Psalm 46:10 Archives – Facets of Faith

The Trinity: Intimately Knowing & Growing

10.08.2020 by Tracy Stella //

Welcome to FACETS! As we start to dig into the persons of God this month, we wanted to preface with a bit about what we believe. We believe in one God who exists in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are three individual facets of one magnificent God. There are numerous scriptures throughout the New Testament that reference the three persons of God individually, and together, giving us glimpses of the personality and characteristics of God. If you wrestle with the thought of one God in three persons, we encourage you to lean into the confusion, pray, and ask God to further reveal Himself. We pray you find comfort in the greatness, and vastness of our God knowing that we will forever have more to learn about Him.

How do we talk about the trinity, the Godhead three in One? Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Relationship with ALL are of equal importance. One is not more significant than the other. We need all aspects of God. More of Him. Less of us. More of Him. Less of us as He leads us. As He grows us. As He grows us to know Him more, and as we do, we grow to know ourselves more. Because we are made in His image. Mind blowing! I know.

There have been times when I’ve run into the arms of my loving Father like a little girl in need of comfort (no matter my age). When I need to feel safe and loved, I turn to Him. He showed me how I am celebrated, that He was there the day of my birth (before actually) and He rejoiced. He celebrated me because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made by Him. You too, sweet one, are fearfully and wonderfully made by a Father who sees you and knows you, who fashioned you in your mother’s womb. (See Psalm 139) He delighted in you that day and every day since. Even in your sin, mine too. He doesn’t delight in our sin; he delights in US, in spite of our sin. That’s EXACTLY why He sent His Son! He sent Jesus to cover our sin with sacrificial blood. He loves us THAT MUCH. Can you imagine? Our sin couldn’t go unchecked. He can’t taint holy with our sin. The sacrifice was needed, so we would no longer be separated from God. (See John 3:16)

He is rich in mercy. I need it. We need it. Not sure? Take a look at the world. Hate, division, murder, violence, angry words. Without God directing our steps that’s what we’re left with. Heaven knows we need His mercy.

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the age of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among them we all also once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and He raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we should walk in them.─Ephesians 2:1-10 MEV (emphasis added)

Because of His great love, He richly reaches toward us with His mercy.

There was a time when I called on the name of Jesus, because His name brings salvation. That sweet moment when amazing grace sweeps in for the rescue. I’ve had that moment. Have you? If not, let me tell you. It’s life changing! My life is beautiful and peaceful now, not perfect, but so good, because Jesus saved me.

I used to have despair; now I have hope. I used to have depression; now I have joy. I used to have promiscuity; now I have purity. I used to have unrest; now I have peace. I used to be lost; now I am found.

If you don’t know Jesus but would like to, it is quite simple. All you need to do is say a prayer something like this from your heart (that’s the most important part – your heart is what He wants the very most).

Jesus, I don’t know you, but I desire to know you. Thank you for your precious gift of forgiveness for every one of my sins: past, present, & future. I do need hope, and joy, and peace, and purity of heart which brings that peace. I need those things and somehow my heart tells me having you in my life will lead me to those. Help me to know You more. Help me to know of Your great love, of Your great love for me. And help me to follow Your ways all the days of my life. Make a difference in my life, LORD, so that I can make a difference in the world. Thank You for celebrating the very day I was born. Help me to learn more about Your deep love for me and the world I live in. In Jesus’ name, amen.

If you prayed that prayer for the first time, please let us know. We’d love to celebrate with you. For God’s Word says there is much rejoicing in heaven when another precious child of God comes to know Him. You are His, sweet one, forever. You will never be alone again. God has a name, Immanuel. It means God is with us. God is with you. Forever. Soak in that. Feel God’s smile upon You.

Jesus’ name is the name above all names. I needed His rescue. God’s Word says we can come to the Father, because Jesus has cleansed us of our sin. We are righteous, because Jesus made us righteous. We can enter the holy presence of God, because we are made holy through His sacrifice. If you have accepted Jesus in your heart, you are righteous. No shame. Freedom from sin. That’s pretty incredible, right?

And for those of us who have a relationship with Jesus, let us not miss this moment afresh. Let us not forget the hour we first believed as the lyric goes. Let us hold tight to that moment and every saving moment since.

These faith moments help us when life gets hard. Like 2020. When we wonder what on earth is going on? Yet still, if we sit silent, we see God in our moments.

Be still and know.

Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.

─Psalm 46:10 MEV

When the world feels weary, isn’t it good to know God gives us the command to rest in Him. We can be still. We can be still because we know God. That’s where peace that surpasses understanding stems from: a growing knowledge of the goodness and power of God. It’s how we rest.

God the Father, God the Son, but what about God the Holy Spirit? That’s where some folks can come to a screeching halt of misunderstanding.

For whatever it’s worth, here’s what I know. The Holy Spirit is not weird. (Some people are, but not Him.)

