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Personal Challenge: I sometimes find the idea of a lifetime of service overwhelming, but a friend once gave me this sage advice, “This is all you need to do to live a life of service: Pray each morning for God to show you what to do that day—just that day—then get up the next morning, and the next morning, and the next morning…with the same prayer on your lips.” This prayer always brings me back to the heart of true service—listening to the whispers of the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart, telling me the path I should follow. So, this week (and in the weeks to come), I am challenging myself to wake up each morning with this simple prayer on my lips.

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Quick Quote: Selfishness is self-destructive, not self-serving. ~Randy R. Reed

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Question to Ponder: Who are you really thinking about when you serve others?

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From the Word: Jesus said, “Here’s a new twist on an old command: Don’t just love others as you love yourself; instead, emulate Me—love them with the same divine, self-sacrificing love that I’ve lavished upon you.” ~John 15:12 (Randy Reed Paraphrased Version)©

Focusing on Others (Becoming a Blessing)

Along the way I’ve discovered my selfishness runs deep, often rearing its ugly head, interfering with my desire to live a joyful, others-focused life. One of the most pervasive lies the devil embeds into the fabric of our society is that thinking about me is not only good, it’s essential to abundant living.

This lie has quietly slipped into my life and, at the most inopportune times, it interferes with my joyful journey.

Sadly, this lie is very persistent in spreading its ideal of selfishness. Often without even realizing it, I find myself holding this lie up as a banner, fully convinced that I’m standing up for what is right—defending my rights. The sad truth is I’m only selfishly holding on to my self-centeredness.

Here’s the beautiful truth: Putting God first, then others second, and me third is the recipe for a truly abundant life. When we turn our selfish desires over to God, asking Him to fill us with His love, our lives will be lived out in joyful service.

So join me as I ask God to turn my selfish journey into a joyful journey of selflessness where God is King and I finally discover that by blessing others I can’t help but be abundantly blessed myself.

Naked and Vulnerable (Thoughts from the Pot):  The best way to be blessed is to be a blessing.

Embracing Joy (Living Love)

Along the way I’ve found that keeping a song of praise in my heart and a kind word continually on my lips profoundly enriches my life.

Around every corner I find a multitude of reasons to praise, and in every situation I discover compelling reasons for kindness. Praise and kindness work in tandem, because while I’m praising God in my heart, it’s virtually impossible to curse from my lips; and a heart filled with the joy of God can’t help but overflows with love for others.

Recently, the truth of Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is my strength,” has become very real to me. When my heart is joyfully filled with God it leaves little room for the world’s ugliness to taint my thoughts, and when my thoughts are fully focused on God it is very difficult for the words of my mouths or the actions of my hands to be hurtful, hateful, or cause pain to others. The beautiful truth is this: When I have the joy of the Lord in my heart it is difficult for my mouth, hands, feet, or mind to do anything that doesn’t bring Him glory.

When I finally experience this truth full force in my life I will tap directly into God’s strength and unending love—a love that cannot be contained, a love that must be shared.

So join me as I fill my life with the joy of the Lord, allowing His strength and unending love to continually surround me, protecting me from my own evil desires.

 

Naked and Vulnerable (Thoughts from the Pot):  Just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, curses cannot exist in the presence of praises.

Tears into Rejoicing (Messes into Masterpieces)

Along the way I’ve discovered that the mistakes I make can change the course of my life. Often my choices define who I become, but thankfully God is the Great Sculptor, taking the mess I’ve made of my life and shaping it into something new, something transformed by the His delicate touch, something truly beautiful.

I have a choice, I can either allow those mistakes to continue popping up in my life, a repeating pattern of self-destructive actions, or I can turn it over to God. I can allow my past to be a dark stain on my future, seeping from my soul and staining everything I come in contact with, or I can allow God to transform that stain into a masterpiece.

God can take His paintbrush and paint those trials and mistakes right into the painting of my life. I can then look back and see the beauty God made from a sinner like me. My mistakes can become beautiful reminders of God’s amazing grace, a place for me to start when speaking to others, a testimony to the saving power of the Almighty God.

So join me as I ask God to create a masterpiece from the mess of my life—a masterpiece that reflects His glory, allowing God to create a life that is a testament to His love and amazing grace. Join me on this joyful journey as I allow God to transform my tears into rejoicing.

Naked and Vulnerable (Thoughts from the Pot): God is creating a masterpiece of my life one day at a time.

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Personal Epiphany: God is the great Gardener, planting His love deep in our hearts, watering, nurturing, and growing it until it produces the sweet fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Dispelling the Darkness (Defeating Despair)

Along the way I’ve been guilty of listening to the dark echoes of despair and doubt speaking to my heart. These seductive voices whispers, “Listen to the doubters; they speak truth, embrace despair. Your life is simply an endless procession of meaningless days stretching out into hollow, empty years that end in death—final and pointless.”

These whispers, if allowed, will overwhelm me, dragging me into the darkness, extinguishing the light.

Thankfully, I am not left defenseless against these insidious enemies. I am fully armed, ready for battle; daily putting on my armor, cinching down the helmet of salvation, strapping the belt of truth tightly round my waist, adjusting the breastplate of righteousness snuggly over my chest, covering my feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, and boldly taking up the shield of faith which easily extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. With this protection firmly in place, I confidently wield the sword of the Spirit—the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-17)

Even with all this protection in place, sometimes the darkness still tries to sweep me away, so I cling steadfastly to the Light of Life, the Rock of my Salvation—Jesus Christ.

In those dark moments of my life, I show the darkness the glint from my polished armor and the flash of my powerful sword, then I cry out to my Rock—the One Who gives me strength, the One Who never fails me, the One Who always stands by my side—and together we face the darkness of despair and doubt. He shines His light into the dark corners of my soul, cutting through the despair, cutting through the doubt, and casting out the darkness with the everlasting light of His glory.

God has already won the victory over darkness! All I need to do is stand in the Light that dispels darkness and hold on my Rock that is Christ. If I let Him, He will dispel the darkness, even the darkness of a soul consumed by doubt and despair.

So join me as I resolve to daily strap on the armor of God and stand firm by His side as He fights the darkness in my life giving me victory and a chance to celebrate this joyful journey.

Naked and Vulnerable (Thoughts from the Pot): Darkness cannot hide from the light of God glory.

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Personal Challenge: I am challenging myself to have at least one conversation each day where I am fully immersed in another person’s views and ideas; a conversation where I focus solely on that person and what’s important to them; a conversation where relevant questions are asked and true listening happens; a conversation devoid of interruptions, interjections, or side stories; a conversation that leaves out the usual heavy dose of “I,” “my,” and “me.”