Learning to Trust More Than Before | The Unexplainable Church Review
Hi friends. It’s good to be back here with you in this space where I get to pour out to you what God has been pouring into me. Where I sit in the quiet and contemplate my words because I want them to be just the right ones for you. The ones that may make a difference for you whether they encourage, affirm, challenge, or encourage you to trust God more.
As I stepped away a bit for the summer in search of some quiet in my life, I was reminded of a few things. And as the work in progress that I am, I learned even a few more.
Extend grace for others and ourselves.We are all just works in progress. #momentsofhope #hope Share on XMostly it’s about trusting more and waiting well …
- As a Mom, you just don’t find much quiet when your kids aren’t in school. I realize I’ll have time for that when I’m missing the noise and distractions desperately because they’ve all grown and are spreading their wings of independence.
- Embracing chaos is often a better tactic than the relentless uphill battle of finding balance.
- God has a great sense of humor.
- There’s something holy about getting your teenager to really open up and talk.
- The business of opening improbable doors is still part of God’s everyday work.
- We are each a work in progress so there is no need to beat ourselves up for not getting it all right all the time.
- All things are in His timing, so we must wait well. It may be sooner than we think or it may be years later. It may even be as long as never. Yet it’s about trusting more each day in Him, His timing, and His reasons.
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” -Acts 13:2
It was the first scripture greeting me as I opened the pages of Erica Wiggenhorn’s The Unexplainable Church. It’s a verse that begs us to ask the question, “Why Barnabas and Saul?”
Was it unique speaking skills or all the right connections in the community? Did it come down to social stature or financial status?
No. It didn’t.
They were two ordinary men whose stories started much earlier in the pages of our Bibles. But it was in this moment God delivered “the bid to begin the work.”
It reminded me of where many of us sit in this moment in time. Our stories began many pages ago and the stirring is there in our hearts, yet we wait for the bid to begin our work.
Did your story start long ago and today you wait for the bid to begin your work? #trustmore #waitingwell #TheUnexplainableChurch Share on XAnd while we do so, we learn to lean in and trust more.
In Him.
Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. -Acts 13:3
Paul and Barnabas didn’t just grab their jackets and walk out the front doors after their encounter with the Holy Spirit. Before running off to do the work for which they’d been called, the believers around them gathered, laid hands on them, and sent them off in prayer.
That’s key, my friends …
believers uniting around us before we set off on the work God has given us to do.
Do you have a community of believers uniting around you before you set out? #theunexplainablechurch #prayer Share on XI’m guilty of it. How about you?
“And the church continues to be inseparably tied to every divine call since. The wonder of the Holy Spirit is that while He calls us individually to live unexplainable lives, He works collectively through the body, bidding the realization of the unexplainable church. The early believers understood their interconnectedness to one another. They found it inconceivable to fulfill the call of Christ apart from each other as members of the Christian church at large.” -Erica Wiggenhorn
Do we
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Hear the whisper from the Holy Spirit deep in our souls that says we are called to a special purpose?
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Set aside fear, uncertainty, and insecurity to step out in obedience toward that purpose?
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Include a community of believers to cover and go out before us in prayer?
Erica’s study is broken down into 10 weeks. Each week has 5 days of lessons. Each lesson takes anywhere from 15-30 minutes. The content is rich and goes beyond simply understanding the context of the chapters. It is a study that urges us to go beyond the surface of Biblical knowledge and into the darker places of our hearts holding us back from being the church God intended.
Always in God’s Time
This study was given to me to review by Moody Publishers in just the time God planned. It couldn’t have been more appropriate. You see, I know God had started the pages of my story a long time ago. But this summer, He placed the bid for me to go into the next chapter. It came at a time I was filled with insecurity and doubt. I was overwhelmed, exhausted, and wondering what, which, and how.
One day while fighting yet another migraine, I decided my world would have to stop and I would have to do something different to ease the pain. I called for a massage appointment and was surprised with an opening within the hour. I grabbed it. As I laid there, I prayed like crazy asking God for His wisdom to know what to set down and what to pursue. I was a bit like Gideon in my quest for firm affirmations one way or another.
At the end of the massage, I gathered my things, walked out the door and reached in my purse to see if I had any missed messages or calls. Friends, I literally gasped! As I had laid there praying asking God to show me what to do, Brian Cole of Extreme Faith Productions and Aspire Women’s Events texted me to ask if I was available to speak September 30th! (Live in Arizona or in need of a girls road trip? Come join us! I’d love to meet you in person!)
Only God
You see, this all happened only by God’ s divine plan. I wasn’t seeking it. I hadn’t pounded any pavements trying to build my speaking platform to garner a resume adequate for a speaking opportunity such as this. It was a friendship God orchestrated and a moment where God simply opened the door because HE wrote my story and now it’s time to go tell it.
Join me along w/ @MelSpoelstra @AmberlyNeese @miakoehne Sept 30th for an evening of #encouragement #learning #fun @AspireForWomen http://bit.ly/2hpaHhM Share on XBut there is something I need to do a better job of first, and this Bible Study has convicted me of that truth. I need to make sure I’m not going this alone – not the writing of this message of hope nor the speaking of it to whomever will hear it.
How about you? Are you heading out into your purpose alone or have you intentionally called upon your fellow believers to go before you in prayer and stand alongside you in faith?
Friends, your purpose may be the witness you provide each day in your workplace. It might be the heartfelt words you need your teen or adult child to hear. Or, maybe it’s the baby you rock in the church nursery. God is sending you forth with a special purpose and you need to call on your community of believers to go before you in prayer. God didn’t design ministry as a solo journey. He wants His people united in heart and prayer. So, reach out. Build your prayer support. Just ask and see what God does!
