Poetic Inspirations and Practical Applications for Blissful Living

Heal, Hear, Heed

Heal by Hearing and Heeding God's Voice

Heal, Hear, Heed

Heal by Hearing and Heeding God's Voice

Image courtesy www.freedigitalphotos.net

Traveling my own purposeful pathway, I have discovered that we must heal in order to clearly hear God’s voice. Spiritual and emotional wounds prevent God’s voice from flowing freely to and through us. When we submit to God, however, His powerful, living and active Word heals us – and His Holy Spirit dwells within us. This indwelling of Spirit brings divine healing in all dimensions: physical, emotional, spiritual. We are then able to commune with God, for we know Him by worshipping Him in spirit and in truth. “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

Full and free forgiveness is one aspect of submitting to God. Forgiveness heals an individual of bitter blood; blood literally assumes an acidic quality when one is in a state of unforgiveness, a state of bitterness. The acidic quality of blood breeds cancers and other diseases. Forgiveness improves the physical quality of blood to a slightly alkaline – and thereby healthy – state. Forgiveness also brings emotional and spiritual healing; as she forgives, an individual is chained no longer to abuse nor abuser. Forgiveness therefore allows us to grow closer to God; it opens our hearts such that God’s love and light flows through us. Where unforgiveness blocks, forgiveness opens.

Forgiveness is one area of submission; there are many areas in which we submit to God. The more complete our submission, the more complete our healing. Obeying God from a loving heart allows His power to remove the clutter in our lives. Trustful obedience in Him destroys the sinful blocks. We instead grow aligned with God and with His Will. In this state of alignment we can hear His voice clearly regarding direction and timing. Our hearts touch His, and we feel His Presence…and discern His lead. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)  So we must heal in order to clearly hear God’s voice, and we must clearly hear to heed His word. It is important also to be still, for He can speak to us with clarity in these moments of stillness.

As you journey today, I encourage you to evaluate areas in which you may need God’s healing. If you have not already done so, request the free downloadable workbook, Purposeful Pathway: Journey to Joy by submitting your name and email address in the form on this site. Listen closely and with stillness to hear God’s voice.  Then, as you heal and hear, gratefully and joyfully heed His direction!

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11)

© COPYRIGHT 2011 Caroline Gavin

My Personal Purposeful Pathway

 Sharing My Personal Purposeful Pathway

I thoroughly enjoyed sharing about my personal purposeful pathway on the FINDING YOUR VOICE Internet Radio show with Joel Boggess.

I am grateful to Joel for taking the time to interview me, and it was an honor to speak about where God has led me and where He now leads. It is a tremendous blessing to recognize how all circumstances in my life – both good and bad – have been woven into a beautiful tapestry. Truly our LORD does work all for good to those who love Him.

My hope and prayer is that the interview will both encourage and inspire you. May you continue to heal so that you can hear His voice. May you continue to grow more like Christ so you can grow more into your true self. May you continue to keep your eyes fixed on eternity so that your feet will step surely upon your own purposeful pathway…

http://www.4pointscoaching.com/032-finding-your-voice-a-passion-to-bring-healing/

Embracing the Challenge

Embracing the Challenge

One of the most powerful methods for purposeful living is embracing each challenge as both blessing and opportunity. Power lies not in simply accepting or resigning to challenges – but in fully and gratefully embracing them.

As we journey upon our purposeful pathways, we discover that challenges and obstacles exist to strengthen us and to mold us more like Christ. If we encounter a pattern of similar trials, we find that it is in this area of challenge that we have not yet yielded fully to God. Our Lord speaks through these challenges and calls us to transform ourselves by abiding in Him. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4) 

God desires to have a relationship with each of one of us, and He desires for us to grow more like Christ. The more faithfully we abide in Christ, the more we live for God’s glory. The more we resemble Christ, the more we live as our authentic selves – selves untainted by the anxieties, the deceptions and the sinfulness of the world.

Trials, therefore, provide incredible opportunity to examine ourselves, to grow more like Christ and to know Him and love Him more deeply. When we yield to God, we are aligned with His Will. His power is able to flow through us and transform us. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (1 Thessalonians 2:9)

Submitting to God and allowing Him to work in our weakness manifests a compelling testimony to others. The secret is to embrace rather than resist or simply resign to the challenges. For the more you gratefully accept the challenges, the more His power can work through you to fulfill His loving plan.

