Spectacular joys come to older ones in the faith as we get to witness the next generation coming of age. By coming of age I don’t mean numerically. There will always be individuals in Christ who hardly grow beyond their salvation and will wonder to the grave why God never came through with that meaningful life they thought they were supposed to receive. But the distractions of the world are enormous, demanding and titillating and, well, the phone and all. That we can be in Christ and immersed in a community of faith but never fulfill our calling is clear from places in Scripture like Colossians 4:17 where Paul told the brothers at Colossae,
And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”
No need to exhort somebody to fulfill a ministry if it’s not possible to leave it unfulfilled.
There will always be those who are enormously gifted and hold tremendous potential to impact community and globe for the kingdom of God but, like the unfaithful steward in Matthew 25, will bury what they’ve been given until Jesus returns at which point they’ll hand it back to Him looking pretty much like it did when they got it. They lost interest. But they are not my concern today as I write this article. These words are to those of you who are doing what it takes. Who are in the thing up to your necks. You, who are coming of age in your calling, though God knows that, most of the time, if you’re like me, you’re not even sure how you got there. Oh, you could try to tell someone younger what steps you took. You could write a blog post about it. You could do a very effective Q&A on a panel about it. You could even write a book about it but you know dang well deep in your heart that you really had no earthly idea what you were doing. All you can say at the end of the day is that you kept doing something – the next thing – however awkwardly, and perhaps even embarrassingly as you look back on it, to somehow serve Jesus. And, lo and behold, something finally started working. Not all the time, of course, but often enough to realize you might be onto something. You might be onto your calling. This season of your calling. Your works are producing fruit. You have this sense that you are where you are supposed to be for now.
That’s what I mean by coming of age. Though it’s not about chronological age, it often corresponds enough for most of you to be in your thirties and forties.
Man, it’s a gorgeous thing for your older brothers and sisters to behold. To get to cheer you on cheers me in a way I find ridiculously exhilarating. Right here on the spot I could list one hundred different names off the top of my head of men and women doing the thing. Some of you I get the chance to watch close up. Hands on. You delight me to no end. First and foremost, my daughters. My son-in-law. My spiritual sons and daughters. Others from across the room at church and others by phone and face-to-face as often as possible, like my beloved Priscilla Shirer. Good Lord, how I love her. Others of you on social media, which I love, by the way, and on which I’ve made some connections that really do have an ounce of substance to them. Jefferson Bethke, for instance. So many like him. Men and women. These relationships mean something to me. Their names are in my prayer journal. About eight young women communicators and Bible teachers are on my mind almost every day and jotted down regularly in a square in my prayer journal.
And I get to see you prosper in the Holy Spirit. I get to see your life bear fruit. I get to celebrate what God is doing through you. And I get to squirm, rub my forehead and groan – often audibly – as I watch you awaken to the war. That is why I’m writing today.
You didn’t know it was going to be like this.
You had no idea what you’d stepped into.
You think you must have done something wrong to make it this hard. When you started out, it wasn’t like this.
You haven’t really told anyone. Or not very many. Mainly because you’re too embarrassed.
You have no idea that every other person worth his/her salt in the kingdom of the living Christ is either going to go through their own version of the same thing or they are enduring it that very minute.
And it is hellacious.
The enemy comes for you. Of course, some of you aren’t calling it spiritual warfare yet because that’s what the older generation called it and you want to be cooler than that. You had sort-of become convinced that the devil was not that real. Not that specific. Not that personal. Not that aware. And surely God would not allow him to mess with your kids.
And it’s not just the enemy. Your own vulnerabilities erupt into liabilities. Life’s taking a crowbar to every crack in your armor. You are tempted to things you swore you’d never do. That you judged ________________ for doing. Your past comes calling. If you’re married, your marriage, which you’d boasted about publicly, looks like it could go humiliatingly belly-up. Your kids are going nuts. Or maybe it’s you losing your mind. Half the time, you think you are going crazy. You’re getting criticized. You’re getting a lot of opposition. You daydream sometimes that you quit and moved to a remote island with your family, wore loin cloths and drank milk out of coconuts and swam with dolphins. You night-dream that you hung in there in your calling and it slaughtered you.
