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My Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

Today is Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

It’s truly the end of an era (the second Elizabethan era to be exact) and a historic moment.

Regardless of your thoughts about the monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II was truly a living legend.

I’d like to take a moment to give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7 NIV).

She reigned for a staggering 70 years … She was the longest-serving British monarch. She met 13 U.S. Presidents and has been served by 15 British prime ministers.

All politics aside, I’ve been struck by so many of the images these last few days and by the tributes from those who knew and loved her.

At a petite 5’3” in height, she was a giant at heart and a formidable force on the world’s stage.

There are many thoughts I could share, but I’d like to share a list of some of the incredible words that I’ve heard people use to describe her during recent TV interviews and past documentaries.

I share these not to exalt the late Queen (of course, not even the late Queen was perfect), but as inspiration especially for those who are called to leadership and public ministry and service.

The words are in alphabetical order. I’ve bolded the words that were mentioned two or more times.

30 of the Qualities/Attributes that People Admired Queen Elizabeth II for are her:

  1. Commitment
  2. Confidence
  3. Courage
  4. Decency
  5. Decorum
  6. Dedication
  7. Deep faith
  8. Determination
  9. Devotion to duty
  10. Dignity
  11. Diplomatic deft
  12. Duty
  13. Fortitude
  14. Grace
  15. Graceful service
  16. Humor
  17. Inner Strength
  18. Intellect
  19. Kindness
  20. Leadership
  21. Loyalty
  22. Modesty
  23. Sacrifice
  24. Selflessness
  25. Selfless public service
  26. Soft Power
  27. Stability
  28. Strength
  29. Stoicism
  30. Wisdom

How People Described Queen Elizabeth II:

  • Prime Minster Winston Churchill said the Queen showed an “air of authority” when she was just 2 years old.
  • One of her granddaughters said her grandmother taught her to stand up and be strong.

Others Noted Queen Elizabeth II:

  • Had a deep faith, which was the anchor in her life
  • Had a lovely smile and a twinkle in her eye
  • Was steady
  • Was tiny in stature, but had an enormous impact around the world

These are all such lovely and noble qualities for any leader to be remembered by.

May it be said of us that we lived and lead with similar qualities.

Some Indelible and Poignant Moments for Me so Far:

  • The Queen’s children standing vigil by their late mother’s casket, especially in Scotland, was touching
  • The proclamations announcing the new king was historic
  • The somber music in the processional from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey was haunting
  • Hearing that some people waited in line for four days to be some of the first to pay their respects to the Queen while she was lying in state at Westminster Hall was amazing

At her coronation, Queen Elizabeth II bowed before the Lord recognizing that He has ultimate power and authority. That was powerful to watch all these years later.

Yes, even Queen Elizabeth II acknowledged that Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:16 NIV)

And yes, we are a royal priesthood (Romans 8:17 NIV) and the daughters and sons of the King and co-heirs with Christ (1 Peter 2:9 NIV).

Glory!

I leave you with this snapshot (below) of my visit to London during my Epic European Adventure.

I kinda got the royal treatment when I arrived in London lol … I share about that and much more in By Faith: Adventures and Reflections on Walking With God Here and Abroad (Available on Amazon).

I had a lovely time in London.

These pics were taken outside of Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Parliament and their Olympic stadium.

I’m not really a tea person, but I’ll be raising a cup of tea in honor of the Queen as I watch her funeral in a few hours.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

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Tribute to Billy Graham

As I work on the flyer for my upcoming women’s conference, I’m delighted to find this flyer that I gave out with such joy when Billy Graham came to town! My Mom and I got to serve as prayer counselors at the crusade and my Mom also served as an usher and sang in the choir! My Dad went to the crusade and my Senior Pastor got to say an opening prayer from the platform. It was truly a blessed time!

I’m still so honored to have gotten to serve at Billy Graham’s last crusade in NYC.  In Book 4 I’m mentioning how his ministry helped me during some critical times in my early Christian walk.

