What Kind of Ground are You?

Some of us spend more time thinking about our dreams, gifts, and passions than we do pursing them. When thinking about the amount of energy we sometimes expend when it comes to our pursuit of our passion it made me think about the parable of the sower and the soil. We know that the parable refers to the seed as the word of God, but bear with me as I to use the parable to refer to the seed as the gift God sows into our lives for His purpose.

In Mark chapter 4:3-8 we read the parable of the sower and the soil. We then read in the same chapter in verses 15- 20 the explanation of the parable.

Jesus begins in verse 15 by explaining these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. When it comes to the gifts in our lives, or the passion God has given us for certain things I believe when we are first made aware of our gifts sometimes we don‘t believe God is talking to us. It’s difficult to believe He has chosen us and entrusted us, so we may dismiss the idea and think of it as a passing whim. This behavior may be found in individuals that don’t see their talents as gifts from God, but rather somehow see them as something they can do on their own.

We then read in verses 16-17 and these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. I believe this occurs when we believe God has chosen us. We know our purpose. We are excited. We tell everyone that will listen about what we believe God wants us to do. We think about ideas of what Gods plan for us will look like, but we don’t have a plan. As soon as things don’t appear as though they are moving in the right direction we become discouraged. I refer to this as having a beginning and a perceived end with no middle, or no plan to get there. Without a plan you cannot reach your desired end.

Verses 18-19 and these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Busy, busy, busy, planning, thinking, lots of ideas, unsure of which one to follow. This person may dabble in several different areas, unable to focus on one because they all feel right. They may achieve success in an area and become blinded by their initial success, so rather than continue they relish in the success and stay there only to realize this is not their final destination. Once realized they may feel as though they have failed, and may not continue. They may also become discouraged when obstacles come across their path. Rather than face the obstacles head on and learn from them they may move on to something else and start all over again. I refer to this as visions of grandeur. This person believes and acts, but is not totally convinced.

 

And finally verse 20 and these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. This person is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt of what God has called them to do. They work diligently. Do they encounter obstacles and failure? Of course they do. Do they become side tracked? Sometimes. They become disappointed but never discouraged.

I believe Paul said it best in 2: Corinthians 4:7-9 we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. These are the people that will not give up. They know God has given them gifts and depend solely on His ability, rather than their own, to bring what He has destined for their lives to come to fruition. This person is convinced and committed.

At some point in time you may experience one or more of these behaviors. You may even experience them more than once. What’s important is that you recognize your behavior and correct it. There will always be obstacles, naysayers and barriers. There will be disappointment and you will become discouraged but don’t stay in that place. Don’t allow your circumstances to control you. You must control them.

I have exhibited each of these behaviors at some point in time except for the first one. I’m a dreamer and an optimist so nothing seems impossible to me, but what about you? Which of these are you experiencing right now?

Let your gifts be sown into good ground. Ground that will receive the gifts that God has given you. Move in your gifts rather than covet someone else’s, and take your gifts to the limit!

Stay on Track

I hope you used the month of January to focus on your finances and have a plan in place. The key is to stay on track. Remember your financial goals, and work towards them. Don’t deviate. If it’s not in the budget don’t buy it.

It’s important to have a budget when you are pursuing your passion. It’s easy to pull funds from your household budget to fund your dream because of your passion. Don’t let your enthusiasm for pursuing your passion become a financial burden. Remember Proverbs 18:16 a man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. If God has given you a gift, dream, desire or passion, He is more than able to bring it to pass along with all the necessary funding. You are blessed to be a blessing. Your gifts are to be shared. Why would God give you a gift that you could not share? He wouldn’t. The gifts that He has entrusted you with are to edify the body and glorify Him.

Just as you have set financial goals you must also set goals to help you pursue your passion. Where are you? Where do you believe God wants you to be? What are you doing to get there?

What may seem impossible for you is not impossible for God. We serve a big God that gives us big dreams. Whatever God has placed in your heart, you will not be able to achieve without Him so don’t become discouraged when what He desires for you appears unrealistic for you to achieve. It is. As we read in John 15:5 …for without me ye can do nothing.

