Called to Work.

I hope it's no surprise to you that you are Called to Work. The idea that working hard at something came as a result of the fall used to be more commonplace than it is now, but we still live in that world a little bit. We still think hard work is a negative. We assume that we have it made if we have to work less, or if our work is not too challenging.

Difficult work comes in many forms. There is work that is physically hard and work that is mentally hard. Some jobs take a severe emotional toll on a person and others insight an ungodly amount of stress. And while all jobs probably have some aspect to them that is hard, most jobs still have a root of goodness in them. And most of the jobs you readers likely have can be used to glorify God.

Working was something God ordained, after all. He gave Adam dominion and authority over all the animals on the earth and commanded him and Eve to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth. That phrase "to subdue it" in Hebrew means to bring into subjection, or to bring into bondage. The earth was theirs to control, to maintain, and can you imagine what a job that would be? Genesis 2:15 says that after God created Adam He put him in the garden to work it and keep it. The first job in history!

It's easy to get caught up in thinking about which specific job we are called to and which jobs have a more honorable, holy calling. That is not only a false way to segregate work, but it is a dangerous route and often leads to procrastination, inaction, and judgement between believers. I've mentioned a few times during this series my goal of encouraging people to take their eyes off big life choices like where to live, what job to take, who to marry, etc., and instead focus on what the bible specifically calls us to. And working is just another one of those things.

It is true that some jobs are simply necessary, and not usually very glamorous, but they just need to be done. Pumping gas, doing laundry, cleaning toilets, cooking food: they have the likelihood of being simple, boring, easy, and monotonous. But what happens when no one does them? These types of jobs bless others in pivotal ways even though they are not highly-esteemed or sought-after positions. However, as a Christian, we can choose to do these jobs and infuse them with the joy of the Lord, which makes an incalculable difference in the lives of others.

Let's look at what the bible says about work. Here are a few verses that give us some good information...

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

"But if anyone does not provide for this relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1 Timothy 5:8

"But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one." 1 Thessalonians 4:10b-12

"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." Ephesians 4:28

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven." Matthew 5:16

Some of these verses talk about working as in earning an income, or having a job. Others speak to actions that seem unassociated with money, like acts of kindness or service. I assure you, they all fall under the same umbrella. Why? Because money should not change the way we act toward others. It shouldn't change our disposition, our eagerness to do well, or our willingness to work without complaining. Money is simply a tool to use but it is the actual work we do that has a purpose.

What is that purpose? I see two things popping out from these scriptures, but the second idea supports the first.

1- to glorify God and show His goodness to others

2- to provide for the needs of others

When we work with happy hearts, as unto Christ, we demonstrate the goodness of God to unbelievers. They see us doing good for others and can see the reality of God! Without these works, we are just another person spouting off what we think is true or right. But with these works, people actually experience God. Genuine faith in God requires that we take action, as James talks about in James 2:14-26. Not only does our action show God to others, it reveals what we truly believe in our hearts.

Providing for the needs of others is the other main point of working that I see in all these verses. James also talks about this in the same passage referenced above, primarily that if we are only saying nice things to those who are suffering and simply offering prayer for others without any actual action, our faith is not real. He basically says that if we believe in God's gift of Jesus Christ, it will move us to action, to doing good works unto others. Paul emphasizes this in several of his epistles too. The thief ought to work not just so he won't steal, but so that he can give. The husband or leader of the home works to provide for those in his care, and in Titus 3:8 he says that the people in the church ought to devote themselves to good works for the benefit of other people.

It's really easy to look at our jobs (if you have one) and see how it benefits your family. But it's a lot harder to look at your entire day, week, year, or life and wonder if you are truly committing yourself to the kind of work God would have you do. Not in your career necessarily, but in your day-to-day actions. How devoted are you to working on behalf of your unbelieving neighbor? How committed are you to making life easier or better for your spouse or children? How likely are you to work with or without pay so that the unbelieving around you would see God in your sacrifice?

These are direct, pointed questions, and you should expect them to make you wiggle a bit in your chair (don't worry, they make me squirm too). I tend to be stingy with my time and my kids are rather demanding with much of my time, so every day I feel like I am constantly evaluating and navigating this type of question and response routine. It's hard to give so much of yourself, with or without pay. It's hard to make all of your work about something other that you!

But really, our entire existence is about far more than ourselves. When we deny it, we are living a lie. When we think our work is for us, for our personal gratification or benefit, we are trying to grasp and hang on to what God meant to be given to others. Don't get me wrong, there is often deep personal satisfaction in doing our job well and feeling like we were made for it, but we were made for God's work, not our own. When our work is glorifying to God, and for the benefit of others, and when we are happy to have it be so, we gain a peace that cannot be compromised. Don't you want that? I know I do! A peace that interruptions, disappointment, sorrow, and pain cannot take away... that's what Jesus offers. And when our work is centered on Jesus' work, on the goodness it does for others and the testimony it is for God, our work becomes fulfilling and life-giving.

So, what does that mean for my habits and routines this month? I'm not totally sure yet (what's new)! I am going to be participating in a blog-hop series with some writer friends revolving around the word Calm next week, so be looking for that. I hope to post some more though-provoking questions in the 12 Months of Called Facebook group I've set up and I hope that will bless your thought-life, your intentions, and your actual work. I have a lot of other books to catch up on so I think I will just work through those and see what comes from all of it.