You have come of age.
What you’re going through is how it goes. I don’t know why on earth we older ones are not telling you more often and with more volume. Maybe it’s because we don’t want to discourage you but it’s so ridiculous because you’re already discouraged. Or maybe it’s that you won’t listen to us anyway.
But this is my shot at it today. You have come of age. You have come of notice to the devil. At the same time, your very faithful God who loves you has made a covenant through the cross of Christ not only to save you but to conform you to the image of His Son. His obligation out of His wonderful grace is to grow you up. And there is suffering in growing up. Among other things, you are forced to face the deceiver and pretender in your mirror.
I’m here to say to you today that it will not always be this hellacious. Oh, trust me. It will ALWAYS be hard. It will at times be horrific. But this season of eyeball-bulging nobody-ever-said-it would-be-like-this coming of age will not last forever. Mine lasted about seven years. Yours could last one. Or ten. That’s all up to God. Well, and you. Your cooperation is required.
It’s all about whether or not you’ll quit. Or whether or not you’ll get sloppy. Whether or not you’ll hang onto the first things that so drove you in the beginning. Jesus. The Scriptures. Holy passion. Holiness. And not just hang onto them but press further and further and further into them. Or will you slip into the black hole of busy-ness and business, of name-making, marketing, position, notoriety, self-importance, celebrity and Instacrap? Now that you are no longer naïve, what will you do with all of this? Will you fight for a pure heart that the world and your own flesh have so polluted that you think you no longer have what it takes or will you just go with it and figure this is how it happens?
And, in the words of Galatians 3:3, what you’d begun in the Spirit, you’ll just do from now on mostly in the flesh. You’ll get prayer warriors to pray for you instead of also scrapping it out yourself on the floor, fighting with everything you’ve got in the heavenlies, hacking it through, bloody and bruised, defending the ground God entrusted to you.
You’re at the most critical place in your calling. The place of slaughter. The place where either the devil’s going to all but kill you, your flesh is going to destroy you or God is going to crucify with Christ that ego and fear and, truth-told, laziness and raise you MIGHTY.
Fight it out. Do not quit. If you’ve gotten sloppy, stop it. If you’re messing around in sin, repent. Go back to your face. Get that Bible open and plant your nose in it. Memorize Scripture. Learn how to fast and pray. Quit talking about Jesus more than you actually talk to Him. Quit letting your mouth overshoot your character. Become that person you’ve made fun of for taking it too seriously and being so dramatic about it.
You have what it takes. Do it. And I’m going to tell you something. What it will get you is Jesus. JESUS HIMSELF. Pre-eminent in all things. He is the joy. He is the prize in the fight. He is what makes getting hit by the debris in the hurricane worth it. Jesus Himself. He is everything.
I’m writing you today because I’m so proud of you. You’re out there doing the thing. And I don’t want you to quit.
Pay the price.
Thank you for saying the things we need to hear, no matter how hard. For those of us who truly love Jesus need mentor words of truth whether as an encouragement, or a warning, more. You are an inspiration to all of us and thank you for being Jesus’ willing vessel.
Your Sister in Christ, Summer
Thank you so much! This is so timely.
I’m 38 and have been involved in Internet ministry for about a year. Boy, do I feel like Satan has my number! I’m tired and weary and am grateful for messages like this that tell it like it is.
We need to hear from those who have walked before us. Thank you, Beth!
Diane
May 23, 2016
Hello :
I am delighted to announce the launch of my new book April 25, 2016.
It took 5 years to live and 2 years to write. It’s my first book and frankly, I had much to learn.
NOTE: I believe this memoir could be used as a text for nursing and medical students.
This is because it covers simple explanations for many symptoms and diagnosis directly related to Traumatic Brain Injury and Cancer diagnosis.
I want to tell you the story of my daughter, Barb, who is simply remarkable. She was a nurse and was working 60 hours a week.
I felt you might find our story compelling as well as inspiring – filled with miracles from God!
I have a book you would find personally interesting. It is a love story.
