Gain A New Perspective

Psalm 27:13

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” 

I am a two-time, stage four cancer survivor.  Last year I went through an extended period I nicknamed the death days.  From the moment I opened my eyes each morning until they closed again at night, I contended with a sense of impending doom.  I was afraid, tired, and overwhelmed.  My circumstances were desperate, and I constantly thought about my demise.

Eventually, I broke through the haze and remembered to choose life.

In Psalm 27, we find the future King David in a tough spot of his own.  He was at war with enemies who were persistent in their desire to chase him down and kill him.  David retreated into caves in order to survive.  Yet David did not lose heart or despair, but rather he saw a vision of his future - one in which he would live.

We want our pain, discomfort, loss, or sorrow to be quickly overcome.  We would rather believe in God’s goodness after the fact than hold fast to our faith with patience during the trial as we wait upon the deliverance of the Lord.

Yet in our waiting we gain new perspective.

In the secret places with God we remember His faithfulness, remind ourselves of His promises, and gain both strength and endurance to overcome even the most difficult trials. If you feel battered and hopeless, draw away from the violence to seek sanctuary with the Lord. Take heart and allow His love and truth to change your perspective.

Prayer: Lord, You are a good God.  Thank you for meeting me in my most difficult moments with Your grace, mercy and goodness.

A Teachable Moment

While driving down the road this week, I had a very important conversation with one of my boys. We talked about something we've discussed many times before without seeming to make any progress.

This time, it penetrated.

It was a teachable moment.

I wondered why now and not before?

Often I communicate "right and wrong" rather than "love and acceptance." If I only instruct, then what I really say is you must learn to be good because you are bad.

We shouldn't teach because someone is wrong, but because someone is loved.

1. Jesus represented God as a loving Father. If we believe God is loving, then we trust Him to use His power in a loving, healthy way.

2. If we believe He is more concerned about His "rightness" then we'll interpret His instruction and discipline as judgment. No one sets out to judge their children (or spouse, or family or even themselves).

I love our children and I so want to instill in them a genuine, life-long love affair with Jesus. I'm sure you feel the same. My goal is to communicate love, acceptance and security. If the heart is safe, it will be trusting, teachable and even compliant.

I'm praying to more fully embrace the love of God for myself so that others may experience through me His acceptance. If I do, we will both be good soil for the truth and find many more teachable moments!

Finding Beauty in the Mundane

Guest Blog by

Morgan Klefeker.

This past summer, I moved to Austin for an internship. It was meant to be an exciting and fun adventure in my life but it proved to be a much quieter and somewhat boring experience. Because of the pandemic, there was very little to do outside of the home and so I had to find joy in the tiny house I was staying in.

But during that season, God showed me that He is in the midst of big adventures and quiet moments.

I began to take notice of the sunrise, a good cup of coffee, a laugh shared with a loved one. These moments were something I had experienced countless times but it felt especially beautiful when I took notice of them.

In the Genesis story, we see God creating the entire universe and after each creation, He stood back, smiled wide, and said “It is good.”

Gratitude is joining hands with God and saying “This, this is very good.” In that way, it connects us to God, opens the door for His presence, and urges our hearts to worship Him. In finding the beauty of every moment, I also became aware of God’s presence in that moment. 

What would it be like if we lived life in this way? Much like a child, we could gaze at God’s creation full of wonder, joy, and gratitude. Even in the hardships of life, we can still take notice, show gratitude, and find the beauty. This life is teeming with beauty, from the ornate design of a bird to the wonderful creation of each sunset. We only need to take notice.

March 2020 brought with it plenty of reasons to complain. So many difficulties, heartbreaks, and setbacks, it seemed like the whole world felt hopeless. And while feeling those disappointments and hurts is an incredibly important step in healing, the Lord taught me the power of finding beauty in the mundane moments of our life. And in the process, He created in me a heart of gratitude.

God has Taken the Broken Pieces and Made Them Beautiful

I see you friend; I see your pain.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Ps. 107:1

This week I have spent time reflecting over my life – going through the different seasons and remembering those events that have shaped me and brought me to where I am now. Some memories are sweet and full of joy, others are more painful and still sting a little so I tend to move on quickly from those, but something interesting occurred this time as I wrote a list of “highs and lows” next to each other. Every time I went to add a “low” I almost hesitated because I realized…

with each difficult moment, I can point out something beautiful.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Ps. 107:1

I want to be mindful here because I realize some of our moments of pain are still quite real and raw. We cannot see the beautiful anywhere around us , and the thought of it ever being beautiful again is not easily accepted. If I could reach across this screen, I would sit quietly with you and affirm the pain. Life is not always fair. I pray I can offer a perspective as one who has moved a little further down the road. There is enough space between me and these low moments, enough time where I can see differently. I stand in awe.

