Fruit Pursuit Podcast

1 John 4:18a – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”

This is a familiar verse to most of us, I’m sure, but what does it actually mean when it comes right down to it?  How do we actually apply perfect love to a fearful situation?

In this podcast we will explore several different aspects of how to recognize perfect love in action versus when fear is in action.

First of all, love gets curious. WHen we are operating from a place of love, we have space to ask questions about what’s going on, and why someone perhaps sees something differently.

Fear on the other hand makes declarations.  It’s decisive from a place of survival- which might keep you from dying, but isn’t always laced with wisdom.

Secondly, love is patient.  We are about to talk a whole lot about patience during the month of March, but for now, let’s settle with the fact that when we come from a place of love, we can slow down, consider the entire scope, be consistent and thoughtful and make a choice that supports everyone more successfully.

Rushing through something is a product of fear, however and leads to mistakes, more pain, injury and poor results.  You can easily identify when fear is at play if you feel chaotic in you mind, in a haphazard hurry, or you are confused and therefore just quickly trying to make something work.

Love is able to surrender, relax, and trust that God is still on his throne and in control.  He loves our people far more than we do.

Fear grasps, holds on tightly, protects at all cost, and defends- even when defending isn’t really necessary.

The kicker is, BOTH ARE CONTAGIOUS!  So, what are you spreading?  What are you choosing to demonstrate to your family today?  Which do you want them to emulate?

I hope you’ll enjoy this episode of the podcast and get at least 1 thing you can try this week to practice coming from a place of perfect love instead of fear.

Blessings!

The post Perfect Love Casts out Fear appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

I’ve always been an all or nothing kind of gal.

I’m like a steep roller coaster!

I gave my heart to Christ when I was 5 or 6- I remember them explaining how Jesus died for my sins and that I could ask for forgiveness, and ask him to be the Lord of my life and thank him for saving me and that I would be saved.

I remember being so clear that I was saved and that I needed to obey Jesus and follow his will for my life.

Unfortunately, I felt very unsuccessful doing that.

I knew God loved me, but I acted like love was earned. Combine that with my extreme personality and if I couldn’t get it right 100% of the time, then why bother trying to get it right any of the time?

So, I would resort to selfishness, stubbornness, and frustration.

I believe that our love for God is reflected in how we love others. If that’s the case for you, what deal have you made about how that looks?

Here’s some of the deals I made:

How’s that show up in your relationships? Huh?  That one doesn’t turn out so well.

Second, I really thought unconditional love meant that there was a basic love level and if I got on their good side by doing what they liked, then they’d like me more if I acted more like them.

But that really wasn’t love at all. It was a craving for attention.

When love is steady regardless of how I showed up if feels unconditional.

While it may seem odd at first if grand gestures are a way you show love when someone is making you happy, but you act mad when they disappoint you, then it isn’t steady.

Does this ever show up in your relationships with others?  In either your attempts to love other people- and your emotions get in the way, or in your reception of love from others.  Have you ever considered that an over the top response and attention to someone’s gift could actually be reinforcing a false pattern of belief about the love of God?

In order to truly love God, you must love others.

In order to truly love others, you must love God.

What does truly loving God look like?

Love rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.

It bears all things.

It believes all things.

It hopes all things.

It endures all things.

Love never fails.

What one next step will you take today to love someone unconditionally?

The post Special Replay: Love: The Unconditional Kind appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

I love my husband and I know he loves me, but sometimes in order for that whole lovey dovey deal to work out, sometimes I’ve got to get out of my own way.

Today on the podcast, we’re talking about ways we sabotage meaningful relationships we say we want.

To best help you understand this sabotage, I’ll illustrate this with a silly thing I used to do when my husband helped with things around the house.

How can you get mad about your husband volunteering to scrub out 20 dirty diapers?

Well, I managed to do all of those and I’ll tell you how.

That little old judgmental lady lives in my head…I don’t know who she is, but she’s bossy.

When shame and feelings of inadequacy would wash over me I assumed he was attacking me and my value.

Of course he thought I was nuts.

It’s so obvious on this side of things how much I let my own feelings of inadequacy get in the way of being grateful for his help.  It’s downright ridiculous, laughable even!  But at the time, it was not funny, and I could not see it for a long time.

