Not the Chicago Bears, but the bears that we chase and slay to get to our destiny. Christian Life Center recently had Mark Batterson, the author of “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day”. He spoke of Benaiah, the man placed in charge of David’s bodyguard, who chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day and killed it. (2 Samuel 23: 20-21) Unbelievable!  And we cannot forget the first of the lion and bear chasers and killers, David, who defeated both of his animal foes before he took on the mighty Goliath!

As women, sometimes I think we allow the bear and the lion chasing to be for someone else. I can hear you all saying, “I mean really…I’m a lady!” But we all have a bear or lion that we have to chase and kill to prepare us for our own Goliath, which is the ultimate purpose for our life.

In the typical woman’s everyday tasks of raising kids, loving husbands, working jobs and careers, serving God, caring for aging parents and balancing friendships… I feel way too tired to chase a lion…let alone kill it! But when I think about life and my ultimate purpose, I really want to achieve all that there is for me. When you think about being fulfilled and knowing you are doing and receiving all that God has for you, don’t you get excited and feel that there is no lion or bear that can stop you? Please know this is not about woman power…hear us roar! This is about remembering that even when we are great moms, wives, Christians, employees and friends, God still has an awesome plan for each of us to do something significant for the kingdom. It may be on a missions trip to another country or making a choice to walk across the street and share Gods love with your neighbor. Whatever it is, we cannot leave the bear killing and lion chasing to someone else. We each have a bear to slay!

Walk it out & Pray about it: There are several steps that you can take to apply these principles in your daily life.

1.    Ask God to speak to your heart about your Bear and Lion, which are the things you need to overcome to help you prepare for your ultimate purpose.
2.    Begin a journal to build your faith of the prayer requests that you have. Cheer as you see God’s faithfulness as He answers those requests which will give you courage in Him.
3.    Dream about the plan of God for your life. Make a list of what your passions are your purpose is usually close by.

Realize that God put a purpose in you before the foundations of the world, and because He knew what he would need of you, He has already put the goods inside of you. The lions and bears in our lives only bring the gifts to the light.

Posted under Devotion

One of my friends has always felt that she was a rescuer. She was becoming so stressed and burned out, that she felt the Lord was telling her to stop. However, I saw that being there for people in need was a part of who God made her to be, though there was a healthy way to do so.  I viewed my friend as being like a lifeboat. A lifeboat is a rescue vessel that saves people shipwrecked out at sea in order to carry them to the safety of shore.

A life boat was not designed to travel long distances or go on extended trips. When you have a heart to help those in need, make sure you are not turning yourself into a cruise ship. Those who you are helping may feel so safe with you that they may become dependent on you to carry them to each destination in their life.  To prevent this from happening, boundaries need to be placed.  Proverbs 31:20 says, “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”  We know that it is God’s will for there to be women in the body of Christ who are especially gifted to love and help those in need; as a matter of fact, it’s what we are all called to do.

Our goal should always be to work in conjunction with God, and to make sure that we are not fulfilling our own need to be loved or needed through helping others. When people who need love, patience, guidance, support, and yes, even prayer come to us, it is our opportunity to point them to the true source of their deliverance. We are vessels used by God to point them to Him through our love and service. As a life boat you are a vital part of the body, but drop the passengers off at the shore and let God do the rest.

Walk it out & Pray about it
There are several steps you can take to apply these principles in your daily life.

1.    Evaluate relationships in your life that have become cruise ship relationships.  Ask God for wisdom to help you to be a life boat, and then help them to shore.
2.    Search your heart for your motivations in helping others to make sure you are not fulfilling a need to be needed. If so repent! God understands.
3.    Make a list of healthy boundaries to keep you from becoming a cruise ship for the next person in need. Pray for strength and wisdom so that you make right choices in the future.

As you become healthy in this area, you will find that the gift God has given you to help others will not become a burden but a joy!

Posted under Devotion