Renew

How to Plug into God’s Power

March 2, 2020 by Aliene

Are you frustrated with a sin habit you feel powerless over? It’s not your lack of effort, Treasured One, you must first shift your effort in a new direction.

Paul began his letter to the Ephesians by reminding those believers of key beliefs about God and their inheritance in Christ Ten years prior to this letter when Paul had founded the church at Ephesus and discipled this church, I am certain he taught these same fundamental truths. I believe Paul knew this truth: renewing our minds is never a one and done deal, and so he went back to those core beliefs. Another beautiful insight is this: Paul addressed belief first, not behavior. This is where we must begin our efforts, Paul started with belief…What do you start with, Treasured One?

Power always comes from a source. Godly girl power comes only from God himself. To plug into God’s power, we must pause and pull into his presence daily to renew our minds.

Having access to God’s power and using this all-surpassing power are two different issues altogether. Our journey to change our source of power, begins with our mind. While we have godly girl power within us through the Holy Spirit, the old ways we used to find strength when we were far away from God are familiar ruts in our thinking.

To live differently, place your efforts first in renewing your mind. Renewing our minds is a lifetime process that brings transformation because our faith and action always walk hand in hand.

Retreat daily to renew your mind through the Word and find the power you need to walk out your purpose.

An expert archer keeps his arrows in his quiver, close to him, so he can sharpen and polish them, releasing them again and again with power, purpose, and precision. Like the expert archer, God is calling his daughters to retreat into his presence to prepare and position their heart to be released for his glory.

Wherever you are in your walk with God, you are never too far along to retreat inside God’s quiver and share sacred times close to him. It is in his quiver, concealed and sharpened, that we plug into godly girl power and our hearts are released to live for his glory.

Come away in his quiver, brave heart. Live on purpose by pausing from life’s pressures to plug into the limitless power that flows from the presence of Jesus.

Weekly Nourish Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

How Does God Heal a Broken Heart?

February 7, 2020 by Aliene

The Bible says that the Lord “heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). Treasured One, do you believe these words today?

There is an enemy of your soul who wants you to doubt these faithful words of God. But today, his lies are going to be exposed and you are going to walk away with the understanding that power of God heals a broken heart.

How Our Hearts Break

There are many reasons why our hearts become broken. Behind every reason are words. Words matter. They carry a tremendous amount of power. While we’d like to think “words can never hurt me,” or don’t carry any weight, yet this often is not the case. In fact, hurtful words roll off the tongue of someone and hit the drumbeat of our souls.

That drumbeat starts a pattern of negative thoughts. When we’ve experienced wounds from words, they can continue to haunt us, causing us to feel…

Insecure
Worried
Fearful

When left untreated, the unseen scars repeat the hurtful words over in your mind like a broken record. The “You ares” you’ve heard spoken over you become the “I ams” for which your soul beats.

But there is good news, Treasured One. God’s words are more powerful than your past, or the whispering lies of the enemy in the present. Connecting to God’s Word is what begins to heal our broken hearts.

Good News—God Heals a Broken Heart!

To start healing from a broken heart, fill your mind with God’s Word. Understand this is a process—a process of identifying the lies, agreeing with God’s Word, and renewing your mind on His truth every day—moment by moment.

Because God heals a broken heart through His words, here are 7 promises from God for you to meditate on today…

“’I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.’”—John 14:27 (emphasis mine)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”—Proverbs 3:5-6 (emphasis mine)
“’And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.’”—Ezekiel 36:26 (emphasis mine)
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”—Psalm 34:18 (emphasis mine)
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”—2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (emphasis mine)
“But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.”—Isaiah 43:18 (emphasis mine)
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”—Romans 8:28 (emphasis mine)

Here’s How God Heals a Broken Heart

God Heals a Broken Heart as We Are Aware of Our Thought Life

The more time you start spending in God’s Word, you will see glimpses of his glory inside this broken world. As you read passages—such as Ephesians 1:5 that says you are predestined for adoption through Christ, or Romans 6:6 that says the old self was crucified and is no longer a slave to sin—stop and identify the lies you’ve been told that say otherwise.