Before Jesus’ death and resurrection, Jesus said this:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, that He may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, for it does not see Him, neither does it know Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be in you.”

─John 14:15-17 MEV

The Counselor, the Spirit of truth, He is the Holy Spirit. We were blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit to help teach and guide us. God’s Word says we are given the deposit of the Holy Spirit when we are saved.

Jesus also said this:

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.─John 16:7 ESV

Jesus SENT us the Holy Spirit. He said having the Holy Spirit with us is for our ADVANTAGE.

As I have grown to know the Holy Spirit more, I grow to desire to know Him more. This is the space God has probably been growing most in terms of my understanding of the trinity. As I try to “be still” He speaks to my heart. Stillness isn’t easy, but it is when we hear the Holy Spirits’ desires for us and others.

If you didn’t know the Holy Spirit and I had to tell you about Him from my vantage point (as small as my perspective is), I would say He is incredibly sweet. He lets me in on secrets and He sends me on fun assignments of kindness. As I see how His adventures play out (sometimes I get to see), I am delighted at God’s loving goodness. That’s His nature: kind, compassionate, tender, and loving.

As I pay attention to how He works in the world, it brings me joy. Who knew in 2020 we could have joy? With the Holy Spirit imparting divine wisdom, peace, comfort, and revelation, we can.

He has been growing my heart to align more closely with His. I certainly haven’t “arrived” in this, but I am more attuned to Him and His desires now.

And He blesses me so much as I see and know His presence guiding me, my life, and the lives mine intersects. Sometimes, a “chance” meeting with a stranger. Sometimes, the perfect timing of a call or a connection with a friend. His melody perfectly orchestrated when we slow down and listen to what the Holy Spirit desires to speak to us and through us.

When I have slowed enough to listen, I am told I am loved. I am shown I am loved. I feel seen and known, because the Holy Spirit brought wisdom from above. And it delights me that now He uses me. His Spirit ministers through my hands and heart, your hands and heart too if you know Him and slow to listen to Him. He is speaking to us. Even now.

The Holy Spirit is not weird. He is wonderful! He is kind, loving, and true. Remember, He is the Spirit of Truth. God cannot lie. He will tell us the truth about ourselves, Himself, and others as we need to know it (and some of their stuff is really none of our business). What we need to know to effectively minister to others, that’s what He will tell us. Sometimes we are doing His work without even knowing it. My guess is that is often the case. Why? Because God is always doing something beneath the surface we are completely unaware of.

I think of the work He was doing in my heart well before I was saved. Back then, you would never have imagined who He is making me into. Maybe you can relate. Perhaps you were in prison, and now He has set you free. Maybe you were once an addict, and now the only thing you are addicted to is Him. This is the beauty of the Spirit at work in our lives.

I like to think of myself as a secret agent for God sometimes. When I can slow down enough to engage with Him and His missions, that’s when He uses me most.

Just this past week the Holy Spirit has done these things. To be clear, I am bragging on Him. He is a Mystery, but a Mystery I want to know more of, to be more a part of as I get to participate in His plan.

The Holy Spirit grows us up in our faith. Certainly, this is not where I started (listening to God and carrying out missions). I started in the ditch of life. In His love I have grown. In His love I will grow some more. Until the day I die, I will be being taught by the Holy Spirit how to be a better ambassador for Him. That’s my way of saying I don’t always get it right, but when I do? It brings a smile to my face even now.

Last Saturday, I attended a virtual conference with a friend. Over lunch break we shared our hearts about much, and specifically about our children. We talked about the power of prayer from our mama hearts that we know God hears. The next session was a spirit-filled prayer for attendees, including us. As the speaker helped us enter a peaceful space (ushering us into God’s presence), part of her prayer was about the prayer of mothers for their children. She talked about how God hears our prayers for the ones we love so much.

It was as if God used her to encourage my friend and I that He’d been right there at the lunch table with us. He heard our conversation, and He hears our prayers. I walked away encouraged because the Holy Spirit had ministered to me through the voice of one of His saints. His well-timed voice dispenses hope.

That’s why it is so very important for us to be still and listen.

Who does God want us to encourage? Who does God want to use to encourage us?

In the weary world of 2020, I can guarantee we all need encouragement. The Holy Spirit knows that, and He will use those of us willing to be that for each other. Isn’t it the most beautiful thing?

On my way home after the conference, I felt the Holy Spirit impress upon my heart. Don’t turn the radio on. I have something to tell you.

It made sense to sit in silence, to decompress from the day. So much had been said. God had been speaking all day through each woman delivering messages we needed, I needed.

I asked what God wanted to say. And waited. Sometimes, I can be too fervent in wanting to hear, almost causing distortion. I want to know. Finally, I settle down enough that He can speak through my mental chatter without having to crash through. It’s almost like He just kind of lets me squiggle a little and then He slips something in when the opportune, settled moment happens in my brain.

