by Julia M. Bruce,
Can you imagine the following conversation:
God: “I want you to pack up all you own and move you and your family to a land that I will show you. I have a task for you”
Me: “Ok, God.” [I pull out my phone and open the Waze GPS app] “Where are we going?”
God: “You don’t need to know that yet.”
Me: “Well….yes….God, I do. How else will I know how to get there?”
God: “I will show you.”
Me: “You mean, you want me to pack up everything I own and leave my family and go where I don’t know where I’m going?”
God: “Yes.”
Me: “What will my family say?”
God: “Does it matter?”
Me: [Quiet for a moment] “Well, how far away God? I don’t want to go too far away from family. It will be fine as long as I can make quick trips back home.”
God: “I will show you.”
Me: “Will there be snow? I don’t really like the cold. You know cold makes those old injuries hurt.”
God: “I will show you.”
Me: “What about money? I have to work and pay the bills, provide the insurance”
God: “I will supply all you need.”
Me: “I will miss my family.”
God: “My grace is sufficient.”
Me: “What if I can’t do what you’re asking me to do?”
God: “You can do all things through me because I will strengthen you.”
Me: “What if I fail?”
God: “I can do anything but fail.”
Me: “But God, this task is overwhelming and beyond what I can do.”
God: “Nothing is impossible for me.”
Have you had any similar conversations with God? Abraham had a similar experience. Hebrews 11:8-9 says, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise.” We find the account of the conversation between Abraham and God in Genesis 12.
The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.
There is no record of a conversation where Abraham asked questions…he simply obeyed. He stepped out on faith. Faith requires obedience. (Click to tweet) Faith requires us to have a deep conviction that God will keep his promises and do what He says He will do. It requires us to have complete and utter trust in His faithfulness, that His words are true. It requires us to believe that the impossible task He has given us to do is possible through Him when we do what he tells us to do. Abraham simply believed. He didn’t question God. He didn’t seek out an appointment with his pastor to discuss his travel plans. He just went. He had faith that God would see him safely to the destination God had chosen.
The simple truth is, if God is calling us to do something and we choose not to obey Him, then we do not have faith that God will provide and protect us. Faith requires action and that action is obedience to God’s will and plan – exactly as God reveals it to us. (Click to tweet) We can’t follow part of the plan and ignore others. Faith requires total and complete obedience.
Maybe it’s your age that keeps you from being obedient to what God is telling you to do. Did you notice that Abraham was 75 years old when he left? If you are still breathing and have a pulse, then God isn’t finished with you yet. (Click to tweet) What is He asking you to do?
While Abraham was obedient and acted with faith, Moses had to get through all of his excuses before He obeyed God. Even after the experience of the burning bush, Moses still gave God excuses:
- “But I’m not qualified, God” (Exodus 3:11). If you remember, Moses was raised by the Egyptian princess and when he saw the Egyptian taskmaster, beating a fellow Israelite, he stepped in and tried to do things his own way. He killed the Egyptian and became wanted for murder. He had to run for his life. So now, when God’s timing was right for the task, Moses feels like a failure. The good news is that God can use our failures to mold us into the person He needs us to be to complete the task He calls us to do. (click to tweet) When Moses ran away, he became a shepherd. God used these years to teach him all about shepherding – skills he would learn in shepherding God’s people. (Somehow I think before it was all done, Moses found out that shepherding sheep was way more easy than shepherding God’s chosen people!) If you are using the excuse of not being qualified to avoid doing what God is calling you to do, allow God to use any failures in your life as teaching grounds to make you ready for the God-sized dream He has called you to do.
- “But I don’t know enough, God.” (Exodus 3:12). Moses wasn’t focusing on God and what God could do through him. He was focusing on himself and all that he lacked to accomplish what God had planned. When God calls us to a task (even the ones that seem impossible), He will be with us, equip us, and give us everything we need, the moment we need it. Remember that God is the I AM and the I AM is sending you to do what He’s asking you to do. You know all you need to know for this moment in time. (Click to tweet)
- “But, I don’t have the right abilities.” (Exodus 4:11). Moses tried to tell God (the one that made his mouth) that he was slow of speech. God’s response: “Who made the human mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.” What abilities do you think you lack to do what God is telling you to do? God says that nothing is impossible for Him and whatever abilities you think you lack are of no consequence to what God wants to do through you. (click to tweet)
The fact is that God likes to call us to do what we think we are not qualified to do, know enough about how to do it, and lack the abilities needed to do it. Why? Because then He gets all the glory when He accomplishes what man perceives to be the impossible. (click to tweet) We can surrender to Him what we feel we lack and step out in faith, like Abraham, and do what he tells us to do, in total and complete obedience – without asking questions – because we know that God’s plans for us are only good plans – plans that will give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). We can step out in faith, because we can trust God to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).
So what is God asking you to do? Will you offer Him excuses or faith-filled obedience? Will you be a Moses or an Abraham?
#Hebrews #byfaith #faithfilledobedience #WCM
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BOOKING NOW! Be a host site for the NEW God, Love & Marshmallow Wars Book Tour & Couples Conference:
This event helps couples understand why the daily activities found in the book will equip them to build a stronger marriage and the book provides them with 365 intentional activities to take what they learn at the event and apply it on a daily basis. Through the event, couples will discover the Biblical “why” behind the categories of activities found in the book and the “how” these activities are important to building a stronger marriage. Focus points of the event includes :
- How memorizing scripture together and studying God’s Word together as they study, meditate and apply scriptures related to marriage and life issues will help them develop marriages that honor God.
- Why utilizing fun conversation starters that spark meaningful conversations will keep interest alive as they continually learn new things about each other.
