Tag: Spiritual Disciplines

Trust: A Measure of Contentment

I’ve recently discovered a wonderful app for my iPhone called “Abide.” It is designed to help people experience the peace of Christ through Biblical meditation and guided prayer.

As I reflected upon the concept of contentment, I was reminded about one of the meditations in the app. The verse for the day was Psalm 37:4 which says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” It’s a familiar verse, but I was floored when the host flipped it and asked a question for reflection and confession: Is there something for which you are not delighting in the Lord?

Whoa.

I had never thought of it like that. There were actually quite a few things breeding discontent at that moment, and I was convicted.

Upon reflection, I’ve come to believe that delight and content are related: We are only able to take delight in the Lord when we are content.

So, what is contentment? What are the similarities and differences between people who are content and those who are not? Do they have anything in common? Is there a pattern?

Some would assume the line between content and discontent would fall upon economic lines or age differentials or any number of sociological variables. But it doesn’t.

The fact is, you’re just as likely to find a content minority woman living in poverty as you are a discontent rich, white man living in Beverly Hills.

Right?

We all know it’s true, and yet somehow, we still mistakenly assume contentedness is a byproduct of achievement, economic success, and maybe even luck. For example, we are shocked to learn that someone who was well-off financially, fabulously famous, and adored by fans all over the world was so discontent with his life that he did the unthinkable. Yet, we are inspired to learn that someone who had absolutely no financial means, who was known only to her family and friends was so content in her life that she impacted many for good.

So, how does one gain contentment? What are the five steps to contentment that I should take so I can get on with living my content little life?

What if I told you contentment is nothing that can be achieved. Instead, it is the product of mature faith and deep trust. The only way to truly find contentment is to work on your ability to trust the Lord with EVERYTHING.

Got that? One does achieve contentment.

Contentment grows in proportion to trust. The more you trust God, the more content you become. The less you trust Him, the more discontent you are.

Put another way, your level of discontent betrays your mistrust of the Lord.

Let that sink in for a moment.

What this means is that our discontent is a sign not to blame or shame, but to take a fresh look at our relationship with the Lord. Do we trust Him or not?

Contentedness is directly connected to your confidence that God is who He says He is and that He can and will do what He says He will do. Period. Full stop.

For example, the discontent person will compare her situation with another’s focusing on differences always striving to measure up. The content person will notice the same differences and celebrate them wholeheartedly.

The discontent person will covet another’s possessions always striving for more things; whereas, the content person cherishes what she has because she knows from whom it came.

The discontent person will focus on what other people think always striving to please people with a resentful “yes” or frustrated “no,” but the content person communicates healthy boundaries with complete freedom to say yes and no because her contentment comes from being who God created her to be.

Are the differences really that clear cut? I say yes. Yes, they are. Which is great for us, because all we have to do is slow down and pay attention to our thoughts.

If we are focused on what we don’t have or didn’t receive, what we can’t have or can’t acquire, we are discontent.

Discontentment robs us of God’s most precious gift: peace.

Ironically, discontentment alerts us that there’s a problem while pointing us towards the solution. When we recognize the seed of discontent beginning to sprout (or maybe it’s taken root), all we have to do is turn our heart heavenward.

When we remind ourselves that God is in control and that He knows what we need better than we do and when we confess our discontent to Him, He is faithful to forgive and bring peace and contentment as only He can.

When we cry out to God to meet our deepest needs and sincerely place our trust in His plan/timing/purpose, He will fill us with His peace. We will be content. You can count on it.

Originally posted on “Rooted at the Throne” hosted by Rachael Carman.

Book Review: “The Dream of You” by Jo Saxton

"What was the dream you had of yourself from the very beginning? Before life interrupted, before anyone told youwho you were allowed to be?" — Jo Saxton, The Dream of You

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be Isis. From time to time (usually after watching the “Shazam! Isis Power Hour” on Saturday mornings), I would suddenly strike a pose, speak the magical phrase, “Oh, Mighty Isis!” and transform myself—mentally, at least—into a superhero goddess ready to use all my powers to fight against evil!

I loved everything about this nerdy female archaeologist with huge glasses and a secret superhero identity. (I’ve included a video at the bottom of this review for your entertainment.)

Who did you want to be? Do you remember? If so, feel free to share it in the comments below. I’d love to know!

Jo Saxton

Allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite authors, Jo Saxton. As a little girl growing up in London, author and speaker Jo Saxton had a dream: She wanted to be Wonder Woman. And I mean, she WANTED to BE Wonder Woman—red boots and all!

