Think of this idea as a painting. We may spend hours staring at a painting, constantly looking it over and still, we are unable to grasp the painter’s intention. We might even wonder why on earth someone would paint something like that. Now, let’s say we are staring at a painting and the original painter is right beside us. We might be able to see their vision for the painting while getting to hear the purpose behind it— their desire for their design. Now isn’t it true that it’s far easier to know someone’s desire for their design when they are close to us? A close friend will know your heart behind a tough decision, over someone who watches your life from the internet. Someone who has seen you at your worst will be able to fully celebrate you at your best, over someone who hasn’t seen how hard you’ve fought. Moms have a sixth sense when it comes to knowing what their babies need because of how close their bond is. So what if as Christians, as we spend time with God who is the one true designer, we might start to understand the beauty of His desire a little better? And if the designer is God, then you my dear friend, are a product of his ultimate desire.

We may never know why things take the shapes they do, or why people in certain circles have it harder than others. One does not tell the mountains how they should look, nor does someone tell the ocean how to behave. So we may never know the purpose in the details of our design. However, I will say that the more we spend time with our designer, the more our desires will eventually come into alignment with his design. We don’t have to be the designer, but our desire can grow for what God has designed. In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah said,

“Yes, Lord, walking in the ways of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you…” (Isaiah 26:8-9).

One of the ways our desire grows is by walking in close proximity with God. There were times when the Israelites walked close to God and they followed his laws, they obeyed his commands and they were walking in his presence daily. God had a desire to be near to them and they had a desire to be near to Him. Then there were other times when the Israelites waited on God. They waited for him to come through, they waited for his promises, they waited for him to tell them which ways to go and yet they did this in close proximity to God. Now like any journey with God, there are times when we fall off. We tend to go our own way and we often think that what we know is better than what God knows. But at the end of the day, our heart’s desire is for God. When we go off on our own, there is still something inside of us that’s searching for meaning greater than ourselves. Therefore, God’s design is supposed to be our greatest desire.

The more we get to know our Creator, the more we get to see how truly beautiful His design for His creation is. When we sit with him in the mornings, we are met with his presence before anything else has a chance to sway our desires. When we pray to God for answers before turning to other people, we give him the space to share with us his design. When we are questioning life and the path that we must take, the very one who designed our path is waiting to tell us where to go. Again, we don’t have to understand God’s design, but the more time you spend with him, the more you will understand his desire. And spoiler alert, you are God’s ultimate design and the product of his greatest desire.

If he is the designer and you are his masterpiece then he sees underneath the mess, underneath the smudges, behind the layers and into the depths of the darkest paint in your life. He painted it! He designed you, He formed you in the secret place and He loved you completely before you ever achieved a single thing! Now your life might feel bleak, hopeless, worn out, tired and stuck, but there’s a designer who’s in the business of making his design into something beautiful. Friends, the more time you spend with your designer, I pray the more you will experience the desire he has for you. And my goodness is it ever beautiful.

So may his design, become your greatest desire.

The post God’s Design Over My Desire first appeared on Live Original.

My teammates and I went the other night and it was awesome! I highly recommend you go and see it if you haven’t!

As most of you know, the main character Riley enters her teenage years in the movie… I know a lot of us have walked through that stage, some of you are entering that and some of you are still currently in the teenage years. All in all, we know what it’s like for some unknown emotions to make their way into our life.

And try to steal our JOY.

*kinda a spoiler*

But in the movie, anxiety comes and takes over Riley’s joy, which Joy had ultimately run her life the past 13 years. Anxiety didn’t come alone though… it also brought envy, embarrassment and boredom. Woah. Nothing too positive or fun.

As someone who struggles with anxiety, I related to a lot of this!

When anxiety takes over, most things seem to crumble. Riley loses her confidence, and pretty much tries to do anything and everything possible to BE ACCEPTED.

Anxiety will make you believe things about yourself that aren’t true.

Anxiety will make you believe you aren’t satisfied or you’re weak… pretty much all things negative.

You have to be ______ to be accepted and liked.

You have to be good at ______ to be cool.

The list goes on!

Anxiety places meaningless “what ifs” on your hopeful future that is already secured by the Almighty!

Today, let’s embrace TRUTHS God has spoken over our lives that we are safe and not defined by anxiety.

You are not alone in your struggle with anxiety. The Lord meets you there and delivers you from all your fears. He can use anything for His glory!

Here are 3 lies anxiety wants us to believe to be true about us… and TRUTH that overcomes it.

#1: Anxiety keeps you in CONTROL

Anxiety promises to prepare us for the worst. If we constantly live through everything that could happen, we’ll be ready if/when it does…right? But that is a a false sense of security. Anxiety doesn’t prepare us for the future; it only robs us of joy in our present life.

Truth: “Who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:27

#2: Anxiety claims your IDENTITY

Anxiety wants you to believe that this is who you are — You are an anxious person and you always will be. But the gospel gives us one TRUE identity: Jesus. When God looks at you, He sees His Son. His righteousness is yours.

Truth: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

#3: Anxiety leads to PEACE

Anxiety promises that if we ponder over the scary “what ifs” or if we constantly relive every past hurt, we will eventually come to some sort of satisfying conclusion. That’s a winless battle.

There are some questions, some “what-if’s,” that we cannot resolve this side of Heaven. Peace comes from looking at our perfect savior, not at our circumstances.

Truth: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27)

John 15:11 says, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

LOVE,
AW

Allie Walker is an Ambassador for our LO Sister App and this is a sneak peek at the encouragement you’ll find daily in the app. There are countless girls like Allie waiting to pour into you, friend. Join us here to be a part of this amazing community!

The post Truth to Overcome Anxiety’s Lies first appeared on Live Original.

Plan

plural noun: Plans

I know majority of us are not a stranger to the idea of “plans” or the word in general.

I feel like I hear this word 10+ times a day.

