I’ve been a little quiet on the blog this fall. Life can sometimes strip the words right out of you. You know what I mean?
When I turned my book in this summer, I had plans to return to the blog with great enthusiasm. But that didn’t happen.
There hasn’t been some big event that prevented me. It’s been more little daily dings that make me want to pull away and get a little quiet. Some days I’d feel a wave of inspiration and rush over to my writing desk. But then a ding would come out of nowhere. So, I stopped the tapping of the keys and closed my computer.
What’s kind of ironic about this whole quiet struggle is that it seems to be the opposite of what I thought this year would be about.
At the end of last year I prayed over a word I would pursue in 2013. My prayer? Growth.
Growth to move forward.
Growth to develop more.
Growth to accomplish new and exciting things.
But here’s what I’ve discovered about growth… it requires dings. It requires a cracking and breaking and a breaking away from what was to form new.
As we move forward, growth may require us to experience a few setbacks.
As we develop more, growth may require us to experience some messy situations.
As we reach for new, growth may require us to address old, unhealthy patterns or attitudes.
Just like a seed has to experience the dings of cracking and breaking so new growth can come forth, I guess my growth requires the same.
Growth comes as a package deal with dings.
I suspect I’m not telling you something you don’t already know. Something you don’t already live.
But I’ve discovered something that maybe you haven’t thought through. Yes, growth may require dings and cracks and breaks. But growth doesn’t require accusation.
That voice that tries to assign debilitating labels to you sees your potential for growth as a threat. The voice of the accuser belongs to Satan. Your growth is part of your testimony. And you know what Satan doesn’t want you to know today?
This verse:
“For the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony.” – Revelation 12:10b-11a
Satan doesn’t want you to know how powerful your testimony is. He doesn’t want you to know that your expressions of God-honoring, Jesus-empowering truths subdue and overcome him and his accusations.
Through Proverbs 31 Ministries, I intentionally help people more effectively share their stories, their life lessons, their testimonies. And I’ve made the accuser mad.
Really mad.
Because testimonies are powerful tools against him.
I want to tuck these insights into your heart to encourage you today. But I also want to ask if you might want to help us equip more women to use the power of their testimonies to defeat the accuser.
We want to defeat his strongholds on marriages and kids and churches and every other sphere of influence where a woman lives.
As we approach this year’s end, we want to once again match the gifts you, my blog friends, give to Proverbs 31 Ministries up to a designated amount that we’ve determined through prayer.
That means between now and December 31st, the donations you make will have double the impact in furthering the ministry work of Proverbs 31.
Thank you in advance for any investment you make.
I promise you we will stretch every dollar to have maximum impact in the lives of women and families all around the world.
You can give by clicking here.
So, my year started with a prayer for growth. And it ends with the realization that growth is never easy. It might be full of questions and tears and a quiet pulling back to gather yourself. But from growth powerful testimonies come.
Onward and upward my dear sisters. Onward and upward indeed.
I tried to make a donation just now, but your site wouldn’t work. No matter how many times I double checked my information, it would not accept it. Sorry!
Hi Lysa,
I know you didn’t ask for comments to your post today but I have to share this with you. I don’t really believe in New Year’s Resolutions because I don’t feel they have any validation behind them. I choose to believe in lifestyle change and growth in the Lord. So this year, 2013, I asked God to help me to stop being a control freak…
I could write a book about the “dings” as you called them, although they were more like head on collisions! I kid you not every month of 2013 has been a challenge. January, my Nephew was deployed to Afghanistan. February, a ministry opportunity was taken away with no explanation. March, our unwed 22 year old daughter becomes pregnant. April, our 23 year son loses his job and moves back home. May, my Mom becomes ill and can’t get a diagnosis from multiple doctors. June, My Mom is diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. July, my niece who has a rare uncurable liver conditions is hospitalized and told she now has pancreas and kidney damage as well. August, while on vacation our car window was smashed and my purse/wallet was stolen. September, because of the wallet being stolen our checking and savings accounts were drained, accounts frozen, etc. October, our 22 year pregnant daughter moves back home with no medical insurance. November…the beginning of the month of November I began to think I had made a mistake and I was almost sorry that I asked God to change me from a control freak to a frog. I’m sure you’ve heard of the acronym F.R.O.G., Fully Rely On God. But November and December have been very different. I am beginning to experience what it is like to release everything to God and give up the control and see how he moves. And he has moved. I would like to share with you all the ways but I’ve already rambled so yes, asking for growth is scary, and hard, and frustrating, and challenging. But I can tell you I am a better, stronger person today and able to be thankful for every month of 2013. December, brought the birth of our first grandchild, Samuel. He is absolutely amazing. A precious gift from God. God Bless you, sister. Merry Christmas! Onward and upward!
what a great testimony to our God…that despite it all your eyes remain on Him. you have inspired me. thank you.
