The Woman Behind My Utmost for His Highest
This month I’m grateful for talented friends who are guest posting as I finish up the manuscript for my debut book, Holy in the Moment. This week I’m finishing my book and traveling to California to speak at a Planting Roots Conference. We all need a bit of help from our friends from time to time, and I hope you’ll enjoy meeting a few amazing women who are using their gifts to spread hope and encouragement.
Today, I’m thrilled to feature an author interview with Michelle Ule. When I met Michelle last year, I was intrigued by the book she was writing, a biography of Mrs. Oswald Chambers. I’m not sure how many times I’ve read My Utmost for His Highest, but Chamber’s devotions have been part of my morning routine for years. And years. Though I read many other books, I continue to come back to Chamber’s devotional.
I hope you’ll enjoy meeting Michelle as she answers one question I asked a single question.
“What surprised you most when you wrote Mrs. Oswald Chambers?”
No one has asked me that–what a fun question.
No real biography of Biddy Chambers existed. That meant almost everything I learned about her while writing my biography Mrs. Oswald Chambers: The Woman Behind the World’s Bestselling Devotional, surprised me!
I knew basic facts about Biddy: married to Oswald Chambers, Lady Superintendent of his Bible Training College, extraordinary stenographer, mother of Oswald’s only child and compiler of his books. I knew Biddy traveled to Egypt during World War I with their toddler to work with Oswald at a YMCA’s “hut” north of Cairo for nearly four years.
The woman behind the devotional.
What I didn’t realize was how much we know about Oswald Chambers came to us through Biddy. (Her Oswald-given nickname; originally “Beloved Disciple,” it morphed into B.D. thence Biddy). It soon became clear that while the God-inspired words came from Oswald, the books and his fame were all the result of Biddy’s stenography skills. She “took down” with pencil and paper everything her husband taught during the seven years of their marriage.
When Oswald died unexpectedly of complications from appendicitis in 1917, Biddy was left a penniless 34-year-old widow with a four-year-old child in the middle of insect and disease-ridden Egypt during a world war.
The YMCA asked her to stay on and run the hut until the end of the war. She repatriated to a broken England with her headstrong daughter, then six-years-old, and few resources beyond her trunks full of notes.
From those notes, Biddy compiled 30 books—among them My Utmost for His Highest. With two exceptions, all the books with Oswald Chambers’ name listed as author were published after his death.
Indeed, Biddy crafted My Utmost for His Highest after combing through her notes, pulling selected paragraphs from all Oswald’s teachings into themes which comprised the 366 readings. It’s a masterful editing accomplishment—some of the daily readings are single paragraph excerpts from up to four different lectures woven together for a pointed devotional on a theme.
Even as I’ve examined and thought about how Biddy constructed My Utmost for His Highest, I’m still amazed at what she achieved. It took an encyclopedic knowledge of Oswald’s lectures, combined with an ear keen to the direction of the Holy Spirit to distill spiritual wisdom into 250 succinct words. She did it 366 times to make a devotional which has not been out of print in 90 years.
But it’s not just the accomplishment of “the books,” which surprised me most. Biddy’s example of living her utmost for God’s highest glory amazed me on countless occasions. She chose to follow God’s lead in situations I would not have been faith-filled enough to do myself.
Commitment to trust God.
For example, during the last 18 months of World War I, Biddy prepared faith-affirming pamphlets using her notes. The YMCA printed 10,000 copies each month and sent them to huts all over the world. So many soldiers wrote to thank her, Biddy knew Oswald’s dream of turning the notes into books was what she should do with her life.
When she returned to England in 1919, Biddy took her material to a publisher. He saw no future in Oswald’s lectures and sent her on her way.
Meanwhile, friends offered her a position at a Bible college for female missionaries, the same job she worked before the war at the Bible Training College. Ridgelands would have given Biddy and her daughter a place to live, surrounded by people who loved them, and an important God-honoring task.
But, she felt called to turn Oswald’s notes into books. Should she take the Bible School job and work the books on the side? Or, live in poverty to create the books and pass up the Bible school’s security?
She chose the books and poverty instead of security.
I doubt I would have made that choice.
Yet, by walking close enough to the Lord to recognize His calling on her life, Biddy Chambers compiled a devotional that has encouraged believers since 1927. It was smuggled into POW camps during World War II. Brother Andrew took translations behind the Iron Curtain for decades.