In case you are unfamiliar with this wonder of a woman, Jo is a Nigerian Londoner who currently resides in Minneapolis with her husband and two daughters.

Her book, The Dream of You: Let Go of Broken Identities and Live the Life You Were Made For, traces Jo’s lifelong transition from childhood dreamer to adult achiever.

The Dream (and Struggle) of You

What I find so striking is the similarity between Jo’s struggles and my own—even though we are SO different!!! For example:

We have completely different cultural backgrounds (immigrant vs. born citizen);
We were raised on two different continents (she in the UK; me in the US);
We have different personality types (she’s an ENTJ; I’m an INTJ);
We have different enneagrams (she’s an 8, and I’m a 1);
We have opposite body types (probably because she doesn’t like chocolate and I do!)

We are basically opposite, and yet our struggles were/are very much the same. How is this possible?

On her quest to explore the different things that held her back or kept her from moving forward in her own life, Jo dug deep and discovered that the root causes of her brokenness, although personal, were not unique to her. They were, in fact, quite common to the human experience—especially that of women.

And like any good Bible teacher, she found biblical examples for each struggle!

The Struggle Is Real

Weaving the story of her own life’s journey together with that of Joseph, Esther, David, Naomi, Hagar, Ezekiel, and others, the author reveals thread-by-thread that God is present with us through our most difficult experiences, and how they add color, dimension, and texture to our character.

Over the past few months, I’ve been privileged to interact with Jo as she discussed her book and her thoughts behind the various stories she shares in it. Reflecting on the first few chapters, she said,

There are times when we have an earthquake in our souls, habits, the way we live. We don’t simply rise up and get over it…but we also don’t want to be defined by it the rest of our lives.”

The Dream of You was never intended to be a survival manual. It’s about wholeness and redemption and purpose.

The first part of the book not only prompts us to reflect on what (or whom) we’ve allowed to define us but also challenges us to re-imagine what life could be like moving forward: Mended. WHOLE.

It's Powerful

Jo explains the profound impact negative and destructive comments and experiences have on us—minimizing nothing. These experiences simply underscore the reason she wrote the book: to remind us that there is wholeness to be found in relationship with a redeeming God.

When the grit and guts of your broken identity meet the grace and goodness of God, it will reveal you, but He will transform you. You’re in Him now, with all His resources available to you. You have access to His power, mercy, and grace.” (p. 21, emphasis mine)

Each chapter in the The Dream of You begins with a short, heartfelt letter from the author to the reader. In it she offers words of encouragement while setting the stage for the theme of that particular section.

Jo expounds on each theme by sharing a formative experience from her own life as well as a similar story from the Bible, and you don’t have to be familiar with the Bible to benefit from this! Jo has provided quick summaries and backstories of each character so the reader will not be lost in the explanation.

Then, without the use of a Venn Diagram, the author focuses her attention on the intersection of the stories, exposing the root of the issue. She culls out transformative biblical truths and challenges the reader to face the facts in her (or his) own life. She concludes the chapter with suggested action steps geared towards fostering personal growth and spiritual maturity.

Book Flow & Themes

The chapter titles, though creative, are pretty vague if you haven’t read the book yet; therefore, I complied a list of themes (noted in parentheses) followed by one or more of my favorite quotes from that chapter to provide a more helpful overview of the text:

