Hi friend, thanks for stopping by! I'm Amanda. I am a pastor's wife and a homeschooling mom who has a passion to encourage women to faithfully step every day into what God has for them.
Have you seen Frozen 2? It’s a favorite at our house. We’ve watched it countless times. I enjoy it just as much as my kids do. There’s a really sad part in the movie, though, when Elsa freezes and Olaf slowly begins to melt. Anna is left by herself. She cries, then rises to her feet slowly and sings a song entitled, “The Next Right Thing.” The first time I heard it, it wasn’t really my favorite. But it’s kind of grown on me.
Disney Theology
I don’t usually take my theology from movies, especially a Disney cartoon, but that song has stuck with me because the principle is pretty good. I have found myself even using it on my kids during homeschool.
Sometimes we get stuck in life. We feel battered and confused, frustrated and weary. It can paralyze us from moving forward. We get stuck because we don’t know what to do next.
Choose to do the Next Right Thing
When I wake up feeling this way, it’s the worst feeling. I hate that feeling of discouragement and hopelessness, when you feel like the only thing to do is just stay in the bed for the day. It’s on those days that this principle comes to mind and helps me to move forward. I drag my body out of bed and just keep telling myself to do the next right thing.
So, first thing in the morning, it’s getting out of bed and going downstairs. Then it’s making coffee. After that, I head to the table to start my morning time routine. Sometimes that’s enough, and I’m off for the day. Other times, I have to just keep telling myself all day to do the next right thing.
Once I get started, I can feel God guiding and directing me. He keeps me from falling and helps me get through another day.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
Psalm 37:23,24 KJV
Keep Going Until You’re Back on Your Feet
If you’re feeling stuck today and don’t know how to move forward, I feel your pain. Instead of focusing on everything that’s falling apart around you or the fear of what’s to come, simply focus on doing the next right thing. Keep doing that for as long as you need to until you’re back on your feet. Every day won’t be like today. Don’t focus on tomorrow or the day after that. Simply focus on doing the next right thing at this moment. Eventually, you will find solid ground beneath you and the ability to be able to move forward once again.
My parents flew in from Colorado to visit us in Pennsylvania for a few days, so we took them to the beach for the day. We played in the sand for a while, splashed in the water, and searched for the best seashells.
My parents with Macey, Maggie, and Madison
When we were ready to go and I started packing up and grabbing all our belongings, I saw a heart drawn in the sand with the word mom and a smiley face. I stopped for a minute and stared down at it. I wasn’t even sure which of my children created it. One of them had drawn it without saying a word to me and then went on their way.
For some reason, that little heart with the word mom in it and a smiley face stopped me in my tracks. It caught my attention like nothing else could have in that moment. The child who made it didn’t come over and tell me they loved me, they simply created an expression of what they felt. I felt so loved in that moment. Yet, it made me stop and wonder… Did that child feel that same love in return from me or was I too busy for them?
Living In the Moment
I get so busy with life. Every day, I have more on my to-do list than I can possibly accomplish for the day. The days run together and life just seems to fly by. I feel like sometimes life passes me by in the blink of an eye, and I miss so much. Then I see a simple heart in the sand with the word mom in it, and it slows me down.
It made me stop and think and ask myself some tough quesions. Am I living in the moment? Am I enjoying this time with my family, or am I just trying to get through it and move on to the next thing? Am I paying attention to those around me? Am I giving my family members the love and attention they need? The heart was just a simple reminder for me to live in the moment, to love the people that are in my life.
A Quiet Whisper
God has a funny way of getting our attention sometimes. I’m reminded of the verses in I Kings when God gets Elijah’s attention. It’s not how Elijah thought it would happen.
And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
I Kings 19:11,12 KJV
God wasn’t in the hurricane, the earthquake, or the fire. God’s voice came to Elijah in the form of a quiet whisper.
Missing My Heart in the Sand
Often, I look for God in the big moments of life, when something incredible happens or when there’s a storm rocking my world. Those are the times that I’m not worried about missing God. I know He’s going to show up, and I know I’m going to see it.
What I do worry about missing, though, are the times God shows up in a quiet whisper like He did for me at the beach. God used a heart drawn in the sand with a simple message to catch my attention, to remind to focus on what’s important, to live in the moment. Life is passing me by too quickly. My kids are going to be grown and gone in the blink of an eye. I don’t want to look back on the years I had with them in regret because I was too busy to focus on what was important. I want to focus on Living the Life I Have, Not the One I Want.
