The Power of Remembering: Empowering Mondays

It is hard to believe that I have been posting Empowering Mondays for two months now.  Wow. We have covered many topics: (Click on any that you have missed!)

• Power of God at Work in our lives
• Power of Rest and Sabbath
• Power of Life in my Deadness
• Power of God over Strangling Stress
• Power of Walking in God's Calling
• Power of Friendship
• Power of Choice
• Power of Perspective

I have enjoyed reading your comments, hearing your stories, and praying for you as seek to be empowered in your life. Our God is All-Powerful and can conquer anything we wrestle with. He also empowers us with tools to deal with life situations. I hope that you have found this series to be helpful. We have one more post next week and I can't wait to present it to you...with another giveaway!

For today, I wanted to talk about the power of Remembering. 

One of my favorite stories in all of the Old Testament is found in Joshua 3 - 4. The Israelites led by their faithful leader, Joshua, witness a miracle as the Lord God shows up and shows out. The priests carry the ark of the covenant to the tip of the flood staged Jordan River and as "their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away... while the water flowing down to the Dead Sea was completely cut off." The Scripture continues by telling us that  the entire nation of Israel completely crossed the Jordan River on dry ground as the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood in the middle of the Jordan. What a scene! What a miracle! What a story!

But I love what happens next.  Joshua tells the Israelites to appoint twelve men and to go and take twelve stones out of the middle of the river where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant are standing. As soon as the stones were gathered, the Lord commanded the priests carrying the ark to come up out of the Jordan. As soon as the priests' feet touched dry land, the Jordan waters returned to their original flood ridden state. Joshua then takes the twelve stones and sets them up at Gilgal and tells the Israelites that this "rock collection" is to remind them to tell the story of how God enabled the Israelites to cross the Jordan on dry ground... just as God had dried up the Red Sea when they were escaping the Egyptians.  "God did this so that all of the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful..."

We need a "rock collection." Our gathering of "stones" remind us of the awesome and infinite power of our God. They invite questions from our children. "What are those 'rocks' for?" Of course, we may not gather stones. But we do need to have a tangible reminder of God's faithfulness and His goodness. We need to recall what He has done in our past so that we live in our present and move forward into our future. "Remember the wonders He has done."  1 Chronicles 16:12

So, what does your "rock collection" look like?  Have you taken the time to journal God's faithfulness in your life? We need to find ways to remember what God has done in our lives so that we can tell our children and our children's children of His great faithfulness. So, if you don't have a "rock collection," start one! 

Unwrapping the gift of remembering,

Kelli

 Lauren Tucker Photography, on Flickr

The Power of Perspective: Empowering Mondays

First things first, we have Four Winners from my big 4-0 giveaway! (I used a random number generator.)

The Winner of One Thousand Gifts is Abby.

The Winner of When Women Say Yes To God is Julie V.

The Winner of Sun Stand Still is Leslie C.

The Winner of a Starbucks Giftcard is Karin H.

Please email me at kelli{at}ccclive{dot}org with your addresses so I can send your prize to you!  Thanks!

Now, back to my regular blog post...

thanks, Iain Farrell, Flickr

Many of you are familiar with the magazine, Real Simple. I enjoy looking at all the pictures and reading the informative articles, but one of my favorite sections is New Uses for Old Things. Whoever comes up with these new uses for familiar things is a genius! Actually, they are just people with a keen and unique perspective.

Who would have thought that we could use a toilet paper roll to store our hair elastics and bobby pins neatly?

What about putting marbles in your double boiler to alert you to add more water?

What would happen if we gained a new perspective with the people in our life? 

Instead of seeing our husband as the person we have to make happy, see him as the gift God gave us to make us more like Jesus, like sandpaper sanding away our rough edges.

Instead of seeing our children as little people that we have to wait on, provide for, and clean up after, see them as gifts that remind us to laugh at life, to enjoy life with hands in the air, and to eat cake for breakfast.

Instead of seeing the people in our lives that really challenge us as problems, view them as gifts that keep us humble, keep us pliable and teachable, and keep us ever so reliant on God.

