Tag: faith

Will You Praise Him in Advance–BEFORE You Receive?

Posted on by Evangeline

What are you willing to do to see your heart’s desire come to fruition?

This week, I’m fasting and praying. And while that may not be the direction God takes you in, there is something else you can do.

Here’s something simple that can help you, no matter the situation you’re facing: Praise Him in Advance!

Praise Him in Advance

 

Before you see, have, or experience what you’re hoping for, verbally praise and thank God for it now.

Regardless of what you see, don’t let it hinder your praise.

No matter what you feel in your body, don’t let it hinder your praise.

Even if a friend or family member discourages you, don’t let it hinder your praise.

Praising God in advance takes faith. But it also builds your faith. Why? Because faith comes by hearing. As you hear yourself saying thanks to God before your desire is manifested, you are declaring a deeper trust; you’re adding to your faith and increasing your certainty in what God has already declared about that desire.

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. – Hebrews 11:1

I hope that you’ll always take the “risk” of saying thanks to God before you receive what you’ve asked Him for. It may feel weird or seem counterintuitive, but trust me, praise is powerful. David and Jesus tell us so (Psalm 8:2 and Matthew 21:16). Praising God effectively serves us by silencing the enemy and putting us in a strong and strategic position. Take advantage of that TODAY!

Need a tool to help you BELIEVE that praise and gratitude in advance is something for you? Check out my devotional, BELIEVE You Can Reign in Life.

Believe You Can Reign Devotional

 

 

 

 

Focus

3 Ways to Enhance Your Focus

Posted on by Evangeline

Have you heard the  saying, “What you focus on grows”?

Focus is defined in the Webster’s dictionary as a central point of concentration. What you focus on–what you concentrate on and put your attention to–grows in its importance and impact in your life.

Scripture encourages us to focus on Jesus. Hebrews 12:2 AMP instructs us on this:

“Looking away from all that will distract us and focusing our eyes on Jesus.“

We focus by looking away from the things that distract us in the natural realm and then fixing our gaze on Jesus, keeping our eyes on His love for us. He gave us a great example of how to focus during the closing days of His life here on earth. As our Savior, he paid no attention to the shame of the cross– He looked away from it. He fixed His gaze on the joy he was destined to experience. The joy grew as He remained focused on it!

An important thing to remember: DISTRACTIONS are the enemy of focus.

Consider your focus as if it was a camera lens that zooms in on one particular item.  You get to see that item very clearly. But, if you spread your camera’s “attention” over multiple items (distractions), you don’t get to see that one thing clearly.

3 Ways to Enhance Your Focus

  1. EXPECT HEALING – Instead of focusing on the symptoms, put your attention on God’s healing Word. Find Scriptures that are specifically related to healing and begin consistently speak them over your life. This will help you to expect healing.
  2. DEAL WITH FEAR – Make a decision to not be distracted by and dominated by fear. Recognize that fear activates the devil’s power. Know who you are in Christ and put on His armor. Be courageous and speak the Word to the “mountain” (Mark 11:23).
  3. EXERCISE YOUR FAITH – Be truth-minded, focused on what God has said about your situation. Take actions that align with the specific scriptures that apply to the circumstances that need to change. Have an active faith!

When we get our heart in line with the Word and put our attention on the Word’s power, we are able to more fully concentrate on the positive instead of the negative.

And as we focus on the positive, life gets better! 🙂

Make a decision to not be distracted by and dominated by fear. Click To Tweet

 

 

SEE: God’s Promises are Always Good AND He’s a Faithful Promise-Keeper

Posted on by Evangeline

This is something I shared recently at our GRACE event. Hopefully, this will encourage you to firmly believe and see that

God’s Promises are Always Good AND He’s a Faithful Promise-Keeper!

