So, where are you in trusting God? Is there some area of life that you need for Him to make larger or better? Can you trust Him to do that? Here a few tips for living it out: (Pages 42-45)
1) Know Who it is You are Trusting
Read the Bible and learn about God's character. The more you know about Him the easier it will be to trust Him. You might want to read the Psalms. You'll also want to get to know Jesus, for Jesus said that if we have seen Him, we have seen the Father. See John 14: 9. In fact read all of John. Look at the pages of John, and the other gospels, too, and see Jesus's love, His care, His compassion, and His power. That is who you are trusting. Watch Him as He deals with His sheep, and remember that you ARE one.
2) Decide What Needs to Change, and Define the Steps
Look at the areas of life that you want to be different, and ask yourself how much FAITH you are exercising in those areas. What first step do you need to take? Know that God will always be there to catch you if you fall, and He will always have your best interests in mind.
3) Ask yourself if there was anything from your past that has harmed your ability to trust. Was it people? The church? Did you have a traumatic experience? Find out where you got your "trust map" and begin to rewrite the path of your future. If necessary, get some counseling to help.
4) Share in the Faith Testimonies of Others
The Bible says that what others have done and what God has done in their lives helps our own faith. You will be amazed as you learn what God has done in the world, in our communities, in our circles of friends and family. Trust is a muscle that can grow as you learn to be certain that He can bring about what you cannot see. Of course you can't see it yet! It will only come into being as you take that step, the step of trust. Find a bible study, a prayer group, a community that will share their experiences with you, and you can share yours, too.
Now, I've shared what the key is that opens the door to blessing. Trust is the key.
The rest of this wonderful book is spent looking at some of the secrets God has given us so that it might go well with us in the areas of life that matter to us most: Our emotional well-being, our relationships, and our purpose. We will find that the Creator Himself has told us how to make the life He created work best. And then the final chapter brings you back to some UNRELIGIOUS secret things of God that will ground you and prepare you to live out all the secrets you've discovered in this book.
So see if you can find your book "The Secret Things of God" by Dr. Henry Cloud, and your bible, read them, and Let's go unlock some treasures!
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This will be all I'll write on this "book report". I do encourage you to find this wonderful book and your bible and read "the rest of the story". And go on a treasure hunt - you won't be sorry. You'll be "rich".
James 2:17 and Deuteronomy 4:29
6 comments:
Finding treasures - the valuable gems that are sometimes hidden in the dirt that surrounds them! If you look hard enough, dig beneath the surface, wash off the dirt and mud, you can see a beautiful treasure of immense value! Who would ever ignore it? Who would ever refuse to go on a treasure hunt where they KNOW they will find beautiful, valuable gems?
Chuck and Deedle just did that. They found some sapphire mines near Philipsburg where you can buy buckets of dirt and hunt for the valuable sapphires. Would they ignore them? Would they throw them back? Wouldn't you think they'd wash them off so they could see them better? Then take them somewhere to have them worked into a beautiful, faceted stone of great value? That's what they did.
That's how it is when we go on a treasure hunt through our bibles. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with where you should go in your "treasure hunt". He will guide you. Ask Him to reveal the beauty of your treasure, the meaning of it for you. He will reveal it to you. It's a great adventure. Let's go on our "treasure hunt" in the bible and share what "gems" we find there.
I can share results of trusting God to make things happen when I trusted Him and stepped out in FAITH (trust):
When we moved to Billings in 1975, I had just recently been baptized in the Spirit, and was very alive and excited about what God was doing for us. I had a lot of courage, and before that I had none. When we got to Billings, I joined a prayer group the first week I was there. All my wonderful, good friends were there, and our friendships grew very strong from there. I just had heard about this prayer group from Fr. Terry when we left Gt. Falls, and I walked right into the building and introduced myself around to the people who there. Something I would NEVER normally do - too shy and unsure of myself. Then I walked into St. Pius one evening and there was Lee Anne, Terry, and Jackie Havens practicing for the music on Sunday. They begged me to help them. I'd never done anything like that before, but I felt drawn to it, and layed it before the Lord. He said do it, so I did. They had never had a music group there before - only an organ with the old old hymns. Well, that group grew from only those 3 to over 40, and we did lots of fun, inspired music. Thanks to God, who took it over and guided each and every step! The prayer group had a lot drawing for leaders of the group. there were 3 chosen - and I was one of them! And I kept getting it over and over! I did Life in the Spirit Seminars with Ruth and Lorraine all over Montana and some in S.D, too! I was teaching! I could NEVER, EVER have done that unless the Lord was doing it through me! I taught Jr. Hi CCD for a few years. The parents and kids loved what I was doing. From that Fr. Tony and Fr. Arbanas begged me to be the Religious Ed Director. I felt the Lord was drawing me to it, so I did it. The year before every single teacher had resigned in disputes with the previous director. I had to start completely over! I even got to order the curriculum. It was so good and emphasized the Holy Spirit. Before long, I had 44 people who were teaching, aiding, helping in some way. I had a secretary, even! Families were coming from every parish to enroll in our program rather than their own!
Please don't think I am bragging about myself. For sure, I am not. This was all definitely the Lord working through me, and me trusting Him. I feel like I have had such a great life, and it's all because I trust Him in everything I do! I just need to act when I feel that prompting and even sometimes, just stepping out and trusting when I don't. If my heart is in the right place, I know He can make something good out of anything I mess up!
I always wait a bit before acting, though. I want to make sure it is the right move - and Phil is my guide. He seems to know when I should do something, and when I should get out. Plus, when I'm pondering something, I see it everywhere and in everything I do.
I thank God for my experience of knowing Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I thank God for staying by my side and directing my paths. I thank God for my friends and family and especially for my husband, who have contributed so much to my spiritual growth and confidence in moving ahead. Thank you for reading this blog!
Do you have experiences of trust and faith you could share?
Mom...this is so great. I just now got around to reading it. I love the stories. You are so funny!
#3 is really standing out to me today. It is a tough one for me, but I know it is where I need to start today. I heard a Joyce Meyer teaching on this very thing and it really grabbed my heart, so I know I am suppose to pay close attention.
Thank you, Mom, for this. You are really helping me with my life and turning everything over the the Lord.
YOU ARE AWESOME Lonnie Ma!
Mom I love the comment you wrote about being the CCD Director. You were awesome. Eveyone LOVED and still LOVES you. Man, when you come to Billings, You are mobbed by the masses of people who remember you. Look at how many people's lives you touched...including your family! This is GOD AT WORK for sure. I knew you before and after and now. The transformation was amazing and I watched you throw yourself full speed ahead into trusting God to work your life! God is so goooood! You were always amazing in my eyes, but after you came to know the loving had of God, you were my hero...andn still are, MOM.
I LOVE YA, BABE!
Thank you, Karen! YOU are the one who led all of us to the Lord in the first place! I'm so thankful for that and for the fact that I listened and went with you and your sisters to that first prayer meeting we all went to together in St. Luke's basement! That one event changed my life forever! Thank you, and thank you, jesus.
That #3 is a very important step in our life of trust. I can share that I got a lot of help with it at Chatcolab! That was my beginning steps to liking myself and discovering I had value. And then the Holy Spirit has really made me see myself in a new light! It is a step by step process - like peeling the onion, as Linda said. And, it is never finished! I still need to learn how to trust God to protect me in situations where I am afraid - like going on a trip on snowy roads, or when I see a spider, etc., etc., etc. . . . I am working on my fears and worries. Pray and ask God for a "Healing of memories". I'll be praying for you, too.
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