What about having a new perspective of our life situations? 

Instead of seeing our health struggle as a curse, see it as an opportunity to totally rely on God, to grow our prayer life, and to increase our trust in Him.

Instead of seeing our relationship issue as a reason to not trust anyone ever again, view it as a way to minister to others, and to seek God before we plunge in again.

Instead of seeing our overwhelming workload as a good reason to quit, use it as a catalyst to get organized, to make some life changes, and to prioritize.

Having a new perspective can be empowering.  When we begin to view those familiar people or situations for what they can be instead of what they have been or what they are even today, we have the power, ignited by hope,that we can carry on.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  

2 Corinthians 4: 18

So, let’s have some perspective.  It may not be Real Simple, but it can be Real Powerful.

So, what is something in your life on which you need to gain a new perspective? Please share in the comments so that I can pray for you.  P.S. I want to thank you all for making my 40^th Birthday unforgettable. 

Unwrapping the gift of perspective,

Kelli

The Power of Choice: eMpowering Mondays

When I look at my life and I feel so overwhelmed by the to-do list, the time crunch, the necessities of the day, I forget to remember that I have choices. That my to-do list is ultimately full of things that I have placed there. That my time crunch is often because I have not managed my time wisely. And when I evaluate those necessities of the day, I find that they are often  not really necessities for living at all.

So I have choices. Choices are powerful. Though my feelings lead me in one direction, I can choose to go another. 

Though choice is an individual right or power, those of us who follow Christ realize that choices made in obedience to Him are impossible without His Power. 

Paul says in Romans 7: 15 - 20: (Message Version)

"What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise... my decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions...I've tried everything and nothing helps. Is there no one who can do anything for me? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different."

Paul understood what we face today.  That we have choices, and we make decisions. But without the power of Jesus Christ, we cannot make the choices that we really need and desire to make.  

choosing to exhort our children rather than exacerbate them

choosing to praise rather than preach

choosing to guide rather than gain control

choosing to give love rather than giving lectures

choosing to show patience rather than showing power

choosing to give thanks rather than giving threats

choosing to be joyful rather than being pitiful

choosing to be kind rather than cruel

choosing to show gentleness rather than showing grievousness

choosing to be faithful rather than faithless

choosing to exhibit self-control rather than self-gratification

choosing to pray rather than presume

Lord, grant us your Power to make powerful choices.

Are these kinds of choices difficult for you? Is there a way that I can pray for you today? I would love to hear your comments. 

Unwrapping the gift of choice,

Kelli

The Power of Friendship: eMpowering Mondays

I am just returning from a second weekend away with great friends. I know what you are thinking. I must have an awesome husband to allow me to getaway two weekends in a row to do girl stuff. You are right. He is awesome. But he's also smart. Aside from me being exhausted when I return, he knows that there are great and lasting benefits of me spending time with friends.


When asked recently what I like to do in my spare time, my answer was, "When I have spare time, I love to spend it with friends...that's it. We could have coffee, lunch, dinner, or dessert; go walking or shopping...it doesn't matter. I just like to be with my friends."


I am blessed with many friends. In fact, Facebook tells me I have over 700 of them. Wow. But I can tell you this...reading a status update and writing Happy Birthday once a year on someone's wall does not make me a friend to someone else. To have friends, I must be intentional about nurturing those friendships. Solid relationships with friends will not happen by accident. There are times I fail at this miserably. But it is definitely my goal and desire to be a good friend to others.


So, after two weekends with friends, what have I learned?  There is POWER in friendships. Friendships grow us, strenghthen us, encourage us, and empower us. We are able to continue when we didn't think we could. We are able to fight when we thought we were ready to quit. 

Though one may be overpowered, 

two can defend themselves. 

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. 
Ecclesiastes 4: 12

We need friends! Friends are like a good LATTE...