There will be times when everything will flow perfectly. You will want to pinch yourself, asking is thing really happening. There will be other times when you will feel like nothing is going right, and you will ask yourself was this God or was it me. Count it all joy, the ups, the downs, the good and the bad, but never give up. The journey God places you on while pursuing His purpose for your life is part of your testimony. It is what will inspire others to believe they too can achieve what God has placed in them.

You may feel like you have done everything according to your plan but you are not seeing the results you expect. The operative word here is you. Just because you don’t see what you think you should see doesn’t mean God is not working behind the scene doing exactly what needs to be done so what He has planned for you will come to fruition. While you are waiting, keep praying, believing and thanking Him for what He has done. Keep sharing and encouraging others. It’s all part of His plan.

You have a gift. We all have gifts and once God gifts us He never takes His gifts back as we read in Romans 11:29 for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

If you’ve gotten off track, get back on track. Take baby steps if you must. Sometimes we try to do too much at one time and become lost in what we are doing. Slow down, seek God, ask for direction and move according to His will.

How’s Your Financial Health?

 

During the month of January we will continue our focus on finance.  Here is a little food for financial thought.

Most of us have a general idea of our height and weight. Some of us know our blood pressure and cholesterol level. Those of us that are really health conscious may even know our Body Mass Index, or BMI and our Fat Index.

How many of us know our credit scores? How many of us know our debt ratio? How many of us know how much disposable income we actually have?

Just as most of us are aware of some of our physical statistics we should be just as aware of our financial statistics.

Our financial wellbeing is just as important as our physical well being. Did you know financial stress is often manifested physically?

Financial worries can cause headaches, fatigue; even a lowered immune system.

If untreated financial stress may result in reduced productivity or a reduction in activity on or off of the job.  You may be distracted by calls from creditors. You may not be completely focused on the tasks at hand. You may need to slip away at work to make a phone call that can only be made during business hours. Your mind may be fixated on how you are going to make ends meet. You may be embarrassed because you can’t afford to go to dinner, a movie or shopping with friends.

Are you postponing doctors or dentists visits because you can’t afford them? Maybe some of you aren’t taking all of your prescribed medications because of the costs.

 

Do you choose between buying groceries and paying the utility bills? Do you neglect regular maintenance on your cars, or drive on tires that should be replaced?

Maybe none of this applies to you. Perhaps your income is sufficient but you can’t figure out where your money goes each month.

Are you in need of a financial checkup? Do you want to be in Optimal Financial Health?

Being in Optimal Financial Health means:

·         knowing your credit score and having a credit score which enables you to receive the best interest rates when applying for credit*

·         setting and living by a budget

·         having a financial plan

 

*I am not an advocate of credit however, not everyone is able to make larger purchases such as automobiles and homes with cash. Credit should always be used responsibly.

If you are interested in being in Optimal Financial Health contact me at gretahillman@gmail.com group and personal consultations are available as well a self study program.

 

Don’t Let Your Mind Defeat You

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. Last week’s blog was on reflection, reflecting on your finances, your budget, and your saving habits. Some of you may have already started saving your receipts, requested a copy of your credit report and are on your way to a financially savvy 2014. Congratulations for taking those steps!

Others of you may ask yourself what’s the use? You may say you have tried before but were unable to commit to making changes or something unexpected happened which prevented you from moving forward.

So often we allow what has happened in the past or what we anticipate may happen in the future to prevent us from moving forward and accomplishing our goals. What we need to ask ourselves is what is stopping me from moving forward. We make excuses, some valid and some invalid, but even those that are valid can be overcome.

When I had breast cancer I remember having a conversation with an uncle. He referred to me as being sick. I quickly told him I was not sick. I had been diagnosed with breast cancer. In my opinion I was not sick. I had breast cancer. God told me I would not die so I knew I would get better. Some of my chemotherapy treatments made me sick. I became physically ill, I was nauseas. That was what I considered as being sick.

Oftentimes we allow the thoughts in our mind to defeat us. We may not have any idea of what we can or cannot do, how things are going to turn out, whether or not we can achieve a goal but a single thought can take root and immobilize us. Our quest is to find that root. Some of us don’t have a clue as to why we think we can’t succeed we just believe that we cannot.

