater ferocity than her pain. She mourned her loss of strength and the steady decline of her ability to breathe, but of greatest concern was the loss of something meaningful to do.

She’d battled congestive heart failure and all…yes, all…of its complications for many years. She understood that physical activities would be sloughed off like dead skin cells. One by one, she gave them up—traveling, gardening, cooking, pulling her great-grandchildren into her lap. Eventually even reading—a great holdout of joy in her declining years—was taken in brief one or two minutes snatches before she tired.

Diligent to the end to pray for those she loved, for her church family, and even for her hospice caregivers, all other avenues of meaningful work disappeared. No to-do lists. No responsibilities except for the labor of breathing.

Not having more than that on her list broke her heart.

Reflecting on the depth of her disappointment, I’m thanking God today that there’s more than one thing waiting for my attention. A robust list. And whether today or tomorrow or next week, they’ll all get done, by God’s grace.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for cheering my heart with this wave of gratitude. Even when the list threatens to choke me, it won’t. And it is evidence that You have given me an abundance of meaningful work.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Cynthia Ruchti, writer/producer of THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HOME radio ministry and past president of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Cynthia’s debut novel—They Almost Always Come Home—and “The Heart’s Harbor” in A Door County Christmas novella collection released in 2010. Cynthia writes stories of hope-that-glows-in-the-dark (www.cynthiaruchti.com).

Winter Wilderness

By Art Fulks –

It always amazes me how many friends and family I reconnect with at some level during the holiday season. Many times, it is a simple passing conversation at the mall while shopping or a few connecting moments at a Christmas gathering. On a common holiday mission, we make commitments to connect on a more consistent basis and to invest in the relationships. But as the new year begins, realities set in and life sometimes seems even more overwhelming. Although we just spent an entire month in a consistent oasis of social interaction and purpose, it is easy to suddenly find ourselves lost and dried up in a winter wilderness. We are people…not camels.

Personally, I find myself in the winter wilderness for three main reasons:  (1) unmet expectations of myself; (2) unrealistic expectations of others; and (3) unrecognized fresh water right in front of me. Practically, I need to focus on pursuing a few consistent goals for growing in my journey and intentionally invest in one or two new realtionships. Also, it is unrealistic to think that every intention stated by others in passing will be made a priority. Finally, when I focus on unmet expectations of myself or others, I often miss the provision of my Heavenly Father who has promised to supply my needs day-by-day.

Sometimes the winter wilderness is unavoidable, but God can do amazing things with barren land.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may I find my encouragement from Your daily provision. Help me find consistent direction and purpose from You, the only One who always exceeds my expectations.

“He turns a wilderness into a pool of water and a dry land into springs of water” (Psalm 107:35 NASB).

Today’s devotional is by Art Fulks, a church planter/pastor at Connection Fellowship in Greenville, South Carolina. Married for 22 years and a father of four, Art is a graduate of The Ohio State Univeristy and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a passionate Bible teacher, speaker, musician, worship leader, and life coach. Read more at http://www.connectionfellowship.org http://artfulks.blogspot.com.

Scared Stiff is My 2011 Goal!

Donna McCrary –

This year we are seeing a drastic change in the familiar and most popular New Year’s Resolution. For the past few decades the number one “I will lose weight” resolution has been dramatically replaced with a new not so popular statement, “I want to be scared, shocked, and amazed each day.” I know it is hard to believe such a radical resolution is the desire of so many people.

OK, not really! But, what if every Christ Follower made this their goal in the upcoming year? In the gospels, there are numerous times when the words scared, shocked, and amazed were used to describe what the disciples were experiencing. Remember when the disciples experienced a horrific storm on the boat while Jesus was sleeping? They frantically woke him up. Jesus responded to them, “Why are you fearful?” (Matthew 8:26). Throughout the gospels, it states when a miracle was performed by Jesus the crowds were “marveled.” They were astonished! They could not believe what they were seeing.

Again, they were scared when Jesus took Peter, James, and John, up high on the mountain. He then transfigured before them. They had the privilege of seeing Jesus transformed into a brilliant beautiful being whose “face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2). The excitement didn’t stop there. Then they saw Elijah and Moses appear and speak with Jesus. Scared! I believe I would be shaking in my shoes by this point. To top off the experience a bright cloud came over them and a voice spoke out of the cloud. Scripture says they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid—my modern translation would say they were “scared stiff.” I know I would be.

Step back and put this in perspective. The disciples who walked, talked, ate, slept and lived with Jesus were at times “scared stiff,” astonished and marveled. So, if we are truly walking with Christ today in our lives, meaning we talk with Him, follow Him and truly experience Him each day we should have the same experiences. Is this really our goal? Are we willing to put ourselves in the position to be “scared stiff” in order to be in the presence of Jesus? Do we want our days to be filled with absolute amazement? Will we make this our goal in 2011?

PRAYER: Father, in this upcoming year give me the courage and strength to walk with You each day. Help me to overcome my fears and increase my faith so I can truly experience You and be amazed!

“Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it’” (Matthew 16:24-25 NKJV).

This devotion is by Donna McCrary, a life coach, author, and co-founder of Walk of Purpose Ministries. Her study, DIVAS of the Divine: How to Live as a Designer Original in a Knock-Off World, tackles the tough subject of overcoming fear. Learn more at www.walkofpurpose.com.

« Previous Page — Next Page »