August 18 Hearts or Plans?

Affirmation: I accept my fears and doubts and move forward anyway.

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27)

Worry will discourage us to take even the smallest step. In many cases, it’s not that God’s unable to perform miracles rather it’s us who refuse to take that one small step needed to be the starting point for God’s miracle.
~~~~~~
Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown
Cultivate Resilience. Let go of Numbing and Powerlessness.

Start Practicing:

Recognize that resilience is a skill you can build through intentional practice. Then, start practicing with these 6 approaches to develop crazy-good resilience.
Bring awareness to your go-to numbing strategies. Is it food? TV? Your smartphone? Pornography? Alcohol? Awareness of these moments creates a fork-in-the-road, where you can choose a new path. Ask yourself: “Would I like to step forward into courage? Or step back into comfort?”
~~~~~~
Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews
The Certain Decision 
I have a decided heart.
It’s not about what it IS…
It’s about what it can BECOME!

What you decide in your heart will be done and the light of God will shine on your ways. Job 22:28

The Certain Decision for personal success is what fuels your actions from the active decision. The clarity of vision you maintain in your mind is directly proportional to the effectiveness of your actions. A decided heart is unwavering in the face of continual challenges and setbacks and that ensures victory and a lifetime of greater fulfillment.

HOPE, DREAMS, ANTICIPATION…DECIDE.
~~~~~~~
Reading for Today
Walk in Grace. Live in Love by Bob Goff
AUGUST 18 
GOD’S MORE INTERESTED IN OUR HEARTS THAN IN OUR PLANS. 
My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways. PROVERBS 23:26 

Everyone close to me knows I love surprises. I love surprising others with gift-wrapped bicycles and balloons, and I love when people surprise me—even if it’s just sticky-notes in unexpected places like inside grilled cheese sandwiches. Surprises keep life interesting. They let us know people were thinking about us. 

My family has managed to catch me off guard, but even more often I’ve caught them in the act of putting together a surprise for me. Sweet Maria gets as giddy as a kid every year on Christmas Eve, and I’ll find a trail of clues I can usually follow. On birthdays, I’ve occasionally figured out a party was waiting for me before the big day. Even after I discover the surprise, I play along anyway because I know it’s a bummer when your surprise gets spoiled. 

In truth, it’s usually not the event itself that moves us, though the moments with friends can be priceless. We’re moved by the love that went into the planning. No one plans surprises for people they feel indifferent about. We plan surprises for the people who have captured our hearts. And when we walk through the door to a big group of friends, or figure it out before the party begins, we imagine all the joy that went into their scheme to make us feel special. It’s the heart behind the surprise that moves us. 

God feels the same way about us. He doesn’t care about the plans we scheme up or the success we achieve. He cares about the heart behind it all. Next time you find yourself too tied to your ideas or the outcome of your efforts, remember God isn’t dazzled by the big reveal. He revels in the heart behind the plans. 

What plans have kept you distracted from focusing your heart on God lately?

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