A few years ago we had a strange weed growing in our yard. The yard was being treated but rather than die the weeds increased. Finally my husband took a picture of the weed to a local lawn and garden store. They immediately identified the weed and told my husband what he should use to kill the weed. The recommended weed killer not only destroyed the weed from the root it prevented future growth of new weeds while protecting the healthy grass around it.

Whether you are making excuses, ignoring what is preventing you from moving forward, or even believing that there is nothing that is immobilizing you it is imperative that you admit there is something that is standing in your way then identify it. Many times we know what it is but are afraid to admit it. Again, God has not given us the spirit of fear. He cannot give us what is not in Him. Face whatever it is and ask God for the strength to overcome it.

Perhaps you have tried unsuccessfully in the past to overcome circumstances that you thought were standing in your way. Don’t give up, try again, this time seek God first and ask Him to show you what it is that you must overcome. You may be trying to overcome what you think is the problem when it could be something completely different, just as my husband was treating the wrong type of weed you may be trying to overcome something that is not really standing in your way. With God’s help you can overcome anything and everything. Let Him show you what is really standing in the way and allow Him to help you move it out of the way. As we read in John 8:36 if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Mark 11:23 for verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever

 

Time For Reflection

January should be a time of reflection. For those that have charged Christmas gifts on credit cards you will start receiving your billing statements. Mortgages companies, financial institutions and employers are mailing year end statements. Some people may be surprised at how much income they received because they may not be able to account for a majority of what they earned. Others may be surprised at how little income they received yet consider it a blessing because God multiplied their income like the fish and the loaves. Their needs and wants were met and they still had money left over.

As your financial statements are coming in it is the perfect time to prepare a budget if you do not already have one.  Take a look at your spending and your saving habits. Are you where you want to be? If not what changes can you make to move closer to your financial goal? We are only a few days into the New Year. If you cannot account for your income from last year start saving your receipts. Itemize all of your spending. You may be surprised by how much or maybe even how little you spend on certain items.

Oftentimes when people are trying to reduce their expenditures they are advised to reduce or eliminate what they spend on soft drinks, coffee, eating out, entertainment, and wants verses needs. Well what if you have already reduced or eliminated those expenses and still cannot make ends meet? As rich as this country is it is unfortunate that they are many people who are unemployed or underemployed.

Comparison shopping is important. Using coupons saves money. Sometimes it may be less expensive to eat out than cook if you are discarding uneaten food when preparing meals. Freeze leftovers or reinvent them. I used to use leftover meatloaf to make spaghetti. Be creative. Purchasing clothing at a discount isn’t always a discount if the items require dry cleaning.

Over the next 3 months from January through March I encourage you to take a close look at what and how you spend. Are you paying yourself first? Do you have any money put away for a rainy day? Are you prepared for a financial emergency? Some people may think because they cannot save a substantial amount that they should not save anything. This is far from the truth. How many times have you found just enough money to get exactly what you need? Every little bit helps and it all adds up.

I believe in tithing and know that Gods word is true. Think about it. If you receive a salary your net income is what you have to spend. You do not have the option of deciding whether or not certain deductions are made from your gross income. You accept what is deducted and live off of the rest. You have no guarantee that you will ever reap any benefit from any deductions taken from your gross income. However there are several guarantees made by the only person that cannot lie that are associated with tithing.  Decide for yourself who you will believe…but as for me and my house we are sticking with the One that cannot lie.

While you are reviewing your finances get a free copy of your credit report from www.annualcreditreport.com. This site does not provide a free credit score but it will provide you with a credit report from TransUnion, Experian and Equifax.  I recommend you review your credit history annually. Errors can be made. Oftentimes unpaid medical payments are added to your credit report without notification.

God wants us to be whole, mind, body and spirit. That is why He says beloved, above all things I wish that you should prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. He also says my people perish for lack of knowledge. Learn what you can. Use what you learn and share what you learn.

