Poetic Inspirations and Practical Applications for Blissful Living

Rooted in Jesus

 

Rooted in Jesus

 

Rooted in Jesus Poem - Christian Poem and eCard - Christian Business Coaching

Image courtesy Dan at www.freedigitalphotos.net

 

 

“Blessed is the one

    who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

    or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

    which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

    whatever they do prospers.” ~ Psalm 1:1-3

 

Behold the trees,

How they grow in majesty;

Come now, My child,

Come listen to Me:

 

Be like these trees

Firmly rooted in the ground

That no matter what comes

You are safe and sound.

 

Be rooted in Me,

Abide here in the True Vine,

Remember I am yours,

And you are Mine.

 

For when you are rooted,

The winds may blow,

Yet strongly you will stand,

Tall you will grow.

 

When you remain in Me,

And I in you,

You weather the storms

With love pure and true.

 

When My living water

Nourishes your every root,

Precious and eternal

Is your spiritual fruit.

 

So come now, My child,

Learn from the trees,

Trust always in Me

That My heart you please.

 

For then strong you will be,

Taller than trees that tower,

Rich in My grace,

Radiant in My power.

 

Bear fragrant fruit of joy,

Colorful blossoms of love,

Stretch to the sky,

To the heavens above.

 

With your head in the clouds,

Your feet on the ground,

Behold My miracles

Abounding all around.

 

Yea, as you behold the trees,

Remember My majesty;

Come and blossom, My child,

Be rooted in Me.

 

© 2013 Caroline Gavin

How do you stay firmly rooted in Jesus?

What is the fruit borne of being rooted in Him?

Leave a Comment

A Journey with Epilepsy

 

[Purposeful Pathway Radio] A Journey with Epilepsy




Thank you for your wonderful support of Purposeful Pathway Radio!

 

I invite you to subscribe to the Purposeful Pathway Radio show episodes on iTunes. Simply click on the link to subscribe: Purposeful Pathway on iTunes

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am excited and honored that today Alexander Lodi will join the show!

 

 

Alexander is a fitness coach who assists people seeking better health and wellness and increased weight-loss. With a heart for God and for others, Alexander is motivated by his passion for health as well as his love for life. He will share his journey; it is a journey that includes trials with epilepsy as well as triumphs in Christ. Additionally, Alexander will share practical fitness insights and motivational tips.

 

Join us in the journey Wednesday, May 29th at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time:

[Purposeful Pathway Radio] Trials to Triumphs

 

As always, if you cannot join live you can enjoy the archive:

www.Purposeful Pathway Radio.com

 

 

Purposeful Pathway Radio is a haven for faith-based entrepreneurs. It is a journey in which faith and business gracefully intertwine. It is a pathway paved with purpose, peace and passion.  The guests on the show share insights for faith-based business; they will also share inspiration from their spiritual journeys. My hope is that, in listening, your businesses will grow and your lives will be enriched. My prayer is that these personal messages will allow God’s peace, love and joy to pave your purposeful pathways.

 

 




 

Enlisting with Excellence

Purposeful Pathway Biz Tip: Enlisting with Excellence

Image courtesy tungphoto at www.freedigitalphotos.net 

 

Purposeful Pathway Biz Tip: Enlisting with Excellence

 

Purposeful Pathway is a haven for faith-based entrepreneurs. It is a journey in which faith and business gracefully intertwine. It is a pathway paved with purpose, peace and passion. The posts provide insights for faith-based business and also inspiration for the spiritual journey. My hope is that, in reading, your businesses will grow and your lives will be enriched. My prayer is that these messages will allow God’s peace, love and joy to pave your purposeful pathways.

Part of my mission is equipping faith-based businesses with information that is practical, actionable and Scriptural. The theme of this post is enlisting with excellence.

Living out great purposes and achieving great goals involves working with others. Achieving great goals never happens in a vacuum, even if you are “solopreneur.” It is important then to enlist those around you to helping you achieve your purposes.

 

How do you do this? By giving.

 

  • Enlist your family by being the best mother, wife, sister (father, husband, brother) you can be; enlist them also by showing how much they will gain when you reach your goals.
  • Enlist your friends by sharing your insights, wisdom and joy.
  • Enlist your clients by giving them the best you have and by transforming their lives.
  • Enlist your colleagues and centers of influence by putting their needs first.  

