Tenacious Faith...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.

Before I get into my topic, I have a little business to take care of. As most of you know, each month I give away a $10.00 gift card to someone who posts on my blog.

Well, in celebration of my new release, "The Uncommon Woman"

each week in the month of August my posts will be on the uncommon life. And one of you who posts will win a $50.00 VISA gift card! 

Lots of people visit this site and many people will glean from your insights and perspective. I've LOVED reading your posts. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Now on to my topic...

I just love reading about some of the spiritual giants who have gone before us. Recently I read about the life of Charles Finney and it absolutely knocked my socks off. Currently I'm reading about William and Catherine Booth (the founders of The Salvation Army). I'm telling you, I've added them to my list of heroes. Can't wait to meet them in Heaven.

Catherine was frail of health and spent a good portion of her childhood in bed. Lying on her back and holding her Bible before her eyes, she read it cover to cover and then did it again. If I remember right, Catherine read her Bible through, out loud - 8 times - by the time she was 12 years old!

Catherine and William both had a deep love for Jesus, a tenacity of faith, and an abundance of conviction. What they accomplished by sheer obedience and trust, was impossible by the world's standards, but indisputable nonetheless. Millions of people were saved, fed, rescued, and impacted because two simple people decided to take God at His Word. 

I just have to share this excerpt written by William Booth (taken from Roberts Liardon's amazing book "God's Generals"). Now this is tenacity...

"You must pray with all your might...It means fervent, effectual untiring wrestling with God. It means grappling with Omnipotence, clinging to Him, following Him about, so to speak, day and night, as the widow did to the unjust judge...until the answer comes and the end is gained. This kind of prayer, be sure the devil and the world and your own indolent, unbelieving nature will oppose. They will pour water on this flame...They will talk about impossibilities and predict failures; but if you mean to succeed, you must shut your ears and eyes to all but what God has said, and hold Him to His own word...You must pray with all your might." (p.420)

Beloved Friend, oh, that we'd all be so earnest in prayer and tenacious in faith!

God's promises are true for us!

Here's an excerpt from my book, "The Uncommon Woman":

"What we do with the promises of God is the tipping point in every area of our lives. Whether or not we decide to believe that we have access to the very power that raised Christ from the dead will determine just how uncommon our lives turn out to be. Though we have trials, His promises are true. Though we may not feel Him at times, He's still there. And though the enemy would love for us to settle for less, God gets absolutely giddy when we reach for more." (p. 166)

No doubt you have some significant needs before you. And if you're in a time of favor, you don't have to look too far to find others who are in desperate need of a miracle. 

Jesus calls us to a vested, active, walk of faith. The Bible says that if we stay in step with Him, and confess the sins He brings to mind, and if we do what He says, and if we live by faith, our lives will be conduits to His Kingdom work on earth. This is the stuff of miracles. 

The Bible says that if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him (1 John 3:21-22). This is a huge responsibility linked with an even bigger promise.

Our world needs the miracle working power God has made available to His people. 

Grab hold of His promises and don't let go!

I'll close with a couple of great quotes...

One from A.W. Tozer,

"God is looking for those with whom He can do the impossible. What a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves!"

And this one from Catherine Booth,

"We are made for larger ends than Earth can encompass. Oh, let us be true to our exalted destiny."

Until next week~

Titles, Labels, and...Freedom

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here.

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.

Before I get into my topic, I have a little business to take care of. As most of you know, each month I give away a $10.00 gift card to someone who posts on my blog. 

In celebration of my new release, "The Uncommon Woman"

...this month I'll be giving away a $50.00 VISA gift card to someone who posts on my blog. 

Each week I'll post what it means to be uncommon and I want to hear from you! Share your own insights and perspectives. Lots of people visit this site and will definitely glean from what you have to share.

Now, on to my topic...

You may be wondering why I posted a picture of a couple of pairs of feet today. Well, I have a good reason!

Those feet belong to my husband Kevin and me (the big ones are Kevin's). 

Let me tell you, I don't know another person who enjoys their feet like Kevin does. He loves his feet! In the morning when he sees his feet for the first time, he wiggles his toes and says hello as if he and they were long lost friends.

I envy him. :)

I have ugly feet. Or at least that's what I've thought all my life. 

I can say this with a light heart now but when I was a child, my sweet father (whom I adore more than words can say) made a joke about my feet and his words left an indelible impact on me.

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was standing on the edge of the picnic table with all of my weight on my toes. I was getting ready to do a back flip off of the table (something my sisters and I did with some regularity). 

My dad sat down at the table, looked at my gnarly feet, and said, "Yikes, you have ugly feet!..." He went on to say a few more teasing comments about my calloused feet as I went sailing through the air to complete my back flip.

