That still small voice. The one you hear calling to you. The one you have heard calling and telling you to step out. Maybe even step out in a big way? That's the voice I want to talk to you about today. Because your calling isn't just a voice you hear whispers of. It's something created for you and in you. I have been a part of the "Worthy of the Calling" free online bible study of Ephesians by Sarah Koontz, so keep reading as I share with you my biggest takeaway from this study (though there were many) about being called. When I was a little girl, I loved to sing in my bedroom. I would stand on my bed and sing into an imaginary microphone, in front of an imaginary crowd. Sometimes, I would put on play clothes-dresses and old shoes that had been my mother's-and I would perform for my family. When I put on those performances, my heart beat faster, my not-so-amazing dance moves were more pronounced and intentional. My voice was more fervent. Now, I can assure you, that these performances did not stun my family into thinking I was the next singing sensation. But... they sure did outshine the performances I did in my room all alone. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." I have read that verse numerous times. But, while studying Ephesians through the Worthy of the Calling study, my eyes were opened to something new in that verse. My calling is not singing. Perhaps yours is. Or it may be something else. If your unsure of whether or not you have a calling, READ EPHESIANS. You have one. God says so. We are chosen and we are called. Not only are we chosen and called, but we have all been given gifts. Those talents and skills are knitted into us from the beginning. And while we may use those talents for our own desires, or we may use them for wordly works before we have a relationship with the Lord, or perhaps we may hardly use them at all....those talents were still given to us. Those skills are present. Just like me singing alone in my room. But....Ephesians 2:10 says we are God's handiwork, created IN Christ Jesus. When we are saved through Grace, when we are alive with Christ, when the Holy Spirit indwells in us? We are no longer that little girl singing alone in her room. Like those fancy clothes, with are clothed with a spirit of power and have access to spiritual gifts we never had before. And so now, when we do the good work we are called to do, we are like that little girl singing in front of her family. Created now in Christ Jesus, we are more intentional, more passionate, there is a light that shines far greater, and we see fruit and "handiwork" that could never be done on our own. So stand tall in your calling. Because you are worthy. You are ALIVE and CREATED in Christ through Grace. You were chosen for this good work and purpose, with the power of the Holy Spirit. Go out and start singing like it. I could write another whole blog post telling you why you are worthy....but instead of me telling you, let God tell you. The Worthy of the Calling Ephesians study can help bring those affirmations and promises straight to your heart. Don't just wear your calling, be rooted in your worthiness of it as well. Blessings, Elizabeth You can join the study and check out this week's beautiful giveaway by clicking below.
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For a season like this....I read 1 Kings 19:4 in a season recently, when I was feeling overwhelmed, unequipped, attacked, and anxious. Have you had or are you having a season like this?
Pride kept me from admitting aloud, for awhile, my need and distress. So, when I read the words in 1 Kings 19, of how Elijah, a great man of God, called out and said he had "had enough", it was like a light shining out to me. It was a beacon that beckoned me to shed my pride and run into the harbor of my Father's arms. Now, when Elijah had enough, God didn't take away his trials, He fed him. He gave him something to drink. He strengthened him for what was ahead. He does the same for you and me. In that season, he didn't remove the mountains around me. Instead he gave me what I needed to move past them. He fed me what I needed, strengthened me spiritually, and lifted me up to rise above the circumstances. He will do the same for you too. If your in such a season as this, and you have had enough, remember there is nothing our God can't handle. Tell Him you have "had enough" and I will meet you at the table where He continues to feed and strengthen me. Blessings, Elizabeth Each morning when I sit down with my bible and spend some time with God, I light a candle. The flame is comforting to me, and it flickers in the background as I soak up what He wants to say to me. Some mornings, like this one, the message He gives me are some glaring reminders from an unlikely character.... Let me start by saying, if you haven't read 1 Samuel, I encourage you to do so. Want a picture of how NOT to parent? Take a look at chapter 3. Eli, the high priest, does a wonderful job in demonstrating some vital parent "don'ts". Maybe you have done a few of these. I know I have. Or perhaps there is a circumstance right now you can apply these little nuggets to. If not, store them away for the future. And if your not a parent? Well, there is something in here for you too. So what are these reminders? I thought you'd never ask! I thought about saying- here are the 3 parenting lessons I was reminded of-but the truth is, each of these lessons, I realized, can be applied to ourselves and our relationship with God as well as how we parent our children. So let me say instead, here are the 3 lessons I learned from God while reading about Eli, the high priest, and his two sons Hophenas and Phinehas. Let me give you a little background on the story. Eli, the high priest, had two sons who were priests as well. His sons took advantage of the people of Israel through their position. They used this position to gain possessions and control others. They treated the people, and the offerings they brought to the Lord, with contempt. With this in mind, let's look at how Eli handled the situation.... Reminder #1: Don't ignore disobedience. Eli was aware of