Tag: strength

Christ My Strength

Christ My Strength

Carolyn

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

Most mornings, I wake up with a song in my head. It’s surprising how often the song is exactly what I need. A little bit of manna to start the day!

This morning, Katy Nichole’s Song “My God Can” was ringing in my mind. It reminded me of Philippians 4:13 at this part of the song:

I can do all things, all things, through Christ who gives me strength.
I can do all things, all things, cause His Spirit lives in me.

I came down for my coffee and came across this mug (pictured at the top of this post) that I had pulled forward from the back of the cabinet a day or two ago. On April 25, 2012, I spoke at the Women’s Bible Study brunch that wraps up our yearlong Bible study at church. It was my testimony of Christ as our strength, my Rock! That same day was “Administrative Professionals Day,” which I didn’t even know existed! But my boss and his wife had a gift on my desk that morning that included this mug with Philippians 4:13 on it! As my friend would say, it was a “God wink”! Christ my strength, the focus of my talk, now highlighted on the mug, encouraging me for the talk I was about to give.

Walking with my coffee then to get my Bible and read this morning, singing the song, holding the mug, I found myself out of the blue repeating the five statement pledge of faith from Beth Moore’s Bible study Believing God that I did back in 2005. I haven’t thought about those words in a very long time, but they say, “God is who He says He is, God can do what He says He can do, I am who God says I am, I can do all things through Christ, God’s Word is alive and active in me, I’m believing God.” I wondered why I was saying that. And I realized “I can do all things through Christ” is the verse from Philippians 4:13!

I always loved that pledge of faith because it first tells me who God is and what He can do, then who I am and what I can do through Him, then gives a reminder that His Word is alive and active in me as I study it, and concludes that based on those things, I can trust and believe God. I will believe God because He is trustworthy and able to be believed. It strengthens my faith to believe Him more.

Whatever we are going through in life today, we can believe God for those situations, every single one of them: “I’m believing God.” Based on that testimony of faith, I can bring Him all my needs and trust that, as Katy Nichole sang, my God can! And I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. Rest in this truth today!

My Testimony: His Strength in My Weakness

My Testimony: His Strength in My Weakness

Carolyn

Have you ever wondered if you matter?

Have you ever wondered if you can be sure that you are “saved” (rescued from sin by Christ’s death and resurrection) and have eternal life?

Those were questions that plagued me for most of my life.

In December, I was invited to give my testimony.  It was recorded, and I share it below.

I would far prefer to write. Public speaking takes me out of my comfort zone. In fact, I told my husband on the way over it felt like I was going to surgery!

The title for my testimony was “His Strength in My Weakness” which I again experienced that night. That truth (from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)—and that we live this life by the power of His Spirit working in us—is my life song. Weakness is my platform. That’s really all I have to bring—nothing in me, all in Christ.

At my husband’s encouragement, I’m sharing it here. This is not an easy thing to do. I offer it with only a desire to point to Jesus, and a prayer that it might somehow be used for His glory.

Highlights from the Week

Highlights from the Week

Carolyn

Just need a place to capture some encouragements from this week.

I was invited to share my testimony at Koinonia House National Ministries‘ Radical Time Out (RTO). RTO is a weekly dinner and Bible study. It was humbling and such a gift to share. My mom, husband, and friends gathered at the end to pray. This was a special time I pray God uses for His glory. So much is represented in this picture to me, more than I can describe. My heart is full. Thank you, Lord, for being my strength in weakness.

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Then this song has ministered to me this week. I don’t want to forget.

Then lastly, these verses offer me hope, encouragement to trust in the Lord for the coming days even as I wait on Him. He gives strength to the weary, new strength to those who wait, trust, and hope in Him.

Isaiah 40:28-31:

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Ten Years!

Carolyn

Ten years ago, God drew me to Himself in a way I hadn’t known before. I wrote this seven years ago, but link to it here today as I remember with thankfulness the work God has done and continues to do in my life. Thank you, Lord! The journey with you is full of true joy!

 

Verse for the Day – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Carolyn

Have you ever felt like you can’t do it? You can’t live the Christian life well? It’s just too hard?

Or why not just keep going like things are—isn’t that good enough? Do we really need to try to do better? or be better? And is that even possible in a world stained by sin? Can we possibly improve ourselves, much less make a positive difference in this world?

If you’ve ever struggled with these things, those questions, then I think you are in a really good place. Does that sound strange? What?! Feeling as though I can’t do it is a good place to be? Wouldn’t it be better to feel like I am competent and able and strong and doing really well?

I introduce you today to my life verses, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

Paul has been talking about a thorn in his flesh that was given to him, and he had pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from him.

“And He [the Lord] said to me [Paul], ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefor I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (NKJV)

Think about that. God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. If we could do it all, if we had all it takes, why would we need Him? But when we wrestle in our Christian walk of faith, when we see this is too much, it’s too hard, it’s when we begin to realize, yes, it’s too hard! But not for Christ! He is strong, He is greater than it all, and He is able by the power of His Holy Spirit to work in you for his good pleasure, your great joy and good, and His glory.

See your inability, your weakness, not as something to discourage you, but to lead you to Christ. He does still call us to act and obey, to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12), to “put off” sin and “put on” godliness (Col. 3), but He will help us. Keep calling out to Him for help.

He forgives us when we repent (1 John 1:9). He hears us when we cry. He answers us when we call. Let Him give you His strength to live each day. Sometimes it may be up and down and hard, but keep looking to Him, keep seeking Him, keep believing He is able and will lead you. Let His strength help you in your weakness.

We can’t live this life in our own strength. (We can try, we may feel we can for a bit, but it will always fail!)  When we understand and see the truth and beauty of that reality, then we are able to accept something which is so much better: we live this life in His strength, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we come to You this day acknowledging our sinfulness and the things that so easily beset us and discourage us. Help us to give up ourselves and turn to You who is able to keep us from falling and is able to give us the strength that we need to obey and follow You with great joy. We are human, we surely fail, but we have You, our God who is greater than all our sin, who rejoices when we repent, who waits patiently for us, and who will supply us with all we need for life and godliness. We love and praise You this day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.