Biggest surprise?
What surprised me the most? Ultimately that so few people knew the stories behind this remarkable woman. Biddy Chambers really did live her utmost to God’s highest glory—in far more ways than what I’ve written here.
She’s been an inspiration to me, a catalyst for my faith and an example for me to emulate. I’m so thankful I got to explore and then write about Biddy Chambers’ life in Mrs. Oswald Chambers.
Here’s a few of my favorite quotes from Oswald Chambers:
“Prayer is the greater work.”
“Prayers change me and I change things.”
“God never gives us discernment to criticize, but to pray.”
“Let God set your words on fire for His glory.”
“The worst sinner can never come to the bottom of God’s love.”
Michelle Ule is the author of Mrs. Oswald Chambers and other published works. You can learn more about her and read her blog posts about Oswald and Biddy Chambers at www. Michelleule.com.
4 Ways to Bless Others When You’re Facing a Trial
A guest post by Sarah Forgrave
When someone goes through a hard time, most of our attention is focused on how to bless and help the person through her trial. But the reality is, when you’re the one facing hard times, it can be difficult to receive help.
You may feel like you’re constantly draining other people’s resources and you have nothing to give back. You may feel helpless and needy with no outlet to express your gratitude.
Having been through chronic health issues myself—and walked with my sister through a heart transplant—I’ve experienced those moments of quiet when you twiddle your thumbs and feel like you have nothing to offer to those around you.
Finding opportunities to bless others makes a difference.
But what if your time of trial could be an opportunity to bless others? It might be in a different way than during the “normal” seasons of life, but perhaps God could use you to minister to someone right where you are.
Whether your trial is health-related or something else entirely, let these ideas prompt you to bless someone near you today.
4 Ways to Bless Others When You are Facing a Trial
Share God’s love through a smile.
I know this sounds elementary, but how many people expect a smile from someone who’s going through a hard time? Now, certainly don’t be fake or phony if you’re not feeling it. But if you’ve found something to be grateful for in the midst of your trial, show that to others through your facial expression.
Especially in the medical field, care workers are surrounded by depressed, angry people all the time. What if you demonstrated something different? What if your peaceful expression could point the way to God’s love in a way those workers haven’t seen?
Ask others how they’re doing and listen.
People may be hyper-focused on how you’re doing and rightfully so. Be grateful for their interest and express where you’re at with authenticity. But once you’ve answered their questions, be sure to ask how they’re doing. Their trials may be far smaller than yours, but there are likely equal amounts of joy and concern. Show them you care by asking and listening.
Pray for the concerns of others.
Now that you’ve listened to the needs of someone else, use any downtime as an opportunity to lift him or her in prayer. You might even want to start a prayer journal to track the prayer needs and praises as they arise.
When you watch TV or cross paths with others, pay attention to the needs you see and lift them up to your heavenly Father, just as so many are doing for you. What a beautiful way to pass the blessing along.
Send notes of encouragement.
If you’re facing health challenges and are confined to a bed or chair, this is a wonderful chance to write encouraging notes to others. You might express gratitude for something they’ve done to help you in your trial, or you might encourage them with Bible verses that have recently helped you.
If you’re not a writer, consider drawing or coloring a picture that could bring someone else joy. When my mom recently had knee replacement surgery, I sent her colored pencils and coloring cards to pass the time during her recovery. She spent many hours coloring those cards and sent them with thank-you notes to those who had delivered a meal or helped in some other way.
The cards became not only an outlet for her to relieve stress, but they became a blessing to those who received them.
No matter what trial you’re facing, I pray you’ll find hope in Christ. As He fills you with His peace, let it flow into the lives of others. You may feel stretched to your limit, but you can be a blessing, even on your hardest days.
When you go through difficult times, what’s one way you can be a blessing? What is one way someone blessed or encouraged you? Love to have you leave a comment and share your thoughts. Many thanks to my friend Sarah for guest posting. You can learn more about Sarah below. If this topic is helpful for you, be sure to check out Sarah’s new book:.
Prayers for Hope and Healing: Seeking God’s Strength as You Face Health Challenges
Amid Pain and Weakness…There is HOPE
In my book, Prayers for Hope and Healing, I offer prayers and devotions for those facing health struggles. The book covers over forty different emotions and scenarios a medical patient might face. Among them are boredom and loneliness.
