Offering women a biblical solution for inner healing
by Aliene
Forgiveness does not mean you automatically trust the person. Forgiveness is releasing your offender to God.
Want more? Today’s podcast is an audio message taken from Dream Builder. This six-week study on Joseph and the Patriarchs written by Aliene Thompson, is a part of the Nourish Bible Study Series.
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by Aliene
Do you have a great relationship with God but not so much with the church? Did you experience an unfriendly-clicky-church environment instead of a gospel-minded atmosphere of love and deep connection and you’ve decided to stay away? You are not alone. However, as my podcast guest, Danny Franks author of People Are The Mission explains, the church does not have to be this way, and it should not be this way. But this shift must begin with you and me. In today’s podcast, find out how to discern a healthy church and the choices YOU can make to create a difference inside your congregation.
Danny Franks is the Pastor of Guest Services at The Summit Church in North Carolina. The author of People Are The Mission, Danny writes, speaks, and trains extensively on the topics of guest services and volunteer culture. He and his wife Merriem, have two adult children and two still in the nest.
Click here to find out about Danny’s Upcoming Conferences at Summit Church.
Check out Danny’s Blog and Website. www.peoplearethemission.com
Order People Are the Mission by Danny Franks.
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by Aliene
When we are constantly in a state of pouring into others, what is the state of our own hearts? How do we give our own spirit what it needs in order to serve out of fullness?
Sarah Tellis is no stranger to pouring out for causes and others. Having founded True Justice International to minister to women in sex trafficking, and then going on to gain a teaching licensure as a Holy Yoga instructor, she will be the first to tell you just how important self–care is for those with caring hearts. In this podcast, we sit down with her to discuss the importance of truly nourishing our souls and what it is to truly care for ourselves.
Interested in resetting your bust or hectic life through spiritually resting and slowing down to receive from God more? Reach out to Sarah Tellis at tellusit2@yahoo.com to hear more about the incredible retreat this summer you can attend.
Or check out one of these websites to get involved with some of her projects: http://www.holyyoga.net and if interested www.truejustice.global
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by Aliene
Treasured Tribe, if you knew today was your last day to live, how would you spend it?
Somedays, I wake up ready to go – wanting to live life to the fullest. But then other days when life gets the best of me, my strength evaporates as difficult circumstances envelope my day like August’s heavy humidity.
I feel overwhelmed.
I feel inadequate.
I am afraid of failing.
People get on my nerves.
I get hurt, and I am tempted to retaliate or stuff my anger inside. I compare myself or listen to the words of others and ….I want to sit down and quit!
When you feel this way, does it make you a bad Christian? Well, I hope not, because those emotions roared this morning. But then I took a step back and paused to apply a timeless biblical solution. Jesus has given us this strategy when life saps our strength. Find resilience to remain steadfast by retreating to gain an eternal perspective.
The way not to give up is to find energy by looking up.
“Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:2b
There is a battle going on for your heart far beyond what you can see. The enemy of your soul capitalizes on the catastrophe in your life to capsize courage so we will back down from your calling.
But Jesus is fighting for you too – and tells us to win this war – by looking up to not give up.
As the cross drew near, the disciples would experience a downpour of discouragement that would distract them from their divine appointment. And so, Jesus talked to them about eternity.
In Mark 13, Jesus prophesized about future events to teach his disciples to live in the present. The disciples wanted to know “when” this would happen, but Jesus told them to “watch” and attend to their assigned tasks. Jesus was telling them to keep their focus heavenward and live with purpose.
Instead of focusing on when Jesus wants us to focus on being ready. He wants us to watch and be on our guard. If we truly believe Jesus is coming again, we will watch for him take our authority, and pursue our calling with a passion.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.” Mark 31:34
God has given us a job to do in our assigned sphere of influence to serve others and point them to Christ. While we are on this earth, we need to make the most of every minute in that sphere.
And as we stand on the foundation of God’s presence instead of the shifting sand of circumstances, the disappointments will not break you—they will build you.
“Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” (1 Peter 1:3–4 NLT).
And now you must live this truth and make a difference!
What if we wake up every morning and as soon as our feet hit the floor decide to live today as if it were our last 24 hours? How different would each day be if we lived with an eternal perspective?
Treasured Tribe, we only have one life to live. Each day is a gift. Let’s live it to the fullest. Find the energy to live with great expectation by looking up to eternity.
Nourish Scripture: Mark 13
Do you want to transform the way you live each day of your life? Download Nourishing Your Heart and connect with the nourishment every Bible passage has for you!
Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.
by Aliene
Sometimes when we see the vast injustice in our world, it can feel overwhelming as we wonder how can I make a difference? But you can create with something you do every day: being strategic with the way you spend your dollars. My podcast guest today can help you shop smart to make a difference.
Molly Stillman is the founder and creator of Still Being Molly, a life and style blog started in 2007, and the host of the Business with Purpose podcast. Listen to today’s podcast and find out how you can fight injustice with intentional commerce.
To find out more about Molly Stillman, and how you can fight injustice by the way you spend, visit www.stillbeingmolly.com.
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by Aliene
No more holding back.
I wonder if the widow in the temple heard those words whispered in her soul as she clutched the warm coins in her hand. Pressing the precious metal into her perspiring palm, she held them tightly for the last time. They were all she had to live on—dropping the coins would declare her dependence on God.
Her two tiny copper coins were so small compared with the heaps of money the wealthy religious placed in the offering as they paraded by.
But Jesus noticed and asked his disciples to study this wise woman. Through his eyes—the only eyes that mattered—her offering was far greater than the vast amounts of money given for show.