How often do we get in the way and sabotage our help in this way?  Maybe it’s our own feelings of inadequacy, like I did, that drive a wedge.  Or perhaps it’s nitpicking the details they don’t get right.  Perhaps it’s expectations we have of what they should be doing to help and aren’t, that prevents us from seeing the contribution our loved ones make.  But I encourage you to consider are you sabotaging the very thing you long to have?

I desperately wanted help, needed team players, but I couldn’t get out of my own way to let them help me.  Can you? Loving other people well can involve letting them love us and then saying THANK YOU!

So here’s your one next step this week: Are there any areas of your relationship that you are sabotaging?  Is it possible that you are making up reasons for why someone is doing something, or not doing something that isn’t true?  I encourage you to just consider the possibility and begin to notice.

Of course we have all sorts of tools to help with this process and how to move past it in our mastermind, which you can apply for at https://maryaldrichcoaching.com/apply

But while you are signing up consider what one way could you be tying your own hands.  How might you be interpreting someone’s generosity and love as an attack? What one next step will you take today to love that person well?

Hey, next week, we’ll discuss another aspect of loving well.  We’ll talk about two different aspects of curiosity and how they can light a fire in your relationship that helps it grow exponentially and how you can change the whole dynamic of everything between you and another person in just one sentence.

Until next time, take care and love God, love others, and enjoy it!

The post I Love My Husband appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” – John 15:12

This seems like it is a pretty clear commandment from Jesus, however our current society seems to have a very different definition of what is required to love others well.

Here’s some statements that perhaps you’ve heard,even in some Christian circles:

“If someone is draining your energy, walk away.”

Wow.  Pretty clear message.  Anyone who is a wreck, isn’t worth your time and energy.

But does this line up with the command of Jesus to love others as he loved us?

I’m going to suggest no.

What is Love?

Love is: the commitment of my will and resources to another person’s best interest regardless of the cost to me.

Does this line up with how Jesus loves you?

If we agree that this definition is an accurate description of Jesus love for us, then we can use basic logic to determine that this is also the instruction and challenge he gives us when he says to love others the same way.

I’m not gonna lie, it’s a pretty tall order.

When people take advantage of me and I feel cheated- I want to say, “NO!” It’s my turn to have my best interests come first!

Listen, if loving others doesn’t feel painful sometimes, you probably aren’t doing it right.

Loving people in such a way that it never stings, feels hard, or causes us any kind of suffering isn’t sacrificial.  Sure, there are many times love is mutual, we equally equally benefit, we both enjoy each other’s company, we each get something out of it.  That’s ok.

But we have only to look at the example of Jesus to know that sometimes love costs everything.  He was tired and went away from the crowds to be alone and rest.  They followed him and he had compassion on them and allowed it.

And of course, he loved us so much that even though he knew he was about to die one of the most brutal deaths on the cross- and it was stressful- we know it was because he was sweating blood! He decided that love was worth the cost, worth the cost of stress, of death, of being misunderstood, the cost of torture, the cost of agony, the cost of being completely alone. It cost him everything to love us.

Are we willing to let love cost everything?  It’s a little different perspective than “there’s nothing wrong with avoiding people who hurt you,” isn’t it?

Now, let’s also address the elephant in the room.

How do we know when to stop?  Is there a time it’s ok to say enough?  How do we determine when that time is?

First, when Jesus was under two year old and people were trying to kill him, he ran away to Egypt.

Second, when he was instructing his disciples to go preach in villages, he indicated that if the people there did not accept him, to leave, shake the dust from their sandals- Matthew 10:13-14; Mark 6:11; Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51

It can’t just be because they were getting insulted, or despised, or unwelcomed because there’s plenty of times when he instructs us to press on in those situations.

If it isn’t about the cost to me, what else can it be about?

Well, what if it’s about the other person’s best interest?

When Jesus fled to Egypt with his parents, it was in the whole world’s best interest for him to stay alive at that time.  When it was time for him to die on the cross, it was in the whole world’s best interest for him to surrender to that calling.

When he pulled away from a crowd, he knew it was in their best interest that  he get some rest.  Have you ever needed rest and knew that it would be good for everyone if that was the priority- even if they weren’t happy about it?

When we attempt to share Jesus with others and they resist, often it IS in their best interest for us to walk away and allow the Holy Spirit to work on them how he will.

And I dare say that to allow others to continue in sin, whether that’s enabling them to remain an alcoholic or a hoarder, or continuing to allow them the opportunity to abuse another person- even if that person is YOU- is not in THEIR best interest.