Serious or chronic medical issues bring a litany of painful and confusing feelings that only someone else who’s been in a similar situation could possibly understand.
No matter the road ahead, you don’t have to face it alone. Even in the depths of your worst emotional and physical pain, God is right there beside you, offering His comfort, love, and peace.
As you read these heartfelt prayers and devotions, let this book be your manual to help navigate the difficult set of emotions that come with health issues. Read it front to back or go directly to the devotion addressing how you feel at any given moment…when you need it the most.
Above all, know that you are never, ever alone.
About Sarah:
Sarah Forgrave is an author and wellness coach who loves inspiring others toward their full potential. In addition to her book, Prayers for Hope and Healing (Harvest House, October 2017), her writing credits include contributions to The Gift of Friendship, Guideposts’ A Cup of Christmas Cheer, and the webzine Ungrind. When she’s not writing or teaching, she loves to shop at Trader Joe’s or spend time with her husband and two children in their Midwest home. Visit Sarah at www.sarahforgrave.com, or at the following sites:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahForgrave
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/SarahForgrave
Instagram: www.instagram.com/SarahForgrave_Author
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SarahForgrave
5 Verses to Pray in the Storm: Praying for Texas and Florida
To our friends in Texas who are recovering from Hurricane Harvey and our friends preparing for Hurricane Irma– we are praying for you. May these verses to strengthen and encourage all who are facing the storms of life.
As I hear from family and friends in the path of storms, my heart is heavy as I pray for our Texas and Florida folks. May God protect and provide in every need.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”#Prayer”]Texas and Florida: we are praying for you in the storm. Recovering or preparing you are on our hearts.[/tweetthis]
Five Smart Things to Pray for Your Kids This School-Year
This morning I check my Facebook feed and love seeing all the first-day-of school pictures. Now that my kids are scattered all over, it’s easy to miss the excitement and anticipation of a new school year. Once kids are in college and grad school, they don’t send mom first-day-of-school pics.
If yours do, you are a shoe-in for Mom-Of-The-Year for accomplishing the miraculous!
Though my kids aren’t sporting new shoes and a fresh back pack today, I still pray for them as they begin a new semester. In the spirit of looking back, here are five smart things I prayed for my kids during the middle and high school years.
God’s word is wisdom for any age, so join me in praying these verses for your own children, or maybe even for yourself! You may not have considered these verses for parenting, but they cover important areas of growth and faith we all want for our kids.
Pray for God-Confidence
For You are my hope; O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.–Psalm 71:5
Let’s pray that kids will trust God and put their confidence in Him. Just think of the mental/spiritual/emotion angst they can save if they have a confident trust in God.
As a parent, it’s easy to get overly focused on the importance of building self-confidence in our kids. I am not implying that self-confidence is unnecessary, but developing God-confidence will bring them through many challenges that self-confidence can’t touch. In addition to praying for God-confidence for my kids, I am asking God to give me wisdom and diligence to encourage them with both my words and my example.
Pray for God-Motivated Work
Pray that our kids develop God-focused motivation in their work, as well as develop strong work habits. This verse is talking about putting your heart into what you do, seeking to honor God.
While we’re at it, let’s pray our kids develop the self-discipline to do the things they don’t always want to do–homework, room cleaning, dish washing, more homework–without whining and complaining. Hmm. . . I better pray this for me as well!
Pray Kids Learn Wisdom From Mistakes
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.–Proverbs 26:11
You may not be familiar with this little gem, tucked away in Proverbs 26. Though rather graphic in imagery, (kid’s like that, right?) this wise saying refers to our tendency to keep repeating the same foolishness again and again. In other words, we can be slow to learn from our mistakes.
Pray that God would bless our children with the desire and the wisdom to learn from their mistakes and foolishness. Self-awareness of their own folly is far more effective than the lecturing or nagging of a parent.
This was a great prayer for the year my 12-year-old decided it would be cool to do push-ups in the middle of a four lane road while waiting for the bus on the first day of school. What can I say. . . sixth grade is just a nutty time!
Pray for Wise Words
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.–Proverbs 12:18
This one is pretty simple: pray that our kids would develop wisdom and thoughtfulness in their speech. Middle and high school years can be filled with emotional drama that often stems from thoughtless or hurtful words.
