When we become anchored in who we are in Christ, we will live in total freedom. Paul was so anchored in Christ that he said he didn’t let anything that happened to him move him.

The way you become anchored in Christ is to get to know Him. Through his Word and through your personal relationship with Him. The more you know Him, the more anchored (immovable) you’ll become.

• I’ve become anchored (immovable) in the belief that I’m free from any and all fears that come against me (Psalm 34:4)

• I’ve become anchored (immovable) that God is a good God and wants to do incredible things in and through my life (Hebrews 11:6, Ephesians 3:20, John 10:10)

• I’m anchored (immovable) in the fact that God’s called me and He’s my promotion and reward! (I Cor. 15:58, Galatians 6:9)
  

• I’m becoming anchored (immovable) from letting the opinions and approval of others rule me (John 5:41, Gal. 1:10)
  

Everyday we need to become more and more anchored, more and more immovable in who we are in Christ.

What areas in your life do you need to become anchored in Christ in?

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And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together, giving us joint seating with Him in Christ Jesus. -Ephesians 2:6

You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban is one of my favorite songs to listen to when I’m spending time with God. It helps me remember the faithfulness of God in my life. God has raised me up out of some of the darkest times of my life:

• He raised me up from a student addicted drugs, tobacco, and alcohol, to someone who is free from addiction.
• He raised me up from having no purpose in life to living a life of purpose daily!
• He raised me up from graduating high school with a 1.6 GPA to a college graduate with a 3.2 GPA!
• He raised me up from never thinking he could date a descent girl to giving me an unbelievable woman of God!
• He raised me up from a life of worry, insecurity, and anxiety to a life of security & confidence.

I could go on and on. When I was going through these issues in my life, I thought I’d never make it through to the other side, but God raised me up out of each of them, every time.

Now when I go through something, I just remember the faithfulness of God. That He HAS raised me up out of anything I may face.

I encourage you to look back on your life. What has God raised you up out of? Thank Him for what He’s done and grab hold of the truth that no matter what you’re facing today, no matter how difficult or hard it may seem, God will raise you up out of it.

He was faithful in the past, He’ll be faithful in the present, and He’ll be faithful in the future.

Trust Him. He Will Raise You Up!

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Below are some things I use in everyday life that have made life so much more productive & so much easier! I’d recommend checking out everything I’ve listed.

If you’re aware of other things that could simplify my life of make it more productive, please leave your recommendations in the comment section!

Google Reader – Ever feel like there is way too much to read? Too many blogs, to many news articles, etc.? Google reader allows you to subscribe to RSS feeds and have all of your favorite news articles, blogs, etc. in one central place for you to read. If you’re not currently using this, you need to check it out!

Evernote – I just recently started using this, it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite things in the world. It’s a place where you can draft, edit, organize, and file text documents, audio files, pictures, and pretty much anything else you can imagine! You’re able to organize everything by Tags and Notebooks. I’d highly recommend looking into this and all the things you’re able to do with it!

Hootsuite – This is where I take care of my social networking updates. It allows you to schedule Tweets/Facebook updates in advance. You can schedule updates as far out in advance as you’d like, so you don’t have to waste time during the day thinking of what to say, etc. There are plenty of other benefits, but I’d recommend using this tool!

IMapMyRide - If you’re a walker, runner, or a biker, you need to get this app or use this website. It will track all of your workouts, map out your runs, keep your heart rate, allow you to listen to your ipod while working out, and even has voice updates that tell you how far you’ve gone, etc. This makes working out so much more fun!

Tap & Track - This is what I use to track all of my calories. It’s only for the iPhone, but it’s so convenient! You can find pretty much any restaurants nutritional info in this app, pretty much any food from the grocery store, and what you can’t find, you can add. If you’re watching what you eat, this is a necessity! I love it!

Mint.com – The best free way to track all of your finances. This will create reports for you based on your spending, allow you to make financial goals, give you options as to where you’re money could be making more money for you, etc.

YouVersion – This is free online Bible software. By far the best out there! Want to read the Bible through in a year? No problem – YouVersion provides a ton of reading plans for you to choose from. They will track your progress, allow you to tag and make notes with the scriptures, share verses, and allow you to read any version you want. There are mobile versions available! Get in the Word!

iPhone – This goes without saying, but the iPhone has made life so much easier. All of the things I’ve listed above are all available on my phone. If you have one, I bet you’d agree that you can’t really remember what life was like when you didn’t have one! I don’t care what anybody says, no other phone comes close to the iPhone. I’d recommend getting one, it’s worth it.