Whether it’s as simple as “What are your plans for the day?” Or as broad as “What are your plans for the future?”

Or even better, when someone asks you “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”

Everything in life seems to have a “plan”.

Planning a schedule, a practice, a race or execution of a game, a hard conversation, a test, a result, a response, a date…etc.

Maybe I’ve turned my ear towards the idea of “plans” in this season of my life more than ever. I’ve never been much of a “planner”

Well, unless it comes to how many hours before I race I need to eat food so I’m not seeing it twice (lol).

But, seriously…

I’m about to start my senior year of college, and last year of collegiate athletics, and the question I’m receiving most is…

“Well, Allie! What are your PLANS for after college?”

And ya know what, to be transparent…

I don’t have one!

Sure, I have hopes and desires on my heart I know the Lord sees (Psalm 37:4). I’d love to put that hard worked degree to use, get married to my love, have a family, and continue to work towards goals.

But I’ve also learned this year (more than I thought I lifetime could teach me) because I’ve seen it unfold in my life…

It is truly GODS PLAN that prevails, not always what we have in our mind.

That does not mean He does not care what we have on our hearts, though.

Proverbs 19:21 —

“Many are the plans in a persons heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

I saw my sister’s life flip upside down this year. A big part of our lives flipped upside down, too.

Just weeks before she was going to be getting engaged to her high school sweetheart of 7 years, God brought him home after a hard fought battle with cancer. I’ve shared about Ben in blogs before. A faithful servant and fearless warrior.

Ben had plans, just like the rest of us. Plans to become a doctor (he was so smart and driven), plans to marry my sister, and many wonderful hopes and dreams most 22 year olds have desired for themselves. And that is good! It is good to have desires and work for things, and plan for the future to an extent. Ben was such a planner, but He was never “unrealistic” and ALWAYS more confident in the plan God had for Him. Never once did He doubt Gods plan for His life. Even in sickness. I want to live more like that. With a confidence like that.

And yes, God had different plans. Do I understand why it had to be this way? Or why the things Ben worked for didn’t come to fruition? Well, most of the time, no. 

It is hard some days to sit and wonder what could have been, and in my human thinking, in my eyes, what should have been.

God does have a plan…. But when that road has tragedy it is very hard to go,

“Oh yeah, God has a plan!”

I am sure many of you reading can relate.

This is where faith comes in and is tested. Where hope must stay alive, and confidence in Our Jesus must outweigh the doubts of evil.

Ben is not physically still here with us, but I know Ben is alive, new, healed, and in the paradise of Heaven with Jesus. The safest place to be.

Gods plans are NOT to discourage us. Even when life can be hard and scary to understand sometimes.

We aren’t always going to understand, but we are called to trust. He will provide strength. (Isaiah 41:10)

I believe it will all be revealed to us one day, maybe just not always on this side of Heaven.

We live in a fallen world. Horrible, unjust things happen. Usually, those things don’t fall into our idea of “ideal plans” we picture for our lives.

Romans 8:28 —

“God works ALL things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”

It does not say, ALL THINGS ARE GOOD. We can name 1,000+ things that are NOT.

But, even if, He is still good.

Romans 8:18 — Paul writes,

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.”

Thankfully, we know from Jesus’  life that there is  purpose to our pain we walk through. God doesn’t waste anything, including suffering.

He doesn’t always remove us from trials, because He plans to use them.

2 Timothy 2:11-12 —

“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.”

Jesus joins us in the suffering, but we will also rise with Him in victory.

Pain that we endure in our life is not God’s punishment. Jesus Christ paid that price on the cross. 

We serve a God of love, grace, truth, protection, and power.

A God who will finish what He started.

What He says He will do, HE DOES.

What He says He can do, HE PROVES.

What He says He can heal, HE TRANSFORMS.

ALL hurt, confusion, damage, distress, doubt, failed plan, and death —

HE CONQUERED ON THE CROSS.

The blood of Jesus Christ covers it all.

EVERYTHING that has left you hurt in this life of sin, will be made right in the throne room of Heaven when we meet face to face with Him.

A game changer perspective God is teaching me is turning my “whys” to TRUST that God is making all things work out for HIS glory and not our own.

Why would I spend my time caught up in the 1,000 “Why’s” of why it didn’t go the way I perfectly pictured?

Ephesians 3:20 —

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

If my Jesus can do IMMEASURABLY MORE than I can EVEN IMAGINE — going beyond what the human brain can bear… why would I doubt the plans God has for me?

Why would you doubt what God has for you?

As Christ followers, if you are currently reading this, you are Earth bound, serving your purpose here for His glory, while ultimately working your way HOME bound.

Where all is made right.

Eternity with Jesus.

There is protection, prosperity and purpose, in every part of Gods plan. 

Trust it. Believe it. Receive it. Live it.

I love you, friend!

LOVE, AW

The post When Planning Takes A Detour first appeared on Live Original.

Folks often ask me, “How did you endure so much grief? How did you climb out of the dark?” 

My scientific answer is, “Medicine balanced my serotonin, my hormones, my moods. Karaoke gave me a needed distraction, helped me laugh again. Gathering a new tribe of family and friends was imperative.” 

All these things were helpful or needed—except karaoke . . . it was just fun! But the real answer is the one thing. Just one thing. 

One night a few years back, Andrew Tenenbaum called me and said he had a few extra tickets to the 25th Anniversary showing of City Slickers. I was ecstatic. Billy Crystal has always been a favorite of mine. Since Andrew was also his manager, chances were great that I would at least be in the same room. Not only was I in the same room, but Zach and I were seated directly behind him. Just before the movie started, a man slipped in late and sat right beside me. Of course, I began a little small talk. My enthusiasm and southern accent were just enough to annoy everyone around us so Billy would have to turn around. When he did, I was ready! 

“Hi Billy, I’m Chonda. I’m a comic too. Andrew is my manager, so we’re practically cousins!” 

