Words

in the beginning

my Father who art in heaven

we hold these truths to be self evident

I have a dream

I do

i pledge allegiance

never, never, never, never give up

Words are important.

Words start nations, start wars, start movements, start families.

With our words we choose to bless or curse, to love or to hate, to give up or go on.

I’ve been parked in the book of James lately. I can’t get away from it. It’s everywhere in my mind, my heart, my books, my radio, my church. Words change things, especially God’s Word. Jesus is the Word. In the beginning was the word. The word is God. The word is with God.

Consider these holy words:

“For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

Do you get it?

Our tongues aka our words are powerful. Just like the rudder on a ship, our words chart our course. Our words set our destination.Winds and storms of life come upon us. A phone call. An email. A text. Bam. Out of the clear blue sky. Everything shifts. It was this, but now this! Look at our verse. The winds and storms of life threaten to blow us off course, but what keeps us tracking? The rudder of words. Words. Our words. We stay the course when God’s word become our words.

What we speak into the storms of life makes a difference. We can go forward or join the fray. We can walk on in faith or join the destruction.

Into the storms of life speak, plant, pray, say, pour, splash, shout His Word.

Healing words.

Helping words.

Holy words.

Speak His words.

By Mary Kane

Spiritual Growth Mindset

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

We have a lot to learn from the Little Engine that Could. The Little Engine could because the Little Engine had a growth mindset. A growth mindset is when, “… people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. “(Carol Dweck).

Just like the Little Engine.

Big things didn’t scare her. She was up for the challenge. She had grit. She had drive. Blood. Sweat. Tears. The secret to her success? Thoughts. True thoughts lead to courageous words, which lead to bold actions. Success does not depend on talent, resources or smarts. Success is determined by mindset.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind[set], that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

God is all about a growth mindset.

Spiritual Fixed Mindset

In an earlier post, we learned a Spiritual Fixed Mindset believes I can’t because God can’t or won’t. This mindset is marked by negative self-talk, playing it safe, living small, and walking in fear.

But a Spiritual Growth Mindset says I can because God can. This mindset is about hope, faith, dreams and Truth.

“I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me.” That’s what I’m talking about.

Spiritual Growth Mindset believes God has called and gifted each person to be highly effective and fruitful within their sphere of influence. This mindset believes God redeems all sin no matter how deep, how wide or how ugly. A Spiritual Growth Mindset also embraces the truth God uses all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Spiritual Growth Mindset is marked by:

God-talk. Speaking God’s words. Speaking about God’s goodness.
Faith. Living by faith. Thinking by faith. Praying by faith. Planning by faith.
Focus. Eyes riveted on God and His will. All the time.
Thankfulness. Thanking God for what He has done, is doing and will do.
Joy! Enjoying life and the work God has provided.
Service. People in need + you + your gifts = ministry
Seeking God. In good times, and in hard times. Especially in the hard times.
Prayer: Praying through struggles, progress, setbacks, jump-starts, trials and blessing.

Spiritual Growth Mindset says despite past mistakes, flaws, and sins, God uses anyone who is willing to follow Him. Because God is eternal and the giver of life, nothing is fatal. Nothing is final. We are never stuck or without hope. We can change, heal, and grow. The lame leap, the dumb speak and the dead live again.

Live it out.

Eliza was in my math class a few years ago. She was growth mindset waiting to happen. Eliza never met a math problem she couldn’t conquer. No, she wasn’t the SMARTEST kid in my class—she was the WORK-HARDEST kid in my class. I knew when she was struggling because she self-talked out loud. “I will get this problem. I can do this! and then she’d try and try again.

Let’s try it.

Let’s change our minds, change our words and change our destiny.

Because God is almighty and all powerful, I can beat ___________________ (name your obstacle).

With God, I WILL over come this fear of ___________________.

God, because You are on my side, I will not bow down, walk out, give up, or turn back on __________________.

God is working _________________ for my good and His glory.

God, because I know You’ve got this, I will by faith _________________ (name a next step).

With a growth mindset, the Little Engine made it over the mountain to the sunshine valley on the other side. Use your Spiritual Growth Mindset and speak to that mountain. Tell it in the name of Jesus to get out of your way.

Action Steps:

Watch your words and thoughts. Quit with the defeatist words and attitudes. NOBODY likes to listen to a pity-party—especially God.
Get you some God words and thoughts. Find a few Bible verses that speak truth into your situation and say and pray them as often as needed.
Keep on keeping on. Never give up. God is the victor and He always wins. The more Word you put in your heart the more you will be changed.

A changed mind leads to a changed heart which leads to a changed life. Leave me a comment and let me know how your life is changing. I’d love to hear from you!

5 Ways to Wreck Fear

Fear has left its mark on me.

