by Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Apr 15, 2020 | Celebrate Life!
At this time of year you are constantly reminded of love. You plan romantic outings or long for them. Tips on showing love to your friends, spouses and kids are everywhere. There are tips on how to love your family, your clients and even your pets. But how do you love God more?
Let’s talk first about loving God.
It’s easy to start feeling lonely and depressed with so much love in the air. February activities present an idealized love that is so much fun to watch in the movies and makes our heart go pitter pat. But, that type of feeling love can change from one moment to the next, from one commercial to the next. So let’s focus on a love that is not fleeting.
God’s Love!
Nothing can separate you from God’s love.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
This verse boils down to this: nothing you can say, nothing you can do or have done can keep God from loving you.
Nothing can keep God from loving you. He loves you without you doing anything right. He loves you in your darkest moments. He loves you when you don’t think you deserve it. NO thing you can name will keep God from loving you.
Once you accept Him, God does not require you to do anything to receive His unconditional love. So this month, along with loving others in your life why not try a few things on this list to love God. Practicing some of these suggestions will create a stronger intimacy with God and improve your mood.
There are many ways to love God.
Try these tips alone or with your family as part of your Valentine’s Day celebrations.
LOVE GOD THROUGH PRAISE & WORSHIP
- Sing along with praise and worship music.
- Listen to beautiful, worshipful music while thinking about the love of God.
- Create as a way to celebrate God’s love. You can paint, craft, knit or sew.
- Dance to worship Him.
LOVE GOD THROUGH MEDITATION
- Be still – eliminate all distractions, and focus on the blessings in your life.
- Go outside and purposefully take in the beauty of nature.
- Pick a meaningful verse, memorize and rehearse then share it.
LOVE GOD THROUGH GRATITUDE
- Free yourself of distractions then make a list thanking God for the important people in your life. Detailed why they are important to you.
- Take 10 minutes each morning to thank God for everything He’s done in the last week to show you love and blessing.
- Use these lists and express gratitude to those people in your life through notes or actions they will appreciate.
This is a short list of personal things you can do to express your love to God. Of course, you can do any of the activities on this list with others or for others in order to show love because loving others is loving God. The more time you spend loving God, the easier it will be to love others.
How do you show that you love God?
Let’s learn to love God first, then others as ourselves this month!
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
by Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Apr 8, 2020 | Celebrate Life!, Entrepreneur Endeavors
Rest – On the Seventh Day, God Rested – Karen Lindwall-Bourg
I am a recovering Type-A Personality!
I’m busy most of the time, feel guilty if I’m not working on a project or creating something new; and when I do sit down, I am not still!
How about you? Are you able to work when it’s time to work, play when it’s time to play, and rest when it’s time to rest?
Let’s look at various aspects of rest:
Recreation
The Bible talks a lot about playing – it refers to playing instruments in praise to the Lord.
The Bible talks a lot about joy – I found over 100 Bible verses about being joyful and all of them were related to being in the presence of the Lord. For example, in Galatians 5 we learn that part of the fruit of the Spirit is joy. In Proverbs 17 we find that a joyful heart is good medicine. In Psalm 118 we rejoice in the day that the Lord has made.
What do you do to shift gears and play?
Someone posted a question on a Facebook newsfeed asking what everyone was doing for Self-care Saturday. Interestingly, many of the comments were what most people would consider work!
I do love the calling to Biblical Counseling God has given me, and sometimes it is draining and difficult, but most of the time it is joyful and enticing! I can relate to these commenters.
Take a Break, a Breather, a Time Out, Take it Easy, Respite
In Ecclesiastes 3:1 we are told, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…”
How often do you break for a breather?
Even within our workday, it is important to shift gears every now and then – to stretch, to stand and move to a different place, to take a walk, to grab a glass of water and keep hydrated, to shift to a different project or part of a task, to break the monotony, and to expand our creativity!
Relax, Be at Peace
“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31
Even Christ knew that there were times to get away, to be quiet, and to rest. Scripture talks several times about how the crowds pressed in upon him and how he needed to retreat.
Sleep, Cease (Cessation), Repose
“The sleep of a labouring man [is] sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.” Ecclesiastes 5:12
We were created to need 6 to 9 hours of sleep per night – depending on the person.
The list is long of the harmful effects of losing sleep.
We put our work and our loved ones first so often, even to the point of losing sleep. I am reminded of the instruction on an airplane to put your own oxygen mask on before trying to help anyone else with theirs. The premise is that by the time you help someone else with their oxygen mask you may not have enough oxygen to put your own mask on and would not be helpful to anyone else.
Be Well
An associate of mine, Bill, pointed out that the Hebrew word SHALOM is used as a traditional Jewish greeting or farewell and means rest, health, and/or well-being and much more.
The buzzword of this century is wellness, or well-being!
Shalom is understood around the world to mean “peace;” a complete peace. It includes a feeling of contentment, completeness, wholeness, and harmony.
According to Strong’s Concordance 7965 Shalom means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid.
Of course, there is only one way to find TRUE shalom – and that is in the Word of God – from Him who created and put all things into place.