God has taken the broken pieces and made them beautiful. He has turned things around for my good.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Ps. 107:1

Of course, there are moments I wish had turned out differently, but we cannot change the past. As I look to God’s goodness in the now, I am thankful that God has not given up on me. He has remained constant in His goodness and faithfulness. He has remained near as I have wanted to drift away.  

His love truly endures forever!

Wherever you find yourself today, whether is a season of joy or mourning, may there be a stirring in your heart to breathe out thanks to God for where He has brought you! I encourage you to reflect and look for those moments where you can see the hand of God moving. “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story…” You are a child of God, welcomed in the family, and loved by the King of Kings!

There is reason to rejoice today!

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Ps. 107:1

God's Will = Gratitude

God's will for you (and me) in Christ Jesus is in everything to give thanks. ⁣⠀⠀⠀

Usually when I want to know God’s will it’s about big decisions or life changes. But God prioritizes communicating about His will differently in the Word and He clues us into part of His perfect will for us in 1 Thessalonians. ⁣⠀

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)⁣⠀⠀

So this seemed a fitting focus for habit formation, especially given our season and the crazy of our year.⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This isn’t a weight to carry of how we “should be” as believers. Such burdens cause us to judge and condemn ourselves for our shortcomings when we don’t live up to the things we “should do.” As with all things in Christ, this is an invitation into the life Jesus offers—not work to muscle through on my own, but obedience empowered by His Spirit at work in me. ⁣⠀

So here is the habit formation.

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1. Throughout the month I’ll be sharing verses and concepts that we may tend to overlook when giving thanks. ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2. I’m forming a habit of giving thanks and linking it to regular action in my home and invite you to do the same. For me, it’ll be focusing my attention and giving thanks to God each morning during my time of preparing my morning cup of coffee. (linking the spiritual habit to a physical routine can help in remembering to do it.)⁣⠀

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3. During those first few sips ️ I will ask the Lord to do His formative work in me and cultivate in me a heart of gratitude, asking Him to open my eyes to be attentive to how He is moving in my life. ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I’m excited to engage in this aspect of God’s will in greater measure. You in?! I’d love to hear what habits you use to practice or grow in gratitude! #habitformation

Jen is one of our amazing featured mentors at Brave Strong Girl!

Follow Jen on instagram @thejenweaver and check out her website: www.thejenweaver.com

Jen Weaver

pastor, author, coach, Brave Strong Girl Featured Mentor

Visit Jen's Mentor Page

Embracing a New Season

Change can be one of the most difficult things for people to embrace; however, change is inevitable.

I’ve come to realize the times I‘m resisting change are when I’ve settled with my circumstances and become comfortable with where I am in life; I’ve stopped dreaming & activating my faith in pursuing more of God. In seasons of comfort-ability, or what I think of as ”auto-pilot,” if I’m not careful I can get stuck going through the motions of life.

If I’m in this place too long, it’s easy to miss out on the new thing God may be whispering to me.

“Do not remember the former things, Or ponder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 43:18-19 AMP

 Today, I encourage you to be open to the new things God has in store for you. He wants to do something new in & through you - it just may come in a whisper. And the beautiful thing is He says, ”I am about to do a new thing!” - we don’t need to create the new, or make the new thing happen, we just respond to what He is already doing with awareness and declare “I’m In!”

He wants to see you grow, prosper and flourish! He’s your biggest cheerleader and believes in you.

• Let go of the past,

• Be aware,

• Respond in faith: I’m in!

Joanna Perez

blogger, ministry leader, advisory team lead

I Hope In Your Word

I love the language of the psalmist here, and really all throughout Psalm 119. There is desperation in the prayer, deep longing to see the salvation of God and to receive a reprieve from suffering.

Since I don’t have winskins hanging around my house, I decided to investigate what it would mean for a wineskin to be smoked. What I found was a that a wineskin left in smoke would become hardened, dried, even shriveled up.

My mind was instantly brought to the condition of many hearts. It made me shiver a bit as I remembered different seasons where my own heart could have been described this way.

Can you relate as well?

But friend, can I encourage you with these words of Scripture to know and believe that we have hope in God and in His promises? This year has been hard, to say the least, but wherever you may find yourself as we draw towards the end of 2020, you can stand firm on the promises of God. He has not left you nor forsaken you.

