Are there areas in your life that you have had difficulties with on a regular basis? Are there things you’ve failed at or habits you’ve struggled with over and over? If so, then let me assure you that you are not alone.
As humans, we often fail, fall short and come up lacking in our own strength. We are incomplete. We are insufficient. But thank God for His love, His mercy and the beautiful gift of His grace!
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJ) says, And He (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you…”
The Message Bible translates this verse as: My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
What exactly is grace? The Greek word for grace is charis, which means “gift, favor, benefit,” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance). And it is used to imply “pleasure, delight, favorable regard, beauty, friendly disposition, kindness, or goodwill,” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words).
The Greek root of “grace” implies “a superior stooping, bending or reaching down in kindness to an inferior.” This is a picture of God.
I like the way one minister explains it: “Grace is a kindness. It’s a gift – not something earned, deserved or merited. The grace of God is His favor, His anointing, His ability, His support, His wisdom, and His help.”
Isn’t that wonderful?
James 4:6 (AMP) says, But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully)…
and
Hebrews 4: 16 (KJV) says, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Grace is more than a little prayer we say before our meals. It is the power of the Holy Spirit to meet our needs and solve our problems. It is help in our time of need. It is enough – it’s all you need. God’s grace is sufficient for you!
God has given His grace to us. That grace is a supernatural gift of inner strength, ability, understanding, favor and more. As we learn to receive His grace, He will supernaturally help us to succeed in whatever situation we face.
John 1:16 (AMP) says, For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received…one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.
The Lord has given us one grace after another, but just like any other gift, we have to receive it. We have to tap into this supernatural power. It won’t just fall upon us – we have to choose to accept it and walk in it.
If you choose not to receive and walk in God’s grace, then life will be a struggle – difficult and draining. You will have to do it on your own. Life will be hard. You will feel as if you’re walking around in a fog, and you will experience a sense of detachment from life and from the things of God.
But if you will learn to receive God’s precious gift of grace, there will be a supernatural flow to your life – a supernatural ease and ability to do what He has called you to do. Areas that you have had difficulty in will become easy. Things that you have failed to do, with enough grace, you now can do. Bad habits or addictions you have struggled with for years will be broken as you draw upon His grace.
With God’s grace, you will find that you make it through tests, trials and tribulations that might destroy someone else. God’s grace will empower you to stand through every circumstance or situation.
Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 12:9 again, but this time in the Amplified Bible:
But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness.
Without His grace, we are insufficient and incomplete. We come up lacking every time. But His amazing gift of grace is sufficient for us. It is enough. It is all we need.
Embrace God’s grace. Draw upon the strength and power of His grace. It’s a free gift – underserved and unearned, but it’s yours if you’ll just receive it!
Prayer:
Father, I thank You for the free gift of Your amazing grace. Today, I receive Your grace – Your power, Your ability, Your help – to accomplish all that I need to accomplish. Your grace strengthens me to stand no matter what comes my way. Your grace is sufficient. It is all that I need. It is enough. I embrace Your grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Do you ever just feel depleted? Like you’re running on fumes? Like you’ve given ALL you have, and there’s nothing left? Maybe you dream of running far, far away just so you can rest your weary self.
As moms, we’ve all been there. By nature, we are givers. However, if we don’t take the time to pull away from the daily routine and replenish our own souls, then we won’t have anything to give to those we love most.
To replenish means “to fill or make complete again, to resupply, to inspire or nourish, to become full again.”
If we allow ourselves to give and give, yet never take the time to nourish our own souls we could become emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted, overly sensitive, discouraged, and possibly even depressed.
So, it is essential that we learn what things nourish us, inspire us, and fill our souls to the brim. Therefore, I’ve compiled a list of over 100 ways to replenish your soul and have broken them down into various categories (though some are interchangeable).
All of these suggestions won’t necessarily work for every single individual, but I believe that you can find several that will help you or even spark other ideas that will. I encourage you to read the list and find a few things to add to your daily, weekly, and monthly self-care routines. (And if you don’t have a self-care routine, now’s the time to begin one!)