It was how I did life. Most of my decisions were based on fear—not fear of God— but fear of everything. Will anyone be upset if I do this? Will so-and-so be mad at me if I do that? What will my neighbors/friends/relatives think if I do this? Worse yet, what will THEY think? THEY is a very powerful group. THEY have been making life miserable for the rest of us for many years. We need to vote THEY out of power. Why? Because THEY will keep us from following HIM.

Peter did it.

He finally beat THEY and took back his power.

I’ve been thinking about Peter.

How did he go from a three-Pete denier to the man who stood and preached like his heart was a-fire? Poured-out, filled-up, all-in man of God. I want that.

Let’s look at what happened to Peter in the book of Acts.

Jesus and Peter are having a conversation. Peter declares he is ready to go the mat for Jesus, but Jesus knows better.

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me. […]

58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. Luke 22

Peter was all talk and no walk. He couldn’t deliver. I have been Peter—fired up at the conference and fast burn on the drive home. But, Peter changed.

How did it happen? How did God wreck fear?

Let’s look at God’s Peter Transformation Plan: From Fearful to Fearless

Spend time weeping. Go back and read Acts 3:62. Just admit it and be done with it. Tell God you have failed, and you need Him to break your heart and put it back together again so it beats only for Him. Ask Him to do whatever it takes so you will fear only Him.
Spend time with Jesus. A lot of time. Peter spent 3 years doing daily life with Jesus. How many hours do we spend each day with Jesus? Perhaps the more accurate question is, How many minutes do we spend each day with Jesus? If you are serious about change, you’ll be spending serious time with Jesus. Luke 5:11
Spend time in prayer. In the time between the Ascension and Pentecost, Peter and the rest of Jesus’ disciples spent their time in the Upper Room in prayer. God used extended prayer to change Peter’s heart. Acts 1:14, Acts 4:31
Spend time in fellowship. Peter did not become fearless by hunkering down by himself in his house. Effective outspoken Christians are not loners. We need others to encourage, confront and hold us accountable as we walk with Jesus. Acts 1:14, Acts 4:31
Spend time in Scripture. Start at Acts 2:14 and read Peter’s speech to the crowd. How did he know what to say? Hours in the word of God. An Acts 2:14 kind of witness requires time, effort, perseverance and faith.

I have added one more element to this list: fasting. For this Lenten season, I have given up my favorite: Jason’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. Yep. It hurts. But God honors my sacrifice. By the way, I don’t expect to not ever feel fear again. I want to act in faith despite the fear. That’s what I’m talking about.

There we have it. The perfect recipe to wreck fear: prayer, repentance, scripture, fellowship and Jesus. Join me on this journey to wreck fear. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Leave me a comment below about your journey of faith. I’d love to chat with you.

Be God’s Great Thing

“Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.” 1 Samuel 12:16

God is always doing great things! Even amid the struggle and clamor of daily life, God plants seeds in the seams and cracks and broken places of life and great oaks grow!

Be the great thing God is doing!

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Offer grace in the hurt. Offer beauty in the ugly. Offer love in the hate. Offer hope in the despair. These are great things!

Have a blessed day!

Spiritual Fixed Mindset

“Guess what?! I just got an email! The book I submitted is going to be published!”

Hey! I have great news! I’ve just been asked to speak on a Christian women’s cruise to the Bahamas! I sail January 15th!”

Have you ever been jealous of a brother or sister in Christ? I have too. When I’ve seen all the fabulous things others have accomplished, I have felt less. I used to think God wouldn’t use a person like me; He’d only use super Christians. You know, those people who got saved at three, baptized at four and went on their first mission trip at five. I was too messed up. Too broken. Too unlovely. I believed in Jesus, but I thought I could never change. Wrong.

What about you?

Do you think you’re too messed up, trapped in your addiction/codependent relationship/shopping habit/food problem/embarrassing sin to ever be transformed? Do you think you will always be stuck right where you are, battling the same old stuff? Then you are suffering from a Spiritual Fixed Mindset.

Spiritual Fixed Mindset: a belief that basic qualities like intelligence, flaws, sin and talent are fixed traits, therefore a person can never change, grow or overcome challenges or sins. This is the way I was born, This is the way I am, are the mantras of people trapped in a spiritual fixed mindset.

People trapped in a fixed mindset believe God gifted some people and not others.

They spend their time documenting their failures and sins. They believe talent alone creates success—without effort. They believe there is something wrong with them that can never be fixed. They are stuck. People with a fixed spiritual mindset constantly try to prove their worth. They are very sensitive to criticism, always anxious and prone to self doubt.

Spiritual Fixed Mindset is marked by:

negative self-talk
second guessing decisions (and third and fourth guessing)
focusing on self
seeing only failures and replaying them in living color over and over
condemning self
hiding gifts
keeping head down and playing it safe
walking by sight

The poster child for the fixed spiritual-mindset is the man with one talent.