When the smoke surrounds us and threatens to shrivel up our hearts, we remember the faithfulness of our God, His promises and statutes, and allow them to breathe life into our fragile places. We can experience freedom in our longing and desperation but also in His grace and presence. Take courage dear friend, hope in God! He is our firm foundation and place of refuge.

May the God of peace be with you! 

Emily Miller

workplace professional, graduate student, advisory team leader

Announcing Our Newest Collaboration

Are you beginning to think about Christmas gifts?

Us too! That's why we are so excited to introduce you to Amber 'Thompson' Colberg and her company, Prayerful Signs.

What is Prayerful Signs?

Prayerful Signs is a business who designs gifts utilizing acrostic poetry and prophetic prayer to offer words of life, truth and encouragement to people.

This bundle of custom inspired prints was made with prayer and intention to encourage a woman in her walk with Christ. All prints are black font on a white background.  The print set is offered at a discounted price of $30 (regular $45). In addition, if you use the code "BSG" at checkout, you will receive an additional 10% discount off your total order, including bundles, custom items and the BSG trio.

Shop early because custom Christmas orders are only being accepted until November 6th.

Meet Amber

• Brave Strong Girl is an affiliate partner with Prayerful Signs.

The Power of Hope

Never underestimate the power of hope.

The Bible gives us so many promises in Scripture around the topic of hope.

Recently, I started writing down various scriptures with the word hope. There are so many! But by the time I finished writing the 5th scripture (Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 31:24, Romans 15:13, Hebrews 6:19, Romans 5:3), I noticed a pivot in my thinking. Suddenly, I begin to see hope as a reality. Like an overwhelming sense of expectation coming alive in my soul.

·         Expect doors to open

·         Expect your enemies to scatter

·         Expect shackles to fall off your feet so that you can dance

·         Expect your heart to sing again

·         Expect to fall more in love with Jesus and His Word

·         Expect to plant seeds of hope for others

Oh, my dear sister-friend, God’s Word is alive and active.

So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! (Psalms 31:24) NLT

Rhonda Love

intercessor, business professional, advisory team lead

Why I Care About the World?

Have you been pruned?

Do you feel like you’ve been pruned? Cut back? Sharply shaped without your permission? You are not alone. A part of me too is all rough edges, exposed emotions and sappy branches.

In what seemed like a moment, the entire world experienced a sharp and swift pruning of our lives. We were sent home to protect us from an enemy that is invisible and deadly. Our “sheltering at home” will either become place of safety and healing or they will become prisons of pain and fear.

Why would God prune the entire world, all at one time? We can find some understanding In John 15. Jesus reveals the Father as a farmer who cares for his vineyard through pruning so that what is “cut back” will become even more fruitful.

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There is only one reason that God prunes a fruitful vine and that is to make it more fruitful. He prunes an unfruitful vine as well, but that vine is clipped off as deadwood, never to reproduce again.

You and I are sitting on the cusp of a great revival of faith in Jesus.

Believers have been called into their personal prayer closets. In private, He is tending to our pruned branches, preparing them to bear more weight - more fruit - more of His glory.

Those who have not yet heard the good news or who might have even rejected or ignored the gospel are experiencing the same pruning as a moment of grace whereby their fear and pain can make way for His healing, rescue and His salvation.

Prepare yourself now to share your testimony tomorrow. The whole world is being “ripened” so that man might listen and believe.

How to Overcome Negative Thoughts

Are you currently facing unexpected and fearful consequences or changes due to the pandemic? Maybe your fears or negative thoughts are centered around concerns for your health, or the stress on your marriage, or maybe you are struggling because there is so much ambiguity in this moment.

Many times we can’t control the circumstances of our lives. Events happen. Changes come. Sometimes we swing “up” in emotion and sometimes we spiral “down.”

My friend, Nanette Eiland, just experienced an unexpected change of her own.

“On Monday, I received a call letting me know my position was being eliminated.”

Nanette, not being one to allow the enemy an opportunity to add his torment to a difficult moment, quickly turned to God’s Word for help.

In this video blog, Nanette and I visit about her journey over the past few weeks. We talk about how she’s coping and what she is doing to keep her fear and negative thoughts from ruling her mind and heart in this moment.

I hope you are encouraged and empowered by this conversation and that you too, will use God’s Word to overcome fear and negative thoughts.

Stay with it all the way to the end and I will bless you with a prophetic word!

Looking for Direction?

“Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.

So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, mericiful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising Him always. ”

— Phillipians 4:6-8 (The Passion Translation)

“We can demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God. We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the anointed one. ”

— 2 Corinthians 10:5 (The Passion Translation)