Chosen For Victory

The Game of Life ! ! When we play a board or card game, we usually either read the rules or have someone explain the rules to us. Unfortunately, as we begin the game of life, we’re not able to understand much.  Our focus is on me and only me. As we progress through life, there are lots of moving pieces and life is constantly changing as well.   This can be very confusing. Is there a standard?  Are there rules?  In this game of life, we also have an enemy (thief) that wants to “kill, steal and destroy.” (John 10:10) Oftentimes life seems to be in flux without consistency or stability. But here’s the key. God wants us to win at the game of life! Not only that but He’s provided the rule book, the Bible. He’s given us His Word  (Scripture) which is truth. Scripture tells us that “He’s given us all power and authority over all the works of the enemy.” (Luke 10:19) No matter what struggle, confusion, difficulty, or  challenge we’re facing in the game of life, let’s return to the rule book, the Scripture, to discover God’s answers, direction, and guidance. Do you have a favorite Scripture that helps you navigate through life?

4 Steps to Changing Your Thoughts I have believed many lies as truth. Some of those lies dealt with my identity, value, worth, purpose, etc. Those lies also included my thoughts and judgments about others as well as God. I would act upon those thoughts even though they weren't true. This not only messed with my head but my actions often brought the opposite effect of my wants or desires. Scripture tells us to "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5. This means if my thoughts aren't in agreement with the Word of God, I'm to take those lies captive and change them to line up to what God says. So, what are the 4 steps? (Write your answers down) 1. State the thoughts and be specific. 2. What evidence do you have to support the validity of that thought? 3. Negating Evidence. What has happened that doesn't support the truth of that thought? (Can be past or present.) 4. Alternative Thoughts -- how else can I look at this situation? Here's a thought that I've had. Maybe you can relate? Thought -- I'm a failure. I don't deserve success. I'm just going to blow it eventually anyway. I haven't succeeded in ___________. Why would I think I could help anybody else? What negating evidence or alternative thought could I think on instead? My Answers: Negating Evidence: Apostles taught and healed and they were still a work in progress. Moses argued with God that he wasn’t good enough yet God used and equipped him. Peter denied Him and often messed up  yet Jesus  founded the church through Peter. David killed Uriah yet God used him mighty and called him a friend of God. Alternative Thoughts: Success isn’t based on my ability bt God equipping me to do what He’s called me to do. If God can use imperfect humans to accomplish great things, He can use me too if I’ll allow Him to. It isn’t about me but rather my bringing Him glory because I can’t do it on my own.

Trauma – is not something to ignore, but rather to address and work through. As I was working through the childhood trauma of being molested, I was encouraged to draw a picture of “safety.” It could be a picture of whenever I felt “safe.” Either as a child or as an adult. There was a “catch” to this drawing. You see, it was to be drawn with crayons and by my non-dominant hand. Nobody wants me on their team if we’re playing Pictionary even when I use my dominant hand. That gives you an idea of my artistic ability. My picture was a scene in Kauai where we’d walk across the street from our rented condo. The blue is the ocean. The black are rocks. The brown is sand. And that gray thing that looks like a dead fish is a monk seal. Monk Seals are a protected species in Hawaii. They usually have tape (like the type from a crime scene) or rope around the perimeter when the monk seal is sun bathing on the beach. There is also a sign warning you to stay away and don’t touch because there is a hefty fine if you touch them. My place of safety was picturing myself as that monk seal and the tape was the blood of Jesus protecting me. What does your “place of safety” look like?

We often believe we see and understand our problems or challenges in both our .personal and professional life when in fact often times we can actually be blind. This reality and truth struck home last night with the Northern Lights. With my naked eye, I couldn't see anything different in the sky yet when you looked at the sky through a camera lens, an entirely new vista opened up. Why? The camera saw the sky through different filters and lens than my naked eye. Because we have more city lights visible from our house (we're up on a hill) than our daughter who lives less than a mile away, they could see some color in the sky but nothing like what the camera was able to capture. I believe this is true for our spiritual life as well. We can't see how God is moving and operating in our life. Isaiah 55: 8 & 9 tells us that His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. He sees our life through a different lens. I Corinthians 13:12 AMP says "For now (in this time of imperfection) we see in a mirror dimly (a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma) but then (when the time of perfection comes we will see reality) face to face. Where do you need God to bring light and clarity in areas of darkness and blindness in your life?