 
 

Enlisting others creates synergism in which the connection works more powerfully than the sum of the parts. Jesus Himself excelled at enlisting; He commissioned His apostles and all his disciples with His mission (Matthew 8:28), but first He showed the unfathomable depth of His love.

I encourage you to enlist with a spirit of excellence. Allow the goal-setting and goal-achieving process, and specifically enlisting others, to become one with you: one with your mind, body and spirit. View the achievement of God-centered goals as not only a practical process but also a spiritual process. Keeping this perspective, you can enlist others with a loving heart. You can enlist with the aim of blessing them and bringing glory to God. The natural fruit borne from this is the burgeoning of your business and the blossoming of your life.

 

Your action steps for enlisting with excellence are:

 

    1. Write a list of those whom you can enlist to reach your goals in all areas of life (spiritual, emotional, relational, vocational, mental, financial and physical).
    2. Taking this list, create another list of enlistment activities. How can you enlist each of these individuals? How can you give to them? How can you “pay it forward” in a powerful, God-glorifying way?
    3. Last, journal about how you can heighten excellence in your enlistment and in the overall goal-setting / goal-getting process.

 

 

God’s graces to you as you travel purposefully for Him!


Whom do you enlist and how do you do it?

I would love to Read Your Comments!

Sharing Purposefully from my Heart

My Purposeful Pathway and PURPOSE Process

 

I am excited and honored to have shared the trials (including depression and anorexia nervosa) as well as the triumphs on my purposeful pathway! Jessica Moskowitz and Jill Hindley Lawrence of the Basenet TV Crashing Glass pod cast interview me about my own purposeful pathway and the 7-step Live on P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Process.

It was a blessing to share my purposeful pathway and PURPOSE Process, and I invite you to enjoy the interview in the media player below.

Memorial Day Prayer

 

Memorial Day Prayer

 

Memorial Day Poem: A Prayer - Christian Poem and eCard - Christian Life Coaching

Image courtesy www.freedigitalphotos.net
American Flag by Michael Elliott

 

Memorial Day in the United States is a day of remembering those brave men and women who died in service. I admire the courage and selflessness of these individuals. May we remember and honor them on Memorial Day and every day. Below is a poetic prayer as well as the link to a poetic eCard. Thank you for joining me in this prayer. May God bless you, and may God bless all who defend our freedoms.

 

(Send the Poetic Prayer as a Memorial Day eCard)

 

A prayer solemn

I offer this Memorial Day:

It is for our valiant Veterans

I do humbly pray.

 

Selfless, sacrificial,

Risking death gallantly –

Soldiers do all this

To ensure I am free.

 

So many have died

There on the battleground;

No music then to comfort,

Simply gun blasts all around.

 

So many names and faces

That I will never know;

So many stories of bravery

In warring winds did blow.

 

Grateful am I to these

Men and Women brave;

I marvel at all they did,

All they risked, all they gave.

 

Extend this heartfelt prayer

I will, to reach their ears;

How treasured they are to me,

Marching onward despite fears!

 

And for those who have passed,

May God bless them lavishly,

These very ones who died

So that I would live free.

 

In the stories of Veterans

I see a shadow of the Cross:

Christ died to set me free,

My gain is through His loss.

 

Gratefully I praise these heroes,

Often silent and unknown.

And I remember Christ’s blood

From which eternal life is sown.

 

To those who have fought

There on the battleground,

I pray God’s blessings to you

Will eternally abound.

 

Selfless, sacrificial,

Risking death gallantly –

Yes, you have done all this

To ensure I am free.

 

A prayer solemn then

I offer this Memorial Day:

It is for you, valiant Veterans,

I now humbly pray.

 

 

© 2013 Caroline Gavin

Thank you for joining me in this Memorial Day Poem and Prayer.

In what ways do you memorialize those who have died for us?

Leave a Comment

Prayer for Oklahoma

Prayer for Oklahoma by Caroline Gavin of Purposeful Pathway Coaching

Image courtesy Gameanna of www.freedigitalphotos.net

 

Prayer for Oklahoma

 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7

 

Our hearts ache with you,

Our prayers we lift high,

To see the devastation,

To hear the children cry,

 

To know of the lives

We lost on that day,

Yes, for you, Oklahoma,

We mourn and we pray.

 

You are not alone,

We are grieving with you,

Praying for God’s healing

To restore and renew.

 

May the souls we lost

Be in His loving arms,

Resting where there will be

No more storms.

 

Your bravery and courage

We respect and admire,

Amidst the chaos

Our hearts you inspire.