I left the beach that day with a renewed vision to live in the moment. I don’t want to miss out on memories, meaningful conversations, and chances to speak love into my children’s lives simply because I was to busy to do so.
Book Recommendation
If you are a mom with kids still at home and this topic resonates with you, you would enjoy Hands-Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford. She teaches us how to “live a present, authentic, and intentional life despite a world full of distractions.”
Is your faith strong enough to stand on? We think we have faith until everything falls apart around us; then we really see how much faith we really have.
When My World Came Crashing Down
A little over two years ago, my faith was tested, and it surprised me how weak my faith really was. I’ve always considered myself to have a lot of faith, but sometimes being tested is a true sign of where you are at.
Over the course of just a few months, we lost several giving families in our church. For a small church plant, that was devastating. I remember Matt’s face when he told me that we wouldn’t be able to make payroll that month. I just stared at him.
“What does that mean?” I asked, totally surprised, even though I knew exactly what it meant.
“It means we don’t get paid,” he said before leaving the room.
I sat there for a few minutes, then prayed. “God, we really need you to come through for us. Please provide for us.” I left the table and moved about my day, confident that God would come through for us. He had come through for us so many times in the past, why would this time be any different? Little did I know, God wouldn’t come through for us that month. Nor would He the month after that and the month after that.
Going From Bad to Worse
The next several months brought all kinds of mayhem with it. I watched as our carefully planned life and ministry came crashing down around us. Things went from bad to worse, and I had no idea how to fix it. My faith was stretched so much, I thought I was going to lose it altogether.
Weeks stretched into months, the bills piled up, the credit card maxed out, and we were in serious trouble. Talks of shutting the church down took place. Through it all, I felt like my head was spinning. I couldn’t wrap myself around the fact that God wasn’t providing. Where was He? My family was in the middle of a huge financial crisis, and He was nowhere to be found. I didn’t have the kind of faith that could keep trusting When God Doesn’t Meet My Need. This was all brand new to me, and I could literally feel my faith slipping away.
This past year and a half rocked my faith. It’s only now that I can look back with just a little clarity, and I’ve realized something about my faith. My faith was weak. I thought it was strong, but it wasn’t. I had what I call a one-to-one faith with God when it came to provision. When I had a need, I prayed; and God would answer. Prayer… answer. He didn’t always answer right away, but He always came through. I understood about things such as illnesses and loss and other requests that God may never answer. But God providing for us? That was easy.
My faith had always worked for me in the past. Now, I was in unchartered waters. This was entirely new. I had never dealt with God not providing. God was taking my faith deeper, and it was painful. This new faith required me to trust God, even when He didn’t provide. This was a much deeper faith. Now it was affecting my kids.
God was saying, “Amanda, will you choose to trust me even when I don’t pay your bills on time? Will you believe that I am good, even when it doesn’t seem like it?” That’s real faith! Easy faith is when you ask for help, and God provides. It takes deep faith when you ask God to provide, and He doesn’t.
The Hidden Pain: When You Feel God is No Longer Blessing Your Life
A New Kind of Faith
I had to learn this new kind of faith. Honestly, I didn’t think my faith would make it through that testing. I believe God let me come to the absolute end of myself to show me what my faith really looked like.
In the book of Mark, Jesus taught His followers about different kinds of seeds that fall to the ground and why some grow and others don’t. I think we can make a direct correlation to our faith.
4 Kinds of Faith
1. A Dissipating Faith
The farmer plants the Word. Some people are like the seed that falls on the hardened soil of the road. No sooner do they hear the Word than Satan snatches away what has been planted in them.
Mark 4:14,15 MSG
This first kind of faith is over before it’s even really started. This person’s faith dissipates before they ever start their journey of faith.
2. An Emotional Faith
And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.
Mark 4:16, 17 MSG
This kind of faith touches a little closer to home. This is the kind of faith that is strong, passionate, and ready to conquer the world. That is until a trial comes. This faith is built on emotions. “If I feel good about my faith, I will stand strong. If I don’t feel it and can’t see it, my faith begins to waver.”
3. A Fearful Faith
“The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it.
