Do you ever wonder if God cares? Does the Creator of the universe care about the big things, the small things? Does He care especially about the details of your life?
He does!
If you’re like me, this isn’t a pressing question when the details of your life seem to be falling into place. But the minute things seem (from your human perspective) to be falling out of place, the question arises. “God, do You care about the details of my life?”
He does!
God is Sovereign over every detail of your life – the important things, the big problems and the small problems, even the minute or small details. God cares about everything from the entire universe to the tiny mustard seed. Jeremiah prayed (32:17) “Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,…” AND God answered ( Jeremiah 32:27) “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” Learn more…
God is fully Present for every detail of your life. God’s Presence is everywhere. The prophet Jeremiah (23:23-24) says that God fills the heavens and earth. In Psalms 139:7-12, David says God already is everywhere we might go in this life and the next. Learn more…
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
That pretty much covers ‘everywhere!’
God Knows about every detail of your life – even your smallest concerns or your most insignificant thoughts or deeds. God is that great! The Bible says, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13 Learn more…
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His mightwhich He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
God Cares about (is Beneficent over) every detail of your life because His love reaches to such a depth and breath that it encompasses every particular detail. In our last Writing Retreat we learned that God’s kindness and goodness reaches to such a depth and breath that it encompasses every particular detail. God cares deeply about our lives. Learn more…
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you,casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you…”
1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV
The icing on the cake is
HE is SOVEREIGN.
God is able to care about the details of your life because He IS! He is Sovereign; He is all powerful, all present, all knowing, all love! It’s True! But it doesn’t always feel true! So, how do you know it is true?
Here are 9 precepts for faith-filled confidence that God cares about the details of your life!
His Word is True!
God Discerns Your Thoughts and Intentions
He Counts the Number of Hairs on Your Head
God Knows Your Sitting Down and Your Rising
He Collects Your Tears in His Bottle and in His Book
God Numbers Your Days
He Considers You More Valuable than the Birds of the Air
God Counts and Names the Stars Above Your Head
He Counts the Grains of Sand under Your Feet
His Word is True!
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
In my darkest moments, when I focus on the world’s wisdom for help, or when I look to my own knowledge and understanding, I flounder and falter.
When I turn to the surety of God’s Words, I feel confident and freely receive His comfort within His enduring truth.
The Bible contains timeless truths that resonate across generations, offering comfort, encouragement, and direction because His Word is true.
According to Psalm 119, God’s Word commands what is true and right! God‘s Word is sincere, firmly fixed in the heavens and doesn’t change. Every one of His righteous judgments endures forever; they never get old or wear out. His word is unwavering and eternal.
The Bible is divine revelation, and provides guidance, wisdom, and comfort to those who seek the Lord.
Seek God’s Word in times of distress. He promises it will complete you and equip you! Focus on His promises.
As a Biblical Counselor, I often encouraged, even begged, my counselee’s (and myself) to spend at least as much time – if not more time – in God’s Word than they spent focusing on their distress and sharing it with others; I encouraged them to see if He didn’t provide comfort and an answer every time!
Try it!
God’s word is true. His Word also provides what is good! It serves as a guiding light, illuminating your path and providing wisdom for your lives. Remember, His word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path, providing comfort, guidance and strength. (also Psalm 119) This verse reminds you that God’s Word is not just theoretical knowledge; it’s practical guidance for your daily journey. God’s Word illuminates your way, as a lamp helps you see where to step in the darkness, showing you how to navigate life’s challenges and make choices that honor Him.
When you are desiring clarity, facing decisions, and seeking comfort, you can turn to Scripture. It provides insight, correction, and hope.
So, continue to cherish and apply God’s Word, allowing it to shape your thoughts, actions, and desires. Turn to God’s Word. Invite Him in with every challenge you face!
The future is as bright as the promises of God.
– William Carey
Learn more…
God Discerns Your Thoughts and Intentions
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
I don’t know about you, but understanding that our all-knowing God knows every thought I think and discerns the heart and intention behind those thoughts is quite sobering and kind of scares me. It shouldn’t scare you, but it should give you caution especially because from your thoughts pour words and actions and habits and values. From these your beliefs are firmly set and your future is influenced. It should give you comfort as you embrace the assurance that God understands your struggles and intentions, and accountability arises from your awareness that God knows your true motivations and actions.
Psalm 39:2-4 says God perceives my thoughts from afar. In Isaiah 55:8, God declares,“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,…” But He also says in Psalm 37:4 He gives the desires of your heart to you if you delight in Him. He helps you align your desires with His Desires when you seek Him and delight in Him! You align your inner life with your outward actions and grow to know Him and make Him known. He helps you think and act with moral integrity and sincerity. He will help you know what He wants and to want what He wants.
I’m reminded of the scripture of the man who said, “Lord, help my unbelief!“ And I often pray that the Lord will help my desires align with His, and when they do my thoughts, then the outpouring of my thoughts into words, actions, habits and values will also align with His!
Pray honestly and open, without pretense. The Lord already knows your true thoughts, feelings, and needs. Ask Him to help you cultivate more faith, to be mindful and disciplined in life, and grow in faith-filled confidence as your inner thought life flows into your outer actions. Ask the Lord to divinely guide how you interact with others to foster transparency, kindness, and empathy. Ask Him to help you grow in wisdom and make your decisions right.
God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Learn more…
He Counts the Number of Hairs on Your Head
But/Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Matthew 10:30; Luke 12:7
Being a girl, although I’m not a very girly girl, I care probably a lot more than I should about the hairs on my head! And I’m constantly amazed when I read Scripture that tells us God counts the hairs on our heads.
I’m fascinated that He cares at all, and awed that He has the power and knowledge to count the hairs on our heads when we know that every time the wind blows, and we run our fingers through our hair, or we run a brush or comb through our hair, we see evidence that our hair is falling out every second! Humanly speaking, it’s incomprehensible that He counts the hairs on our heads – what a terribly daunting task!
He is aware of even the smallest details of your life; and His infinite knowledge and attention to every aspect of creation proves He cares. God cares so much about you that the number of hairs on your head matters to Him. Be amazed and so grateful.
You can be reassured and again comforted that no detail of your life is too insignificant for God‘s attention. His divine providence and personal care for you imply that God‘s concern extends to every aspect of your existence.
In addition, you can trust in God‘s plan and care, because if He knows and cares about the details, even the number of hairs on your head can’t, then larger concerns and worries are covered by the Lord as well.
You are valued and worthy in God‘s eyes, you are significant and cherished, even to the number of hairs on your head!
Humble yourself before God. He has ultimate authority over all things. Embrace that you have a place in the vastness of his creation. Live faithfully and righteously because nothing is hidden from God and He will encourage and equip you to live in a way that honors Him in everything you do.