Taking this concept one step further, pray that our kids would go the extra mile to speak words of encouragement to others.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#backtoschool, #prayingmom”]5 smart things to pray for your kids this school year.[/tweetthis]
Pray for Self-Control
Who doesn’t struggle with self-control at times? I’ll get in line first on this one. Let’s pray our children develop Spirit-given self-control, which is very handy character trait for sure!
What are a few of your best Smart-Mom prayers for your kids this year?
Mom, It’s Okay Cry When You Leave Your Child Leaves Home
“Mom, have you seen my stethoscope?” my daughter asks from her bedroom filled with boxes and bins. Packing, she is almost ready to go back to college. As a second year nursing student, her stethoscope just arrived yesterday. Just in time to pack for school.
I can’t help but think how much difference a year makes for both moms and kids.
Summer dwindles to it’s last days of freedom, but she’s excited to return to college, a place that’s become a second home. I peek into her room, tripping over a box. Looking around, I remember how I felt this time last year when my baby was leaving the nest for the first time.
You Will Have Lots of Emotions When Your Child Leaves Home
Whether your student is your first, last, or in-between, leaving for college is an emotional time. Last year I wrote the following post, which has turned out to be one of the most popular posts on my blog. I decided to re-post this since is was such an encouragement to so many parents.
As I hug and kiss my girl goodbye, my heart is a mix of happy and sad. Sad that she’s leaving, but happy that she’s learning and growing.
This past year, I’ve experienced what my head knew but my heart didn’t: Leaving for college isn’t the end of the world.
It just feels like it at times, particularly freshman year.
Truth is, my girl had a good year and I did too. She loves college. I’m thankful she’s made a lot of good decisions and has matured in lovely ways. I’m proud of her and grateful God has protected and kept her heart focused.
I hope you’ll enjoy this post I wrote last year when the last child left for the first time.
9 Reasons Why it’s Okay to Cry When Your Child Leaves Home
To my children scattered far and wide, here’s a look at why it’s hard to say goodbye when you leave home.
We don’t want to let go, but we will.
Will tears flow? Not sure, but if today is any indication, there will probably be a few.
Or a lot.
Taking your child to college is a emotional moment for parents, and it’s okay to shed those tears.
Here a Reasons Why Mom’s Cry When Our Child Leaves Home
- Even though you are taller than we are now, it’s hard to believe you’ve grown up so fast. Taking you to college is stepping into that reality. No longer is “going to college” some vague mist of an idea far off in the future. The future is now. We’ve known your move in date for months, but what the head knows doesn’t always translate to the heart.
- The house will feel different now. The sounds, activities, and energy will change. At first, we’ll balk at the empty echo in the house, much like how sound changes when you take a carpet out of a room. For a little while, that hollow sound will have a feeling that sits uneasy on our hearts. We won’t like the empty place at the table and the unused smell in your room. We will adjust and life is still very good, but it will take some time let go.
- This is the beginning of a new season that will catapult you into your own life as an adult. In just a short time home will be a place you visit rather than live. That’s a hard thought for a mom to get used to. And dads.
- You won’t be part of our daily life anymore. Phone calls are good, and social media is nice, but it isn’t the same as sharing life face to face. The main part of your life won’t include our daily presence. This is as it should be, but it’s still an emotional hurdle to leap.
- We love you and will miss your beautiful smile and all the special things that make you, you. You are a joy in our lives and in some ways, we’ve come to depend on you, comfortable in our roll as moms. Though we have our own lives, mom has become both a roll and an identity. As we open our hearts to let you go, we have some new growing to do ourselves.
- We are proud of you. Some of these tears are excitement for the new friends and experiences you will have. The new things you’ll learn. We will watch from afar as you gain confidence and knowledge as you prepare for your future. You’ll l come home for Christmas, exhausted from exams. As you unload a car full of dirty laundry, you will walk in the house with a new maturity.
- We know we won’t be there on the days when you’re lonely or discouraged. We know you will learn to navigate problems and challenges, but sometimes this will be a struggle. This is a necessary part of growing up, but we don’t want you to have to face the hard days on your own. We want to be there to encourage you and cheer you on.
- We’ll have to get used to going to sleep without knowing you’re safely tucked in your bed at home. We’re moms and we’ve mastered the art of worrying. For so long, we’ve slept lightly, or stayed awake until you’re home.
- For parents, leaving for college feels like an ending before it feels like a beginning. We know you’re ready, but we’re not quite sure how to let you go. We’ll have to figure that out step by step over the next few months.