"Battlefield of the Mind" Joyce Meyer coined that phrase for her book title "Battlefield of the Mind" almost 30 years ago but it is still as valid today as it was when she wrote it. As you'll recall Jesus was crucified at "Golgotha" which means "place of the skull." Most of the spiritual warfare we encounter takes place in our mind. Our mind is located in our skull and if we want to be successful in life, we need to address and win the battle in our thought life. Being renewed in the spirit of our mind is crucial to walking in victory, peace, joy, health, finances, relationships, etc. (Ephesians 4:23) We have to address the lies, we've believed as truth. Replace those lies like, "you're not enough", "you don't have what it takes," "you're a loser", "it will never work", or (fill in the blank with a lie you believe) and replace it with the truth of Scripture. For me, my go-to "truth" is from Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." You see, the lie I believed was that I deserved condemnation, shame and judgment. Truth is that because I am in Him, He bore my shame, guilt, condemnation and judgment. What's your "go to" Scripture to win the battle for your mind?

Happy Monday ! Do you struggle with Catastrophizing? Before I tell you what it is, you can probably guess what the root word is. It's catastrophe. Webster defines a catastrophe as a disastrous end bringing ruin or any sudden calamity, disaster or misfortune. It is a cognitive (mind) distortion where we see only the worst possible outcomes or scenario of a situation. You have choices and decisions in your business and personal life on a daily basis. What kind of outcome are you expecting? Did you know Job (from Scripture) struggled with this? He said in Job 3: 25 NLT "What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true." As we enter this new week share in the comments what positive outcome you're expecting in your personal or business life.

Let's be honest and real. Scripture tells us to "Taste and See that the Lord is Good." Sometimes our relationship with Him feels as if we're enjoying a gourmet 5 course dinner. Everything is amazing. However, there are other times when it feels like our taste buds are experiencing Covid where everything tastes flat and boring. And then there are the ho-hum predictable, ordinary days where our relationship is nourishing but not very exciting like eating hamburgers or spaghetti. The Good News is nothing takes God by surprise. Even the heroes of faith in Hebrews Chapter 11 had periods of drought in their relationship with God. Times where they questioned His love, power, goodness, or faithfulness, Or days that seemed routine. If your relationship with Him is floundering, it's okay. Remember He is great in mercy, compassion, and kindness. He is waiting with open arms to embrace His son/daughter. Are you currently enjoying the 5 course amazing dinner with Him, are your meals ho-hum, and just okay and ordinary or are you experiencing Covid symptoms? Remember, His love for you, isn't dependent upon our behavior or emotions. His love for you is Steadfast. Let's remember that truth going into this new week.

Don't ever ask "why" ! ! After we left our brain dead sons hospital room so his organs could be donated for transplant, we went to a restaurant for lunch with our pastor who flew out to be with us. Who had an appetite? Not us. We just said goodbye to our son for the last time but there is something remarkable I remembered from that lunch. Whatever I ordered came with cooked carrots, I hate cooked carrots. I broke down bawling in that restaurant because Paul loved them and would always eat mine. Pastor Doug told us, "never ask why". He said that doing so would lead us down a rabbit hole that would be extremely difficult to climb out of. People were amazed that I was able to dance at Paul's funeral. You see, I was wearing the dress I had bought to wear at his wedding in 2 months. I could dance to the songs we selected because I was celebrating that He was at the "Marriage Supper of the Lamb." As I'm in the process of working through another trauma, I had forgotten about Pastor Doug's advice until I read that same statement in a novel. No matter of pain, abandonment, rejection, failure, hurt, trauma, betrayal or other negative emotions, asking "why" will never bring peace.

Do you every find yourself reacting rather than responding to a situation? There's a reason for that. Tony Robbins calls this reaction "flooding." Here's a short clip from my podcast with Rodney Olsen from Bleeding Daylight addressing that very topic. The link for the entire podcast is in the comments. Let me know in the comments when you have found yourself reacting. or being flooded from past experiences.

Do you every find yourself reacting rather than responding to a situation? There's a reason for that. Tony Robbins calls this reaction "flooding." Here's a short clip from my podcast with Rodney Olsen from Bleeding Daylight addressing that very topic. The link for the entire podcast is in the comments. Let me know in the comments when you have found yourself reacting. or being flooded from past experiences.