When the Call Is Greater

Some of us just play life safe.  That is truly the way to go right?  Just skate through life, not turning over any stones, not rubbing anyone the wrong way, not standing up but not sitting down.  Just a regular, safe, skim the surface kind of life.  What's wrong with that? I believe we have a greater call than that and unfortunate for those of us who live this kind of a lifestyle there are warnings against it...

Revelation 3:15-16

"I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."

We see many passages in the Bible that cover the lukewarm believer and warns us against that lifestyle.  Ya'll this was me just a few short years ago and I battle against it even today.  Even today as someone who leads worship, professes faith whenever she can, a teacher, a writer and a speaker of the word. Yes even through all of that I have to rage against complacency and a lukewarm, shallow, skim the surface kind of faith.  This I think, is Satan's playground in the derailment of believers. So where is this creeping in?

1. Staying comfy cozy in our pretty, safe and relaxed Churches
We were never meant to sit in church on Sunday mornings and never be in community.  We were never meant to not go out to all the people and show them fierce love. We were never meant to never GO and proclaim all the good things!  You aren't meant to just warm a pew once a week. Go do something that increases your faith, that increases the Kingdom of Heaven, that points someone in the direction of our loving Savior.

2. Not reading the Bible
Beth Moore, oh that sister can truly tell it like it really is.  In her sermon at Passion 17 she said all the words.  I leave you with this quote:

Your life will be changed when you open the pages of the Bible daily. End of story. Let's commit to reading the word, it's life bringing (here's a Bible reading app i'm crazy about!).  Let's not walk away from Jesus to serve him.

3.Prayer is just something you do at meals
Prayer has changed my life. CHANGED IT!  4 years ago I was part of a prayer group that has now launched into a nationwide movement.  Imperfectly Brave, though it is freeing me and calling me out on the waters, has changed me but it's the prayer aspect that changes me daily. It changes my heart, my outlook, it's increasing my faith and has strengthened my bond with other believer's and most importantly my relationship with our heavenly Father. Through prayer I have seen mountains moved and learned to trust God when the mountain stayed in the same place.  Prayer will change you, dive in, it will keep you afloat I promise!

4. Lacking in Faith
If we never GO, we never have to step out in faith. If we never do the hard things, we will always stay in the same place. God calls us out with him, he can still accomplish without us and I believe he does.  But the creator of the universe wants you to work alongside him to bring Heaven to Earth. To bring souls into the kingdom of God. Why dear sister would you ever, ever, not take him up on that offer?  He is whispering to you telling your heart what to do, are you willing to be faithful to that call, even when it is greater than you can imagine?

5. Staying un-challenged
When was the last time you did something out of your comfort zone? When was the last time you stood up for something that was right?  When was the last time you sacrificed yourself for the glory of God?  Self-preaching here ya'll, I play it pretty safe because I like my comfy life in suburbia. Imagine what this year would be like if we all stepped out for the great call. Mind blowing, it would be mind blowing.  We would be bursting at the seems with abundant faith and joy! In the same space I want to say, you need to surround yourself with people who will challenge you to live life chasing after Jesus and his call on your life.  For some of you that is going to be your challenge this year, it's more than WORTH IT!

Ya'll the call is greater than this comfortable life we are living.  This year over at Imperfectly Brave we are studying what calling means in light of the gospel.  Do you know what the gospel is? It is the story of the rescue plan God has for us.  It started with original sin and went on through the Bible as we were led up to the coming of Jesus, his life his death and his resurrection, to the time when Heaven and Earth are brought back together in the second coming.  You guys, in light of the rescue plan. In light of your salvation...how could the call ever be to stay comfortable and safe and unchallenged?

As we continue working towards the bettering of ourselves this year, how is God calling you to serve in this one life? What is he challenging you with?
-Joining a Church
-Relentlessly loving that unlovable person
-Going on Mission
-Staying home with your children
-Going back to work
-Answering the call to ministry
-Giving your life to him
-Joining a Bible Study

It's not skies the limit, it's heaven's the focus.
GO.

What is it? What is your greater call right now? Tell me I really want to know so that I can pray for you and check in on you this year!

Go, be the one who lives a life honoring to the God who created you FEARLESSLY and WONDERFULLY in his BEAUTIFUL image!

Much Love,
Chrystan

PS- Need anthem? Here ya go! I'll share mine with you:

The Dream Thief

(Unsplash:Steve Halama)

Dreams.
Goals.
Passions.

Do these things we dream of, do these gifts we long to share, these goals we've set and these things we chase after have a shelf life? If not what's stopping us?

For days I've sat at my desk staring at my dream guide and my purpose sheet trying to put into words what's in my heart.  Writing them down seemed impossible and I couldn't figure out why, until today. It all boils down to fear.  Fear. What an ugly word.  I've boiled my fear down to two main things:

Failure
I'm afraid I'm not good enough to bring it all to fruition.  I'm afraid I will let those in my corner down or those out of my corner will be proved right. I'm afraid I really can't do it.

