Treasured Ministries

Offering women a biblical solution for inner healing

Aliene

How to Find Nourishment through God’s Word

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Nourishment, by definition, is “the food or other substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition.” Nourishment through God’s Word feeds your soul. The richness of the Word not only provides the necessary ingredients you need to survive and thrive but also contains healing properties. 

What do I mean when I say, “God’s Word contains healing properties”?

The kind of nourishment that is released through the Word of God takes our brokenness and gives us wholeness, it takes our weaknesses and empowers us, and it takes our hurts and heals our hearts. 

When Jesus was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit, and was tempted by the enemy, how did he overcome? How did he find nourishment? Through God’s Word. 

“During that time the devil came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But Jesus told him, ‘No! The Scriptures say, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’”—Matthew 4:3-4

The words of the Father sustained him and helped him overcome. The words of the Father are where Jesus found nourishment in times of great need. 

And get this… when he chose to connect with those words—to believe, live by, and find nourishment in them—it set him on the path for his purpose. The Bible records that the next steps he took led him into ministry. While in ministry, his purpose became clear…

  • Point others to the kingdom of God
  • Help them see their kingdom purposes
  • Reveal the truth that each of us matter 

…and culminated at the cross. 

Discover Nourishment through God’s Word

Have you ever considered what it takes for you to survive? Air to breathe, food and water to sustain and grow, safety and shelter to protect—and for what reason? So that we can become who we were created to be; so that we can fulfill our purposes.  

The Breath 

“’For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.’”—Job 33:4 (emphasis added)

The Bread

“’I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.’”—John 6:51 (emphasis added)

The Water

‘”But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.’”—John 4:14 (emphasis added)

The Safety 

“I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.”—Psalm 18:1-2 (emphasis added)

The Shelter

“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.”—Psalm 9:9-10 (emphasis added)

When circumstances press in, pulling us into the lies of depression or rejection, it can almost feel like the life is being sucked out of us. But nourishment through God’s Word is intended to give, create, and sustain life. 

Jesus knows what it feels like to have a pressed soul. He cried out to the Father with heaviness on his heart (Mark 14:35-36). God invites you to do the same. Because you matter. Your purpose matters. 

And here is the exhilarating part… Jesus wants us to thrive in our purposes! His words are meant to go above and beyond, to transform us and give us each an abundant life. 

“’… My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.’”—John 10:10[b]

Nourishment through God’s Word Is about Connection

Oftentimes, we read verses, such as the ones above, and they wash over us. We feel the renewal they are meant to provide. But if they don’t nourish us, they can fall to the ground and form a puddle around our feet. 

Your Savior wants to use those words to nourish your soul—immersing you, covering you, and connecting you to him. Because when your soul is nourished, you will flourish. 

Nourishment through God’s Word is about connecting to it in a way that transforms you. A seed grows, thrives, and fulfills its purpose when connected with nutrient-rich soil, and God’s Word is that good soil for our souls. 

When we connect to the Word, we naturally grow into who we were created to be. 

Having a Plan to Find Nourishment through God’s Word 

I don’t know about you, but when I have a plan, it sets me on a path that helps guide my journey. Many of us don’t know where to start. 

Have you asked, “How do I find nourishment through God’s Word?”

Perhaps you’ve read verses time and time again, but you aren’t sure how to pause and let them nourish your soul.

When we have a framework that helps us connect to the Word, God opens our eyes and unlocks timeless biblical truths we never knew before. 

Truths such as…

  • His nurturing attributes
  • Verses you can anchor your soul to
  • Messages you can share with others
  • His promises and purposes waiting to be released into your life 

When You Find Nourishment through God’s Word, You Step into Your Purpose

Treasured One, the Holy Spirit wants to breathe into your life today, filling you up with the perfect love of God so that you fulfill your purpose. 

God created you for a purpose. The cross serves as a reminder of God’s love and purpose for you—which is the greatest gift he has given you—inviting you to share it with others.  