God knows us minutely. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He has counted and named every hair, even though they are of little value. And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
-John Piper, Even the Hairs of My Head Are All Numbered
Reflections on My First Year in the Pastorate
Learn more…
God Knows Your Sitting Down and Your Rising Up
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thoughts from afar.
Psalm 139:1-2
God is so aware of you, He cares about your sitting down and – think about it – every moment of every day you are either up or down. That covers the whole 24 hours, number of minutes, and number of seconds in your day. That’s amazing!
Psalm 139 emphasizes God‘s full presence and intimate knowledge in your life. It reminds you that He knows your sitting down and your rising. He goes on to say, He understands your thoughts, scrutinizes your path or daily activities, is intimately acquainted with all your ways, knows every word before it’s on your tongue, encloses you behind and before, and lays His hand on you. Then the Psalmist declares,
“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high,
I cannot attain to it.“
Verse 6
I remember a bunch of our homeschool friends asking our homeschool pastor years ago, if we were studying God’s Word and wanting Scripture to be the foundation of all of our studies, shouldn’t we also teach our children about other religions. He took us to the Deuteronomy 6:7 passage that explains, “You shall teach them [God’s Words] diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” This wise pastor said, “Sure! If you can find a time when your children are not sitting in your house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up… I think we got the point!
God knows and cares about what you are doing every moment! He is fully aware of your actions and thoughts at all times. He is interested in every detail. He cares for you and provides comfort that you’re never alone in your daily and nightly experiences when you are sitting down and when you are rising up.
Live with integrity and mindfulness and conduct yourself righteously. Live your life conscientiously and purposefully. Choose actions and make decisions that align with faith and moral values. You can be comforted and reassured that God is present in every aspect of your life, providing guidance and support, peace and solace.
Pray about even the smallest aspects of your life because God is already aware and attentive. He is present in the grand and minor moments of your life; He is there in the everyday and routine aspects of your life. Every moment is significant and known to God. A friend recently reminded me…
He sanctifies the ordinary moments and infuses them with divine importance!
Do your daily rising up routines and behaviors align with your faith? Do your nightly laying down routines and behaviors align with your faith?
Choose a more deliberate and meaningful approach to life today. Live each day and each night with purpose, knowing that your actions matter to God. Seek out ways to serve and honor God in your daily and nightly life, finding purpose in both small and very significant actions. Live with integrity and purpose!
Seek God – to know Him and His Precepts when your children are sitting in your house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up – that’s ALL the time!
-Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Learn more…
He Collects Your Tears in His Bottle and in His Book
You have taken account of my wanderings [tossings];
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book?
Psalm 56:8
This verse conveys a deep sense of God‘s empathy, care, and attentiveness to your suffering. He cares deeply about your pain and sorrow and that all that cause you to tear up or cry when you are struggling and suffering,
Because God is Sovereign, I think that His care and collection of your tears includes all tears – when you get a bit of dust in your eye and your eyes are tearing up to cleanse and protect them; it encompasses happy tears, hilarious tears (“I laughed so hard, I cried), sorrowful tears when you’ve sinned against God, in addition to tears of grief.
I was widowed young when my husband died of cancer leaving me with children ages 7, 6, and 4 years old. I hadn’t considered myself much of a crier before then, but I made up for it those next few years, I can promise you that. I took my kids to a Grief Support center, knowing that I might not be able to attend to their grief as well as I would like to while I worked through my own journey of sorrow. It was one of the best decisions of our lives. So much so, that a year and a half later, I found myself volunteering for that organization, then going back to school to get my Masters Degree in general Counseling and becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor, then working as a Program Director in a local Grief Support center, then actually going back to school to get a Doctorate in Family Therapy focusing on a Narrative Approach – a Biblically sound model, specifically with families in crisis and in bereavement.
Along that journey, one of my interns who was a Registered Nurse, shared a nursing journal article that explained that over the years they had studied the chemical composition of tears and discovered that the chemical composition was different for tears of irritation, happiness, laughter, sorrow, and grief.
They also pointed out that tears of grief held all sorts of healing properties.
God collects your tears. This should remind you that God is not distant or indifferent, but is closely involved in the details of your life and particularly in your moments of grief. Your tears are not shed in vain. He encourages and comforts you. He acknowledges your distress and is present with you throughout your trials. Your feelings of sorrow and grief are legitimate and important emotions. They are significant enough to be remembered and treasured by God.
Recently when dad was in the hospital for 35 days, we were so grateful that he never declared that he was in pain, but there were significant seasons of suffering during those days. I was so encouraged that daily he used this suffering to reflect spiritually on his life and his relationship with the Lord. Suffering fostered a deeper trust in God’s plan and presence and encouraged him and all of us to seek solace in our faith, knowing that our tears are meaningful to God. He was comforted. We were comforted.
Be comforted. God cares about your tears – all of them. He cares so much He gathers your tears and saves them in His bottle and puts them in His Book! He cares so much that He has even created you in a way that promotes healing when you cry.
The act of collecting our tears signifies His attentiveness to every aspect of our lives, suggesting a God who is deeply invested in our well-being.
In times past, tear bottles, or “lachrymatories,” were used to catch and preserve tears as a memorial to the depth of your love and grief, and a profound plea for God’s divine intervention. God values your tears as precious indicators of your heart’s condition. He is intimately acquainted with your pain, fears and struggles; He is attentive to every aspect of your life and is invested in your wellbeing; He remembers your pain; and He is deeply compassionate and understanding.
-Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Learn more…
God Numbers Your Days
…in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
Psalm 139:16
I’m usually OK with living, although some of the days I have lived have been extremely difficult. I think I’m OK with dying believing my days are numbered by God because of the promise of heaven and the presence of God. But I have to admit, every time I suffer or someone I love suffers, I realize I’m not so OK with suffering. I grapple with trials and struggles and still haven’t found peace about it. I read God’s Word and search what others say about it.
It should bring some comfort that God numbers your days. Your lifespan is predetermined by Him. He has ordered the number of your days. As hard as it may be humanly to endure, you can trust Him with the exact number of your days and as hard as it is, you can even trust Him with the trials and suffering of the days leading up to your last day.
You can find comfort and assurance in the Divine Providence of God who numbers your days. It’s a reminder to make the most of your time and then live in alignment with God‘s precepts and values and to focus on what truly matters. It’s a catalyst to live an intentional and fulfilling life of service to God and to others in all your endeavors.
God‘s timing is divine. In your days, He teaches you patience and faith, reminding you that everything happens according to His plan, especially during difficult times. It reinforces the idea that challenges and trials are part of a larger, divine plan in a manner that aligns with God‘s divine will and purpose for your numbered days.
