The Flourishing Note

Welcome to The Flourishing Note, created to serve as an extension of the God Shaped blog. I wanted to establish a space to encourage you in practical ways, in addition to reading the devotionals.  By personalizing present events and sharing the real and raw things going on, I hope to cultivate connection, inspire, and strengthen our relationships in the Lord! We are not alone doing life!!!

A verse to think on: “You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.”  Psalm 65:11 NLT

I ran across this beautiful verse for the first time last year. It stirred up my heart and strengthened my faith. For a while, every time I read it, I would weep. You see, I tend to get tunnel vision when life is challenging. I wonder if any good is going on in the hard, messy parts of life. Do you wonder about the same thing when you are smack dab in the middle of pain?  This verse encourages us to take stock of all God’s abundance, provision, and care, even with challenges, because the truth is that God doesn’t change; he is still God and still sovereign! If I am honest, I don’t like it when things are outside of my control, even though that is reality. I don’t like pain, yet it has forced me to look closer for God’s personal presence in my life. The other day, I had a confirmation conversation with my best friend. I confided in her about the incredible, heart-wrenching situation my family is going through. With much love and understanding in her voice, she said, “We are thriving and struggling, we all are, it is part of life.” I love that struggling and thriving coexist; understanding this helped me put life into perspective.

 My favorite song right now: Be Alright

What a great song to praise the Lord, “There is a name that can silence every fear, there is a love that embraces the heartache, the pain, and the tears. Through my faith and my doubting, I know one thing for sure, his words are unfailing and His promise secure.” I can also identify with, “Give me faith to believe you are on my side, open my eyes to see you are working in my life, let the past remind me you never fail, and tell my soul it is well.”

Oh my, do these lyrics pierce my soul as I am trusting God through many things. I hope this awesome song encourages your faith as well!

Do you need to tell yourself or someone that everything will be alright?

FLOURISH:

Three questions to ask yourself and reflect on:

1. How are you doing? Do we ever pause and ask ourselves this important question?After reflecting on this question, I realized that, for the most part, given all that has brought me to my knees over the last several months, I am doing well! However, I have noticed that when life gets hectic, I can fall back into bad habits like isolating, overindulging, and resorting to an anxious mindset. Pausing long enough to ask myself, how am I doing, helped me to notice and evaluate things that are not working or areas that need attention. It is as simple as recognizing that I need time alone with the Lord, a date with a friend, a good laugh, or maybe a facial to regroup.
2. How can you support the people in your life and the challenges they face? In my early twenties, I was diagnosed with GAD, generalized anxiety disorder. I hate labels, but sometimes it helps to put a name to what you are going through. Even though that was an awful season, it can still pop up at the worst times. I believe the word of God and the tools I learned during that season have instilled tenderness in me. Tenderness is the support I can offer to the people in my life.
3. What are some things you need to let go of, and what are some things you need to begin? In other words, where have the healthy boundaries in your life become blurry and need some refining?  I am in continued prayer over this question. I find myself defining and refining my needs and concerns in this new season of my life. I decided to create a yes and no list that protects my time and priorities better, gathering nourishment from the right source. I plan to fine-tune some self-discipline strategies that support my spiritual, physical health, and overall wellness.

I hope these questions interest you and you will consider answering them, even though the questions are hard.

Books I am reading:

The Bible:

The Bible is the inspired word of God. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

WOW! I have been reading the Bible for 20 years, but I wanted to read it with new eyes and pray that the word of God opens my heart up to see something fresh that He wants to teach me. God’s word changes lives. Friends, God’s word restores and renews.

Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow:

Calm My Anxious Heart has a 12-week Bible study included. Who is this book for? Every woman!!! Linda Dillow has a heart for women and their unique struggles. I love how she talks about being a mother, her struggle to completely trust her children to God. From complaining, worrying and everything in between, Linda Dillow understands.  As I have mentioned already, anxiety is something I have dealt with most of my life. Thanks be to God who has delivered me from the many struggles. He picks me up when I fall prey to being worried and anxious.

 If you have dealt with anxiety, you will love the chapter, Trusting God with the What Ifs, page 157.  Linda describes the “ifs” as diseases. She says, “Did you know there are spiritual diseases? Two of the deadliest are the ‘if’ diseases: “What if and if only.”  These illnesses are fraternal twins, alike but not alike. Both lack the eyes of faith. “What If” looks to the future and worries about what God might allow. “If only,” looks at the past and grumbles about what God has given. The first leads to anxiety and the second leads to anger.”

Although this chapter seems blunt, sometimes we need to hear a tough love message.