Yankee 794 Trauma — A Profoundly Inspiring Memoir
A Journey Through Traumatic Brain Injury: Hope and Recovery
ISBN: 978-161-493-4394
The memoir reveals a near-fatal auto accident that happened 12/29/10 in Bradenton (Fl.) to my daughter Barb, a nurse, like her mother (the author).
The book chronicles the critical injuries she sustained including SIX traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — any one of which should have been fatal.
The book is filled with miracles from God, which explains why my daughter survived, and how she is recovering.
As her mom it fell to me to be her Legal Guardian — and later her caregiver. I kept a journal from the day she was nearly killed, which is why I wrote this book.
The book is about our journey. Traumatic brain injury is something the public knows little about — yet it is epidemic in our society.
One of the goals of my compelling book, is to inspire as well as educate, as we walk through this unimaginable odyssey.
Fifteen months into our journey I was suddenly diagnosed with a diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer!
My fight to stay alive, then became the subject of the book as we now take a dual path to recovery.
A year later, with clear scans, thinking we were finally on our way to health, I was again blindsided. I landed in ICU for (much of) three weeks. I have little memory of that time.
I woke up in rehab. a quadriplegic, wondering how I got there! I had to fight my way back — again! The book chronicles our 5-year journey back to health and wholeness,
and in the process many amazing and wonderful events that happened to us.
Yankee 794 Trauma will be published by Peppertree Publishing in May 2016.
The book is 343 pages and 50 chapters.
At that time it is my wish to embark on a journey of public speaking to bring our story to the church and civic groups that will invite me to speak.
This means developing a curriculum course based on my book that tells our story and includes discussion on:
1. Authenticity
2. Gratitude
3. Grace
4. Happiness
5. Defining Love and Purpose
6. The world needs more __________________.
7. What does PRAYER mean to you?
8. What I significant to your life you learned from a stranger?
9. Ask the Big Question…What do you know for sure?
I have created a series of visual posters that detail the many faces of TBI (traumatic brain injury) including:
PTSD/TBI and Our Veterans
Domestic Violence (which results in more brain injury than football!)
Sports Safety (youth, college and professional)
CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy)
I have spent a lot of time researching CTE & Domestic Violence and Abuse as a sidebar to the story I have lived.
If you check the back of my book, I added a chapter on CTE and Domestic Violence and Abuse to my book. The two are inexplicably linked.
I want to bring awareness of these issues to the public in a way never presented before.
My second book, a prequel to Yankee 794 Trauma, will be published early 2017. It is titled The Search for Judith Ann.
I will be seeking opportunities to address civic and church groups in 2016-17.
Thank you for your time.
Elizabeth A. Scott
6314 French Creek Ct.
Ellenton, Florida 34222
(863) 633-8978
[email protected]
Just amazed at how GOD WORKS! Saw this entry as scrolling through blog after off phone with doctor and praying! God is so GOOD! This sister lives near me and I am meeting with her tonight!!! Amazed! Thank you Beth Thank You Lord!
Sweet and Mighty Beth, I guess you hit the mark with this because my tears are welling, my heart is pounding, and my conviction is stirring all the more to press on in the calling God has set before me. I’m 34 juggling 3 young boys, ministry, working from home, and grad school. I’m so in the thick of it in all of it. Yet, I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Not for my glory, but for His. Thank you, Older Sister. Keep preaching. We need to hear it. I’m listening.
Bawling my eyes out. Thank you so much. 33 and just finishing my first year of teaching God’s Word to a group of women. This is where I’m supposed to be. This is my calling. So much peace knowing this. Yet It was more intense than I could have imagined. But more joy than I could have imagined as well. Higher highs and lower lows than I knew to expect. And at times, to be honest, sleepless nights in fear of the attack that’s still to come to me and my Fam. Beth–thank you for being such a mentor and cheerleader to those behind you. You have been a tremendous encouragement and mentor and teacher over the years I’ve followed your work. I cannot express how much you’ve helped and taught me. Furthermore, speaking and writing on things such as these have encouraged me so up to this point too. If it wasn’t for your honesty/transparency about your past and many struggles, I never would have thought I was eligible to still serve God after the pits I’ve been in. Thank you also for sincerely and joyfully loving those behind you. I love you dearly!
