Are You Trying to Measure Up?

Here’s the fifth of six testimonies I promised you in the previous post from one of my Lifestyle of Learning™ mom friends who went through the five mini coaching programs “Making Heart-Level Connections”.

After reading Catherine’s thoughts about her life, I’d like to encourage you to check out the short introductory video at the bottom of this post. It’s only 15 minutes long, and along with my own commentary, you will get to hear the voices of several moms openly sharing their thoughts with you. My team and I wanted to make it as easy as possible for you to hear this message, so if you’d rather read the contents of the video instead of watching it, you can download the script here.

Here’s what Catherine D. says about her life since participating in the coaching programs:

“God has used these programs to re-program me. It’s as if I’d gone through life having a knowledge of these great truths but not really understanding them. Like looking through a camera at the Grand Canyon but never putting the camera down to see the real thing. Going through these programs was like putting the camera down. God’s ways have become so practical to me. I have become quick to repent when I’ve reacted unloving and I also don’t yell like I used to. The Lord has been so gracious to show me His love, kindness and grace through all of this journey. I feel as though I’ve found where I belong! I now feel VERY connected to the desires God has given me and know that He will bring them to pass.

I’ve been letting go of false standards like the impulse to do things just because someone asks me to, and I do not make choices based on what other people think as much anymore. I’ve also come to see that I was placing wrong expectations on my family members, and I’ve been removing those, so that my family is able to feel love and grace, and they are coming to trust me more.

Since I am now connecting with the Lord in a more real way, I have received instruction from Him about stepping out of certain relationships, stepping into certain relationships, holding back when I think I should rush forward, and staying home when I’ve thought we should be going somewhere. In all of these things I’ve been practicing obedience. It has given me more trust in the Lord, because I’ve seen so many times when I thought what He was asking was completely against what should happen, then days, weeks or moments later, I could see how His plan was so much better. Now when I understand the Spirit is prompting me to do something, I feel much less hesitation about doing it.

This has brought change in my relationships because I’m not dictated by others or what things they think I should be doing. I am able to focus on my family or whatever else God calls us to do and I’ve seen our relationships thrive with that focused attention. I will be treasuring and growing from these programs for years to come!” ~ Catherine D

Can You Identify with Catherine?

If you are like Catherine, you may have felt like you needed to measure up to the false expectations of others while neglecting the work God wanted to do in you and your family. You may have at times felt torn between what it seems your family needs and what others think you ought to be doing, but never knew how to discern where God was leading you to focus your efforts. As a result, you may have never realized some of your heart’s desires. God wants a close relationship with you so He can bring you to the place of receiving all He has for you, just like He is doing with Catherine.

True Desires

True desires easily get mixed up and confused with a host of man’s ideas and somehow they get lost or buried. Just like He helped Catherine, God wants to help you sort out what is from Him and what isn’t! He is intimately acquainted with your desires, and is involved with your heart, placing there the desires for His specific will for your life in thoughts, words, deeds, and purposes. Psalm 37:4-5 tells us that He wants to help you to realize your desires, “Trust in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart, commit your ways to the Lord, trust also in Him and He will bring it to pass.” It’s interesting to note that the English word “desire” comes from the Latin, meaning “from the heavens”—or we could say “from the Father.” Wow!

Isn’t it just amazing to think that God Himself so influences your heart with the desires—those deepest longings—He wants for your life, even before you know Him! All of His works that He has prepared for you and me are made in love for exactly what our current need is, for how ready we are to receive each particular work toward knowing Him and apprehending His promises. The Lord’s work is so personal, and He gently prepares you to receive His hand in your life just like He did for me so I could be free to seek Him.

Such a wonderful God and loving Heavenly Father we have! The Lord wants you to come to trust Him for the deepest longings of your heart. Here is another promise to fill you with hope from John 17:7: “…But if you make yourselves at home with Me and My words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.”

You can be inspired to learn the source and origin of true desire, and encouraged to awaken any repressed desire. You can come to understand four primary disconnects you may be experiencing in your search for reality and identity in Christ so you can come into experiencing the security that belongs to Christ’s own….. (This is an excerpt from the free article, “Your Hope Inspired”–You can sign up below to read or listen to an audio of it in entirety.)

Continue reading the testimonies here. And don’t forget to go get your complimentary gifts from me! There’s an article and my own personal testimony that you can get in pdf to read or as an audio if you’d prefer listening.

My Newest Book—Empowering the Transfer of Moral Values and Faith

Don’t forget to check out my newest book Empowering the Transfer of Moral Values and Faith. Go here to learn more about it:

http://transfermoralvalues.com

So grateful to be in the Lord’s service,
Marilyn Howshall for Lifestyle of Learning™ Ministries

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