Jan 24 OUR FAITH ISN'T ALL THE THINGS WE SAY WE BELIEVE; IT'S WHAT WE DO NEXT.

Affirmation: I choose to be authentic. I let go of what other people think.

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Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown

Cultivate Creativity. Let Go of Comparison 

At a certain age, the brain develops in a new way and we become self-conscious. We fear judgment if our creative work isn’t “good enough.” Eventually, this comparison with others squanders our creative habits. And when you don’t flex your creative muscles regularly, you stop seeing yourself as a creative person.

But you haven’t lost your ability to be creative. In the same way that a clogged pipe doesn’t lose its capacity to carry water, the creative force within you is still alive. You just need to rid yourself of what obstructs it.

(I just listened to Lightmskers Manifedto, by Karen Walrond. She is an attorney turned Journaler. She uses her journal to cultivate creativity. Start today in your journal. Write. Draw. Doodle. No rules.)

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Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews 

The Guided Decision 

I will seek wisdom

Sometimes the questions are complicated, but the answers are simple.

Knowing that wisdom waits to be gathered, I will actively search her out. My past can never be changed, but I can change the future by changing my actions today. I will change my actions today! I will train my eyes and ears to read and listen to books and recordings that bring about positive changes in my personal relationships and a greater understanding of my fellow man. No longer will I bombard my mind with materials that feed my doubts and fears. I will read and lis- ten only to that which increases my belief in myself and my future.

I will seek wisdom. I will choose my friends with care. I am who my friends are. I speak their language, and I wear their clothes. I share their opinions and their habits. From this moment forward, I will choose to associate with people whose lives and lifestyles I admire. If I associate with chickens, I will learn to scratch at the ground and squabble over crumbs. If I associate with eagles, I will learn to soar great heights. I am an eagle. It is my destiny to fly.

Ask and it will be given to you, Seek and you will find, Knock and the door will be opened to you. Matt 7:7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not lean on your understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will guide your steps. Prov. 3:5,6

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Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love by Bob Goff

Jan. 24

OUR FAITH ISN'T ALL THE THINGS WE SAY WE BELIEVE; IT'S WHAT WE DO NEXT. 

You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.

PSALM 86:5 

 

When we try to follow Jesus, grace always meets us when we fall off the wagon. No matter how far we fall, God is there to take us back the moment we turn to Him. We don't have to give a long acceptance speech to receive His grace. We don't even need to get our act together first-He scoops us into His arms when we're still covered in mud from head to toe and calls us beautifully His. Is this fair? Heck no. Don't worry about it.

 

What that also means is this: we can't count on yesterday's faithfulness on our part to carry us through tomorrow's problems. Since it's never been about us being good enough or having the right answers, we can't just ease into cruise control. God doesn't care how many Bible studies you've been to. He isn't wowed because we've memorized a couple of verses either. He only cares about what we do next with what we already know, and every day we all start in the same place.

 

Sometimes we get so carried away trying to be right that we forget to be kind. We forget Jesus didn't ask us to have all the answers. He also doesn't need us to be the hall monitors of other people's conduct. He had a few strong words for the people who appointed themselves as protectors of truth. Jesus simply asked us to follow Him, not to monitor who everyone else is. And following Him sometimes means identifying with and hanging out with the very ones the religious people rejected.

 

If we find ourselves more concerned with proving we have all the right knowledge about Jesus than living out the message of Jesus, we need to get back to where we started when we first heard about grace. Is this going to be tough at times? You bet. Our faith isn't all the things we say believe; it's what we do next.

 

In what ways have you been trying to prove your commitment to God instead of trusting His approval of you?