Google Analytics - Want to track traffic for your website? This is the best way! You’ll be able to find out pretty much anything you want to about who comes to your website, how many times, what they look at, etc. This is very helpful to see whether or not your website is effective, what articles interest people, etc. If you have a website and you’re not using this, you need to be.

Google Apps -  I use this to e-mail my ministry teams, share documents with them, share to do lists with them, create online sign-ups and track them, share calendars, have online team meetings, etc. I’d highly recommend getting your organization hooked up with the apps, especially if you’re a non-profit!

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The following is inscribed on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abby (1100 A.D.) …

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world.

As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family.

From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world.

**We need to be focused on consistently improving, changing, and bettering one person – ourselves! Once we develop a lifestyle of doing that, God will open up doors for us to make a difference in the lives of others. Chew on that!

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We kicked off a new series at Rev this past Saturday called Only God. Here is the series opener we use:

Our creative team did a fantastic job with this video! It’s going to be a great series!

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⁴ But I said, “I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.” -Isaiah 49:4

This scripture set me free when I was 18 years old and tried quitting my internship at my church. I was at the peak of disappointment. My romantic notions of what ministry was to be like were shattered. I felt like everything I did had no purpose, I felt like I was spending my strength in vain and for nothing. Then I read it, “Yet what is due to me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

All you need to trump romantic notions in your  life is to believe that God is an amazing God who loves you more than you could ever imagine and wants the best for you. Believe that He knows what He is doing, that He’s preparing you for great things, and that His will for your life will come to pass, and that it will be better than anything you ever dreamed of. Read Hebrews 11:6!

When you really trust God for your future, your promotion, your hopes and dreams, nothing will move you.

You don’t need to look to anyone or anything for your reward, security, or any other need you have in your life. It’s in God’s hands, it’s in God’s time. Trust Him! Trust Him for all of your dreams and expectations for life! He knows the desires of your heart! The Bible says Cast all your Cares on Him, for He cares for you.

God is bigger than you could ever imagine. He loves you more than you could ever imagine. It’s time we set all of our hopes, dreams, and romantic notions at His feet, and allow Him to move in our lives. Allow Him to bring things to pass in your lives and to take care of you. To be honest, that’s really the answer to all of our questions, problems, and needs in life.

Are you really trusting God? With your entire life?

I hope this series on Romantic notions helped you.

Here are some scriptures that have helped me in this area:

⁵⁸ So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. -I Cor. 15:58

⁹ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. -Galatians 6:9

⁶ And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. -Philippians 1:6

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“Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not shared in their work.” Acts 15:38

There have been times where I wanted to quit, and even tried to. I frequently thought:”This isn’t what I signed up for” “This isn’t what I thought it was going to be like”. Motivation left me.

When it came down to it, my expectations of what something was like and the reality of what is actually is were two different things. I think this is what happened to Mark when he left Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:26-38). He saw everything Paul was doing and got excited about it. Preaching, writing, and traveling in ministry, it wouldn’t get any better than that right?

Then he got into it, started getting stoned, persecuted, having sleepless nights, and the reality of what it was like sunk in and he had enough. When his romantic notions went away, he quit. It got to the point where Paul wouldn’t even take him along on his journey (Acts 15:36-38).

II Timothy 4:11 shows us that at some point, Paul changed his mind about Mark. He said it’d be profitable to take Mark with them. Something changed from the day Mark left in Acts, to this point. I think Mark grew up. I think he forgot about his romantic notions and went after everything God had for him regardless of how hard it was. As a result, he was profitable to Paul’s ministry and he ended up doing everything God called him to do.

When you find your romantic notions bringing disappointment, recognize that it’s time to grow up. No matter what job you have, it’s still a job. There will always be things you don’t want to do, but have to. Times you don’t want to do things, but have to. Do it, don’t quit, don’t look back, and watch as God brings you into some amazing things because you forgot about your romantic notions.

I’ll leave you with this excerpt from an article in a medical magazine:

“We hear it almost every day . . . sigh . . . sigh . . . sigh. “I just can’t get myself motivated to lose weight, test my blood sugar, etc.” And we hear an equal number of sighs from diabetes educators who can’t get their patients motivated to do the right things for their diabetes and health.

We have news for you. Motivation is not going to strike you like lightening. And motivation is not something that someone else – nurse, doctor, family member – can bestow or force on you. The whole idea of motivation is a trap. Forget motivation. Just do it. Exercise, lose weight, test your blood sugar, whatever. Do it without motivation. And then, guess what? After you start doing the thing, that’s when the motivation comes and makes it easy for you to keep on doing it.”