The one thing I know I will do is fight discouragement with these two purposes in my work. If I know it helps others and I know it can glorify God, I will tell myself it matters and will fight to do it with joy. I'm sure this will put a target on my back, but I feel like I am at a turning point in my life where I need to combat the lies that make me feel fruitless and wasteful in what I do. I think we can all stand to question what we are pursuing and ask God whether it is glorifying to Him and others-minded. If it is, we can take a firm stand in knowing that our selfless living is more than worth it. Are you going to stand with me? Are you willing to give, to work, to sacrifice and strive for God and others?

Let's be renewed every day in this choice we are making. Be sure to join the Facebook group to get your free phone wallpaper to remind you of this beautiful, challenging, important endeavor. God is with you, and so am I.

Called to Receive His Power

This month's Call is like a glorious minefield of promise and encouragement. I pray that it motivates, encourages, and inspires you to take up your cross and trust God on whatever path you are walking.

We are Called to Receive His Power.

Honestly, when I look at the different Calls I see in the bible and chose for this year, I was a little stumped with this one (and a few others). I kind of forgot why I chose it or how it linked to the other calls, but after sitting with my bible for just an hour and thumbing through prominent verses, I was amazed at how much promise there is in this, and how little we talk about it!

When you think about receiving God's power, what comes to mind first?

Moving mountains? Healing people? Overcoming insane obstacles and precarious situations? You're not alone. I believe we all tend to think of God's power in ways that seem fantastical or impossible. But God's word says so much more about His power than just miracles and healings.

First, the power of God comes through the Holy Spirit. Next, it is for giving us life, strength and an understanding of Himself. Last, it glorifies Him and reveals Him to others.

After the resurrection, when Jesus is having his last few words with His disciples, He addresses their question about when the restoration of all things will occur. Jesus says that it is not for them to know the seasons the Father has determined. He continues on...

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Power is the gift of the Holy Spirit. You cannot receive God's power without receiving His Spirit, and you cannot receive His Spirit without also receiving power. They are inseparable.

But what is it for? How is this power supposed to be used?

Here in Acts, Jesus says it will enable them to share the gospel with those around them, and the same is true for us today. Just as Peter received power from the Spirit about what he ought to say while on trial and amid persecution (promised in Luke 12:11-12, fulfilled in Acts 4:8), the Spirit offers us the same power. And while I want to dive into that more, most of what I found in the bible about receiving His Power is about giving life and providing strength.

This doesn't just start in the New Testament either. Even just in reading through a small portion of His Word, not even asking for help or feeling desperately discouraged, I find strength and encouragement from these ancient words. Read with me in Isaiah 40:28-31

"Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God, 

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

His understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might He increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint."

Photo by James Chou.

Beautiful. Refreshing. Encouraging.

When I read these verses it allows me to set my burdens down and trust God to provide the strength I need for my day, for my life. And this strength is brought up in several other places too. Not the kind of strength simply for doing exceptionally difficult tasks or enduring extreme hardship, but for living, for continuing on in His work, and to keep fighting for joy.

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." Colossians 1:11-12

"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control." 2 Timothy 1:7

Paul even shares with those in Ephesus that he is praying for them to receive the power of the Spirit, that they may know God, the hope He gives, and His immeasurable power.

"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious in inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might..." Ephesians 1:15-19

I also love how Paul prays for the Ephesians here...

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:14-19

He goes on to say that this power at work in us is able to do far more abundantly beyond what we ask or think! Which for some is pretty significant, right? But ultimately, he finishes that declaration by saying "to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, forever and ever, Amen." (Ephesians 3:21)

I want to challenge you not to assume God's power is to be used only for magnificent, miraculous events, but rather for your own strength and benefit, and ultimately, for His glory to be seen in your living in unity and love with other believers. In turn, that same Spirit that gives you life and enables you to know God and understand His love also moves you to be able to share that with others. It is His power working in you that does this. Not your natural wisdom, not all the random blessing you seem to have inherited (though all things in our lives can point to Christ), but His Spirit gives us daily sustenance and enables us to keep living for Him. What a gift!

I want to memorize some of these verses this month, so I will list out a few references for you to read and I encourage you to pick at least one and memorize it. We need to remember that the power of the Holy Spirit is not something to be taken lightly. It raised Jesus from the dead! And it is in you too.

One book I listened to forever ago really encouraged me in trusting the power of the Holy Spirit and I plan to listen to it again. It is Girls With Swords by Lisa Bevere. When I listened to it before, I was reminded of the great power God has bestowed on us and what a threat that is to Satan and his work. I was able to stop seeing my failures or frustrations as roadblocks or allow them to discourage me, but I was actually encouraged when I found myself wrestling with them! I began to see discouragement as an arrow from the devil and was able to remember to pray and ask God's Spirit to help strengthen me. It makes such a difference!

So here is my game-plan:

1 - ask God's Spirit to strengthen me first thing, every morning. That's His job! We need to be ready and attentive to His work and ask God to fill us up.

2 - memorize Ephesians 3:14-21. This set of verses contains most of what this month is about for me; what the Holy Spirit does, why, and what it will produce. I never want to forget these things.

3 - be aware of Satan's hindrances and ask the Holy Spirit to move me through them. I want to be more specific in asking Him to help me battle discouragement, self-doubt, laziness, and the other things that seem to lead me into sinning toward my family or cause me to not be as invested in others as I'd like.