Be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom to enter my giveaway for a chance to win my You Are a Masterpiece art course – a fun way to replenish your soul and spirit!
Replenish Your Soul by Nurturing Your Spirit
Our souls are vitally connected to our spirits, so if you’re feeling depleted check this area first.
Take a few moments each day to meditate in the Word, to renew your mind, and reset your thoughts. This will help you calm worrisome thoughts, release hurts and negative feelings and regain your spiritual and emotional strength.
Read inspirational books that help you grow spiritually.
Create a gratitude journal and take some time each night to record the things you’re grateful for.
Keep Your Body Well
A healthy body is connected to your overall well-being and is essential to caring for your soul.
Update your wardrobe to include clothes that make you feel beautiful/fun/sassy/hot/artsy – whatever!
Try something new with your hair – new cut, new style, new color, new updo. Just have fun with it.
Give Your Soul Expression
A wonderful way to replenish your soul is to give expression to it – whether it’s joy, excitement, peacefulness, and sometimes even sorrow. Rather than holding in your emotions, find a way to express them creatively.
Listen to music. What types of music do you love? Find the genres that inspire you, energize you, soothe you, etc. and play them as you work, exercise, pray, and drive.
If you play an instrument, make your own music. This art form can give wonderful expression to the deep emotions of the human soul.
Sing (whether you think you can or can’t) – it will lift your spirits and bring joy to your soul.
Dance like nobody’s watching (as the saying goes). Of course, there’s no way I’m gonna dance if someone is! 😮 But you can…if you want…
Play! Keep a happy, lighthearted disposition, and make time for a little fun on a regular basis.
Have a good laugh often to release those “feel good” hormones into your blood stream and boost your energy level.
Live in the “now.” Learn to be present in the present. Celebrate the little things and determine to enjoy each day.
Stimulate Your Mind & Imagination
Sometimes just pulling away from the “daily-ness” of life can help replenish your soul. Spark your intellect or imagination by partaking of great ideas or the genius of others.
Join (or start) a book club with a group of friends or soon-to-be-friends.
Listen to audio books while cleaning, decluttering, working out, etc.
Read poetry to yourself or listen to it being read aloud.
Thumb through old magazines and allow your mind to
Watch a great movie and be transported to another time and place.
Find Ways to Express Your God-Given Creativity
You don’t have to be an artist to express your God-given creativity, all you need to do is live a life that reflects your uniqueness. So begin to give everything you do your own personal touch. Use your imagination and intuition to express something that is uniquely you.
What hobbies do you enjoy? Make sure you take time each week to pursue your creative passions.
Create an art journal. If you want to try your hand at a certain art medium but don’t know where to begin, start out with a journal. Sketch (or paint) your thoughts, ideas, emotions, quotes, or whatever in the journal on a regular basis. Practice makes progress.
Join a local art class or enjoy a “paint party” every now and then.
Find a few friends who enjoy scrapbooking, sewing, knitting, or any craft for that matter, and get together on a regular basis to create.
Draw or doodle on a sketch pad, or have fun with some adult coloring books and markers.
Sign up for lessons in an area that interests you: ballroom dancing, a musical instrument, photography, pottery, painting, a foreign language. Don’t let those dreams die!
Satisfy Your Senses
Perhaps your soul needs to indulge in some sensory stimulation to fill “full” again:
Cook a delectable gourmet meal and eat it on your fine china, using your silverware, linen napkins, and crystal goblets. Don’t have any? Go to yard sales and thrift stores & create your own eclectic “set” to use.
Treat yourself to some dark chocolate (or whatever “sweeties” you love). Keep a hidden stash just for you – you knowyou have to hide it from those young’uns – and their father – or at least I do)!
Gratify your senses with aromatherapy. Diffuse essential oils which can calm and center your mind, ease anxiety and stress, or stimulate and energize you by reducing the effects and mental fatigue.