Walking upon your purposeful pathway today, I encourage you to embrace the obstacles which lie before you. A stronger, more loving, more Christ-like you lies on the other side of the challenge…

© 2011 Caroline Gavin

How will you practice embracing the challenge today?

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Nature: God’s Word and Works

Nature: God’s Word and Works

As we journey upon our purposeful pathways, we are able to commune with God in various ways.

One way we experience God’s Word and Way is through Nature. One can hear His voice in the birds, in the gentle rustling of the trees…and one can feel His light and warmth through the rays of sunlight.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1)

The better we understand Nature, the more we appreciate how natural patterns reveal the wisdom and love of God’s Laws. Nature is God’s creation, and nature therefore exudes God’s glory. Natural laws and patterns display the laws and patterns of human existence. For example, the thoughts, words and actions of man are akin to seeds which are sown. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”(Galations 6:7) The results made manifest in one’s life bear witness to the nature of one’s heart, such as fruit mirrors the health of a tree. “Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”( Matthew 7:17-18)

It is exciting to draw parallels between natural patterns and life patterns. We find deeper meaning in the seasons, in the animal habits and habitats, in the designs and colors…and in the order. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities‑ His eternal power and divine nature‑ have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

One theme in Nature is God’s abundance. Reflecting upon Nature, we can release ideas of scarcity and instead embrace the eternal Source of good things: “How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number‑ living things both large and small.” (Psalm 104:24‑25)

Yes, we can take comfort that God provides – and provides abundantly – when we trust in Him. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

Traveling upon your purposeful pathway today, I encourage you to spend quality time in Nature. Reflect upon natural ways. What metaphors do you see? What laws are evident? What comfort lies therein? What praise flows forth? Rejoice in God’s creation, for He beautifully demonstrates His Word through His Works…

Copyright 2011 Caroline Gavin

How do you see the Creator in His creation? How do you see God’s Nature in the natural world?

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Flowing with Time

 Flowing with Time

Any motivated individual can find herself in a state overwhelm. We can strongly sense having too much to do and not enough time to do it. This perception, however, is an illusion. Such an idea is not rooted in truth. God does provide enough time in which to do the work He gives us. Additionally, He allots specific times in which to do each thing, as “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

If we feel we have too much to do, we likely do not see in which “season” we stand. Is it a time to work? Or is a time to play? Conflicts arise with competing obligations. If we feel that we must complete work-related tasks but also fulfill family commitments, for example, the sense of time scarcity arises. We want to spend time with our families, but we also know the importance of completing our work. At such a point we should seek God for clarity regarding the proper use of our time.

If we feel tension and unease, both which are symptomatic of fear, we lose touch with His love and with our full trust in Him. We are encouraged to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) With a grateful and humble heart, let us seek God for direction and answers. Let us believe He will guide and then gratefully follow His lead.

The following are practical steps for embracing each “season” of time:

– Begin each day by asking God to make clear the priorities for the day. Setting the proper tone for the day brings focus. As we fulfill the priorities He has set upon our hearts, the sense of time scarcity diminishes. We begin to step into the flow of time. List clearly the must-do items of the day and order the according to importance.

– Trust in God’s providence, as “my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:19) Yes, this includes providing enough time. Fully trust that God provides enough time for the things which need our attention (which may not be all things which want or demand our attention).

– Learn to say “no” with purpose to those things which pull you away from your goals and purposes…in order to say “yes” with power to those things which brings you closer to them.

– Take time to be present and fully aware of the moment. Feel the sensations, hear the sounds, smell the scents…experience the moment with all your senses. Remember that ultimately all is eternal now. It is therefore important to embrace the present, as doing so connects you with the flow of time.

– When sensing overwhelm, take some time to step back before stepping forward with tasks. Overwhelm often results from the lack of larger perspective. When stepping back and viewing the variety of tasks from a broader standpoint, you can appreciate the importance (or lack thereof) for each of the individual tasks at hand.

As we travel purposefully upon our personal pathways, let us wholeheartedly seek God’s guidance regarding the use of time. Let us embrace each moment, discern our “season” and begin to flow with rather than resist the movement of time. Let us remember also to live each moment in a state of love, for this truly is living on and with purpose.

Copyright 2011 Caroline Gavin

How do you find yourself flowing with time?

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High Wire

High Wire

One of my mantras is “Look neither to the left nor the right: simply write.”