The thoughts that go against God’s Word are begging for your attention. This is why 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to destroy proud obstacles that keep you from knowing God. These negative thought patterns keep your heart broken and from seeing glimpses of God’s glory.

But when we surrender our thought to God, healing begins to take place in our souls.

God Heals a Broken Heart When We Embrace Our Identity

Our identity in Christ is the key to your offensive weapon inside the battle of your heart. Your identity speaks words into every thought you have. This is why you must renew your mind and affirm your identity every day.

As you may know, this is a key element of the Nourish Bible Study Method. We write down and affirm who God says we are, and we declare who He is. This shifts our thoughts to “forget about the past,” as the Lord said to Isaiah (Isaiah 43:18), because it is nothing compared to what he is about to do in your life.

Aligning your identity with Jesus is like an eternal thread that connects you to heaven. The Holy Spirit’s voice will become louder in your life, leading you into healing and purpose.

God Heals a Broken Heart When We Agree with His Word

As God affirms our identities, the enemy will attempt an attack. At that moment we have a choice. Will we agree with…

The words from our past?
The words from the enemy?
The Word of God who gave you a new heart?

Whichever words you agree with will be the ones that rules in your thought life.

Treasured One, it is time to take hold of the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and speak truth over your life.

Beware—The Enemy Seeks to Attack the Heart That God Has Healed

This is important to understand: The enemy seeks to attack what has been healed. When you are tempted to fall back into negative thought patterns or to declare self-deprecating words, go back to God’s Word!

There is a battle for your heart. As much as there is a God who loves you, there is also an enemy who plays a tune, knowing the drumbeat of words in your past, waiting for you to start walking in tempo with it.

But when you acknowledge the pain, identify the lies, and surrender it all to Jesus, God’s words will begin to restore and heal your broken heart.

Know that this journey of faith isn’t easy, but it is blessed. Healing always starts with surrendering. Do you want to connect to the One who is faithful to heal?

Then start by surrounding yourself with his life-giving Word. Get the Nourishing Your Heart E-book today. It is a free resource from Treasured Ministries that walks you through each step of the Nourish Bible Study Method and shows you how to rely on the Holy Spirit for healing.

Renew Your Mind. Change Your Life.

May 22, 2017 by Aliene

This past summer our family went out to dinner at City Kitchen in Beaufort, North Carolina, to celebrate a special occasion.

Oh my, do I love that place!

We sat outside on a wrap-around porch with creaky, uneven floors on the second story of the home like a marina. Surrounded by water that held fishing boats and a sky emblazoned with a golden sunset, the amazing ambiance played heavy competition with our delicious dinner. Items gracing our plates included barbecued sweet potatoes, shrimp and grits, braised collards, and seared tuna straight from the waters of the Crystal Coast—one of my favorite places on earth.

Memories made around a restaurant table are just as special as those captured at home.

On the way home, my husband asked us to share what stood out to us the most from our experience at dinner. Each of us shared something different. As we paused to identify the special things at the heart of the evening and share our memories with one another, we relived our time together at City Kitchen.

Reflect, Remember, and Renew Your Mind

The Lord who created us tells us over and over again in his Word to reflect, remember and renew our minds to his Word. As he nourishes our heart with truth – our spiritual food, he encourages us to return to that truth over and over again.

Like a canvas covered with brushstrokes of various colors and shapes, our minds are filled with the fears, heartaches, joys, and victories of our life experiences. Each experience adds a new brushstroke, and over time these brushstrokes begin to form a landscape. Our landscape shapes the way we think and then determines how we act.

While some of our brushstrokes are beautiful, others swirl together to build confusion and deception in our minds.

Allow the Word to Transform Your Mind

God’s kingdom operates differently from this world. Rather than being molded by the world, we need to allow the Word to transform our minds.