Get a massage whether it’s a professional one, a sensual massage given by your husband, a sweet (but ultimately pathetic) massage by an obliging kid, or a “poor man’s massage” with a foam roller. Massage has a wonderful way of refreshing your body and mind, relieving anxiety, and tons of other benefits.
Take a long, warm bath with lavender salts by candlelight and some soothing classical music to relax your mind and body.
Solitude for Your Soul
Sometimes you just need to pull away from everyone and everything and just enjoy your own company. Even if you only have a few moments of alone-time, your soul can receive replenishment.
Have a cuppa. Even on the busiest days it is possible to pull away for a few moments and sit down with a nice hot cup of tea (or coffee, if you must). During this time you can sit quietly and let that lovely beverage warm your body and soul while your mind can wander or reset.
Journal your deepest thoughts or ideas. Spend five to fifteen minutes writing down things that are on your mind, your latest inspiration or anything that may be bothering you.
Take a nap. You know what wonders it does for your wee child’s mood? Yeah, it’ll help you too.
Take a walk and enjoy the local scenery while allowing your mind to wander.
Unplug. Turn off the phone/computer/TV/radio and just “be.”
Take the day off (if you can) and do absolutely nothing. Just putter around the house and let your mind unwind. Sit on the front porch swing or lie in a hammock and rest.
Say no to things you really don’t want or don’t realistically have time or energy for.
Say yes to things that make you happy. And perhaps splurge a little on yourself. Buy a small luxury just for you.
Go to the library by yourself. Check out some books or read some there – just indulge yourself in the delicious musty smell of learning and imagination.
Let Nature Satisfy Your Soul
There is nothing like spending time in the great outdoors to put all of life’s problems in perspective. Nature can awaken your soul and stimulate your senses, making you feel more alive. Then on the other hand, it can quiet and still your soul, bringing you immense comfort, tranquility and peace. You need the beauty of the natural world and God has generously given it to you.
Soak up the sun. Spend a little time enjoying the Vitamin D boosting benefits of the sun each day and elevate your mood at the same time.
Plant and cultivate a garden.
Don’t have space? Create a terrarium or fairy garden instead. Or put more houseplants around your home.
Take a nature hike into the hills or mountains with your family and enjoy a picnic afterwards.
Enjoy a lunch break at your local park and feed the ducks with some breadcrumbs.
Find water (creek, river, falls, beach, lake, etc.) and sit by it, listening to its gentle gurgle or crashing waves. Allow the water to relax your mind and nourish your soul.
Lie under big, puffy clouds imagining all sorts of creatures from their shapes.
Stargaze. On a cool, clear night try to identify any visible planets or constellations. Or watch for falling/shooting stars.
Wrap up and sit on the front (or screened-in) porch and enjoy a good thunderstorm.
Sit outdoors by the fire pit at night and just watch the flames & sparks.
Listen to the “evening course” of crickets, cicadas, and tree frogs in the summertime.
Turn your backyard into a bird sanctuary. Set up feeding stations so you will have birds year round. Listen to their beautiful birdsong and learn to identify the ones in your yard.
Stop and smell the roses (or whatever lovely flowers you encounter).
Replenish Your Soul at Home
Your home should be a sanctuary for your soul – a refuge from the rest of the world for you and your family. Here are just a few simple ways to create that sanctuary:
Clear the clutter. Get rid of stuff you no longer need or love.
Light some candles to add warmth and ambiance.
Put on some classical music (or praise and worship or soft jazz) to create a soothing atmosphere.
Rearrange furniture for a cozier (or more
Open up your curtains or blinds and allow the sunlight into your home.
Keep a fresh bouquet of flowers on the kitchen table.
Create art for your walls – there are plenty of tutorials and DIY projects on Pinterest if you don’t feel artsy enough.
Make some new pillows for your sofa/bed/chair – basic sewing skills are all you need.
Keep a fire burning in the fireplace on cold nights to read by.
Add bright (or your favorite soothing) colors and more lighting to your living spaces.
Bring nature indoors – wildflowers, plants, pine cones, beautiful rocks or seashells, even a water fountain.