Hie. I am currently a single mother going through a divorce. I have two babies, the year 2013 has been hell for me. I have been a lot that I never wanted to go through. My husband left me in Feb. I lost my home my car and my family. During all that I have been through I have reached a level with god that I can feel him doing a work in me. 2014 is going to be a year of restoration.
Bridgett, i just told my husband of 18 years that i wanted a divorce. We also have two children, you are not alone.
Hi Bridgett- I too am a single mother of one child. My husband told me a week to the day our son was born he wanted a divorce and we were to leave. Life has not been easy in understanding how God can have a purpose for all the hurt, shame, and regret I feel. But one thing He has shown me, is HIS UNFAILING LOVE for me. Your brief comment brought tears to my eyes immediately. Please continue to share your story. There are many out there, like me, that need to know they are not alone. I come into agreement with you that 2014 is a year of restoration. Much love and blessings sent to you and your precious children. In Him Always~
What wonderful peace you will have through this hope that God has given you in doing a good work in you. May God bless you in every way in your faith in the coming year.
Christine Marie, your post has touched me deeply. I don’t have a month by month to relay like you did, but we have had some real challenges in the last 3 years… I’m trying to look to God alone and to rely on His character instead of depending on what I “think” I can do on my own. Thank you for putting things in perspective, and for reminding me that I’m not alone in facing trials. In fact, in one way or another, we are all facing something…
My nephew also came home from Afghanistan in November, Praise God!
Lysa,
God bless you. I can relate to your “dings”. What a great way to put this past year. God has done so many amazing things – and yet, at every turn it has come with a struggle.
I attended the SheSpeaks conference and as a result started a blog. Your workshops were the encouragement I needed to take that step. Your ministry is bearing fruit all around – seeds you have sown into other lives are sowing seeds. May God bless you and multiply the fruit that will come from this past season in your life.
Lysa: Amen, sister. I participated in the summer OBS of your book and went to my first “Women of Faith” weekend. I WAS on fire spiritually after a very dry year when my Mom passed away. However, instead of doing lots of “new” things for the LORD, it’s been a fairly rough fall. Nothing to complain about, but a constant stretching and “dings”. This seed doesn’t appreciate being cracked open for the rest of the world to see! God bless your work and I plan to support you in prayer and funds-just don’t like giving online(-:
Thank you for your honesty – this year has been a trial for me as well and what started as a gung ho year became a year of physical and emotional challenges, sometimes defeat, and even times of depression. Like you I had to pull back from involvement in various ministries because life became too crazy to do it all. Satan certainly doesn’t want us to be very actively working for the Lord. Keep up your good work – know that we appreciate your efforts and have loved your studies! Now may be a time for you to rest for a little to build yourself up! God’s best to you!
Thank you so much for sharing this. 2013 has been an amazing year for me. This year, I asked from the Lord: “Teach me how to love you, Lord. I want to know You for real.” And He answered. He drew me closer to Him in ways I didn’t think or expect. The circumstances have not changed, but I am not the same inside. Difficulties kept coming on my way, but that didn’t stop God from making sure I knew He was and is with me, in me, all around me. Each day, in each trial, in each accusation for our enemy, as I surrendered myself to God, He revealed himself a little bit more. Some days, it was more of a mind blowing way, others, very quietly and softly. I just know one thing: I am not the same. I truly know now who I belong to.
I have to totally agree about the DINGS as you say. They can SO take you off the normal path and put you somewhere that is just not where you expected. I truly find that the way out of that though is by seeking God and if that quiet place is part of that, then go for it! God is always with us no matter what as long as we ask for Him to be. I love knowing that i’m not the ONLY one out there who can get “quiet” as you say with life’s dings. Thank you for sharing that everyone goes through this. (Personally, I’m so looking forward to what our amazing God has in store for us in 2014!)
I came to the same realization this morning. I’ve been going through some ‘stuff’ for a while now. but I’m seeing a glimmer of light that this ‘stuff’ may be coming to an end. The Lord revealed to me that growth, the ‘birth’ of a new thing, takes struggle and pain. Like a butterfly’s struggle to get out of the cocoon, or the birth of a baby. it’s through the struggles that the roots go deeper and makes us stronger. a tree either grows deep roots to withstand the winds or it gets blown over.