- Why keeping romance alive is essential to intimacy and connectivity.
- How making memories and working together builds relationship investment bonds and how these investment bonds can become the knots that keeps them together through the tough times.
- How they can understand what they are or are not contributing to the marriage as well as how they might be contributing to problems or potential problems within the relationship through the use of targeted, intentional personal reflections
- Why it is important that couples never stop dating and how group dates with Christian friends can be both an encouragement and accountability to their own relationship.
During the event, couples will be given an activity from each focus point to do together, making this event an interactive, fun, and engaging event with practical, hands-on learning. Unlike other couple events that are over when the event ends, couples who attend the GLMW event will be able to apply what they learn when utilizing the book on a daily basis for a year. Since the book is not dated, couples are able to reuse the activities year after year to continue being intentional in strengthening their relationship with each other and with God as they strive to live out God’s design for marriage every day.
Learn more about hosting this event at your church or conference site by clicking here.
About the book: The GLMW book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. Click here to purchase your copy. (This link will open a new widow and take you to Westbow Press’ bookstore.) It is also available at Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble
#GLMW #couplesevent #GLMWbook #intentionalmarriage #Godlymarriage
T-shirt Fundraiser Event: We have a new product line of Christian apparel and accessories available in our Teespring Store and our new Spreadshop Store. You’ll find tee shirts, hoodies, tanks, socks, leggings, tote bags, mugs, iphone cases and more.
The designs below have been added to our Spreadshop Store for the Thanksgiving Holidays! We will be adding them to the Teespring Store throughout the week this week. Order today because it will be gone soon as we gear up for the upcoming Holidays. Christmas items available soon.
Spreadshop is offering a 20% discount on everything from November 13-16
All proceeds go to the advancement of Wellspring Christian Ministries.
Thank you for helping us grow!
Click here to view the Teespring store.
Click here to view the Spreadshop Store
#fundraiser #tshirt #WCM #teespring #spreadshop #Thanksgiving
Looking for a keynote speaker for your next ministry event? Julia is now booking for 2019 and 2020 Christian events for women’s and couples’ ministries for both small and large events.
Book with us now.
Julia is CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people and couples develop a passionate relationship with God. A public speaker, conference trainer, event planner, and blog writer, Julia is a two-time graduate from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor in Psychology and a masters in Professional Counseling. Saved as a child and raised in church and in a Christian home and private Christian School as a Pastor’s kid, Julia has taught Sunday school, led music, played the piano, served as Children’s Director, and engaged her gifts in many other areas of church life. Previously employed with the Florida Baptist Convention, Julia organized events and led conferences for church ministry assistants. Today, Julia enjoys sharing her journey as a growing Christian with others looking for a deeper connection with God. Through Bible study and her own life experiences, God has given Julia a passion to help couples understand God’s design for marriage while they learn to place God first in their marriage, cultivate meaningful relationships, build intimacy, and address the tougher issues that come in every marriage so that they can experience a marriage that honors and glorifies God. Julia also loves mentoring, teaching, and working with women to help them learn to live as Godly women.
With her history and experience growing up in both small and large churches, Julia enjoys bringing top level quality events to churches of all sizes. Her father largely pastored small churches and therefore she understands that these vital parts of the believing community need to be good stewards of the resources God provides them with. This knowledge inspires her passion for being available with a fresh perspective for those who want to provide their congregations with meaningful spiritual growth opportunities, regardless of size.
To request more information or a booking,
fill out the online form here.
Or call us at 904.524.8073
#JuliaBruce #speaker #keynote #author
Wellspring receives an 8% commission for any item purchased
at CBD through any of these links.
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Thankful Blessed and Pumpkin Spice Obsessed Stick Plaque
Special sentiment on skinny strip of pine wood
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Harvest Blessings Jute Hanging Decor
Add personality to any space you call your own with pine slat wood sign
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Have A Blessed Day Candle
Jar candle 26 ounce size
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Family Table Runner
Poly linen table runner 72″ x 13″
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Gather Together Table Runner
Table runner adds the finishing touch to your dining room or eating area. Crafted of 100% cotton, it’s equally at home in country, cottage, or contemporary rooms.
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Taste And See, Salt And Pepper Shaker Set
White ceramic salt and pepper set with tray, right at home in your kitchen or on your dining table.Scripture verse quotes in uspcale font design.
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Gather Here Platter
Oval ceramic platter
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Give Thanks Round Platter
Glass Fusion ® art platter designed by Lori Siebert in vibrant and artful style to your fall table. Give thanks in swirling font; 13″ round platter.Handwash only; not intended for microwave.Distinctive technique of colroed glass and iridescent metallic finish. For entertaining and celebrating all year round. |
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Give Thanks Light Box
Add warmth to your room decor with plug-in light box framed design
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So Very Thankful Incredibly Grateful And Unbelievably Blessed, Pallet Art
Rustic wall decor made of natural pine slats; simple yet refined accent for your home.
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Harvest Blessings Ceramic Vase
Ceramic gift vase in creamy white
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Give Thanks Ceramic Crock with Candle
Ceramic crock in farmhouse style with pumpkin motif
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But First Coffee House Sign
Shaped structures in wood with decorative architectural details and words of inspiration
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Fall Wreath Door Hanger
Fall door decor creates a warm welcome to your home
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Thankful & Blessed Door Mat
Seasonal doormat to welcome fall
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Thankful Pumpkins, Tea Towel
Tea towel with appliqued stacked pumpkins
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God’s Starting Point Mug
True and Write Gift Collection in bold font design
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Gather Here Pie Place
Pie plate in black and white; Gather Here Collection
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