He was simply teasing and meant nothing by it but for the next 30 years or so, I was convinced that I should hide my feet. Even now, I have such an appreciation for cute feet because right now, with a secure heart and mind, I can look down at my feet and say, 'You know, he was right. My feet are pretty gnarly looking!" But I can laugh about it.

What does this have to do with titles, labels, and freedom, and how does it connect with being UNCOMMON?

Of course, my 'ugly feet' story is a small and trivial matter in the face of the real issues and deep pain we all deal with. 

Every one of us have been on the receiving end of words that shot like an arrow to the center of our souls. Without thinking too long about it, most of us can think of hurtful assessments and judgements that have left their mark on us. Furthermore, most of us remember many of our own words that we wish we could retract.

We can all think of past mistakes that still have the power to haunt us (unless of course, we've truly been set free from them).

And on the flip side, we can all think of certain titles, accomplishments, or associations that we have relied on to give us a certain sense of importance or validation. Often, we pursue 'titles' and 'position' to make up for the wounds and the lies that bind us.

Jesus was not impressed with position or titles, and He came to set us free from our past mistakes, hurtful words, and binding labels. 

Here's an excerpt from "The Uncommon Woman"...

"Jesus came to destroy the evil hierarchy that exists in our world. The Bible says that He resists and distances Himself from the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. He draws near to and confides in those who love and fear Him. He confronts those who are impressed only with themselves.

"Consequently, the banners of title and position are not the solutions for someone burdened by labels accumulated from past hurts. They are merely substitutes for the true identity that Jesus offers. Covering up insecurities with accomplishments never turns lies into truths.

"What's wonderful is that Jesus came to take off the demeaning dunce caps that have been piled on our heads. He gladly peels off the scarlet letters that have been pinned all over us. Whatever we have been through, whatever we have done, whatever others say about us, Jesus can forgive it, heal it, rebuild it, and redeem it! He makes all things new." (pp.94-95)

It's for FREEDOM that Christ has set us free. Refuse, therefore, to be subject to a yoke of slavery, of lies, and of old words. 

Embrace the beautiful truth about yourself. You're totally loved and completely provided for. You have everything you need to love and forgive others the way God Himself has loved and forgiven you. Be Free!

Until next week...

Nothing and Everything...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul and challenge your faith along the way.

Before I get into my topic, I have a little business to take care of. As most of you know, I give away a $10.00 Caribou gift card each month to someone who posts on my blog. It's time to announce July's winner...

Anna J! ~ Please email me to claim your prize and tell me where I should mail your gift card (info@susielarson.com) Congratulations!

In celebration of my new release, 'The Uncommon Woman', this month I'm giving away a $50.00 VISA gift card to someone who posts on this blog. 

Each week I'll post on what it means to be uncommon, and I want to hear from you! Share with us your own divine insights and perspectives. Lots of people visit this blog each week and even if they don't post, they're reading what you have to say.

Now, on to my topic...

At the opening of my book - the first section in fact - I make this statement, "The Uncommon Woman understands that paradox that she is nothing and everything."

In order for us to rise above the petty fray and to live up to our privilege as ones who belong to the Creator of Heaven and Earth, we must see ourselves in the proper light.

We are nothing without God. 

We can do nothing of substance - nothing of lasting value - apart from Him. We need His influence and His life-giving power operating in us and through us every moment of the day. 

If left to ourselves, we quickly become self-aware. We become strivers instead of 'resters.' We become 'grabbers' instead of 'releasers.' We become motivated by fear instead of by faith. Even on our good days, our good deeds amount to a pile of grimy rags (because that's what the Word says). 

To live up to the high calling that's ours in Christ Jesus, we must have a clear and sober view of ourselves. We love people, we love ourselves, but we put our hope in God. He stoops down to make us great (See Psalm 18:35).

But here's some really GREAT news: We may be nothing without Him, but we're everything to Him.

He's written our name on His hand. He thinks about us every day. And though the enemy accuses us day and night, Jesus intercedes for us every minute of every day.

He's pulling for us, cheering for us, rejoicing over us, singing songs of love for us, He's leading us, guiding us, providing for us, and correcting us when we need it. He forgives, restores, and replenishes us because we need it. He sends new mercies our way every morning and declares His faithfulness during the dark nights of the soul. He is strong and mighty. He is faithful and true. 

He has His eye on you and me and He delights in using us for His grand purposes. 

With God at our side, nothing will be impossible for us. In our weakness He is strong. When we have faith - even mustard seed sized faith - He will move mountains on our behalf. 

What a privilege and honor it is to belong to the One who knows each star by name.

How is it that we stray from His majesty and dare to think we are more than we are? Even so, He knows us intimately and loves us deeply. He knows we are dust and yet He cherishes us just the same. 

Amazing love. 