Lysa,
Once again you bring Truth at the perfect time. The enemy has been working overtime. I had a sense early on that I was “in the wilderness.” I know that God is in the wilderness and uses it to prepare us for what He has next. But, those “dings” are so distracting! I am reminded that: In the Wilderness, it is not so important how we got there, but to respond to every temptation and lie served to us there with Truth.
Thanks for all that you and P31 does to keep us on the Journey. I’m delighted to support your ministry.
Lysa, I read your post with tears flowing. Once again your courage has touched my life in an incredibly powerful, intimate way. That you God for the perfect words you crafted within Lysa’s heart. Wow. I left She Speaks 2012 and experienced a wonderful year of writing for Jesus, joining teams, developing my blog, living boldly. I felt renewed despite heavy loss. And for once I became the authentic Christian I always wanted to be. Then …then, then, then. How can I possibly describe where I have been? Oh that I could absorb your Unglued book! I stopped writing sure that I was nothing more than a fraud. How could I possibly share of Christ’s peace when my own life was in turmoil? Thank you for giving me eyes to see how Jesus can use me, even when I am struggling and growing. I pray with all my heart that He would use this trial to grow His kingdom and yes, that I would be delivered from it so I can move onto something else! Just the thought of Jesus using this time for good when Satan had other plans gives me incredible joy …and peace. My husband and I are also praying about P31 and our year end giving. Please keep us in your prayers as we go through this process and as I seek God’s help finding a gentle spirit within me that would only bless the lives that I touch.
And sometimes, especially after the year of amazing testimony and incredible ministry you have had through your books and your speaking engagements and all that you do as a mom , an author, a speaker, a wife and a Christ Follower… sometimes, you just need to sit back and breathe. Be still. And quiet. And settle yourself in to a new space. And rest. And allow Him to minister to your heart and recover your spirit after giving giving giving….
You are an inspiration to me, more than my words can express to you here. And I am one of MILLIONS of women that pour my gratitude over you. For your precious intention and perseverance that will always be a gift in Him, through Him, for Him, about Him.
Yes- growth is all about those tweaks and moans and set backs and digs… and yet, often I find I grow the most when I stay still, in the quiet parts of my life… and listen, breathe, rest, and let go.
I am guessing that you are in that place… of healing, nurturing, recovering and renewal of what birth of dreams for Him you will be taking off on the runway of your life next.
Precious friend to all- I adore you, and thank you for serving so many in His Name.
Rest. Renew. Recover. Re-align all that is needed, before you begin again.
Mrs. TerKeurst, Words cannot express how deeply God is using you in my life. My husband has an illness we have been living with for the last 20 years – this year he moved into a nursing home, our son has a developmental disability and graduated this year – I thought advocating for him in the school district was hard – it’s nothing compared to the “real world”. All of this was a major shift for me and my role as wife, mother and caregiver. In August God moved deeply in my life calling me to what I believe is the next step in my life. Like Joseph I had a dream of what was to come and like Joseph I have been thrown into the pit. I started reading Unglued at the beginning of this season of transition in my life – it has been an anchor for me to re-read each time I loose perspective and start to make things happen the way “I think they should”… God is pruning out my explosive and stuffing tendencies…… it is so very painful. Yesterday I blew it and I woke up this morning thinking that I was beyond imperfect progress… then I read your blog. Thank you for reminding me that my growth, dings and breaking away to the new doesn’t mean that I am a failure but rather on track and under attack. I am still very sad about my imperfect tendencies but praising God for His unconditional love, forgiveness, and ability to redeem the worst parts of my life. You words have helped me continue to see Him. Bless you.
Growth requires dings. Thank you for sharing, Lysa. It’s encouraging. Merry Christmas!
2013 was a year of growth for me. I am currently experiencing growing pains/dings. But I believe it is all for the better. I hope 2014 will be good for growth as well. Merry Christmas to everyone!
I just wanted to share that this year has also been difficult in many ways for me. As each trial pushed me to my limits, it also brought me close to my faith, The Lord has been my rock, even when I chose to jump off the side of that mountain, face first! I found a new church in a new town. As I started to feel stronger in my walk with God, Satan was very eager to kick me right back down! Thank you for reminding me what is important and that with growth comes trials. And with each life event, God is ALWAYS there for us, if we only let him in 🙂 May everyone have a blessed 2014!!
As I read the different posts, The Lord dropped something wonderful in my spirit. He showed me that all these precious ladies were overcoming the enemy with their testimonies right here on this page. I was encouraged personally by reading them. Having been dealing with my own year of *dings* it blessed me to see The Lord working in all of our *dings*. <3
Amen…although I might have used a BIGGER word than dings (lol), but still I have been experiencing a lot of deconstructing before I go forward to what He has laid on my heart to do. God gave me two scriptures for this season. 1 John 2:16. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.