Will you join me? I hope so! Make sure you join our Facebook group to stay with us and see how this month goes. And if you're brave, share with me your game-plan for May. How are you hoping to see the Holy Spirit work in power in your life?


Verses about the Power of the Spirit:

Ephesians 1:15-23

2 Peter 1:3-4

Romans 15:13

Ephesians 3:14-21

1 Corinthians 4:20

2 Timothy 1:7

Romans 8:11

Colossians 1:11-12

Isaiah 40:28-31

Acts 1:8

In Hot Pursuit.

When was the last time you had a goal? Something legitimately tangible, something you could take steps toward with confidence, knowing you could reach the end result you desired?

I often have a hard time pulling these sorts of memories out of my brain but I do remember when I first started making wire-wrapped studs for my jewelry business. I had a craft fair coming up and I had a certain number of earrings I wanted to make sure were available and ready for purchase. I looked at how many days of work I had until then, how many earrings I wanted to have finished, and basically did the math. It was simple and easily attainable, so I went for it. I even exceeded my goal and felt awesome going into my sale weekend.

Pursuing finishing the race of life well feels a little bit different than pursuing these types of goals. Okay, probably a lot different. We don't have that end date positively defined (though I think most of us would have a hard time living if we really knew exactly when we would die). We don't know the details of what precisely we need to have finished by that questionable ending. And at best, we have foggy ideas about what it will be like to live forever. While none of these things are crystal clear to me after pondering, studying, and talking about it all month, I do feel better prepared to keep running this race the way God desires.

The last of my four points from the beginning of April has really stuck with me this last week or so. How am I preparing to meet Jesus in my death or His resurrection? Am I simply waiting for the moment to arrive or am I actually pursuing the life I will have in eternity?

If this life really is all about glorifying God and becoming a part of His kingdom, why are we so caught up in pursuing things in this world and only waiting idly by for Jesus' return? I said in my last post that most of us think Christ will come during our lifetime but that it is statistically unlikely. Maybe, but God isn't ruled by statistics. I think we should expect Christ's return. We should want it, we should work as if it will happen any day, and freely give like our lives truly depend on His 2nd coming.

But what does it really mean to pursue these things? How do you actually live like this? Sorry, I don't have a lot of answers. I've only been thinking about it for a week, and my mind is easily distracted. One thing I do know is that we need to begin to see where our daily lives do not line up with the desire for eternity we are called to have. Hebrews says Abraham was looking forward to the city God was building, not toward the things he could gain on earth. And this phrase in the Greek is not a passive waiting or a hopeful feeling; it is an eager expectation, an active looking. Abraham was in hot pursuit of the eternal life God had for him.

I can feel the vast difference between this kind of eager expectation and the way my life is now. I don't know how to get it there, but I want to. Most of my day revolves around my family's needs, my own desires, and the expectations others have for me. But I am at least beginning to recognize when my motivations are not eternally minded, which leads me to asking God for help. Funny how all things seem to come back to this.

We need God to give us vision, hope, and desire for the eternal life we have in Him. We cannot muster up the right kind of longing or a strong enough willpower to hang our hopes in eternity, especially against all the temporary pleasure the world says is okay or even wise to pursue. The better vision we have for eternity, the easier time we will have pursuing it.

Overall though, it has been a good month for me. Thinking about the new earth, about eternity, and about where I place my hope day-to-day is humbling and can be intense, but it also lifts a tremendous burden off my heart. I feel like I can put down the hopes I have for things on the earth and trust God completely for my hopes to be met in Him, both now and even more so in eternity. This enables me to let go of the things God does not have for me right now, willingly, and sometimes even eagerly. It is totally contrary to what most people in the world will encourage you to do and I often have to shut my eyes and ears off to what others say is valuable, or worthy, or good.

In all of this, once again I have circled back to the importance of Knowing God. When we know Him, pursue understanding Him, and place our hopes in what He wants, eagerly expecting the return of Christ becomes easier, more fulfilling, and enables us to better live life. I still wrestle every day; it was incredibly hard just to sit down and write all of this out! But my discernment for what is valuable in eternity is getting better and I know it will reach into the lives of those around me too.

How will you focus on eternity? What change do you think it will have for you this week, this month, or this year?

I would encourage you to find a question you can ask yourself when you feel the pull of the world driving you nuts. With my kids, I often ask myself "What will this do to enable them to Know God better?" and if the answer is "not much" or "nothing" I try to chill out and pray for a better reaction. I am seeing that affecting their eternity is far more important than my daily, weekly, or even lifetime agenda for them. It's hard, but worth it. It makes today better and will make a difference in eternity too.

I pray God will be ever present with you, that He would open your eyes to what is valuable to Him both now and in eternity. Come back in a couple days as we press on into May, seeking to know what it means to be Called to Receive His Power. As always, feel free to comment, ask questions, or join our FB group to enter into the conversation.

Called to Prepare.

When I hear the word prepare, the first thing I think of is preparing for the worst. I do it all the time. Whether it's taking everything I might possibly need in case of a disaster with me to Target or mentally striving to be ready for whatever may come my way in a social setting, I like to be prepared. Usually, I am extremely over prepared, which I'm not sure always gives off the best impression, but what can you do? I love to be prepared. And that's one reason why I am excited for this month's calling!