L   Laughter happens when we are with friends. Whether we laugh until we cry, or we cry until we laugh, laughter usually occurs and it is so good for us!
A   Accountability is necessary. We need to have someone in our lives who will remind us of the goals we have set, the promises we have made, the people we were called to be. 
T   Truth must be spoken in love. Good friends don't just tell us what we want to hear, but what we don't want to hear as well. And then they are there to encourage us to work through our stuff.
T   Trust must be present to be good friends. Without trust, we are just acquaintances because we will never share our deepest thoughts and concerns with each other.
E   Encouragement abounds in friendships. We promote each other, listen to each other, and give each other courage. We pick each other up when we fall or fail, and we walk alongside each other to provide more stability.


What's better than a good latte? A good friend enjoying a latte with you!




Do you see the power in friendships? Can you add to this list of attributes? I would love to have your comments. And I thank you for being a friend and reading this blog!




Unwrapping the gift of friendship,




Kelli

These ladies are gifts to me!

When Stress Starts to Strangle: eMpowering Mondays

Stress isn't always bad for me. Sometimes stress motivates me and makes me productive. But then there are times when I feel its nasty grip around my neck and I begin to suffocate, panic, and give up. Last night was one of those times when I felt like stress was strangling me and taking the very life out of me. I sent a Facebook message to a friend of mine and it said something like this:


Please pray for me right now. I think I am just tired and a bit overwhelmed. I had the opportunity to speak at a church this morning and that went well...but I have struggled ever since I got home. My house is a wreck, I have so many to-do projects, lots of writing to do this week, AND I am preparing to speak at our church's women's retreat this coming Sunday morning. Needless to say, I am not emotionally or spiritually prepared. I know this is an attack and I just need someone to pray for me. Your name came to mind. Would you please?


Have you ever felt this way? That's a rhetorical question. Because if you are alive, I know that you have. So, what do we do when stress starts to strangle us?

1. Pray and ask for prayer. Prayer ushers in the POWER of the Holy Spirit that comes alongside us, that strengthens us, encourages us, and motivates us. Don't be afraid or too prideful to reveal your stress to others so that they can pray for you. There is POWER in prayer.
2. Put it all on paper. (or your computer...whatever tool you use most.) Often when we actually write everything down that we need to do, it is less overwhelming. When things are just floating in our minds, we cannot manage them as well. So make a list. Write down everything that comes to mind that you need to do, or even want to do. Then...
3. Prioritize your to-do list. What has to be done today? What can be done tomorrow or even next week? Honestly, organizing your closet can wait. Cleaning out your kitchen catch-all drawer is not necessary today. (Oh, wait, that was my list!) You get the idea.
4. Pass on duties to others. Delegate! Are there things on your list that others can do.  My sweet friend that received the above Facebook message reminded me to even involve my children in sharing the load of duties. (Thanks, Melanie.) Yes! Bekah can fold clothes and Ryan can unload the dishwasher. Those responsibilities can seem minor, but when combined with many others, they can be overwhelming!
5. Procrastinate. NOT.  Oh, this one is a biggie for me. A friend just shared with me last week about this very subject. She told me I needed to read the book titled, Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy. Though I haven't read it yet, it is on my book list. And, I just can't help thinking about going ahead and eating that "frog"(that one thing that I don't want to do) and moving forward with my list. (Good stuff, thanks, Teri!)
6. Plan some time with the Lord and with friends. Fellowship with God brings perspective and peace. When we spend time with Him, thanksgiving inevitably results. We realize how much He has blessed us and He gives us perspective on our impending to-do lists. Fellowship with friends provides accountability and much needed laughter and conversation. Don't ever estimate the power of spending time with God and friends!


I hope this list of six will help you with your to-do list of sixty. Stress will come. It is inevitable. But it doesn't have to strangle you. 


I would love to have your comments. I read every one and usually respond to each one. So, comment!!!!(And do it now, because it won't happen later! ) If you are reading by email, click here.


Unwrapping the gift of God's power over stress,




Kelli


Linking with Jen at...

eMpowering Mondays: Life in my Deadness

^{Question: Do we live our lives empowered by the fact that our God raises the dead?}

In 2 Corinthians 1: 8 - 9, Paul describes some major gut-wrenching, devastating trials he was going through. Though he doesn't tell us exactly what the trials were, we can infer that they could have been internal (sickness, anguish, depression) or external (persecution, physical abuse, or even wild animal attacks!) I am actually glad that Paul doesn't tell us exactly what those trials were.  Not being specific enables us to apply this verse to our own lives, especially when we are in desperate circumstances.