My biblical counseling friend, Elizabeth, once pointed out how much time it takes to care for oneself. We were talking in our group about how guilty our clients (and we ourselves) sometimes seem to feel when they/we take time out for themselves/ourselves. When you count up the number of hours of sleep and add in the other hours it takes to be clean and well fed and exercised and other things we need to do like taking vitamins and going to physicians and dentists and chiropractors, etc.… the hours really add up! Elizabeth asked, “Why would God create human beings to need so much self-care? Would he want you to feel guilty about that care? Of course not!
Learn from Him
On The Seventh Day, God Rested“And on the seventh day God finished his work, and He rested. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.” Genesis 2:1-3
The Creator perfectly executed His will. He provided us with the model for the cycle of labor and rest (Exodus 31:17) so we are exhorted to labor and rest. In addition, we are exhorted to look forward to the eternal redemptive Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:3-10). We are to imitate the pattern of the King and to confess God’s Lordship and our consecration to Him. How will you add self-care and rest to your busy schedule as a father, as a daughter, as an entrepreneur?
Leave us a comment and let’s see what helps we can give each other in this area!
Do you need help learning to put rest on the agenda?
Let’s do it!
Let me help you learn to work when it’s time to work, play when it’s time to play, and rest when it’s time to rest!
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
by Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Apr 1, 2020 | Celebrate Life!
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
His mercies are new every morning. I am so grateful for this because as we come around to the end of the month I have already faltered a little on sticking to my goals and resolutions for this New Year.
Almost everyone has good intentions of New Year’s resolutions. How many times in life have you started gung-ho and ready to accomplish all you resolve to do, then only two weeks later find yourself discouraged and feeling beat up because you failed?
Let’s talk about that!
Writing the Goals/ Resolutions
Personally, I don’t do resolutions. I write goals. I pick something I want to achieve but I know I can’t do in my own strength. I make a goal which will require me to rely on God to accomplish it. I make plans specifically toward sticking to my goals. When you are choosing your goals, especially if you are new at this, pick something reasonable and then go a little further.
For example, don’t set a goal to do a zero gravity space flight if you are afraid of flying! (That’s me!) Keep your task within your realistic interests and dreams. When you pick your goal choose something you can accomplish within the year.
Sticking to It
One of the best ways to stick to and accomplish your goal is to have a purposeful plan. Take the time to write out the steps you will take to accomplish your goal. Break it down into small steps so you can measure your progress.
It takes determination and perseverance to stick to your plan. This is when you rely on the strength of the Lord. When you are tired and discouraged about achieving your goal meditate on the fact that in your weakness, God is made strong!
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 (NIV)
In those moments when you feel you haven’t been sticking to your goals – you feel like giving up or you have gone off track, Jesus steps in and strengthens you to keep going.
Finally, when trying to stay on track, remember this encouragement. You will reap, just hang in there and persevere.
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
Overcoming Slip-ups
One of the most difficult things about accomplishing and sticking to your goals is staying encouraged. Discouragement can come so easy when we don’t stick to the plan or we get off track or just forget to move forward. That is why it is good to have some encouragement in your arsenal for those not-so-good-days.
Understand that making your dreams come true require you to act. So in those times or weakness and discouragement or if you just get lazy remember:
“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7 (NIV)
During times of discouragement it can be hard to gather your strength to keep going. But God has already thought of this! He provided us the Holy Spirit to help specifically in times of weakness, dismay and discouragement. Take the time to pray, asking the Holy Spirit to help you in your weakness.
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Romans 8:26 ESV
Your goal may be starting something new. It might involve starting a new habit, a new relationship or a new business. You are just at the beginning. God loves newness, rebirth, transformation and growth. Staying connected to Jesus while working toward achieving your goals is the best way to make your dreams come true.
Let me know what your dreams are!
Let’s keep our goals and resolutions together!
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
by Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Mar 25, 2020 | Entrepreneur Endeavors
Happy New Year!
“True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.”
– Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Speaking of new things:
Are you doing what I’m doing as you build your business?
Are you grateful this New Year for a chance to begin again, plan ahead, reach new heights, and think outside the box in your business as an entrepreneur?
Are you getting ready to launch new services and products?
Creation
I’ve been reading through the Bible in a chronological order (one of my many resolves for the New Year!). I’ve been reading about Creation and several things have struck me that I think apply to us as we design new programs and products in our organizations.
God created the world in six days. I never thought of it this way, but my ESV Bible commentary points out that the creation progressed over triads of days:
ONE
o Day 1 God created light (v.3) and
o Day 4 God created the greater light (sun), lesser light (moon), and stars (v.14)
TWO
o Day 2 God created Heaven – separated the water of the sky and the water of the seas (v.6) and
o Day 5 God crated living creatures above the earth (fowl) and in the sea (fish) (v.21)
THREE
o Day 3 God created the land (Earth) & vegetation, Seas, vegetation (v9-11)
o Day 6 God created the beasts (animals) of the earth, and man in His likeness with dominions and a command to be fruitful and multiply (v.24-30)
“Six Days of Creation”
Use the Lord’s 5-point pattern of design in and build your business for success for the new year!
