Life-Changing Journeys with God
I’m so grateful for the journeys God took me on in 2019!
We want to hear from you!
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
How would you describe the most life-changing moment God brought you through or brought to you in 2019?
Quest After God Purposefully
I honestly believe that there are times He brings to us great moments and we are surprised by them and by Him! But some of the best moments for me have been moments that have come to me when I sought/quested after Him and asked Him for them! They are all times when I finally am still enough to listen until I really hear Him speak to me!
I’m blessed to have the ability to easily snatch quiet moments for myself. We have four boys and two girls and they are all grown. One of our sons has some special needs and still lives with us, but he also treasures his alone time and gives us lots of space. We have 10 – welcome new baby girl Mika born January 23 – and we have an 11th grandorable daughter due in May! That will make eight grandorable daughters and three grandorable sons! Everyone is within 4 minutes to 4 hours from us and we zoom off to see them as often as we can.
Family means everything to me, but again, there are times I work really hard and then crave some alone time. Especially alone time with God!
7 Ways to Quest after God
1. Be Still and Know
I don’t know about you, but I am rarely still – although many times people at events or conferences have said they were calm because I was calm. If they only knew I am most often like a duck gliding serenely on a still pond, but underneath I am paddling frantically to keep up with life!
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!” – Psalm 46:10 ESV
2. Seek Him Every Morning
Put Him First!
“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.” – Psalm 63:1-5
3. Utter a Breath of Prayer Often
Breathe in one of the Names of God – who is God to you in this moment of need?
Breathe out your utter most desire – what are you asking Him for in this moment of need?
O God, My Comforter; please comfort me in this desperate time of illness.
Add a Verse of Assurance to your prayer –
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” – John 14:16
4. Journal
I only journal in spurts, but EVERY time I do, I feel I receive a breakthrough and badly needed mind- and heart-set shifts and I hear the Lord speak to me.
Journal Prompts I use:
What is the pressing issue you need to bring before the Lord today? _____________________
This is how I think/feel this issue is affecting me: _____________________
What has the LORD promised in this area? _____________________
Remember a time when God was with you. _____________________
Express gratitude for His presence. _____________________
Be quiet and still for __ minutes: Listen as HE Says,
“I know this is a big deal for you! _____________________
I hear you _____________________
I see you _____________________
I can help you _____________________
I want _____________________ for you!”
What’s the most powerful thing you can ask God for? “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee” (Psalm 55:22). _____________________
What’s the one thing you cannot fail to do, the one basic action that will affect change, make a difference if you do it with consistency and excellence? _____________________
5. Fast from Food, Talking, or Technology
You choose! Ask the Lord from what and for how long. Then be obedient!
From food – be sure to hydrate!
From words? SO hard to do for us gals! – Be sure to listen intently!
From technology – I promise your life and work will still be there when you return! Be sure to relax!
The Purpose:
“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.” –Ezra 8:21
6. Join Group Studies or Ask for Wise Advice from a Mentor
So many of my breakthroughs have begun with the wise counsel of a trusted mentor. Ask for help!
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14
7. QUEST Away for Extended and Focused Periods of Time
I am inspired by stories of my mentors who felt God asking them to get away from it all to another place and seek Him for as long as it took. A homeschool Pastor went away for 6 weeks at the beginning of the year – it was always amazing what insights he came back with. A local church I admire sends their Pastor on a variety extended sabbatical trips often. They are one of the most stable churches I have ever known. Several Entrepreneur mentors have gone away for extended periods of time and I admire their growth and dedication more than I can say.
Ask Him what you should do!
I spent a week away last year without technology or contact with anyone from home; I prayed, studied the Word, fasted, and grew. It is now my goal to get away again every year and more often! (I went to http://thequestlife.com)
I want to hear from you!
What about you? Do you have advice for your fellow Christian Entrepreneur about:
- Ways to be still?
- Ways to seek Him daily?
- Ways to pray?
- Prompts to journal?
- Tips for fasting?
- Favorite group Bible Studies?
- Opportunities to quest away?
Please share your advice!
Blessings,
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
“Achieve Levels of Success Worth Celebrating”
*Founder, Karen Bourg Companies http://karenbourg.com
*Owner, President {Inter}National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs/International Christian Mompreneur Network http://nacwe.org
*Founder, RHEMA Publishing House http://rhemapublishinghouse.com
*Founder, RHEMA Lakeside Retreat Center https://www.facebook.com/rhemaretreat/
*Founder, RHEMA Counseling Associates http://rhemacounseling.com
About Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Karen Lindwall-Bourg is the President of the {Inter} National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs [est. May 2010] and the new President of the International Christian Mompreneur Network [est. July 2010], both at http://nacwe.org . She and the NACWE Operations and Leadership Teams work diligently to provide
· Community
· Networking
· Education
· Missions
opportunities to Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Mompreneurs and Nanapreneurs alike all over the world!
Our Core Values are
· Community – we value Connection, Collaboration and Contribution
· Networking – we value Nurture, New relationships and New and innovative offers
· Education – we value Encouragement, Excellence and Expressiveness, and
· Missions – we value Ministry and Making a difference
Karen is wife to Fred, Mommy to 6 kids and 5 in-loves, Nana to “going-on” 12 grandchildren, and treat provider deluxe for a herd of Great Pyrenees who protect their north TX ranch! She is an entrepreneur coach, author, publisher, retreat hostess and more! Learn more about Mastermind groups and “Celebration” coaching with Karen at http://karenbourg.com