There was MUCH in this spoiled, pleasure seeking, insecure girl. As area after area of my life was stripped away I knew He needed to clean house within so I was ready for what was coming. BUT OY….I love people…He has called me out to a quieter life. I loved shopping and things….He put a stop to that. I found pleasure and comfort in food and now that is being reigned in. I was a leader in so many ways and now nothing, rarely even involved. OY, OY, OY….but I want this flesh put to death and I am believing that He is my restorer.
Joel 2:25
“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.”
A great army that HE sent…..1st He spoke to rejection and it was finally gone, I FINALLY KNEW that He loved me, so high positions and power no longer mattered. 2nd Circumstances led to a stop in fun spending and buying for fun. 3rd…or dear, the final blow to a pleasure driven life….my eating.
Its all been a long road and while I am being stretched to believe that He is enough when it comes to overcoming food as a source of pleasure and comfort over Him, I am choosing to believe it and thanking Him that when all this deconstructing is done, He will rebuild His vision of me, to live out His story in me. So mighty are the dings, even painful and crushing at times, but His ways are not mine so I”m trying to maintain a tender heart towards Him. To listen, to yield…all the while whispering, “breathe out, be still, the tomb is empty, He is enough”. That is my mantra and I”m sticking to it. So we yield and allow the house of cards we have built to be brought down, in the knowledge of His love….its going to be good, but NOTHING like what I would have thought would be coming during this season of life changes. GLORY, I”m so thankful for the Revelation scripture. I will testify and give thanks for what I believe Him to be doing even though I don’t yet see it all played out. I will not allow accusations to take my gaze away from Him.
Wow, I am amazed to read this post and its comments and see such a close connection to where my own heart is at this time. I too desire more than ever before to know Jesus more intimately; to be REAL; to cease trying to be a controller of the things in my life that consume me (children, husband, work, food……..); to learn more and more what it truly means to “love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.” Thank you Lysa, for sharing your heart and thank each of you for your touching comments. I too look expectantly to our Father to see where He leads me in the coming year. May I follow Him with quick obedience and childlike faith.
Lysa, Thank you so much for this post!! I just wanted to say Merry Christmas from a bunch of crazy gals in Clarksville, TN who have started a discieship ministry and who, thanks to you, are gaining GREAT ground and victory over our ungluedness!! We also CAN NOT WAIT to hear you in Memphis!! Please know that we desperately appreciate the life you must live out to have revelation to pour onto the pages that we will read that will change our lives and legacies forever!! The accuser lies but hear us say a huge THANK YOU!! Maybe your imperfect progress is what inspires us the most!! Merry Christmas!!
I went to bed last night, praying over an area of growth God asked me to address. I wasn’t sure how to honor my feelings, the desire of my husband but most of all the effect on my children. So I purposely slept on it. Then I had a dream..and you were in it. We met and talked. As I told my story, your eyes got wide in all the shocking parts and teary in all the tender ones. I woke up this morning not sure what to make of my dream. That was all I could remember. So as I was getting ready I decided to read your fb post for today. Asking the Lord to direct me. And He did. Thank you so much for permitting Him to use you to bless us! Blessings to you and your family this Christmas and throughout the New Year.
Hi Lysa
I am 20 years old (Turning 21 in a couple of days) and I am from South Africa.
I bought your book ‘Unglued’ in a bookstore in South Africa earlier on this year but never really had the chance to read it. I am currently on holiday in North Carolina (First time in the states) and decided to pick up your book as my holiday read. While reading the comments at the back I saw that you live in North Carolina. Was just one of those small coincidences that added a smile to my face.
Thank you for writing ‘Unglued’. It is adding so much value to my life.
Blessing.
Lysa! I know that you have probably heard this more times than you can count but tonight God used you to speak directly into my spirit. I have spent the last 3 hours in Barnes & Noble bookstore reading your books. Im at a loss for words but know without a doubt that meeting you was a part of God’s divine plan for the next wonderful chapter of my life. I have struggled with depression for over 2 decades. As heavy as it has been at times I have seen God use what the devil has meant for bad and work it for my good. I look forward to joining you in the ministry of helping people to push past pain to purpose. Thank you for your obedience and transparency. Nice meeting you! PS. I guess we should thank Joyce Meyer. I was browsing for a good book from her and you were right next door. I had never heard your name before but the title of your book spoke to my spirit. God bless you
So, I am thankful for the nudge to stop by here this morning. Because that has been my year. Especially this past month. Dings (some small, some that felt like a full on grizzly bear heart mauling) that left me pulling back into quiet. One of my words for this year has been strength. I laugh now. How do we get strength if we do not have to go up against things that will challenge our weaknesses, things that will force us to work faith muscles that perhaps we have let get a little flabby?