Connect to the nourishing words of Jesus today, and exhale knowing he has a plan and purpose uniquely designed for you. He is waiting for you to discover it as you cultivate a deeper connection with him. 

The words you surround yourself with nourish the soil in which you will grow. Let’s decide today that we will nourish our souls, and soil, with the words of God.

  • Living words
  • Eternal words
  • Healing words
  • Life-giving words
  • Glory-defined words

Isn’t it time to find nourishment through God’s Word in a way that sets you free to discover your purpose? 

Click HERE to claim your FREE Nourishing Your Heart E-Book

Proactive Thought Life

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Facing adversity? Like an anchor that holds a ship steady to adversity, renewing your mind is God’s way to hold on to his Word with confident hope to have a harvest to share with others.

In this podcast, discover how to become proactive with your thought life and find peace.

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What Does the Bible Say about Setting Personal Boundaries?

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Learning the intricacies of setting personal boundaries can be difficult, especially for us as women who are taught to be “nice.” But did you know God’s goal for your life is not that you are nice, but that you make a difference? When it comes to setting personal boundaries, we often mistake niceties for kindness. But we know, by Galatians 5, that kindness is one of the fruits that produce a good harvest. 

The Biblical Principle for Setting Personal Boundaries

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.”—Galatians 6:7 (emphasis added)

That we reap what we sow is a biblical principle God has used throughout time. However, it can be hard to know what we are sowing. 

That’s why we are going to unpack why and how God wants us to set personal boundaries in our lives.

When we know why and how God wants us to establish boundaries, we can walk in our purpose. 

Setting Personal Boundaries Is a Challenge

We often have a people-pleasing mentality over a God-pleasing mentality. Setting personal boundaries can be difficult if we…

  • Haven’t seen boundary setting modeled for us.
  • Allow guilt to guide us, rather than God’s voice.

If you are like most women, the difficulty regarding setting personal boundaries has prevented you from walking in the fullness of your purpose. As women, we need to be on watch for areas in our lives that need God’s beautiful and protective boundaries surrounding them. 

When we place God’s gate around our souls, guarding and protecting where we spend our time and energy, and with whom, we can be all he created us to be. 

Why Do We Want God Setting Personal Boundaries for Us?

Because you matter. When you walk in the fullness of who you were created to be, there is a deep soul satisfaction that God gives you, and others will benefit too. When you surround yourself with people who lift you up, you will be able to lift up those whom God has called you to help. 

In the book of Hebrews, we are reminded to throw, or strip off, every weight that slows us down. 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”—Hebrews 12:1

Jesus said, “’For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light’” (Matthew 11:30). 

Here’s the key: God’s boundaries for our lives are meant to give us direction for our purpose. They keep us on his path—the path we were created to follow. This is why we want God setting personal boundaries for us!

Setting Personal Boundaries | Protecting Our Time

The way we spend our time can weigh us down. Have you ever put time and energy into areas that leave you feeling exhausted? If you take on something that isn’t your responsibility, such as another person’s happiness, you end up hindering your harvest.

Time is a seed we sow. When we say yes to things because we would feel guilty about saying no, we put the harvest at stake. 

Ask God to guide you in your “yeses.” Because when we say yes to something that he wants someone else to do or that is not our responsibility, it’s like the seed that falls on the path but isn’t in good soil—no harvest is created. 

Protect your time by following the Lord’s lead as to where you place your energy. Setting personal boundaries around your time is just as important as setting personal boundaries with the people you spend it with. 

The Bible Reminds Us…

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”—Psalm 90:12

Setting Personal Boundaries | Freeing Ourselves from Guilt

In setting personal boundaries, we can free ourselves from guilt. Saying no to things that are not meant for us frees us to say yes to God. This process guides us into good soil. The good soil surrounds us with the right environment to grow—and then we begin to soar. 