Consider the legacy you wish to leave behind and strive to positively impact others and contribute to their goodwill and in your community and in your world.
Strive to be a better steward of “days”!
Understanding that God ordains my number of days, I feel I can understand and be of courage during days of suffering. He provides and cares for me. I am to seek Him and His guidance in all aspects of my life, trusting His wisdom and plan for me. I can strive to live each day to the fullest, seeking God’s will and trusting in His unfailing love and provision.
-Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Learn more…
He Considers You More Valuable than the Birds of the Air
25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they?
33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:25-26; 33
God takes care of the birds of the air (and later in the same Scripture, the lilies of the field), even though they don’t fully know what they need the way that you interpret knowing and needs.
Jesus reminds you that He considers the birds, and He considers you even more valuable. So, you can trust that He will take care of you.
God places higher value on you than on the birds. You are created in the image of God and given dominion over all living creatures, including birds of the air. In Genesis 1:26 says, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God gave you this unique image and responsibility. You can be assured of a higher level of care and consideration from God. He loves you and He values you.
Jesus says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
What a beautiful and sobering reminder that God was/is willing to sacrifice for you because He loves and cares for you.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen,
And also the beasts of the field,
The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
Psalm 8:3-8
This Psalm reminds you of the place of honor God gives on you. He loves you and places value on your life.
Matthew 10:31 states, “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” This reminds me of the hymn:
Consider the stars. Stars are innumerable and beyond human comprehension. They symbolize hope, guidance and God’s infinite knowledge and infinite promises. Stars suggest God’s order (even though they definitely don’t look very ordered to us or to the human eye); and they prove His Sovereignty in that they extend throughout the vast cosmos! His creations are precise and limitless and ever under His control. God has supreme authority over all creation and you can trust His divine plan.
In addition, these verses remind you that not only did God count the stars, He named each one! When God names each star, you can be assured that every star and therefore, every one of you matters immensely to Him.
He cares for you.
His blessings are vast and boundless in nature, His faithfulness is unwavering, and His promises are always fulfilled.
Consider Abram:
When you remember Abram’s plan and watch God’s plan unfold in his life, consider the greater magnitude of God’s plan for Abram and his many future generations!
“And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” (Genesis 15:5) He continued, promising a blessing and to multiply Abraham’s seed like the stars of the heavens and the sands on the seashore! God also promised success against Abram’s enemies (Genesis 22:17-18) and abundant lands and blessings throughout his future generations (Genesis 26:3-4).
It’s humanly impossible to count the number of stars in the sky, even with our modern technology and satellites and Hubble telescopes. It’s unfathomable! God cares about the details of your life, and the details of your life are infinite in number! While you have many cares to place before Him, He cares about more details than you are even humanly aware of! All of them! – your struggles, your joys; He cares about every aspect of your life. What a double blessing!
“God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees,
and in the flowers and clouds and stars.”
-Martin Luther
Learn more…
He Counts the Grains of Sand Under Your Feet
Do you realize that the Bible says that the Lord has more thoughts to [unto] you or on behalf of you than the grains of sand?
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand…
Psalm 139:17-18
Most of our family members are drawn to water! We love going to the lake. Even more so we love going to the beach. Some of us love being in the water till we prune; the rest of us love being near the water.
There’s just something majestic and mesmerizing about bodies of water whether it’s a calm day or a stormy day. I love it all! It reminds me of the Sovereignty of God and I’m always spellbound that I can be comforted and at peace, even when close to a violent storm! I can’t humanly explain it.
The fact that God counts the number of grains of sand on the beaches is overwhelming, but when you consider that His thoughts about you number more than the grains of sand everywhere, you know without a doubt you are loved!
Remember, He knew you before He formed you in your mother’s womb! He set you apart and anointed you, called you to Himself before you were born. He was thinking about you before you were born! (Jeremiah 1:5)
His wisdom and knowledge are infinite!
His love and attention for you is boundless. The grains of sand on a beach are endless. His thoughts toward you are countless. You are always in His presence, always surrounded by His care and grace. He knows you intimately.
Take comfort in knowing that God‘s thoughts about you are immeasurable, like the grains of sand. You are cherished, valued, and never alone.
God is everywhere, in the smallest grain of sand.
-Caspar David Friedrich
Heaven is in a grain of sand.
-William Blake
You can trust God with the details of your life!
AND God Inspires Your Words (Dear Writer)
Live by Faith; Write by Faith
And the Lord answered me:
“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.
-Habakkuk 2:2
GOD:
The Bible is God’s written Word to you. His Words provide a tangible link to communicate, reflect and connect between a Divine Triune Lord and you.
God’s written Word
Shares His Wisdom
Preserves knowledge
Records history
Passes down God’s Truth for future generations
Conveys guidance
Encourages growth along your spiritual journey
Teaches you to express your faith
And so much more…
In various passages, the Bible highlights the significance of writing. Deuteronomy 31:24 records that Moses finished writing the words of the law in a book. Joshua wrote down the words of God in the book of the law in Joshua 24:26. In Jeremiah 30:2, the Lord instructs Jeremiah to write down all the words spoken to him in a book. Luke 1:3 describes how the author carefully investigated and wrote out the events for Theophilus.
I’m SO grateful for God’s Word!
In His Word, He instructs, guides, comforts, and encourages you – often to write! He communicates with you and inspires confidence in you; and He teaches you to share with and encourage others.
At a recent Writing Retreat (https://karenbourg.com/retreats) someone asked me if I, as primarily a writer and a publisher in this season of my life, believed everyone was called by God to write. I responded that not everyone is called to write and publish a book per se, but in our modern times, everyone called by God to minister and serve is writing every working day to confidently fulfill a God-given calling upon their lives. This is such timely spiritual encouragement for us all as we write!
Your highest purpose is to know God, and to bring Him glory and honor, then to make Him known to others, and to serve Him moment by moment in ways that please Him. For each of us that heart set on God, our mindset, and the steps we take on a day-to-day basis to serve Him looks a bit different. I am confidently called to write – chiefly a writer, so I am writing all the time. Ellen and Victoria are called to teach the Scriptures in depth, and writing is a fundamental and principle tool they use before teaching/speaking to their hearers. Heather is called to primarily speak, and not surprisingly she first writes her speeches to gain clarity and focus before presenting on stage. Seeing through God’s eyes, our writing from God’s perspective is invaluable!
In Matthew 5:18, God says no word, not even a jot or tittle will pass from His Law, from his Written Word:
not one jot or one tittle shall pass KJV
not the smallest letter or one stroke/part of a letter will pass HCB
not an iota, not a dot will pass ESV
God cares about every stroke of his Word. He cares about the details of your life and of your every word, every dotted “i” and every crossed “t” as a writer! Your writing is an act of service to Him and is an act of worship of Him! Wow! and Amen!