Have fun.

God told me to “have fun”. Sometimes, I do need reminding of that. Life can be serious.

I had shared with my friend earlier in the day sometimes the more serious life feels, the more fun and joy we need to infuse. I do think there’s truth in that. We have to counterbalance the weariness of the world in the every day difficulties and in the large, looming pandemic challenges. The harder those things are, the more fun we need to have.

As a child I was silly and fun. As an adult I can be serious, not that serious is bad. But neither is fun and silly.

The Holy Spirit also said to my heart, You having fun is one of the greatest witnessing tools you have to show Me to the world.

I believe that to be true and why the enemy tries so hard to weigh us down with worry.

Joy. Fun. They are a weapon. And as God said, a most effective witness tool.

It took effort not to look at my text messages. Several had come over during the conference. I knew there were “things”, things to attend to. I didn’t know what because I’d turned my phone over, knowing if I saw a text I wouldn’t be able to emotionally engage in the conference and what God had for me. So those ignored texts became the place God called me to linger. No radio. No texts. Be with Him. It became a matter of trust. Did I trust Him that the sky wouldn’t fall if I spent 20 more minutes with Him during the car ride home without glancing at my phone?

Almost home I passed by a man, a woman, and a child. The man held a sign that read something like this, Out of work. Please help my family. However you can help. It was that sentiment if not those exact words.

I had driven past because I had somewhere to go that evening. (Not to mention my unknown texts.) But the Holy Spirit didn’t let me get far. My car made it to the next Home Depot entrance where He placed on my heart,

Turn around and give them (x-dollar amount).

I pulled into the semi loading area of Home Depot, navigated my car past the garden center, through the parking lot, and pulled my car near the family. I felt prompted to get out of my car, walk over to the dad, and hand him the money.

As I did, I told him this, “Jesus loves you. He told me to turn my car around and come to give you this money. He sees you, and He loves you.”

I have no idea what God will do with that, but that’s an awesome point. We do not know what the Holy Spirit is up to in anyone else’s life. What if I had disregarded His prompting to sit quiet in my car for a 20 minute ride home? I can tell you I most certainly would have been mentally engaged in whatever work was calling me. And I would have missed it! But God’s grace had me be still a little longer with Him. He gave me a sweet message to have fun, and I got to see His goodness play out in the smallest of ways through me. And it was kind of fun too. Being sent on assignment is fun.

Maybe you needed to hear that. God’s assignments shouldn’t feel heavy and burdensome, another thing we have to do. His assignments are covered by His grace. He’s doing the heavy lifting.

So, if things feel heavy, hand those over to God. Have fun. And let His Spirit do the work.

Now the Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, seeing the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord.─2 Corinthians 3:17-18 MEV

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

Looking to engage some more?

I encourage you to read Acts chapter 2 as a start (or referesher) on your journey to learn more about the Holy Spirit. The early church was greatly impacted by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you look at how the Spirit came upon the Church and then Peter preached the sermon of his life with power and impact for God’s kingdom, I hope you are encouraged. The power of the Holy Spirit is available to you and me today as well. Let’s “be the Church” through the power of the Holy Spirit who does the heavy lifting.

What Are Your Dreams? 7 Ways to Help You Realize Them

01.01.2019 by Tracy Stella //

Welcome to Facets of Faith and a fresh new year bursting with possibility. Let me (Tracy) be one of the first to wish you a Happy New Year on behalf of our team! Another year has come and gone. Can you believe it?

What would this year look like if we started with a dream rather than a resolution? Resolutions are easily broken, but dreams can be realized.

Dreams are achieved when we step out in faith with intention. Generally, our desires don’t just drop from a cloud like rain. Fulfillment of our dreams requires our participation.

Let’s look at some of the ways we can participate with God to realize our dreams.

#1. Permission to explore our dreams by faith

A great place to start is by giving ourselves permission to embrace the dreams God has for us. Dreams aren’t impractical. Dreams aren’t futile. Dreams are a lifeline to a fulfilling life. There may be naysayers. Pay them no mind! Permission to dream requires faith God has something good specifically assigned and designed for each of us. He does!

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.─Hebrews 11:1 NIV

The very idea of a dream is something not yet seen. Just like God gave Joseph a vision for his life, God has a vision for our lives as well. It might be fuzzy, or perhaps we see it with great clarity. Either way, we should hold tight to the confidence that Christ Jesus does, in fact, have things we should hope for in this life as well as for eternity. We have permission to dream, because we serve a God who is full of great possibility. As His child, that means we are full of great possibility too!

P.S. If the dream feels ridiculously large and outrageous, that might very well be in line with the heartbeat of God. Scripture gives us many examples of the impossibly large and ambitious achievement happening when one individual leaned into what God had for him or her.