First God gave the earth form by separating the light of day from the darkness of night, the sea below from the clouds above, and the dry land with vegetation from the sea.
Second He filled these realms.
Heavenly Design Patterns
There was a pattern He followed each “day”:
- an announcement “God said”;
- a command “Let there be”;
- a report “And it was so”;
- an evaluation “It was good”; and
- a chronological framework “The first day”.
How can we use this same pattern following the design of the Sovereign Lord in our own businesses?
How can you build your business the same way God would, the way He built your world?
Here are Five Inspired Steps toward Successful Entrepreneurship:
Entrepreneurial Design Patterns
1.MAKE A DECISION
– There was an announcement. “God said…” He created.
The Hebrew word for create is bara and one commentary I found said that this word is a word reserved for God’s creative activity alone. He created the universe out of nothing and He orders everything in a progressive manner.
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
How should we respond?
Psalm 148:5 says “Let them praise the name of the Lord! For He commanded and they were created.”
I’m dependent on God, for He creates and sustains all that is by the power of His own being. I also must follow patterns and create and multiply spiritually and encourage others to do the same. Who has encouraged you? Are you creating programs and products to build your business that honor God and that benefit and encourage others?
2. ANNOUNCE THE DECISION
– There was a command. God said, “Let there be.”
Not only do we need to embrace and nurture our creativity; we need not worry about the details before we move forward. If you’re like me and you wait until everything is 100% prepared in your own mind before moving forward, there will not be a moving forward! Go ahead and take action throughout the whole process of creating. Take intentional action!
3.LAUNCH WITH CONFIDENCE
– There was a report. God said, “And it was so.”
Move forward believing that God led you to this design and that there are others who will benefit from it! Launch! Announce your new or renewed services and products!
4.TEST OR EVALUATE WITH TRUSTED AND APPROPRIATE CUSTOMERS
– There was an evaluation. God said, “It was good.”
Make appropriate changes as you go. Listen to the feedback you receive and make adjustments and add programs according to the needs expressed by your audience.
5.ADD TO YOUR CREATION
– There was a chronological framework. God said, “The first day.” Hear the implied next day(s)!
As each program succeeds, add new steps to it based on the needs of your audience. Build your business! Re-purpose the information gleaned in this new project in many different ways. Build upon it and create a marketable program, compile it into a book, and/or create a series of videos or audiobook from this creative foundation!
Do you need help jump-starting new designs this year?
Do you need help to build your business using this divine design?
I’m here to help! Reach out to me and we can discuss how you can reach new levels of success worth celebrating!
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
by Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Mar 17, 2020 | Celebrate Life!
Anger is inevitable in the experience of life as a human and even as a Christian. Righteous anger is an emotion we know God Himself experiences in the Scriptures. As we are made in His image it stands to reason we will experience anger. It is a God given emotion. However, we don’t have to let anger control us. And we must exercise anger in healthy and appropriate ways. It is important to learn to communicate clearly and in a godly-honoring manner when angry.
Ephesians 4:26 reads, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,”
Consider Anger as an Alarm System
It helps to look at anger as a warning system. Feeling angry is neither good nor bad. It is a way of knowing something isn’t quite right. Think of the alarm system on your house. When the alarm is activated and the beeping starts it is to warn you something is out of place. The beeping itself is not the culprit – it is not the primary problem. You must investigate to find out the root of the problem. So it is with anger – it is an alarm, a secondary emotion to alert you that something else is happening that needs investigation.
The Key to Communication When You’re Angry
The key to accurate and godly communication when you’re angry is being able to get to the root feeling. When your two year olds sprints toward a busy street, your reaction may be anger but the underlying emotion is fear. When you are angry, follow these step to understand your anger.
- Know your triggers. It helps to know what makes you feel angry and what your body feels like when it is angry. This knowledge reminds you to stop and think before speaking or acting. Knowing your triggers helps you determine the next step.
- Ask questions. Take a moment to ask yourself and God to help you figure out how you feel. (Jeremiah 33:3 reads, “Call to me and I will answer you,and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”) Some of those questions could be:
- Do I feel afraid?
- Do I feel disrespected?
- Am I disappointed? Discouraged?
- Am I tired or hungry?
- Do I feel ignored?
3. Once understood, courageously and wisely communicate regarding the underlying feeling instead of in anger. You can make personal feeling statements that reflect those feelings. For example:
- I feel angry and disrespected when you don’t respond to me when we’re talking.
- It makes me feel afraid when you don’t call to tell me you will be late because I worry about your safety.
- I am tired and it makes me more impatient; let’s talk about this after I rest.
WHAT STEPS DO YOU TAKE BEFORE COMMUNICATING WHEN YOU ARE ANGRY?
It may take some practice and a little bit of trial and error to learn how to communicate appropriately when you are angry. However, the more often you practice it, the easier it will become. The ability to say what you need to say when you are angry is a skill that will positively impact every relationship in your life, from work to clients, from toddlers to teens to spouses. You don’t have to suppress your angry feelings. You can learn how to say what you mean in constructive and healthy ways.
Taken from Rhema Counseling – November Courageous Communication Series
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
