A heart of fearless joy

There's something about writing that makes my heart come alive. I love sharing what's on my heart and what God has been teaching me all with the hopes of encouraging someone somewhere. I pray this post blesses you!

A couple weeks ago I was at church and the pastor said this phrase that I have not been able to get out of my head. I even wrote it on a notecard and tacked it up on my bedroom wall. He said that when you follow Jesus, you have "a heart of fearless joy."

Don't you just love that? A HEART OF FEARLESS JOY. Something about the way those words hit my heart just left me in awe of the reality of following Christ and the freedom He brings into our lives.

But doesn't it seem that so many times life gets in the way of having this heart of fearless joy? People disappoint you and your heart is left shattered - full of sorrow and pain, not of joy. Life circumstances and loss shake you more than you thought they could and once again your heart is not full of fearlessness but fear of what else could happen. You desperately want that heart of fearless joy as you run after Christ, but you're stumbling over your own feet - longing to soar like the eagles but tethered down by what's happened.

And yet this - this devastation - this is the moment to rise up and cling to the Word of God like never before. God has promised to work everything together for our good (Romans 8:28), God has told us to rejoice always and give thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18), God has told us to forgive if we want to receive His forgiveness (Matthew 6:15). His perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18) and His joy is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). These are not just nice ideas or clichés to get us through the hard times. When we believe in God's Word, this is a reality!

One of the most important things I have learned through all of this is to forgive - it's my life anthem. I'll say this again and again for as long as I live. No matter what I go through God has reminded me again and again that forgiveness is the key to moving forward in life. People will mess up and break your heart, people will treat you cruelly, people will shock you with their hypocrisy and brokenness. And when that happens you have two choices - you can internalize what's happened and let it change you OR you can give it all to God and by His strength radically forgive all that's been done. Radical forgiveness is the key to radical freedom. You're only as free to the degree that you've forgiven those who have hurt you. You probably know someone in your life that's always talking about what's been done and what happened and who did this and why they are the way they are - and that person is not free. You cannot be free and hate someone. You cannot be free and harbor bitterness. You cannot be free and simultaneously hold grudges. You cannot be free if you hold even one ounce of unforgiveness toward someone. Freedom comes with forgiveness.

And forgiveness - complete and total forgiveness - is only possible with Jesus. He is the One who changes your heart and the way you see. He is the One who tells you to give it to Him and let go. He is the One who will empower you to not only forgive but to love those in your life who have caused you the most pain and disappointment. Check out these verses from Luke chapter 6:

27 ...Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Love, do good, bless, pray - all for your enemies. For those who have broken your heart, for those who have betrayed you, for those who have done you wrong - this is what Jesus says to do: LOVE. DO GOOD. BLESS. PRAY.

This is the path to fearless joy. Living out radical forgiveness because God has radically forgiven you. Why does Jesus tell us to do this? Because loving, doing good, blessing, and praying sets our hearts free from the snares of bitterness, hatred, and bondage to unforgiveness. All of this honors God because it keeps our hearts free - and when we are free we live like Jesus. And when we live like Jesus this world is changed.

Friends, those who have hurt you - they wouldn't have done so if they knew true freedom in Christ. They wouldn't have left you, lied about you, let you down, and broke you if they knew Jesus. Which is why in these moments - instead of crying all the tears and wallowing in what happened that we cannot change - by the power of the Holy Spirit, we need rise up and show the radical love of Jesus. To the very people who have hurt us.

There's still stuff you might have to walk through with Jesus as you forgive. And He'll help you. Nothing you suffer is greater than what He suffered. Let this comfort your heart because anything you are going through - He knows and He has the solution and the path to freedom. He knows what it's like to be disappointed, betrayed, hurt, broken. And He overcame because He forgave again and again and again. He refused to let anything interrupt His fellowship with His Heavenly Father.

By the grace of God, let's do the same. And let's live with hearts of fearless joy. 