#2. Pray as we pursue our dreams

The best dreams to work toward are those inspired by God. We don’t want to serve false idols and chase futile dreams. As we pray, God instructs us. He gives us the desires of our heart, not like a genie in a bottle. Rather, He aligns our heart with His. And when our hearts are aligned with His, so too, are our dreams. The things we desire shaped in the quiet moments with God.

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.─Psalm 37:4 NIV

When I was younger, I wanted to write a book. God planted that desire in my heart. However, He didn’t let it come to fruition back then. Can I tell you? I am grateful!

Had I published a book in my 20’s it would have been something likely to have caused me embarrassment today. The desires of my heart weren’t aligned with God’s then. He protected me from myself and my foolish desires. The idea to write a book wasn’t foolish, but any topic I would have written about would have been.

That’s something good to keep in mind when we feel like it’s taking too long to achieve our dream. Perhaps it’s not for now.

Sometimes it is. Sometimes it is not.

How will we know?

Pray. It’s not only a great place to start; it’s a great place to continually pursue God’s heart, instruction, and timing.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.─1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

I love writing prayers out in my prayer journal. The process of writing them slows me down long enough to help me listen. I’m a talker, and I move fast. If I feel like something is from God, I want to get moving – now! Prayer protects me from being too impulsive and rushing ahead of God.

Prayer doesn’t need to be overly complicated (although we often make it so). How would you talk with your best friend? Use that as a model for how you can pray to God. When we are with our friends, we have a conversation. We take turns talking. Otherwise, it’s just a monologue.

Writing my prayers helps me move from monologue to dialogue.

As I processed the dream God is unfolding in my heart, I wrote a question as a prayer.

What do you want me to do?

Pretty short and sweet, right? Who can’t pray a heartfelt prayer like that? It took seconds.

What I felt God put on my heart about my dream is this: research and rest.

God isn’t complicated (even though He is complex).

I knew what I needed to do from taking only a few minutes out to hear what He had to say.

Research and rest were my instruction from above.

You might think a word like “rest” would make a woman like me (and perhaps you) a little nutty. Who wants to sit around and do nothing? Some people, perhaps, but I’m not one of them.

How can a “doer” be okay with a word like “rest”, especially when there are dreams at stake?

That leads me to point number three in our pursuit of dreams.

#3. Practice stillness in pursuit of our dreams

The practice of stillness in pursuit of our dreams is a gift from God. His gift helps us abide in His peace. The alternative to resting in Him is to encounter chaos as we engage in useless striving.

One of the lessons I’ve learned over the course of my walk with God is this: He is a God of order. He doesn’t operate out of chaos. And I can’t hear Him very well if that’s the place I’m operating from.

In order to hear Him properly, I need to be still.

He says, “Be still and know that I am God.”─Psalm 46:10a NIV

Call me Crazy. I actually love the Scripture above. I’ve learned to embrace it, because I had the opportunity to experience it as a gift first hand, and in a very meaningful way.

I was helping run a home for human trafficking survivors. I was in over my head, but always felt God holding my hand. Before we’d opened the home, I’d felt that Scripture was one of the ones that was to be in the house as a visual reminder to me (as well as to staff and the women we served too).

Whenever there was a hard day in the pursuit of my God-given dream, I’d look at those words and be reminded. God’s got this! If I am still and rest in God, He will do the heavy lifting. He will reveal Himself as God. His glory will be revealed. Because He’s that good!

He doesn’t want me or you to carry any heavy burden in pursuit of His plans for us, our dreams. He will shoulder the weight as long as we make the conscious choice to be still. It’s about choosing peace, not about inactivity.

I promise you when God had me on mission in the safe house, there was never a dull moment. There was much to do, but the being still helped me know how to do it. In that stillness, God gave instruction. I never felt alone. He was nearer to me than a breath. It was one of the sweetest seasons I’ve had with Him, even as it was also one of the hardest.

But He was faithful to reveal Himself to me as I achieved that dream with Him, listening to the still, small voice who helped me not to fall flat on my face (even as I made mistakes in my humanness).

Now, when God tells me to “Be Still”, I easily can. I know what that really means. Rest in Him. He’s got the rest. And from that position of perfect peace which truly doesn’t make sense sometimes, He’ll help me to know what to do even as He helps me to encounter Him in a deep, meaningful fashion.

What if that’s what pursuing our dreams with God is really about? What if it’s about going on a journey with Him to encounter Him? I believe in large part that’s exactly what pursuit of our dreams is about. We get to encounter the living, loving God who made us on purpose and for a purpose.

Maybe you don’t think that’s true for you.

Keep reading.

#4. Remember God’s promises in pursuit of our dreams

It makes me incredibly sad when people don’t think God has a plan for them. If that’s you (or if you need reminding), God does have plans for you. You might not know exactly what those plans are yet (totally okay), but His promises say He has plans for you.