I end this year feeling quiet and honestly quite humbled. But I am also thankful. So thankful that He is with us and for us. So thankful that my God wins, not the accuser. So thankful that He is helping me regain my footing, helping me find my words again, helping move forward stronger.
Blessings, Lysa. God has sown many a seed in my life through you. Thanking Him for you and praying for you, your family and your ministry today.
K
A simple thank-you, this article has touched my heart….
I wasn’t sure where to post about starting your book made to crave. I ended up receiving the action plan first and have gone through it and now I am going through the original. This had been a struggle for me since high school where I turned to food to cope with being in the out crowd. I started a glycemic index about11years ago because if being tired all my life and having unexplained pain. I lost 60 pounds then and kept it if until my last child. That was the years ago.I started wearing better in may of 2013 and plateaued in September. The spiritual aspect really was never a strong if losing weight, usually my emotions get in the way. Life had been hard so finding excuses to eat we’re easy. Life it’s still hard and emotionally I up and down because if separation and each issue that needs to be dealt with, but now to have a different motivation to be healthy is the perspective shift I need to be victorious in this battle against my soul( something I never thought to connect) Thank you for your willingness toput your struggle to paper. This is what I need.
PS. Wish I could talk face to face. I live in the bother part of British Columbia, Canada Conferences don’t usually come up here
PS. Could you please put me on your prayer list for a friend and confidant up here. More people praying for that always helps.
I wasn’t sure where to post about starting your book made to crave. I ended up receiving the action plan first and have gone through it and now I am going through the original. This had been a struggle for me since high school where I turned to food to cope with being in the out crowd. I started a glycemic index about11years ago because if being tired all my life and having unexplained pain. I lost 60 pounds then and kept it if until my last child. That was the years ago.I started wearing better in may of 2013 and plateaued in September. The spiritual aspect really was never a strong if losing weight, usually my emotions get in the way. Life had been hard so finding excuses to eat we’re easy. Life it’s still hard and emotionally I up and down because if separation and each issue that needs to be dealt with, but now to have a different motivation to be healthy is the perspective shift I need to be victorious in this battle against my soul( something I never thought to connect) Thank you for your willingness toput your struggle to paper. This is what I need.
PS. Wish I could talk face to face. I live in the bother part of British Columbia, Canada Conferences don’t usually come up here
PS. Could you please put me on your prayer list for a friend and confidant up here. More people praying for that always helps.
Lysa, our former pastor preached a sermon based on this verse and it’s probably the most memorable sermon I remember from the years he was our pastor.
“For the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony.” – Revelation 12:10b-11a
He encouraged each of us to start a journal with “our story” – our word of testimony. I’m not trying to diminish the importance of SHARING our story, but what I took away from his message was that it was a record, a history, for each of us to recall God’s faithfulness in our own lives. When we felt like we were alone…or when we felt that God was distant…or that no one could understand what we were going through…we could pull out that journal and recount the ways and the times God has come through for us. For my journal, I began to recall times when God moved or worked in my life. Not always exactly like a miracle, but in a way that let me know it was God, not “luck”, not “happenstance”, not “good fortune”, but it was God working in my life, answering a prayer or leading me in a certain direction. And many times, it did feel miraculous. Some were big things like when my dad survived his heart stopping in when the doctors were trying to tell him he wasn’t having a heart attack and wanted to send him home, 20 miles from the hospital. Other times it was something big to me, but much smaller in the broad scope of things than my dad’s life. I think it’s wonderful to be able to share examples of God and His care for me, His provision for me… But it’s also a very personal account of my walk with Him and how He never fails to answer prayers. I’ll be honest and say sometimes His answer is the last way I would wish for…but He has a plan and many times that plan includes things that will change ME, not just change my situation. When I look back at the ways He has answered my prayers, sometimes I have to smile at how He has answered. Again, it’s His plan…His ways are higher than my ways and His desire is not simply to answer my prayer, but to change me into the likeness of His Son… So, my challenges often (usually) address the things I struggle with the most. May I give in and give up control of my desires and always do as Jesus said…the things that are pleasing to my Father… I remember David, a man after God’s own heart, recounted before going to face Goliath – how God had given into his hands a lion and a bear…he remembered, he recounted God’s faithfulness… I thank you for this posting today to remind me of my journal and how it’s important to me to recount God’s faithfulness in my own life.