Jesus knew we would face battles. He taught the truths and kingdom principles that would equip us to navigate through this world. And he commands us to renew and remember because in our daily lives, we are prone to forget and drift from truth.

Past events often shape our thought life—those things we see, hear, and experience in our everyday life.

While those are actual experiences, they may not line up with God’s truth.

He wants us to live Kingdom minded with his perspective, with our mind set and controlled by His Spirit to experience life and peace (Romans 8:5–8).

Remain Steady on His Truths

Think of renewing your mind this way: every new truth is like a new brushstroke to capture the landscape of his kingdom. By increasing the capacity of our landscape, we live in greater measure in accordance to the truths in his Word.

Just like a boat tied to its anchor, God wants our thoughts to remain steady on His truths for our lives.

God alone is our Anchor of Truth. As an anchor exists to secure a vessel so it ceases to wander, God’s Word secures our minds and hearts to Him no matter what currents or waves we may face during the day.

This is why the third step in the Nourish Bible Study Method called Renew is completely devoted to this discipline.

Want to find your purpose? Renew your mind.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. -Romans 12:2

Nourish Scripture: Luke 8:1-15

Take the next step by downloading Nourishing Your Heart to discover the key to connecting with God’s Word in a way that transforms your life!

Living with Balance

January 7, 2017 by Aliene

Prioritize and plan your day focusing on God’s unique direction for your life through the filter of prayer. You were not created to do it all, and Jesus does not expect you to do it all. Live with intention by living led by the Holy Spirit day by day.

Pause brave heart and pray to find direction and live with intention as you become the woman God created you to be.

Being Pulled in Many Directions

Jesus knows what it feels like to be pulled in many different directions. While he was here on earth there were so many were under his care, so many wanting him and needing him. People pressed in to meet Jesus. Sick people, broken people, and needy people wanting to find relief. With so many needing him, Jesus still paused to pull away in prayer with the Father.

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons (Mark 1:35-39).

Jesus received clarity for where to travel after his time in prayer. He depended on God for direction to accomplish sharing the gospel. Likewise, spending time in prayer gives clarity of direction and next steps for our journey to become the woman God created us to be.

God-ordained direction diffuses distractions to make us more productive by living with intention.

Find confidence to say “no” to distractions that can leave you overwhelmed and drawn away from your true course in life.

Pray to find your unique direction for your life and for each day.
Uncover the difference between a “good work” and “God’s work” by seeking God.
Live with intention knowing God has your best intentions for you and those you love.
Guard your time to give yourself fully to God’s Work for your life.

Your life’s vision or calling may remain the same, but often the Lord wants to change your direction. Daily time with him is vital to keeping in step with the Spirit. When we find the time to fix our eyes on Jesus, he will keep us on his perfect course for our lives.

The Key to Living with Balance

The Bible tells us it is only after we renew our minds that we can “test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).” Keeping in step with the Spirit can save us from striving and taking extra steps that are not part of God’s plan for our lives.

When the Lord brings clear focus into our day, our priorities come into place with his perfect will, and we can let go of any responsibilities he is not asking us to bear (Matthew 11:28-29).

The temptation to get involved in many “good things” can distract us from our calling. As we become sensitive to his leading, simplicity and focus come into our day. Our priorities fall into place, and we learn we can stop and take time for the meaningful relationships in our lives. Seek the Lord for simplicity and focus. Ask him to show you his will for your life. Know that adding anything else, however good it may be, to our plate can rob our joy and rob others of opportunities meant for them.

Jesus knows how much we can handle. Wise women live with intention by living led by the Holy Spirit. Prayer is a filter that helps us determine God’s priorities so that we live with focus each day.

In our podcast this week, gain practical principles to live directed by God instead of driven by distractions. Do less. Be more productive and find time for the ones you love.

Nourish Scripture: Luke 10:1-20

Download Nourishing Your Heart to discover the key to connecting with God’s Word that transforms the way you live.