Listen, you don’t have to take my word for it, but I encourage you to test this definition out.

Their best interest- it’s why I continue to sit in the passenger seat in spite of the certainty of death that I feel when my teenage boys are practicing their driving skills.

Now, you may make a decision and be wrong about it.  You may do the best you can and then discover that perhaps a different choice was in their best interest.  We aren’t God, so we don’t have the added advantage of being 100% right all the time.  But I can say this, that if we are called to love as Jesus loves, then this is a healthy stand to make decisions from on how to love others as Jesus loves us.

Don’t buy into the lie that you will be happier by cutting out everyone who offends you, takes more than they give sometimes, causes you to experience physical stress, or drains your energy.  That kind of life is not going to satisfy, because it’s not who God made us to be.

I hope you’ve found this podcast as thought provoking as I did when I put it together.  I encourage you to take one relationship and consider how you might apply this definition of love to it.  Test it out.

And I hope you are excited about this month focused all on the Fruit of the Holy Spirit: LOVE.

If you want more bite size strategies for how to love your people well, I encourage you to apply for our Fruit Pursuit Mastermind where we get specific. You can apply at:  maryaldrichcoaching.com/apply

The post How to Love appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

If you need the short version of this podcast, it’s this:

Let’s talk about several different areas where we wish our children would behave- where it matters to us.

1. Public Locations:

Did I catch yours?

2. Public Locations:

Grandma’s house, for the sitter, that friend that volunteered to watch your kid at the playground so you can take the other one to the bathroom that’s across the street from the playground for the 10th time because they are bored with the swings and can’t come up with what else they want to do, but the last time you tried to prove they were faking you took them home with wet pants.  Or whomever else they are supposed to be impressing at the time- the pastor, the neighbor, the FedEx driver…

Listen, I get it…we aren’t supposed to want to make our kids little soldiers- but we do think it should be reasonable for them to act like humans, not wild animals.

So, first, let me encourage you…my kids have done their fair share of embarrassing me.

So today, I’m going to tell you some of my strategies that I’ve used over the years to help them learn to be still.

Ok, so strategies- the main idea is, if you want your little ones (or big ones) to show self control in more stressful situations, you’ve got to practice in non-stressful situations.

When my kids were little we had a lot of church services the had to sit still for. Somehow they had to learn to sit there quietly.  How?

You can practice all sorts of things…going through a grocery store, talking to a doctor, interacting with a neighbor…while I don’t normally spend tons of time playing pretend with my kids, these types of pretend times- where we were learning the skills of being polite, practicing self control, and pretending to be responsible- those I was down for.  And don’t think I did this every day…even a few times a month can make a huge impression.

Another trick is to learn ways to set them up for success.

Do you set your kids up for success?  Are you creating a way for them to be successful while they wait?

And words…self control with words.  Let me tell you, it’s not enough just to say, “Don’t say that.”

Practice what to say.  We don’t say, shut your big yapper.  We say, “will you please lower your voice?” or “thank you for sharing.”

We don’t say, “You’re mean!” We say, “I’m having a hard time with what you just did. Or Please don’t do that.”

Are you practicing?

Finally, be aware of the influences that seem innocent that might be sending mixed messages to your children.

Want your children to have self control and not try every wild idea they come up with?

Put the Calvin and Hobbes books away for a while.

Want them to learn to be respectful to their father…stop reading Berenstain Bears to them.

Do they listen to music promoting rude independent attitudes, but then you want them to humble submit with obedience?

I’m not someone that says all these books, movies, shows, are bad.  But if you have a child that’s particularly struggling with something- look for what is influencing him on a regular basis and back off for a while until he can discern between funny and inappropriate, between a cool idea and dangerous, between silly and disruptive.

We want our kids to demonstrate self control, but are we acting like it?  Are we choosing things that support that desire at home, in their everyday environments? Or are we simply hoping that it will magically happen while we are out.

Self control takes practice.

It won’t fix everything, but let me tell you…it will cut down on so much mischief!

So, what one thing stands out to you from this episode that you can implement this week?  Just one thing!  I challenge you to pick something and try it!

Thanks so much for joining me this month for the fruit of the Spirit: Self Control.  Come back next week as we begin a whole new focus on Love- how we can love others well!  See you then!