Mark 4:18,19 MSG
The what if’s of life stop this kind of faith from moving forward. This faith stops growing when fear settles in. “I really want to follow God, but what if it costs more than I’m willing to pay? What if it’s holding me back from where I need to be in life?” That kind of faith eventually fizzles out.
4. A Durable Faith
But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams.”
Mark 4:20 MSG
This is the kind of faith I want to have. I want to have the kind of faith that says, “Okay, God, no matter what happens, I’m all in.” God rewards that kind of faith, allowing us to produce a harvest beyond our wildest dreams.
Faith Check-up
It’s a good time to do a check-up on our faith as we head towards the end of this crazy year of 2020. This year has rocked even the strongest of faith. Some have stood strong, while others have crumbled.
If you’re still standing strong, I want to link arms with you, come alongside you and stand with you. Keep standing. Keep getting up early to spend time with God. Keep doing what it is God has called you to do. Start or stick with a morning time routine.
If your faith has crumbled, it’s time to stand back up, brush the dirt off, and move forward. Faith is not about never failing, never falling, it’s about Getting Back Up After Falling. I want to link arms with you and help you stand strong once again.
My six-year-old, Maggie, has the tenacity of a bull. She gets something in her mind and goes after it with a singular focus that’s enough to weaken even the strongest adult. She’s worn me down more times than I can count, and I consider myself a fairly strong person. More than once, she’s gotten me to give in on something I really wasn’t planning to, much to my regret.
Consequently, my kids have realized her strength over the years, and more than once have sent her to be the negotiator to Matt and me when they want something.
Maggie’s the one on the right.
The Tenacity of the Blind Men
I was reading in the book of Matthew this week in my morning time. I read a familiar story that made me think of my Maggie. It’s the story of two blind men who ask Jesus to heal them.
As Jesus was passing through an area, two blind men cry out to him. The crowd that is following Jesus looks at them with disdain and tries to quiet them. That wasn’t enough to stop these men. I wonder if they made a pact together ahead of time.
“Listen, when Jesus passes here, we’re going to get one shot at this. We have to get Jesus’ attention, no matter what it takes. It’s going to take both of us. We can’t give up, no matter what happens.”
When Jesus passes by, both men begin to call out, trying to get Jesus’ attention. The crowd tries to hush them, but that just makes them call out even louder. By this point, they are being obnoxious, causing a scene. But do they care? Nope. They cry out louder, “Master, have mercy on us.”
Jesus Hears Them
When Jesus stops and turns in their direction, I can picture the crowd pausing, holding its breath, waiting to see what is going to happen. The crowd parts and Jesus comes to stand before the two men.
Can you imagine what the two men are feeling now? They probably looked at each other in shock, like, “It really worked. He stopped.”
Jesus’ Response to Them
Jesus asks them, “What do you want from me?”
The two men don’t hesitate; they don’t think twice. They answer quickly and confidently. “We want to see.” These men knew what they wanted and went after it.
Don’t miss Jesus’ response to their request.
Deeply moved, Jesus touched their eyes. They had their sight back that very instant, and they joined the procession. Matthew 20:34 MSG
Jesus was moved by their faith and their boldness so much that He stopped what He was doing to respond to them. Clearly, their tenacity worked.
Jesus’ Humanity
Sometimes when we read the Bible, we miss the humanity of Jesus. Though He was fully God, He was also fully human. He understood feelings and emotions, and He was affected by them. It’s hard to balance Jesus’ sovereignty and deity with His humanity.
I wonder… would Jesus have stopped to heal them if they hadn’t called out? Would He have kept walking even after He heard them call out if they hadn’t increased their volume? I’m not sure. All I know is that two men believed Jesus could work on their behalf and they weren’t going to stop until He did.
How often do we approach Jesus this way? I wonder how many of our prayers don’t get answered because we don’t call out with absolute faith and tenacity, holding on to Jesus until we get an answer. This is what I call wrestling with God.
