Treasured Ministries

Offering women a biblical solution for inner healing

Life Balance

Reviving Your Soul

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Do you feel distant from God? Are you having a hard time discerning his voice in your life? Is your joy and peace missing and you want to recover it? Cluttered calendars, toxic relationships, and self-sufficiency can rob us of real rest that flows from a deep intimate relationship with God. How do you return to real rest in a way that recovers your joy and peace? In today’s podcast discover four steps back to thriving in your relationship with God so you can become all God created you to be.

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Rescuing the Work-A-Holic

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I recently hit burnout and found God calling me into taking a real rest. Has joy slipped through your fingers and you can’t find it? Is your energy depleted and you want to learn how to take a real rest? The Lord really had to teach me about rest. Rest is not easy for me. I like working hard. Can you relate? But here is what I learned; the Word contains the truth about taking the rest that restores our soul. Today we begin a new podcast series on real rest. Join us!

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Are You Feeling Powerless During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

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3 Ways Overcome Powerlessness by Remembering Your Rescuer

Never before has there been such craziness in our circumstances. It is paramount that we remember our Rescuer during this season. We can feel pulled into a place of despair that puts us at the door of panic. But let us be intentional about seeking God’s face during this time. We may be social distancing, but we do not have to be spiritually distant. 

Some have said to me that they are choosing gratefulness during social distancing. They are using it as an opportunity to retreat into God’s presence so that they can then respond to others in love. I invite us all to look at our circumstances as a holy pause, one that is a gift from the Lord where we can find strength and refuge under his winds of protection. 

The coronavirus will not separate you from the Father’s love. It will not separate us from each other spiritually. We have a choice to use this time to build each other up in the faith—virtually!

Though we are miles apart, we are still one body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We are not in this alone. The enemy of our souls will attempt to create a drumbeat that speaks disparaging words about…

  • God
  • Others
  • Our circumstances
  • Ourselves

But I say no more!

It is time we remember the promises of God!

God Is in Control During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Many of you may feel isolated and powerless during this time of social distancing. Perhaps the drumbeat the enemy is playing in your ear right now is a repeat of an old tune you stepped to in your past. 

When situations feel out of control, we can unknowingly step into a place of a victim mentality. But as a child of God, you can depend on him rather than your circumstances. 

Here’s How to Remember Your Rescuer During the Coronavirus Pandemic

God Calls Us to Remember

“Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called ‘uncircumcised heathens’ by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.”—Ephesians 2:11 (emphasis mine)

The Greek word for “don’t forget” is to call to mind over and over again. Some translations say, “remember…” When we “call to mind over and over,” we are quicker to remember and rest in the place of God’s rescuing power. 

Therefore, when circumstances tell us to doubt, we can pause and proclaim God’s promises. As we proclaim, we are placed in position to receive Christ’s rescuing hand instead of focusing on the storms of life.  

Remember… You are not separated from God, but are now a citizen of heaven and in covenant relationship with him because of the blood of Christ!

God Calls Us to Reflect

Not only can we reflect on God’s goodness, but we can also be a reflection (or imitate God as the verse below says) so that others see him in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”—Ephesians 5:1-2 (emphasis mine)

You may ask, “How can this be done while we are social distancing?” 

Treasured One, we can look at this situation as a holy pause. It provides opportunities to reach out to others and give a good word to them virtually. 

Spend some time each day reflecting on God’s goodness. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a message to share with someone else. 

Even though we are exercising social distancing, we can share a message from our Rescuer that reflects his power by reaching out through…

  • Facebook
  • Text
  • Zoom
  • Skype
  • Phone calls
  • Facetime

And let us not forget handwritten letters!

God Calls Us to Renew 

As we wake each morning, let us renew our minds with a good report from the good Word. We can be overwhelmed and feel powerless when we see the giants in our circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. 

However, we have a choice. Will we give a bad report or a good report?

There might be people or circumstances that push us to disagree with a good report, but let’s choose to renew our minds with God’s new mercies and grace today!