He wants us to dream. Imagining what could be is part of the fun. Pursuing dreams should be fun, even if there’s work involved. When we are in that place of imagining, God can inspire us. Trust Him. Trust He’ll help you recognize what those dreams He desires for you are. Trust, too, that He’ll help you achieve them.

He’s a creative God and He has specific things only you can do. Those things look very different from what He has for me or anyone else for that matter. They’re your assignment, not anyone else’s.

If you’ve encountered Scripture for any length of time, you’re likely familiar with these words. But just because they’re familiar, don’t let their significance slip past you.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”─Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

If we have hope of pursuing our dreams, we need to believe this to be true FOR US. These aren’t just words on a page. They are God’s promise to you. They’re God’s promise to me as well.

Raise your arm and place your hand all the way out in front of you as if you are reaching to open a door.

Just past where your fingertips reach is where your dreams await. It’s a hope. Dreams are “out there” in the future. Once they’re realized, God will give us new ones. It’s how we grow.

What door might God open for you if you reach for your dreams? Just beyond the door is where hope lives. Just beyond the door is your destiny waiting to be fulfilled. When we reach for our dreams, we reach for our God-given future. Only He knows what fully lays ahead, but if we reach for our future with His help, we can achieve what it is He has for us.

Perhaps, there is a deep root of unbelief that God desires to chop thru right here and now. When we believe the lies of the enemy, it makes it hard for us to believe God’s truth is for us. Satan plants seeds of doubt and unbelief in the soil of lies he tells us in his language designed to paralyze us from pursuing our dreams. Satan places roots of insecurity, of not good enough, of you’ll never amount to anything, or that’s impossible and nothing but a pipedream into our hearts and minds.

But here’s the thing…

We need to make a conscious choice not to believe a single one of his lies! If the words we say to ourselves or the ones others have spoken over us make it feel impossible to believe God could give us a dream and really desire for us to achieve it, listen to me.

Dismiss those words!

The devil would love to destroy your dreams. Don’t let Him!

Here is a weapon to fight back with, another of God’s promises we are challenged to believe on our good days, as well as our bad ones.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.─Psalm 139:14 NIV

Even if you don’t believe it at first, speak it aloud as if you do. These words are ones God says about you, and they’re powerful. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are one of His works and He finds you wonderful. Praise Him for that. Praise Him until you know it full well.

Put an index card or a sticky note on your mirror, in your car, in your desk drawer, on your fridge, wherever you will see it. Write this on it:

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am one of God’s works and He finds me wonderful. Imagine the dreams I can achieve with Him when I fully believe these things. I pray, God, that You help me believe I am fearfully and wonderfully made as we pursue Your dreams for me. Thank You for making me in Your image, wonderful indeed. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Say it aloud each day until it becomes truth you believe, really believe.

I have wrestled with insecurity, but it has only been when I believed what God says about me that I’ve been able to look past myself and toward others in pursuit of my God-given dreams.

Knowing who we are in Christ gives us confidence to step out boldly in pursuit of God and the dreams He has for us. Confidence gives us courage.

#5. We must take courage in pursuit of our dreams

If God gives us a dream, I can almost guarantee it’ll be big. It’s how He reveals Himself as God. When a dream is beyond our ability, beyond our capabilities, God demonstrates Himself as real. He is the power source and the only way a big dream becomes possible.

That sounds great on paper. But when we are living it as part of the reality of our life, it can feel terrifying at first. I’m a bit of a thrill seeker and still there are times when my knees have knocked together at the idea of stepping into a dream, my destiny really, with God.

God has stretched and grown me so much in those times. Because we’ve pursued big dreams together, I’ve grown closer to Him. I’ve grown to hear His voice with greater clarity. I’ve grown to chase after a big dream … as long as He’s in it and leading it!

How?

I sought the LORD, and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant;

their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;

he saved him from all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the LORD is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

─Psalm 34:4-8 NIV

God delivers us from our fears. Not just some of them. All of them. He knows fear is debilitating to us and to the fulfillment of our dreams. But there are sometimes I’ve had to “do it afraid”. It can feel like cliff diving into turbulent seas below. Trembling, I approach the edge and peer over, perched a little too high for comfort. I have no idea what’s beneath the choppy waters as white caps rise up taunting me. But in a moment of bravery I think to myself, here goes nothing! Dive. Splash. Come up for air. Wow! That was pretty cool. A bit of adrenaline helped me do it as the blood of Christ coursing through my veins gave me the courage to leap.

But it’s important for us not to leap hap hazardously. Safety in the leaping lies only when we hear God’s voice saying, “Now! Leap now!” It’s in our seeking we find safety.

I love the picture of the angel of the LORD encamping around me. It gives me great courage to jump off the edge and into what God has for me. And when I have done that, I have tasted and seen the goodness of the LORD. I have had encounters with Him I would not have otherwise had if I hadn’t taken courage and leapt into what He had for me.

Encountering God in the midst of our dreams is exhilarating.