Sometimes it’s difficult to see what God has in store for us. But, when we remember that He has a plan for us and that it’s a good plan, it helps us see and experience the manifestation. As a means of living in faith, I believe there are some basic yet vital essentials to see the manifestation of God’s promises. You can easily remember them using the acrostic “S.E.E.”:

S – Speak God’s Word – Find What God has promised in His Word — the Bible– that addresses your circumstances. Consistently say the same thing God has said; let your everyday words align with His.

E – Envision the  Promise – In your mind’s eye, envision what God has promised as if He said it directly to you. There’s so much that He has said about every aspect of life. Write out the promise that applies to your circumstances and then let your thoughts “see” what it’s like to possess what God has promised.

E – Expect the blessing – Sometimes we get so hung up in the problem that we lose sight of the promise. Then it becomes easier to forget to look for the blessing to happen. Live with a higher level of expectancy about experiencing the promised blessing. We need to regard the blessing as likely to happen simply because God promised it.

Hold on tightly to the hope of seeing Gods’ promises manifested in your life!

So now we must cling tightly to the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises!
~ Hebrews 10:23 TPT

 

Print this infographic
and keep it as reminder of how to see the manifestation of all that God has promised!

S.E.E.

 

7 fertility faith actions

7 Actions You Can Take to Build Your Faith for Fertility

Posted on by Evangeline

I recognize that faith is not always easy to execute. Sometimes we need faith-boosters–especially when dealing with dark/difficult circumstances in life, like infertility.

Here are seven actions you can take to boost your confidence in God’s promises of fertility. Be intentional about taking Scripture-based actions as you prepare for pregnancy and parenthood. Do them and you’ll increase your faith that His fertility promises are true for YOU.

7 Actions to Build Your Faith

  1. Speak God’s Word daily. Find scriptures that are directly related to overcoming infertility and speak them out loud. Decide that because you are made in God’s image you will do as God does…declaring the desired end results from the beginning of a matter (Isaiah 46:9, 10). Nothing is too hard for Him so speak His Word into any dark circumstances so that LIFE and LIGHT can be brought into them (Job 22:28).
  2. Pray together. If you haven’t already, pray together with your husband, asking God to make hubby’s sperm healthy and motile, your uterus ready for impregnation, to have a healthy and safe pregnancy, and to deliver a healthy baby. Ask to become wise and godly parents from the beginning. And then, get together to pray prayers of thanksgiving often, trusting that God has heard your request and answered it (Psalm 138:3; Philippians 4:6-7).
  3. Prepare your body:Get a health check-up from your doctor or health care professional. If you already have weight-caused health issues, execute a plan to help you get to a healthy weight. Begin to take prenatal vitamins, especially a formula that includes folic acid. Eliminate sources of caffeine in what you eat and drink. Some studies have shown that caffeine intake may affect fertility. Eat more healthy foods—leafy vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and lean protein. Eliminate smoking cigarettes/marijuana. Eliminate all alcoholic beverages. Begin an exercise routine to strengthen your muscles. Learn how to do Kegel exercises and do them consistently to strengthen your pelvic muscles for a vaginal delivery.  ***(This is not medical advice. These are general suggestions applicable to most people.  You should consult a health care professional for advice that is specific to your needs.)***
  4. Watch your words. When you’re having conversations and hear yourself mention something negative about the status of your fertility, make a course correction! Use what I call “the Holy BUT”. In English grammar, the word “but” implies that you’re negating what was said previously. You may have said something like,”We’ve been trying for long! Seems like we’ll never get pregnant.” You can course-correct and say, “I may not be pregnant “BUT” God said that none shall be barren and that includes me” (Exodus 23:26).
  5. Take Communion regularly at your home. You can take communion at home as well as at church. As you receive communion, remember your faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). Be ever conscious of God’s love for you. Jesus died so that you can live in His righteousness knowing that you have been made a worthy recipient of the Father’s unconditional and unending love, kindness, grace, and goodness. Jesus’ body was broken so that yours can be whole!
  6. Consistently speak God’s Word without fear and doubt. When fear and doubt come knocking at the door of your mind, repel them with gratitude. Take a moment to thank God for what He has done for you through Jesus’ finished work on the cross and through His resurrection (Ephesians 2:6).
  7. Pray in advance that all of your children will choose at a young age to accept Jesus. Pray that all of your children will be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led.