How do you get through disappointment? Just start doing what God’s put in your heart and choose to never quit.

Thoughts?

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¹⁶I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” -Acts 9:16

Why do you want to do what you dream of doing? I remember when I first wanted to go into ministry I thought of how awesome it’d be – speaking every week, getting to do a ton of fun events and activities, helping people, etc. I thought it’d be easy, unbelievable, and a walk in the clouds.

I was wrong! Now, don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing I’d rather do than what I’m doing. For me, it’s the greatest job in the entire world, it’s fulfilling, a ton of fun, and an honor and a privilege.

However, all the romantic notions I had about going into ministry went away pretty early on. It’s a ton of work, a lot of which isn’t seen at all by people, it’s a ton of time spent investing in others, a lot of time spent on personal growth, in meetings, leading volunteers, counseling people who don’t listen to you, the list goes on and on. Ultimately it’s laying down your life, your dream, your hopes and desires, for other people.

Romantic notions have set me up for some big disappointments in my life. Whether it was romantic notions about losing weight, getting promoted, having a great relationship, etc., the disappointments always left me wanting to quit. Here are some romantic notions I’ve had:

• The romantic notion that I’d lose weight without working hard and dieting.
• The romantic notion that I’m indispensable where I work.
• The romantic notion that I’ll do great things with my life just because I have a gift.

Expectation ————— >Disappointment <—————- Reality

Romantic notions are never reality. They’re unrealistic expectations. In between expectation and reality lies disappointment. If we don’t learn how to rid ourselves of romantic notions, we’re going to spend large portions of our lives in disappointment.

This week I’ll share what I’ve been learning about this subject. I hope it helps you!

What Romantic Notions do you have that have been leaving you disappointed?

Thoughts?

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“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” -Hebrews 12:5,6

If we’re going to become everything that God has called us to be, we’re going to have to be corrected, a lot. We’ve already established that being corrected and coming face to face with reality in our lives can be very difficult and painful.

When correction comes we have two choices: Humble ourselves, become vulnerable, and make changes, or become bitter, ignore the correction, and refuse to change. One leads to life and one leads to living a mediocre & miserable life.

The only way you’ll chose to humble yourself and make changes is if you have the right perspective of correction. Keith Moore said something at Impartation that set me free in this area. He said, “It’s not just correction when the Lord corrects you, it’s preparation.”

The Bible says to not give up when we’re corrected, it wouldn’t say that if we wouldn’t be tempted to. Then it says that God corrects those HE LOVES. When you’re being corrected, realize that God is preparing you for the next season of your life. That should give you hope to press through no matter how hard it gets.

Choose to be humble and vulnerable. Ask people to speak into your life, if they say something you don’t want to hear, don’t get bitter, recognize that they’re speaking into your life because they love you unconditionally and want to see God’s best in your life.

Once you’ve received correction from someone, ask questions, set boundaries, set daily disciplines, and get accountability, and before you know it, God will have taken you to an entirely new level.

Correction does has it’s perks!

Thoughts?

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Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” -Galatians 6:1

I heard Erwin McManus say once that all too often we read the Bible as though we’re always the protagonist, but never the antagonist.  We’re David as he fights Goliath, but not when he committed adultery,  we’re Moses leading Israel out of Egypt, but not when he killed an Egyptian, we’re Peter when he walked on water, but not when Jesus rebuked him!

When we have this outlook in life, it’s easy to slip into a mindset of thinking we’re doing all the good we read about, and aren’t even close to doing the bad. This mindset is dangerous. It hardens our hearts to God’s correction, gets us into pride, isolate us from people, and leaves us vulnerable. We can actually get to the place where we think we’re invincible and never in danger of falling.

When we always view ourselves as the protagonist, we’ll never build the character we need to sustain what God’s called us to, and ultimately, we’ll fall.

We need to recognize that we’re all just one choice away from becoming the antagonist.

If we’re humble enough to recognize this, we’ll start to read God’s Word and other books with a whole new perspective. We’ll start to ask ourselves questions like: Why did these people make poor decisions? Am I displaying similar attitudes or making similar decisions to these men that got them into trouble? Am I actually living out the Word of God that I’m reading?

Always strive to be the protagonist, but don’t be naive enough to believe that you’re incapable of being the antagonist. Ask God for the wisdom and grace to get in the Word and evaluate where you stand on every issue, how you can improve, and what attitudes of your heart you need to change.

Thoughts?

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