Have you been putting your destiny on the back burner?

Is your business or ministry becoming stagnant?

Is the fear of lack holding you back?

If so, you are not alone.  Every day, everywhere dreams are dying, destinies are destroyed and businesses and ministries are declining simply because of financial needs.  Everything seems to cost something.  There are generally two approaches to fixing this problem.  First we whine and complain about not having the money we need to accomplish the task.  Or we do what we Christians do best and pray and wait for God to send the money flowing down from Heaven like manna.  I have tried both of these approaches and let me tell you this – the whining has never worked and although God is a miracle working God who has moved mightily on my behalf many times, when it comes to living out our destinies, He wants us to be actively involved with Him.

Recently I like so many others,  was experiencing the “deer in the headlights” approach to my destiny.  My book “Defeating Fear” was finished, but we had just gone through a painful foreclosure and lost all of our retirement.  For the first time in my life, I had no where to turn for funds.  It was a humbling place to be.  Here I had this book God had led me to write and yet, I had no way to share it with the world.  But one day an encouraging call from a friend changed everything.  The words she spoke freed me from the box I had escaped to and I began to think outside of that comforting box.  Within 30 days my book was in print!!  Was it a miracle?  Yes, it was.  As I look back on the details, I know what happened was impossible for mere man, but I don’t serve mere man.  God moved mightily, but I needed to move with Him.  I won’t kid you, it was an exhausting month, but boy was it worth it.  The funny thing is, nothing changed in my financial situation.  The only thing that changed was me and my thinking.  Everything I needed was right in front of me and deep within me all along.  God works that way you know.  When He assigns destinies, He supplies all you need to accomplish them.

So, if the fear of lack is holding you back take the time to stop, pray and ask God to open your eyes to the things, people, resources and talents around you and within you.  Write down everything He shows you whether it makes sense to you or not.  And see if you do not start finding a way where there seems to be no way!

Stop allowing the fear of lack to hold you back!  Get out of the box and step into the Promised Land.  Do it now! Your destiny is waiting.

“What if some did not have faith?  Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?

Not at all! Let God be true , and every man a liar.”

Romans 3:3-4

I must admit that I am hesitant to critique this book too strongly because although there are definitely areas to improve, the underlying foundation is obviously a deeply rooted passion for Christ.

My first visual impression of the book was negative. The cover and interior are more reminiscent of a poorly done self-published book than one done through an established publisher. There is a very noticeable lack of editing or proofing done which became distracting as I read.  The “shameless self promotion” which could be found in every chapter of the book served to be the greatest distraction of all.  And it was completely unnecessary because what God has done through this man will sell itself.

I appreciated the honesty poured out by this first-time author.  I was challenged by the content of each chapter, and I loved the constant exhortation to seek excellence in all we do for the Lord.  The author’s true voice comes shining through in the final chapter as he leaves the reader inspired, motivated and ready to take on the world for Christ.  I would have liked to have seen more of that throughout the entire book.

I have recommended this book to anyone building a church or ministry.  This is not a sugar coated message, and it serves to remind those called to ministry that this life is not for the faint of heart. But with the call of God, the heart of a leader and a strong emphasis on V.A.L.U.E.’s, God can use you to reach the world with His message.

I must admit, when I first began reading this book, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it.  I have been on such a rampage lately about the demise of femininity that I was sure this was just going to be one more  book in a line of recent releases full of lies and leading more women astray.  I am happy to say, I was wrong.

It took me quite some time to read Captivating in its entirety, but not because of the book.  I was in the midst of chaos in my personal life, and time slipped away, but I found myself carving out every moment I could to spend time in the pages of this book. I have been trying to find something spectacular to write for this review which would nail how I felt as I turned each page and learned more about myself in the process, but there only seems to be one word which fits.  I  found this book to be aptly named, because it truly is captivating!

Women everywhere need to read Captivating to discover the absolute treasure they are to their Father.  Men need to read it to have a better understanding of the vast differences between the sexes, and why that is such an invaluable gift from God.

Aside from the usual Eldridge trademark of quoting movies some Christians may find questionable, I loved this offering from the dynamic Eldridge duo, and will look forward to reading more from them in the future.

Psalm 46:10

Do you ever take time to just get silent before God?  Not in a way that says “I need something from you, so I am going to do this,”  but just to “be” with Him.  He instructs in His Word to do that, but it seems that far too many people are just too busy to be still before the Father and marvel at His creation.

I had the chance to get still before God today.  For me it seems to happen more in the very early hours of the morning  before the children arise and the phone begins its endless ringing.  When I got still today before my Creator, I discovered the symphony which is found in silence.  Yes, you read correctly.  There is a symphony of silence.