Whew. Thank you for this. As I just finished prayers of protection for my husband and son tonight, this is just the encouragement, and the truth, that I needed to hear. Thank you for loving us so.
Thank you for this word. I am in the pit currently… Even though I have been a Christian for almost 30 yesrs. How did I get here? How could the deciever be THAT crafty or me that arrogant to think i wasn’t vulnerable to his schemes… But here I am…I no longer just want to talk about Jesus right now, I need a breath to do that, and even breathing is difficult. I have to talk TO him- no one needs a Savior more than me in this moment. I will say, after many late nights, tear-stained pillows and heart cries, Jesus is lovingly picking me up, dusting me off… More than that…making me white as snow and preparing me for battle. I feel it in my core.
I don’t know what is next. I pray it is healing and not more hell. But I trust Him. No matter what, I trust Him. I thank Him in advance for turning what was meant for evil, into something meant for my good. For beauty out of ashes…for making All things work together for my good. For Grace.
All I can say is amen. I’m so tired, yet there is such a glimmer of energy and hope in me. How is that even possible? I need Him more now than I’ve ever needed Him, yet I struggle to just sit with Him and listen. Thank you for encouraging us “older” ones. You’re right, I need to spend more time talking TO Him, not just about Him. Wow. So simple but so needed.
Good grief! I’m past my 40’s but this word drove an iron in the fire of my heart and got it roaring again. Thank you, Beth… I needed to hear this passionate truth spoken in love…with a swift kick in the b_tt. Why am I spelling that out when you used the term Instacrap. I love that. And it is!! Thank you, sister! xo – P
Beth,
I can’t tell you enough THANK YOU FOR THIS!! I needed it tonight. We don’t hear enough that sometimes being a follower of Christ can be hard. That the enemy is REAL. That he is after our faith, our children and grandchildren, our marriages, and US. That although we love Jesus, like any relationship in life, we NEED Him and time WITH Him. Thank you for the exhortation to fight for it. To not give up. To not be discouraged, but to stay in the Word and prayer.
I’m so thankful that you are not afraid to tell us the real, hard stuff. It helps me know that it’s not just me at these times.
You are loved, Beth.
Becky
Praise Him! Thank you for the words of encouragement even some of us ole salty, seasoned ones need a pep talk
I feel like you wrote this for me today. What an encouragement!!
God bless you!!
Holy cow! I have never heard this before…and I’ve been in church since I was 2 days old! This is mind boggling and very encouraging…and convicting!! I said years ago that whatever you have with God, that’s what I want. My ex husband ended up calling me a fanatic about how close I became to God. Yet my idol was my kids and my now ex. These single parenting years of raising 3 kids while working full time and no family close by has shredded me. My grief over dreams lost has stalled me. I’ve gotten lost in the desert. He freed me from slavery but I’m lamenting over the great food back in Egypt. Gee whiz! Ughhh…it is the busyness of life and a dose of rebellion that has also played a part. God is calling me back and I’m taking small steps. He loves me too much to let me get comfortable! But it hurts! But I’m glad!!! I’m typing this to the wind, it seems…but it feels good to let it out! Smooches. 🙂
Thank you, Beth, for being obedient and stating the not-so-popular part of this walk. The Holy Spirit brought me to read this message at the perfect time, when I feel crazy for doing this thing the way I feel called to. Your message is spot on confirmation to what the Spirit was pressing on me today. I’M LOSING MY MIND TO GAIN JESUS!
Thank you. I needed this but then again you knew that. Glory be to God in the highest. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Mama Beth, you just BLEW THE ROOF OFF THIS PLACE. What a commission!
This was so on time and Holy Spirit filled!!! Praise God!