This month's theme was already decided back in December, and I found it particularly interesting that on Easter, April 1st, I would be intentionally thinking about and decidedly preparing for Jesus' return. Did I actually do this all day? Eh, not so much. I did a lot of thinking and wrestling with my own heart, which often has good results and is needed, but I went to bed frustrated. Actually, I feel like I go to bed most nights frustrated with my accomplishments and not especially looking forward to the next day. And I have several theories about why this is, but a large part of my discontent seems to rise from the frustrating dichotomy I sense in my heart. 

I want a good life now. I want all the rewards I can gain in eternity. But can I truly live out both of these desires? Can I pursue my dreams and pursue the selfless life Jesus calls me to? And here's the big one: am I willing to lay down anything God asks me to and happily go after His plans? 

These types of questions often feel really vague. What is God really calling me to? What does that mean for what I do today? That is why I am working through this series. I want all of us to grasp the idea that God doesn't usually just up and give you a precise mission, clear as day. He walks us through situations where our obedience will lead us to the next step along His path for us. That's why Knowing Him, Obeying Him, and Receiving His Mind are such important first steps. And it nicely leads us to this month's Call: to prepare for Christ's return. 

As of now, most of my daily life does not revolve around Jesus' return. I don't browse Facebook as a result of seeking to be ready for Jesus to come from the clouds. I don't obsess over my hair or clothing or makeup because of any eternal value they have. I don't arrange my errands or my to-dos based on the chance that Jesus might call an end to this earth. And it all makes me think I should be considering that end result more often, more seriously.

In this call to prepare for Jesus to come again, there are a few specific tasks in the bible that keep popping up. One of them links really well with something my oldest son said today that really touched my heart. I asked him if he knew this was his last day on earth, what would he do. He immediately responded with "I would say something nice to everyone I see." I thought it was so sweet, his care and concern for other people, his last chance to leave a mark on this world. And this is also what the bible tells us to do. 

Task #1 - encourage one another

Because we do not know the hour of His return, we ought to encourage one another. Not just in whatever random pursuits they are chasing, but in being sober-minded and keeping our faith, love and hope secure in eternity, not in the enjoyment of sin, of this decaying earth, or of the pleasures of the world and culture. 

Another part of this preparation is being blameless. Not never sinning, but always striving to keep from sin and to repent as soon as we see our waywardness.

Task #2 - pursue being blameless, seek sanctification

In 1 Thessalonians Paul talks much about the end goal, about what he is hoping for at the return of Jesus. He even says that his glory will be in boasting of the Thessalonians at Jesus' coming. Paul says he hopes and prays for them to grow in love for one another so that their hearts would be established, blameless in holiness on that last day (1 These 3:11-13). In chapter 4 he says the will of God is their sanctification. In much of 1 Peter we also catch phrases about "being holy" and being sober-minded since the end is at hand. It glorifies God when we are active participants in the sanctifying work He is doing in our lives. We ought to strive toward it, as Paul says in Philippians 3, trusting that it is God's work making us holy and continue looking forward to the day when we will finally be perfect with Him. 

Another idea that stands out to me about trying to prepare for Christ's return is the work of actively doing what will lead to a reward in heaven. 

Task #3 - store up heavenly rewards

In Matthew 6 Jesus tells us to lay up treasure in Heaven, for where our treasure is, so our heart will be. So our works, our efforts of gaining for ourselves, ought to be directed toward what we will gain in eternity. If we know what will lead to eternal rewards, and can do that (even if we prefer something with a more immediate reward) I believe it will lead our hearts into desiring eternity with God the way we should, the way God wants us to. And the more we love and long for Heaven, the easier it will be to live a holy life, a life that blesses others, and a life that builds eternal riches. 

Lastly, I can't help but think about death in all of this. In all likelihood, I will face death before Jesus comes. We probably all like to think that He will come during our lifetime (myself included) but recently I feel like I cannot escape the reality of the fragility of life. I keep finding myself thinking "Am I ready to die?" Not in a morbid way (at least I don't think so) but in a way that looks at how I would be leaving my family and friends behind, wondering if I really gave them all I could have. I wonder if I honestly gave my all to Jesus' work or if I just dabbled in obeying when it seemed interesting or beneficial for me. This leads me to the last task.

Task #4 - be ready to leave the world behind

Francis Chan talks a little bit about this in his book about marriage: You and Me Forever. If we fear leaving the world behind, do we really trust God about how much more incredible and awesome it will be to be in His presence? I want to be excited to leave this world, not scared or dreading it. We need to believe that the best is yet to come. Being done with our flesh is the ultimate gift, the end that is guaranteed to happen. It should not cause us to want to end this life, but to work hard for the sake of Jesus. I do not do enough to prepare for my end on earth, but I want to embrace it with joy. I want to mean it like Paul does when he says "to die is gain." 

What does this all mean for my month? Well, I am aiming to ask myself about these four tasks when I am struggling with my heart, with my time management, or with my responses to life's demands. 

Does this bless and encourage the people around me?

Does this lead to my sanctification?

Does this have eternal value?

Will I be glad to leave it all behind?

Obviously, we can't always know the eternal value of our actions. But we can definitely see when there is none. Like my endless scrolling on Facebook instead of cleaning my home or investing in my children... it's pretty obvious which options have greater value. 

In my mind, preparing for Christ's return is all about remembering what is important. When we know and value the things that are eternal, it will lead us down a path that is just plain better. Better for others, better for our hearts, better for our eternity. In all our preparation, we will be getting our eyes off ourselves and onto Christ. I'm amazed at how easy it is to start thinking about myself and completely forget to consider what God is doing, or how He would have me respond. But intentionally turning my mind and heart to His eternal plan does wonders for my mind, body, and soul.

