Focus on this scripture throughout the day. Be comforted knowing that barrenness is not what God desires for you. God’s desire is for you to experience a fruitful, abundant life– in your body and in ALL areas of your life. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day.
Possibilities are endless with God involved!
Focus on this scripture throughout the day.
It’s about God’s strength in the midst of your circumstances.
It’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day.
Monday’s Marinade is provided to you as a means of “soaking yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week.
Start your week by meditating on this Word about fear and anxiety. Repeatedly think about it and quietly say it to yourself. Marinate and season your week with hope and a confident expectation of good things happening!
It’s God’s Word about standing firm in your faith about His love for you. It’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth.
Use it as an affirmation. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!
Earlier this year, I attended a retreat that I hoped would help me gain more focus in business-building activities and in personal matters. As an activity, we wrote on a smooth stone the one thing that would be our target for the remainder of the year. I wrote, “FINISH” on mine because I was finding that there were a number of things in my life I would start but didn’t finish.
A couple of months passed and as I thought more about how to finish the things that I start, I realized I also needed to target some other issues as well. Going through this thought process brought other “F-words” to mind. No, not the bad “F-words.” 🙂
I wrote the new F-words on stones and placed them on my desk as a tangible reminder of what I’m doing—FINISHING STRONG!
In June, I decided I’d put some energy behind one of these words each month for the remainder of 2014. Hopefully, as I do so, I’ll be building some good habits along the way. This month, I’ve been concentrating on Fellowship.
Fellowship= sharing; participating with another; constant companionship; communion
My desire is to fellowship more with friends and family, as well as, and most importantly, with Holy Spirit.
I became more intentional about spending time with my daughter while she’s home from college for the summer. I’ve been intentional about getting together with each of my sons, individually. Making sure that I schedule date nights with my hubby became a priority again. Phone calls to extended family members who live back East have become more frequent, just so I can say, “I’ve been thinking about you.”
How would I increase that time and experience more enjoyment out of it?
I made a decision to just do it. I started using my afternoon PIT Stop everyday to spend “extra” time with Him. I made a list of things I wanted to be sure to do with Him.
Just like I scheduled time with each of my children, with my husband, and, for the phone calls, I put God on my schedule. I made an appointment with myself so that I could not only talk to God and read the Bible, but to also hear from Him.
“My fellowship with God enables me to gain a victory over the evil one.” 1 John 2:14b (MSG)
Guess what happened! I began to feel less anxious about things in my life. I’m experiencing greater peace about the challenges I face because I know He’ll get me through them. I’ve begun to glean more wisdom from Him through His Word. Maybe the best thing is that I‘ve grown to really look forward to that time with Him because I’m excited about what He’s going to show me about His love for me! I protect this time from the distractions life throws at me.
Want to join me on this quest of filling each month with an “F-word?” You can. Just make a decision to do so (which means cutting off all other options and excuses). Then let me know you’ve joined the movement.
What are some of the things you do to fellowship with others and with God? Please share!
Next month’s keyword is FOCUS. I’ll be sharing my thoughts about that in August.
Monday’s Marinade is provided to you as a means of “soaking yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week. Start your week by meditating on this Word. Repeatedly think about and quietly say it to yourself. Marinate and season your week with hope and a confident expectation of good things happening!
It’s God’s Word about Jesus’ love for us. It’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth.
Use it as an affirmation. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!
How’s your confidence in God today? Is it higher than it’s ever been?
Are you finding it to be easy to trust that His promises are true for your life?
Or are you needing something to boost your confidence in His love for you as you struggle through infertility?
The best thing I’ve found that builds my confidence in God is — wait for it — God’s Word. Does that surprise you? The Bible tells us that everything we need in life can be found in God’s Word, we just have to search the Scriptures for the promise that applies to our specific situation.
“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him.” 2 Peter 1:3 NLT
We come to “know Him,” as that verse points out, by reading the Bible, relying on the Holy Spirit to help us understand the Word and how to apply it to our lives.
Here are a few scriptures that should build your confidence in God. I pray that as you read them and say them to yourself out loud (because faith comes by hearing – Rom 10:17), you’ll be empowered to rely on Him even more than you do now.
“You love them as much as You love Me.” John 17:23
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV
The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14 NIV
So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!” Hebrews 10:35 NLT
Monday’s Marinade is provided to you as a means of “soaking yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week. Start your week by meditating on this Word. Repeatedly think about and quietly say it to yourself. Marinate and season your week with hope and a confident expectation of good things happening!
Here’s your spiritual marinade for this week:
I recently received an email from business coach, Valorie Burton, that spoke to something that’s been on my heart for a while. Here’s an excerpt from her newsletter:
“While returning from a speaking engagement on an evening flight, the pilot announced that he expected we would land a few minutes early. Instead, as we approached, nearby thunderstorms changed the plan. For more than an hour – as daylight turned to evening – we circled. At first, I found myself – like many of the passengers – feeling agitated. Then I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and enjoyed a few moments of rest.
I’ve noticed that so often in life, when we encounter a holding pattern, the natural reaction is one of frustration for having to wait. But a holding pattern serves a greater purpose – protecting you until the right conditions unfold that allow you to land at your destination safely. In our fast-paced world, we are tempted to believe that faster is always better. Sometimes, though, pushing for something to happen in the wrong timing can unnecessarily force you into a storm.” (c) Copyright 2014 Valorie Burton and Inspire Inc.
Valorie encouraged her readers to “take a deep breath, trust God’s timing and calmly embrace the journey.”
I think that’s what God means when He says to rest in Him. He wants us to receive the lavish, unfailing love He has for us and then trust Him to workout whatever the challenge is that we may be facing. That can be hard to do but I have a feeling that it’s the best way to come out on the other side of that challenge with the results that are best for us.
In the Bible, Sarah did not initially trust God’s timing. She had spent years waiting for His promise of a son. In her impatience, she decided to have her husband, Abram, impregnate her maid, Hagar (Genesis 16). She chose not to rest in God’s love for her. She chose not to trust His promise and His timing. Her choice to not wait for the child of promise did not lead to the fulfillment of her hope for a child. What resulted from her “pushing for something to happen,” has been manifested as a centuries-long conflict between the Arab descendants of Ismael (the son of Hagar) and the Jewish descendants of Isaac (the son of Sarah).
So today I encourage you to actively seek that place of rest. Rest in knowing that Jesus finished the work on your behalf on the cross and He desires that you accept it to the fullest extent.
Trust His promises.
Trust His wisdom.
Trust that His effort is better than yours so you can relax and wait expectantly with patience and joy.
Why?
His love for you is unfailing, His timing is impeccable, and the presence of His power in the midst of your challenge will bring the desired results of victory (1 Corinthians 15:57).