You are an instrument in the Redeemer’s Hand.
You are a pen in God’s Hand.
You are a “priestly pen.”
You are called to write.
So Get Your Write On! Right on! Learn more…
“After Jesus became the ultimate and perfect sacrifice, he opened the door for anyone to become Kingdom priests and devote their lives completely to serving Him. For many of us, part of that service includes the words we write. It’s why we like referring to Christian writers as “priestly pens.” Imagine the Author of life partnering with you and I (the pens) to write words that impact others now and into eternity.”
-CJ and Shelley Hitz, Priestly Pens: 21 Days of Encouragement for Christian Writers
Learn more…
Conclusion
Dear Christian Entrepreneur/Minister, Dear Writer,
Whatever your specific calling and in all the writing required of you to serve the Lord and those He has placed in front of you, follow the Lord to know Him, to bring Him glory honor, to please Him, to serve and worship Him, and to make Him known. Remember that God cares about everything – that’s every, not some, not a few, but – all details of your life – physically, soulfully, and spiritually. All of it.
Embrace the promise of God to be with you and guide you in your calling, especially to write! He is intimately involved in the lives of His people, in your life and in your writing when you serve the Kingdom of God! Write and serve in Jesus’ Name!
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
Years ago I had a popular program I called Purposeful Planning for Christian Entrepreneurs. For some reason just recently, I opened it up to take a look at it and moved it from archived to active again in my courses. I must’ve talked about it because the next thing I knew two separate people were expressing interest in it. I figured it was a great opportunity to take it out for a spin with them and to ask them to be beta readers and give me some feedback. So, that’s exactly what we did and we were beyond thrilled with the results!
I want to encourage you to write a plan, for without plans, we fail to produce… Benjamin Franklin said it this way, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
I want to encourage you to embrace a plan specifically to write to enhance your business/ministry according to God‘s calling on your life. That looks different for everyone but is necessary for growth for everyone. And
I want to introduce you to the Purposeful Planning program, and to the new edition of that program I am calling Purposeful Planning for Confident Writers!
Embrace a purposeful plan to write a plan1 and specifically to plan to write2 to enhance your ministry according to God‘s calling on your life. That looks different for everyone but is necessary for growth for everyone.
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Based on the results we all experienced in planning purposefully, I doubt if I will ever archive this Purposeful Planning program/course again!
Thank you, Lord, for new directions and inspirations and clarity!
Write Your Plan.
Are you a planner?
I am a planner! I even have plans for my plans and lists for my lists and it works… when I work the plan and pick up the list and when I am confident that I have received direction from the Lord! He is my Source of confidence! You need a good idea and a next step to reach long-term goals and your target market. The first step is a written plan aligned with your core values! Your writing projects take hard work and a lot of time. Hanging in there with the step-by-step process for your writing project planning leads quickly to a good writing plan with major points to encourage your readers and fellow writers.
“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.”
Proverbs 3:26, NASB
What does the Lord say about planning?
With God’s guidance and trust in His Provision, the Bible says that planning is important.
The word “plan” appears over 200 times throughout the books of the Bible. And while there is probably no best way to plan, He gives us some directions for a good plan! Let’s look at just a few of those verses.
Be a diligent planner: Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
Sit Down! Consider the cost of not following God’s plan obediently: Luke 14:28 “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”
Commit your work to the Lord. He establishes your plans!: Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. This is His Promise!
God’s plans for you are filled with hope: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
God’s purposes are your priority: Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. And what are His purposes? The overarching message the Bible tells us is that our purpose is to bring glory to our Heavenly Father. We do that by worshiping Him, living our lives as an offering to Him, and sharing the Gospel with those around us. His purpose becomes our purpose. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
Be orderly: 1 Corinthians 14:40 But all things should be done decently and in order.
What can we learn from the ant in this Proverbs passage about planning?
Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest. Also Proverbs 30:25
Add the Scriptures above and the quotes below to your vision board, writing journal, planner, or pins and revisit them as often as you can.
What do inspirational leaders say about planning?
Leaders are Planners! Planners are Leaders!
And they have a lot to say about planning. They all believe in the power of meticulous planning and planning ahead. They plan purposefully.
Let’s look at just a few of their encouragements. I’ve obviously chosen my favorites as they align with my Purposeful Planning process, so bear with me!
Invest in intentional planning because “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Prepare to plan; prepare for tomorrow today. “For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” ~ African Proverb
Know, with confidence from the Lord, where you are going. “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” — Yogi Berra
Commit to seeing the plan through. “A plan is only as good as those who see it through. ~ Anonymous “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” ~ Peter F. Drucker
Choose your tools wisely. “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first hour sharpening the axe.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
Take action! Planning is the foundation of success. So, create a blueprint for your future and take intentional steps toward achieving your dreams! “Planning without action is futile, action without planning is fatal.” ~ Cornelius Fichtner
Be flexible; adjust along the way! “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” ~ Confucius
Who would you quote to encourage us to plan well?
What does Karen say about planning?
Your plans have to be purposeful and intentional. They don’t just happen because you dreamed about it and thought about it. They happen when you follow your action plan aligned with your unique mission statement, actionable vision statement, and select core values.
Your plans have to be aligned with God’s calling on your life.
What happens if they aren’t aligned with God’s calling on your life? Well, you head in wrong directions and stop and start and stop and start and wonder why you’re not making progress and touching lives with your new directions and your new offers.
Your plans have to be aligned with and able to serve those God brings before you.
What happens if your plans are aligned with God’s calling on your life? You head in an inspired and guided direction with the help of the Holy Spirit. You are on target, and you see your life transformed and the lives of those you serve transformed. Even better, you see yourself and your clients turning to the Lord with every step you take. What a blessing to be part of seeing your and their dreams come true.
Your plans have to be specific according to your strategic goals as you hear from the Lord.
You have to commit to the God-given order for each planning stage. They must be aligned with your calling to serve, actionable, achievable, and measurable or trackable.
A plan that doesn’t evolve probably truly couldn’t be defined as a “plan” at all but more as a vision, or a dream, or a hope. Your unique plan will help propel your writing even if this is a new business for you or an established ministry; and when you struggle with writer’s block or have a solid writing plan and a prosperous writing career.
Now that you have a God-given plan for your writing ministry or business model and a confident project schedule, plan to write! I am a writer and my offers – services, programs and products – are mostly developed to encourage Christian Writers of all kinds.
Plan to Write.
Do you purposefully plan to write?