You
I'm afraid you think I'm too old. I'm afraid you will think I just like the next new thing. I'm afraid that you think I'm crazy. I'm afraid that you think I think I'm pretty awesome. I'm afraid you won't be safe with my dream. I'm afraid I won't live up to your standards. I'm afraid I don't fit your mold. I'm afraid when I chase these dreams I will let you down. I'm afraid I'm not enough.

Today I wrote them all down. All of the outlandish things that God has laid on my heart, maybe even since I was a little girl.  All these dreams that I may fail at all these goals that you may say I could never achieve. The things I may be too old for or not good enough for, those things...I wrote it all down.

You see, I was afraid to write them down because I didn't think I was enough. But I realized today that I'm right, I am not enough and that right there will set you FREE.  These things God is calling me to, I can't do them...
I can't make them happen
I can't work hard enough
I can't be all the things necessary to make them happen

That's the beauty of these crazy dreams God gave me.  I'm not enough, but he is.  I am dreaming dreams that make me so uncomfortable. They call me out on the waters where there is no life boat in a storm that I cannot tame, this year these dreams of mine are so big and so bold only God could make them happen.  Those dreams, those are the best ones to have. I am learning if we are not stepping out in such bold ways that we are scared, with knees knocking so much so that we have to lean on him to stand up, then girls we aren't dreaming with the knowledge that our God is mighty. Our God is Uncontainable. Our God makes blind men see and raises the dead. He made mountains and moved them around to create the earth.  He is mighty! Sweet sister he is big enough to accomplish whatever he is calling you to without you, but he loves you so much he invites you to do it with him. Stop limiting him and start dreaming with him.

Whatever it is, it's not bigger than the God calling you to it. But you must invite him into your life.  You must.  You cannot go forward without him, he must be a part of this plan. So today, I wrote them all down and I prayed. I prayed that I would honor him with these dreams. I prayed that I would not go before him. I prayed that I would be diligent in my ways to seek the kingdom with these gifts.

Today I pray that whatever it is that seems so huge that God is calling you to do that you will ask him to lead the way.  Whatever it is. Maybe it's going back to school, maybe its seminary, maybe it's a total career change, maybe it's staying home and homeschooling. Whatever that BIG scary thing is, I pray you will seek God with it.  That you will do it with him.  I am praying that you are brave enough to step out and do really big uncomfortable things for the glory of God.  I pray that for myself.

He made us, he pursues us, he longs to give us the desires of our hearts, you dear girl are FEARFULLY & WONDERFULLY made in his loving image. He can and will do immeasurably more than you can ever imagine.

Go with God this year.  Write those dreams down and chase after them with a HOLY passion! I'm right here with you, shaking in my cowgirl boots!

Much Love,
Chrystan

PS- Want more on CALLING?  Join us over at Imperfectly Brave this year as we study CALLING!  Register for this free program HERE.

New Year New You: The Truth Behind Change

In Christ you are a new creation, the old has gone the new has come~ 2 Corinthians 5:17

Last year I made a decision.  I got tired of being sick and tired, literally.  I committed to change.  I've dieted many many times in my life. I've starved myself, obsessed over working out and beat myself up over every cookie, every french fry.  I've spent many years of my life on the body image roller coaster.  Putting much of my value and worth in the numbers on the scale.  So much of my life I valued what others saw as beautiful more than my heavenly Father. Change seemed impossible.

 Last year it was different.  I spent over a year feeling physically crappy, overweight, depressed and lacking in joy.As I began to review what in the world was going on I prayerfully met the idea of change.  That's the thing about change, it's now seemingly impossible to me without Christ's backing.  As humans our nature is set in such a way, because of free will, that change is very hard.  Our selfish nature, pride and willfulness gets in the way of change.  We want so badly to be more organized, have better will power, stay the course, beat the addiction, yet so many times when the rubber meets the road we find ourselves at the end of the year 10 lbs heavier and no better than how we ended last year.  So, I get it.  I get that we may all have the desire for the completion of a resolution and beat ourselves up at the end of yet another year where we failed again.

The difference in this change for me was that instead of journeying out into the big thing alone, I invited God to go with me.  I sought his desire for this part of my life instead of my own.  This changed my perspective. Instead of change being about what size pants I wore or getting a medal in the 1/2 marathon I wanted to run it became more about honoring God with my life and the way I lived it.

Enough about me.  May I encourage you to invite God into these places of your life that you are wanting change in but can't figure out why every year it's the same.  Here's some things you may be holding onto tightly:

Your single life
Your marriage
Problems at work
Weight loss
Sex addiction
Food addiction
Pornography
Loneliness
Past hurts
Drug addiction
Alcohol abuse
Material possessions
Your children
Your home
A health issue
Social media addiction

How do you invite him in to these places? Pray.  Invite him to intercede in your life, to be the guide in your journey. So often we step out, ahead of him and expect him to work it all out. Oh sweet sister it doesn't work that way. God must be the leader in your dance, he is not in the business of following.
30 lbs lighter, free of daily depression, free of illness and joint pain I literally stand before you changed both physically and spiritually.  I invited God into that change, and he was the author of this story.

Who will write the pages of your book this year?

Can I suggest on anthem for 2016:

Much Love,
Chrystan