Read this great quote from Brennan Manning:

"Uncontaminated trust in the revelation of Jesus allows us to breathe more freely, to dance more joyfully, and to sing more gratefully about the gift of salvation."

Isn't that just grand?

And the following is a quote from my own book (PS ~ the term 'accepts acceptance' is borrowed from Brennan Manning and referenced in my book):

"Accepting acceptance means having the courage to face your foibles without it diminishing your value. Accepting acceptance means refusing to let others define you, because God already has. Accepting acceptance means cherishing the fact that you've been bought with a price, and thus embracing the call to become more and more like Christ every day." P.23

The idea that we are 'nothing and everything'  to me, makes the narrow road a bit more narrow. It's the place of humility and power, of holy confidence and humble dependence. It's the place where miracles happen.

May we embrace this beautiful truth today.

Blessings to you all~

Conviction...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul and encourage your faith along the way.

Before I get into my topic, I wanted to remind you of a couple of things. Each month I give away a $10.00 gift card from Caribou Coffee to someone who posts on this blog. Next week I'll announce July's winner. I love to hear from you! There were some incredible comments on last week's post. God is moving in the hearts of His people!

In celebration of my new release, "The Uncommon Woman" I will award a $50.00 VISA gift card to someone who posts in August. Each week I'll post about what it means to be uncommon and I know you've got things to say about that! The call to be uncommon is straight from the Word of God, and I want to hear from you!

Here's another way to win a $50.00 VISA gift card. Read my new book and post a review on Amazon (follow the link above). Email me letting me know you posted your review. One of you will win the gift card. I'll announce that winner in my quarterly E-zine (next issue releases October 15). Want to subscribe? Click here: Susie's Contact Page

Now...On to my topic:

Do you ever find yourself watching the news and wondering how people can do the things they do? I almost can't bear to watch the news before I go to bed at night. If I hear that one more young man has assaulted an elderly woman for the $35.00 she has in her purse, I think I'll have a fit. 

I guess we shouldn't be surprised since the Bible tells us that in the last days, people will become lovers of themselves; haters of God; haters of others. Lord, forgive us.

Now let's take a look within the Church. Many are desperate for a fresh revelation of God. Some fumble their way through with their one-foot-in-one-foot-out lifestyles. And still others, are perfectly content to live by the moral code by which they were raised.

In light of the evil that surrounds us, morality and goodness are, well...good, right? Right. These are great things. But as Believers, is it enough to subscribe to a moral code? 

What about conviction?

And what's the difference? 

I'd say the difference is this: A moral code gives us guidelines in which we live: boundary lines we do not cross; places we would never visit; things we would never do. 

Conviction on the other hand, compels us to a much higher standard.

Living simply by a moral code allows you to go on auto-pilot. You do what you should do. You don't do what you shouldn't do. But there's no expectancy, no spiritual tension within you. No readiness to respond to the inner voice that calls you to pick up and do something radical for the sake of obedience and love.

Living by conviction is something different altogether. It's the living breathing voice of the Holy Spirit within us. Sure, we don't do the things we shouldn't, but not because these things are on some sort of list. 

We do what we do because we cherish our oneness with God so much that we respond to anything and everything He says to us.

I can't remember if I already shared this on a previous post, so forgive me if you've heard this before. Because I wanted my sons to walk closely with the Lord, and to cherish His voice in their lives, I told  them about the 'Conscience Box' analogy when they were very young. This is what I said, "Picture Jesus placing in the center of your heart, a small box with four sharp corners. Whenever you do or say or think something that is different than God would want for you, that little box will turn and prick you. That's how you'll know you're on the wrong track. Listening to Jesus' voice within you is everything! It's a gift to you. If you ignore the little pricks, your ignorance acts like sandpaper, sanding down the corners. And next time you make a wrong choice, you won't feel it as much. Unless you ask for forgiveness and determine to listen when He speaks to you." Jake looked up at me and asked, "Is that why bad guys can kill people without thinking too much about it? Is their conscience box spinning because they're not paying attention to right and wrong?" "That's exactly right" I replied.

The conscience box analogy was something I heard from another mom when my kids were babies. 

Conviction makes us uncomfortable. It calls us to care for the weak and the hungry. It spurs us to forgive the unforgivable. It compels us to love the unlovely. Conviction call us to morality, yes. But it also, sometimes, calls us off the beaten path to messy places where faith is required. 

Living by a rigid moral code requires that I give my lunch away to someone who needs it. 

Conviction leads me to give my lunch to Jesus so that five thousand others might be fed.

To the extent that we listen and obey, is the extent that we will be entrusted to do greater things still. To the extent that we take the time to listen during our prayer times, is the extent that we will recognize God's voice amidst the ruckus of our crazy schedules. 