What a life Billy Graham lived and what a legacy he leaves behind for all of us! I feel like I’ve lost a friend but it’s also as if he’s passed the torch to us.

I’m so grateful for Billy Graham’s commitment to faithfully preaching the Word of God! I’d like to share a few lessons I’ve learned from Billy Graham’s life:

Preach the Word of God with boldness! Billy Graham traveled the world sharing about God’s unconditional love for us and how we can have eternal life in heaven through Jesus. Glory! Don’t be shy about sharing your faith. Ask the Lord to give you the courage and the right words to say to your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and anyone else the Lord leads you to.

Live a life of integrity! I’m so glad that Billy Graham was faithful to Christ and didn’t get sidetracked by any scandals. He lived knowing that God was watching him. Billy Graham used his gifts to glorify God.  As I listen to people paying tribute to Billy Graham, I keep hearing people describe him as a man of integrity. Let’s live a life worthy of our calls whether we’re serving in a church setting, the marketplace or in our homes.

Fight the good fight of faith! Billy lived to be 99 years old. What an accomplishment! But the true beauty is that he served Jesus until the end. The inscription on his gravestone will read, “Preacher of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ” and includes the Bible verse John 14:6 which says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” How fitting that Billy Graham would point to Christ even on his tombstone!

The Bible says that being absent from the body means being present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8 ). I’m happy that Billy is finally home.

As for us, we get to continue proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ until Jesus returns or takes us home. Don’t give in to discouragement. Don’t let the world dim your light! Keep shining for Christ and obeying His lead. Billy Graham showed us it’s possible to live a life of faith and integrity.

I’d like to leave you with a few quotes from Billy Graham that I found on this site:

  • “I am not going to Heaven because I have preached to great crowds or read the Bible many times. I’m going to Heaven just like the thief on the cross who said in that last moment: ‘Lord, remember me.’”
  • “The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”
  • “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”
  • “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’”
  • “Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion – it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.”
  • “God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.”
  • “I’ve read the last page of the Bible. It’s all going to turn out all right.”

To learn more about Billy Graham, click here.

Please feel free to share your kind memories of Billy Graham or favorite quotes from him below. Blessings!

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Reflections and Lessons Learned From my Late Senior Pastor

A Loving Tribute to Rev. Dr. Robert Johansson

My senior pastor of more than a decade is now in Heaven with Jesus after a long hard battle with cancer. I will miss Pastor Johansson dearly, but I am grateful that I got to see him earlier this year as he celebrated his 80th birthday and I am rejoicing knowing that he is smiling with Jesus now.

Pastor J had a great impact on me during my years at Evangel Church. He was a loving, kind shepherd. He was also one of the bravest and godliest men I have ever known! He was a beautiful blend of strength and grace.

I will miss his wise counsel and his bear hugs!

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But Pastor J is not the kind of person that just fades away from your memories. Many of his powerful sermons are etched in my heart and mind.

His Bible-based preaching helped draw me to keep going back to service week after week. I went into his church a guarded skeptic who was seeking to reconcile with God. Over the years, through solid teaching and many opportunities to serve, I matured into the minister I am today. Praise God!

I still remember how happy Pastor was when he saw me walk into the informational meeting to learn about the trip to the Amazon jungle in Brazil that the church was organizing. He lovingly sent the team off on our trip and gave us a hero’s welcome upon our return. That’s when Pastor and I discovered that we both could identify with Joshua from the Bible. We also both felt called to be missionaries in New York City.

Right before my other short-term missions trips, I’d make sure to find Pastor and ask him to pray for me and he would pray that God would cover me with His wings.

Pastor graciously spent time with me and prayed for me especially in 2011 when I was discerning God’s call on my life. Pastor supported my writing and at the end of our last meeting that year he declared, “God will write your story and you will tell it!” Amen! I love these pictures of Pastor holding my hand and proudly standing by my side at the release of my first book last spring!

He gave Waiting on God Well his seal of approval and said that everyone should keep a copy of it by where they keep their Bible as a reference because it has so many Bible verses in it. Amazing!