what his sons were doing (verse 22). He was aware they were taking more than their share of the people's offerings, that they were showing contempt for the Lord and that they were seducing the women who assisted at the Tabernacle. Eli was aware of what they were doing. That means he wasn't aware of this one act, he was aware of the multiple things those young men had been up to and did nothing. Ok, I can be guilty of this one at times. No, my boys haven't been showing contempt for the Lord, or seducing women. But...there are days when I am exhausted, and the circumstance isn't "that bad", so I let it slide. I bet you can relate. There have been other days when it just hasn't been "the right time" to discuss their disobedience or the topic is uncomfortable and so I have put off addressing it (but the discussion falls short when brought up later on). As we can see with Hophenas and Phinehas, ignoring their behavior led to more bad behavior. I imagine their disobedience didn't start with big things, like taking the people's offerings, and sleeping with the temple women. It probably started off small, and when those small things were ignored or not addressed properly, it grew to bigger things. And spoiler alert here, things don't end well for Eli or his sons. We can learn from Eli's mistakes and look at our own family and personal circumstances. Perhaps there is a behavior or some disobedience in our children that we are not addressing as we should. Maybe we aren't addressing it at all? And what about our own obedience? As much as we take a look at the behavior of our children, we should also be addressing the behavior in ourselves that we may have been ignoring. If we continue to ignore either, or both of these things, they will continue. They WILL spiral. Often into bigger things. Often into things we will regret. Often into paths that lead away from God. Ignoring disobedient behaviors can take us or our children down destructive paths like the ones Eli's sons took. Lesson here? I think you know it. Address disobedience. Don't ignore it. Reminder #2: Discipline is necessary. Eli did finally address his sons' behavior. He asked them why they kept sinning. He told them to stop (verse 23-25). But they didn't listen to him and we don't see any evidence that Eli took disciplinary action with them. Perhaps he only scolded them because he knew the law. He knew that those who treated the Lord's word with contempt and disobeyed his commands were to be cut off from the community (Numbers 15:30-31). But no matter the reason, their sinful ways continued and eventually God stepped in and became the disciplinarian. He put an end to their prosperity and an end to their family line in the priesthood. And both Hophenas and Phinehas did not "live out their days" and died on the same day. This one struck me in the heart. Now, I do discipline, but truly its not one of my strong points. I give in easily, I cave at times. I look at my kids sweet faces and want them to be happy. Tough love is really, well, its tough. But when I'm struggling in the future, I'm going to think about Hophenas and Phinehas. I'm sure they were happy doing the disobedient behaviors they were doing, but * I don't want my kids to be that kind of happy*. Do you? Now, maybe our kids aren't up to the sinful ways of those two young men, but nothing good comes out of disobedience. Nothing good comes out of sin. Nothing good comes out of non-God-honoring behavior. Discipline is necessary. What do our kids learn by not being disciplined? And more importantly, I believe, what are they NOT learning? The same lesson applies to ourselves again. Are we as disciplined in our own walk with the Lord, in our own behavior, as can be? Is there an area in our own life that we are not disciplined in? There is a slippery slope that exists in our own small undisciplined actions that leads us away from that God-honoring life we seek. Small actions that can potentially lead down a path we don't want to go. It is as important to discipline ourselves as it is to discipline our children. Not to mention that the example we set before our children influences them in so many ways. Reminder #3: Don't neglect your family while doing God's work or pursuing your calling. Was Eli perhaps so focused on his work as high priest that he did not take time to either be active in his sons lives or to discipline as needed? 1 Samuel 3 does not say this. But I have to wonder....sometimes do we pursue a calling or use so much of our time doing God's work (which are good things), that we do not have enough time to be present with our families (not such a good thing)? Are you weighed down by saying "yes" to too many things? Are you so driven towards a goal that your missing life? Are you so focused on your dreams or work for God that your ignoring behavior in your children and yourself? Take a step back for a moment and refocus. Continue to pursue your calling. Continue to do work for God. But in the midst, make sure you have good quality time with your family. Be present. And make sure you carve out time in your day to continue to grow your personal relationship with the Lord. Take time to check your own obedience and discipline when needed. Stay on the straight path. And learn from Eli's mistakes. Blessings, Elizabeth P.S. If you are seeking to grow more in the area of obedience or want to hear more on what God says about it, check out my 10 day Bible Reading Plan on Obedience below. Take one verse each day. Read it. Write it down. Read the passage/context around it. Meditate on it. Listen. Apply it to your own life. I'd love to connect with you each month! 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Meet ElizabethWife. Mother. Writer. Photographer. Child of God. Encouraging others in faith through a lens of grace and seeing beauty in the ashes. All images and content belong to me (Blue Jean Gypsy), unless otherwise noted. You may use an image ONLY if it is linked back to this blog! Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
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April 2020
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