We have survived the teen years and are now launching young adults. We will adjust, and it won’t be as hard as it feels at this moment. But these are a few of the reasons mom’s shed a few tears when we leave our kids at college.
Oh, and one more thing what can make a parent cry when kids head to college–the college tuition bill!
What makes you emotional when your kid’s leave?
This post is inspired by my life situation and this post from Flown and Grown.
Other posts on kid’s growing up and leaving home:
- Powerful Truth Gives Direction For Our Children
- Letting Them Go: Faith Prayers For Our Children
- Getting Ready For College: Don’t Let Worries Rob You of Joy
The Truth That Sets Us Free From Trying to Get-It-All-Together
You will know the truth and the truth will set you free--maybe you’ve read these words in your Bible.
Maybe you’ve heard them in a sermon.
Read about them in a devotion.
Today I’m chatting about how knowing Christ as our way, our truth, and our life sets us free from the pressure to get it all together. Hope you enjoy a different format today. Below, you can find a transcript of the video if you’d prefer to read.
More posts in this series:
If I Get it All Together, Where Will I Put It?
If I Get it All Together, How Much is Enough?
If I Get it All Together, How Long Do I Have to Keep it Up?
If I Get it All Together, What if I Trip Over It?
If I Get it All Together, What if I Mess it Up?
Video Transcription:
Do you ever worry about getting it all together? You know, you’ve got your life going in five thousand directions and your to-do list is as long as a roll of toilet paper. You know what I’m saying, right?! Don’t tell me that I’m the only one who has a crazy schedule like that. And maybe you’re like me… You say yes to too many things, and all of the sudden, all of the good things that you’re doing kind of spiral out of control, and you’re saying to yourself, “If I could just get it all together!”.
Anybody with me on that?
Well, I’ve been thinking very deeply about all of this and I’ve come to some pretty important conclusions and here’s one…
Strap your seatbelts on because this is good! If I get it all together, where am I going to put it? Do you ever think about that? Seriously, and if I get it all together and I figure out where I’m going to put it, how long do I have to keep it up? Is this something that is a once and for all shot of getting it together or is it something that I’ve got to do every single day, all day?
And what about when the kids need to eat dinner, do I still have to have it together? See, these are very important questions that we all need to know.
And if I get it all together, and somehow I manage to keep it all together, how long do I have to keep it up?
And what if I trip over it? I mean, that could be really bad, right?
So, I don’t know about you friends, but I have spent way too much of my life stressing and worrying about getting it all together. And, in reality how many of us know what “it” is? Can anybody tell me what this “it” is that we need to get together? You know, I know that “it” can be a pronoun or a noun, but you know what? I’m really not interested in a grammar lesson. I’m trying to get by here, right? And I think that you are too.
So, how do we get it all together in a way that enables us to walk in freedom? I think that God’s Word has some really wonderful truths that can help us with this challenging but realistic issue that we all face. You know, sometimes I think I need to stop trying to get it together and remember that I have a God who promises to put it together in my life.
Let me share with you a verse that has been very meaningful to me. And that is Thessalonians 5:23. I’m going to read it to you in the Message because this version makes a lot of sense to me. It’s one that kind of hits home. I study in other versions but sometimes just to relate, I like the Message. And this is what it says. “May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole put you together– spirit, soul, and body and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!”
I don’t know about you, but when I read that phrase, “the God who makes everything holy and whole, (making himself) put you together”, that little place in me that gets so stressed out trying to get it all together, took a big sigh of relief. It was a light bulb moment, really. Realizing, Wow! I can stop trying so hard because God promises to do the very thing that I’m trying to do and He’ll do it so much better. He will put me together spirit, soul and body.
Now, this reminds me of a truth that Jesus said in the Gospel of John. In John 8:32, he says, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” As long as the truth that I am building my life around and organizing my life around, is this nebulous concept of trying to get it together, which is really a performance-based way of living… meeting the standards of the world, seeking the approval of others, trying to be successful… all of those kinds of things and when we realize that we’re organizing our life around something that’s not true.
God never intended for us to get ourselves together. He wants us to trust Him and rely on Him to put us together. So, this John verse, “And you shall know the truth…”, right before that, Jesus is talking about when you abide in my Word, then you’ll be my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
We don’t want to just take that verse by itself. When we take the time to abide in the Word, something wonderful happens, and that’s what He is talking about in John 8:32. What does it mean to abide?