The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life by Bruce Wilkinson:

It is hard to put down the little prayer of Jabez book. Bruce Wilkinson is an energetic storyteller. You can sense his passion for Christ, others, and living an extraordinary life in everyday little ways.  Throughout the book, Bruce explains in depth the prayer of Jabez. You can find the prayer of Jabez in the Bible: 1 Chronicles 4:10

One thing that stood out to me in the book was Bruce’s thoughts on dependence. We are taught to be independent, which personally has left me undone. I’ve been learning for years that dependence on God is not weakness, but instead, my perfect, peaceful sweet spot. Bruce explains it well when he says, “Ask every day for the father’s touch. Because for the Christian, dependence is just another word for power.” AMEN!!!

My favorite exercise right now:

Prayer Walk: If this is the first time you have heard of a prayer walk, you are in for a real treat. Walking is good for you, but prayer is even better!!!  A prayer walk is a walk and conversation with God. You can do it alone or with others. It’s a time to reflect, praise, listen, and pray. If I am with others, we talk, and then I pray for them as I am led. If I am on a prayer walk alone, I pray for my neighbors as I pass their homes. I cry out to God over all that concerns me. God helps me to see what I need to be doing and what I need to hand over to and trust Him with. A prayer walk will cultivate a peaceful mind, develop a relationship with God, and help you discern better.

Favorite word: Mindfulness

What a powerful word. Learning to be in the present moment has helped me eliminate a lot of anxiety.  Dictionary.com Mindfulness definition: “The quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.

 Merriam Webster: “Mindfulness is a state of being present. The practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.”  

I find that when I choose mindfulness, I am in the moment and able to respond to life instead of reacting.

Someone inspiring: Meet Cyndi Heppner

Photo of Cyndi and Razi

Meet my friend Cyndi. Not only is she someone inspirational, but I knew she had a story to share that would encourage, draw others closer to Christ, and offer helpful insight into spiritual and emotional wellness. Cyndi is a child of God, wife, mother of two beautiful daughters, and one grandbaby. She loves serving the Lord, spending time with family, riding her horses, and caring for her chickens. Cyndi is a lifelong learner and holds a degree in Psychology, with an emphasis in Christian counseling and life coaching.

Originally, I set out to get Cyndi’s insight on a couple of questions revolving around boundaries, but our discussion led to much more. I was blessed by our heartfelt conversation, which included her journey to being closer to God and relying on Him for everything while navigating life through an unexpected divorce. After 15 years of marriage, she found herself faced with so many unknowns while homeschooling her children. Amazingly, during this broken season, the Lord met her there and answered important questions she had hanging tightly to her heart. Difficult questions like, What do you do when dreams are shattered? How do women do this? These are the very questions that catapulted Cyndi into her calling as a merciful encourager!

God never left Cyndi’s side, bringing helpful friendships in her life, including a group of beautiful ladies that encouraged renewed vision, truth, and a hope of new dreams for her little family. God ignited a passion out of the pain to help others grow. He even provided Cyndi with a wonderful husband who adores her, her family values, and together they serve the Lord. Over the years, God continues to use all that Cyndi has gone through to encourage other women. God used the experience and expertise she gained throughout her life and education in Christian counseling to bless others.

Now, for Cyndi’s wisdom and insight around the fun topic of boundaries. I loved her response…

How would you describe what a boundary is?

A boundary can be complicated for many people because it is not a black or white subject. Boundaries often change per individual. The important thing to know is that boundaries help individuals feel safe, comfortable, and peaceful. You do not have to state a boundary to others; you tend to recognize what makes you comfortable and live accordingly. With that being said, it is important to understand that boundaries might not always make sense to the other person and, at times, can create pushback in a relationship. However, understanding your personal boundaries is important for wellness.

Do I need to explain my boundaries?

We don’t always have to state or explain boundaries. When learning how to set boundaries, keep in mind that boundaries aren’t about keeping things or people out; it’s about protecting who you are and your need to feel well.

Final thought:

Boundaries are important and at times hard, especially when it comes to saying yes or no. Yet, effective boundaries and communication develop when you can answer without apologizing or feeling the need to give reasons. It is okay to say no, and you are not a bad person when your answer is no. Something to consider and remember: Maturity answers, and immaturity tries to explain.

Wow, I love that…

I am grateful to God for bringing this beautiful, discerning, compassionate, and gracious woman into my life. You can’t help but be drawn to her radiant virtues, which reflect Christ. Thank you, Cyndi, for your willingness to share parts of your story and wisdom regarding understanding healthy boundaries!

Favorite Recipe: Just in case you need something new and healthy to eat

Almond, Apple, Banana Loaf (Click here for recipe)

Big Thank You!

Thank you for being faithful readers; indeed, it encourages me in this calling to write. As a writer, I long to inspire, using beautiful words that highlight or express the deepest longings of the soul. I hope to awaken your heart through the creativity of storytelling. My joy is to cheer you on closer to Jesus, by sharing scriptures of the Bible and the stories of my life that magnify God’s presence in the everyday.

If this letter blessed you, please share the GodShaped blog and Flourishing Note with your friends! You can subscribe to Godshaped.blog below.

On that note, don’t forget you are loved and invited to flourish!

In Him,

Billie