The post Self Control: Activities for Children appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

So, my second son, James, has been learning to drive.  He’s a good driver, but let me tell you…the urge to stomp on the passenger floor for the gas pedal is strong.  EVERY TIME I see the brake lights in front of us.  I’m continually telling James, it’s my problem, not yours.  You’re doing everything right…I just have control issues.

But how are we doing on our own battles of self control as we raise them?

With teens comes so many new things- sports, driving, college, life vision, goals, conflict, bossy behavior, testing limits like never before, tech issues, dating- or not dating…

There are aspects of bliss to our teenage years right now…they are hard workers, and make for great conversations.

Honestly, I love the teen years so far.  They have been kind to us.  But they can also be a challenge.  And they require a different level of self control as a parent to steward them well.

Today we’ll discuss two ways in which I, as a parent, am required to demonstrate self control so that my teens have the opportunity to grow up as wisely as possible.

*I’m not saying I get it all right. But these have been helpful concepts to build the framework around.

Self Control tip number one: Become a coach.

Why a coach?  Because a coach helps someone get clear on the vision they want, helps them figure out the path they want to take to get there, and then reflects back to them how the action they are taking either aligns or doesn’t align with the goals they set- ideally all through questions.  A coach is a space holder.

I want them to choose well, but honestly, insisting that they choose what I choose is not the way to get there.  That time has passed.  Now is the time to advise, let them choose, and then ask them how that choice either did or did not help them towards their goal or intention.

But is this any kind of training you received in how to be a parent? I learn how to discipline, how to be consistent, how to correct, make chore charts, dishes rotations, enforce school, crack down on tablet time…but what about the transitions? How do they go from Mom saying this is the law, to being their own person?

I’m telling you, that’s why I got into coaching. It offered me the skills I needed to help my children transition through the teenage years, maintaining a relationship where they feel safe to talk about things, but also releasing them gradually more and more to make mistakes.

If you want resources on how to do this well, I encourage you to apply for our Fruit Pursuit Mastermind.  You’ll begin to learn skills that you can implement with your kids right now and as they grow. If the program isn’t a good fit for you, then take the first step- learn how to be a great question asker. The self control required for this stage of the game is unbelievable, but oh so worth cultivating!

#2. Mom, you gotta learn to keep your mouth shut.

When we tell our kids that we are releasing them to make a decision on their own, what we are actually saying is that we have decided that the lesson of “making your own choice” is a higher priority in this moment than “Making the right choice” is.

Listen, we aren’t creating robots.  Wisdom is learning to make decisions and then learning to navigate the consequences of those decisions.  Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen without making some dumb decisions- you’ve got to have the self control to let them.

Letting your child fail a class is hard to watch.

Self control…let them fail now.  It feels as though the stakes are so high…but compared to 10 years from now, they are nothing. If they can learn the lesson now…it’s a gift.  Even if they don’t learn the lesson now, it’s a gift that you gave them the opportunity to learn it early.

Our children become accountable to God all on their own.

What one thing will you choose to do today to have self control in how you respond to your children?

And if you’d like more tips, training, and accountability in this area, I encourage you to apply for our Fruit Pursuit Mastermind- just go to maryaldrichcoaching.com/apply – fill out the form and I’ll be in touch to see if the group is a good fit for you.

Get started today learning techniques to maintain genuinely healthy relationships through the teen years, learn how to ask good questions to keep your children accountable, and practice the art of self control as you joyfully watch your child grow in wisdom.  All this and so much more is available in the mastermind. Parenting from a place of joy, peace, and confidence.  I invite you to join us.  Listen, I started learning these tools when my oldest was 10.  I wish I had started when he was 6! Don’t kick this down the road- the benefits of starting now are exponential!

The post Self Control: Raising Teenagers appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

1 Peter 5: 6-9

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

These questions create quite a stir in the Christian world.

There are plenty who see value of sitting at the feet of Jesus and cry out for more dedication to that activity.

There are plenty of people who see the great needs of the world around us and cry out for people to serve, to lay down their lives for their neighbors.

There are plenty of people promoting the way to achieve peace in your life is to first prioritize your own health above all else.

And we see positive results from all of these in other people’s lives don’t we?  How about in your own life? Where do you see results from each of these pursuits?

One of my favorite times with Jesus I remember was on a rare trip to Hawaii- for an entire week!

What about serving others?