Over the years, I have taken lots of notes during Pastor’s sermons. Here’s just a glimpse of some of them! I guess I really was paying attention and soaking in a wealth of wisdom!

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In honor of Pastor Johansson, I’d like to share a few lessons I learned over the years. This is in no way an exhaustive list. It’s just some of his words that will remain with me probably the rest of my life. I’m sharing them in no particular order. I am writing this from memory, so if I get something wrong or if you feel like I have misrepresented something he said, please kindly let me know! (If you don’t agree with these teachings, please don’t try to enter into a debate with me about them. That is not the goal of this post. Thanks!)

I pray that these words will bless you! I’ve included some of my thoughts as well:

“If you know how much God loves you, you can trust Him! And if you can trust Him, you can obey Him. And if you obey Him, you will have joy!”  Pastor J preached this for a whole year. It may seem like a simple concept, but it is so profound!

“You can’t judge a whole pizza pie by just one slice. Don’t judge God by your current circumstances.” Pastor J liked using the image of a pizza because it’s so New York. He wanted to remind us that while we can’t see the whole picture, God can and He is working behind the scenes!

“Don’t bow down to the culture!” This is something I remember Pastor J preaching from my early days at Evangel until his last days! Pastor J reminded us that we are in this world, but not of it! He urged us to live for Christ and to not give in to the pressures of this world. He would always remind us that God is establishing His Kingdom on earth!

“The mystery has been revealed, it is Christ in us. The hope of Glory.” Pastor J referred to Colossians 1:27 often. He wanted us to know that we didn’t serve a distant God. Jesus lives inside of us.

“Salvation happens in a moment. Sanctification happens over a lifetime.” Pastor J would make sure that we understood that once we believed and received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our salvation was secure praise God! However, we still need to walk in obedience to God. When we sin, we don’t lose our salvation but we lose fellowship with God and we need to ask for forgiveness.

“Can God trust you with suffering?” That was such a challenge to my thinking. Yes, God allows certain trials in our lives not to punish us but because He can trust us. And those trials help to conform us into the image of Christ!

“It’s not so much about how much you love God, but about how much God loves you!” Pastor J reminded us that God is love and that He delights in lavishing His unconditional love on us. As it says in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Pastor J liked to refer to this as “The Great Uneven Exchange” where Jesus takes our sins, filthiness, and baggage, etc. and we get His righteousness.

“You can negotiate the timing with God, but not the vision.” Our timing is different than God’s timing. If we don’t see God’s promises coming through, Pastor J said we could ask God about the timing, but we shouldn’t compromise or give up on the vision God gave us.

“You can’t lose with the stuff I use!” Pastor J knew and he wanted us to know that we have the victory with God!

“The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1) Pastor J mentioned that he would say this verse daily. No wonder he was so fearless! He would encourage us to mediate on God’s Word and to appropriate it, or apply it, to our situations.

“When you hear that I’ve died, don’t cry for me Argentina.” Pastor J said this many times over the years. He knew that Heaven is our true home. This quote helps me to remember that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:8. We’re just passing through here. Pastor is more alive now than he ever was here on earth!

I’m grateful for my years of sitting under Pastor Johansson’s teaching. Pastor J may be gone, but he is not forgotten! He poured out his life in the service of others. It’s our turn to make sure his godly legacy lives on!

If you’d like to share a favorite Pastor Johansson memory or quote, please feel free to do so in the comments section. Blessings!

Did this encourage you? Don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts emailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement, read my books Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough and Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. Check out Abounding Faith’s online store here. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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5 Tips for Christian Speakers

5 Tips for Christian Speakers

The Lord is opening up more doors for me to speak lately, praise God! It’s always a blessing to get to talk about God and to encourage others in a group setting or while out on evangelism outreaches!

It’s so rewarding to have people say that they were blessed by the words I shared. Some have been moved to tears and have said they were touched because what I said was exactly what they needed to hear.