Are you ready? Are you willing? Are you scared? Don't be :) God only has the good end in mind. Any hardship or tragedy that comes along your path is not in vain. It is used by Him and will be redeemed. Like Paul says in Philippians 3:8-9

"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith."

We should not strive to be justified by our works, but our faith in Jesus' work of justification should lead us to serving Him wholeheartedly, being prepared and eager for His return.

My prayer for you this month is that you are strengthened in your heart and in your convictions. That you have confidence in what you do, knowing that you are truly pursuing an eternal reward instead of a pleasure-filled life on earth. I know this will bring us greater peace and make a greater impact on His kingdom. Double-win!

Don't forget to add yourself to our Facebook group for some freebies, discussion, and sometimes some live videos too. I'm so thankful to be on this journey with you! 

Thinking About Thoughts.

This month has been filled with some unexpected things. A funky molar that needed a better look (and a couple extra dental appointments) and  a toilet that destroyed a solid chunk of our house are just two examples. The molar is almost done being dealt with (phew!) but the bathroom situation is a little more intense. It will require a lot more work and us potentially moving out for a short stint. You can guess how I feel about packing up much of our belongings again. Ha!

There have also been other unexpected things that are relatively minor but changed my daily habits, which is always a challenge to figure out. My hoopla stopped giving me access to all the books I used to listen to, so I haven't been able to finish the books I set out to get through this past month. My book proposal I've been working on since September took longer than expected, which is kind of frustrating since it was already taking much longer than I thought it would. I'm figuring out that most writing, especially writing books, is far more arduous than authors let on. I have a feeling I'll be learning that lesson for a while. But the proposal part is done, several chapters are written (which I'm sure will still be edited at some point during the process) and I'll be sending it off to a couple agencies and publishers. I still cannot believe it is done!

But the biggest lesson about unexpected events I have learned this month is how God works in unexpected ways. Not always outside of us, but usually inside. The key is allowing it to happen.

I am often grumpy on Sunday mornings. Church starts just a touch earlier than I like and I don't have the time to just linger in the morning the way I prefer. But with our Call this month to Receive the Mind of Christ, I have found myself more quickly changed than usual. When my mind says "Let's see what God wants me to think about this" I tend to get over my selfish pouting faster than had I just obsessed over what I don't like about it. It's been such a nice change that I'm shocked, and a little embarrassed, I don't do it more often. And I definitely had times during the month I could have been better about making an effort toward that end. I'm still a work in progress.

I really wanted to have this lovely blog post all figured out and perfectly in order last week, but I prioritized my proposal and decided that a late, more "real" and unstructured blog post would still be better than nothing. I don't have a ton of thoughts, or any super deep, insightful analogies to share with you; just a bit of encouragement, a bit of comfort for seasons of struggle or slowness.

Last week I finally received a book I had won a couple months ago. The author, John Eldredge, really resonates with me. He is passionate about Christians not becoming dispassionate in an attempt to live a good, Christian life. He argues that God made your heart and moves you through your longings, so to just tune them out or disregard them is not wise or healthy. God uses our longings and they need to be carefully directed toward Him. We need this kind of encouragement! To not just throw away our hearts when we decide to follow God, but to give them over to Him.

The book I won is called All Things New and I am eager to get to it (right after I finish The Brothers Karamazov). I'm feeling the exciting culmination of the months leading up to April and Easter and pray that these changes I am experiencing are more permanent and lasting than other seasons of my life. Here are some of the things I am now doing after working through my Called series so far, things I really want to keep doing:

- searching to Know God more deeply
- asking God what He is doing
- asking God what He wants me to do
- seeking to understand God's perspective on my situations
- following through on tasks that I don't love in order to honor God and serve others

Am I perfect? Heck no. My house still isn't as clean as I'd like (or I'm sure my husband would like) and I've let go of a couple endeavors that, while fun and could have potential, were just diverting me from what I am really committed to and caused me stress. My kids still get on my nerves and I still often react poorly when I am tired, hungry, or under a time constraint. But I see improvement in my heart and it is slowly bleeding out into the rest of my life.

While many Christians have a day and night difference in their lives once turning their life over to Christ, mine has been a slower pace, forming since I was just a child. And I've gone through seasons of wrestling with that, wondering if my testimony would be "weaker" or less important. But God has been so gracious to encourage me this year in all of that. We are all in this for the long haul, and even those dramatic conversions will have periods of time where progress feels slow, where hearts are tempted to turn back to the things they loved before. It is in the consistent, slow, almost invisible work we do that God grows the seeds of the fruit we will bear. And preparing our hearts is a pivotal first step in creating a fertile ground for all of that growing and working.

What is God working out in you this month? If you've followed along with the Five Minute Challenge, what have you seen God changing in your mind? In your heart? How has thinking about having God's perspective on your life enabled you to better live for Him?

Next month I will look at how the bible Calls us to Prepare for Jesus' return. How fitting that Easter is in April this year?! I will not be posting on Easter, but by April 4th I will have a new post and new goals for us. I am feeling the culmination of all our efforts building to this weighty tasks. I am also seeing how God has been so kind to align so many different teachings in my life to guide me in thinking through this endeavor. Every time I go to church it seems like God is giving me a small seed I need either for this series or for my book. It feels a little ridiculous that He would be so gracious. It's not like I'm a huge blogger or prominent figure, yet He still reaches down and shows me He is preparing a good work for me. Just as He wants to do for you!