¹⁴“… a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.¹⁵To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ [ …] He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Matthew 25: 14-21, 24-29

What did the One-Talent Servant do?

He was afraid and he hid his gifts. He did not use them for the benefit of his master or anyone else. The One-Talent Servant was not punished because he tried and failed—but because he did not try. I believe pride was at the bottom of his failure to launch. He didn’t want to look bad in the eyes of the world. He was walking by sight and not by faith.

How about you (and me)? We’ve got gifts. We’ve got talent. We’ve got treasure. We’ve also got calling. Go forth. Make disciples. Whatever your gifts, serving, loving, mercy, cooking, cleaning, fixing, babysitting, acting, blogging, gaming, sewing, doing hair and make-up, fishing, hunting, turning a wrench, there is a need for it in your church/community/housing project/town. Get going!

Action Steps:

Think: What do you love to do? Where is your passion? As long as it isn’t against God’s word, there is a way to use it for His kingdom.
Pray: Ask God to show you how He wants you to be involved and to open doors for you.
Start: Do something today to start using your gifts. Make a call, share your vision, take a class, or join another group.

Tip: You won’t find the will of God apart from the word of God. When I got serious about following Jesus, new giftings and interests seemed to pop up from no where, so did new opportunities.

Let me know your thoughts about Spiritual Fixed Mindset, how you plan to use your gifts and how I can pray for you, by leaving a comment in the comment section below!

God is good!

Where Am I?

I used to be so pro at getting lost.

I could barely make it to South Bend without taking a three hour tour of Northern Indiana. Then I got a very helpful device … a son with a keen sense of direction. Picture a four year old with a map, in a car seat, directing us down the Ohio Turnpike en-route to Dayton, Ohio (pre-GPS days).

Sorta reminds me of the Israelites.

They started in Egypt, and turned a 9 day trip into a 40 year trek. FINALLY they made it to the Promised Land. The thing is, they had their own GPS. You could say it was in the Cloud—the pillar of Cloud. God.

Sorta reminds me of my life.

I started in “Egypt,” got delivered, and spent the next 20 years wandering around in the messed up wilderness of ME until God sent a deliverer to lead me out. Actually, I think we can all relate. We are in one of four stages: in Egypt, En route, Wandering, or in the Promised Land.

How can you tell? Read the descriptions below and note the hashtags.

You could be:

In Egypt: #slavery. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. Exodus 1: 13-14. Both the saved and unsaved can live in “Egypt.” Life here is marked by slavery to sin, fear or pleasing others. If you’re living in Egypt you have no ministry, no fruit, no peace, no joy. You may not even know you are in Egypt, you just know something is very wrong with your life. Thankfully, you don’t need to stay there. God always sends a deliverer!

En Route: #progress. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. Exodus 13:1 If you are en route you are definitely saved. You could be a brand new Christian, or saved for years, but you are finally following Jesus.
A life en route is marked by change. God is moving you and moving in you.
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You discover new talents and interests. Your relationships shift. You might find yourself considering a new job. People notice you are changing and not everyone is happy with you. This stage is usually marked by warfare, but God has given you the victory. It is a exciting/scary/growing/risky time of life, but it is good!

Wandering: #self. The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the LORD. Joshua 5:6 I hate this place. It’s almost worse than being in Egypt. You know better, but you try it anyway. Wandering is marked by living for self, and following “your heart” (which is deceitful above all things). The world applauds while God laments and waits. You Rationalize. You disobey. Wandering drains your resources, wastes your gifts, and leaves you empty. Consequences dog your steps. The waking up is painful as you realize what a fool you’ve been. BUT, you are two words away from getting back on track with God: Repentance. Obedience.

Promised Land: #God. And He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” Genesis 15:7. Promised Land living is flowing with purpose. It’s all about God. His will. His way. His plans. If you are living in the Promised Land, He is all over everything you do. You pray different. You want different. You live different. God has you involved in one or two specific ministries where you are using your gifts. You also take advantage of everyday opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others. Nobody makes it to the Promised Land on their own. You need Jesus, the church and a few good friends who speak truth. Life in the Promised Land is full and good and hard and challenging and whole and fruitful.

If you don’t like the stage you’re in, you’re only a decision away from making a change.

Pending on where your “living” right now you may need to: Say no. Say yes. Move on. Move out. Start something. Stop something. Give it up. Give it back. Pick it up. Put it down. Plant some seeds. Pull some weeds. Leave. Stay. Accept. Reject. Speak up. Speak out. Forgive others. Forgive yourself. Try hard. Try harder. Work. Rest. Lead. Follow. Open His word and your heart. Ask God to show you what to do and obey what He says.

Wherever you are, follow God with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

I’d love to pray for you about where you are in life with God. Please leave me a comment in the comment section below!