Wait … have you missed any of the most popular posts from the #ChosenandWorthy Series? Those are right HERE !
Hope is at the heartbeat of living victorious lives. Without hope, what do we have? But to hold onto that hope, there are some things we have to embrace like our identity in Christ, the power of gratitude, a positive thought life, prayer, and the Word of God. Would you like extra encouragement to keep you focused on the right things? The things that will keep your hope alive?
“Unexplainable.” I love that adjective for all that God does to make a bunch of sinners into a force for His glory on this planet. We’re definitely better when we act together — and the challenges that are inherent in this become part of our sanctification.
Blessings, Lori! Thanks for these uplifting thoughts today!
Yes, “Unexplainable” is a great word to describe what God does! That’s a great thought to take through the day, thank you!
If I could grasp the full guarding of Christ I would no longer fear. I would no longer doubt. I would live in perfect peace. I loved this post today Lori. I am so guilty of the last point you made, not keeping a community of believers around me to support me in my dream. It can be so hard to ask for prayer for my dream. Silly me.
Blessings friend,
Patti
Oh, Patti, I know that the trust, the not doubting, the keeping our community of believers around us, is something we all struggle with at times. Praying for you today, dear friend, and asking the Lord to draw near and to keep you focused on His call on your life!
I’ve just started “Unexplainable” for review too- your review has me looking forward to it even more! Congratulations and thank you Lord for His answer to prayer! They’ll be blessed to have you!
Thank you so much! I can’t wait to hear what you think of this book!
Hi Lori…It’s great to see you back here! Congratulations on the speaking engagement. So excited for you!
Thank you so much, Sarah! It’s been lovely to have some time off, but I have missed connecting here!
WOW! Thank you for sharing your story. I love hearing how God shows up in the lives of other women. Your post is inspiring and refreshing! Best to you on your speaking engagement!
Thank you so much, Robin! I’m eager to see how God works everything out!
I would trust more. Circumstances have caused me to be guarded and I’m sure that I bring that to my religious life. I think understanding the full guarding of Christ would help me learn to be more trusting of others.
Trust is such a tough area, isn’t it? It takes so long to build trust, but just one moment to break it. So often we can look at situations where we wish we had trusted more, but we’re hesitant because trust is such a tough issue. It can be a vicious circle. But God speaks gently and quietly, beckoning us to trust Him first. Thank you for sharing, Nicole!
Set aside the fear and uncertainty, daily prayers. Do have my Circle sistes to help spu me on. So thankful for them.
That support system is so important – I’m glad you have one! Thank you, Carolyn!
In my quest to grasp the full guarding of Christ I have done away with all forms of social media for the time being. The distraction was too much for me as I struggled to spend more time in the Word. I also listen to Mark Biltz with El Shaddai Ministries. Understanding that we are in the last days can spurn one on to seek Him more fully.
That’s so true! When the Lord returns, may He find us ready!
Great post! I loved it!!! Learning what to chase and what to let go of is a huge lesson I am learning right now. God is also teaching me about accountability, connecting with other Christians and the body of Christ. He gives us every tool we need I order to do His work. All we have to do is partner up and go!
Important lessons – accountability, connection, learning what to chase & what we can let go. These lessons continue to come up at various seasons! 😉 Praying that God continues to work in and through you!
A great review, Lori. Thank you for sharing. Congrats on the speaking opportunity as well! God is good! Blessings to you!
Thank you, Stacey! I appreciate your kind words. Blessings to you as well!
A great reminder Lori, especially about getting a team of people to pray with you when stepping out into something new. I find this challenging: it feels somewhat self-focused…but I know that’s not true – when we’re following God’s call it’s not about us, it’s about Him.
Amen! It’s not about us, it’s all about Him! That prayer team is such a vital part of our ministry when we look at it from that perspective.
Oh Lori, I’m so excited for the next chapter God has for you as you boldly share your story at the Aspire Women’s event! I soooo wish I could be there to cheer you on! Isn’t it amazing how God opens doors of opportunity like that–just as you were praying for His direction! We serve a wonderful God! This post is so perfect for me right now, as our women’s Bible study on prayer is wrapping up this week, and the focus is sending women into the areas of ministry God has called them to! Thank you so much for your encouragement, and I will be in prayer for you as you continue to step out into the calling God has placed on your heart!!
Thank you, Christin! Yes, it’s certainly all in God’s time! It sounds like your Bible study has been very inspiring! What a beautiful way to end the study – sending women out into their areas of ministry. I appreciate your prayers, and I am praying over this community as well!
So proud of you girl ☺️? Can’t wait to hear all about what God does in you and through you at that speaking event! I’m just getting back to linking up again after a break this summer. Blessings Lori?
Oh, thank you, Gretchen! Hope your break has been refreshing! I’m glad to see you back here!
Having a community of believers who pray for us is truly a gift! And one we should never take for granted. I’ve been blessed with friends and family who will do this for me, and I love being able to pray for others. Thanks for sharing this hope, Lori!
What a blessing that is, Lisa! Yes, it’s so important to have those friends and family who will pray with us and for us!
Congratulations on the speaking engagement. God is good and his timing is always just perfect. I am glad to have you back blogging. Maree
Oh, thank you Maree! I am glad to be back – a blogging break was nice, but routine is also nice. 😉 Blessings!
Such profound truth you’ve shared–through and through, Lori! And I really love this, “there’s something holy about getting your teenager to really open up and talk.” Amen and amen! Thanks for all that you do to inspire and guide us, my friend. You are a gift from God!
Thank you so much for these words. Yes, getting a teenager to open up really is a tough thing! I appreciate your encouragement!