The sun steps up to the podium to take her place as the conductor of this orchestra.  She raises her arms in majesty and splendor, and as her rays pierce the darkness all creation comes to life.  In one accord, all of nature joins in the glorious song.  The seagulls begin to squawk, the swallows join in the chorus and as if on cue, the lone rooster who somehow found his home in this small town, proudly proclaims his “cock-a-doodle-do” for all to admire.  As a bow draws across the strings of a violin, so the cars go by in the distance – close enough to know there are people with jobs heading to work- but far enough away to not be a constant distraction or annoying clanging of the symbol.  Even the occasional fly has a part to play as his wings break through the cool morning air adding a gentle “buzz” to the arrangement.

I can feel the presence of the Lord with me as I enjoy this special performance.  I can almost see Him leaning against the wall with a proud smile upon His face which seems to say “Well, what do you think?”  To which I humbly reply, “Thank you, Father.  You are too good to me.”  Then He leans down and whispers in my ear, “There is nothing too good for my people.  Taste and see that I am good.”

Take time to be still before your Father.  It will be one simple way you can say “Thank you” to the One who created you.  Don’t put it off…your destiny is waiting!

I was excited to review “Gigi’s Big Break” by Sheila Walsh.  Probably because I have a little princess living in my home who reminds me so much of the gregarious Gigi, but also because I am a bit tired of the trite entertainment available for little girls today which seems to be built around vanity and self adulation.   This DVD was refreshing, humorous and memorable.

To start, I was impressed with the page illustrations.  They were vibrant and alive.  The animation seemed awkward at first to me until I realized that it was intended to look  that way for effect to resemble figures actually moving on a page as if she was coming to life in a book.  The lessons were lessons that seemed easy to grasp for children in my daughters age group (6-10).  I particularly liked the emphasis on friendship, loyalty and the energy of a creative child.

Gigi is definitely not the cookie cutter personality that we so often see displayed in film.  She is perfectly imperfect just the way our Father creates each and every one of us.  She is a great example and role model for little girls who aspire to be more than just “normal”.  I love that she is all about being who she was created to be and is encouraging other little princesses to live out their perfect destinies too.

I appreciated the fact that in a culture which prefers to hear messages of success and happiness, he held true to clear Biblical teaching.  Each chapter builds upon the next as he leads the reader through the necessities of taking care of the basics before stepping into the ballgame.

This book is great for new Christians and for those who are wanting to get out of the pew and onto the battlefield for their God-given destiny.  It will clearly reveal that your destiny is all about bringing God glory which is a truth I teach and live by.

I agree with Dr. Stanley that you should “never settle for less than His best”.  You were put here for a purpose.  Pick up How to Reach You Full Potential for God today, so that you can discover it.  Your destiny is waiting!!

Imagine how much happier we would be if we could learn this simple lesson from the mouth of a babe.  When we are confronted by something that hurts our feelings or diminishes our worth in this world, we could just hit delete to those messages.  We could choose to listen to the only voice that matters, the One of our Creator, who says we were fearfully and wonderfully made in His image.  What a great message to remember.

Paul tells us in I Corinthians 4:3 “I care little if I am judged by you or by any human court, indeed, I do not even judge myself.”  If we could all live with that in mind, we would think a lot less highly of ourselves and care a lot less about the judgment of others too!!

When you hear a message that is painful, remember to hit the delete button.  Take your thoughts captive today.  Your destiny is waiting.

As usual, Max Lucado draws in his readers with funny quips and antidotes, but then he follows his humor with very real truth. I love the fact that this book is not another in a line of modern Christian books which will guarantee you freedom from all fear and from the troubles which seem to come along with living if you only follow a certain pattern. Instead, Fearless is full of scripture from start to finish, and it reminds the reader throughout the pages that God is in control, they are valuable to God, their problems are their possibilities, and that “when Christ is great, our fears are not”.

I was compelled with the turn of each page to pull out my Bible and study the scriptures more deeply.  I was enthralled with the lives of the disciples as they struggled with fears all their own.  I was captivated by the stories of real people who have fought very real fear.  And in the end, I was pleased to know that this is a book well worth reading and recommending.

Fearless is a quick read.  It makes for the perfect travel companion while flying (especially if you are one who fears having terrorist aboard your plane!!).  The pages will flow by quickly and will leave you wanting more!  Have no fear though, if all goes well, you will be able to read my book in a few short months!!

So, pick up a copy of Fearless by Max Lucado.  The time is now to take down your giant.  Your destiny is waiting!!