I’ve had some of my favorite moments serving others.  At the Bible School, where we worked for years, I was frequently involved in food service. Quite often, I’d get a crazy idea to bless the people I was feeding with something decadent or beautiful- in spite of the current resources available.  There is no explaining the joy and fun of creating beauty, serving food to others, and watching them be delighted by it.

Some of my favorites were- almost yearly, I’d make a graduation cake for the students graduating.  Most were rather unreasonable in their construction. No cake from the grocery store. Nope, I did a mountain with a glowing cave of treasure, a path up to golden gates with trees lining the way and electric lights to guide the footsteps, a tilted cake with hand crafted edible orchids, iris, and daisies…and so many more.

Other times, our family had the opportunity to cater a meal for anywhere from 100-200 people after a funeral.  There is something so wholesomely satisfying about feeding grieving hearts, supporting families by minimizing their concerns around the meal. And nothing can beat the pleasure of watching my family all cook together in the kitchen- all the way down to the smallest in the family.  The joy over family teamwork is addictive.

I could list countless ways I’ve served over the years- meeting needs, spreading joy, loving others. It’s the Martha job.  It’s in a way, serving Jesus by serving others and it’s wonderful.

Then, of course, there is taking care of me.  My health, my sleep, my exercise, my food choices, my daily routines, my space.  All the things that when they are done, I find myself better able to respond to others. When I get 8 hours of sleep, it’s infinitely easier to control my temper than when I’ve only had 2.  Isn’t that important?  When I exercise and keep up my energy level, I’m much more willing to say yes to the active things my family wants to do together. When I am responsible to eat what nourishes my body best, I am primed with a clear mind and stable blood sugar to endure the length of the day. Isn’t this maintenance of priorities important?  The most crucial of self discipline?

I think we all have one of these categories that we gravitate towards first. The truth is though that they are all important and it is necessary to keep them in balance.  There are ditches to fall into with each one.

Self discipline is about staying on the road and out of the ditches, regardless of the road you are on.

Let’s look at how each of these has a ditch and then what we can do to avoid them.

The key here is MOTIVATION

What is your motivation behind WHY you are choosing one or the other.

When we are motivated by the choice to surrender to him and that draws us to focus on Jesus and his goodness- sitting at the feet of Jesus- and choosing to discipline ourselves towards spiritual health is profitable.

However, when we are motivated by fear of the unknown and uncontrollable to escape from action- then we can call it Sitting at the Feet of Jesus, but it’s actually resistance to stepping out in faith.

So, to check in on this discipline, ask yourself

Am I praying, connecting with Jesus in order to surrender my life to him and listen for his voice as to how I proceed next?

Or am I praying, connecting with Jesus in hopes that the problem will be solved without me needing to take uncomfortable steps?

Similarly, serving can have it’s own ditch.

When we are serving from a motivation of surrender to God’s call on our lives, even when it’s difficult, then service for God and choosing to discipline ourselves towards sacrifice is joyful and rewarding.

However when we are motivated by fear of the unknown and uncontrollable to escape from change- then while we may call it service, it’s actually resistance to change- even change that God may be calling for.

To check in on this discipline, ask yourself

Am I serving because God laid this on my heart?

Or am I serving because I’m afraid of what might happen if I don’t?

FInally, self care and prioritizing good health choices requires an equal amount of balance.

When we are taking care of our body, health, diet, exercise, time alone from a motivation of surrender to God and acknowledgement that he is on the throne, then our self care becomes an act of good stewardship of the resources God has given us.

However when we are motivated by pride and the idea that nothing can progress unless we are perfect first, then while we may call it self care, it’s actually pride, idolatry of man, and/ or fear of man that is at play.

You can check in with your motives by asking

Is my conscience clear before God about how I am stewarding my physical body and mind?

In the verse I read at the beginning, I find the instructions that Peter gives intriguing.

First, he urges believes to humble ourselves before God. This reminds me of the ultimate position of surrender- sitting at the feet of Jesus.  Honoring our dependence on him, acknowledging his power. Trusting his grace and wisdom, and listening to his commands.

Secondly, he encourages us to cast our anxieties on him.  How often is our service more from fear of what will happen to others, fear of how we’ll be thought of, or fear of letting go of a long standing commitment?  Cast all your anxieties on him!  Acknowledge his power over every situation and only fight the battles he calls us to fight.