He smiled politely and shook my hand as Zach sunk down in his seat. I was on a roll! I turned to the man sitting beside me, “You must be family, a dear friend? You have a pretty good seat, so I’m guessing you might be Billy’s tailor!” When I get nervous or feel out of place, my mouth often runs without a pinch of decorum or sophistication. 

The gentleman looked sideways at me, and he may have rolled his eyes. “I’m Ron Underwood. I’m here for the Q and A afterward.” 

“Ah. Nice to meet you! And what did you do in the movie?” 

“I directed it.” Oops! I think in Hollywood it’s supposedly a big deal to know these things! 

Thank goodness the lights dimmed just as my face flushed bright pink and Zach whispered, “Mom, don’t talk anymore!” 

I love the movie City Slickers. Who doesn’t? But the reason I bring it all up is this one thing. Do you remember the scene? Billy’s character, Mitch, has been bouncing about on a horse for days with Jack Palance (Curly), a rugged cowboy who is tougher than nails and can rope a calf with his big toe. Mitch laments to Curly about his complicated midlife crisis. Curly finally asks, “Do you know what the secret to life is?” Mitch sits up taller on his horse. Leans in to hear. He’s dying to know. Needs to know. It will be the glue that puts his entire life back together. Curly lifts his finger cradled in his dusty leather work glove, “It’s this one thing. Just one thing.” 

Mitch says, “Your finger?” 

“No!” Curly chuckles. “It’s just one thing.” 

That’s my answer, too. The secret to getting through anything starts with just one thing. Faith.

Has my faith ever wavered in strength? Yes, way too often. Have I questioned “why even bother?” You’d better believe it. Have I wondered if it works? Every other day. But you know what happens? The next day shows up. Then the next and the next. Before long, I’ve passed through one of the most difficult weeks of my life. Because of that one thing. 

If you’re expecting your faith to help you get something you want or fix everything, well, you might as well put your faith in a statue of a little fat man or buy a lottery ticket. There have been some tough days. Not as bad as the jump-in-the-river days. Days where I beg God, “Please, please fix this. Fix me. I can’t make it through this anymore.” Like the clink of a couple of coins into a slot machine, I pull the lever. Nothing. 

Bart Millard is a songwriter and friend. I mean, it’s not like I have his cell phone number and we toss around song ideas, but he must have some sort of spiritual connection with me because it never fails that when I am at a low point in my grief, missing David or the kids, a song he has written floats through my radio and speaks to me—like MercyMe’s “Even If”: 

I know You’re able and I know You can 

Save through the fire with Your mighty hand 

But even if You don’t, My hope is You alone¹ 

Maybe faith is not about what you get. Maybe it’s about who you become. Maybe it’s not about believing your circumstances will change; maybe it’s about believing in God even if they never do. Period. Not the getting. The giving of faith. The adoration regardless of the outcome. In that regard, I have never lost my faith. I have complete faith that God can change things, fix things. Sometimes He does, sometimes He doesn’t. But putting my trust and faith in Him has changed me because I’ve learned what happens if I don’t.

A better question might be, “Have you ever lost Chonda?” I’m pretty sure God would say, “Oh, a few times we came close. She tried to hide. She slipped to the shadows. Tried to jump in the river, but it was too shallow. I drained it on purpose. But I knew where she was the whole time.”

The post Life Is Funny Until It’s Not first appeared on Live Original.

“Start a Bible study in your home…Oh, I’m not sure my house is big enough.”

“Serve at the local food bank…It costs too much to get a baby sitter for my kids.”

“Join a women’s group at your church…I feel bad for leaving my husband with the kids after work.”

“Apply for the job…My resume isn’t very good.”

“Give the waitress a large tip…I can’t because I need to save money.”

Oh how guilty I am for getting an idea, a nudge from the Holy Spirt, or an invitation to say YES to God, but shut it down quickly.  But why? Fear. The fear of thinking I heard wrong. The fear of not being good enough. The fear that I won’t be able to handle it or mange the details, and the fear that I will lose control or be labeled as a failure for starting something and not finishing.

Fear. Fear. Fear. We all have it.

Do you know what else we have? Desire. Desire to do things that make us come alive. The desire to seek, hear, and walk in relationship with our Creator. The desire to say “YES” to God. Saying YES to Him doesn’t mean we won’t have fear, but saying YES draws us into a relationship with Him. An invitation into an adventure we just cannot pass up.

We find in Joshua Chapter 1 a beautiful example of yielding to God’s plan, expecting His faithfulness, and seeking Him while stepping out. God commands Joshua to seek Him so he can make wise decisions, be strong, be courageous, and trust that God is with him as he goes. We see in this passage that God is the great planner, faithful in His promises, and trustworthy. So, of course we can give Him our YES, but how?

Think of your “YES” in three categories: Yield to Gods Plan, Expect His Faithfulness, & Seek Him and Step Out.

Y: YIELD TO GODS PLAN (Joshua 1:2)

God called Joshua to “ARISE” or get up and go. God had a plan to bring His people into the land He promised and needed Joshua to yield to that plan. I think it’s important to note the word “yield.”  When you come to a yield sign, you slow your vehicle and look around for other traffic that could come from another direction. To give our YES to God, we must yield to His pace. It can be tempting to rush ahead and take matters into our own hands, or kick our feet questioning if we really should step into this opportunity. So, where do we start? We ask. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call on the Lord and He will answer you, and tell you hidden things that you do not know.” Prayer is not just a monologue, but a dialogue. We must come to Him with courage to ask, “God, what are you inviting me into?” He promises to answer.

E: EXPECT HIM TO BE FAITHFUL (Joshua 1:5)

He said to Joshua, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” I love how God promises and reminds. He promises Joshua that his journey will be successful, that He will go with him, and He will not leave him. He reminds Joshua of His faithfulness with Moses. Joshua had walked with Moses and learned the ways of leadership and had seen God’s  faithfulness to him which encouraged him to step into his new role. Just as God promised and reminded Joshua, He does the same with us and we can expect it.