Introduction (Dreams)
“What was the dream you had of yourself from the very beginning? Before life interrupted, before anyone told you who you were allowed to be?” (p. 3)
.
Chapter 1: Don’t Call Me “Pleasant” (Insecurity)
“Insecurities, if left unaddressed, can grow from momentary emotions to a definitive worldview that determines how we feel, think, and act. Insecurity becomes our identity.” (p. 12)
.
Chapter 2: What’s in a Name? (Compromise/Hiding)
“Throughout biblical history, God transformed people…God changed the names of people and in doing so changed their stories.” (p. 35)
.
Chapter 3: The Talk (Perfectionism)
“Many of us know what it feels like to hide our identities in order to survive. We do what it takes to fit into our family, our workplace, our friendship group. We spend our energy trying to fit into our context, into society, into what is demanded of us according to someone else’s terms.” (p. 44)
.
“God wants to redeem it all. Rather than your being transformed into a broken identity by the pressures of your world, He wants to transform you to recover who you fully are. Are you ready to be led toward redemptive wholeness, even when you might still fear for your survival?” (p. 56)
.
Chapter 4: The Day I Lost My Voice (Bullying)
“At times, women apologize for who they are. They minimize their abilities as if they’re expecting someone to tell them they’re arrogant for having talent, ability, and dreams. Some women, particularly those who reach high levels of influence in their field, are plagued by what is known as Imposter Syndrome, or the impostor experience.” (p. 66)
.
“When our voice has been taken, we redirect our lives toward ‘more acceptable’ interests. We excuse the damage caused by having been silenced…we make ourselves small.” (p. 68)
.
Chapter 5: God’s Child (Redemption)
“If we are going to embrace our full identity, know our name, and live out our vocation as we speak with our true voice, if we are going to embrace who we are and what we’re living for, we need to know whose we are.” (p. 82)
.
“The things that once defined you don’t have to shape you forever. He [God] transforms your entire life.” (p. 88)
.
Chapter 6: Known and Loved (Vulnerability)
“You are fully known. He has seen it all and He knows it all. And still you are deeply, deeply loved.” (p. 108)
.
Chapter 7: Slay Your Giants (Courage)
“It seems that when God redeems a person’s identity and leads her to her purpose, there’s a backdrop of battle and vulnerability.” (p. 112)
.
“You will battle the giants that stand in your way, but when you do, don’t even try to fight in someone else’s armor.” (p. 122)
.
Chapter 8: The Wander Years (Refinement)
“Even with abundant examples in Scripture, when the wilderness experience makes up part of our faith journey, we may not always understand when and why it’s happening.” (p. 132)
.
“Wandering in the wilderness exposed the truth that in order to be fully free, the Israelites didn’t just need to get out of Egypt. They needed to get Egypt out of them.” (pp. 136-137)
.
Chapter 9: In the Valley (Doubt and Discouragement)
“Had I been wrong when I felt called…Or worse, was it just some fantasy idea that I’d decided was a divine calling? Who did I think I was?” (p. 153)
.
“We feel too crushed to feel known and loved; we are convinced we have nothing left to offer as a voice or purpose…We’re at the end of ourselves; we are forced to face what life has done to us. It’s tempting to mute our pain rather than face it.” (p. 155)
.
Chapter 10: Breaking up with Perfection (Authenticity)
“Survival is not the same as being whole.” (p. 168)
.
“Are you ready to confront your brokenness, rather than keep hiding it underneath greater efforts to prove yourself to others?” (p. 170)
.
Chapter 11: The Song in My Heart (Community)
“You’ll need people who see you and know you, people unafraid to remind you of the fullness of who you are. They won’t be threatened by you because they are the kind of women who celebrate who you are. You need people who want to hear your voice and don’t mind how loud it gets. People who get excited about your dreams and your unfolding purpose.” (p. 173)
.
“God provides people to help us. Sometimes they’re further along in the journey, and they’ve seen more…They’ll celebrate resurrection of your name over the things that have falsely renamed you, and they’ll keep encouraging you.” (p. 185)
.
Chapter 12: Practices (Disciplines)
“We don’t adopt practices to prove ourselves or to perform for God’s approval. We already are seen, known, and loved. Instead, the practices make room in our overscheduled lives for God to meet with us. We find that by making time for God’s engagement with us, we are changed, transformed, redeemed.” (p. 192)
.
Chapter 13: Pick up Your Keys (Stepping into Your Purpose)
“A healthy identity opens our life to abundant purpose…There is less of me—of my self-absorption and self-protection—and there is more room for others. There’s less energy spent striving, proving, and more room for dreaming.” (p. 210)
.
Epilogue (Action)
“Let’s not allow a sense of inadequacy to tell us we’re not ready or not enough for the task.” (p. 219)
.
“Maybe we’ll remember to be tender and nonjudgmental as we remember our own stories.” (p. 220)

It’s EASY for me to recommend The Dream of You because it is well-written, organized, funny, engaging, well-researched, insightful, empowering, and theologically accurate.

But what I would like to add is this: On every level, the teachings contained herein resonated with me. Jo’s journey mirrors my own—not on the outside, but on the inside.

And I can testify that what Jo offers you in this book is the same thing I would offer you in my own book: Truth. God is faithful and ready to redeem the years the locusts have eaten (cf. Joel 2:25-27). He can take what was meant for evil and flip it for good. In fact, He does it all the time.

Are You Ready?

The question is, are you ready to recover the The Dream of You? If so, then you have found the right resource with which to start your journey. I highly recommend this to women of all ages, but especially those who have been waiting on God for what feels like a very long time.

🎧 Jo has also recorded an audio version which you will LOVE, if you’re into audio books.

With no further ado, meet my childhood superhero: Isis.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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“Here’s Some Happy” by Graham

Here’s Some Happy!