Life's greatest joy

Hey friends! It's been some time since I have written anything here and I hope to begin blogging again regularly. I don't know where life finds you at the moment but I pray that wherever you are and whatever season you are in currently this message blesses and encourages you. 

I want to look at the topic of peace and direction as it relates to our walk with God for this post. I'm interested in this because it's been a constant theme in my life as of late. Or rather a test, not just a theme. And one I have been taking and re-taking over and over again, a hundred times it seems. While I won't say that I have aced the test, I have learned a great deal about what it means to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

During my lesson-learning, I remember a time where I was crying out to God for wisdom and direction. On my own, it wasn't clear which way to go, which decision to make, which opportunity to pursue. And yet each time I tried to hear anything from the Lord, all my heart could pick up was His voice speaking to my heart these words: "I love you." It is beautiful to hear God's still, small voice speak these words to you. But I wanted more. I was hoping for something like, "Colleen, you should do this..." or "Pursue this opportunity" or even "Wait on Me." But all I heard during that time was God's constant affirmation of His deep love for me. 

I was craving something specific and spelled-out. I wanted answers and solutions. In reality, I wanted the path more than the journey. And on that path, quite a ways down, I realized that what I truly need to hear from God was His love first and foremost and that this will always be true. I need His guidance, His correction, His peace - but above all of this, I need to hear that He loves me. I was looking for a quick reply for one season of my life and God was teaching me how to follow Him my whole life. Because when you abide in the love of Jesus, His love will become your compass. And you won't need to keep asking for direction because His love makes everything clear. You live differently when you know that God loves you. You don't settle or make decisions out of fear or your own wisdom. You don't look at your life as some puzzle to be solved, but a relationship to be lived with Him. And out of that relationship with Christ, you will know what to do. 

If you are seeking direction right now in your life, I challenge you to abide in His love. Don't push past it to get to the other side and don't discount it. Abide in God's infinite love for you by soaking your mind and heart in the Truth of God's Word. Peace is the fruit of a close relationship with the Lord and His peace brings clarity, direction, and vision. I pray God continues to reveal His love to your listening heart for His glory, your good, and to bless this world. He's always doing something in your life, preparing you for a season ahead, healing broken pieces, leading us to His very best - Himself. As you journey ahead with all of the dreams He has given you using all the gifts He has given you to reach all the people He wants you to as you achieve all that He has purposed for you - don't ever lose sight of the beauty, mystery, deep joy of what truly matters: He loves you! Knowledge of His love compels our hearts to overflow with love for Him in return. We love because He first loved us. 

Relationship with God is life's greatest joy! Exchange it for nothing and never sacrifice your closeness with Him for anything. Be okay with the unanswered questions and the chapters He writes. Let Him have His way in your life and teach you what your heart desperately needs to learn even if the lessons come way of humility, trials, and things you didn't plan. You will thank Him for every way He shapes your heart and life. Let Him have His way and His will in your life. It is the absolute best for you always. Open your heart to all He wants to speak to you and most of all, open your heart to His love. 

from my heart to yours this Christmas

A post here on Christmas to share a couple words from my heart to yours. I pray they encourage you! That is why I write! 

Christmas always causes me to reflect and think about past Christmases and this past year. I am grateful. This year has brought along many blessings. But at the same time, there have been new challenges. Blessings greater than I imagined, but challenges I couldn't foresee. Through this time, the story of David from the Bible has been encouraging me. He had many battles to fight, but that didn't mean that God wasn't with him. In fact, God used those battles to prepare him to be king and to live as someone with a heart after God's heart. 

This morning, I was reading about David's perspective on Goliath. I love it! Unlike the other Israelites and King Saul, he isn't intimidated by the challenge. He stands on God's faithfulness in the past and has total confidence that the same God who delivered him from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver him from the hand of the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:37). 

I pray that I could always approach my challenges like this! Instead of getting discouraged or overwhelmed, I pray for a heart that remains confident in God at all times. God has been faithful - so very faithful to me! But why is it that present challenges can make me forget this?