Well, abide means to remain, to settle into. I kind of like to think of it like living in a house. If you buy a house and you just camp out on the front porch, you’re not really living there. But if you move everything in and settle in and make it your home, and really get comfortable there and that’s where you live your life from, now that is abiding.
Are we just running in to God’s Word like a drive thru window at McDonalds to get our happy meal to make our day good, or are we abiding in His Word?
Are we moving in and really settling in to what it says and embracing that as our truth?
Well, Jesus tells us that when we abide in His Word that we are His disciples. We’re His followers, His learners and that we will know the truth.
Friends, if we never take the time to really engage with God’s Word in a meaningful way we won’t know the truth that sets us free.
I’m not talking about you have your quiet time every single day and you read your Bible all the way through in a year. It’s not about following rules. I’m talking about relationship and where your heart is.
When we really engage with God’s Word, something wonderful happens. Like I said before, we will know the truth. Now that is a Greek word called ginosko. I love this word.
Knowing is about perceiving what’s true, knowing what’s true, and there is power in knowing what’s true. So we know the truth and that knowledge sets us free. Now, what does that knowledge set us free from? Well friends, one of the things that knowledge sets us free from is that trying to get it together life. That trying to get it all down perfectly, trying to be super successful and trying to have others approve of us, trying to be that perfect Mom and that perfect wife, that perfect professional.
When we abide in Christ’s Word and rest in Him, the truth (both the person and the word) sets us free and it sets us free. In Christ, we are to know the reality of what it is that we’re living for and the resource and source that we have in Christ to live from, and this is what sets us free.
Free from that trying to get it together life, free from habitual patterns of sin, the things that trip us up and hold us back in life. It also sets us free from the pressure of the flesh, that drive to get it all together to do it all perfectly, to impress others… you know what I’m saying.
It is a wonderful thing when we discover the truth of Christ’s Word and discover the power of His presence within us, and we learn to rest in that and trust that God will put us together… body, soul and spirit, and enable us to keep it together.
So, I don’t know about you but I am going to hang up my sign and just give it a rest on this get it together life. I’m going to trust the Lord more to show me the truth each day, to live in that truth, and let that truth set me free from the things that hold me back.
Many thanks to these friends for help with this video:
Videographer: Laura Wenzel
Transcriptionist: Barb Moses
Weehoo! We’re Publishing a Book!
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#bookcontract, #holy #choosingGod”]Holy in the Moment, a debut book from Ginger Harrington releases in March 2018. Weehoo![/tweetthis]
Summer days are rushing past and here we are cruising into the middle of July. Not quite sure how that happened! You may be wondering why I’ve not been hanging out at GingerHarrington.com as frequently these days. Or maybe you’ve been busy living your own life and haven’t noticed that my last post was weeks ago.
Big news, Friends!
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m publishing my first book with Abingdon Press!
The book was contracted recently with a manuscript due date on November 1. This book baby will release in March and the writing schedule is brisk. Last week I learned the marketing team would like to have as many chapters as possible by August 21. (Trying not to hyperventilate . . .)
Most dreams take time, work, and space to grow into. More than developing skill and coming up with ideas, God has to grow us into the messages we have lived, so we can authentically tell our stories, and encourage others with humility and love. Publishing a book has been on my dream list since 2oo9. Many days I felt like I worked full time at a job I didn’t really have.
On discouraging days, I felt like a kid playing dress up insisting, “I want to be a writer when I grow up.” Waiting isn’t failure and God’s “not yet” doesn’t mean “not ever.”
In truth, these years have been far more productive, wonderful, and full than I ever dreamed.
Now the opportunity is here, my heart is a strange combination of giddy, grateful, and more than a little nervous. Choosing to trust God moment by moment and page by page is how outlines grow into books, children grow into adults, and blessings turn into miracles.
In the process of writing this book, I have to live it out, trusting God with every word. And you know what?
There’s no better place to be.
Here’s one thing I know for sure.
Every Christian book that makes it to the market place is a work of the body of Christ. Many people contribute to every book–those who teach, train, encourage, read, cheer, help, pray, and support.
However, prayer is the gift that truly brings a book from dream to reality. So thank you for reading and being a part of this grand adventure!
I invite you to join me as we pray this book forward until we hold it in our hands as God releases it into the world.