What are you in the mood for? Coloring? Journaling? Meditating on Scripture? All of the above? Well, guess what?! I found a beautiful, sturdy coloring journal that’s filled with frilly drawings, inspiring verses, and lots of lined space for journaling. ?

It Passed the Test!

I gave this book my standard test using a variety of media, and it passed with flying colors (no pun intended). The ink did not bleed through—which is super important when you consider that one side of every page is lined for your writing pleasure.

This 128-page, 10×10-inch, hard-cover book is perfect-bound with a soft, colorful cover that opens flat and stays open while you color and/or journal. Yasss!!!

The pages are thick and slightly textured (you can see some of the texture in the orange block, bottom right); the pictures are beautiful, light-hearted, and fun!

Add Textures and Patterns

There is plenty of white space within the drawings where you can add your own patterns and textures—you can customize it to your own tastes. They really thought of everything when they pulled the Here’s Some Happy coloring journal together.

If you click the picture below, you can see the texture I added to the gray loops on the umbrella (with a silver gel pen).

Here’s Some Happy: A Coloring Journal to Lift the Soul by Gina Graham would make a wonderful addition to your own collection, and I also think it would make a great gift for the thoughtful creatives in your life.

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Forgiveness Is Freedom

Have you ever noticed that the words GIVE and GIVEN are in the middle of forgiveness? I guess I never really thought about it. Until today. And now, that which has been seen cannot be unseen.

ForGIVEness is a noun, and as such, it is a thing. It is something you can give, and it is something that can be given to you—whether you choose to receive it or not. Isn’t that interesting?

Psychologists have long contended that the offer of forGIVEness benefits the person giving it regardless of the recipient’s reaction. Why? Rarely do the people we need to forgive have a clue how much harm they have inflicted or the extent of the pain they have caused. Can I get a witness?!

ForGIVEness is not about fighting for justice or holding the offender accountable—that’s completely different. ForGIVEness is an attitude of the heart. It’s about us and our willingness to trust God’s sovereignty: Do we trust God enough to forGIVE someone for hurting us? Our family? Our friends? Our pastor? Our animals? Our possessions? Our bank accounts?

Click here to continue reading my devotional at “Rooted at the Throne” hosted by Rachael Carman.

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“Whispers of Rest” by Gray

❤️ I. Love. This. Book. ❤️

Whispers of Rest: 40 Days of God’s Love to Revitalize Your Soul by Bonnie Gray provides everything you need for enriching, in-depth, daily—but never dreary—quality time with the Lord. It is beautifully written and immediately draws you into a quiet space where they are beckoned to come and rest in Him.

When Jesus calls us into deeper intimacy, he says, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will do it with you.’ Jesus calls us to leave behind our ‘nets’ of competence and instead experience being the Beloved—with him. Will you say yes to this new journey?”

40 Days to Revitalize Your Spiritual Life

The book is organized as a 40-day experience during which you will read Scripture, reflect, practice a variety of spiritual disciplines, journal, and reduce stress by taking simple soul care actions.

Using this guidebook, you will experience greater peace and discover who God truly made you to be—His Beloved. You will hear God’s voice in new ways, experience His love intimately, and revitalize your soul using simple tools of soul care to refresh your body and spirit.” (Introduction, p. xv)

Whispers of Rest is divided up into six sections designed to help the reader to more clearly understand and experience what it means to be God’s Beloved:

Being the Beloved
Choosing as the Beloved
Dreaming as the Beloved
Healing as the Beloved
Daring as the Beloved
Shining as the Beloved

Within each section are six to seven individual chapters (you will read one per day for 40 days) focused on that specific topic. The chapters follow the same format and can be completed all at once or over time for those who would rather work at a slower pace.

It’s Like a Well-Balanced Meal for the Soul

Each day in Whispers of Rest is like a well-balanced meal for the soul. By the time you finish 40 days, you will have dropped a few pounds of emotional baggage, toned your faith muscles, and even your friends will notice you’ve had a countenance lift. Stick with the program, and you will experience the most incredible result of all: a more intimate walk with the Lord.