Last year at this time I was finishing up a ten week sabbatical. I was at that place trying to decide if I was done. I have been on a church staff since 2001. God has done a tremendous work in me, in my marriage and in my family, but the work has been accomplished through much struggle and heartache. At the end of May this time last year, I felt God leading me back. I went, but went wondering. A year later, I think I see what you mean. I think after immense struggle with our kids, especially our oldest son, I see the fruit of hanging on and not giving up. My job is working with volunteers, and I like being behind the scenes. After finishing school last year during my sabbatical, I was recently given more responsibilities on staff that I never dreamed of. Glory to God! In fact, I have been asked to share a message during our church services in July. I am absolutely terrified, but I see God’s Hand. The message is on obedience. I am being obedient to give a message on obedience, which makes me smile. God has a sense of humor for sure. Most of all though, God is faithful. He is bringing my family and I through. I am also Living Proof! Beth, thank you for all you have done and are doing to bring hope and encouragement! Ministry is amazing and wonderful while at the same time difficult and hard. Thank you for encouraging us all to hold on and not give up. I agree!
Powerful words! I’m so grateful that God had blessed you to bless us! Thank you!
I needed this and will need to come back and read it again. And probably again after that. Painfully spot on. Thanks for the exhortation.
Lord have mercy! I have read it, and will have to reread it, but still cannot believe this post. Beth, you’ll probably not even read this but boy, did you nail it. I have been so discouraged it’s not even funny anymore. I keep reading and rereading John 17, because I know He prayed for me. I know I’m one of the ones “called.” And the attacks are heavy. Personal…omygooodness yes! Just today I asked my husband why others don’t suffering like we do? Why us? His response, because it’s our lot. Well, I’m tired. I’m trying not to be. But I am. That island…I want to go there alone. I am weary, yet I fall to my knees, because frankly it is a normal place for me. Seriously. I’m not trying to be “so Christian,” where else can I go? Pay the price…o boy, do we ever. We moved to Iowa and within a month the Lord opened up ministry. Satan hates us. It’s exhausting. Where am these days? My husband lovingly says I’m mad at God. I think I’m starting menopause and my emotions are getting ugly. I am trying so hard to keep my mouth shut, but that is making my broken heart hurt more. My kids? All three do not walk with Jesus. THAT kills me more than anything. My marriage? O that was almost destroyed, but HE overcame. Truly a miracle if I’ve ever seen one. One of the best lines to come out of your mouth was this, “The best miracle you’ll ever see is a life changed!” I can’t tell you how much I agree with that!
Well, once again, thank you for tellin it like it is. It was painful for me to read thus but you are right. I’m hanging on to James 1:2-4, 12. You’ll love this…it’s right by my toilet for me to read often. I have scriptures in places I know I can’t escape reading. 😉 I love you dear sisters (for I know several of you will read this, I hope). You, too, stay the course. I love and appreciate you so much, Cary
I do not ever want to take my eyes off Jesus. But it is hard to not want to build a tower in my own name. I want to build something beautiful and strong and real. Lord, help me to build it all for your name and your glory. Not my own. Not my own. Amen.
That was just for ME!!! Thank you! 🙂
I’m onto something! I must be onto something big here because Satan’s been on my back harder than ever and I’m pressing into Jesus and pressing on! Thank you for this missive, straight to my heart. I’d kiss your face if I could. Printing this up and keeping it close for this hard season. Believing, Wen
Nearly 7 years ago around the time our twins were born, I dug into your study, Believing God. Not long after that, my husband and I decided to return to full-time ministry. In a leap of faith, we posted his resume, listed our house for sale, and so forth. Four years ago when our house finally sold, we moved to our small town where my husband pastored a little country church. During that time, God removed every comfort from my life (just as you wrote about in Believing God – the year King Uzziah died…). I even broke my tailbone and was bed-ridden for a while. Crazy, difficult things have happened during those years, and last summer, the Father even removed our ministry, leaving my husband jobless. But…all of this pain has spurred us into a ministry we never, ever in a thousand years would have considered previously – church planting. And we feel woefully inadequate, and the fear of failure is so real it is thick in the air sometimes. Yes, the spiritual warfare is real, too. Despite that, I believe your words above are true. We are coming into our own now, finding freedom to be who it is that our amazing God created us to be, for just such a time as this. And yes, it’s hard, and yes, quite costly. But so worth it! Thank you. This is exactly the rallying cry we need!