Allow Your Soul to Breathe
Take yourself (and your family if you’d like) on a cultural outing, field trip or even a weekend getaway to nourish your soul and allow it to breathe.
As humans we are relational by nature. Whether you’re an introvert (like me) or an extrovert, you need people – and they need you. Take time to nurture relationships that satisfy your soul.
Call a friend just to chat.
Write a letter to someone far away (or your husband or child).
Have a Skype coffee date with an old friend you lost touch with over the years.
Join a club (gardening, running, book, photography – whatever your favorite hobby is).
Be generous and giving towards others. Make “random acts of kindness” not so random.
Practice forgiveness. Release and let go of any grudges or unforgiveness you may have towards others. (Remember, you’re only hurting yourself when you refuse to forgive.)
Share “wonder” with a child – they see it everywhere and in everything.
Be silly with your children (or another small child). No need to be so serious all the time. Enjoy your life!
Love on your children – show them affection and let them know how special they are to you.
Love on your husband – let him know he’s the most important person in your life.
Surround yourself people who encourage, support and cheer you on.
Limit your time and interaction with negative people who drain you or bring you down.
Love on your pet. Don’t forget that petting your pooch or cuddling your kitty can reduce stress and anxiety.
Volunteer your time at your local church or community center.
Take the time to thank someone who has made a difference in your life.
Always look for gifts in the people you meet (and don’t forget those already around you). What makes them tick? What lights them up?
Think and speak more positively about yourself. Put a stop to negative self-talk and thoughts.
Your Hopes & Dreams Are Important to Your Soul
Proverbs 13:19 says, “A dream fulfilled is sweet to the soul.” Don’t lose sight of your dreams. They are important to a satisfied soul.
What do you dream of? Have you tossed that dream aside lately? If so, pick it back up and begin to pursue it once again.
Step back and figure out what matters most to you. What is your purpose? Why are you here? Take time out to design your life just the way you want it. Don’t just let life happen to you.
Make a bucket list of dreams you’d like to see fulfilled.
Pick one thing from your bucket list and get started!
Create a Personal Growth Plan
It is essential to your soul that you are continually growing and developing – emotionally, mentally, intellectually, and creatively.
Write out a list of goals for your life. Where do you want to be in one year, five years, ten years, and so on?
Listen to personal growth audiobooks and webinars.
Take a class to learn or improve skills that contribute to your goals and dreams.
Try something new on a regular basis. Do things that scare you. Search out new places and scenery. Always be growing and developing.
For the past few months I’ve been hosting a “Create & Connect” group for ladies in our church. And just like the name implies, we meet to connect with one another while making something beautiful with our own hands.
I have had such a wonderful, positive response from the ladies who participate. The feedback has truly been encouraging and has reaffirmed what I’ve believed for a long time:
As women, the desire or need to create is just “in us.”
Even the Proverbs 31 woman knew this – verse 13 says, “With delight she works with her hands…”
Creativity evokes a sense of happiness, contentment and peace as well as many other benefits. By tapping into the creativity that is on the inside of you and expressing yourself with something made by your own hands you can bring a sense of joy and delight to your everyday life.
But maybe you feel less than creative or entirely uninspired. Perhaps you even feel like you don’t have a “creative bone in your body,” or deep down you may believe that creativity is only for the “artsy” sort.
However, I firmly believe that creativity lives within each of us, and expressing it in some form or fashion is vital to living a fulfilling and flourishing life. Creativity is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.
So to get your creative juices flowing, I have compiled a list of ten ways to reawaken your creativity:
10 Ways to Reawaken Your Creativity
1. Spend time with the Ultimate Creator. – One of the most important things for you to realize is the fact that if the Lord lives in you, then you can draw upon His inspiration and creativity. Ask Him to show you areas that He has gifted you in and to help you express them in creative ways. The more you fellowship with the Lord, the easier it will be to tap into the gifts and talents He’s given you. Believe that you are a vessel for God’s creativity and that by tapping into it you can serve Him and bless others.