S: SEEK HIM AND STEP OUT (Joshua 1:3)

The vow to receive the land was part of God’s covenant with Israel. God would keep this vow, but the Israelites had a working part in receiving the land. He told Joshua, “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” This means Joshua and the Israelites must “set foot” in the land and war for their inheritance. As was noted by Moses when passing on the Word of the Lord, “See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers — to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — and to their descendants after them”.  The Lord had given Israel the land, but they would have an active part in taking possession of the land themselves. God worked on their accounts as they STEPPED OUT in FAITH to take an ACTIVE part in taking possession (Deuteronomy 1:8).

We gave God our YES 9 years ago. We hope our story encourages you!

On Oct 2014, Amanda felt God put the word podcast on her heart. This vision was to encourage women in their faith, as wives, moms, sisters, daughters, and friends. Her response was,  “Me? really? I do not know how or what to do to start that.” She didn’t share this with anyone. She kept praying about it every time God brought it to her mind and heart. Amanda and Alley soon met and their friendship grew quickly. They learned they had a huge passion to encourage women in their faith. One day in April, Amanda woke up with the podcast and Alley on her mind. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. She asked God “Is Alley suppose to do this with me?”  She immediately shared her vision with Alley. Meanwhile, they were helping prepare for a women’s gathering. At the end of that women’s conference, they were all challenged to write on a stone a “step of faith” God was calling them to take. Alley and Amanda were talking after the conference and shared that they had both written “podcast” on their stones. They did not want to write it down at the time, but knew God was calling them to take that step of faith. The scripture Joshua 1:3 “I will give you a place for every step you set your foot, just as I did Moses” became so alive in God guiding their steps. They said “Yes, we do not know what to do, but we say yes to you Lord!” The next day, God gave Alley the name ”Living Out Loud.”  They knew God had given them the two words “Transparency & Encouragement.” That week, God opened more doors confirming that this was His will and gave them a platform through a local well-known website.  God began to reveal that this podcast was to be a platform for women to be able to share their stories. God saw two women who had a passion for Him and passion to encourage others. God heard their prayers and so sweetly brought them together to glorify Him.  

Our ministry verse is Revelation 12:11 “For they will conquer by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” We desire to encourage others to share their story and truly believe it brings healing to their hearts as well as the hearts of those who listen. Our podcast is a platform for women and men to share what God is doing in their lives and how He is faithful. Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry, but in the end, it’s always encouraging. 

What is God inviting you into and will you say YES? 

XOXO, 

Your sisters Alley Bell & Amanda Reed

Have a story to share? Is God calling you to share? Visit our website and submit the form under the “Share your story” tab.

Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website www.livingoutloud.today 

Also, we just published our first devotional. Join us for 30 days as we share truths from God’s Word, personal stories from our lives, and encourage you to reflect and journal as you spend time with the Lord. Click here to purchase! 

The post To the Sister Who Wants to Say YES first appeared on Live Original.

I have to admit I’m sometimes scared to pray boldly.

It’s not at all that I don’t believe God can do anything. I absolutely do. I’m a “wild about Jesus” kind of girl. Wild in my willingness. Wild in my obedience. Wild in my adventures with God.

So, my hesitation isn’t rooted in any kind of doubt about God.

It’s more rooted in a doubt about myself and my ability to absolutely discern the will of God. The reality is sometimes God chooses not to do things. And if His will is no, while I am boldly praying for a yes, it makes me feel out of step with God.

Can you relate?

I so desperately want to stay in the will of God that I find myself praying with clauses sometimes. Like, “God please heal my friend but if it’s Your will to take her, I will trust You.” I wonder why I don’t just boldly pray, “God, please heal my friend.” And then stand confidently that my prayers were not in vain no matter what the outcome.

The reality is, praying boldly boots me out of a stale place of religious habit into authentic connection with God Himself.

Prayer opens my spiritual eyes to see things I can’t see on my own. And I am convinced prayer matters. Prayers are “powerful and effective” if prayed from the position of a righteous heart, like James 5:16 says.

So, prayer does make a difference – a life-changing, mind-blowing, earth-rattling difference. We don’t need to know how. We don’t need to know when. We just need to kneel confidently and know that our simple, short prayers extend far wide and far high and far deep.

In case you’ve been wrestling through some unanswered prayers recently, lean in here: Keep pressing into God. Keep praying. Don’t pull away. He isn’t ignoring you; He is listening. He loves you too much to answer your prayers at any other time than the right time and in any other way than the right way.

Letting that truth slosh over into my soul, snuffs out the flickers of hesitation. It bends my stiff knees. And it ignites a fresh, bold wildfire within me. Not bold as in bossy and demanding. But bold as in I love Jesus with all my heart, so I want to show up and try again. Pray again. Ask again.

Look at these words from Jesus:

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him,” (Matthew 6:6-8, NIV).

Friend, what do you need to pray boldly about today? Don’t listen to fear – go ahead and ask. And ask again. Not so that we can cause God to move, rather so that we can position our souls to be able to see Jesus move in any which way He pleases.

Dear Lord, I believe that You are the giver of life and Lord over all things. Thank You for providing me with exactly what I need, even though it isn’t always what I may want. I trust that You have my best interest in mind today. I need You Lord. Show me Your way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If we’re honest, when we’re already in a difficult season, connecting with God through praying and reading our Bibles can feel overwhelming. Lysa TerKeurst understands this struggle and has teamed up with other authors at Proverbs 31 Ministries to bring you a new devotional, Clear Mind, Peaceful Heart: 50 Devotions for Sleeping Well in a World Full of Worry. Written by busy women for busy women, this devotional is filled with 50 encouraging devotions, scripture verses and guided prayers, making it easier than ever for you to simply show up and spend time with God at the end of your day. Order your copy today!

The post When You’re Scared to Pray Boldly first appeared on Live Original.