Jen 🙂
Jen, I can so related to you! Believing God was my first Beth Moore study and to this day is still my favorite! I forgot about the story of God removing everything and that is a message I needed to hear! I am feeling like that in this season of my life and I know God is trying to do something, but I don’t know what yet. So thank you for that reminder and I pray that God continues to lead you and your husband!
Mrs. Beth
Amen…God heard my cry and I am so encouraged by this post. I am a little older than my 30’s or 40’s, but boy did God speak to my heart today❤️ I was the one praying to desert to an island far far away! I am not and will not quit! I will fight to the end and stay in the thick of it for God. What a privilege.
Oh, Bethie! Your timing couldn’t have been better for this. Tears are streaming as I read these words – its as if God Himself spoke them directly to a specific conversation that He and I discussed earlier today. The funny thing is that something you said is almost a word for word quote of something I said earlier today related to this situation. (He knows… but the world doesn’t have to know.) Thank you for being so bold.
This was a blessing for me to read this morning- because see, as soon as I stepped into my calling the devil began throwing those fiery darts and it sure has been hellacious for the last year and a half…but I’m determined to press on and pay the price. Bless you Beth Moore!
Thank you very much. Confirmation of truths throughout Word and my experience now more than ever in my life!
Reminds me of …discouragement we see in Elijah when “he did the thing” and great victory resulted but spiritual warfare afterwards almost took him out…
Elijah after Mount Carmel: 1 Kings 19: 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
Reminds me of, and worse, in my estimation, is Solomon, “taken out”: “broke covenant with God, did not fulfill his calling” by his heart being turned away to other gods by his many wives…etc…
The gift of God’s great wisdom turned to folly! His heart not fully committed to the LORD after he and his kingdom gifted so amazingly that Queen of Sheba came and proclaimed the greatness and joy and satisfaction above anything existing on the planet basically! (1 Kings 10-11). All that she saw took the queen’s breathe away! (1 Kings 10:5)
1 Kings 10:6-10 (KJV)
6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
9 Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
WOW, sometimes “arriving in the eyes of others” ushers in the worst pride, sin and degradation of betrayal to God’s covenant! Solomon turned from the Lord! Scary. We are all capable of this! Warning.
Then there is Samson. Won’t go there. Devastation. Losses so significant, only God knows….
All goes back to our true heart and if it really beats to the LORD JESUS : do we love the LORD our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength FOR HIM and (not for our selves, our image, or our pretense, or our using Him for our selfish gains or glories).
1 John 4:19 do I know how much He first loved me? John 3:16-17…Then will I love Him with all I am?
MT 22:37, Mk 12:30, Luke 10:27, 1 John 4:7, Deut 6:5, Deut 13:3.
Beth, Thank you for teaching me this most important principle in the WORD of God!
May our love grow truer and truer and more and more for Jesus as our understanding and growth in the LORD’s covenant through Jesus Christ and His life, suffering, death and resurrection increases. How much do we depend on His Work at Calvary? How much do we depend and live from His blood covering for the remission of our sins? How much do we thank Him for the greatest gift of forgiveness based on His broken body and shed blood? Our names are written in heaven. Glorious. May our lives prove out to bring the message of Living Hope Christ lived and died to give. May many come to faith as Jesus births life from the spiritually dead.
I am 56. Yet probably 35 or younger in many ways spiritually. In other words, I believe I am just now on the verge of “coming of age”. I don’t know why I am so behind the curve. I take heart because, I think, Moses was “ripe” at 80. I surely am convinced God alone brings us in His timing and ways and His ways surely are above our ways and so different than we think or plan or can fathom at times.
This blog spoke volumes to me. Thank you for your honesty. I identify with almost every example, if not every example, that you gave! The closeness to death I have literally felt/experienced at times (as I served Christ as He has led), has staggered me. I am still dealing with things that only God knows how hard and how trying they are. But God is teaching me more about the Cross and the fellowship in the sufferings of Christ and these experiences have brought revelation to the Greatness of Jesus and what He did for me in suffering to the death for me. In the war He is the Warrior King and knowing He wins is triumph and delight. He won when it looked like He lost. Yet Hope Rose. Maybe I am winning when it looks like I am failing/losing. Character is built in the “failure/loss” too. Revelation 12:11: last part esp. Our Lamb has conquered, let us follow Him. To the death and to the Life, may Jesus shine and be glorified.