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”—Lamentations 3:22-23 (emphasis mine)

The Takeaway

Treasured One, hear this: The blood of Christ covers you. When you are fearful or feel powerless because of the coronavirus pandemic, take a moment to pause and…

  1. Remember you are in God’s family.
  2. Reflect on and be a reflection of God’s goodness. 
  3. Renew your mind and agree with the good report of God’s mercies and grace. 

The blood of Jesus gives you the guarantees of an inheritance that blesses you with…

  • Rest
  • Peace
  • Restoration
  • Salvation
  • Redemption
  • Joy
  • Abundance!

Let us not adopt a victim mentality during the coronavirus pandemic, but instead adopt the mind of Christ. Pause for a moment and invite the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind to seeing this circumstance from a different perspective, from your Rescuer’s perspective. 

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”—1 John 4:4

Want Resources During Social Distancing? 

Check out the Treasured Devotions Series. Currently, we are going through Godly Girl Power–we are tapping into God’s power, which will empower us as women!

Join the Treasured Tribe, which will allow you to connect with others who are doing the Treasured Devotions.

Get started on a Nourish Bible Study Series. These 3 studies allow you to dive deep into God’s Word throughout the week. Get a group together and meet on Zoom, Facebook, or Skype weekly to discuss the study. 

Don’t let the enemy keep you from meeting together spiritually. What God has brought together, nothing can keep apart, and he is bringing women everywhere together virtually during this time!  

What Happens When We Don’t Believe God’s Promises?

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When we experience hurt, a wounded heart is established and false beliefs about God, others, and ourselves creep into our souls. We can start leaning on lies rather than standing on God’s promises. 

The fact is we live in a broken world with imperfect people. When this world—or those within it—hurt us, truth starts to bend and our beliefs become lies we unknowingly adopt.  

When beliefs are rooted in lies, it creates fear. When we don’t believe God’s promises, by default we are trusting ourselves or others to establish truth in our lives—we end up basing our beliefs on how we feel. 

And what is the truth about feelings? They lie…

“Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.”—Proverbs 28:26

We can become self-focused rather than other-focused, which drives our desires into demands. Our hearts become captive to people or things, burdens become heavy, and weariness takes hold of our souls. 

But God’s promises are greater than our feelings!

“Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.”—1 John 3:20

We can shift our thinking by confessing to God how our hearts have been held captive by feelings—and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us. 

Feelings can be a gauge to help us identify the beliefs that are not aligned with God’s, but the Spirit is our guide that will help us get back on track. 

Where Does Fear Lead Us?

It leads us away from God’s promises and robs us of the joy that is ours in Jesus. 

Fear leads to…

  • Disappointment and discouragement

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”—Deuteronomy 31:8

  • Disbelief

“’What do you mean, “If I can”?’ Jesus asked. ‘Anything is possible if a person believes.’ The father instantly cried out, ‘I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!’”—Mark 9:23:24

  • Dysfunctional relationships

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”—Proverbs 13:20

  • Double-mindedness

“Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”—James 1:8

Are these lies the enemy whispers in your ear? Because fear comes from hurts and manifests as disappointment, discouragements, and disbelief, just to name a few, we can trace our steps backward to discover the places where false beliefs began to take root and release those to God. 

You see, when we try to control an outcome based on how we feel, we can choke out the righteousness of God to deal with the situation. 

Romans 12:19 says this…

“Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the Lord.”

We can be confident that God has our best interests at heart, and he is in control. When we shift to a mind-set of believing God’s promises, our souls will be refreshed, renewed, and restored. 

Here’s How to Believe God’s Promises…

1. Identify the false belief about God, others, and yourself that has held you captive. For example, some of us don’t believe God’s promises because of the trials we’ve been through. Or we believe that others have more power than God, and therefore our lives are shaped by them.

2. Determine how these lies have come out in your life and in your relationships with others. One way many of us fall into the trap of living out the lie is by believing we need acceptance from others to establish our worth. We’ve unknowingly allowed others to write our stories rather than God. As a result, it can be difficult for us to be vulnerable and receive constructive feedback from others with a brave heart. 