Wrestling with God
What does it mean to wrestle with God? Here is an excerpt from my book, The Hidden Pain:
What does it mean to wrestle with God? What does it feel like? It’s hard to describe. The only way to describe it is that I have spent many hours on my knees begging God for His blessing. I’ve cried many, many tears asking God why He won’t help things to work out in my life. I’ve questioned His goodness. I’ve wrestled with trusting Him. I have written countless prayers and cries to God in my journal. I have asked, pleaded, argued, and questioned God so often. I feel that after several years of begging God and pleading with Him for His blessing and not feeling like I have gained it, I just want to wrestle with Him more. I feel like I can begin to understand why Jacob wrestled with the angel all night long and wouldn’t let him go until the angel blessed him…
Are you in the same place? Can we encourage each other to hold on and keep wrestling? Jacob wrestled during the night until the morning light finally broke through. My morning hasn’t broken through yet. It’s still dark. I can’t see, but I can feel Jesus’ arms around me, and I am grabbing on to those arms and not letting go until He blesses me.
The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God Is No Longer Blessing Your Life
I think that wrestling with God is equivalent to what the two blind men did. They wouldn’t let Jesus pass until He heard them and answered them. After that, it was just a matter of telling Jesus what they wanted.
Wrestling with God in Your Own Life
What do you need to wrestle with God for in your life right now? What burden are you carrying that you are begging for an answer to? Maybe it’s a financial burden, a health concern, a difficult child, the loss of a friendship, a deep hurt… I don’t know what it is, but I know Someone who does.
Maybe it’s time for us to drop to our knees and call out to God. Maybe it’s time to reach out and get a hold of God and not let go until He answers. We need to develop the kind of tenacity these blind men had. We have to decide that it doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks. It doesn’t matter how anybody else responds to us. All that matters is getting Jesus’ attention.
That’s the kind of faith that moves Jesus. Jesus put it this way.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: Matthew 7:7 KJV
Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. Matthew 7:7 MSG
When we want God to work more than we care about how we look or sound to others, that’s when we will know we are developing the tenacity to wrestle with God.
Thanks so much for entering my fall giveaway and welcome to Faithfully Stepping! If you are new around here, you can find out more about me and why I started Faithfully Stepping HERE.
This is a place of encouragement for the person whose life doesn’t look anything like they thought it would. Life has fallen apart around them, and they have been left to pick up the pieces. My passion is to help that person. I send out a weekly email every Friday with encouragement to help you keep faithfully stepping into what God has for you.
Here are some of my most popular posts to get you started:
One of the reasons for my fall giveaway is that I am super passionate about developing a morning time routine. My mornings set the stage for my entire day. A good morning equals a good day. My morning time routine includes prayer, Bible reading, journaling, and morning tasks. Read Creating a Morning Time Routine You Love and My Best Tips for an Effective Morning Time to help you get started.
Resources in the Fall Giveaway
You can find all of the resources in the giveaway on Amazon or click the links below:
Matt and I spent some time talking with a friend this week. We listened while she talked. She shared some frustrations, then broke down into tears. She poured out her heart with all that was burdening her.
One of the things Matt said to her during our conversation was this. “What we’re going through right now is unprecedented. Give yourself some grace to get through this.” We said a few more things and then went our separate ways.
I thought about that conversation this week and about the dozens of other similar conversations we have had. One thing Matt and I keep coming back to as we talk to different people is that this is a difficult time. There is no getting around that.
The Changes
I think it’s easy to forget what a big deal this Covid business has been. Because we are back at work, back to doing life somewhat normally, we forget how much it’s really affecting us. That is, until something happens and it reminds us how different life is right now.
Consider this: the Olympics was canceled this year. The Olympics Games have only ever been canceled in history due to world war. The Olympics was canceled in 1916 for World War I and again in 1940 and 1944 for World War II. That’s a pretty big deal!
Covid has changed so much in our everyday lives. In all my years of attending church, we never canceled church except for an isolated snow storm here or there. Then churches close down for months at a time. Overnight, moms had to become home school teachers. Kids who have been schooled their entire lives are suddenly stuck at home, trying to navigate their schooling online. Jobs changed, incomes changed, grocery shopping changed.
So much has changed in the past few months. Yet we forget that and don’t give ourselves the grace we need to get through what we’re dealing with right now; then we’re shocked when everything falls apart around us.
Now is Not the Time
I’m sure you’ve seen as I have, people’s lives fall apart during these past six months. We’ve watched as public figures, good Christian leaders, have blown it big time. Some have decided to get a divorce from their spouse. Other leaders have said or done stupid things, and their ministries have fallen apart because of it.
We need to be reminded of this- now is not the time. Now is not the time to get divorced from your spouse. Now is not the time to make a major life change. Instead, it’s time to dig deep and find God’s strength and grace to be the stabilizing force in your family’s life and in others’ lives around you. How can we find the stability we need?