In the Gospel of Matthew we read about a time when Jesus went up in the mountains with Peter, James, and John, and he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as light. 

The 'goodness' in Peter compelled him to start talking...and to start doing. 

God interrupted Peter's automatic response with these words, "This is My Beloved Son. I am fully pleased with Him. LISTEN TO HIM."

A moral code allows us to act out of instinct. Not such a bad thing.

Conviction compels us to make choices out of the moment-by-moment leading of the Holy Spirit within us. Definitely a better thing.

Daily He's speaking. Daily listen.

Until next week~

Let Peace...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome!

I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.

Before I get into my topic, I wanted to remind you of a couple of things. Each month I give away a $10.00 gift card to Caribou to someone who posts on this blog. I love to hear from you! There were some incredible comments on last week's post. God is moving in the hearts of His people!

In celebration of my new release, "The Uncommon Woman" I will award a $50.00 VISA gift card to someone who posts in August. Each week I'll post about what it means to be uncommon and I want to hear from you! The call to be uncommon is straight from the Word of God, and I want to hear from you!

Now, on to my topic...

I don't know about you, but I've battled some real anxiety and angst lately. In fact, I know I'm not alone because many, many women have shared they've been battling the same thing. Maybe it's because the world seems to be spinning out of control. Maybe it's because of the wars and the rumors of wars. Maybe it's because it seems impossible to reconcile the sufferings in the world with our shallow, busy schedules. Jesus tells us that in this world, we will have trouble, but then He adds, "...but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."

My friend called me on the phone yesterday. She said, "Susie, I was praying for you last week and God gave me the sweetest picture of you. You were resting in a boat; in fact you were so at peace and so focused on Jesus, that you were content to let Him lead you to shore, wherever that next place might be."

My answer to her? "Wow, that's a great picture, but I'm not there. But, oh, how I'd love to be. In fact, that'll be my pursuit today. I'll press in for peace and rest until I find it."

We said our goodbyes and I sat back and looked out the window. I thought of my friend's picture. And then I came up with a picture of my own: I'm sitting in the boat, holding onto the edge with a claw-like grip. I'm watching the waves lap up and spill over into the boat. On each wave is a picture of someone I've hurt; or mistakes that I've made; or conversations I've had...all in the past; all things I've repented of and embraced mercy for.

But there before me were all of the reminders of why I'd never make it to the shore of my next promised land. I'm a putz. If left to myself, I'll mess up everything. 

I looked out the window a second time and breathed a heavy sigh. Somehow, once again, my focus had become more self-aware than God aware. Hmmm.

I picked up my Bible, and wonder upon wonders, my next reading passage was of Jesus sleeping in the boat. The waves licked the sides of the boat. The water spilled over and threatened to capsize the boat and everyone in it. And Jesus slept. 

In frantic fear the disciples yanked Jesus from His sleep and frantically pointed to the waves. Jesus sat up, questioned their faith, and then spoke to the waves. And suddenly all was calm.

When the storm rages against us, the call for me and for you is twofold: We must use the authority God has given us, and rebuke the waves. When the enemy stands against us and reminds us of all the reasons we'll never make it across the water, we need to stand in the authority given to us, and point to Jesus. 

We must resist the temptation to make a bigger deal out of the wave than we should. The Bible says, 'When the enemy comes in like a flood, the LORD will raise up a standard against him!"

Instead of being bullied by the fears and threats hurled at us from the enemy, we stand in faith, we point to Jesus, and we refuse to let a few waves deter us from going where God is leading us.

Secondly, we learn to rest. We trust the mighty power of God (and His love for us) enough to get comfortable, and to take a good nap. When our faith allows us to recline at The Table in the presence of our enemies, our lives become a force to reckon with.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He calls us to peace at all times, in all ways. He offers us a fresh outpouring every single day.

He pours it out, we need to drink it up. We need to let it in. We need to receive it.

Let's read this powerful verse:

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful (Colossians 3:15)

Look closer...

To LET means to: give permission, grant the right to, allow, empower, enable, permit

Think about the potency of this verse. We have A LOT to do with the measure of peace we enjoy! God offers it, but we must receive it. But not just receive it; we're to grant the right for peace to RULE in our hearts. 

This verse strongly suggests that it's our calling. Our privilege. Our responsibility. 

And we're called to be thankful. Always. In everything (not for everything; but in everything). At all times.

Dear friends, there is a way to navigate through the storms of life with a heart at peace. The Bible also says that a heart at peace gives life to the body and health to the bones. Who doesn't need that?

May we stay in step with our Prince of Peace today. May we confess our sin, offer forgiveness, and refuse condemnation. May we learn to sleep through the storms and may we rebuke the waves when necessary. It's our privilege. Our call. Our right as ones who belong to the Most High God.

Until next week...