For a deeper dive into Scriptural encouragement about your fertility, join me in the Fertility Hope Huddle. We’ll gather online in March 2020! Click HERE to get the Fertility Hope Huddle details.

Living with an Attitude of Gratitude is a Choice

Posted on by Evangeline

Gratitude by Ziglar

I’m choosing to be grateful for what I have, do, and experience. Years ago, I developed the habit of writing what I was grateful for at the end of each day. You can use this “tool” too! Every night before getting in the bed, I made a quick note about what I was grateful for that day. I made it easy on myself: I wrote 4 simple things that I possessed, did, or experienced that day. Of course, once I got going, I would think of more than 4 things but I limited it to 4 so I wouldn’t feel overwhelmed the next day to come up with a lot of things to be grateful for. But then I stopped doing it…

Even though I still  verbally express my thankfulness, I’ve decided I need to get back on the wagon and refresh that habit of writing things down.

Gratitude is a Choice in the Midst of Negativity

With each expression of gratitude, you acknowledge the good, the favor, and the sweet harmony in your life. The more you give thanks, the more your awareness shifts from the negative to all the positive experiences you have. Using thankful language regularly redirects your focus to His love for you and away from any pain and lack. Expressing gratitude can give you hope!

Thankfulness is a way to kindle the flame of your faith. As the intensity of your faith grows, you find yourself more and more in line with God’s plan of abundance in your life. Keep fanning the flames of your faith by expressing your thankfulness!

Living with an attitude of gratitude is a choice. And if, as Zig Ziglar stated, gratitude brings more to be grateful for, then I’m all in! I choose to be grateful. I expect an abundance of  good things to come my way that will reinforce and grow this attitude so I can constantly be grateful, even in the midst of negativity.

What thing(s) do you do to remind yourself that, in spite of your circumstances, you have much to be grateful for?

Using thankful language regularly redirects your focus to His love for you and away from any pain and lack. Click To Tweet
Thankful in advance

Being Thankful in Advance Helps to Kindle the Flame of Your Faith

Posted on by Evangeline

Being thankful in advance of seeing the answer to your prayer request is a means of fanning the flame of your faith.

Praying God’s Word is an important principle for answered prayer. Philippians 4:6 encourages us to pray instead of worrying. In the midst of that prayer, we need say what God has said in His Word. And before the end of that prayer, we need to thank God for the answer, even before we see it or experience it. It’s a matter of expecting Him to show a high degree of integrity by following through on His word.

Paul wrote this verse to encourage the Philippians to freely give thanks; to use grateful language as an act of worship. Giving thanks to God is an expression of joy toward Him– of gratitude for HIs favor. Paul also wrote on the topic of being thankful in his letter to the Colossians. He encouraged them to live with an overflow of gratefulness. We’re to never stop giving thanks to God because it’s a form of praise. Praise keeps us aware of His presence!

Thankful During Infertility

I don’t believe I ever felt thankful for the infertility I experienced. But I did find ways to be thankful in it. I was thankful for Jesus’ comfort and wisdom, my supportive husband, my praying mother. My numerous caring and fun friends, the doctor who was understanding about my desire to avoid fertility treatments, my job with benefits, etc. were additional blessings I was thankful for.

Gratitude gave me strength and hope. It was a foundational building block for my faith that I would have a baby.

Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 CEV

Being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith…and overflowing with gratitude.
~ Colossians 2:7 CSB

In the midst of infertility, it’s hard to see much to be thankful for because your focus is always influenced by what you don’t have… a baby. So it becomes a choice to admit that you can’t get along without Him, to purposely recognize God’s kindness, and to have a mindset of gratitude. This mindset involves thinking of ALL that God has done for you, especially in other areas of your life that aren’t directly connected to your fertility. And, it involves thanking Him for His loving hands working on your behalf, even when you can’t see it. You can find ways of thanking Him in advance of seeing the manifestation of your desires.

Thankful in Advance

With each expression of gratitude, you acknowledge the good, the favor, and the sweet harmony in your life. The more you give thanks, the more your awareness shifts from the negative to all the positive experiences you have. Using thankful language regularly redirects your focus to His love for you and away from any pain and lack.

Thankfulness is a way to kindle the flame of your faith. As the intensity of your faith grows, you find yourself more and more in line with God’s plan of abundance in your life. Keep fanning the flames of your faith by expressing your thankfulness!

I never felt thankful FOR the infertility I experienced. But I did find ways to be thankful IN it. Gratitude gave me strength and hope. Click To Tweet

 

 

Trial of Faith

How Do You Handle a Troublesome Trial of Faith?

Posted on by Evangeline

We all endure a trial of faith from time to time. Some last longer than others. Some are more severe than others. But they ALL challenge us in how we see God as a loving Father and the level of trust that we’re willing to put into His love.

Trial of Faith

Today, I simply want to share a quote from George Mueller, a man who stands as an example of how to unequivocally trust God:

“Now when the trial of faith comes, we are naturally inclined to distrust God, and to trust rather in ourselves, or in our friends, or in circumstances. We will rather work a deliverance of our own somehow or other, than simply look to God and wait for His help. But if we do not patiently wait for God’s help, if we work a deliverance of our own, then at the next trial of our faith it will be thus again, we shall be again inclined to deliver ourselves; and thus with every fresh instance of that kind, our faith will decrease.

Whilst on the contrary, were we to stand still, in order to see the salvation of God, to see His hand stretched out on our behalf, trusting in Him alone, then our faith would be increased, and with every fresh case in which the hand of God is stretched out on our behalf in the hour of the trial of our faith, our faith would be increased yet more.”

This challenges me to look at how I handle troubling circumstances in my life and encourages me to make an honest assessment of the level of trust I place in God’s love for me.

How does Georg Mueller’s quote challenge or encourage you?

How You Can Have Faith TODAY

Posted on by Evangeline

Have faith today, even if it’s a difficult day.

Don’t worry about tomorrow; have faith TODAY. No matter how difficult your circumstances may seem, have confidence that God loves you.  Stand firm believing that all is well because His loving and all-powerful presence is right there with you.

Here are some verses that I hope will encourage you:

For God has said, 
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”

Hebrews 13:5

So don’t worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will bring its own worries.
Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 6:34 NLT

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

Mark 11:22

Will you acknowledge His presence, have faith in Him, and focus on His love for you TODAY?

 

faith today

Faith Speaks God’s Word—Believe It. Speak It. Experience It.

Posted on by Evangeline

Faith speaks. What does it speak? It confidently speaks the words that God has said. How does it speak? Aloud, and not just one time– it speaks by repeatedly and consistently muttering what God has said. That’s what He recommended to Joshua as he was preparing to lead the Israelites after Moses’ death (Joshua 1:8). It also speaks in everyday conversations by being in alignment with what God’s words. When you speak God’s words, it is a demonstration of believing and being in agreement with His Word. This is made clear in 2 Corinthians 4:13 [NASB]:

“But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak.”

It is a reference to what the psalmist said in Psalm 116:10, as he expressed his belief in God’s love for him as he cried out to God in his affliction. Do you believe God loves you? Do your words reflect your belief?

The principle of believing and speaking is also shown in Romans 10:4-10. In fact, the very blessing of salvation is based on believing and speaking. Verses 9 and 10 are especially relevant to this:

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

It’s important to note that in this passage, the word “salvation” not only means saved from eternal damnation after death. It also means deliverance, preservation, safety, and healing in this life on earth!  God loves you and wants you to have a quality of life filled and overflowing His goodness.