A sister-in-Christ recently gave me one of the best compliments I could ever hope for. After hearing me speak she said, “That was not you speaking. That was God.” Glory to God!

Our goal as speakers should not be to draw attention to ourselves, but to Jesus. He is the One who died on the Cross for our sins and gave us the gift of eternal life with our Heavenly Father.

We are His ambassadors and witnesses. Our message should point people back to God and His love for us!

If you’re being called to speak in your small group or even to larger groups, I’d like to share a few lessons I’ve learned along the way.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re speaking to 10 people or want to speak to 10,000, your preparation should still include:

Remaining Prayerful  Pray as you prepare your message. Pray for those who will be listening. Ask God to give you the right words to share and to help you share them with the right heart and attitude. As you practice what you’re going to say, ask the Lord to show you which Bible stories, points, and personal testimonies should stay and which should be cut. Jesus should be the center and hero of your message. Don’t forget to pray right before you give your message. If you have prayer partners, ask them to pray for you as well!

Knowing Your Audience  Learn as much as you can about who you will be speaking to. Is the group composed of mature believers, new believers, seekers, or mixed? What is their average age? Will males and females be in the audience? Ask your host what topics the group has been studying lately or what issues the group members have been struggling with. This information will help you as you decide which stories or verses to share and will help you share a timely word with them.

Being Sensitive to the Holy Spirit  Even after you’ve prepared, let the Holy Spirit take the lead. You’ll find yourself sharing parts of your testimony or Bible verses you didn’t plan on talking about. That’s fine. Have a plan for your message, but remain flexible. And remain calm if you find people shedding a few tears. Let the Holy Spirit do His work.

Being Prepared in Season and Out of Season  You never know when you’ll be handed the microphone in a prayer meeting or asked to share a testimony at a gathering, so it’s important to continue spending time with the Lord on a daily basis. It’s out of that ongoing relationship with Jesus that you will find fresh words to say. The Holy Spirit will bring things to your remembrance at the right time!

Arriving Early  It’s always good to arrive at the meeting place a bit early so you’re not in a rush and flustered. You’ll have time to compose yourself, get familiar with the space, and ask your host any last minute questions. You might want to pray before the place starts filling up or greet a few of the guests as they arrive. As the time gets closer for you to speak, remember to get quiet before the Lord so you can hear any last minute instructions.

Having Fun!  Here’s a bonus tip, remember that in the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11) and that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Give your nervousness to the Lord. It’s a privilege and honor to speak about the King of kings! Smile, laugh, and interact with your audience. If you start to cry while sharing your testimony, that’s ok. You’re human. Shed a few tears, but keep going! Be yourself and share the message that God has placed in your heart with love and compassion for your listeners. Amen!

I’ll be sure to share more tips with you soon! If you’d like to learn more about having me come speak at your next event or gathering, please click here.

What speaking tips would you like to share? Share your thoughts in the comments below! And don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts emailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement, read my books Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough and Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. Check out Abounding Faith’s online store here. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Waiting on God Well Book Update

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It’s been awhile since my book Waiting on God Well launched. As I gear up for my latest Book Talk and Signing this Saturday, I’d like to share a bit about how things with the book are going! A Big Thank You to all my readers! 

I’m so encouraged to hear how people are being touched by Waiting on God Well! As a writer, the biggest feat for me was simply getting all the words down. Sharing it with others and hearing their feedback has been such a blessing!

Readers are saying that they can’t put it down and that it’s speaking right into their situations. It’s resonating with women and men, young and older, and folks from all different backgrounds. Some are buying copies for their friends. They are being inspired as they wait on God for their promises. Glory!

To know that one small group is already studying my book is amazing. To be able to sit with them and hear what they had to share was an honor!

Getting to speak with the lovely ladies at The Bowery Mission Women’s Center was also a delight. I’m so touched to hear that Waiting on God Well has been added to their reading list and that two women are going to be writing book reports about it! Oh my!