 

Oklahoma, remember now

That we are right here,

With each prayer we lift

And with each shed tear.

 

God brings good

From the worst trial,

So may this truth encourage

You all the while.

 

Restoration you will see,

Renewal in each street,

Rebuilding of homes,

Yes, revival complete.

 

Yes, for you, Oklahoma,

We mourn and we pray,

We long for the renewal

You will see one day.

 

Our prayers we lift high

Our hearts ache with you,

And we admire the bravery

Shining in all you do.

 

© 2013 Caroline Gavin

Leave a Comment

Our hearts and our prayers are with you, Oklahoma.

 

How to Enjoy Your Journey

How to Enjoy Your Journey

Guest Post by Marianne Clements

 

All of us are on a journey in this life and we usually have a specific route we’d like to take – the shortest and simplest route.  Unfortunately, the shortest and simplest isn’t always what is best and it’s not what usually happens in real life.  We encounter roadblocks, detours, accidents, construction, traffic delays, stop signs, yield signals, etc.  Sometimes you have to go over mountains and other times you get to coast.  Whether it’s driving down the road or your journey through life, things are not always going to go the way you want or planned, but it can be a joyful journey.

 

I’ve been on my journey with Jesus for 11 years and I’m learning to enjoy my journey despite the fact that it rarely turns out the way I planned.  My journey is a lot more joyful when I allow God to lead the way and when I trust Him even though I can’t see more than a few feet in front of me.  

 

When I began my journey with Jesus, I had just started going to church for the first time in about 20 years.  At that time, I was a heavy drinker and had several annoying, health issues.  I also had major relationship issues and despite having a good job I was always concerned about money.  Needless to say, living life on MY terms was not producing much positive fruit.  I spent several years allowing God to prune me and help me get rooted and grounded in His love.  That’s still ongoing, but in 2005, He gave me a hint of what kind of fruit I was going to bear.

 

On May 22, 2005 I was reading the devotional “Our Daily Bread” on the deck at my sister’s house when I realized that the radio in the background was broadcasting the exact same scripture I was reading.  It was Ephesians 5:15-17:

 

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (NIV)

 

When I went to work the next day, I noticed that I had these exact scriptures taped to my computer monitor.  I had gotten them months earlier during a church service, but had become oblivious to them.  I’m a little slow, but even I knew that this was not a coincidence — God was definitely speaking to me! 

 

Unfortunately, I interpreted these scriptures negatively and believed that God was warning me that I was going to die soon and I needed to get my “house” in order.  Thankfully, seven days later on May 30, God revealed the truth – I was not going to die, but live and tell what the Lord has done for me (Psalm 118:17).

 

I knew I was going to write, but I felt that God was leading me to type my journals first.  I had three years of hand-written journals, so that was quite a task.  I didn’t know why I needed to do that and I still don’t really know why, but I did it.  Unfortunately, I encountered several roadblocks, delays and other issues, but I eventually finished typing my journals in early 2008.  Less than one month later, God gave me “7 Steps to Victory” and I quickly developed a bookmark for the book I expected to write.  For two years I tried writing a book, but it remained just a bookmark and a small website. 

 

In 2010, I talked to a few people at work and asked them if they would be my pilot group for teaching “7 Steps to Victory”.  The first class went well, so I decided to make some changes and teach it again to another group.  After I finished teaching the second class, my friend and co-worker, Paula Fricton, asked me if I would teach her about the Bible, so I excitedly started teaching a Bible Overview class.  The class ended February 2011, just before the company moved to a new location. 

 

At that time, my husband and I felt that it was God’s will for me to leave the company and write a book.  My last day at AT&T was March 31, 2011 – 7 years exactly from the day I started the job.  I started Victory Christian Coaching with the intent of doing life coaching in addition to writing, but I’ve seen some stop signs and yield signs and right now I’m encountering construction delays in regards to my business. 

 

The Bible Overview was the catalyst for my upcoming book, “The Bible in 7 Pieces” and I’ve spent about 1000 hours on it – a much longer journey than I expected.  It’s been 8 years since God first told me I would write “a book” and I never would have imagined that my journey would be this long or this challenging, especially since God told me to do it.  However, just like the journey of the Israelites in the desert, my grumbling and complaining has probably caused some of my delays and my control issues have caused the other delays.  Thanks to God, I am nearing my Promised Land of publishing my first book and I learned that my lack of joy during my journey is due to my faltering faith and not a lack of God’s provision or promise.   