It is easy to get distracted with concerns about what others want to hear or what others will think. But how can I share what I know if I censor what I know? How can I share who I am if I hide who I am? How can I give freely if my heart hesitates? How can I? And how can you?

Proverbs 4:25-27

“Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”

 

Walking with God is akin to walking a high wire. One rises above impossible situations, sees everything from a new and broad perspective and experiences the beauty of moving forward as in flight. As a high wire artist does, we must ponder the ways which we walk. Looking to the audience on the left and the right for approval distracts and causes stumbling. Stopping out of fear interrupts the graceful momentum of moving forward. Walking too quickly certainly makes one subject to fall. Looking down creates the fear of height. Looking behind one’s self triggers imbalance. Looking forward “straight before thee” – yes, this is the key. Keeping our eyes fixed on the destination and making purposeful, intentional steps, one by one, allows the completion of seemingly impossible feats.

As we travel upon our purposeful pathways, I encourage you to “ponder the path of thy feet.” Let us make each decision, each step, based upon God’s Will for us and by fixing our eyes straight upon His Kingdom. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)  As we seek His Kingdom, our ways will be established on the solid rock of Truth.

© COPYRIGHT 2011 Caroline Gavin

What can you do today, traveling on your purposeful pathway, to more firmly fix your eyes upon God and His Kingdom?

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Step Back…to Step Forward

 Step Back to Step Forward

I have noticed in life that it often helps to step back before stepping forward. Stepping back allows us to gain clarity and perspective about situations, people and our own selves.

So how do we step back to step forward? We tend to see ourselves as the center of the situations (whether we realize this or not). Love diminishes this self-centered view. A parent, with love for her child, places the child’s needs before her own. God, being love (1 John 4:8), is the utmost example of giving and looking beyond self. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

As we grow in love and in faith, we are able to step back and gain perspective more quickly and readily. For example, an individual may find himself in recurring unhealthy relationships. Growing in his relationship with God, however, he can begin to step back and discern his own relationship patterns and cycles. He may recognize codependent tendencies and thereafter seek God (rather than a partner) to fill his every need – for love, security, significance. Only God can fill these needs adequately. With God’s grace, the process of stepping back will enable this individual to discover the beauty of moving forward into a relationship as whole and complete.

Stepping back even further, this individual can view not only the patterns of his relationships but also the context of these relationships within his entire life. Why did these relationship patterns continually surface? What life lessons lie in these patterns? What beliefs are not rooted in truth? What sinful patterns exist? Stepping back to view patterns in his life, he is able to dislodge false beliefs and instill truth. The Lord promises that the truth will set us free when we obey His teachings (John 8:31-32). Additionally, as we delight in God, He grants us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4). Yes, He literally gives us desires that are aligned to His will.

In stepping back even further, each of us is able to view not only relationships and situations from the context of our entire lives but also our lives within the larger contexts of our families, our communities, our nation, our world today and all eternity. It is humbling to view ourselves in the grand tapestry of life and eternity. Yet doing so inspires us to bring value and light and love. As we step back, we long to weave our lives beautifully into this eternal tapestry.

Stepping back is therefore a powerful process. We gain perspective, humility, healing and wholeness when righteously responding to the discoveries. God sees everything in eternity (Hebrews 4:12); yet He also sees each one of us in an intimate manner. He knows the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30), and He knit us fearfully in our mother’s wombs (Psalm 139:13). In stepping back and seeing ourselves as God does, as a part of the world and eternity, we gain the proper perspective by which to move more deeply into our own selves. Seeing ourselves from the eternal scale, we can then ask pervasive questions. In what areas can I grow? How can I improve my relationship with God and with others? How can I bring more value? Am I seeking first God’s Kingdom? How can I love more freely and generously? How can I better use my talents and experiences for God and others? How can I live in better alignment to God’s will?

Often when I sense confusion or lack of clarity, I step back and view my life from the eternal standpoint. I then step forward and inward to ensure my mind, body and spirit are in harmony with God’s Will. From what situations can you step back today before stepping forward?

Stepping back, and now I see

My very life with clarity

Blurry confusion at once clears

Seeing minutes, hours, days, years

Stepping back, and now I know

In which direction I must go

Farther from self, yet closer still

Aligning my all with God’s Will

Copyright © 2011 Caroline Gavin

What examples can you give of this? How do  you step back to step forward?

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