May you feel the blessings of God this week. Especially the blessing of a promised eternity that is waiting for you. This life will bring trouble, tribulation, and hardship, but it doesn't end with those things. The best is yet to come! He has risen!

Receiving the Mind of Christ.

Last week I reached the point of the year where I felt ready to give up on all my goals. Two months have gone by fairly quickly, but lately I am looking at everything I've done, everything yet to do, and everything still not getting done on a regular basis and I feel like I am beginning to crumble. Maybe it's a phase, maybe it's a response to overcommitting and my desire to achieve, but maybe it's because my mind is not where it should be.

I'll be the first to admit; I have a hard time letting God have His way.

Yes, we just finished the month about obedience, but my thought-life is still trying to get on board. I have a lot of "ifs" that need worked through and a lot of insecurities that need tossed. It feels easy to trust God with something big and important, but I am struggling to surrender my life over to the sacrifices that are required of me right now, day after day. I know my perspective is skewed. And while I can still choose to obey, the heartache and frustration from still wishing things were different, easier, more glamorous and less blah, are wearing me down.

This is where I'm going to take a public leap of faith, say a million prayers, and go to bed each night hoping God does His work.

I am hopeful that if I truly have the same priorities as God, if I can fully gain His insight, and understand what He wants for my life, my heart will eventually come around.

Let's all pray that "eventually" is more like tomorrow, or even next week; the sooner the better!

My head insists on thinking about what my days and my life should look like. I know it's not how God says I should spend my time and thoughts, but it is a challenge getting my mind to stop. I'm overwhelmed but feel like I'm not doing enough. I'm exhausted with my to-do list but it's never close to being done. I go back and forth between wanting to rest and wanting to get the work done, hoping one of those options will enable me to truly be at peace for a bit. But even when I am obeying the best I know how, my mind is still not tracking the way I believe God wants it to.

This month's Call is all about our thought-life. Not just all this "positivity" and "good-vibes" but spending our time focused on what it means to Receive the Mind of Christ. We are called to use our minds for His glory. We are commanded to filter what comes in (Romans 10:4-6). Not only is our mind one of the ways God uses the Holy Spirit to speak to us, but our minds inform our hearts (Proverbs 4:23). And I desperately need my mind to start informing my heart of what is true, honorable, lovely, and more.

The verse I want us to focus on this month really stands out to me. It was actually really challenging to pick just this one because the whole section in 1 Corinthians 2 is truly amazing. Go read it all! For now, think about what is said in verse 12:

"Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God."

Earlier in the chapter, Paul is talking about how we cannot fathom what God has in store for us, and that no one can know the thoughts of God. BUT, and it is a really big BUT, the Holy Spirit searches even the depths of God and then speaks to us. Isn't that amazing? What a gift!

Not only are there riches to fathom in receiving the mind of Christ, but there is wisdom to be had as well. And Proverbs is chock-full of advice about seeking wisdom. We need it, and we need it to come from God. Not just from friends on Instagram, not only from that non-fiction author who mostly talks about biblical stuff, but from God Himself.

I know getting your mind right with God might feel like strange business. I mean, He has to do the work, so what exactly are we supposed to do?

We need to start by making ourselves available. If we are constantly filled with the world, we have left no room for the things of God. If during every free second of our days we turn to social media, email, or communicating with others, we have left no open window for God to come in and communicate with us. We will need to learn to sit, be still, quiet our thoughts and simply listen. We will need to search the scriptures without an agenda. We will need to meditate on what we read and become willing to sit without immediate answers. We will need to stop thinking our thoughts and instead, ask God about His thoughts.

I was kind of dreading this post because I feel like I am doing such a lousy job of this lately, but after writing about all of that slowing down and sitting in silence, it sounds incredibly ideal and brings me refreshing hope. Are you up for it? Will you put your phone down, wait for God to move His Spirit and tell you what He has freely given you?

My book list is quite a bit shorter for this month's Call. I may add some others in a week or so, but since my goal is to sit and let God do the speaking, I want to clear my schedule a bit and stop filling my mind with everything I think is best.

Per the recommendation of my pastor, I am listening to Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God by John Piper.  I am only about 45 minutes in and am thoroughly encouraged.

I have already read David Mathis' book, Habits of Grace, and listened to it via the app Hoopla twice. I HIGHLY recommend it. It is practical, spiritually deep though, and a great encouragement no matter where you find yourself in your walk with God.

I will also be reading a few chapters in Proverbs each day. I might skirt around and check out other books as I feel lead (especially Ecclesiastes) but I want to really understand the gravity of how important wisdom from God really is and should be to us. I want to want it as bad as Solomon said we need it.

Like I said before, I hope that focusing on what needs to be in my mind and spending time allowing God to work in my thoughts will bring a peace to my heart that I am currently lacking. I need God's perspective on my life and I desire my heart to just play along nice and quit making it so hard. On one hand, I am comforted that even Paul felt like this (Romans 7:15-24), wanting one thing that you know you don't actually want, and doing the things you don't want to do, but I cannot force myself out of this place. I need to set my mind on the Spirit and allow Him to move in my mind, changing the desires of my flesh and bringing me genuine peace.