 

Let’s Pray:  Faithful Father, Thank You for Your abundant provision and wise direction throughout my journey.  Amen.

 

QUESTION:  How has God directed your journey?  Leave a Comment

After several years of practicing the Seven Steps to Victory (sowing seeds) and allowing God to do some serious pruning, Marianne discovered her “house” had new life and began to reap an abundant harvest in her relationships, health and finances. In 2011 Marianne was able to heed God’s call on her life to leave the corporate world and start Victory Christian Coaching. Because of what God has done for her, she is passionate about helping others know Jesus and His Word…and His Victory. Join us in the Journey tomorrow on Purposeful Pathway Radio as Marianne shares her Victory in Christ.

 

Pain Points and Power Points

Pain Points and Power Points Business Tip by Caroline Gavin of Purposeful Pathway Coaching

Image courtesy Naypong of www.freedigitalphotos.net

 

Pain Points and Power Points

 
 

Purposeful Pathway is a haven for faith-based entrepreneurs. It is a journey in which faith and business gracefully intertwine. It is a pathway paved with purpose, peace and passion. The posts provide insights for faith-based business and also inspiration for the spiritual journey. My hope is that, in reading, your businesses will grow and your lives will be enriched. My prayer is that these messages will allow God’s peace, love and joy to pave your purposeful pathways.

Part of my mission is equipping faith-based businesses with information that is practical, actionable and Scriptural. The theme of this post is pain points and power points.

I am passionate about spreading joy through the Gospel message. But you may wonder why I am so passionate about this. Although there is much into which I can delve regarding that question, I will provide a relatively short answer in this post. I went through some very painful experiences as a child, and I therefore grew up with self-loathing. This sense of worthlessness expressed itself in severe depression and also a severe eating disorder, specifically anorexia nervosa. The chief psychiatrist in a prestigious hospital said I was the most depressed child he had ever met; he had been working in the field for some time and had met with many a child, so this was quite the distinction. I spent a good number of my teen years and early adult years in the 50 to 60 pound range. Yes, I was literally 50 pounds and, quite frankly, on the verge of death. I hated myself so much on a subconscious level, and this was the outward expression. The only balm to the excruciating pain of life was being thin – no, the thinnest. To take that balm away would be to leave me with pain that felt worse than death. Although I was very functional in work and in school, the depression continued until I became born again in the Spirit of God.

This is, of course, a greatly abbreviated version of my pathway. Yet the power of the point remains: God is One of transformation. Now, by God’s grace, I hear frequently from others that I am the most joyful person they know. I am also very healthy and on fire for life. I nurture and nourish my body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. A physician once told me that I could never have children due to the damage of the anorexia; but, by God’s mercy, I have experienced two healthy pregnancies and have given birth to two beautiful children. Due to the anorexia, I once suffered from osteopenia, anemia, generalized anxiety disorder, seizures and a host of other illnesses. God has healed every single ailment. My life is a miracle; even more miraculous is the joyful, healthful and purposeful quality of my life. In light of this, sharing joy and wholeness in Christ is extremely important to me. I know how painful it is to have no joy and no meaning and no purpose; if God can transform me, he can transform anyone!

God has taken my pain point and transformed it into a power point for His glory.

Another pain point for me had been attracting clients and having a consistent flow of income while doing the work to which God called me. God has also shifted this pain point to a power point, and so I now help other Christian entrepreneurs succeed in sharing their gifts. I help them to attract ideal clients, powerfully package services and also systematize their efforts so they can enjoy fun, fruitful and profitable businesses. I am able to share God’s Word not only through my own ministry efforts but also through a powerful ripple effect. When I help my Christ-centered clients succeed in their businesses, I help them to use their unique gifts to reach countless lives with God’s Message. (If you are interested in a free program for attracting clients, I invite you to join the newly-released 21-Day Attract Clients NOW Challenge.) Helping Christian entrepreneurs involves a beautiful intersection of my experiences, my skills and my passions. My purposeful pathway, therefore, is working with others to pave their own purposeful pathways.

There are a couple points of my sharing these pain and power points with you. The first is that you may appreciate more deeply why I do what I do. The second is that you may appreciate that you have pain points and power points too! The most powerful things we can share in our businesses – and indeed our lives – often revolve around our former pain points. The Bible verse 2 Corinthians 12:10 states: “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.” Let us embrace our crosses, for God converts them to crowns. Let us sow our tears, for we will reap with songs of joy.

