The Grace Narrative

Don't you just love that word- ABUNDANCE? It's this idea of having plenty, of prospering, of thriving, basically- and who doesn't want that?! I've been fascinated with this concept for a while now and while I still have questions and more to understand, I thought I'd use this example of how having a keyword can inspire a rhythm of staying connected to God's Word throughout a typical day.

Staying connected to the Word brings hope. It's like fueling our spirit as we meditate on scripture. Today we discuss what meditation really means and specific ways we fill our thoughts throughout our day as we intentionally seek to keep hope alive.

I don't know of any other time in my life when the concept of hope has meant as much to me as it does right now.  Do you sense that too?  I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one. As Christ-followers we recognize that hope serves as a lifeline for our faith when we get discouraged. How do we keep hope alive in our everyday, ordinary, sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life? That'...

What if instead of trying to measure up,  we reached for a greater measure of Jesus? That's where the fullness of joy comes from- the complete opposite of the DIY mentality. A greater measure of Jesus is what He blesses us with as we experience intimacy with Him.

We were created by God and for Him, so of course, IN Him is where we find belonging. The truth to be lived out here is that because of what Jesus did- sacrificing Himself by dying and rising again to conquer sin and death- I'm not only debt-free, but I am eternally worthy in God's presence.  "Put your hope in the Lord; for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is FULL REDEMPTION."

Last week we talked about embracing your season as being one thing that is within your power to do when everything around you seems out of control.  There is another practice that is bringing me life in the midst of chaos lately. I mentioned it last time, but today we are going to delve into it- the idea of choosing to nurture. 

How many times do I mourn the fact that things are out of my control, and miss the opportunity to make an impact in the simplest of ways of things I do control?  Probably more often than I think and definitely more than I want. Have you heard that phrase, "Be where your feet are"? It's something I have to keep reminding myself- Be where your feet are, Lisa! Live in the present moment!  Embrace you...

If you have a person of honesty in your life, it is such a blessing. I think it's one of the highest compliments you can pay someone- when you recognize their honesty. And one of the hardest people to be honest with is yourself! In today's episode, we find that no meaningful and lasting change can happen unless we start with being honest about where we find ourselves right now.  Thank God that His...

In Matthew 5 Jesus shares the beatitudes. He said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven".  Redemption starts with accepting the reality that we are not self-sufficient; we cannot make ourselves lovable- we are lovable because Jesus loves us.

This episode is the conclusion of the 2 part series on the renewal of our minds from a talk I gave last year. I'm going to be sharing how we reject false messages, reframe in truth, replace with praiseworthy thoughts, and repeat and live out a transformed life with some personal examples I think you'll be able to relate to.

Today's episode is taken from a previously recorded talk I did about what has been a life-changing truth for me.  That truth is that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. Part 1 is focused on harmful patterns of thinking and the power found in bringing our thoughts to obedience in Christ.

The more I study the Sabbath, the more I learn about rest and the more I learn about the character of God. There can be overlap into the other areas of rest, and that makes sense- but it can also be confusing. Understanding and engaging in spiritual rest is foundational for the Christ-follower and that's what we are going to talk about today.

Taking time to acknowledge and appreciate God's kingdom work in you and recognizing what is now part of you and how you are living out your identity in Christ is GOOD.  It brings joy and fills us with gratitude for God's faithfulness over the past year. And it brings us to the bridge of crossing over into the new year.  We are going to consciously and intentionally decide what we take with us movi...

"Who you are becoming right here, even now, in the middle of the hard story… it's shaping you into something beautiful and rare in this world.  What was meant for your harm, this broken, hard, story.. God is redeeming even now by transforming you into a soft place for others to land." - Mary Marantz

In considering the gifts we give to others in this season, I have been reminded that sacrifice is the ultimate gift. Whatever it costs us is going to be invested in God's kingdom for him to do miraculous things. Let's be clear- Jesus doesn't NEED our gifts or sacrifice.  He is not poor. He gives us the privilege of being part of His story of redemption by using our gifts…our sacrifices. 

When the angel came to Mary he made it very clear that our Savior's name would be Jesus, for He would save His people from their sins. We are saved by the only name given to accomplish that, JESUS. We live in the power of that name by accepting His grace which results in our freedom. We use our freedom to serve, because THAT'S HOW FREEDOM GROWS.  It's not an external duty. It's an internal express...

I want to encourage you today to trust completely that God is with you, God is for you, and God is in You. You are shining His hope and bringing glory to the Light of the World as you embrace God's way in the everyday.

In real-time, we are entering the holiday season. My absolute favorite time of year... maybe yours too. Thanksgiving is upon us where we put a special emphasis on gratitude. That opens the door for the Christmas season and the opportunity to engage more deeply in what we call Advent.  I've found it takes intentional effort to experience a meaningful Advent so that the less important and peripheral...

Waiting is not something we intentionally pursue because it's so hard! But what if there is more to waiting than just patience building? What if waiting is about God providing what we didn't realize we needed? That's what we are going to unpack today!

What do we do when the unexpected stress overwhelms us? While it is grace that helps me recognize how I can do my part to make things better or reform and improve, grace also takes on the role of telling me, "You can let go of blame. You can be free of having to plan and execute the perfect scenario". Instead of calling ourselves a failure when we find ourselves in a place of overwhelm, g race all...

Another "best of" episode is in store today! I read a quote recently from Nicole Zasowski that gives a great reminder and intro for today's topic- "Every season is an opportunity to know God more fully.  Therefore, every season carries an invitation to worship."   

One of the ways I learned to function in the world was working for the approval of others. I looked for security and identity that way. Basically, I was creating FOR love, not FROM love. Through His grace God has shown me that is a a belief and a thought pattern that is opposed to His design...it is old, it doesn't fit with being a new creation of Christ. I need to renew my mind and be transformed...

We have many demands on our mental energy. We want to be able to focus, be creative, solve problems, and make good decisions. God created our brains in such a way that they can actually keep developing even as our bodies age.  Today we will discuss some rhythms and practices that build our mental muscles.

In my adult life, I've learned the value of looking back to reflect. Not in a way that keeps me mired in the past, but in a way that notices what worked and what didn't work so that I can continue to learn and grow. Today's episode is going to be an example of my contemplation of this summer as it comes to a close.

Today is the conclusion of this series on blessings. I felt like it would be incomplete if we didn't address how to offer and receive the blessing concerning endings. I am convinced that we unintentionally do serious damage to ourselves when we try to eliminate or shortcut our way through the grieving process that comes with endings. However deep the loss or hurt, God's presence and purpose are wi...