The widow was getting ready to give her all—no holding back.
As she dropped her coins to be captured by the treasure table, the tapping and clinking must have rang out in heaven like a symphony. Jesus watched and beheld the beauty of a woman giving her heart without reservation to him, for where her treasure was, her heart was also (Matthew 6:21).
The widow’s giving was a picture of the principle Jesus had recently taught to a teacher of the law asking which of the commandments was the most important. Pulling in words spoken to the Israelites in the wilderness on the brink of their Promised Land arrival, Jesus captured the essence of following God: no holding back.
“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”(Mark 12:29-31).
Jesus said the widow in the temple truly gave because she gave all she had. No holding back. Anyone can give out of abundance, but how much more precious is our offering when we are giving Jesus our all.
It’s easy to give out of a harvest, but it takes faith to give our last seed when the harvest is yet to come.
As the Bridegroom beheld this sacrificial offering, notice he did not stand in the way of her giving. He did not run toward her, grab her hand, and say, “Are you crazy? This is your very last—your very last! Hold back some to see you through the coming days!”
This passage has always caused me to pause. If our Bridegroom loved the widow, why would he stand back and watch her give everything she had to the temple treasury?
Christine Cain, founder of A21 Ministries, helped me understand why Jesus did not prevent the widow from giving her all in a podcast she recorded. As I listened, I learned that it was not that he did not want her needs to be met. Jesus knew her true needs would be met through her giving. Christine Cain said this “her need was met through her seed.” I love that – don’t you?
If Jesus can make money come from the mouth of a fish, he can provide for us in creative ways when there seems to be no way (Matthew 17:27).
Jesus knew the widow’s giving was not about money. It was about her heart. Jesus did not stand in her way because he knew that those who choose to live for the Lord with no holding back are blessed beyond measure.
Often when we have nothing – we discover He is our everything.
She trusted him with all her heart…her brave heart.
When I am down to my last mite of money, my last mite of strength, my last mite of time – let me not pull back in fear but press in to trust you with everything.
Nourish Scripture: Mark 12
Discover how to live the abundant life Jesus gave you by finding nourishment in the Word. Download Nourishing Your Heart today!
Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.
by Aliene
When we nurse a grudge and cling to unforgiveness, we come under the influence of evil thoughts and actions.
Nothing positive results from a woman nursing a grudge. Nothing. When we nurse grudges, we play into Satan’s hands, and our influence is wasted instead of being used for God’s glory.
A woman who prays carries great influence. However, carrying unforgiveness or nursing grudges can have a negative impact on our prayer life. Today, we are going to look at the connection between forgiveness and our prayer life.
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. AND when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:24-25).
I think the most powerful and probably overlooked word in this passage is the word and. This word links the importance of forgiveness to a powerful prayer life. We know faith is a key to powerful prayer, but forgiveness is essential also. For our prayers to be effective, we need to walk in the righteousness of Christ, faith, and forgiveness (James 5:16; Mark 11:24-25).
You see, there is a relationship between forgiveness and our faith…
In Luke 17:3-6, when Jesus told his disciples to forgive seven times a day, they cried out, “Increase our faith.” When we cling to unforgiveness, we are putting our faith in people coming through for us instead of God. Jesus said, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22).
Think about a tightly balled fist representing unforgiveness and bitterness. When God pours down his blessings, we cannot receive them because our hands are closed. But when we release others, we can open our hands to receive from God.
I have always believed faith is one of the most important aspects of prayer. However, after pondering on this passage, my eyes are wide open to the truth that forgiveness opens my clenched hands to receive because it places my faith in God instead of man. This is the relationship between faith and unforgiveness and our prayer life.
Life is not fair—and it never will be—but God is faithful to give us more than enough when we consistently walk in forgiveness.
In our fallen world beyond the garden of Eden, we have learned that all women will experience bruises along the way caused by others hurting us. A natural reaction to this hurt is to feel that person owes us something.
The debt could be anything.
Think about a hurt you cannot seem to release. What does that person owe you?
What has been stolen? Your dignity, self-respect, or self-worth? Your reputation?
Our offender may never be able—or willing—to give us back what they took. However, instead of looking to the offending person to restore what we lost, we need to look to Jesus by placing our faith in him.
Jesus has secured spiritual blessing for believers and promises to bring restoration to the hurts in our lives. Jesus brings justice to the injustices in our lives.
It is not our job to administer justice and make everything right and fair. Further, the Word tells us Jesus can make up for the hurts in our lives. People cannot restore what has been lost, but Jesus can (Isaiah 61:7). The restoration may not come from the person who owes us, but it will come.
Forgiveness is not saying what happened was acceptable or right. Forgiveness is saying, “I release you so I can receive from God.”
We may never receive what we are due from that person, but God will take care of us in ways beyond our thinking. But we must first forgive. As we forgive, we are placing our faith in the King of kings, who owns everything! (Psalm 24:1) This is the relationship between faith and forgiveness.
People are not your source, brave heart! God has given us a greater way to handle hurts in our life. Release offenders to God so you can receive from God through forgiveness.
Let’s be wise women and walk in forgiveness. Have faith in God. Release others so you can receive from Jesus. Walk in forgiveness and watch the mountains in your life move.
Nourish Scripture: Mark 11
To walk in forgiveness, you need balance and nourishment. Download Nourishing Your Heart to find out how to connect with Jesus and transform the way you live.
Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.
by Aliene
You must not be afraid to let go. (so easy to teach – but not gonna lie – every time this is hard for me!) What we release will multiply- but if we hold on we prevent the harvest.
In today’s Podcast, confront what is crowding your courage to let go completely in order to come into your next season.
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