If you know you struggle with setting personal boundaries, begin praying today for Jesus to reveal where and with whom you need to establish boundaries. Don’t wait until a situation arises when you know you need to say no, but end up saying yes out of guilt. 

Ask Jesus to start protecting you from the feeling of guilt. Guilt is the culprit that pulls us back. God has a life of freedom planned for you, but guilt will hinder that harvest of freedom. 

If you struggle with saying no, then look for guidance in the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave us the Spirit for this very reason—to guide us in our futures and purpose. 

The Bible Reminds Us…

“’When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.’”—John 16:13

2 Ways to Begin Setting Personal Boundaries… Today!

1. Seek the Farmer As Your Filter

Setting personal boundaries is… well, personal. Just as different plants thrive in different soils, we each have different boundaries. One of us may struggle with saying no to a friend, whereas another may struggle with saying yes to joining a small group. Either way, we need to seek the Farmer as our filter. 

We are meant to produce a harvest, so let God—our Farmer—filter what nourishes the soil we are planted in. 

2. Speak with Love and Respect

As we develop our boundary-setting skills, we can be tempted to not speak up at all or speak with judgment in our hearts.  

When we speak with words of love and respect, we are to also do it in truth (Ephesians 4:15). We can set boundaries by clarifying that it is not intended to be disrespectful, but to bring clarity. In fact, setting boundaries with respect and honesty is an act of love. 

On the flip side, if we decide a boundary is a law, not a hedge of protection that is intended to guide us in the season we are in, judgment can set in. 

Therefore, we can respectfully set a boundary by saying something such as, “Right now, in this season, God has me here. And in this season, this person or situation won’t help me produce the harvest God has for me. Maybe this will change, but this is my boundary today.”

In Conclusion…

Understand that setting personal boundaries is a skill that needs to be developed by most of us. 

As women, we are often taught to either…

  • Have no boundaries and say yes to everything we are asked to do.
  • Build a wall that creates a law in our hearts so that we won’t experience soul hurts. 

Instead, we can think of the journey of boundary setting as a daily walk with Jesus. Ask Jesus to create a fence around your life and place him at the gate. Ask him to direct you with regard to whom and what you open the gate for. 

Setting personal boundaries requires moment-by-moment choices. They are daily decisions to make with the Lord. But trust me when I say this: The closer you connect with the words of Jesus, the clearer his boundaries for your life are—and with that clarity comes your purpose. 

Get clarity by connecting to the words of Jesus—sign up for our Treasured Tribe today! 

You will have access to a weekly devotional, a private Facebook community, weekly teachings on the Treasured Tribe Facebook page, and more! Click HERE to view the benefits of Treasured Tribe and to sign up today.

Breaking Generational Patterns

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Allowing Christ to redefine our identity and the purpose for which we were created impacts not only our lives but also the lives of those around us.

Want more? Today’s podcast is an audio message taken from Brave Heart. This nine-week study on Joshua and his journey into the Promised Land, written by Aliene Thompson, is a part of the Nourish Bible Study Series.

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Biblical Meditation

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God created our minds with the ability to renew. Like an anchor that holds a ship steady to adversity, renewing your mind is God’s way to hold on to his Word with confident hope to have a harvest to share with others.

Want more?

Today’s podcast is an audio message taken from Brave Heart. This nine-week study on the book of Joshua written by Aliene Thompson is a part of the Nourish Bible Study Series.

To learn more about the Nourish Bible Study Series, click here.

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Cultivating Community

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Cultivating an atmosphere for connection doesn’t have to be complicated. When you take small strategic steps, simple doable actions can create a huge impact and make all the difference.

Listen to today’s podcast and discover 7 easy steps to cultivate a Christ-centered community. 

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I Want to Quit!

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Has the pressure surrounding your purpose become so oppressive that you want to quit?

We’ve all been there. Maybe you are there today….. listen to today’s Podcast to find inspiration from a woman’s story of persistence that trumped her resistance. Your breakthrough is right around the corner.

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