I'm guessing you need that too, right? Let's work on it together!

I am also hosting a Five Minute Challenge this month, every Monday through Friday on my Instagram (@joellen.armstrong). We'll spend five minutes in silence, allowing God to speak to us. No phone, no journaling, no praying even except for asking God to fill our minds with His mind. I'm excited to see so many women becoming more connected to God and more aware of His working in our lives. Follow me there and let me know you'll join in.

Make sure you also sign up to receive my monthly newsletter here (and get some cool bookmarks while you do) and then join our Facebook group to receive some other freebies and be encouraged.

I'm praying this is a month that makes an impact for all of us. I am asking God to fill my mind with what He desires, with what He wants me to know about Him, about life, about salvation and more. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to help get your thinking going. Feel free to answer in the comments or write them down to ponder alone. May God bless your efforts in understanding Him better.


What thoughts against myself am I constantly battling?

What do I know about God that can change how I am looking at this difficult, annoying, frustrating, or even tragic situation?

What truths has God given me that I can cling to?

How can I "set my mind on the Spirit" as Paul says in Romans 8?

What personal desires are keeping me from wanting the life God wants me to enjoy living?


If you are wrestling through life, trying to get a handle on everything, please don't hesitate to reach out for prayer. It is a powerful tool and it builds community and encourages authentic relationships. Whether it is me or someone else you know, ask someone to pray for you! You won't regret it.

Answer by Obeying.

Can a month focused on being Called to Surrender my own will really be exciting and fun?

I wondered this when February 1st arrived and as I look back I can genuinely say it has been a great blessing. In fact, I find it odd that as believers we would have any other ideas about surrender and obedience. Why do we think it is a bad thing? Hard, yes. Bad, never.

As I listened to Lysa TerKuerst's book What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, I realized that most of the reasons she gives for wanting to say no to God were rooted in fear and most of the reasons I disobey God are fear-based too. Soon after, a new friend pointed out that true obedience to God flows from a heart that loves Him perfectly. And then the Holy Spirit reminded me that "perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18).  The tricky thing about all of this is that we cannot love God perfectly in our own power. We are dependent on Him to give us a longing for what is holy and perfect and good.

Maybe this is frustrating to you or even causes you to feel defeated. But remember, this should bring you relief! God wants to give good gifts to His children (you, me, all of us!) and He desires that you should love Him perfectly and grow in obedience. To get started you will simply need a willingness to surrender and a commitment to following Him.

We can know in our heads that we should obey, but we cannot make our hearts desire it the way we envision or wish. That aspect of desiring to obey God will have to be left in His hands. However, the really amazing thing is you can choose to do what you know is right even when you don't feel like it. Growing in obedience and surrendering to God's ways is a journey. How determined are you to stick to that path?

Photo credit unsplash.com by Lucas Favre

Thinking through all of this has forced me to look at my actions and level of commitment, which is kinda rough. How determined am I to do what God calls me to, both in the daily practice of living a life that honors God and in the random times of day when I feel the Holy Spirit pressing on me to do something I wouldn't normally do? Like asking the customer service representative over an online chat if they know Jesus. Not my typical thing, but God is not the God of acceptable cultural behavior. His ways are far higher than our own.

As I've thought and prayed over what to share, I figured I would break down the most prominent fears I have been thinking through regarding disobedience and encourage you to overcome them.


Fear of Difficulty

Fear of Failure or Inability

Fear of Outcome

Fear of the Opinions of Others


There may be some overlap, and maybe you have other ideas about what these fears include or entail. If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Be sure to join our Facebook group to chime in or feel free to comment below.

Fear of Difficulty

I becoming most stressed when what is required of me seems far beyond what I am capable of. When I wake up with a list of to-dos that feel near impossible the struggle to get my day started is long, arduous, and frustrating, and I generally end up getting out of bed far later than I had hoped. It doesn't make any sense that when I have a lot to do I'd struggle so much to get going or wrestle so hard to obey God in being diligent with my time or in being kind with my children. If I was smart or even a tad more self-disciplined, I'd get up earlier and start hammering away first thing. If I had more faith in His purposes I'd be more expectant that God is doing His work through me, even when it feels monotonous or unimportant. But the truth is that I am often crippled by the idea of how hard this type of obedience might be. 

It's easy to get this way with big and important commands that are obviously far beyond our own means. And maybe you're like me, struggling with the daily grind type of obedience as well. We look at what God is asking and feel like it is more than we'd rather do. We know loving our neighbors is right and good, but have you met them? It's hard to even hold a conversation with them! We look at the laundry pile, the homeschooling, and the errands that all need done and sigh. We look at the dream God has given us to write that book, or travel to that distant land, or start that business, or go to school, but looking at the whole picture of what that might entail seems like a lot of work, possibly more than we are willing to do. 

This is when we need to remember God's power. He is the one who gives us strength to complete the tasks He lays before us. When we think we can do something in our own might, we are deceived. He has given us many different gifts, skills, and resources to function in our day-to-day life but we forget that it still all depends on Him. When the next task looks like it will take more than we've got, He needs to be our source of strength to overcome the challenge. We cannot let what we do not yet possess deter us from obeying God right now. The following verse helps me remember to obey even when the job ahead seems like it will be too hard.