I finally learned how to plan to write. Everything but writing was on my calendar and I kept wondering why I wasn’t reaching my writing goals! Has that ever happened to you?
Now, writing takes precedence on my calendar and I’m achieving so much more than I ever did before!
What does the Lord say about writing?
God’s Words:
The Bible is God’s written word! There is no better Writer! There are no greater Words! I am so grateful for His Words.
God’s written Word is a testament to the value of the written word.
God’s words are His revelations and inspired words. His scribes spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit to write God‘s words down. 2 Timothy 3:16.
God commanded that his revelations and His very words be written down. The 10 Commandments were written on tablets by God‘s own finger in Exodus 31. God told Moses & Joshua and Jeremiah to write down His words in Exodus 34 and Jeremiah 30. The apostle John testified that he wrote down Jesus’ revelation that was communicated to him in Revelation 1. God commanded you to write down His laws and His divine instructions and teachings for your benefit and for others in Deuteronomy 31.
His words are written so you would remember and not forget God’s commands and His blessings, especially during your most difficult trials. I love the Psalms that encourage you to meditate on God’s Words, and remember His Presence as you witness others struggle through unimaginable griefs. One of my favorite Psalms is Asaph’s Psalm 77. I love the way he freely pours his heart out to the Lord in honesty, and doesn’t stop imploring of the Lord until he hears from the Lord and is comforted by Him.
God’s words are written so you will learn and grow in wisdom and righteousness and justice and equity. Proverbs 1, Deuteronomy 17, and like the Bereans in Acts 17.
His words were written so that you would pass His Truth on to future generations. The apostles referred to the Old Testament, and wrote to affirm their witness about Jesus in Luke 24 and Acts 17. Peter wrote so that others would be able to remember the truth and endure in 2nd Peter.
Old Testament prophets wrote down visions and prophecies, chronicling events and God’s messages. Jeremiah 20, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. They wrote to preserve the prophecies for future generations, to allow you to test and validate God‘s words, and to remind you of God‘s promises, and of His warnings. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry as they were eyewitnesses and testified to Christ teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection. Paul wrote to address theological matters, encourage believers, and provide guidance. Other New Testament letters were written to preach the gospel, give practical instructions for Christian living, settle disputes in the churches, teach deep theological truths, and to spread the gospel worldwide for decades and centuries after Christ’s ascension into heaven.
God‘s words offer blessings beyond your comprehension. His Words guide and light your paths. “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105. His Word illuminates your way through dark valleys and shows you which paths to take. His Words impart wisdom and joy. “I rejoice at Your word, As one who finds great spoil.” Psalm 119:162. His word uncovers precious truths about His faithfulness and compassion and mercy toward you. They give you hope, comfort, and abiding joy, because the word of God is sweeter than honey. Psalm 119:103
God‘s words teach that His love is steadfast and His faithfulness endures throughout history. You read of the stories of human struggles, and how God intervened on behalf of His people in need, and are reminded that He does the same for you. He sees and cares for you. He does not abandon you. He reminds you, “Do not be afraid.“ He gives you courage and faith-filled confidence.
Writing in the Bible serves as a bridge between you and God, preserving divine truths and guiding believers throughout history. Read His writings diligently! Then write what HE calls you to write with increasing confidence.
Your Words:
Your written words should be divinely inspired by God so you diligently record His encouragements for others.
In the Scriptures, God encourages you to write as a means of communication, expression, and preservation. And while there is probably no best way to write and best practices for writing vary, He gives us some directions for good writing goals! Your words, inspired by a Loving God, are powerful to convey messages, record history, and inspire faith within yourself and within others.
In your writing, you should:
Write readily or willingly: My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. Proverb 4
Write God’s Words: His words given to you should be the foundation of every message you share. “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.” Jeremiah 30:2
That foundation from which you write is one of
steadfast love and faithfulness – “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.” (What a bonus!) Proverb 3:3-4
praise and thanksgiving – “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 And Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Write with a clear vision for the benefit of others. “And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2
Write with confidence and strength from the Lord. Proverbs 3:26 – “For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” and Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” And Isaiah 40:30-31, “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
What do inspirational leaders say about writing?
I love learning about writing from writers I admire! I try to find interviews they have given with hints at writing prowess! I write my first draft, and then I choose from their specific goals and step-by-step guides to reach a finish line and end goal that pleases me and my reader.
One of my favorite writers is Jan Karon who is famous for her Mitford Series of fourteen books that tell the story of a North Carolina small town with a wholesome heart. She writes of extraordinary but ordinary and endearing townsfolk who become family before you know it. They are tight-knit, loving, faithful, loyal, and friendly (well, most of them are) and they survive the toughest challenges and hurdles life can bring. Who doesn’t love a survivor? In her interview, I learned
“You are called to write and sealed.” Jan Karon quoted Blaise Pascal who said, “ There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can’t be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.“ She charges you as a writer to remember your calling and remember your sealing!
[from Karon, Jan. Writing and Wrestling with the Heart: Jan Karon’s Washington National Cathedral Lecture. Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.]
Let’s hear from other writers:
Your courage is reborn: “I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” —Anne Frank
You are an explorer! “The writer is an explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
I say, if you are working within your God-given calling, you are probably writing something every single workday.
I say, if you are writing every single workday, you are a real writer. It doesn’t matter if you don’t consider yourself an author, you should consider yourself a writer. [Karen/Callie – NOTE to Link to the blog, you are a real writer, which I don’t think has been published yet FINISH IT!!! ]
I say, once you’ve mapped out a plan to write to enhance your business/ministry, and to serve the Lord by serving others He has placed before you…. You’ve got to buckle down and follow the plan and get to “writin”!!! Just do it!
Writing things by hand is magical, opens up a flow of creativity, and actually boosts your memory. I hate it. You have a tried-and-true method of writing that works for you – by hand, typing, dictating, and more. Challenge: Step out of that familiar place as often as you can, even if just for a few minutes and see what floodgates open up!
Remember F.O.C.U.S. stands for – Follow One Course Until Successful or Follow One Commitment Until Successful
Make a PACT – Plan, take Action, Commit, Track – from Kim Hawkins (kimshawkins .com)
Your writing should spring first from your firm foundation of Devotion to God – Who is loving and Faithful. Psalm 115:1 – “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, But to Your name give glory Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth [Or faithfulness].” In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus impressed upon sister Martha that while her preparations and serving were good, Mary chose the good or better part – the best or necessary service was to sit at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
It doesn’t always take much time, once first things come first! Ask God for that initial idea and begin to establish tiny writing habits and God-sized big ideas and main ideas that will reach your readers with strong points and increase their confidence!
Dear Writer, seek Him first. Consider what the Lord teaches in His Word about your calling and writing. Learn from Him and from others you admire.