2. Surround yourself with creative friends. – If you want to spark your own creativity, then fellowship with those friends of yours who are the dreamers, the makers, the creative thinkers, the innovators. Find people who are doing things you love and feel you might enjoy and hang around them. If you don’t know someone like this personally, then follow someone online – there are plenty of creative types all over social media. Which one resonates with you? What do you admire about this person? In which ways do you wish you were more like him or her? Allow them to inspire you to create.
3. Take yourself on a creative date. – Check out museums, art galleries, craft fairs, antique shops, concerts, plays, vintage bookstores – whatever you love. Go on a nature walk and soak up the beauty of God’s creation. Allow His creation or the creativity of others fill your soul with creative ideas.
4. Make time to daydream. – Give your imagination a chance to flourish by allowing your mind to wander every once in a while. This process can relax your mind, improve your memory, and give your brain a chance to explore various creative options. Ideas can begin to flow in an uncluttered environment.
5. Allow yourself the freedom to explore. – Don’t expect perfection, just take pleasure in the moment. Surrender yourself to the process rather than the final outcome. Who cares if your creation isn’t perfect? Did you learn something new? Did you have fun while you were making it? Did it bring a sense of contentment or fulfillment? That’s what really matters.
6. Set aside the time.– You will never “find” the time to be creative, so you really need to schedule in at least once or twice a month (more if possible) to create. Try something new each time you sit down – painting, sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, photography, sculpting, cake decorating – the possibilities are endless! The point is: make the time to make!
7. Create an inspirational soundtrack. – I firmly believe that music can lift your mood, stimulate ideas, and get those creative juices flowing. So find music that relaxes you, makes you happy, and even transports you, then create an “inspirational” playlist on your phone to listen to while you create.
8. Exercise. – There. I said it. (You probably knew I would!) But exercising on a regular basis is a fabulous way to stimulate your mind, improve your thought process, and elevate your cognitive creativity. Plus it’s good for your body. 😉
9. Join in on the fun. – Find a local painting class, a writers group, or amateur theater company and join them. These types of established groups will encourage you to be more creative on a regular basis. Can’t find one? Then start one yourself! Gather some like-minded friends and meet once or twice a month to express your creativity together.
10. Participate in my “You Are a Masterpiece” Course. – Don’t have the time or the resources to devote monthly classes? Then I invite you to join in my online workshop, You Are a Masterpiece. For only $60, you will receive 20 different lessons in various forms of art and crafting – that’s $3 per lesson!
Plus, it will also have the feel of a Bible study as well, with each week having a theme, scripture focus, and short devotional:
Week One: You Are a Masterpiece – You are an exquisite work of art, carefully crafted, intricately detailed, uniquely you. God made you in His image. No matter who you are or what you have or haven’t done, you are a priceless treasure to the Lord. He loves and adores you.
Week Two: For Such a Time as This – This is the moment for which you have been created. God has a specific purpose for your life. He prepared a plan and path for you before you were even born. Your life — and what you do with it — matters to God and others.
Week Three: Discover God’s Plan for Your Life – Do you know what your God-given purpose is? If not, don’t worry. The Lord has made it easy for you to get on the right path to finding and fulfilling His plan for your life. And I will give you some guidelines to help you get on the path to discovering that plan.
Week Four: Use Your Gifts to Bless Others – Your gifts are important. You have been blessed to be a blessing. Let your life SHINE everyday no matter what your circumstances are, no matter what you’re going through. Make it your aim, your great quest to love others and to use your giftings to help them.
Don’t miss out on the early registration price of $60 – the regular price will go up to $80 after May 1st.
If you knew you couldn’t fail, how big would you dream?
We all have dreams and desires for our lives – things we hope to accomplish and aspire to achieve someday. But the sad reality is that many will live and die and never see those dreams fulfilled.
Why? Because it takes more than most are willing to give.
Living your dreams takes courage. It requires you to face your fears and believe that your dream is more important than the feeling of being “afraid.” It takes commitment, dedication, and sacrifice. There will be things you must lay aside in order to accomplish the dream and desires in your heart!