Let me ask you one more: Have you ever stopped to think about what the reason for that response could be?

There are always things beneath the things. We are not simple creatures. Even those of us determined to live steady, unemotionally charged lives are shaped by a million small moments that stay with us. Those moments shape who we are and how we think and how we react—and, yes, how we feel—in a given moment to a given circumstance.

Among the many things I’ve been learning and want to share with you in the pages to come is that those revved-up reactions tell a story—a story about something we’ve lived. They point to a deep-seated something that has gone unaddressed in our heart.

We experience something impactful. We react to that thing by stuffing our feelings or minimizing our feelings or ignoring how we feel altogether. Then something else comes our way, something that’s not even that big of a deal, and we lose it. We unload on a loved one. We catastrophize. We ugly cry, heaving until we can barely breathe.

And then we regret what we’ve done.

Why did we freak out?

Why did we demean our spouse?

Why did we shame our kid or yell at our roommate?

Why did we make that insane assumption and blame and threaten and walk right out the door, slamming it behind us as we left?

What was that all about? What was underneath it all?

Short answer: a lot, as the science and the Bible will show us.

Somewhere along the way, maybe from things I heard at church or just from growing up, I learned I wasn’t supposed to be sad or angry or scared. I was supposed to be okay, so I needed you to be okay too. Or maybe it’s just because I hate the feeling of being out of control and I believed these feelings were too scary and sitting in the hard felt . . . too hard.

Every time I experience sadness, fear, anger—emotions I’ve been conditioned to not want to feel—my brain immediately moves to fight off the feeling like it’s a virus. My brain attacks the feeling, judges it, condemns it, and tells me why I shouldn’t feel it at all. It tells me that it is all going to be okay. It barks out all these orders about what I need to do so that I can finally stop feeling the feeling.

Worse still, sometimes when you share with me your sadness, fear, or anger, I do the same stupid thing to you.

I’m sorry.

It’s wrong and I’m sorry. Your feelings, my feelings, are not evil things that need to be beat back.

Feelings can’t be beat back, by the way. Even if you’re the most effective stuffer ever to live, the very best at stuffing feelings way down deep, so far down you believe they can never be found, I’m here to tell you those feelings don’t go quietly. The people who know you know that they’re there. If you are honest, you know they’re there too.

That hint of rage you felt toward your dad, the fear of rejection you felt with your family, the striving that has exhausted you at school or work, the jealousy that creeps in whenever you are at that one friend’s house, the bitterness that flickers when you talk about why you don’t yet have kids, the despair you feel in your gut every time you think of the person you love buried underground— I know you think you packed all those things safely away in a box so that you won’t have to see them again.

But inevitably they pop out at unexpected times, like over a lovely dinner when your daughter is just dreaming beautiful dreams.

Whatever the triggering situation, at some point the next day or the next week or sometime even later than that, you look back on the catalyst—and on your response—thinking, Why on earth did I say (or do) that?

You wonder, How on earth did those feelings sneak up on me? You wonder why they didn’t play fair. The truth of the matter? They were playing fair.

Or playing predictably, anyway.

Because those feelings are tangled up with something very real in your past or present, something that absolutely is a big deal to you, whether or not you’re ready to admit it.

Feelings can’t be beat back.

They can’t be ignored or dismissed.

They are trying to tell us something.

To read the full chapter, click HERE 🙂

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jennie Allen is the founder and visionary of IF:Gathering as well as the New York Times bestselling author of Untangle Your Emotions, Find Your People, Get Out of Your Head, Made for This, Anything, and Nothing to Prove. A frequent speaker at national events and conferences, Jennie is a passionate leader, following God’s call on her life to catalyze a generation to live what they believe. Jennie earned a master of biblical studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. She and her husband, Zac, have four children. Excerpted from Untangle Your Emotions: Naming What You Feel and Knowing What to Do About It. Copyright © 2024 by Jennie Allen. To be published by WaterBrook, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, on February 13, 2024.

The post Can’t Stop the Feeling first appeared on Live Original.

5 days after turning 19 years old, I had one of the scariest surgeries I’ve ever had. At the time, I was a collegiate long distance runner and had been running my whole life. In 2017, I started having back pain that was preventing me from running and even doing simple life tasks. After months of doctor appointments, physical therapy, and injections…I still had pain and no answers. I remember feeling like no one believed my pain. I remember feeling alone. I remember begging the Lord to heal me and take away the pain as I knew he could. But in this season of my life, the Lord didn’t do that. Once I finally got answers, I learned that I have Degenerative Disc Disease and because of this, I was going to need a 360 back fusion. This is a surgery where they go through the stomach and put in a cage with stem cells and then they flip you over and go through your back and add rods and screws. As you can understand, I was terrified! I started worrying about everything. “What if i can never run again, what if relearning how to walk is so hard i can’t do it, what if my surgery has complications, and what if i don’t get to go back to school next semester?” I gave power to the worry in my life and those questions started to consume me. Thank goodness for wise, loving moms. It was before my surgery that my mom told me this verse, “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s troubles are enough for today. Matthew 6:34” This verse is a hard concept to understand, especially for those who worry and fret about the future we can not see. We shouldn’t worry about things we can’t control. At the end of the day, we are not the maker of the universe or the one in control of our own lives. However, the good news is our God is! He already has tomorrow planned for us. He will take care of us day-by-day and moment-by-moment. During this season of my life, I really learned what it looks like to trust God even when I didn’t know what the outcome would look like.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if we just trust God in everything we do? I mean like REALLY trust him. It’s easy to trust God when life is going your way, but what about when you’re held to the flame? Where does your faith go then? When we are lacking in faith, we start to stand in the power of “what if” statements.

• What if I’m not pretty enough?
• What if I’m not good enough?
• What if I never get to be a mother?
• What if my friends judge me for following Jesus?
• What if I disappoint the Lord?
• What if my marriage won’t last?
• What if I never get married?