Faith Speaks SalvationFaith Speaks What God Has Said

Therefore, if the greatest gift that God has given us comes through believing and speaking, surely any other blessings are accessible in the same way. God wants us to rest in His love and receive His blessings. He wants us to believe what He has said about our position as a joint heir with Jesus and to speak what He has said in His Word about our position and circumstances.

Be encouraged as you relax in knowing that Father God loves you immensely. He has already made a way out of  life’s difficult circumstances by sending Jesus to meet all your needs of deliverance, preservation, safety, and healing. Find what He has promised you in the Bible. Have faith in that Word–believe it and speak it. As a result, you can then have a confident expectation that God will do what He said.

Continually believe and speak with gratitude until you see His promise manifested.

Remember, faith speaks!

What are you saying about your life right now?

 

 

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Images

Sometimes You Have to S-t-r-e-t-c-h Your Faith for Victory :: Guest Post

Posted on by Evangeline

In conjunction with the release of my book, Live To Win! 5 Essentials for Victory and Success, I’m excited to provide a series of guest posts over the next few weeks. These folks are special to me, having coached me in one way or another to achieve my career goals and experience victories at various times and in various areas of my life.

Today, I’m pleased to share with you the insights from my friend, Kendra Tillman. She encourages women who work from home to apply spiritual principles in order to grow their career. She helped me to stretch my faith and rely on God as I launched out as an author and speaker. Keeping the faith is a way of life that Kendra espouses no matter the challenge or difficulty.

When Victory Feels Out of Your Reach

Live to win - FaithI love to read Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 chronicles what is referred to as the Faith Hall of Fame. It’s the Who’s Who of the faithful, the persistent, the imperfect, yet, still strong in faith. The lives of Noah, Abraham and Sarah and Moses are all detailed in the Old Testament. Hebrews 11 briefly shares their stories and the stories of several other ordinary men and women who wrestled with the same fears, insecurities and uncertainties we all face.

Do you know the one thing the Bible says all these men and women had in common? In Hebrews 11:13 we are told that “all these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it.” They all died…in faith. They were in faith that what God promised He would do. Yet, they died without seeing the promise fulfilled. In this chapter we are assured we are in good company, when we feel we haven’t received an answer to every prayer we’ve prayed.

Even though they didn’t see the promise fulfilled when they expected, they still believed.

How many days, weeks, months, years have passed since God has spoken a promise to your heart? Has the length of time caused you to waver in believing it will happen? I pray this post will stir your faith.

If we keep reading in Hebrews, God drops another nudge to our faith at the very beginning of Hebrews 12. “We are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith.” Have you ever been to a race? One of the best things about races is the crowd of family and friends that gather along the race route to cheer on the runners. They hold up signs. They yell encouragement. It’s wonderful!

Hebrews 12 tells us there’s a similar crowd that gathers for us in this race of faith that we run. These witnesses are not only the men and women mentioned in Hebrews 11, but all the men and women of faith who’ve lived since. They are waiting to see you cross the finish line. They are there to watch you win! The interesting thing is winning might look different than you expected.

No matter what you are facing today you are destined to win in the race of faith! Your victory may not look like mine and it may not even look like what you imagined, but you will win. I John 5:4 tells us that we receive victory through our faith. This is a promise from God’s word – our faith gives us the victory over the difficulties we experience in this world.

What promise from God seems distant or impossible for you? Surround yourself with people who want to see you win. Strengthen your faith by meditating on faith stories of men and women who persevered in faith. Stretch your faith beyond what feels possible.

 

Victory -Kendra TillmanKendra Tillman is the founder of StrongerThanYouThink.co, a growing movement that energizes working women with resources for making their personal, professional, and spiritual growth a priority. She is also the author of You’re Stronger than You Think.