Six Ways to Find Stability
1. Spend time every morning finding grace and strength from God’s Word and through prayer.
I do this through my morning time routine of Bible reading, prayer, and journaling. I use my Faithfully Stepping Journal for this. We can only find the stability we need by staying close to God during this time. It’s when we get far away from Him that we can’t make sense of things around us. That’s when Satan can step in and convince us to do something we never thought we would.
Faithfully Stepping Journal
Matt and I just released He Still Calms Storms, a thirty-day devotional. If you’ve been struggling with what to read in your Bible each day, the answer may be this devotional. Each day includes a story to read to inspire you, Scriptures to study to guide you, and questions for self-reflection to help you.
New Release Devotional
2. Spend time reading good, uplifting books or listening to encouraging podcasts.
Check out my book and podcast suggestions here. Spending time being filled with thoughts about God and good will get our focus off our circumstances and keep us grounded.
3. When it gets too crazy, take a break.
Take a vacation day, go away for a few days by yourself or with your family. Do what you need to take the time off now before things escalate into something more serious. Even just a day or two away can bring clarity and perspective. It’s when we just keep plowing ahead that we can really get off and make some bad decisions.
4. Talk to somebody who’s further down the road than you.
Find someone that can speak wisdom into your life and tell you truthfully what you need to hear. Sometimes we need an honest, outside perspective to help us get back on track.
5. Use release writing to get what’s in your heart down on paper.
Release writing is the process of writing down everything that is in your heart concerning a particular situation. It can be an event, a hurt, whatever it is that has you unraveling at the moment. Write down everything that is in your heart- the confusion, the pain, the fear, the failure, the frustration, whatever it is. Get everything that is in your head down on paper. Only then can you begin to truly work through what it is you’re going through. Once you can see it all on paper, you can begin to pray about it specifically, find verses to help, and books to read. You can also then be able to talk to someone about what you’re going through and have a better grip on being able to explain it.
6. Seek out professional help or counseling.
If you are really struggling, one of the best things you can do is get help. Find a Christian counselor who can help you to understand what you’re going through and be able to walk that path with you. There are things in life that you may go through that you simply can’t get through by yourself. That’s what a counselor is for. They can give you the help you need to get back on track.
Now is not the time to make a life-changing decision. Right now is the time to focus on finding the stability and grounding we need to be able to stay faithful to God and our families and to be able to help bring stability to those around us.
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Sometimes we just need a new product to get us excited about something we already do every day. Today’s post is about breathing life back into your morning time. This list of ten products will help get you motivated and excited about morning time again.
1. He Still Calms Storms Devotional
Devotional for Morning Time
Matt and I just released the He Still Calms Storms Devotional. We combined the three devotional studies we released on Social Media this summer into a book. It’s a thirty-day devotional on finding calm in the middle of chaos. If you’re looking for something to encourage your heart, this devotional would be great. If you’ve been struggling with what to read in your Bible each day, the answer may be this devotional. Each day has a story to read, Bible verses to read, and questions for application.
2. A New Journal
Sometimes getting a new beautiful journal can help breathe life back into your morning time. If you want a journal that’s blank inside, try looking at Barnes and Noble or Hobby Lobby. Those are two great places to find beautiful journals.
If you’re looking for a journal that has a system inside, try my Faithfully Stepping Journals available on Amazon. With three beautiful covers to choose from, these six-month journals have three parts. The first section is for prayer and includes gratitude, confession, and requests for the day. The next section is for Bible reading. Here you record what you read for the day and journal about what impacted you. The last section is for writing down tasks or reminders for the day. Journaling daily will help to develop consistency in your prayer life and Bible reading that will propel your spiritual growth to new levels.
Faithfully Stepping Journal for Morning Time
3. A New Bible
If you feel like you need something fresh for your morning time, maybe it’s time to get a new Bible. I love getting a new Bible because it’s a blank canvas. I get a chance to go through and underline verses as I come to them, to mark it up with new notes and discoveries I make. If you want to really give yourself something to change things up, pick a new version. Matt gave me this beautiful copy of The Message Bible for Christmas. The Message is the work of Eugene Peterson, an amazing man of God who gave his life to preaching and writing this paraphrase of the Bible in everyday language. I have so enjoyed reading and underlining verses in my Bible that I’ve known my whole life but are now worded in a more modern way.