And then in verse 8, he commands us to be sober minded, and watchful. Wen we aren’t the devil has an easy target.  To me, this includes care for the physical.  What helps you have the most clear mind on a daily basis? Healthy mind and body? Taking care and stewarding this life he has given you well?  I am much more equipped to resist the devil when I am going to bed on time and well rested instead of scrolling social media or binge watching movies. I make better decisions when my blood sugar is stable.  I have more energy to say yes to what God calls me to do when I am conditioning my muscles.

So, back to the original question, which by now you probably realize is a trick question:

Which is more important, sitting at the feet of Jesus, service and sacrifice, or self care?

The answer is they all are important when they come from a place of surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and in fact cause us to trust him both in word and in action.

Before we wrap this up, which one is your natural tendency?  Where are you most likely to get out of balance? Don’t focus on the one you have a tendency to do the best at. Stretch a little.

I know I tend to resist the sitting at Jesus feet.  I think, “Sigh…it doesn’t get anything DONE!”

What one next thing are you called to work on this week?

That’s all for this week, have a great day loving God, loving others, and enjoying it!

The post Self Control: The Self Discipline of Spirit, Soul, and Body appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

Self Control: New Year Re-calibration:  Start the year off right: With Jesus.

Do you know Him personally?

Read: Romans 10:9-10

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Be Reminded of our role with Jesus:

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

It’s our job to glance at our problems and gaze at God.

BUT…I am exhausted and weary…

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Get in the habit of noticing his goodness, so when it comes along, YOU’LL NOTICE!

BUT…I can’t imagine that he wants me to rejoice about THIS!

James 1:2

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Don’t simply rely on what you think you know.  Ask him for direction. Believe that he is powerful enough to direct you wisely.

BUT… I’m doing the best I can and it doesn’t seem like things are working out!

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

And when [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word, I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

BUT…what if it still is showing nothing? What if I didn’t hear right?

Story of Balaam. (Numbers 22-24)

HE brought a talking donkey!

Do you need a talking donkey? He knows how to get your attention!

Listen and ACT!  Not sure if you are acting in the right direction? Make your best guess. He’ll let you know.

Link to printable version of these notes and the Goal Setting Worksheet

Click Here

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Nehemiah 8:10

In this story, Ezra found the book of the Law and read it to the people at their request.  When they heard all the things they were supposed to be doing and weren’t they were tempted to be discouraged and sad. But Nehemiah pointed out that this was a holy day, because they had found and understood God’s word.  He encouraged them to celebrate.

What exactly is the joy of the Lord?

Just in case you want to separate it from happy, here’s what the word really means in Hebrew:

Why is it my strength and how do I use it?

The true joy of the Lord creates possibility, hope, and life.

How do I use it?

First, you can consider the techniques I discuss in these other episodes:

In Episode 20: A Secret to Easy Joy, we talked about how joy is a bi-product of other actions you take:

Keep your commitments

In Episode 21: The #1 Joy Sapper and How to Stop It we talked about joy sappers we allow in our life that block us from it coming in, even though it might be there waiting for us.

In Episode 22: Happy Living, we discussed practical ways to enhance joy, make it more fulfilling, and teach our brains that we actually like it.

This episode is primarily to help you see that joy IS your superpower in Christ.

Paul and Barnabas showed joy as they sang in the jail- along with countless others who have done the same over the centuries.  Their joy was the superpower that bolstered their faith in the midst of severe difficulty.

What was the alternative?

Discouragement? Hopelessness? Cynicism? What possible fruit will those attitudes bear?

Pride- I’m right, this is awful.

If I claim Defeat, I may be miserable, but I absolve myself from any responsibility. I can sit back, and slack off. No courage must be mustered.  No perseverance is necessary. Circumstances may happen to me and I am no longer required to participate.

When we grow weary, this is tempting.  Even in our discouragements, we long for any action to be someone else’s responsibility.

Ah, but friend, if you are a Christian, then like it or not, you are telling others by how you live your life what is and isn’t possible in the strength of Jesus!

Unbelievers can’t exactly tell when you are deciding simply not to pick up the tools and weapons you have available, or whether they just don’t appear to work.

If you are a believer, you are called to live a life of testimony of Christ’s work in you!

Pick up your weapons!  One of them is the joy of the Lord! It is the muscle behind the punch, the energy behind the walking, the running, the getting back up when you fall.

How is it joy of the Lord your STRENGTH?