Karen is the Founder of Karen Bourg Companies and the RHEMA Group (with her husband Fred). She works with Christian women as they confidently navigate their paths – in life, through trials, and as they serve the Lord by receiving insight [rhema] from the Lord within their God-given calling.
As the President of the National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs, the Lord laid the theme of Cultivating Faith-filled Confidence on my heart early on. Years later we’re still seeking Confidence from Him as we serve God and the people He has entrusted to us! We’ve texted and messaged “confidence encouragements” to one another, we’ve held 100+ Zoom webinars about it, we’ve prayed confidence over one another at retreats and conferences, we’ve written about it and published our first Anthology!
I want you to receive confidence from the Lord for this new year in abundant measures and new ways. I’ll share why confidence is important, what I believe the Lord means by “confidence” and how to hear from Him to cultivate godly confidence in life, through trials, as you serve, as you grow and prosper in all dimensions of health, and as you write to share what He teaches and how He leads you!
Shout a resounding “YES” to God’s confidence and read on, subscribe, and share with us as we grow together in confidence!
Why is Confidence Important?
Confidence is a feeling or consciousness, even faith or belief, in your ability to act in a right, proper, or effective way.
When you are not confident, you are filled with doubt about yourself or in your calling from the Lord, and you react instinctively to survive. That’s a good thing! But it doesn’t feel too good, does it?
As a Biblical Counselor of families in crisis since 1995, I walked alongside others who struggled to survive. When faced with overwhelming stress, we automatically respond to protect ourselves. Professionals categorize these responses as fight, flight, freeze, fawn, or flop responses.
Without Confidence:
You fight to maintain power and control and to face a perceived threat.
You flee (in flight) to run away from danger. That’s not always a cowardly act. There is a proper time to flee to safety and wait upon the Lord!
You freeze with an inability to move or act against the threat.
You fawn or cower, even yield to please someone to avoid conflict.
You flop/faint or may even collapse and become unresponsive.
Faith-filled Confidence:
Next time, you can respond with steps to build confidence:
You can foster peace instead of fighting. In the Bible, God tells us in Matthew 5:9 that He blesses the peacemaker!
You can stay the course instead of fleeing (flight).
You can spring into action instead of freezing.
You can stand your ground instead of fawning or giving in.
You can stay calm instead of flopping/fainting. In Isaiah 7:4 God says, “…take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted…”
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1-3, NASB
God understands and even writes about the impact of traumatic experiences and the lack of confidence we feel. The Lord was aware and understood our distresses long before we were able to identify and label them, and the good news is He promises that we can find encouragement in knowing God hears us!
What is Faith-filled Confidence?
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
2 Corinthians 3:4, NASB
With confidence, I can say true confidence comes from the Lord and from God’s word, and from no other source. Of course, there is a difference between how the world defines confidence and how the Lord defines confidence.
Confidence According to the World
Confidence is support, especially in a legislative body.
It is a discrete and trusted communication made in secret.
Confidence is a relation of trust or intimacy.
It is a firm belief in the integrity, ability, effectiveness, or genuineness of someone or something. You place deep confidence in others.
Confidence is great faith in oneself or one’s abilities.
It is faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way.
Confidence According to the Lord
There are seven different original lexicon words in Hebrew in the Old Testament for the word confidence.
From God’s Promises in the Old Testament, you learn:
You are to put your confidence in God. In 2 Kings 18:19-22, King Hezekiah was credited with confidence and trust in the Lord God as he reigned over Judah. Psalm 118: 8 and 9 tell us it is better to trust in the Lord than to place confidence in man.
Confidence in God comes with reward! Your foot will not be caught (Proverbs 3:26). You will have refuge (Proverbs 14:26). You will be saved and strengthened (Isaiah 30:15).
You can put your trust in trustworthy leaders.
From God’s Promises in the New Testament, you learn:
You can ask God anything, and He will hear you.
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
1 John 5:14-15, NASB
Paul teaches that confidence in the Lord will empower you to preach the Gospel unhindered! (Acts 28:25-31). Confidence in the Lord will affirm your love for God! (2 Corinthians 2:2-3). Your ministry will be commended (2 Corinthians 6).
Like Paul, you can be gentle and bold as you work for the Lord (2 Corinthians 10:1-2). You can be confident that in weakness and in strength, the Lord will use you (2 Corinthians 11).
Your heart will be comforted, and you will have confidence in those you serve (2 Corinthians 7:16). You will receive grace from those you serve (2 Corinthians 8:22).
In confidence, you will be led by and walk in the Spirit with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5). You will have a boldness for stewardship (Ephesians 3). Your life goal will be to “worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3). You will realize and receive a great reward in confidence (Hebrews 10:35).
Whatever you ask of the Lord, you will receive (1 John 3:21). You will be confident of eternal life! (1 John 2:28).
God’s way is that you would have a confident heart and a faith-filled life!
We Build Confidence as We Hear, Believe & Obey the Lord
Confidence comes from the Lord first and foremost. Our responsibility is to hear Him, believe what He says, and respond to Him in obedience. HBO – hear, believe, and obey!
Hear the Lord
Hearing God requires you to purposefully and intentionally meet with him as the CEE—Chief Executive of Everything for your life—on a regular and very intimate basis. I asked God some very specific questions as I felt Him prodding me to make some significant changes in my organization this year, and I heard His answers:
when I was willing to sit still long enough and
when I was willing to acknowledge His answers, especially as some of them were not exactly what I wanted to hear.
What will it take for you to hear from the Lord in this season—perhaps more intimately than you’ve ever heard Him before? Listen to God’s voice with a sincere heart.
Believe Him
I love the Scripture, “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief’” (Mark 9:24). I have found myself praying that prayer more often in the last 18 months. If I believed what I heard—truly believed it—I would have acted on it much sooner and with utmost confidence.
Are there areas in which you’ve heard from the Lord in preparation for this new season but unbelief has hindered you from moving forward?
Believe Him. He brings good news. Believing God will give you perfect peace and strong confidence.
Obey Him
Obedience is hard. There is blessing in obedience!
Leviticus 26:3-4 (NASB) states, If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. Then verses 5-13 go on to list additional blessings that will follow obedience:
Seasonal rains
Produce and fruit
Lasting harvest
Food to eat “to the full“
Secure living in your land
Peace in your land
Freedom from harmful beasts in the land
No war in the land
And more! Amen to all of these blessings!
Will you ask the Lord to reveal to you an area of disobedience and offer Him your willing obedience?
We Need Confidence in Life, through Trials, and as We Serve the Lord and Others
In life, do you sometimes look at the big picture and freeze? Through suffering, do you sometimes struggle under the trials of life—small and big—and wonder where you will find the strength to continue?