The Message
4. A New Book
Another great way to breathe life back into your morning time and find encouragement is to buy a new book for your morning time basket. A new book can encourage your heart and breathe life back into your soul. If you need some good book recommendations, check out my list of books I recommend. Here’s a few more I have read recently that have encouraged me: You Are the Girl for the Job by Jess Connolly, Love Lives Here by Maria Goff, and Momentum: The Simple Roadmap to Clarify Your Callingby Matt Manney.
Good book for morning time
5. A New Mug
It doesn’t have to be something big. Maybe it’s just something small you buy for yourself that brings a smile to your face each day. A few years ago, Matt bought me this thankful mug.
Mug from Hobby Lobby
It always makes me smile when I use it. I also like this blessed mug from Hobby Lobby that’s green on the inside.
6. New Pens
One of my favorite thing in the world is new pens. I especially love these Paper-Mate colored pens for my morning time.
7. A New Candle
A brand new candle is one of the best ways to add something fresh to your morning time. Fall is the absolute best time of year for great candles. My personal favorites are the three-wick candles from Bath and Body Works. Some of my favorites this season are honeycrisp apple, pumpkin snickerdoodle, vanilla pumpkin marshmallow, pumpkin vanilla cream, and salted butterscotch.
My friend Keya started Masterpiece Candles Co. I just ordered some of her fall line candles- apple donuts, cinnamon vanilla french toast, pumpkin pie, and butter maple pancakes. I just received them and can’t wait to light them and use them.
8. Coffee and Creamer
I can’t do my morning time routine without coffee in the morning. I love fall-inspired coffees and creamers. My sister bought me this Pumpkin Spice Decaf Coffee for my birthday, and I am loving it! I have to drink decaf because caffeine gives me migraines. It’s really hard to find good flavored decaf coffees, but this one is awesome. Matt is enjoying Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Coffee each morning.
We love Wawa’s French Vanilla creamer. It’s pretty much the best thing in the world. But this season, we are also enjoying Chobani’s Pumpkin Spice Creamer. My sister-in-law bought this for us, and it’s pretty good.
9. Some New Songs to Listen To
Okay, so these are not a product, but I wanted to add songs to this list. Sometimes, I need some new songs to listen to that encourage my heart. A few songs that are either new or just new to me that I am enjoying are the following:
Don’t Sweat It– Sidewalk Prophets (This is a fun one I have been running to)
10. Gratitude Journal
When I feel myself really struggling with being discouraged, a great remedy is to spend some time writing down all the ways God has blessed me. I do this every morning in my Faithfully Stepping Journal, but sometimes I just need extra time. I created this free printable you can print off to use at home. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of God’s incredible goodness to us and it’s easier to do that when we see all the ways written down in front of us.
Free Printable
Sometimes it’s the little things in life that keep us motivated and staying on track. Picking just one thing from this list may be just the thing you need to breathe some life back into your morning time.
“Mom, catch me. I’m slipping!” Have you heard those words before? One of my kids’ favorite things to do at the park is the monkey bars. The irony is that it’s their favorite thing, but they are also terrified of it. Over the years, I have spent so much of my time at parks standing beneath my children as they learn to do the monkey bars.
You know the drill. They start. They get two or three in before their grip starts slipping and down they fall. My job is to simply wrap my arms around their legs the moment their grip slips and catch them before they can fall. I put them on the ground. Then they smile hugely and run over to the stairs so they can climb back up and begin the entire process again.
My kiddos at the park
God Keeps Us From Slipping
God works this same way in our lives. The moment we feel like we are slipping and can’t maintain our grip anymore, God moves in and catches us.
If God hadn’t been there for me, I never would have made it. The minute I said, “I’m slipping, I’m falling,” your love, God, took hold and held me fast. Psalm 94:17,18 MSG
A song that we love to sing at our church is He Will Hold Me Fast by Keith and Kristyn Getty. I love the words of the last verse and chorus.
For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast; Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast. Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast ‘Till our faith is turned to sight, When He comes at last!
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast; For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.
He Will Hold Me Fast by Keith and Kristyn Getty
He is Watching and Waiting, Ready to Catch Us
The thing about slipping is that you have to be close to falling. When my kids are on the monkey bars, I could just make things easy for them and carry them across. When they are little, I do just that. I hold them up while they grasp the bars. I bear all their weight, so they’re not really doing it. They just think they are.