Last year was one of the hardest, most stressful years ever, and yet, you can ask my husband- I was thriving?  Why? Because of a steady focus- a choice I made over and over again to continually focus on the joy of the Lord- on his power, on his workings, on his goodness, and collecting ever scrap of evidence that he was working in my life.

Practically, what does that look like?

– I sat down on the couch one night in the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep and created a new playlist on my phone of uplifting music- songs that brought me focus on the greatness of God, who I am, what is possible, how he’s in charge, and some peppy tunes.

– I took regular time to talk to God- tell him what I needed, what I longed for, and then thanked him for the ways he had met our needs.

– I bought a giant post-it pad and pasted pages to my bedroom wall.  One said God’s abundance doesn’t disappear just because my circumstances changed. Another was a growing list of ways God showed up, needs met, things I was thankful for. (It wasn’t in a journal, locked away. It was on the wall- where I couldn’t not look at it every single day.)

– I focused on the way God was meeting the needs of others and thanked him for their success. I had a list of other people in my life that had seen God do a mighty work in their life.

– The joy of the Lord is something that God provides, but we must choose to take hold of it and use it. Just like a soldier is issued a weapon, but he gets to choose whether he just lugs the thing around all day behind him or whether he picks it up and shoots the enemy.

The joy of the Lord is YOUR strength.  Will you pick it up and use it today? How?  What’s one way you will choose to apply the joy of the Lord to your life today?

One way you can take action is to apply for one of our Joy and Peace Breakthrough Calls.  We have a few spots left. Get on a call with me that is specifically designed to help you get clear on what practical joy and peace can look like in your family life in the year 2020.  Discover the #1 thing stopping you from having that regular happiness, and Complete the call with excitement knowing the EXACT next steps to take to have the happy and content family you desire!

SImply apply for a call at maryaldrichcoaching.com/apply . But hurry, there are only a couple spots left and you’ll want to get started on the game plan we create right away.

As a bonus for applying, I’ll send you a FREE digital copy of my Daily Fruit Juice Journal.  It has 365 days of simple journal prompts to help you apply the fruit of the spirit more practically to your everyday life.  Use it with your kids, too.  The prompts make great conversation starters for valuable discussions.

Again, that’s maryaldrichcoaching.com/apply

The post The Joy of the Lord appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

Joy isn’t just a happy thought, it’s deeper than that.

Haven’t we heard that? It’s not about being happy, it’s a set of soul.

Yet, I want to challenge you that we can cultivate a lot more every day joy into our lives and it looks very similar to happiness when it’s in action.

How would you like some happy in your life?

So, the good news is that everyday joy is a skill your brain can learn.  A habit you can cultivate. A practice.

Our brains work in patterns and your brain has patterns around all sorts of things. You can conjure up feelings of joy immediately when you consider certain events, and then you can be reduced to tears by other circumstances.

We each have patterns of thought and feeling that we circle around.  Choosing joy is a way to begin creating a new habit in our life.  At first, it will feel fake, uncomfortable, odd.  But as we continue to practice over and over, choosing joy becomes something that we do without thinking about it.

Here are three ways you can practice the skill of joy:

1. Think big picture.

When we zoom out and look at things from God’s perspective- eternity, the main themes of love, truth, mercy, and grace- it is much easier to rejoice even in the midst of a difficult moment.

Take some time to consider your life from God’s point of view today.

2. Think on “these things”. Philippians 4:8 is our instruction manual for cultivating happiness into our everyday life.

If you were to chart your thought life, how would you rank it? Higher on the “whatsoevers” or higher on the worries?  It’s not a big deal, it’s just a skill you can practice. Start where you are and move towards joyful thoughts today!

There are so many times we can celebrate the goodness of God- and actually feel it.

Open your arms wide.

Sing!

Lift up your eyes and delight in the Creator of the Universe for no apparent reason.

So what if someone looks at you like you’re crazy!  Would you rather look sane and feel discouraged, or nuts and feel elated at the blessings of Almighty God?

Today is the day to get started on this skill.

One action you can take is to sign up for a Joy and Peace Makeover Call with me.

This is a FREE one hour call to help YOU

– Create a sense of clarity about the Joy and Peace you really want to have in 2020.

– Discover the #1 thing stopping you from having the happiness you long for

– Complete the call with the excitement of knowing EXACTLY what to do next to create the happy and content family life you truly want.

Apply today! Spots are limited!

The post Happy Living appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.