According to the dictionary, “What if”, is used when something is RARELY done or just IMAGINED. Every time we use a “what if” statement, this is just the worry talking about something that may not even happen or an idea that our imagination came up with. Our emotions control these “what if” statements…and let me tell you, sometimes your emotions lie. “What if” statements only take emotions, but “Even if” statements only take faith. The word “Even if” is used to say that if something is the case or not, the result is the SAME. Is this as mind blowing to you as it is to me? Whether this happens to you or not, the result is the same! This is who Jesus is! He is good, no matter what happens, no matter if he answers your prayer or not, he will always be good. If we stand in the power of “what if”, then we will never get to experience the faith of “even if”. There is even a story in the Bible that proves this.

My all time favorite Bible Story is about 3 young men and the faith they had in the one true God. In Daniel 3, we learn about King Nebuchadnezzar and a huge golden idol he made. He told everyone that when they hear the musical instrument, they must bow down to worship the gold statue. Anyone who refused to obey would immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. When it came time to bow down to the idol, 3 jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would not do it. The King told them that they would be thrown into the furnace if they didn’t…and this was their response:

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17 -18)

The 3 men were thrown into a furnace that was seven times hotter than usual. Then the King saw a 4th man standing in the fire with them. He called for them to come out and saw that they had not been burned. King Nebuchadnezzar then praised the Lord and told everyone to follow the one true God.

We see in verses 17-18 that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had faith that God could save them. They trusted God enough to say that even if he doesn’t save them, THE RESULT IS STILL THE SAME. Whether they turned to ashes or they were saved…God is still good & God is still King. God may work a miracle in your life or he may not…but that can not change how you respond to a test of your faith. It’s easy to let pain and sorrow lead your life, but look at the 3 jewish men. They still had to go through the fire and experience the flames…but the Lord was WITH them through it all. God is with you in the moments you feel alone, he is with you when you feel hopeless, he is with you when you don’t know what’s going to happen next, and he is with you when the weight of worry comes crashing down. I encourage you to change your “what if’s” to “even if’s” and stop giving power to worry. Today you can be set free from worry, but you have to declare your faith to the Lord. Not 10%, not 50%, not even 98%…you have to give 100% of your worries to the Lord. When you do, just like King Nebuchadnezzar, people around you will see your faith and will be encouraged to follow after the one who truly knows the plans for our future.

After having major back surgery, the Lord answered my prayers. I relearned how to walk, I went back to college the next semester, and I even finished out my college career as a long distance runner for my school. And let me tell you…Jesus got all the credit. In that season of my life, the Lord chose to heal me, but I had to have faith. I’m not saying that having faith is easy or after you give up worry, you won’t ever struggle again. The truth is your faith will always be tested in life, but if the Lord has done it before, I know He will do it again. But even if he doesn’t, I know He is still good and the plan he has for my life is better than I could ever imagine. My faith forever changed the moment I started changing my “what if’s” to “even if’s”.

Mya is a member of Team LO and enjoys spending time with her husband, Isaac, and their dog Bevo! Keep up with Mya on Instagram @mya.d.ramirez!

The post The Power of “Even If” first appeared on Live Original.

One of the best messages I have ever heard on comparison and longing during waiting seasons was at The Grove in Atlanta, a women’s event hosted by Passion City Church and Shellie Giglio. DawnCheré Wilkerson was speaking and she preached on Psalm 118:24, “This is the day The Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24, ESV)[i] She discusses how the Psalmist in this scripture was actually going through a very rough time and it would not have been the obvious response for him to be celebrating. I believe when we decide to say “I will rejoice and be glad in it,” acknowledging where God has us in this waiting season, we are able to endure much more and cheer others on along the way. One of the only ways I have found to truly cripple comparison and beat the enemy at his own game is to celebrate others. A self-help book I was reading recently did not simply talk about self-love like a lot of these types of books do. The author, Stephen R. Covey says “What is self-love is actually self-discipline.”[ii] What if learning how to stop struggling with comparison does not take us having some dramatic good thing happen in our life or us having something “better” than that person we struggle with comparing to, but what if it is an internal battle? “Religious leader David O. McKay taught, ‘The greatest battles of life are fought out daily in the silent chambers of the soul.’ If you win the battles there, if you settle the issues that inwardly conflict, you feel a sense of peace, a sense of knowing what you’re about. And you’ll find that the public victories–where you tend to think cooperatively, to promote the welfare and good of other people, and to be genuinely happy for other people’s successes–will follow naturally.”[iii] If you do not know my story, I was an All-American cross country and track runner in High School until I fell and tore both of my hips and had a lot of other health issues that beat me into the ground until I quit running competitively 8 years later. I know that for me, when I activated discipline to ask God for help to cheer on my friends in high school and college when they were getting to win state, conference, go to nationals, doing the things I had loved before my injuries, I was able to be so much more joyful.  

My husband and I started trying for kids about a year and a half into our marriage, in December of 2021. January 6th, 2023 around 3PM I got home from an appointment and noticed Casey was out running some errands so I had the house to myself. We had been trying for our first baby for about a year now and I was pretty accustomed to my period just starting and informing me that there would be no baby that month. I had learned so much about celebrating others during the year of waiting for our positive test because everyone in our family got pregnant without having to try and I was constantly buying people baby clothes, listening to birth stories and helping throw baby showers. However, this month I was a day or two late and had an opportunity to take a test very quickly before Casey got home. I ran into the bathroom and set up my little vlog camera I had set up so many times when I had taken pregnancy tests before so I could record a sweet and happy reaction for whenever that day came. Fully expecting the test to be negative I covered it up for the allotted three minutes the Clearblue packaging tells you to wait for. Before looking at the test I held it up to my camera for Youtube to see and out of the corner of my eye I saw a reflection of the test in the mirror and I gasped. The wait was over. Tears immediately streamed to my eyes and prayers of “thank you God, thank you Lord,” came out in between the sobs of joy. The wait was not over though, a much harder wait was just about to get started. At around 11 weeks pregnant I was at the emergency room at ten o’clock at night miscarrying and laboring with our first born. Just a few short months later we miscarried again. Eighteen months of praying for our baby and we had two in Heaven and none earth side.