As they get older, though, I let them do it on their own. I’m just there to catch them if they fall. I think God works the same way in our lives. He doesn’t just do life for us. Rather, He watches and waits, ready to catch us when we slip and keep us from falling. The Psalmist reminds us of this truth in Psalm 116.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Psalm 116:8 KJV
When Life Falls Apart
When we feel like we are at the end of ourselves, it’s God that rescues us every time. You may feel like you’re slipping today. Maybe you feel like you’ve lost your grip on everything around you. Life doesn’t make sense. Things are not working out. You’ve worked so hard, yet it feels like it’s all ready to fall to pieces around you.
When we feel this way, there is only one answer. We have to look up. Call out to the only One who can keep you from falling. Know that when you do call out to God, He will hear you and will be there to catch you before you fall.
Verses to Remind Us that God Hears Us
Here are a few verses to remind ourselves that God hears us when we pray to Him, when we feel like we’re slipping.
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers… I Peter 3:12 KJV
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 KJV
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: I John 5:14 KJV
Encouragement for Today
Whatever it is that you are facing today, God is more than aware of it. If you feel like everything is falling apart around you and you’re loosing your grip, maybe it’s time to call out to God. Then step back and watch what happens when He steps in.
So I wrote Pursuing Your Dream, Part 1 all the way back in March. My plan was to get this post out next. The next week, COVID happened and we went into quarantine. In the middle of a crisis, I didn’t feel like this post was appropriate. I put it on the back burner. So give that post a quick read if you want.
The first post was about finding your dream and choosing to pursue it. This second post is about continuing with your dream.
Continuing with Your Dream
Do you know what comes after starting your dream? Continuing with your dream. It’s awesome to establish your business, create your first product, and make your first sale. But then reality sets in. You have to keep creating. Then you have to figure out sales tax and income tax. After that, you have to put money back into your product or business. Then there’s dealing with people who don’t care for your product. It’s during this time that we are tempted to give up on our dreams. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it’s worth it.
When the output is more than the income, when you don’t sell enough product to make a profit, when somebody complains or criticizes what you are creating, when you feel like this business will never get off the ground… that’s when we are tempted to give up on our dream.
Why Continue?
Matt and I are pursuing our dream of writing and creating products. I blog here at Faithfully Stepping and write non-fiction books as well as fantasy books, and I’m loving it! I am so fulfilled by writing.
With that said, though, Matt and I are not getting rich on the books we’ve written. We pay more for editing than we make in sales. So why do we do it? Because it’s how God has gifted us, and we love writing! Writing gets us up early, keeps us up late, and leaves us bleary-eyed and tired. Yet, we’re doing what we love, and we have goals in mind that we are striving for. That’s how a dream is. On good days, it will motivate you, so you don’t have to motivate yourself.
Encouragement to Not Give Up
One of the verses that has become a huge encouragement to me is Micah 7:7.
But me, I’m not giving up. I’m sticking around to see what God will do. I’m waiting for God to make things right. I’m counting on God to listen to me. Micah 7:7 MSG
Too many times we give up on our dreams, give up on seeing God do something amazing with our lives for one simple reason. We don’t stick with it long enough to see the dream come to fruition. It’s not enough to start something, we have to stick with it.
Keep Pursuing Your Dream
Let me take it a step further. Have you tried your hand at a dream and it failed? Have you seen your dreams crash and burn and then given up on them? It’s really easy to look around and see everybody that’s doing a better job than you. I get it. Believe me!
There are very few people who have actually become a success overnight. It takes hard work and discipline and sticking with it to become successful.
Jim Rohn says,
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
Jim Rohn
If we want to keep our dream alive, we need to put some habits into practice and stick with them. It’s not enough just to pursue our dream, we need to develop the habits and practices to keep that dream alive.
Five Tips to Help You Not Give Up on Your Dream
Get up early. Entrepreneurs know that successful people get up early. The best book recommendation for this is The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod.
Learn to find extra pockets of time throughout your day. If you are just starting to pursue your dream, chances are you are still busy full-time with other work. Maybe it’s a full-time job, parenting, homeschooling, or something else. Most of us don’t have time to focus one hundred percent of our time on our dream. Because of that, we have to learn to get creative and find pockets of time throughout our day. Jessica Turner calls these the fringe hours. Her book The Fringe Hours is a must-read.
