What to Do in the Waiting |
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| About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. — Acts 16:25 There was a time I felt utterly stuck. The sun rose with new and limitless opportunities, but as it set, everything felt the same. The day was new, but the issues were old. No matter how much positive thinking, Bible reading, verse quoting, and attitude changing I did, I felt imprisoned. My desk was the same. My coworkers were the same. The feelings of hopelessness and frustration were the same. No matter how much money I saved, I still felt the pang of insurmountable debt. No matter how many lunches I prepared and packed — counting macros and calories — my weight stayed the same. No matter how many times I tried creating systems and structures for success, my workload felt heavier instead of lighter. Have you ever felt stuck like that? No matter what you try, nothing seems to make much difference? This is the waiting period — the place where we linger until divine timing permits us to move forward. It might sound dramatic, but these seasons can feel like prison. You are doing everything right. You are setting up a system for success. But you feel trapped in the system of same, a prison where nothing changes no matter your effort. But know this: grit and perseverance help us to develop more than the ability to wait. They help shape the way we behave while we're waiting. And who might you guess would've understood that feeling? Paul, of course, our model of grit and resilience. He knew the feeling of being stuck in prison because he was in prison. In Acts 16, we read that Paul and Silas were on their way to pray with their friends when a demon-possessed slave girl began to follow them. She was being used by her owners to tell fortunes in exchange for money, and she shrieked and yelled until Paul turned to her and cast the demon out. But once free from the spirit oppressing her (and telling fortunes through her), the girl was no longer a source of income to her owners. Needless to say, it didn't go over well with them. Paul and Silas were taken to the local officials, stripped and beaten, then thrown into prison. Just so we don't miss anything here, let's review some key points. Paul was on his way to pray. He was in community with other believers. He delivered a girl from the shackles of demonic oppression. And now he was being punished in prison. With no release date set, Paul and Silas were chained and imprisoned like common criminals. But what did Paul do in the waiting? And how can that help us understand what we should we do in the waiting? We'll take a look at the story and see what tips we can discover through examining Paul's experience, but first, we have to get real about our current patterns of behavior. |
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Grit and perseverance help us to develop more than the ability to wait. They help shape the way we behave while we're waiting. |
Grit and perseverance help us to develop more than the ability to wait. They help shape the way we behave while we're waiting. |
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Take a look at the list below and circle which choices are common during times you feel stuck: - Journaling
- Listening to worship music
- Calling a friend to pray with you
- Serving others and investing relationally
- Joining a community or church group
- Exercising
- Starting a new hobby
- Finding a series on Netflix to lose yourself in
- Eating your emotions and bingeing on snacks
- Hopping on dating apps to distract yourself
- Shopping excessively online
- Spending hours on social media apps
- Sleeping in, staying up late, or frequently napping
Do you notice a pattern? Are you proud of your choices? If you're anything like me, some of the behaviors you circled aren't exactly worth bragging about. I've squandered so much time with distractions and diversions that I've had to set up a new system to ensure I stay on track. What to Do in the Waiting Over the past ten years, I have discovered that if I don't intentionally set up rhythms for myself, I will easily end up returning to my old, unhealthy patterns. I'll sit and scroll endlessly, binge-watch Real Housewives, and eat my feelings to avoid having to actually feel them. To ensure I resist these temptations and stay motivated in my waiting seasons, there are five things I've learned from brain researchers to do consistently: - Work out (my body)
- Get out (in nature)
- Clean out (my space)
- Go out (in solitude)
- Sing out (like you can)
Don't get overwhelmed. I'm not adding more to your to-do list. I'm simply sharing the system I've created that works for me. You can copy it or create your own version to help you evaluate the most useful ways to invest your time during waiting seasons. |
Excerpted from Grit Don't Quit by Bianca Juárez Olthoff, copyright Bianca Juárez Olthoff. * |
To watch the video once you click through, navigate to the video image on the left of the book image. |
Once you click through to watch the video, scroll left on the image to the video. |
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Are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you stuck in a waiting period? What you do during that time matters! Grit and perseverance help shape the way we behave while we're waiting. What rhythms help you? ~ Devotionals Daily |
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You must learn to persevere. |
Grit Don't Quit: Developing Resilience and Faith When Giving Up Isn't an Option |
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+ FREE shipping on all orders over $35 | Whether by choice or circumstances out of our control, we will have moments where we feel like we've been punched out, dragged down, or knocked out. What do we do in those situations? You must learn to persevere. Perseverance requires a deep sense of hope, and thought leader, pastor, and podcaster, Bianca Juárez Olthoff, knows that personally. But it's not just any hope. It's a hope firmly rooted in something other than mere wishes and finger-crossing. This is a hope we have in our future that is rooted in the One who can go beyond our wildest dream to accomplish more than we could ever imagine. However, we must be willing to do the work of cultivating grit throughout every circumstance. Using the life of Paul the Apostle as a case study, Bianca shows how grit was the genesis of his transformation from a judgmental Pharisee to a world-changing follower of Jesus. In Grit Don't Quit, Bianca will help you: - Identify how to cultivate perseverance
- Discover the cost and benefit of resilience
- Develop a theological framework for rebounding from loss
- Understand how grit can change your life
- Apply practical principles to increase emotional, mental, and spiritual strength
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If we can prove to ourselves that the true power is getting back up, we can prove to others that success isn't only for the smart, talented, or well-connected. No matter how many times we fall, our real power comes from when we get back up. Get up, live full, and die empty. |
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How to Have Your Life Not Suck: Becoming Today Who You Want to Be Tomorrow |
Do you ever just want someone to help you figure life out--to tell you how to win at work, what guys to stay away from, and what jeans rock your body shape? This book is the perfect cocktail of sass and down-to-earth guidance to navigate your way to the life you want to live. With so much information at your fingertips, real success, good dates, and true friendships can often feel out of reach. Packed with lessons learned from her own mistakes and heartache, Bianca Juarez Olthoff is your guide (minus the cargo shorts and tacky hat) in avoiding unnecessary detours on the path to your best self. With her signature wit, engaging stories, and brilliant insights from a counselor friend, Bianca gives spot-on advice for adulting, career, relationships, and faith. Following the biblical story of Ruth and Naomi, Bianca's humorous and honest anecdotes will empower you to create a successful life and discover all you can be. |
+ FREE shipping on all orders over $35 | Fulfill your God-given calling and Kingdom purpose |
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| Play with Fire Study Guide |
| Play with Fire Video Study |
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Using the mythical creature, the Phoenix, which was also referenced by early church leaders, she parallels this story with God's work in her own life, highlighting the beauty of reinvention with fire as both the impetus and the method for change. Olthoff reminds us that we serve a God who is redemptive and can take the worst situations and use them for His glory. Play With Fire is a Bible-infused message that will help women discover: - The way out of the middle is moving forward
- The personal and powerful nature of the Holy Spirit
- The power and sacrifice of transformation
- The unique calling and purpose of life involves transformation
With Olthoff's distinct style, strong storytelling gifts, and powerful bible teaching, Play with Fire will remind readers that God has huge dreams for them. In Bianca's words, "He's whispering in the wind and speaking through the fire and shouting in silence the extraordinary dream He is birthing in you. His dream for you is far greater than the dream you have for yourself. It's not your identity or income or influence that will make this happen. Like Zechariah 4:6 says, "'It's not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord." It's time to play with fire. |
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Prepare your heart for Christmas |
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Jesus Calling for Christmas |
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this devotion with someone who needs it today |
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