And after we jump once, it gets a little easier. We know we can take refuge in the One who encourages us to taste and see that He is good. He blesses us when we do.

#6. God’s timing is imperative in pursuit of our dreams

Think about how fast 2019 came. Doesn’t it seem like we only recently ushered in 2018? Time marches forward quickly. If we aren’t careful, we could let time tick by and miss what God has for us.

We take time for granted, like it will always be there on our side. But what would life look like if we thought of time as a limited and valuable resource?

Yes, we have all of eternity to live for Christ. But the time He’s allotted for each of us here on earth eventually runs out. We won’t always be here. We won’t always have an opportunity to pursue Him and His plans for us here on earth.

Our dreams have an expiration date and so do we.

If we remain connected to God and His desires for us, we are far less likely to one day lie on our death bed lamenting about what could have been. Regrets happen when we don’t walk in the reality of Christ’s sacrifice for us. He paid a high price for us to live this life. Shouldn’t we live it?

Dream big. Don’t waste time. A day spent today is gone forever. Did you do something to pursue Christ and the dreams He has for you? It’s not too late to begin living life in that light. Today can be the first day you live, really live, in pursuit of your dreams. It’s your destiny.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”─James 4:13-15 NIV

Even as it’s important not to squander time, it’s equally imperative we don’t go running ahead of God in pursuit of our dreams either. We want to walk in wisdom with the Lord as we engage in His plan─not ours. That includes His timing. Sometimes, God is working something out in us, preparing us in some way for what He has next.

We want to learn the lessons He has for us in this season in anticipation of what He has for our future. Only He knows what we need when we need it.

When I was first called to work with deeply traumatized women, God needed to consecrate me. There were many lessons in “dying to self” before I ever stepped foot in that safe house. Waiting was for me. It was for them too. God had me closely connected to Him, and He did not let me deviate what felt like an inch to the left or the right.

It was my dream to help these women, but it was also part of God’s plan to help me do that effectively.

I needed to learn how to listen, really listen, to His voice. He needed to check for my obedience. Would I listen? Quickly? Or would He need to repeat Himself? He couldn’t release me until I was prepared to move with Him, at His slightest nudge.

If He’d have released me too early, I could have caused great harm.

If He’d have released me too early, I’d have collapsed from the weight of feeling too responsible for outcomes.

Instead, God gave me the gift over time and before I engaged He encouraged me with this statement:

You are responsible for your obedience. I (God) am responsible for the outcome.

For a woman who tends to put too much responsibility on herself, God needed to liberate me, so I could help bring freedom to women by pointing them to Christ. My dream required me to listen and obey. My dream required me not to wear a false sense of responsibility.

Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD.

─Psalm 27:14 NIV

It takes restraint to take heart and be strong enough to wait for the LORD to fulfill our dreams. Our willingness to wait is a measure of how much we trust God to do what He says He will.

Do we trust God enough to wait when He asks us to?

If you are feeling brave you can pray words I’ve prayed for myself, as protection, really. I do not want to fall in a pit of failure, because I outpaced God’s plan for my life by running ahead of Him. I’ve asked God not to promote me until He knows I’m ready. I don’t want to hurt myself or someone else, because I charged ahead before God had taught me what I needed to know in order to carry out my calling.

I never want my dream to die because I destroyed it. Sometimes, that requires me to be strong and take heart while waiting on the Lord.

Here’s the prayer:

Lord, You alone know what You have ahead for me in pursuit of my dreams. Please do not promote me until You know I am ready. Help me to hear Your voice and Your heart in this matter. Show me Your good plans. Give me the desires of my heart. And show me when I’m ready. Don’t let me move forward until I am, but also help me to step forward boldly when You say, “The time is now.” In Jesus’ name, Amen!

#7. God gives us responsibility in pursuit of our dreams

When God gives us a dream, He gives us the responsibility of achieving it (in His strength).

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.─1 Peter 4:10 NIV

A God-given dream is given. It’s His gift to us. But it’s also His gift to others.

Rest assured a dream from God has servanthood at its heart. Yes, He loves you and cares about you greatly. His plan is to use others in your life to show you how much.

But do you know what that means?

He also desires to use us to do that for someone else. Many someone else’s.

If our dream doesn’t somehow serve others, we should pause and seek God to see if it’s from Him.

He will bless us, but He doesn’t want our efforts to be self-serving. We are to be stewards, faithful stewards.

Consider this: If God has given us a dream (and He has even if we haven’t recognized it yet), He wants us to steward it well. We have responsibility to faithfully pursue the dreams God plants in our hearts.

He has entrusted us with our dreams. He wants to do great things in us and through us as a result of them. Will we let Him use us to serve others? Do we trust Him enough to send others to minister to us if we do?

What if someone else’s blessing from God depends on your participation?

God’s dreams will always have roots of His love reaching the lost and lonely, the weary and the brokenhearted. Will we let Him use us in that way? Who will be there to do that when we need God’s love and encouragement?