Living your dreams requires good, old-fashioned hard work – blood, sweat and (probably lots of) tears. It involves time and more patience than you think you’ll ever have!
But most of all living your dreams requires financialinvestment. Money is a necessary “tool” to help you accomplish most of your dreams.
Do you dream of being a stay-at-home mom who is able to raise and nurture your own children rather than having someone else raise them? Maybe you would just like to own a home of your own – completely debt free. You may aspire to own your own business or a quaint little shop. Or perhaps you simply want to finish your college degree.
Maybe your heart burns with a passion for the world. You may have an intense longing to adopt orphans from another country and bring them into the love and light of your own home and family. Or your heart may break to be able to help deliver women, girls and boys out of the human trafficking industry. Perhaps you would love to be able to go to third world countries and help with medical missions or disaster relief.
The possibilities are endless!
Whatever your dream is, it will most likely take money to accomplish it.
What is your dream? What is the burning desire of your heart?
Is it bigger than you? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish it?
Part of my ministry is to help others find and fulfill their God-given purpose, and most of the time your purpose has everything to do with those deep desires of your heart and the dreams that just won’t go away.
As a pastor’s wife, I have had so many women share their dreams with me, yet continue to live a frustrated and unfulfilled life because of lack of finances. It breaks my heart because I know many of them will never accomplish what the Lord put in their heart to do.
I don’t know about you, but I have HUGE dreams and desires. My biggest desire is to be able to travel all over the world with my husband and children ministering the love of God and seeing people from every tribe and nation come into His Kingdom.
My husband is able to do this on a limited basis, but he has to work within the confines of a church budget. (Thank God for a church that values souls enough to have this budget!) But the kids and I would love to be able to go with him too.
This is why I am so thankful the Lord opened up the Young Living opportunity to me. It’s not just about essential oils. A woman can have every oil known to mankind, use them for every housekeeping chore, or to improve her family’s overall health, or to fragrance and purify her home, but still be unfulfilled spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
This business not only helps you live a healthier life, it also has the potential of helping you fulfill the dreams and desires of your heart. It gives you a tool (money) to help you live the life you’ve always dreamed of.
With Young Living, not only can you bless your family in the area of wellness, but the income can ultimately help you fulfill your purpose in life. Plus you get to help and bless a lot of people along the way!
Watch this 5-minute video to see if Young Living might be beneficial to you, your family, and many others.
If you would like to learn more about becoming a Young Living Distributor and living the life you’ve always dreamed of, then please contact me here. I would love to help you!
“My heart is overflowing with a good theme…” ~ Psalm 45:1 (NKJ)
Do you know what the theme of your heart is? Think about it for a moment.
You may not even think you have a theme. You may feel like your life has been one long series of fragmented incidences, disconnected and detached from one another. But if you stop and consider the things that have been in your heart for years and years, you’ll realize that those things are actually a part of your “theme” or purpose.
This scripture in Psalms says “my heart is overflowing with a good theme.” What is overflowing in your heart? What things stir your heart? Are there certain patterns that you can see throughout your life? Things that have always been important to you? Dreams that just won’t go away – even after many years? Desires of your heart that you still long to be fulfilled?
Some of the themes that continually fill my heart year after year are: writing, creating, inspiring and encouraging women, helping others find and fulfill their God-given purpose (um, and Englandnever quite leaves me alone). 😉 Not all of these things are connected, but in a way they are. I can use my writing and art to inspire and encourage others, and help them find their purpose.
The same is true for you.
There are certain themes that seem to recur in your own heart over and over. They run like threads through the tapestry of your life, weaving a beautiful work of art. And if you will identify those themes, they will lead you to God’s plan and purpose for your life.
When you recognize your heart’s theme(s), you will find that your life will become more harmonious. You’ll begin to understand yourself so much better. Then you can live a more accurate, faithful, and purposeful life each and every day.
I encourage you to spend some time thinking over your life. Identify the theme (or themes) of your heart, then begin to make steps towards fulfilling them.
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