As God’s servant in business or ministry, have you started and stopped different projects and wondered how to get back on track?
Our lives and our work and ministry must begin with Who God is and who we are in Christ.
Confidence in Life
Life can be so complicated, so busy, so involved. You often feel something is testing your faith. Praise God! He is your Source of confidence. He is THEE SOURCE.
In 2 Corinthians 3:4 you read, Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Paul goes on to state that your ability is from God. The Lord makes you able to do what He has called you to do. Takes a bit of the pressure off, doesn’t it?
Confidence Through Trials
Suffering can often seem to hinder you from fulfilling your God-given calling. In your time of need, you ask God for relief. When you hear, believe and obey God with hope, you realize His hand is intimately mixed up in your troubles.
In 2 Corinthians 4, we read of the confidence of Paul’s ministry in spite of many trials. Lest we think his trials were mild, he describes them as affliction, struck down, being delivered over to death. Because he believed in Jesus and His Words, he continued to be confident to minister, to speak, even to die. He encourages you not to lose heart or hope when facing great trials and various sufferings of this world.
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18, (NASB)
God is your firm foundation when major trials come. In his work, The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis said, “Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
To find confidence from the Lord, especially during times of intense suffering, it helps to remember God’s promises and provisions. When you read through the Psalms of Aspah and of David pay close attention to their vivid descriptions of their suffering. They didn’t mince words. They were hurting and they talked about it! Remembering God’s promises and provisions increases your confidence.
Confidence as We Serve with Joy
Entrepreneurship and your good work in business and ministry can be a constant challenge.
The acrostic JOY stands for
Jesus
Others
Yourself
In all you do, especially in the work you have been called to, you are to keep fervent in your love for God to glorify Him through Jesus Christ. You are to serve Him!
Pray that you will be a good steward of what God has called you to do. Stewardship is about service (1 Peter 4:10). Stewardship incomes with great reward. And, yes… good stewardship requires you to be obedient and well-informed, even educated.
God gives us so much already, true, but He is also ready to give you so much more if you are willing to trust Him and plant that first seed… to give others some of what God has given you.
We Need Confidence in All 7 Dimensions of Wellness
God calls you to grow and prosper in all dimensions of life. He wants you to encourage others, to draw them to Him, and to bring Him glory and honor in your life experiences.
B.E.L.I.E.F.S.
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (ESV)
In my own Private Counseling practice, we wanted to be able to meet the client and his/her needs in all dimensions of health. We focused on 1 Thessalonians 5:23, and we used the acrostic B.E.L.I.E.F.S. to describe seven dimensions of wellness:
Body – Physical wellness is crucial to our bodies’ good health and optimal functioning. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Emotions – When we are experiencing emotion, we are often completely unaware of it. It’s important to be emotionally healthy. (Isaiah 26:3)
Livelihood – God’s vision of work and financial wellness can transform our labors into purposeful pursuits instead have-to drudgery! (Colossians 3:23-24)
Intellect – Giftedness for learning may vary, but we should all strive to reach our total mental capacity through lifelong learning and critical thinking. (2 Timothy 2:15)
Environment – Families should provide a safe and healthy home and outside lifestyle that honors and respects others and the surrounding environment. (Proverbs 24:3-4)
Family/Friends – We were created for unity and togetherness. It is how we serve the Lord – we touch the lives of others! (Genesis 2:18)
Spiritual – Spiritual wellness is the first and foremost foundation of health and wellness and involves growing in faith and beliefs and seeking meaning and purpose in life. (Jeremiah 29:11-14a)
My Favorite Confidence Scriptures and Quotes
“For the Lord will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.” Proverbs 3:26
“For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth.” Psalm 71:5
“And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.” Isaiah 32:17
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” Helen Keller
“Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Christopher Robin
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt
It’s my fervent prayer that you are encouraged and empowered with a confident heart and a faith-filled life from the Lord for this new year in abundant measures and in new ways. I’d love to be a part of your unique confidence journey this year and in years to come!
Be Confident and Blessed,
Karen
Karen is the Founder of Karen Bourg Companies and the RHEMA Group (with her husband Fred). She works with Christian women as they confidently navigate their paths – in life, through trials, and as they serve the Lord by receiving insight [rhema] from the Lord within their God-given calling.
What’s happening in the Cultivating Faith-filled Confidence Facebook group and then beyond?
Dear sweet Ben, I’m so glad you asked!
My older brother Ron is here too, keeping me on the straight and narrow and encouraging me along the way, so Ben, if you’ll allow me to adopt you, I’ll be sandwiched in encouragements by an older AND a younger brother! Does it get any better than that?
What’s happening?
Today, which is Wednesday, January 31, we will write again in Pomodoro style as many of you have with me before using the same link we always use – it’s posted in the posts in these discussions and featured in the post at the top of the group, at least until someone tries to spam us!
Essentially:
at 10 AM CST we will spend about 15 minutes introducing ourselves to one another and praying for one another
from 1015 to noon:15 we will mute our audio and stop our video so that all you will see is a Pomodoro timer ticking in the top right hand corner of your screen, and we will write Pomodoro style which includes a 25 minute session of writing with a five minute break / another 25 and 5 / another 25 and 5 / and another 25 minutes which equals two hours of faith-filled confident writing. We will come together from 12:15 to 12:30 PM to say goodbye and offer a word of encouragement to each other.
Beginning in February we will open up opportunities to write together in similar fashion on Monday mornings, Tuesday early afternoons, and Wednesday late afternoons. We will write in community in the same manner.
But on Monday mornings:
at 9 AM CST, we will come together for a faith-filled confidence writing tip session where I will share all I have learned as a blogger, author, and publisher in bite-size snippets!
at 9:30 AM we will share what our writing projects are for the week and spend significant time with a short devotional and in prayer for one another.
that set us up to begin our writing session at 10 AM.
We’re considering doing a 2nd Saturday of the month confidence community virtual weekend retreat, where we will begin our intensive writing day
at 9 AM with faith-filled confidence writing tips,
at 9:30 AM with a devotional and prayer time
Then, our three writing sessions that day will be from
10 AM to 12:30 PM (all CST)
2 PM to 4:30 PM
and
6 PM to 8:30 PM
We’ll take an hour and a half break between the 1st and 2nd sessions for lunch, and
We’ll take an hour and a half break between the 2nd and 3rd sessions.
I realize that February 10th is upon us pretty quickly and you may already have something on your calendar but I hope you’ll try to jump in and bring any writing friends you wish. It doesn’t matter whether you’re writing emails and social media posts or your Magnum Opus, You ARE a REAL Writer because you re writing almost every working day.