My husband dreamed of having a wife a long time ago now. He never thought he’d have one. His dream was to be married.

As God fulfilled Sam’s dream, He asked Sam to serve. For the role of a spouse is, in large part, to serve the other. Sam’s dream has stewardship laced throughout it. God stewarded my heart to Sam. Sam has loved me well as part of his dream to have a wife. He’s had to listen and obey the Lord. He had to wait. He’s prayed. He’s had to have courage to lead a rather strong woman with sacrificial love.

But in all that, I know Sam would say he has been blessed. He had a dream. God made it come true, but I can tell you I am nothing like what Sam had imagined his wife would be like. But God knows what each of us needs, when we need it.

I needed Sam and he needed me … and I’m glad he dreamed that dream of having a wife. I’m glad he pursued me when I was challenging, mistrusting, and prickly. Because he was a faithful steward of my heart, I have learned to love─to receive love first and then be able to give it.

What would my life have looked like if Sam hadn’t had that dream and loved me so well?

A lot different. That’s for sure.

My dreams would have been a lot different too.

Today, God has given us a big dream together. It requires courage, love, prayer, waiting, seeking, & moving forward when God says “go”. It requires imagining and exploring how the dream might unfold, how God might want it to look.

Walking with God toward a dream is exciting.

This year my non-resolution is to pursue God’s dream for me, the very specific dream He’s unfolding. I’m writing a business plan to launch a non-profit. God is casting vision. I’m listening. I’m exploring. I’m letting Him lead and reveal. And I’m doing exactly what He told me to do when I asked Him in my prayer.

I’m resting and researching. It’s how I’ll realize this new dream God has given me.

What do you dream about? Perhaps, God would have you explore the seven points above and take steps toward realizing your God-given dreams. What is one practical way you can participate with God to achieve your dreams today? Don’t delay. Your dreams await.

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

What Are You Going Back To?

09.05.2017 by Tracy Stella //

This month FACETS of Faith explores the question, what are you going back to? The topic stumped me (Tracy). I’ve been praying. And praying. And praying.

My fingers pecked across the keyboard. “I’m not even sure what You want me to write about this month, Lord…” Prattle to hopefully jump start my creative engine. It didn’t work. Battery dead. No Power. (And without His Power, my words WOULD be just mindless prattle.)

So I stopped, closed up shop, and did something else. No sense typing a bunch of nonsense, even if I was getting a little angsty with a deadline looming. You see, it’s really important to me I don’t just write what I want. I want to write what God is calling me to write, relevant and in season.

Finally, fresh revelation. The rescue made me as happy as seeing roadside assistance when you’re broken down on a dead-end street. A trinity AAA rescue!

What are you going back to? First and foremost, I’m going back to seeking the Lord. When I don’t know what to do, in situations big and small, I must continue to seek the Lord. I feel this is my first response most of the time (these days). But this is a good reminder to us all ─ God cares about it all. He cares about injustice across the globe, poverty and provision for people’s needs, how and whom we serve, what we do in our free time, and even what I write about.

Don’t think you aren’t important to Him. Don’t think your cares and concerns aren’t significant enough to put before God. They are, because you are! God wants us all to know how deep and wide His love is for us. It’s often through His response in small circumstances where He shows us how BIG we are loved.

Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.─1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 AMP

Prayer without ceasing is only possible if we include God in everything. So let’s involve Him in every little detail. When He shows us the way and what’s needed, lift up a shout of praise and rejoice!

What are you going back to? I’m also reminded to wait on Him and His timing. There’s no sense trying to birth something before He’s darn good and ready to do so! It’s futile, so why not just give in to His holy calendar? Sometimes the closer we are to our due date, the less patient we are to abide in God’s timing. But that’s where peace presides. Imagine pushing and pushing in month 6 of your pregnancy. You have 3 more months, so what’s your hurry? Sure. You want your body back. Sure. You’re anxious to see your new little one. Sure. You’re ready to wear a belt again and perhaps sleep without having to get up and go potty every 30 minutes. But you’ve got 3 more months. No amount of your wishing, and wanting, and even push, push, pushing is going to produce what isn’t ready to be birthed.

Be still, and know that I am God.─Psalm 46:10a ESV

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen this verse over the last year or so I might have the beginnings of a really good vacation fund.

But as irritating (and laughable) as it sometimes is when I get a fresh dose of this scripture, it’s also liberating. It’s not up to me. I don’t have to do anything until God says, “do it”. Once He gives the green light, it’s full speed ahead. The road is well paved, because He’s prepared the way and I’m just following all His signs.

This Way.

Now That.

U-Turn.

Revisit That.

Go A Different Way.

Say “Hi” To Her.

Buy That One Dinner.

Say No.

Say Yes.

Construction Ahead, But Keep Going.