If you have been through a season of grief so deep you don’t really know how you will be able to breathe again then you know how I felt these spring months of 2023. My world came crashing down over and over. The thrill of seeing a positive pregnancy test I had waited all those months for seemed somehow tainted now. I remember during the intense period of sadness following the first miscarriage I almost never stopped crying. I felt empty, numb, and depleted of everything good. However, these days had me dreaming, not even just longing for, but almost drooling over the thought of going to Heaven. Losing your baby you dreamed of, carried, and never got to meet creates a sense of longing and heart break that will never fully pass no matter how much “time heals.” I have been working on a book to be published next year for quite some time now and the subtitle is “Fixing our Eyes on Jesus in the Midst of Broken Dreams.” In the book I write a lot on Hebrews 11 and 12, the “Faith Heroes” section of the Bible. I had written just weeks before our baby left us to be with Jesus on these Scriptures. And now thinking, “Wow, I thought I knew how to fix my eyes and long for Heaven THEN, but now….” I have never ached so heavily to go to a place before. My longing to meet my babies and stop experiencing the pains of this earth side life ate at me like nothing had before. I was continually reminded that this place is not my home, and thank God for that. I was continually and forcefully reminded where my eyes should be fixed and where my true and only source of hope comes from.  

People always say God is near to the broken hearted because of Psalm 34:18. It states, “If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, He’ll help you catch your breath” (Psalms 34:18 MSG). If you are currently living in that “gut punch” but you haven’t been able to catch your breath yet, I am with you. It is all good and well for me to write another sweet “trust God” and “fix your eyes on Heaven” blog to remind us of Biblical truths, but it is another thing for me to sit here and say “I get it, I am broken into pieces and shattered on the floor right now too.” I am not perfect and after the second miscarriage there were a few days where for the first time in my life I could say I felt mad at God. There were several things going on in our lives other than the first miscarriage before we were surprised and then devastated by the second pregnancy and I remember begging God for relief. Before the second pregnancy even came into our awareness/existence I was on my knees asking God to make things good again because there was more “bad” going on than I had ever experienced in life. There were family things, marriage things, work issues, ministry things, my health post miscarriage was horrible, and others that felt like they were all about to make me implode into a fury of grief and sorrow and rage. I had never felt mad at God before and I wouldn’t even fully say I was mad at Him now, I was offended. My prayers felt like a broken record repeating, “I trusted you!!! I know you are good and I trusted you with this so how are you allowing this?! Father, how on earth is this what you call good?” I know we all have those big questions in our life of, “How could a good God allow bad things?” 

During our two miscarriages at the end of a year and a half of trying for a baby it took genuinely all the strength in me to not want to yell at every mom and pregnant woman around me to stop complaining about anything moms complain about (because mumming is very hard and even as someone who wishes more than anyone to be a momma and hold my babies I still recognize it is one of the hardest and most important jobs there is!). I wanted to scream how incredibly lucky they were to get to kiss their baby, to rock them to sleep, to be the one who sees them wake up from every nap, to know what their wailing cry sounds like in the middle of the night. It ate at me like a sickness how hurt I was by person after person who got pregnant not just once, but twice within the timeline of us trying for a baby and losing two. However, when I allowed myself to feel the anger and rage and bitterness it did not help my pain at all. If anything it only made my pain worse because it stopped me feeling my own sorrow and grieving and led me to anger instead. 

When I did not activate that discipline of celebrating others, when I decided to sit in my sorrow and feel bad for myself, I would feel hateful things towards those friends and not want to cheer them on. DawnCheré discussed this in her message at The Grove. She realized in the middle of her eight-year journey with infertility that she had a choice. She could choose to cower away, to be bitter in the wait and feel hatred towards all of her family and friends who were able to have multiple children before she could conceive, but instead she learned to choose celebration. She showed up to the baby showers, got the best gifts, loved her friends a little extra who had kids and needed help. She showed up in the art of the discipline of celebration. Because she realized, it is our call to say “This is the day The Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24). She knew she had a good God, with a good plan. She learned the grit of endurance through the discipline of celebration. You see, she learned to invest her time in praise instead of wasting her time. She learned that she did not need a new circumstance, but a new perspective.  

Psalm 145:13-21 says, “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.” (Psalm 145 ESV). God opens His hand and “Satisfies the desire of every living thing.”

Yours and my story are the same in the sense that He is writing them and He is a much better storyteller, future planner, and author than any of us could ever be. I just sat in bed crying a few weeks ago before falling asleep because I had seen God’s faithfulness in my waiting season in so many special ways. However, I wasn’t crying over His goodness, but my lack of it. I knew I would have seen His faithfulness in my story so much more if I had been more faithful to listening and learning along the way. When we lean into the wait, when we ask Him for sweet reminders along the way, He gives them. I am leaning further up, further in, while fixing my eyes on Heaven. I am asking for more sweet reminders throughout my day that no matter how bad it gets I can still see His goodness in the land of the living. I will leave you with 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For the light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” God has so much for your story, so much He considered it worth dying for. Do not give up, keep your head up and your heart strong. I am praying that these words give you fresh wind in your sails and the confidence to dream again while you celebrate others dreams coming true. No matter how many dreams get broken in this broken world, Jesus will always be there waiting to remind us He is our number one dream. Here is to breathing dreams like air friends. May you give your lowest for His highest and take on the spiritual discipline of celebration that you were made for! 

Blessings, 

Kat Shultis

[i] DawnCheré Wilkerson, The Grove Podcast Episode: May 4th, “This Must Be The Place.” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-must-be-the-place-dawncher%C3%A9-wilkerson/id1441017228?i=1000559564944 

[ii] The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey. Page 77. Simon & Schuster 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020. Copyright 1989, 2004. 2020 by Stephen R. Covey. 

