Did you know? You, my friend, are only a mindset shift away from being able to withstand anything you may be fearing or dreading. More and more, I am realizing how critically important a person’s mindset is when engaging our coping skills to address life’s dilemmas.
And I’ve got a biblical example from II Timothy chapters 1 and 2…When the Apostle Paul was encouraging Timothy, who was terribly afraid of the persecution the church was experiencing, he said this to him:
Take your part in suffering, as a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus. (v.3)
Did I mention this letter was meant to encourage Timothy? You see, during this time, Timothy is scared; he’s emotional and thinking that this Christianity stuff is too overwhelming for someone his age. It’s all just too much! And although Paul is writing to encourage him, he is also clearly telling him to get it together.
This is why this stood out to me – Timothy is a flight risk from the gospel. In situations like this, most of us would be tempted to sugarcoat things to settle a frantic person down. But not Paul, he instead implores Timothy to brace for suffering.
Timothy’s fearful mindset was prompting him to run, but Paul was telling him straight up to face his fears because the gospel of Christ is worth it. Being on the offense trumps being on the defense every day of the week, sister!
And Timothy did just that; he went on the offense for the cause of Christ for the rest of his life. Changing our mindset from being a victim to a victor can help us all get through some tough situations. The very next time you are tempted to throw in the towel, leave town (that sounds drastic!) or just quit, go on the offense instead and take a victorious posture.
If you are a women’s ministry leader, you know this – we are in the unique position of being the one overwhelmed in ministry on occasion and being the one who gives the pep talk to the overwhelmed. Oh, isn’t it precious? Paul was so right to remind Timothy of how important our work is. You are needed. You are loved. You will be triumphant, just like Timothy.
Here are some practical examples of how to encourage the women of your church to adjust their mindset from victim to victor:
*A woman is going through a divorce – Encourage her to go through a Divorce Recovery Class to gain strength and healing.
*A woman is contemplating an abortion – Encourage her to consider other options, including adoption. Help her address her other concerns, like financial and support systems.
*A woman has received a troublesome prognosis – Cover her in prayer, provide scriptures for healing, and encourage her to fight on.
These are all terribly difficult situations. When I used to lead divorce recovery classes – a 9-week program – I was always overwhelmed in the beginning by my participant’s situations. I couldn’t see how I was going to be able to help them all through this devastating season, but GOD! Every time, at the end, without fail, I would end this program with a very different group of women. They would end up with more peace, more confidence, and equipped to face the future. This is why we cannot get overwhelmed by the circumstances of others or ourselves. Sure, it is only human to experience initial setbacks and breakdowns under extreme circumstances, but that cannot be the long-game or endgame for any believer. Let this encourage you today in the way that Paul encouraged Timothy.
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Timothy was young, scared, emotional, easily overtaken by others and possibly physically ill. This is not the picture of the person I would have envisioned for Paul to select to succeed him in his outstanding ministry work, would you? But nevertheless, this was Paul’s guy. In this moment, whatever your situation may be, you are God’s girl for your current task. If Timothy can prevail after his mindset shift, I know that you can, too!
I’m curious. Is there any area of your life where you need to go on the offense? Do you need to stop running from something and resolve to address it head on? I am in a season of daunting change, and I am staying on the offense by staying faithful to what God has called me to accomplish in 2021. What about you?
If you are looking for a place to start, I have a great equipping, transformational course you need in your life. It’s called Living the Resolved Life: Life-Giving Cures for Resolving Regret.
In this four (4) week course you will learn how to resolve regret and stop beating yourself up.
You may not know this, but most women wrestle with guilt, shame and embarrassment over past mistakes, a falling out and/or embarrassing snafus. Or perhaps you are like me, and you do realize this because you also have your own unique and very personal sources of such pain.
Mine were not necessarily holding me back as much as they were haunting me.
My mind can only hold so much, so there is little room to give up for ruminating – you know, that thing you do when you replay a negative memory over and over in your mind. The constant beat down is so tiring, and whether you realize it or not, it makes you feel less-than.
That’s how I felt until I learned how to resolve these issues once and for all with some Biblical principles I now want to share with you in a 4 module (week) course: The Less-Than Cure: Remedies for Resolving Your Less Than Finer Moments.
In this course you will:
>>>>Learn Biblical remedies for those things that grips your gut with guilt, shame and embarrassment.
>>>>Learn from my lessons. I am going to be completely transparent with you.
>>>>Experience real-time breakthroughs during the course
>>>>Stop feeling less-than because of your regrets.
One of the most powerful features of this course are the Resolve Prompts. Throughout this course, you will see Resolve Prompts throughout each week’s presentation. As you hear my stories and the truth from God’s Word you will be introduced to real-time breakthrough opportunities by these Resolve prompts. When you see the Resolve Prompt, think about the truth it introduces, believe it and apply to your pain points.
This four (4) week course outline is as follows:
Module 1: The Present of Redemption (8 pm CST, Sunday, May 9, 2021)
Module 2: The Process of Reconciliation (8 pm CST, Sunday, May 16, 2021)
Module 3: The Promise of Restoration (8 pm CST, Sunday, May 23, 2021)
Module 4: The Once-and-for-All Remedy for Feeling Less-Than. (8 pm CST, Sunday, May 30, 2021)
In between modules, I will be popping into our Facebook group and breaking down each modules main points with live sessions.
Lastly, I am offering one “talk-through” call. Sometimes it helps to share your pain point with another and be heard, offered encouragement, and biblical insights on the matter. I’ve been doing this for a while and would be happy to talk through your regret with you.
This course is $57. Curing your Less-Than feeling is priceless! Go HERE to claim your spot!
