Fasting from Worry - 21-day Challenge

Do you struggle with worry? I do, more than I'd like to admit and I doubt I'm alone. As busy women, we could write lists full of worry-worthy items! Here's a thought for us for the next 21 days: Let's go on a fast from worry.

This weekend, during the week three session of my virtual workshop, I told a story about how God spoke to me about worry. When my son was three, he had several nights of bad dreams...about skunks. He had never actually seen a skunk before, but nonetheless they were plaguing his dreams! During the dreams, the skunks were coming into his room, and no matter how rational my explanations were about how "that's never going to happen - there is no way a skunk could get into your room...," he continued to worry about it. Then these words escaped my mouth:

"When you worry, you waste your thoughts."

God immediately convicted my spirit. I worry and waste my thoughts too! How can we escape this brain-draining and faith-stealing habit?

1. Purposefully pay attention to what our thoughts are focusing on. Worrying is a habit, and most of the time we do it without realizing it. Pause for a moment, and write something down on a worry list or journal. "I am worrying about _____." Having that visual written down will help us know what we're up against!

2. Use the Word of God. We can meditate on verses/truths like these that address the root of our worry:

• Be confident my heart, because the Lord has been good to me. (Psalm 116)
• You are working all things out for my good... (Romans 8)
• I will be anxious for nothing, and I cast all my cares upon You... (Philippians 4)
• My heavenly Father knows all the things I need, and I seek first His Kingdom (Matthew 6)

3. Pray for God's perspective. Sometimes, I can almost hear Jesus speaking to me like He did to the disciples on the wind-tossed boat, "Oh you of little faith." If we could just get a glimpse of our situation or problem from His perspective, our whole viewpoint would change.

Are you with me? I'm going to take this 21-day fasting from worry challenge starting now. For the next several weeks, please send me your thoughts on this topic to include on the KBWomen blog. Thank you!

posted by Krista Dunk

Layers of Vision

All of us have layers of vision for our future. What layer level are you working on right now? Let me explain more about what I'm talking about with this story...

Last night, I was talking with a good friend about her goals and dreams for her future. Let's call her Deborah. Deborah is a great, single lady who is believing God for her first home and a Godly husband who shares her heart for the Lord and children. I also know she also has an amazing dream to own a B&B for ministry sabbaticals.

She was expressing her frustration to me about how she is feeling that her B&B dream seems unreachable right now. She was comparing her current "small" vision of home and family with my current vision for the national expansion of KBWomen. Here is what I told her.

"Deborah, everyone has layers of vision. You can't start at the huge, global plan at first. Right now, you're at the setting up relationships and home layer. Once that layer is established, you can move to the next layer level, then the next. There are layers of vision."

Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all saying that a single lady has to get married before she can move forward with God-given vision, or buy a home. However, this is a big desire of Deborah's heart. This is her focus right now, therefore meaning that is the next layer to pursue. In fact, she wants her dream of the B&B is to be shared with her future husband.

Think about how societies evolve. At the basic level, they are focused on finding food and shelter. Once that layer is established, they can move on to specializing in crafts or building community structures. Then financial systems and government, then higher learning, etc. Layers build upon layers. Once a layer is established and stable, the next one builds upon it.

What layer are you working on right now? What layer is next? Do not despise small beginnings. Small beginnings are just a place where you can prove yourself a good steward, ready for the next layer to arrive!

~Krista

http://www.kbwomen.com/

Are You Offensive?

Yep...Today I was "that person."

I had my $80 worth of groceries in the 15 items or less line. I totally offended the cheese block lady (lady with just a block of cheese) who walked up behind me. After she gave the block of cheese to the checker and said, "Never mind. I thought this was the 15 items or less line," she then walked out in a huff. Surprisingly, it didn't faze the checker one bit, but cheese lady was not happy...

Ooops! Totally my fault for not paying attention. However, I did not intend to be offensive. In fact, I would have moved myself to the other lane if I had noticed in time. Normally, I am a nice person who is considerate of others. But nonetheless, I was offensive today.

It gets me thinking these thoughts -
How many times are we offensive when we totally don't intend to be?
How many times are we offended by others when they didn't mean to be?

I wonder what the percentage is of unintended offenses. 50%? 60%? 90%? Unless it is at a public middle school or high school (I can say that because I've worked at a public high school!), I bet the percentage is high. Most people do not normally intend to offend others.

When we find ourselves as the offender, what do we do? In Ezekiel, the Bible says, "Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die." Once we have an awareness of our offensiveness, then we can choose to change and repent.

How does God handle offenses that we commit (after we first, we ask for forgiveness, and turn away from our offenses)? In Isaiah, God's forgiveness covers or removes offenses. "I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you."

When we find ourselves offended by others, what then? Proverbs has several wise thoughts, such as, "He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends," and "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense."

Hopefully this gives you a new perspective on being offended or offensive. We can learn these lessons in interesting ways; even at the checkout line...

Posted by Krista Dunk
www.KBWomen.com