[iii] The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey. Page 348. Simon & Schuster 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020. Copyright 1989, 2004. 2020 by Stephen R. Covey.

The post Discipline of Celebration first appeared on Live Original.

How about that it takes seven years for your body to digest gum? Or that if you drop a penny from the top of the Empire State Building, you could kill someone? That your hair and fingernails will continue to grow after you die?

Guess what! None of these things are true, but a lot of people still believe them. Whole generations of kids had to wait a half hour after lunchtime just to swim, but they didn’t need to! When a lie is believed to be true, it will affect your life as if it were true.

Missing some swimming time isn’t a big deal, but what if you believe significant lies that have serious implications? What if you buy into the lie that you’ll never be good enough? Or that you made too many mistakes? Or that God doesn’t really care about you? Or that you’ll never be able to stop doing what you don’t want to do?

A lie believed as truth will affect your life as if it were true.

There is a specific lie I have believed for as long as I can remember. Living as if that were true has been one of the biggest limiting forces in my life. For years, my strongest thoughts have always been about my shortcomings. I have always felt inadequate. No matter what anyone else said, my inner voice always screamed, No matter how hard you try, you’ll never measure up.

Why do I feel that way? Frankly, I’m not sure; I have never not felt that way. It seems self-doubt comes naturally to me, or it would if I was a natural at anything.

Essentially, this voice causes me to live a faithless life.

As I type these words about how we can control our thought life, my mind is racing. As David often wrote in Psalms (Psalm 42:5, for example), I am wrestling with my thoughts. I am battling feelings of overwhelming anxiety because I have said yes to too many things and overcommitted myself again.

Yes, my mind is out of control. I wish I could tell you I’m full of faith as I write, but my thoughts are full of fear.

But then I come back to what I know is true.

I swat at the swarm of thoughts flitting around my head and remember that I am not a victim of my own mind. I have power over my thoughts. I am not captive to them. With God’s help, I can make them captive to me.

While I know those truths, at the same time the reality is that I am a struggling thought warrior who has battled insecurity, negativity, fear, and anxiety most of my life. The battles don’t stop. Reading this won’t instantly solve the situations you face. The goal, especially for where you are in life, is to develop some tools, some weapons for the battles ahead.

***

Midway through college, something dramatic happened to me. Jesus changed my life. By God’s grace, he found me and saved me.

Soon I was being so transformed by my relationship with Christ that, while still very new in my faith, I sensed God calling me to be a pastor.

As God was building my faith, I felt him telling me I could make a difference in the world through his church. All my childhood insecurities and teenage self-doubts were being eclipsed by glimpses of hope. What do I mean? Well, here’s a little backstory for context:

When I was growing up, my family couldn’t afford name-brand clothes, so my mother bought used name-brand things at garage sales, cut the logos off, and sewed them onto my generic shirts.

I felt fake.

In second grade, I discovered I was color-blind. Not only could I not match my fake name-brand shirts to my no-name pants, I would never see the beauty of this world as others could.

I felt defective.

In a spelling bee with my classmates, I misspelled Mississippi. We had learned a song teaching us how to spell the word. And every time an i appears after the M, there’s only one of them and two of everything else. How could I possibly misspell Mississippi?

I felt stupid.

In fifth grade, a girl named Tiffany dumped me for a guy named Brian. Her reason? Brian had a motorcycle. I only had a moped. (Yes, twelve-year-olds in my small town drove motorcycles and mopeds. These were different times.)

I felt lame.

My father played minor league baseball. He was a professional athlete, and I wasn’t sure if I could even play in college.

I felt inadequate.

These isolated events, along with many others, formed my perception of myself into the reality I would carry into my newfound faith as a young adult.

I felt I wasn’t good enough.

So I learned to play it safe and avoid risks at all costs. I felt that, given any opportunity, I would fail. I quietly came to define success as just not failing.

Chances are good you have your own set of lies to deal with. Any of these sound familiar?

■ I am invincible.

■ No one cares about me.

■ I am the center of the universe.

■ I am missing out on all the fun.

■ I am destined to be famous.

■ Everyone is watching me all the time.

■ This is the best time of my life. Everything will be downhill from here.

■ Everyone else has it figured out.

■ Everyone else has it better than me.

■ What others think about me is more important than anything else.

■ No one could possibly like me because I’m too fat, too thin, too ugly, too whatever.

■ No one, especially my parents, can understand what I’m going through.

■ I will always be alone.

■ Things can never get better.

■ I’m not capable of changing.

■ Others wouldn’t love me if they knew what I’ve done.

The lies I believed nearly derailed my future.

How are the lies you believe holding you back?

***

But how do you recognize the devil’s lies? How can you overcome the negative messages you adopted in your earliest days? Start by asking yourself this question: What unhealthy and destructive conclusions do I believe about myself and my place in the world?

Satan’s strategy to win the battle for your mind is getting you to believe lies. If you believe a lie, it will hold you back from doing what God’s calling you to do.

The lie will keep you living in shame from the past, when God wants to set you free for a better future.

The lie will keep you from living with joy and freedom and confine you to a less-than existence.

Living your life by a lie is a lot like believing a door is locked when it isn’t. Freedom is waiting for you, but you first have to commit to some personal lie detection to experience the abundant life Jesus came and died to give you.

Excerpted with permission from the newly released book Winning the War in Your Mind for Teens: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life by Craig Groeschel with Josh Mosey. Published by Zondervan, 2023.

Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Life.Church, one of the largest churches in the world and the creator of the free YouVersion Bible App. The New York Times bestselling author hosts the top-ranking Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast and speaks to hundreds of thousands of leaders around the world annually through the Global Leadership Network. Craig and his wife, Amy, live in Oklahoma. Connect with Craig at www.craiggroeschel.com.

The post Lie Detection first appeared on Live Original.