"Even youths shall faint and be weary,

And young men shall fall exhausted;

But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles;

They shall run and not grow weary;

They shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:30-31

Fear of Failure or Inability

Fearing the difficulty of a task and fearing failure or inability are very closely connected. You recognize how difficult (or near impossible) obeying God for the long haul will be and you fear you will not be able to walk this path every single day. You know you are bound to mess up and would rather just avoid that level of failure and operate from the safe place of success. 

Even in the secular realm, that coping mechanism is being undone. Researchers are finding that we actually learn best from making mistakes, seeing where we went wrong, and making a plan to do different next time. If the world is taking on this challenge without the help of God, shouldn't we be even more willing to try? After all, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to keep us from mistakes that might undo God's good work, and we have relationship with the One who can enable us to do far more than we ever dreamed. 

This is when we need to remember not just the strength and force of God's eternal power, but the daily sustenance He will give to us. He will never break His covenant with us. He will continue to provide for you in anything He calls you to pursue. I immediately think of Joshua being called to lead the people into the promised land. Maybe he saw how the people failed to trust God and had to wander the desert or how Moses had failed to obey and ended up not entering into the land. But God speaks to Joshua, commanding him to take the people in, to follow His law, and He takes the time to encourage Joshua. We can trust that we will not fail when we choose to obey God. When we walk with Him, He holds us up. Remember God's consolation and words or exhortation to Joshua.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Joshua 1:9

Fear of Outcome

Not seeing where the path of obedience will lead us can rattle the strongest warrior's nerves. We have no clue what it will mean to sell our house and move across the country. We cannot fathom what homeschooling our children, inviting a stranger to live with us, or taking a new job in a new industry might mean for us long term. This fear of the outcome of our obedience is where we must really come back to knowing and trusting in God's character. 

In the monotonous routines of daily life, we have a hard time understanding what it will do for our lives to make the small sacrifices of daily obedience. They often feel insignificant. Or maybe you feel called to obey God in giving up an outlet of social media and it feels too drastic; you cannot fathom what life at home or at work will look like if you are not connecting with people online. No matter what call of obedience you hear from the Word or from the Holy Spirit, you must trust in God's good plans if you are going to obey. 

Do you think you are able to make the best decision about the path of your life? Do you understand that God knows the events in your future and what you will need to be prepared for? Do you trust that all of these things will truly result in the greatest amount of goodness and joy and prosperity for you in eternity? I'm not saying these things are easy to navigate, I'm just saying we need to face them and make a decision. Like Abraham, even when we do not know the outcome, we can trust that God is good and will never lead us down a path that isn't worth the effort, sacrifice, and losses we may face along the way. When God first calls Abram, we only see that God told Abram He would make him a great nation, bless him and make his name great. However, he must have known or felt something about God's goodness in order to follow Him down that unknown path to that unknown land. I love what Hebrews says about Abram (now called Abraham) in this regard. We need to look to our eternal outcome, to God's eternal promises in order to find the strength to obey God in a world of unknowns.

"For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." Hebrews 11:10

"These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth."

Hebrews 11:13

Fear of the Opinions of Others

I care far too much about what other people think. Most of the time, when I find myself wanting to do anything except what God calls me to, it is because I am worried about what others will think. What will that stranger think if I ask them about Jesus? What will my parents or in-laws think if we raise our children this way? What will my friends think if I share that bible verse or article on Facebook? In case you didn't already know, you cannot serve God and serve yourself. 

When we are prioritizing what other people think over what God has instructed us to do, we are fearing man instead of God, we are serving ourselves instead of serving Him. If we let ourselves go down that road we eventually become so deceived that we do something terribly stupid, something terribly selfish. Make sure you take a look at Acts 5:1-7 to see what happened to Annanias and Sapphira when they believed they could serve themselves and gain a good opinion from others all while looking like they were serving God. They cared more about the opinions of men and it led them to sin and destruction.

I do not want to be them for many reasons. I want God to look at my heart and be pleased. I want to be willing to follow Him anywhere, even if I am afraid and it feels like I will be risking my reputation or giving up more than I am comfortable with, I want to be determined to obey whatever He calls me to, casting aside the opinions of others and highly valuing the opinion of God. This doesn't mean we never take input or advice, it simply means sticking to the truth when we fear it may cause others to look at us differently than we prefer. It might be minor, it might be major, but our first priority needs to be obedience to God's ways. This verse reminds me that trusting in God and obeying His call is always the better option.

"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe."

Proverbs 29:25

So there you have it, my very generalized examples of why you might struggle to answer God's call to obedience. What is stopping you? Being aware of your fears is a great place to start, but at some point you have to choose what you will do. Taking the initiative to know God more deeply will help add some strength to your resolve. Spending time in prayer and meditation over the Word will give you ammo to fight the spiritual battles you are sure to encounter. Then, you will need to decide whom you will serve. Self or God? We know which one has the best outcome. Obey and watch. I have never regretted it, even when I did it scared. Do it anyway! 

I highly encourage you to find someone you can trust to hold you accountable. Not just a friend who will encourage and agree with you in your struggles, but someone who is willing to displease you in order to speak the truth. You might think this kind of relationship would be destructive, but if you are both committed to serving God, it will be a great blessing on your life. Pray for God to reveal who that person should be in your life. He desires that we would sharpen one another and grow stronger in our faith and obedience.

I hope the final week of seeking to understand surrender and obedience will bless your life. It is encouraging and emboldening me in multiple ways. May we all be strengthened to follow His call and become a people known for doing whatever it takes, whatever He asks. May God's name and goodness go forth!