Add to that, I got to lead a Connecting session at the recent Hope Gathering women’s conference. It was so special to gather with other women to talk, listen to each other, pray, and remind each other that Jesus is our Hope!

And I was interviewed for the podcast “Living At My Best With Donna Woolam” and the TV show “Open”.

Whoa, this is all part of what I’ve been waiting to do!

To just be free to talk to groups, large and small. To encourage folks one at a time and at gatherings. To me, this really does feel like living in the Promised Land!

Only God knows what else He has in store for this book and who else will be touched! If you would like me to come speak at your event or small group, please feel free to contact me. You can learn more here. God is moving! I’m so excited to be in the center of God’s will for my life, and I hope to inspire you as you continue on your journey!

If you’ve read Waiting on God Well and have been blessed by it, please leave your thoughts below or post a kind review on Amazon.

If you haven’t read it yet, you can grab your copy on Amazon.

Want to know what I’m up to these days? Sign up to get alerts from Abounding Faith by clicking here or by visiting my News page. Here’s more info on how we can Stay Connected.

I’ll leave you with a reader review from Amazon. Many blessings to you!

“Waiting on God Well is a thought provoking quick read! It can be used as a daily devotional or a bible study guide. It is so versatile that small groups could use it as a weekly guide. The author has a lot of insight and gives good guidance on waiting on the Lord. I highly recommend it.”

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal. button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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3 Bible Lessons From The Met

3 Lessons From The Met (3)

I recently decided to treat myself to a lovely day at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I enjoyed getting lost in the exhibits and traveling from one time period and culture to another. It was fun meandering around and taking in the sights from ancient Egypt and Greece and seeing masterpieces from Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso.

I could go on and on about all the beauty I saw, but for now I’d like to share the Biblical lessons that stood out to me. Yes, I saw God’s fingerprints all throughout the museum.

I hope the following photos and lessons will be a blessing to you!

1. We really can’t take things with us!

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The ancient Egyptians had the custom of being buried with their jewels and other possessions. They would probably be horrified to know that all these centuries later their treasures are on display for the world to see. These beautiful necklaces from one of the exhibits remind me that we really should be storing up treasures in heaven instead of trying to gain so much wealth and “stuff” in this life. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

2. The armor of God is the best suit ever!

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I tend to zoom past the war and weapon section of the museum, but this time I took my time looking at the different armor. And this uniform stood out to me the most because it reminded me of how I feel when I go into uncertain territory including missions trips and outreaches. When I step out in faith, I don’t go in my name but in the name of Jesus. And I don’t go alone because the Holy Spirit lives inside of me! I’m reminded that no weapon formed against me shall prosper! The blood of Jesus covers believers from head to toe! Here’s what our real armor looks like: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:11-18)

3. The sword of the Spirit trumps them all!

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These swords are all very impressive. The soldiers must have felt unstoppable wielding them, but I’m reminded that the Word of God found in the Bible is even stronger! There is great power in speaking the Word of God! We can use it to fight off the enemy just like Jesus did. The Word of God also has power when we read it and apply it to our own lives. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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3 Lessons Learned from Luis Palau’s Visit to NYC

I’m delighted to say that ten years after I had the honor of serving at the Billy Graham Crusade in Flushing, New York in June 2005, I had the honor of serving as a counselor at Luis Palau’s festival in Central Park on July 11th!

What made last Saturday’s festival even more special is that I have been able to meet Luis Palau twice! The first time was a few years ago. He shared that he had always dreamed of doing a festival in New York City and that a few of the local Spanish churches had invited him to come. I encouraged him to come! After meeting him that first time, I had a feeling I would see him again.

Imagine how excited I was when I got to meet Luis Palau a second time just this past June at a lovely event he hosted at Chelsea Piers! I even got to give him a copy of my book Waiting on God Well! I also told him I would be counseling at his upcoming event.

In the span of one week (July 6 -11), Luis Palau had events in legendary NYC sites including Radio City Music Hall, Times Square, and finally the Great Lawn in Central Park. This really felt like my missions trip for this summer! The Gospel was proclaimed right here in my own backyard. Glory!