Refuse to listen to negativity. There will always be people who don’t like your particular business or product. We have to choose not to listen to that negativity and let it discourage us. We need to choose to ignore criticism or it will cripple us from moving forward. If there is something we can learn and change from the criticism, then do so. Otherwise, ignore it and move forward.
Remember why it is you started. Whether you started because you need extra income, you want to help people, or because you just love your product and want to share it with the world, don’t forget why it is you started.
Picture your success. Form in your mind’s eye what success looks like to you. Then keep that image before you, especially on the days you want to give up. We have to have something that motivates us to keep going.
Other Resources
If this post got you thinking about wanting to start something of your own, but you’re not sure what, Money-Making Mom and Fringe Hours are both great books to get you started. They are both loaded with ideas.
Do you need momentum right now to get back up on your feet and keep going? Have you wanted to walk away from what it is you’re supposed to do?
So many of us get excited about what God wants us to do with our lives- our calling. We jump on board, throw ourselves in with everything we have, and get to work. Then reality hits.
We realize we don’t make enough money to cover the bills, we get sick, the people we are supposed to be helping turn their back on us, and people don’t approve of what we’re doing. We get discouraged, defeated, and want to give up.
Circumstances Don’t Dictate Your Calling
That was where Matt and I found ourselves seven years into our ministry. Nothing was working out like it was supposed to. The bottom dropped out financially, we didn’t see the results we were looking for, and it seemed like the best thing to do would be to throw in the towel and walk away. We found ourselves in a really horrible place. Did we walk away and shut the doors on our church because it wasn’t working out? We could have. No one would have faulted us. God taught us a really important lesson during that time.
“Circumstances do not dictate the direction of our life. Calling is the constant to pull us through the chaos.”
Momentum
God taught us that just because our circumstances weren’t good didn’t mean we were done with the work He wanted us to do. God used that time to drive us to our knees. I’m not going to lie, it was a very difficult time. We spent about two years struggling with whether to stay or leave. God used that difficult time to strengthen our calling. When most people thought we should leave, God showed us that we were in the right place. God also used this time to push us towards the other part of what He had for us- writing.
Gaining Momentum by Clarifying Your Calling
We are much stronger in our calling today. We know we are where we are supposed to be, doing what God called us to do. First, we are to minister to people outside of Philadelphia through our church, to remind them that there is a God who loves them and is for them. Second, we are to write to encourage people to create a life they love. Find what God has for them and go after it with all their heart, and we will be there to encourage and help them from the sidelines with our books, journals, and devotionals. God has given us such clarity and peace for our calling. He used adversity to clarify our calling.
The clarity you need for your calling comes when you’ve been forged in the fire of adversity.
Momentum
You Are Exactly Where You Need to Be
Maybe you are at a similar place in your life. You know what it is God wants you to do, but things are just not working out. Maybe you need to be encouraged with these words today.
You are exactly where you need to be right now, whether it feels good, makes sense, or causes despair. God is working your calling within you. He is molding and shaping you as a potter molds and shapes the clay on a potter’s wheel. (Jeremiah 18:4)
Momentum
I would have given anything to hear those words when Matt and I were struggling. Now, we want to speak words of encouragement and life into others who are in the midst of their own struggle right now.
Momentum: The Simple Roadmap to Clarify Your Calling
That’s why Matt wrote Momentum: The Simple Roadmap to Clarify Your Calling. He writes about the four obstacles that keep us from pursuing and thriving in our calling. Matt and I are at complete peace now and love what we are doing. We would have missed out on the greatest joys we are experiencing now had we stepped away from what God wanted us to do.
You can chose the adventure you want to live- an adventure of stepping into your calling.
Momentum
Momentum is close to both of our hearts. We want others to be able to find momentum in their lives as we have in ours. You can get a copy on Amazon today. It’s available in paperback and ebook.
From Matt: If you’re tired of struggling with the obstacles that stand in your way, you don’t have to wrestle anymore. After years of frustration, bad advice, and trying to find my fit, I discovered the four obstacles that stood in my way to clarify my calling. Don’t struggle like I did. Let this book be your guide to overcome the obstacles that keep you from stepping into your calling.
If you want to give it a try first, you can download the first chapter for free. Just click below.