I encourage you to apply the following steps to leverage your pain points and power points for God’s glory:

  1. Compose a list of two columns. On the left side list your pain points; on the right side list your corresponding power points.
  2. If you have not arrived to a place of power with a certain pain point, pray about this; God is very likely leading you to victory in this area. The very areas in which we struggle are often the very areas that bring success and fulfillment and fruit.
  3. Connect with your story. I shared some of my story with you, and I am confident that you now have a deeper appreciation for what I do and why I do it. I encourage you to do the same: bring more of YOU – the trials, the challenges, the victories, the successes – into your business. People want to connect with people not just processes. Yes, they are looking for results. But, with the vast array of choices to obtain those results, it is powerful to distinguish yourself as not only a result-giver but also a three-dimensional person. Exposing your vulnerabilities allows others to see how you relate to their pain; it also reveals the power of the transformation you have experienced. Review your pain and power point list and then write a compelling story to share consistently in your business.

 

These exercises will enrich your business and your life; they will also bless those whom you touch while bringing glory to God.

Thank you for allowing me to share some of my story with you; I look forward to learning how your pain points and power points inspire and transform others!

What are some of your pain points and power points? Leave a Comment.

Healthy Soul is Crucial

A Healthy Soul is Crucial in Our Journey to “Total Wellness”

 

Enjoy this guest post by my dear friend Mike Fenton of  Heart & Soul Health Coaching:

 

A healthy soul is the third part in the trilogy of “Total Wellness”. Wikipedia defines soul as: The soul, in many mythological, religious, philosophical, and psychological traditions, is the incorporeal and, in many conceptions, immortal essence of a person, living thing, or object.

Soul is also a synonym for spirit, mind, psyche or self and that is how we should relate to it when thinking about our own “Total Wellness”. In Proverbs 20:27 (NIV) we are reminded that “The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one’s inmost being”.

Most people that have their souls in a state of wellness live a more tranquil life because they have more inner wisdom, inner peace and knowledge. Most work to change the consciousness of humanity and to enlighten others in order to create love, peace, and harmony for humanity.

The power of the soul can teach us soul healing, soul prevention of sickness, soul rejuvenation, soul transformation of every aspect of life (including relationships and finances), and soul enlightenment. It offers us a practical means to empower us to apply all of these teachings. We are asked in Proverbs 18:14 (NIV) “The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?”

When our soul is in a state of wellness we have the power to do or be all we desire. You are, and will be, as you believe yourself to be.

You are in control, your will supreme; self-empowerment is your will in action. Believe in your worthiness to be as one with the Creator for that is divine truth, for we are all of and from the One.

Underneath the flesh overcoat with will and desire to know our self  we can open the door to our soul, our inner awareness, our power to be all that we are, and we can find our soul purpose.

The words of The Bible can inspire us to explore our life purpose and leave us with a feeling of inner excitement inspiring us to want to know more.

Inspiration in reality is a realization of a truth already known, it is this inner awareness that inspires us to take hold, acknowledge it, and therefore desire to make it real in our own way.

With “Total Wellness” (when mind, body and soul all come together as one in good health) we feel a new sense of empowerment. We are happy with who we are, where we are, where we want to go, and what we want to do.

Because when we believe in ourselves we take back control.

21-Day Attract Clients NOW Challenge!

21-Day Attract Clients NOW Challenge – NOW LIVE!

 

 







Name
Email

Welcome to the 21-Day Attract Clients NOW Challenge! My name is Caroline Gavin; I am a Christian Business Coach, Author of Purposeful Pathway and Host of Purposeful Pathway Radio. I invite you to sign up for this Free 21-Day Client Attraction video series via the form below. Are you a heart-centered entrepreneur desiring to change the world for good with the gifts God has given you? Are you struggling, though, to find clients consistently? Do you find that people love your message but are not buying from you? If you have said “yes” to any of these questions, I want to encourage you. I have been there, and I feel your pain; you want so much to help others, you want so much to make a difference…and yet you can only to do so if others sign up for that transformation. So I invite you to say goodbye to that frustration once and for all. Take the next step by signing up for the free 21-Day Attract Clients Now video series; simply enter your name and email address below. I look forward to seeing you as we work together to attract more clients and bring more joy to the world! This will be a fun, fruitful and profitable process for you. Thank you, and God bless you on your purposeful pathway!