Today in our webinar, our last Tuesday’s session on the theme of spiritual wellness, we were supposed to hear from Dr. Tony Robinson. Her title was “The Evexia Life.”
Any title using a Greek root word intrigues me. I’ve always been in love with the etymology of words, especially words from God’s Word!
When I looked the word up online, I found, “The name Evexia comes from the Greek word meaning ‘well-being’.”
Perfect!
Anytime I get to hear from or be prayed over by Dr. Tony, I get so excited. I’m looking forward to getting to know her better, and I’m so grateful that God orchestrated our paths would cross in 2019!
We will reschedule her presentation as she has reached out to me in distress and unable to be with us. February is her and her husband’s anniversary month. Sadly, he died four years ago on February 25th – today. So, that day has crept up on her like a ravenous lion, as you and I can imagine.
Please join me in “praying her through” this difficult day.
Here is my response to her:
“Oh my goodness!
Dear Dr. Tony,
I totally understand and forgive you.
Tears come to my eyes and my heart aches for you. My husband Tim died a lot longer than four years ago after a four-year battle with three different cancers leaving me with children ages seven, six, and four years old. We’ve come a long way since then, but the sting of that loss will never fully disappear.
What a beautiful reminder
- to stop everything as you are trying to do by not being online on this special day,
- to reach out to Him/cry out to Him as you are doing and I will do with you on your behalf all day long, and
- to seek the comfort of His people as you have been able to be with Shae!
Know that you are covered in prayer today and in the days to come! I pray that we are able to partner together as Holy Spirit leads to do wonderful things for His kingdom with Christian Entrepreneurs!
Blessings in HIM,
Karen”
- Over 20 years ago, my young husband Tim died after a four-year battle with three different cancers when our children were only seven, six, and four years old.
- About a week and a half ago, one of our members was put in the hospital for pneumonia. You can imagine while she is fighting cancer, that a bout of pneumonia is far from just a “bout” and can be very dangerous – “life-alteringly” dangerous.
- Last week, one of our members discovered that her husband had molested one of her children. Her life, his life, the lives of their children, and the lives of so many others close to them have just been turned upside down.
- The week before that, one of our members dropped everything and flew to her father’s side for an endless stream of tests and doctor visits to plan a course of action against one of the most rare and debilitating forms of cancer known.
- Last year, one of our members was headed overseas to minister to others – a dream come true, dashed when her father had a stroke and all of her plans were canceled and altered.
All of this to say, it’s well and good to focus as we are doing in our organizations on Entrepreneur Wellness for the year 2020! It’s a great idea to work through spiritual wellness, physical wellness, emotional wellness, occupational wellness, intellectual wellness, environmental wellness, and social wellness one month at a time as we have planned to do!
But let’s be honest…
When calamities like this strike that threaten our well-being in all of these areas in life-altering ways, there is no way that things feel “well!”
And that’s what I want to talk about today.
Because of who God is, in the midst of trials like these, in the midst of heartbreak, the inability to breathe without help, the concerns of how to protect ourselves and our loved ones from harm, the fear of what the future holds, the reminder that our lives are finite – by God’s Design – it is well!
It is Well, When It is NOT Well!
How do we know?
It is Well – He Promises Us
We know it is well because He promises in His Word that all things work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8 (ESV)
It is Well – Testimonies Abound
We know it is well because there are testimonies throughout His Word and in our own lives of God‘s presence and comfort and protection and provision during times of trial like these over and over and over again – in spite of us!
- Every year for 4 years, God has comforted Dr. Tony and He will continue to do so! It’s no surprise that her ministry has grown by leaps and bounds – lives are being blessed every day!
- My children and I are doing well and God has provided for us in ways we never imagined. I have been blessed with the privilege of working with grieving and traumatized families for over 20 years!
- Our friend came home from the hospital yesterday and is on the mend!
- Legal protections are already in place and we are praying our friend through. Her faith is strong and she is blessed with a godly support system.
- A medical plan of action to fight this rare sarcoma is underway.
- Pa is doing much better than expected and God has provided for EVERY need along the way and “then some!”
It is Well – He Gives Us Confidence
It’s no surprise that I am reading through Hebrews in preparation for a week-long retreat without any connection with the outside world, without any technology, that starts tomorrow! We know it is well because in Hebrews God teaches that Christ is our confidence!
…but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Hebrews 3:6
For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. Hebrews 3:14
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
[ The Full Assurance of Faith ] Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, Hebrews 10:19
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. Hebrews 10:35
It is Well – He Promises us Reins to Reign!
It’s no surprise that I am reading through Proverbs with one of our members day by day until we are done! It’s no surprise that although I rarely do this, I am reading through the book of Proverbs using The Passion Translation! We know it is well because in Proverbs, in the midst of all of the precepts and promises that we will live long and prosper if we heed His Words of Wisdom and wise instruction, much to my delight and surprise, His words are also full of promises that He will give us the “reins to reign” no matter what our circumstances bring today, tomorrow, every day!
We talked about CHAYIL (Greek) at the #2019NACWEConference and learned that we are “ARMY” strong, mighty, efficient, wealthy, and able,… to do all God has called us to do as Christian Entrepreneurs!
We will talk about REIGNing (Hebrew) at the #2020NACWEConference – God is so good!
Translations of Reign
noun
מִשׁטָר
regime, regimen, government, authority, rule, reign
מֶמְשָׁלָה
government, cabinet, dominion, reign
מְלוּכָה
monarchy, kingdom, kingship, dominion, reign
(Google Translate)
It is Well – How is it Well?
Will you share with your fellow Christian entrepreneurs a time that God has given you confidence that it is well, even in the midst of your circumstances and allowed you to reign?
Will you pray diligently for those listed above and for others whose well-being seems threatened at this very moment?
My prayer:
Father God – Our Protector – Help us feel Your Presence and protect us from harm. Remind us that It is Well, even when it does NOT feel well because of who You are!
Jesus – Intercede for us even when we are so distraught that we cannot utter words. Remind us that It is Well, even when it does NOT feel well because of who You are!
Holy Spirit – Comfort us in all our troubles. Remind us that It is Well, even when it does NOT feel well because of who You are!
Amen
We need to PRAY for one another!
We need to pray for you!
Join our Thursday Prayer Call
Matthew 26
40Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter. 41“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”…
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Blessings,
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
“Achieve Levels of Success Worth Celebrating”
*Founder, Karen Bourg Companies
*Owner, President {Inter}National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs/International Christian Mompreneur Network
*Founder, RHEMA Publishing House
*Founder, RHEMA Lakeside Retreat Center
*Founder, RHEMA Counseling Associates
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 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 karenbourg.com.