Everyone can exceed their wildest dreams but not everyone will. It is only those that will not give up, those that believe, those that are confident in God and the gifts He has given them, those that will not accept defeat and don’t know the meaning of the word can’t, and those that think it is impossible for them to fail that will see the fullness of what God has planned for them.

Are you one of the ones that will excel or are you one of the ones that will not excel?

Today Is a New Day

As we begin a new day, a new month and a new year I encourage you to forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are before.

Whether you fell short of your goals or exceled beyond your wildest dreams today is a new day.

What goals did you set in 2013 that you did not accomplish? What are the reasons that you did not accomplish your goals? Think about them, write them down, learn from them and move forward. Don’t dwell on what could have been.

What worked well for you in 2013? Think about it, write it down and try to improve upon it. What were you most pleased with? What brought you the most satisfaction?

I have found that when I am following God’s will for my life I have peace, enjoyment and my focus is on helping someone else. It’s amazing how great you feel when you put the needs of others before your own needs.

What is most important is that you put forth an effort to achieve what God has predestined for you to do. As we read in Romans 4:21 and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.  

Oftentimes when things do not go the way we want them to or the way we expect them to we become discouraged, but what we must realize is that every experience should be a lesson learned and if we share what we have learned we can help someone else.

Now is your chance. There is no time like the present. Set realistic goals but let your dreams surpass your imagination. The sky is the limit. Only you can stop you.

What will you accomplish in 2014? My prayer is that you exceed all of your expectations. Remember God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think.

 

Encouraging your physical, financial, emotional and spiritual wellbeing!

Greta

Are You Watching or Are You Being Watched?

Many of us have people that we admire or would like to emulate. You may know someone that always appears to be calm, never allowing anything to rile them. You may ask yourself “how do they do that?” or perhaps you may say “I wish I could be that way”.

There may also be people with other behaviors you would like to possess. People that seem focused, goal oriented, never appearing to procrastinate.

Unless you have a personal relationship with someone all you see is what is on the outside. You may not know the struggles they face that translate into their appearance. We often see this in people that are referred to as an overnight success. What appears to be an overnight success may have taken years to accomplish. A conversation with the overnight success may begin with you don’t know my story, or what I have gone through to get here.

What is important is to realize it can be done. What is it that you are trying to accomplish? Nothing is ever too small and nothing is ever too great to accomplish. Whatever is important to you is important. Don’t allow anyone to tell you your concern is trivial or that you shouldn’t try to do whatever it is that you want to do.

For example a person that is trying to lose weight may have five more pounds they are trying to lose to reach their goal. As you may know sometimes the last pounds are the most difficult to lose. Someone looking at the person trying to lose the five pounds may say you look great I wouldn’t worry about it. Someone else may even think the person is vain because they want to lose five more pounds. Your goals are your goals. If it is important for you to reach your goals you should try to reach them. On the other hand if you decide you are satisfied where you are and make a decision to change your goal or stop short of your goal that should be your decision, not the decision of someone else. Always ask am I doing this for me or someone else?

When God gives you a dream, desire, passion or vision believe it or not He is also giving you everything you will need to bring it to fruition. Sometimes what He places in you seems so great you don’t think anyone will believe it, you may even have a hard time believing it yourself. You must remember you serve a great and mighty God and that nothing is impossible for Him. He doesn’t want you to think you can do anything on your own. You can’t. It is by His grace and through His anointing that you will accomplish what He wants you to accomplish. We read in Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

It’s great to look at someone else who is doing something similar to what you would like to do to get ideas and also realize what you are aspiring to do is not impossible. What you should not do is compare yourself to someone else. You are unique just as they are unique. Have you ever seen two people wearing the same outfit? Both people look nice in the outfit but it looks different on each individual because their body types are different. Two singers have beautiful voices but their styles are different so they express the same song differently.

Your expression of your gift is unique to you. This is not the first time nor will it be the last that I remind you no one can do what you can do exactly the way that you can do it. Don’t be afraid to do what God has called you to do because someone else is doing something similar. Your voice/gift will place you before who God has chosen to receive it.

While you are watching others remember someone is watching you. What is it that you want them to see?