So I’d like to share a few lessons I learned from Luis Palau’s visit:

Beautiful Things Happen When You Wait on God! For more than twenty years, Luis Palau dreamed of hosting a festival in New York City. Over the years he’s traveled the world, but that desire was still inside of him. It was wonderful to witness God granting this desire of his heart and how God honored him. His picture was in ads all throughout the city. His event in Times Square was televised on many of the surrounding giant screens!

Modern Day Calebs Exist! I was surprised to hear that Luis Palau is 80!  He could be doing plenty of other things at his age, but he is still faithful to the call God placed on his life. At 80, he took on the Big Apple. He reminds me of Caleb from the Bible who at 85 was saying that he wanted to take on the mountainous land that God had promised him through Moses 45 years earlier (Joshua 14:6-14). I guess there really is no retiring from God’s work.

The Gospel can Still be Preached Outdoors in NYC. I loved hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ being boldly, yet kindly preached out in the open in Manhattan! At a time when some are shying away from talking about salvation through Jesus, Luis Palau and his son, Andrew, are openly proclaiming the Word. And one of the highlights of Saturday’s festival was when we all got to pray for Mayor Bill de Blasio, who made a special appearance at the event. God is at work in New York!

I could say much more, but I’ll stop for now. I pray the short video greeting below blesses you. I shot it right in Central Park. I’m so thankful that I got to experience a Luis Palau festival in person and in my hometown! Let’s see where the Lord leads him next!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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3 Lessons from Writing a Book

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It’s one thing to write a book. It’s a whole other thing to share it with family, friends, and even strangers. It’s been such a lovely experience so far. I’m so touched by the feedback I’m getting about my book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough.

I’d like to share just some thoughts about what I’ve learned about this process thus far:

God’s plans are way bigger than ours! I grew up writing in diaries, making my own mini-magazines, and studied journalism. But when it came time to lay down journalism, writing a book was so far from my mind. This book started out as simply an e-book, but I’m glad that I kept moving forward and now have a printed version. The response has been such a blessing. Anything that happens from here on out is sprinkles and cherries on top! “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” (Ephesians 3: 20-21).

We need to share our stories. People are saying they can relate to my writing, and that they are also finding it hard to wait on God. Private me could have remained silent, but I kept feeling the Lord tell me to write. And now others are being blessed. Glory! God wastes nothing. We all have a story to tell and people need to hear it. What lessons has God been showing you? What miraculous things has He done in your life? You don’t have to shout it from the roof tops, per se. Just pray and tell the next person that God places on your heart. You never know how blessed they may be. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).

People can surprise you in good and bad ways. I’ve been so delighted to see some of my closest friends rejoice with me over this milestone in my life. You can tell when people are genuinely happy for you and it makes such a difference. Even friends I haven’t seen for a few years are showing up to celebrate with me. How wonderful! Then there are others that seem bent on staying away from the party. That’s ok. It’s best to leave those folks to the Lord. At times like these, it’s important to ask the Lord to help you discern who is for you and who is not. It’s also a good time to practice forgiving and showing mercy and grace. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

I’m sure I’ll have more lessons to share down the line. In the meantime, I hope you have a miraculous and lovely Holy Week! He is Risen!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Freedom in Facing Your Fears

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Lessons Learned From Daring to Finally Use my Flat Iron

Ladies, I’m pretty sure you’re going to be able to relate to this post. Fellas, hang in there. Just substitute the mentions of the flat iron with something you fear.

I bought a pretty pink flat iron about two years ago. For those two years, it just sat there in its box. I wanted to use it. I had looked at the instructions when I first got it. But I was afraid. I feared burning my hair or my skin, I worried that I might accidentally burn the house down, and I was convinced that it would take too much time to straighten my hair.

So it just sat there for weeks, months, and years.