As we listen to His voice, He keeps us on the path. His path. The one that keeps us in peace even as He stretches and grows us.

And that thought leads me to God’s answer for me (and perhaps for some of you too). What are you going back to?

His very personal answer for me… my life. He wants me to go back to my life. He’s saying. This is the way. Walk in it. Don’t put limits on your life. If you do, you’re putting limits on Me.

Are you putting limits on God and what He can do in and through you? Read the above paragraph again. Listen to what God is saying.

What does that seemingly grandiose statement mean? I am to go back to my life.

For any of you that have been in a birthing season, you understand it is extremely busy. A new baby to care for, a new business venture, a new job, planting a church, launching a ministry, it’s all a lot of work.

For well over a year I have been involved in starting up a human trafficking residential aftercare ministry. It has been an all-consuming, sometimes exhausting, tear inducing experience even as it has been full of joy and rich rewards to see God move. I expected spiritual resistance, and even attack, but not to the level in which I encountered it. Let’s just say I have a few battle scars. But man, I wouldn’t have missed that battle for anything! Like a lot of things in life, it has also been so full of unexpected blessing and life altering encounters. I have been given gifts I will take with me long after God calls me away from this ministry.

It has been a hard year or so. It has been humbling. It has been a year of hibernating (in a sense). I didn’t do much else besides eat, breathe, and sleep the ministry. It’s what was needed in the intense start up period.

I had to say “no” to many things I would have been interested in doing; I knew I couldn’t.

But now, it’s a new season.

While I’m still super passionate about human trafficking and doing my part to participate in God’s mission against it, He says He has more.

None spiritual speak here … that kind of freaks me out! More? Than this? This has been pretty monumental!

But this fight against human trafficking is not all that I am. I am much more. I am who God made me to be. I’m who He is making me to be.

The ministry is up and running and not all-consuming. It’s busy, but not birthing kind of busy. Now, He’s saying I can step into some new things and revisit some old endeavors I enjoyed. Perhaps, my role will look different. Perhaps the gifts God has entrusted me to steward He’ll use in a slightly different capacity.

This morning as I was getting ready, God solidified this new season for me. I listened to Christine Caine’s teaching about stretching and growth. I knew it was for me. Here’s a woman, on fire for the Lord, doing great things for Him, not putting limits on what He can do in and through her. (Talk about a woman with some passion and zeal!)

She shared how she has been stretched by God to do more than she ever thought she could. She had her doubts. She hashed it out with God. And then she said, “Okay, let’s do this!” (so to speak)

Hearing her talk, I knew it was for me. Perhaps it’s for you too. Do you have a lot on your plate and think to yourself, “I can’t add one thing more?” Maybe you can. But not in your own strength! Let God do the “pushing” for you and maybe, just maybe you can.

Trust His voice because sometimes that’s not what He’s asking at all. But sometimes. Sometimes, it is!

God is releasing me to more fully explore a leadership role in a writing group I’ve been a part of for a number of years. I’m excited about what He can do in and through all the amazing women He has gathered. These ladies are awesome! All love Jesus and want to do what He wants them to. I think about the leadership development opportunities there might be (something I’m passionate about), and all that any little investment I am allowed to make might be magnified and multiplied. They have big dreams in the name of Jesus, so who wouldn’t want to surround themselves with friendships like that?

I feel released to explore some ministry opportunities at my church ─ at least released enough to have some preliminary discussions of what things could look like. Dream a little. Explore. Noodle. Create in a slightly different fashion.

And I might be able to get back to some of the life coaching I was doing, which I absolutely love. It requires a full emotional tank, and now that I am not running on emotional empty from ministry launch, I feel more released to engage.

What are you going back to? If you don’t know, seek God through prayer. If His answer is “delayed”, don’t push. Don’t get ahead, but don’t lag behind. Wait on His timing to reveal His purposes for your life. Pay attention to seasons, circumstances, and what those might be saying to you about what God has for you. Abide in His presence and let His peace (even in the midst of crazy, crazy) guide your decisions.

I was asked earlier today how I felt about getting older. My honest answer, “Okay”. I feel very alive, because God is always doing something new in my life. He’s interested in my growth (and He’s faithful to grow me). But here’s the thing …. He knows I’m “all in”. I’m not going to give up even when the going gets really hard. Believe you me, it has from time to time. In spite of the tough seasons, I’ve got to say “yes” to God.

If we decline what God has for us, that’s when our lives spiral into decline. If we say “no” when He wants us to say “yes”, we’re not doing what we were made for. It’s not old age or even death that steals life from us. When we stop living, that’s when life leaves us.

How can you most fully engage in the life God is calling you to live? Follow His whispers, His signs to what will make your life great, because you’re becoming more and more the very woman (or man) God designed you to be.

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

Don’t forget to check back in later this month to read Kim’s and Jennifer’s perspective, as well as our first male guest contributor who will close out the month’s topic: What are you going back to?