Each day’s reading begins with a brief passage of Scripture followed by an inspirational quote and a brief introduction to that day’s theme.
Next, you will “Read God’s Story” in your Bible (or Bible app) as well as a personal reflection on the passage.
After reflecting on the passage, you will slow down and listen to “God’s Whispers to You” based on His Word.
“A Prayer for Today” offers both Scripture and a short prayer as you begin to apply what you’ve studied.
Then, it’s time to “Reflect on Your Story.” This is when you grab your journal and answer a few questions to help you examine your heart and take practical steps to make any necessary changes in your behavior or attitude.
Following this time of reflection, you will “Pray and Rest” as you practice a spiritual discipline which is described in detail for you. I love this, because Whispers of Rest exposes the reader to a variety of disciplines which have been practiced by Christians for centuries. Practicing spiritual disciplines such as the One Word Prayer, Self-Examen, Lectio Divina, Meditation, etc. intentionally makes space for God to transform our hearts and our lives.
Each day ends with a “challenge” and an opportunity to do some soul care which could be journaling, a nature walk, coloring a picture, or something else.

Whispers of Rest delivers on it’s promise to revitalize the soul. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in having a more stable, rich, and fulfilling spiritual life.You can order it here.

We’re invited to come to him weary—whether confused, numb, anxious, angry, or stressed. Jesus tells us to simply come. Imperfectly his. As we are.”

BONUS RESOURCES: When you sign-up for Bonnie’s newsletter (here), you will have access to a number of FREE resources including videos, journaling pages, and coloring pages. ?❤️?️

Bonnie Gray is a prolific author whose writing is featured in Relevant Magazine, DaySpring (in)courage, and Christianity Today. She is a popular speaker and retreat leader who touches lives through storytelling, visual arts, nature, prayer, and Christ-centered meditation.

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“A Giving Heart Coloring Book”

When they first arrived, I thought, “Oh, no! How can I review THREE coloring books? What could I possibly say about one that I would not say about the other? Brilliant plan, Laura! NOT!!!” However, I have to say that these books are so different, it really hasn’t been much of a challenge at all! Update: After using this book for a while, I can tell you that it’s definitely my favorite of the three I’ve reviewed from Faith Words Press.

A Giving Heart: A Coloring book Celebrating Motherhood by Stephanie Corfee was designed especially with mothers in mind.

The illustrations are feminine, frilly, and faith-based.

They are primarily one-sided, but if there are words, then the words are printed on the other side (not sure why, but it’s pretty).

The pages are sturdy and held up pretty well to to the media I used; however, I did have some issues with erasing. (If you must erase, be gentle.)

Coloring Pictures Is Therapeutic

I filled-in the picture below with a nice set of colored pencils, glitter gel pens, and chalk (for the sky). I experienced a little bleedthrough, but fortunately I had slipped in a piece of cardstock between the page I was coloring and the next page, so it didn’t affect the next illustration. I’m really pleased with how it turned out!

In the photo on the right, you can see the sparkle from the glitter pens. ?

For what it’s worth, the way I achieved the gradient effect on the flower petals was by coloring them solid. Then, I used an eraser to pull some of the color back off.

These two photos (above and to the right) look different because of the lighting in my house and where I took the photos.

On the reverse side of the image I completed, you can see where I layered various colors. I don’t think it’s a big deal to have the embossing, since I’m not showcasing the back of the picture!

Had I not inserted a sheet of cardstock under the page I was coloring, the next image would definitely have been debossed and possibly smudged. (Be sure to keep that in mind if you tend to blend colors or press hard or use water-based markers.)

I mounted the following picture on a 12″ x 12″ piece of textured scrapbook cardstock, framed it, and gave it to a friend who has the spiritual gift of wisdom (and shares her wisdom with me)! She loved it, and I loved coloring it for her.

UPDATE:
I really love this coloring book and have colored a few more pictures since my original review (see above and below). Here I’ve included a few snapshots of a work in progress so you can see my process. I begin with a variety of colored pencils (layering colors and erasing edges to achieve tonal variation and gradient effects); then, I move on to glitter gel pens (allowing time for them to dry & being very careful not to smudge); and finish up with chalk. ? Click to enlarge the photos below.

These gorgeous pictures are fit to be framed and hung as art!

I created a video of a few of the pages so you can see how lovely they are.

? Specs:

Measures approximately 10″ x 10″
46 intricate drawings

? Pros:

The pictures in this book are VERY pretty, and in my opinion, frame-worthy. Illustrations include: floral patterns, angel, coffee, a country drive, cactus, tea, Bible verses, quotes about motherhood, and love.

? Cons:

The pages could be a little thicker and more smooth. Be sure to insert cardstock between the page you color and the next page.

I recommend A Giving Heart: A Coloring book Celebrating Motherhood by Stephanie Corfee to women, teens, and pre-teen girls. The drawings are a bit too intricate for little ones (in my opinion). This would make a great gift for a new mother or new grandmother!

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