Category Archives: Encouragement

My Encouragement

Today on the blog I’m featuring a guest post from the incredible Brandi Goff McElheny.
I’ve become acquainted with Brandi through a couple of outstanding on-line groups. I’ll let Brandi tell you her story, but please make sure you click-through the links at the bottom of the post to learn more about the great work she is doing around the world. Enjoy!
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I’m living my dreams….or at least most of them J

I’m a single mama to 3 and I run 3 non-profits. I get to spend my days walking wounded people to truth, beauty and healing. I get to spend hours every day on skype with my Ugandan team working towards healing and long-term sustainability for 968 single mamas and widows in Uganda. Last week, I got to wire $50,000 to Uganda so that 900 kids could go to school again. I’ve gotten to go undercover in brothels throughout SE Asia to see the oppressed set free. These are the things my dreams were made of for so long. I longed with everything in me to be used by God for His kingdom. I longed to loose the chains of injustice and be a part of setting the oppressed free.

People ask me fairly regularly what they can do to find and then live their passions and change the world around them. Want to know my best piece of encouragement?

Do your work.

No, I’m not talking about working harder or longer hours. I’m not taking about strategic planning or a 5-year plan.

I’m talking about doing your emotional work, your spiritual work, your healing work. Wanna be a world-changer? Go to therapy.

A few years ago, my life fell apart. Completely. Utterly. I dropped out of everything ministry related in those months. I wasn’t helping a single soul. I did nothing for the kingdom of God. I questioned if I would ever be used by God again. I felt guilty for dropping everything, but in those moments it took all my energy to simply breathe.

There’s one thing I did not drop during those days, however, and that is me.

For the first time actually, I began to really observe my own soul. I gave up working for Jesus and I took time to be wounded and broken and to get to know the healer of all healers. I let Jesus deep into my darkest places and simply took time to heal. I went to therapy weekly (sometimes more!) and asked for help in digging into what is good and pure in my life and what was wounded and dysfunctional.

During my months of hiding out in the shadow of His wings, where I focused on healing and my own soul exclusively, I wondered if I was being selfish. What I would later learn, however, is that the best thing I have EVER done for the kingdom of God is my own healing work.

Healing begets healing. Freedom begets freedom.

Since taking that year to focus on healing, I have gotten to walk with countless women through their deepest, darkest wounds to beautiful healing. Since that year of focus on freedom for myself and breaking through my own chains, I have gotten to watch trafficking victims be brought to freedom and raised over 100k to make it happen. Since that year of focusing on learning my own value, I have had the honor of speaking to thousands of Ugandan women on their value.

We can only give what we have received.

So go. Receive. Heal. Be free. Sink into Jesus’ true view of you.

I promise, doing your own healing work is the best thing you will ever do for yourself, or for the kingdom of God. Wanna be a world-changer? Go to Therapy! J

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Excuses

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“Excuses are doubts hiding in disguise.” – Bryan Hutchinson

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/1Year1000Challenge

What excuses are you (am I) using to hide from your dream? Let’s make a list.

Not enough time.
I don’t have any ideas.
Not enough money.
My Day Job gets in the way of my Dream Job.
I have a family.
I’m too old.
I’m too young.
I don’t have any support from my family and/or friends.

Nice list. They all suck. You and I both know these excuses aren’t valid. You and I both know people who have used these excuses at one time or another, and at some point they overcame their excuse.

For me, excuses leave me on the couch. Usually they leave me on the couch watching TV. What a complete waste of time!! Please don’t get me wrong, TV can provide great entertainment. The problem I have with TV is the mindless hours spent simply watching whatever is on. As much as I love watching Jason Bourne in action, do I really need to see one of the Bourne movies for the 25^th time? Probably not.

Here’s how I typically justify TV watching in my own mind. I get home from work at 8:30 on a Monday night. I’ve worked an 11 hour day. I’ve earned myself 3 hours of TV time. Surely I’m too tired and worn out mentally to do anything productive.

Or, how about a Saturday afternoon? Instead of working on a home repair, or going for a bike ride, I justify an afternoon of watching sports by telling myself I need a break. A break? A break from what???

Excuses, excuses, excuses. They run rampant in our lives (at least mine anyway).

So, as I bemoan the lack of available time to write a blog post, write a book, read a book, exercise to lose 40 pounds, spend time reading the Bible and praying, working on my side-hustle to create my Dream Job, etc, I need to remind myself of the quote at the start of this post. I need to think about why I doubt myself and my ability.

I also need to figure out who would be willing to hold me accountable for my actions (or lack of action).

The easy solution for accountability would be to make sure my wife and I are on the same page. I should be sharing my dreams and plans with her. She’s a part of the plan. She should be aware of my progress.

She may get sick of hounding me though. As much as she wants me to succeed, I’m sure she doesn’t want to create more tension in our house.

My suggestion? Find a group of like-minded people who are willing to call you out when you don’t hit the mark on progress toward your goal. They won’t put up with your excuses.

(In a future post I’ll spend some time on how to find these people.)

Do you have a set batch of excuses you use when you don’t accomplish things you want to? What are they? Please share in the comments.

Step Out of The Boat

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From, The Circle Maker, by Mark Batterson

Page 117
“The key to getting out of the boat is hearing the voice of God. If you’re going to get out of the boat in the middle of a lake in the middle of the night, you better make sure that Jesus said, ‘Come.’ But if Jesus says, ‘Come,’ you better not stay in the boat.”

I often comment to people who are trying to make decisions with the phrase, “Step out of the boat.” As I read the way Batterson comments on stepping out of the boat, I wonder if I should ever say it again. I need to evaluate what it really means to step out of the boat.

The easy assumption is that the phrase is calling people to be bold in their decision to do something. It’s probably time to precede the statement with, “Is Jesus truly calling to you?” If the answer is yes, “Step out of the boat!”

I know the idea of being bold for God, and being bold in our actions is applauded and encouraged by our society. But, as I read, and re-read, Batterson’s words, I’m thinking more time should be spent on intently listening for the still, small voice of God. Listening isn’t something I’m really good at, yet. It is something I can practice. I can develop a strong listening muscle. So can you. It takes time. It takes practice. It means being intentional with our time with God.

Right now I don’t have a developed habit of listening to God. I don’t have a developed habit of spending time with God. There have been starts and stops over the years, and more recently I have started again. Similar to physical exercise, the habit needs to be formed over time. There will probably be pain. There will be days I don’t want to make the effort. But, I know I will benefit from developing the habit.

Is there a time you stepped out of the boat? Did you listen first, or did you just take a leap? Have you developed a habit of listening for his voice?