To keep God's faithfulness ever before me, I started a wall of remembrance last month just after Thanksgiving. During my devotional time in the morning, I'll take out my pretty scrapbook paper and write out one memory of God's faithfulness in the past. It's been life-changing and so life-giving to me. The wall above my bed is now covered with little squares of scrapbook paper, memory after memory of God's great and perfect faithfulness to me. One morning, I woke up and looked at the wall and started crying and crying. Good tears. Happy tears. Thank-You-God tears. God has been so good and faithful to me! Father, let me never forget! 

Day-to-day life can sometimes make you forget or put aside God's faithfulness, but don't let it! Tell the stories of God's faithfulness and tell them again! I recently visited my alma mater while my friend was attending class there. I took a walk around NU and ended up at the library. I love books, so I was looking around and reminiscing about all the days I would study there as an undergrad. As I'm doing this, I hear someone talking on their cell phone. I wasn't trying to listen in on his conversation, but he was talking so excitedly and loudly, I couldn't help it. This young man was so impassioned as he spoke. What was the deal? 

As I listened, I soon realized. He spoke about the faithfulness of God in his life. On and on he went about how God had taken care of him and led him in the past, and how God was taking care of him and leading him now. It was beautiful to listen to him speak of God's goodness. Hearing about the faithfulness of God in a place where I had so tangibly seen the faithfulness of God when I was there at school blessed my heart so much. So much! 

We need to hear about the faithfulness of God in each others' lives and we must share about the faithfulness of God in our lives. When we do this, we are filled with joy and live expectant to see how He is going to take the Philistine challenge in front of us and deliver us like He has before from the lion and the bear. Like David, we live from a place of victory because we stand on the faithfulness of God. Not because we're awesome, but because God is awesome! He is mighty, strong, powerful, and nothing is impossible for Him! 

This Christmas, as we reflect on Jesus' birth, let us remember that the Baby born in that stable that starry night was God's faithfulness on display for all the world to see for all time. God's promises all fulfilled as Jesus opened His eyes and breathed His first breath on earth. All of hell could not stop the promises of God unfolding in that humble manger in Bethlehem. Jesus reminds us of God's eternal faithfulness. His faithfulness can never be erased; forever and forever the Truth and Light of Jesus' birth will remain. Because of Jesus, we can know without any doubt that God will be faithful. Again and again. He came for us! He loves us! He is with us! He is for us! Jesus is how we know this! And even more, He will be faithful to us! And not to just deliver us from a lion or a bear or a giant. But from sin and death. From life without Him. From hopelessness and darkness. From discouragement and sorrow.  

The birth of Jesus should awaken our hearts - and not just Christmas Day, but every day! Jesus is Emmanuel - God with us! We don't have to do this life on our own, in our own strength, in our own courage. God is with us and His faithfulness in Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection guarantees His faithfulness to us. This is Good News, friends! 

The whole message of God sending Jesus to this world is one of love. Why else would God enter into our world in the most vulnerable and humble way? All for love! God's love for us! He put on flesh and dwelt among us so that we can experience a relationship with God so deep and peaceful and beautiful. So we can be freed from sin and death and eternal separation from Him. So we can live with Him forever and walk in abundant life here on earth and eternal life in heaven. 

Jesus is all of God's promises fulfilled. Jesus was born for you, for me, for all. And because He came for all of us, all of us can say that we know of the faithfulness of God. All of us can say that God is faithful. All of us can point to Christ and kneel in awe of the Savior who did everything it took to save us. As we trust and believe in Him, as we live in His love and obey Him by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will see His faithfulness in our lives over and over through all seasons, all circumstances, all of our lives. Because God is with us. Jesus is God with us. God's faithfulness is forever with us! 

O, come let us adore Him. Christ the Lord! 

Merry Christmas! 

Love always, 

Colleen