Discipline and Prayer – Matthew 18:18-20, NASB
18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
I know you’ll be pleased with the progress you make, because “where two or three are gathered together” in God’s name, the Lord promises to be “in their midst” and He seems to always honor that when we are together, oftentimes, in miraculous ways!
Join me for writing, faith-filled confidence, and miraculous results!
Be Confident and Blessed,
Karen
Karen is the Founder of Karen Bourg Companies and the RHEMA Group (with her husband Fred). She works with Christian women as they confidently navigate their paths – in life, through trials, and as they serve the Lord by receiving insight [rhema] from the Lord within their God-given calling.
God is a God of Order, and through Him we can be orderly in body, soul, and spirit! By God’s Grace, every minute we spend organizing and ordering (body, soul, and spirit) can produce extraordinary results!
NACWE Members http://nacwe.org ) declared 2021 the year of Leveling UP for Christian Women Entrepreneurs.
For the entire month of February we focused on leveling up our organization(s) – on being organized, optimizing opportunities and tools, managing time, productivity, and efficiency! I immediately thought of my father-in-love’s disordered physical space and very ordered mind! I wondered what our God of Order says about being ordered in body, soul and spirit.
Join me for an initial look! Father God, Help us to be ordered and organized in all dimensions of our lives (body, soul and spirit) and in ways that please You! Amen.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
God is a God of Order in All Things
But all things should be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40
ALL things: But all things should be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).
We are body, soul and spirit:
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
God is a God of Order – Body, Soul, and Spirit
I want to want to (want to desire to) be orderly and organized in body, soul and spirit! Even when I don’t want to! I want to!
It’s hard!
I am physically tired. Lord, heal my body.
I fight against a pervasive mindset that says large tasks are too overwhelming and I might as well not even tackle them! Lord, free me from defeatist thoughts!
I disobey when God asks me to invite Him in every day. Lord, forgive me for rebelling.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
My body doesn’t feel like His temple!
Have you ever thought through how many hours it takes to care for the body God gave you? If you add together hours for sleep, cleanliness, nourishment, exercise, and more – maybe hours for healing when you are physically challenged, it can easily add up half of your day!
During a health crisis, I have had to learn to give myself time to care for my body, to be orderly about it (I hate taking meds so a schedule is crucial), and most importantly, to remember that my body belongs to God, and to seek refuge and wisdom from Him.
What do you need to do to care for your body, His temple, now?
God is a God of Order for your Soul (Mind, Will, & Emotions)
And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37
A pastor once defined our soul as our mind, will and emotions.
You can have an ordered mind.
Yikes! I want to stop writing this! Too many personal convictions crop up!
Have you heard about the book Men are Like Waffles; Women are Like Spaghetti?
The basic premise is:
Men compartmentalize / divide into sections or categories their lives and thoughts. They even have a “nothing” compartment. Wife: “Honey, what are you thinking about?” Husband: “Nothing!”
Women entwine their lives and mix their thoughts throughout like a pile of spaghetti; there is no “Nothing” compartment!
I can’t speak for others, but I have to agree that this is true for me and Fred most of the time!
A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind!
For years my father-in-love always had a sign on his desk that said, “A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind!” And therefore, there was assuredly nothing “sick” about his mind! Now, you can’t find the sign or his desk! He’s not distracted by this holy mess. As a lifetime missionary, he has written hundreds of books, booklets, and seminary courses for those sharing and accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Obviously, God’s Grace is sufficient in his life in spite of what appears to be extreme physical disorder.
A clean desk is a sign of a clean mind!
We have a serene little house on the lake that we rent through AirBnb. Thanks to Vicki, a friend that watches over and cleans the house for us between guests, it is uncluttered and pristine! Everything is in its place! I’m amazed at the progress I make when I stay there for get-away work days. There is little to distract me, once I’ve spent sufficient time on the water, of course. I have written my “magnum opus” dissertation and several entire books at such a place.
And yet, O Praise the Lord; He commands us to order our thoughts/minds.
He commands us.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8
Plus, He promises us peace!
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
God wouldn’t command us to order our minds if, through Him, it wasn’t possible!
How do you need to organize and order your mind today?
You Can Have Ordered Emotions
I’ve worked with families in crisis since 1995. It’s hard enough to keep our emotions in check when things are going well, but even harder during times of turmoil and suffering. Fellow counselors and I talk often about the heightened emotions in the counseling room and how it draws our emotions toward turmoil as well.
He commands us.
Do not be anxious.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Be strong and courageous. Joshua 1:9
Be angry and do not sin… Ephesians 4:26-27
He tells us how.
In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
Hold back your spirit. Proverbs 29:11
Be slow to anger. Proverbs 15:18
Walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-24
Let love be genuine. And hold fast to what is good. Romans 12:9
Plus, He promises us …
Peace: The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
A mind of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).
Good will come from all things (Romans 8:28).
A glad heart (Proverbs 15:3).
God wouldn’t order us to order our emotions if, through Him, it wasn’t possible!
How do you need to organize and order your emotions today?
God is a God of Order for your Spirit
I have confidence that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are ordered beings.
God is Spirit
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:24
His Word pierces and discerns thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38
What does the Bible say about my spirit, as a daughter of the All-Mighty triune God?
We are spirit
He calls us His spirit children. (Romans 8:16)
Our spirit returns to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
We are heart
There is an element of “heart” in our soul (especially in our mind, will, and emotions).
And there is a greater element of “heart” in our spirit.
Keep/Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23
Let not your hearts be troubled. John 14:1-2
Perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18
God wouldn’t encourage us to guard our heart/spirit if, through Him, it wasn’t possible!
How do you need to guard your heart/spirit today?
Admittedly, many of us fall somewhere in between extreme disorganization and uncluttered & pristine in body, soul, and spirit!
This is where I live and work most of the time – somewhere between extreme disorganization & uncluttered and pristine. In some areas, I have to have things organized; in other areas, chaos ensues.
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26; Mark 9:23 & 10:27; Luke 18:27)
God wouldn’t encourage us to order our body, soul and spirit if, through Him, it wasn’t possible!
Claim it! Amen!
Your Turn
Challenges:
1. Post in a prominent place in your workspace:
With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26
2. Purpose to start each week/each day asking God to order your steps in body, soul and spirit/heart. What does that look like specifically for you?
3. Spend 5 minutes asking the Lord specific questions about order, and record His answers.
POST an encouragement on Facebook in the ACHIEVE Coaching group: Karen Bourg Companies
Join our Thursday Prayer Calls by phone via free conference calling. All Thursday 8am CST Prayer Calls can be accessed by dialing 1-712-775-8968 / conference code 620259
Blessings,
Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Numbers 6, ESV
24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
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