Tag Archives: change

Seeing Elevens?

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For quite some time, it seemed as though 11, 111, and 1111 were showing up everywhere. I would wake up at night, glance at the clock and it was 1:11. I would drive down the highway, glance over at the mile marker and it was 111. I would look at the top of the book I was reading and it was page 111. It got to where almost every time I looked at the clock there was 11, either 11:00 or 11:11 or 2:11 or 9:11, et cetera. I also saw elevens on building and license plates and cash register receipts. I recently received a prophetic word by email sent at 1:11 and another strategic one yesterday at 1:11.

I haven’t been looking for elevens. This is just a phenomenon I have noticed with seasons of increasingly regularity for a few years.

Maybe you have noticing how frequently you see elevens and have been curious too. Continue reading →

Repackaging and Reinvention

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A couple of weeks ago, I was out for an evening walk and began to ponder the topic of reinvention.

From time to time, we hear of a well-known performer, often a singer, who is said to have “reinvented” him- or herself. Upon a closer look, we see that the whereas the singer may have changed hair color and style, costume, or even the genre of music (now country as opposed to rock, for example), there has been no fundamental change in who or what he or she does– still singing, but just in a new package.

Businesses and celebrities repackage often as a way to update their image or appeal to a new crowd, but when it comes down to it, it’s the same content with a nice new package.

On the other hand, some people have genuinely reinvented themselves. Continue reading →

A Flying Caterpillar

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By David Alsobrook

A fuzzy caterpillar was crawling on a tree limb munching on green leaves. He noticed birds flying in the air and something intuitively said to him: One day you will fly! He knows this came from The Creator and believes it in his caterpillar heart, but his caterpillar mind gets it tangled up somehow. He envisions himself as a Flying Caterpillar!

He begins to get sleepy and notices ooze coming from his body. Next thing he knows is he is in a dark place, a warm cocoon. And then disaster strikes: his body begins dissolving in that dark, wet place. “Oh no!” the fuzzy caterpillar cries, “I am losing my fuzziness, my greenness, my caterpillar-ness! This is horrible! Why is The Creator causing this to happen to me? He promised me wings, but instead I’m A MESS!” Continue reading →

Spiritual Evolution

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True spiritual evolution starts with a divine dissatisfaction with our current status. Recognition of our need for the Savior initially led us to becoming born again.

From that point on, we grew and made spiritual progress. Yet, when our journey led us to a wall, we grew increasingly appalled at the disparity between the promises of the Word and what was our current experience. The abundant life Jesus promised was only partially understood or incorporated into everyday life. We knew deep down we were falling short of the promise. Continue reading →

Maneuvering the Fog

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Driving early one morning through the Georgia foothills, it was evident this would not be a sight-seeing trip. The heavy fog enveloped us so that only the immediate road and signage was visible.

Watching for the correct numbered exit was the primary focus, even as the lack of scenic surroundings and need to drive more slowly made the distance between exits seem longer than usual.

Without opportunity to see and appreciate the green hills and waterways, we concentrated on the highway and the traffic.  Eventually as the morning wore on, the fog began to dissipate and our visibility increased. Continue reading →

Lean Into This Season

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It was a difficult time of upheaval, change,uncertainty, and loss mixed with abandonment. Then I heard the Lord speak to my heart:

“Lean into this season.”

At the time, I was resisting the circumstances, suffering from the pain I felt so deeply, questioning and doubting myself.

To me, this meant to accept what was. I was not going to get all the answers I wanted. There were so many things I was powerless to change, yet I wanted things to be different than what they were.

Many other times I have seen the power of prayer and faith-filled words bring a turn-around to negative situations.  However, this time it was not so much resisting evil, as it was resisting change.
 Continue reading →

The Grace of Transformation by David Alsobrook

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By David Alsobrook

“It is possible to enjoy heaven on earth now. There is no need to suffer inwardly no matter what so-called ‘life’ throws at you. Your happiness is not dependent upon the happenings taking place in the surface realm of your existence, but only in the quality of your soul’s submission to the will of God, moment by moment,throughout each day.”
~ David Alsobrook

From You Can Be Free From Yourself!:
The Grace of Transformation
It was transformation. It had happened by God’s work within me, as I sat passively in His Presence. To put it another way, this work of transforming me had been all His work, not mine. The Holy Spirit did the actual transformation within my soul as He applied the benefits procured by the Cross. Should transformation occur within your soul, it will be as profound and unique to you as mine was to me. It is beyond the ability of words to convey the state of peace that is given to you in transformation. It is all grace, all love, all peace, all God.

Transformation was a death – an ending of “me” that was not the true me. This other “me” had been hurting for a half century. Continue reading →

Coaching Clients Past Setbacks by Finding Values

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The client sat downcast. “I know I said I wanted to, but I am having trouble sticking to the plan. Here I go again. One more attempt to make a real positive change and then another brick wall!”