Thank you Beth.
In His Amazing Grace,
Deb
Wow! How amazing our Father is! He knew that I needed this encouragement today! He has been preparing me all of my life for the calling He has purposed for me…to love and serve struggling women. This calling is still developing as I have been stepping in there over this past year and currently over the past month plunging into the deep. Since taking the plunge the attack is relentless and on every side as well as within. The war rages and this is a sign that I must be in the right place, headed the right direction. Please pray for me! Just before I read this post I was on my face praying about this very thing and seeking His help to persevere. Psalm 107:27 & 28.
Dear Beth,
Were you in service on Sunday in Loganville, GA listening to my pleads with God? Thank you for writing this. Thank you for your dedication to Jesus, thank you for your passion. This post has Gods perfect timing written all over it. You are loved and appreciated more than you will ever know. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
“your very faithful God who loves you has made a covenant through the cross of Christ not only to save you but to conform you to the image of His Son.”
thank you for saying it. so many of us need to hear it on repeat.
-Stacey
Amen.
Thank you for sharing this! It’s so nice to know I’m not crazy! I remember the first thick of this and wondering if I had somehow fell off the path. It was so hard and I failed more often than I succeeded in the lessons God was teaching me. Now I look back at the girl (yes, most definitely girl not woman) before all that and at her confidence and shake my head at her foolish pride. Thanks for this encouragement and for letting others know – it’s not weird that it gets hard, that coming of age is a slog and a fight. You rock! 🙂
WOW!!! Thank you, thank you. THIS WAS FOR ME.
Beth – THANK YOU so much for this post! It really spoke straight to my heart. I have felt just under the intense force of attack right in the midst of trying my hardest to walk in the way the Lord is leading me. This post encouraged me so much! God Bless you sister in Christ!!!
Pressing Forward!
Melissa
Thank you, Beth, may God bless you abundantly for the blessing you’ve been to me! I needed this timely reminder. Even after we’ve been there before how easy it is to forget. I ask for prayer… just in the middle of the storm and need to keep my eyes on Christ. May He be glorified in all we do!
Sweet Sister Beth,
I could feel God talking to me as I read your letter this morning. The fight has been just as you describe. Thank you for your boldness in Christ that you do not fear persecution. I turned 52 last Thursday. I received the calling only last September. I have fought the darkness most of my life. About 10 days ago Jesus said to pick up your book. I read in there about you being sifted. I asked ” Jesus is that what is happening to me”. His answer “Yes”. I saw how long it lasted. I have been tempted by the enemy to leave my family, the enemy is after my family, they have turned them against me. I thank God for you Beth. I thank God for the message that affirms my faith in the Father, son, and the Holly Spirit. My God Bless you and your family Beth for your obedience.
I often wonder if you “read my heart” Beth Moore! But no, you listened to what the Holy Spirit had to say after He read my heart. You have touched on SO MANY heart issues. I know it is totally impossible but oh how I wish for two hours over a cup of coffee with you. I only live in Paradise, TX (just north of you by several hours) 🙂
I am a couple years away from 50 but I see myself in this description you have given. I don’t want to be that unfaithful steward who, like the Israelites, allowed discouragement, disappointment, and disillusionment to create a cloud of fear that they lived within and that paralyzed them from doing God’s plan!!
After serving God for 20+ years and having prophesies over my husband’s and my life, it gets tough in the waiting, but I want to finish well!! We joke about “ok, what is the next thing God has for us?” while we await stepping into His prophesies and confirmed plan. And we will continue to do the “next thing” until….