3. Choose to rest under God’s promises of care, cover, and control. After you’ve been able to pinpoint the lies, they become much easier to break free from! Then you can move into a place of refuge and rest with God. Pray and declare the truth that Jesus has covered all of your sin. Meditate on the truth that you are loved and accepted by him, and can live with disapproval from others because you’ve been justified by God and have his approval. 

God’s Promises to Meditate on to Begin Shifting Your Perspective

God’s perfect love is unconditional and beyond measure. He cares about your every need and desire. He wants your whole heart so that he can nourish it completely from within. Meditate on these verses today, and may your soul be nourished…

“The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!”—Deuteronomy 30:6

“’For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,’ says the Lord, who has mercy on you.”—Isaiah 54:10

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”—Matthew 7:7-11

“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”—James 1:17

Are you struggling to align your heart with God’s promises?

Do you feel that the wounds of your past still direct your path?

Then download our My Heart for His Glory easy-access PDF. It will help you identify lies and break free from the strongholds the enemy has set up against you by shifting your perspective so you may believe God’s promises. 

Click HERE to get My Heart for His Glory

Finding Balance in a Busy World

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You know how finding time to get everything done is a challenge?  Some days I wish I could add more hours to my day.

Leaders living with intention and focus maximize their time.

Living in a Busy World

But in our world this is not easy. Our information age clutters our minds with information. Each day we are presented with many options to choose from of how to spend our time. Saying “no” vanishes from our vocabulary as if it’s a four letter word!

Women are busy. Some days just looking at my calendar makes me feel Claustrophobic.

How about you? Have you ever felt that way? Are you feeling that right now?

This week was one those weeks that was completely unproductive. I was not able to get back with people who called me. There was no personal satisfaction in completing my to-do list – IT GREW! Like walking on a treadmill with the highest incline, I felt like I was striving hard yet could not see myself really going anywhere. Frazzled, weary, and worn out with no traction to reach my goals, I was frustrated.

God Wants Us to Release Clutter

Our bodies are not designed to carry the weight of craziness that is going on in our world.   God does not expect us to carry every load.  Releasing loads helps us to carry what matters most to God’s heart and live with intention.

Releasing clutter creates room to receive God’s best so you can live directed instead of distracted and make a difference.

Understand this principle of releasing to receive and live with joy. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is sending out His disciples, and He gives them these important instructions:

“The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.” Luke 10:1-4

Using this passage, the Holy Spirit highlighted four areas in my life to release to receive God’s best:

  • Release stuff. The disciples were being told to leave everything behind. Too much stuff clutters our lives. There is a joy in releasing things so that you can receive more time in your life. Pick a closet and get going!
  • Release good works that may not be God’s work. Stuff was not the only thing the disciples were asked to leave behind, they had to leave their prior obligations to pursue their God-given purpose. Release obligations in your life that may be good things, but might not be your God thing. So often we take up so much in the name of “good” we lose hold of the what God actually wants us to be holding and working on.
  • Release tasks through delegation. The disciples were sent out two by two. Give things to other people who will be able to do the job better and with their full heart. I have to keep learning this one – you know to take off my self-sufficient super woman cape and live in community like God has called us to do! Delegation is wisdom not weakness.
  • Release Social Media until you reach your first goals of the day. Jesus told the disciples “And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.” That instruction caught my attention. Was Jesus saying that they were supposed to be anti-social? NO! Jesus was not advocating to be anti-social but He was telling His disciples to live with focus so they could reach their destination. Often my phone with tweets, Facebook posts, Instagram, texts that can derail me. Little yesses can lead to large distractions. The Lord used this passage to say to me: in the morning put your phone away, spend time in my presence, accomplish your first priority to do item and then get your phone!

Wise women live with intention by releasing to receive. Learn more by listening to today’s audio message below.

Subscribe to our Podcast HERE.

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.

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