^"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."(NIV)

This verse reminds us that:

1. Our difficult life experiences increase our need to totally rely on God.  Would you agree?  When life is going great and smoothly, we tend to lean on our on power and understanding. We run the show. But when life gets difficult, we are reminded of how inadequate we are on our own and of how much we need a Savior.  God is always worthy of our trust and reliance on Him. But we often make the choice to put Him aside and direct our own steps. 

2. Our reliance on God increases our realization of His power.  When we are at our wits end, and we decide to fully give ourselves and our situations to Him, He shows up in a mighty and miraculous way. We say, "I don't know what to do!"  He responds,"Great. I'll take it from here!" We realize how powerful He is. We realize He is able. 

Ever been in a situation you thought was hopeless? Ever thought a relationship or a dream or a circumstance was virtually dead? You did all you could do. You tried all you knew to try. And wearily, hopelessly, you laid it at the feet of Jesus. Paul says that in the most desperate of circumstances, it feels as we have been given the death sentence. And then Paul gives purpose to those painful circumstances - "that we might not rely on ourselves, but on God." And then he adds these four little words that make all the difference in the world.

who raises the dead. This is not about relying on just any god. This is about placing our lives in the hands of an Almighty God. Our God raises the dead! God can bring life to a dead situation. He can bring hope to your hopelessness. There is no one like Him. Are you living your life as if you are empowered by a god? A god who isn't real? A god who doesn't hear you? A god who doesn't love you and have a plan and purpose for your life?

Or are you living your life knowing that you are empowered by THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE? The Great I AM? The Lover of Your Soul? The God Who Has a Plan for Your Life? THE GOD WHO RAISES THE DEAD?

Would you join me in praying that we can live empowered by the fact that our God raises the dead? 

Lord, help us to see our need to more fully rely on You and by doing so, see Your power at work in our lives.

Would love your comments!

Unwrapping the gift of Him bringing life to my deadness,

Kelli

Linking up with my sisters at:

eMpowering Mondays

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”  -~ Albert Einstein

Last week was incredibly difficult for me. For a multitude of reasons. And in the midst of it, I honestly wanted to quit and run.  Run like Forrest Gump. Keep running and never stop. Maybe then I would finally end up somewhere where I wouldn't feel the need to run again. 

You and I both know that wouldn't happen.  There will always be difficulties.  We live in a fallen world where things just go wrong and life is hard. So, if we can't or shouldn't run away from those problems, what should we do? 

Ask God to show you what He wants to teach you in this difficult time. Instead of asking, "Why me?," let us ask, "What do you want to teach me?" So, Thursday night after four days of tears and wounds brought by the enemy, I approached the approachable Savior and asked Him for instruction. 

I found clarity in the midst of chaos. God began to lay out for me what He wanted me to focus on - especially in my blog writing.  I had been praying for God to help me find my niche in the writing world.  This is the result of my time with Him:

eMpowering Mondays - Each Monday, on the blog, facebook page,and twitter, I will focus on unwrapping the gift of God's incredible power. Together we will:

• recognize and record the power of God at work in our lives. (I'll be asking for your stories!)
• learn to access the power of God that is readily available to us.
• discover the value of empowering others to live out their calling as we seek to live out our own calling

I am so excited about this! (I'll be introducing another theme on Wednesday.)

So, for today, I am asking you to help me "tell of the Power of God's awesome works." He is worthy of praise!

 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; 

his greatness no one can fathom. 

One generation commends your works to another; 

they tell of your mighty acts. 

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— 

and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 

 They tell of the power of your awesome works— 

and I will proclaim your great deeds.  Psalm 145: 3 - 6

Now, it's your turn! Leave a comment and tell us about a recent experience where you saw the power of God at work in your life.

Grateful to unwrap this gift of His power together,

Kelli

Linking up with Playdates at the Wellspring