You hit another nerve. I am an author and blogger of 3 years though I have written my entire life since I could hold a crayon. With today’s opportunities to self-publish and do what I HATE, self-promote, I struggle with the whole thing of “God you have given me this gift to write and reach your people through this venue of words, but how do you get your writings seen without all the Instacrap and all of its buddies?” I have stayed away from it and try to reach my online buddies via Facebook and my website but its so confusing…sit back and don’t self-promote when the world screams this is what you have to do or wait for God to get your written words out there? I honestly prefer the God-plan and want to maintain the time to keep my nose in his word and not waste it in marketing, etc. I receive your encouragement to keep pressing in to Jesus! Satan has used the virtual world to steal so very much time from God’s people and I don’t want that to happen to me! Maybe backing away from it and doing the next thing (writing the next book, blog post, mentoring the next sweet gal) that’s what my focus should be. It’s so hard to do both. I can’t really.
So today, I am pressing in and hanging onto Jesus and His word!
Thank you sister in Christ! You bless me and everyone in your path!
Trudy
http://www.mytruwords.com
http://www.talkingteacups.com
I’m with you on this strong aversion to social media/self promotion. There was a time I wondered if I was supposed to write or speak but I can’t get over this self promotion craziness out there and so I figure maybe my calling is to write in private, for God. I learn best when I write anyway, God speaks through me, to me, if that makes sense. I’d rather build something tiny and quiet that lasts rather than a mansion of self glorying works that are burned.
The crazy thing to me is that everyone is so refreshed and validated by Beth Moore’s honesty (let’s be real, she could have pretended that life in her calling was a breeze), yet most people still continue to publish these curated personas about themselves and their lives on social media. I’m so confused by it all. I just want to be real, and to have real friends! :)) Maybe we all have this huge stronghold of people pleasing or desperation to be known and validated ourselves. All I know is it looks much like the world around us, when we are supposed to be different.
Thank you Beth! Exactly the words I needed to hear this morning as feelings of fear, worry, and doubt plagued me as I poured my heart out to the Lord a few hours before. The enemy is crafty, and his attack the past few days on my family has been very real!!! After years of bible study, and feeling a calling from the Lord I took a leap of faith and started blogging in preparation for the She Speaks conference I am attending this summer. I am writing a book/bible study on something I feel the Lord wants me to share. However, I am not a writer. I don’t want a platform. Public speaking scares me to death! I feel called to write this bible study, but I don’t have any credentials, and I don’t want to mess it up. I know that God holds teachers to a higher level of accountability. I have no idea what I am doing, but through it all the Lord is faithful walking me through each step of the way. I would appreciate your prayers as I enter this new season in my life.
Thank you for all you do to encourage women to follow hard after Jesus! you are a treasure! Blessings!
Thank you so much for writing this. I needed this today as I have been crying out to God screaming…”I don’t know what I am doing!” It’s a blessing to know others have felt this way too. I do feel fear starting to overtake that passion I found in my calling and I am only at the beginning! I am printing this out and putting it on my wall for future use!
I’m one of many who simply want to say, “Thank you”.
Beth, only God could have known how timely your words would be for me today! I am sitting down this morning to begin preparing a summer bible study for the women of our church. We are church plant less than a year old, and this will be the first official women’s bible study. Thank you for honesty! It resonated on so many levels. Thank you for continuing to fight the good fight on behalf of those who consider you a spiritual mother! Much love and blessings to you!
Beth, Words can not express what I am feeling right now after reading this post. I know you would be able to, but I am not a writer. Your words described my life exactly. I am in ministry, I am a wife, a mom and now a grandma. I have endured by the grace of God, times that I felt I would just die or would rather give up. Much trouble of my own making and am now in a place where daily I am wondering why in the world I am entrusted with the things I am. I clearly have no idea what I am doing or what to do next.
Thank you for sharing what I am to fearful to admit. I am not alone….He will go before me and won’t leave me.
That was a blessing. Thank you!
Thank you for this! You have no idea how perfect the timing is.
Thank you for writing this. I think we need it more than you know.
I’m 48 and have hit a wall spiritually. I mean a WALL – like I don’t want to read the Bible, I don’t raise my hands in worship, I don’t pray – like I used to. Just skimming the post (I printed so I could read later and meditate on it), I saw words and phrases that hit me between the eyes!
Thanks Beth for being the wisdom in my ear and heart!
Thanks so much! As usual, got just what I needed at precisely the right time. Thank you ,Lordsnd thank you , Beth