Ta-da! Here’s a sneak peek at the cover comp.
Introducing: Holy in the Moment
Holy moments change lives and steer destinies in God’s direction, but it all comes down to attitudes and choices made one moment at a time. What becomes possible when we stop trying to make ourselves better and simply trust God to guide, help and provide in each moment as it comes? What’s released when we intentionally reach for more of God in the moments of our days?
Though this word sometimes reeks of stale religion bound tightly with pious do’s and don’ts, holiness is a refreshingly simple concept. You won’t find it sitting on a shelf of musty, old books no one wants to read. When we look, we’ll discover the sacred in our everyday moments, not moments far off, hidden in prayers of monks or lost in whispers of saints.
Holiness in the moment can be as simple as our thoughts, words, and actions as we choose to love God, embrace truth, and enjoy life. Making intentional choices to trust God is where holiness happens right in the middle of an ordinary day.
A day just like today.
If we choose holiness in this moment, what difference could it make?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I hope you’re as excited as I am!
Maybe you’d like to share my news FB, Twitter, or Pinterest? That would be awesome!
Choosing holy. Choosing whole. One moment at a time.
If I Get it All Together, What if I Mess it Up?
The lights are bright blinding me in the harsh glare. I step forward to impress and wow the audience with my solo. It feels good to have a solo after several runs of chorus work.
Ready to sing, I step forward. . .
right off the stage.
My big moment.
The horrified, collective intake of breath from the audience seems to stop time.
I had it all together. One misstep and I land in a heap on the floor. Fortunately, nothing but pride was injured.
If I get it all together, what if I mess it up? Take a step too far, misjudge the gap? What then?
We’ve all had our messy moments.
- Relationship messes.
- Work messes.
- Financial messes.
No area of life is immune from the possibility of unraveling our best efforts to get it all together.
Work hard.
Mess it up.
Work harder.
We can stay on this performance treadmill that can wear away the soul. Or we can learn new ways to think and respond.
Change your perspective.
[tweetthis]How will your perspective change if you begin to think the way God thinks, seeing what He sees about you?[/tweetthis]
Wisdom is the understanding of how God does things.
Freedom from the pressure to get it all together by the world’s definition of success comes when we learn to live in reliance on Christ.
Some of us need to stop living out of our mistakes, failures, wounds. Others need to stop relying on self-effort to achieve success and prove value.
Let God change the way you think. As He transforms our thoughts we begin to understand that life with Christ isn’t a pass/fail route to spiritual growth.
. . . be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.–Ephesians 4:23-24
God’s already dealt with our sin.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.–2 Corinthians 5:17
In Christ, God isn’t simply trying to get us to act right. All of our sin has been forgiven. Now He’s dealing with our righteousness, holiness, establishing right in us.
When we really get hold of this truth for daily life, we can let get off the performance-based system of getting it all together.
We can find rest for our souls, acceptance for our insecurity, strength for our weakness, and grace for our needs.
Do you trust the life of Christ in you?
[tweetthis]Listening to your soul-talk is a concrete way to gauge what you functionally believe. [/tweetthis]
Do you have yourself on a performance-based system of righteousness, always on stage before God? Is holiness a role that you play, trying to be the good Christian who has it all together?
Or have you learned the language of grace that speaks truth to yourself?
- I am righteous.
- I am loved and accepted.
- I don’t have to prove my worth.
- I can trust God for the results.
- I can trust the Holy Spirit within me to guide me.
Do you talk the same way about yourself that God does? Good question, isn’t it?
It’s easy to look like we’ve got it all together on the outside but live in self-condemning, shame-based insecurity on the inside.
Today is your day to release your grip on the get-it-all-together life. Discover anew the fresh faith that is yours when you’re open to what God wants to do in your life.
Letting go of self enables us to receive more from God.
Offering our lives to God we can let go of our. . .
- fear and receive confidence for the future.
- needs and receive his abundant supply
- wants and receive God’s desires
- shame and receive the grace of God’s unconditional love
Friend, as long as we hang on to this get-it-all-together pressure of achieving righteousness with our self-effort, we live with the fear of messing it up.
Getting it wrong.
Disappointing God.
We hold on because of fear; we let go because of love.
As long as we hold on to the standards we’ve set for ourselves, the less we can receive the gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace that is ours in Christ. (Romans 5:17)
Grace is so much more than undeserved favor, a common definition.