At times, a client seems to be his own worst enemy. He started well, but ran out of enthusiasm or confidence along the way. The “why” seems weak in the face of the discouraging results or boredom or painful experiences.

It reminds me of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 7:15: For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
 Continue reading →

Forged Values

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When it comes to ice cream, you may have a personal preference of vanilla over chocolate, but, allergies aside, it really will not make a difference which you choose.

However for the important decisions of life– choosing a church home, a career, a partner–there are reasons why one choice is more personally appealing than another. The reason is personal values, those non-negotiables in life where the line is drawn by us. Values provide the reasons why we do what we do. Continue reading →

When Your Call Changes

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Seasons come and go, whether we want them to do so or not. It is far better to adapt to colder temperatures with heavier clothing rather than to wish for summer and shiver. How often people resist the change of seasons and remember with longing the way things used to be!

We can learn something from the birds. They know when it is time to migrate. They are called to the South and months later, they are called to the North.

Continue reading →

Is Something Missing? Awakening Your Desire for Positive Change

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In the Biblical book of Genesis is the story of creation. God created the heavens and the earth, and Adam to live in the Garden of Eden.  Adam had everything he needed and was content and happy.

Then God said it was not good for man to be alone and that He would make a helper for Adam. God knew Adam had a missing part of his life, but Adam did not, so God began to create a situation which would indirectly reveal it to him.

Interestingly, the action God took was to first make animals and bring them to Adam to see what he would name them. As the animals came, I believe they came to him male and female, causing Adam to note the difference between a lion and lioness, a rooster and a hen, a bull and a cow. These examples stood in contrast to Adam who did not have a mate. As all of the animals came to be named, God was awakening a desire in Adam for a mate, whom He subsequently made and presented to him. Continue reading →

Crabs in the Bucket?

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Many people living near the ocean enjoy crabbing as well as fishing. Once the first crab is caught, it is placed in a bucket and is likely to crawl out. However, when a second crab is placed in the bucket, the crab-catcher knows that neither will escape. The reason is that when one crab will attempt to crawl out, the other one will pull it other back down. Neither crab will allow the other to get out.

The crab is not getting out itself, but it does not want the other one to get out either! So both stay in the bucket and become somebody’s lunch.

Continue reading →

The Power of Decision

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Are you on hold? Wishing and hoping?

What kind of life are you waiting to have?

“Someday my prince will come.”
“Someday my ship will come in.”
“Someday I will be happy.”
“I’m just waiting on God.”

Did that last statement bother you? Numerous people use that last one as an excuse for why they don’t have what they want now.

Continue reading →

Seasons of Change

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“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” (Eccl. 3:1)

Just as the earth experiences the change of seasons, so do we, spiritually speaking.

In the spring of our walk with the Lord, everything is fresh and alive. We were born again into spring, as spring lambs, to whom every day is warm sunshine in the love of God, and refreshing showers of joy in the Holy Spirit. Life is exciting and couldn’t be better! Then the seasons begin to change and summer appears. It is a time of much work and the promise of harvest. The days are long and glorious. We begin to mature and gain strength, walking in authority and spiritual gifts. At this time, we begin to take on the characteristics of mature sheep, bearing wool, producing for the Master. It is a time of exhilaration in the things of God.

But somehow, in all of our growth and learning, we didn’t yet understand about the seasons of the Lord, even though nature and the Scriptures teach it. We didn’t know that autumn and winter were coming… Continue reading →

A Foolish Consistency

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Surrounded by guests at his birthday banquet, King Herod swore to the dancing girl that he would give her whatever she wanted, even up to half his kingdom. Prompted by her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

Grieved at her request, but because his oath was made in front of all his guests, he agreed. And John was killed.

Keeping your promise or staying with your original decision is a usually a good idea. Far too many promises are made and broken these days.

But sometimes the initial decision, like Herod’s, is faulty. For many people, it’s just easier to stay with the first decision, rather than go to the trouble of attempting a new solution. Additionally, the desire to save face and avoid embarrassment fights against admitting that a change is now needed. This is pride and foolish consistency.

Continue reading →

Metamorphosis

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God has a plan for each and every one of us! And the plans of God are always going to include change and transformation! We can observe in God’s creation how a caterpillar goes through tremendous metamorphosis into a butterfly– and understanding God’s processes of change can give us faith to trust and go through it and come out beautiful on the other side!

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Understanding Transition

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We all go through seasons of transition. Transition– the process of change from one thing to another– is a necessary process in which God ordains for us in order to be fully conformed to His image. In order for us to go from the promise to the manifestation, we must go through transition.

Transition has a fair amount of uncertainty, and can be painful and disappointing. God intends for us to learn, and unlearn some things as we go through transition.

The keys to successfully getting through our transition is to get the message of what God is having you learn, and to respond properly. As we seek the Lord and the comfort of the Scriptures, we will see the end result of transition.

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