That is until a few weeks ago when I became determined to stop making excuses and to conquer this fear. I wanted to stop avoiding this simple item that I saw others using with ease. Below are some of the steps I took to make this change. I pray that you will be able to apply even some of these lessons to overcome some lingering fears you may be battling:

I learned more about the item. I found videos online that showed step-by-step how to use a flat iron. Thank God for online tutorials! As I watched the videos, I relaxed and saw how easy it was to use this device. I now had a model to follow. The same could help you with whatever is keeping you frozen with fear. Ask people for guidance or help, read about people in similar situations, and learn more about what you’re afraid of. The more informed you are, the more confidence you’ll have to tackle that situation.

I actually used the item. Armed with all this new information, one morning I finally tried it out. This is so important. It’s easy to get stuck in the first stage, but we need to then take action. What good would all that knowledge have been if I didn’t then act on it? Guess what? It wasn’t so bad. I’m almost embarrassed to admit how long I avoided using this item, and I wonder how much longer I would have let the flat iron just sit there collecting dust instead of using it for what it was intended to do. In your case, after you’ve prayed and learned about your situation there comes a time when you will need to step out in faith and take the next step.

Practice really does make progress. The first time I used the flat iron it didn’t go as well as I would have liked, but I didn’t give up. I kept trying. And my results keep getting better and better. Don’t be discouraged if you step out and things don’t go as smoothly as you’d like. Keep trying, growing, and learning. It will hopefully become easier and feel more natural for you as you gain experience.

Rejoice in big and little victories. Ok, so taming my wavy hair isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I’m writing about this because it was a small victory for me. I faced my fear and tried something new. I stepped out of my comfort zone, and now I’m enjoying the rewards of that decision. It’s something I’m doing in several areas of my life. It’s empowering to know that you can push past your fears. I pray that you will have the courage, with God’s help, to face any fears that may be hindering you. Don’t stay stuck and let your flat iron stay in its box for another year.

May you have a fun, fearless year! Trust God and have the courage and boldness to step out in faith, to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, and to live your God-given dreams! Blessings!

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1-7).

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new ebook Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Lessons From Imperfect Nails

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“I was admiring your nails from a distance,” said my colleague after a recent meeting.

What a nice compliment, right? But instead of saying, “Thank you,” I quickly blurted out something more like, “Oh, just keep admiring them from a distance. If you look closely, you’ll see how messy they are.” And I began to share all the flaws before she could spot them.

Stay with me. This incident is about more than simple nail polish or learning how to take a compliment. As I was having this conversation, I got a picture of what many of us do when we don’t want others to get close to us.

We try to keep people at a distance because we don’t want them to see how messy we can be. We want them to stay far away in hopes that they won’t discover our flaws.

Isn’t it sometimes easier to push people away instead of letting them see the real you? Especially if you feel like the real you is chipped, faded, or somehow missing the mark.

If you’re tired of hiding, may I suggest you:

Ask the Lord to show you who to trust. There are people around you who love you and want to get to know you better. The Lord will make them clear. Once He points them out, take step after step towards letting them into your world.

Be honest about your faults with trustworthy people. Chances are they probably can see your imperfections before you mention them or they can see them even clearer than you can. Pray and then take a risk and share with them some of what you’re struggling with. If they truly are your friends, they will love you even with your imperfections.

Remember that no one is perfect. Stop striving to be perfect in everything and in every way. We all make mistakes, we’re all learning, and as the Bible says we all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). That means we all need a Savior! When we sin, we can ask Jesus for forgiveness and He is Faithful and just to forgive us (I John 1:9). We can also confess our sins to those trustworthy believers that God has placed in our lives (James 5:16). That helps to bring healing!

Be rooted and grounded in God’s love for you! He loves you. Plain and simple. He’s not surprised by your flaws and weaknesses. He loves you anyway. His Grace is enough to help you in your weak areas and to transform you into the image of His Son Jesus. Even if others reject you, God’s love remains.

The next time you’re tempted to shrink back and hide, I hope you’ll ask the Lord to give you courage to be transparent with others!

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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