Take time to receive the wonder that is yours in these words:
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.–2 Peter 1:2-4.
Posts in this series:
If I Get it All Together, Where Will I Put It?
If I Get it All Together, How Much is Enough?
If I Get it All Together, How Long do I Have to Keep it Up?
If I Get it All Together, What if I Trip Over It?
Linking up here: Monday Minute
If I Get it All Together, What if I Trip Over It?
Do you drive half the folks around you crazy as you push full-throttle to prove yourself?
Ever been so focused on getting it all together that you lose an important part of yourself in the process? Maybe leave a trail of debris of brokenness behind your race to find your worth and grasp that IT that will make everything OK?
My idea of OK might be a little different than yours, but generally, the IT we seek has a lot to do with meeting our core needs to be loved, valued, accepted, secure, successful, or worthy.
As believers in Christ, it’s easy to bring this get-it-together-mindset into our spiritual lives. In religious talk, we call that walking in the flesh.
Without realizing it, we dress up this make-myself-alright-thinking, with lots of Bible study, church service, good deeds, and PG movies.
Friends, the struggle is real.
For a long time, I tried so hard to become the person I felt like I should be. The person others wanted me to be. And the person I thought God wanted me to be.
This person was a paragon of wisdom who always makes the right call. Organized, efficient, neat, successful at work, kind, knowledgeable, well-liked by all. . .
This got-it-together gal would never do air-headed things like leave the keys in the car door, forget about early dismissals, or purchase a plane ticket for the wrong date. She would get that promotion, and all her kids would earn scholarships to college.
Call it what you want—craziness, perfectionism, flesh, or even rampant professionalism . . .
[tweetthis]The harder we try to get it together, the easier it is to trip over it.[/tweetthis]
Have you tripped over a few of the struggles of trying to get it all together?
- discouragement–when effort doesn’t lead to the result we desired
- worry–insecurity of the get-it-together life leads to anxiety or pride
- stress–multiplies when we lose perspective of who we are in Christ
- fear–that we’ll never be enough or get what we need robs us of peace
- comparison–life becomes a competition rather than a celebration
These are just a few of the subtle ways we can trip over our good intentions. The apostle Paul put it this way:
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Galatians 3:3
The shift from dependence on Christ to reliance on self-effort is a consistent temptation.
Learning new ways to think and respond
Renewal of our thinking is the essence of transformation. When sin, flesh, motivation, or attitudes trip us up, it’s encouraging to remember that God has already dealt with our sin.
Friend, today is the day to embrace who God says you are rather than trying to earn the acceptance and value that’s already yours.
[tweetthis]Rather than trip over performance-based righteousness, we trust the Holy Spirit to work in and through us.[/tweetthis]
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.–Philippians 1:6.
Are we trusting God to complete his work in our lives or are we trying to finish the job for him?
God’s after something completely different than our getting it all together.
What if He’s far more interested in our deeply understanding how much we are loved and valued than what we can achieve in our self-effort?
Here’s a glimpse from my journal with a personalized version of Ephesians 3:16-19. Combining translations, definitions, spacing, emphasis, and notes to myself, I process truth on the page as God impresses it on my heart.
This is one of the ways He transforms and renews my thinking, freeing me from the pressure of trying to get it all together.
May he grant me– it’s a gift!
. . .to be strengthened and spiritually energized ( I don’t have to somehow make myself spiritually strong).
with POWER through HIS SPIRIT (not my effort, not my power)
in my inner self [indewelling my innermost being and personality]
SO THAT
Christ may DWELL in my heart THROUGH faith.
And may I
Having been (already done!!)
[deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded IN love,
be fully capable of comprehending
with all the saints
the width, length, height, depth of His love
[FULLY experiencing] that amazing endless love.
And that I come to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that I
MAY BE FILLED [throughout my being] to
ALL the FULNESS of GOD
[so that I may have the richest experience of God’s presence in my life], completely filled and flooded with God HIMSELF.
Beyond all I can ask or think…
GOD CAN DO.
If we choose to believe and live in light of these powerful truths, we will no longer trip over the trying-to-get-it-together life.
Recent posts in this series include:
If I Get it All Together, Where Will I Put It?
If I Get it All Together, How Much is Enough?
If I Get it All Together, How Long do I Have to Keep it Up?
