Our Labor Day Story: Scared Puppy Runs for Life September 7, 2009

Here came my 9 mo old, 60 lb poodle jumping against the door with a bang, bang, bang. He and Jon had gone for a walk just ten minutes earlier. I noticed the screen door was off the hinges where the puppy evidently nosed it to get in. His collar and leash were absent along with Jon. Elijah was gasping for breath and continued to look at me and then the door as if to say, “Hurry. We have to go help dad.”

 

Thinking Jon may be lying in the street somewhere and the dog pulled his head out of his collar (he has done it before) to run home for help, I immediately picked up my phone to call him. His phone rang in the kitchen. I thought, “That’s not good.” So I run to the bedroom to grab my shoes thinking Elijah will take me to him. As I am leaving, Jon is entering the house. Praise the Lord!!! Jon is okay.

 

Elijah had walked around one of those large green city trash containers and when Jon went to pull the leash over it, it caught on the barrel pulling it to the ground with a loud crash right behind the puppy. It evidently scarred the living jeebies out of him.  In fear he frantically pulled to run and broke the chain collar right in two. He ran all the way home  leaving Jon to fend for himself against the great danger that had come upon them.  Maybe he will grow into the  “protector” role.  Afterall, he is just short of 10 months old.  In any event, he certainly is not there yet.

How Can Trials Be Considered Pure Joy? September 5, 2009

In order to count a trial as joy, we have to get to the place where we know that we know God loves us, that He is sovereign and that we can trust in His sovereign purpose. Then, although we may not feel good in the trial, we can still count it as joy because we know there is PURPOSE in it.

We look ahead beyond the trial to the promises of God. We know God works ALL things together for good according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). God uses every situation to conform us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) and the more like Christ we become, the more intimate relationship we experience with God. For me, I can count it all joy knowing that I am growing closer in relationship with Him.  This is the greatest of all rewards.

It also helps to remember that Jesus promised to be with us and bring us through the trial. Knowing that the trial will come to an end and that Christ is in it with us gives us hope and hope results in faith and faith results in strength for the situation. Although we may “feel” alone in our trials, we can know that we are not. Christ promises He is always with us and will NEVER forsake us.

Understand and BELIEVE there is good purpose in your trial. KNOW the trial will come to an end.  This is not all there is. REALIZE the reward for your suffering is better than any sacrifice you may experience. LEAN on Christ’s presence and be STRENGTHENED by it.  Then you will be able to persevere and count it all joy when the trials of life suddenly come upon you.

Needed Guidance July 21, 2009

Ephesians 1:17 –

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.”

 I believe every one of us needs this prayer that Paul prayed for the Ephesian church as written in Ephesians 1:17.  If you are like me, you have to admit you just are not smart enough to figure out most issues you are confronted with in life. We desperately need guidance for our lives from the One who created life in the first place. Who would know better than He how we are to live successfully as husbands and wives, as parents and children, as employers and employees, leaders and followers and in our friendship and enemy relationships? Who would know better how to get us out of the soup and how to solve the unexpected and challenging problems we sometimes find ourselves faced with? Who would know better how to run the race we have been appointed than the One who has appointed the race?

The Greek word used in this verse is from the word “sophias” .  This word sophias is used when speaking of a supernatural insight versus human wisdom. This is the kind of wisdom that can only be received from the Spirit of God. We also have the word “revelation” in this verse which is used to refer to something that has been hidden and is suddenly, almost instantaneously revealed. It reminds me of the phrase found in an old hymn, “I once was blind but now I see”. 

It is kind of like when I opened the blinds in the dining room several days ago, I noticed a hole in the door of our shed. I told my husband and he responded, “that hole has been there since the day we purchased the house”.  I had not seen it until I opened those blinds that particular day.  In applying this example to spiritual truths in regards to the word “revelation”, when God pulls back the veil that covers our spiritual eyes, we suddenly see truths. They are not new truths. They have always been there, but we are just now able to see them.  

When we walk by our natural insight without the hidden insight that only God can reveal,  our understanding is darkened. We think we see, but we don’t. The result is that many times we will go the wrong way, make the wrong choice. If you have been struggling and need guidance in your life, you need to pray this prayer that Paul prayed for the Ephesian church. It is important that we pray for God to give us His wisdom and reveal truth and understanding to us concerning our situations in life because we truly are not able to pull back the veil on our own. This is why we also see in this verse that Paul prays for God to “give” the Ephesian church the wisdom and revelation they need. There is no other way to get it but from Him. We must humble ourselves before God and quit thinking that we are so smart on our own. We are not.

If you need guidance for a situation in your life today, just ASK God to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Just as quickly as I opened those blinds that day revealing that hole in our shed that had always been there, God can remove the veil that hides the truth you need. It is already there and when the veil is removed, it will instantly bring understanding and the solution you need.

Praise be to God and our Lord Jesus Christ!

Changing Our Lives – Making them Better July 6, 2009

Today I share with you the post I put on my coaching blog because it had a lot of biblical principles shared within it. I thought you all might enjoy it. You may want to consider registering to follow my coaching blog as well. I am trying to get the feed to work with it on FB but to date have not been successful. You can register on my site at www.sarahgoebel.com at the Coaching News &  Blog tab.  Thank you for your interest in my blog posts and I look forward to your comments.

Did you know that if you are tired of the story you have been living, you have it within your power to create a new one?  I discussed in the last post the first step in the process of change and that is you must recognize authorship of your story and take ownership of it. Without recognition that you yourself have responsibility for creating your story, you will not be able to successfully assess your thoughts, behavior and the results of your behavior to determine what you can and should change.

Today I would like to look at a few principles involved in taking ownership of the life you are living.  To do so we will look at the role our assumptions and motivations play in creating our life stories.  

In the Bible, God tells us that we can call things that be not as though they are. What is He talking about here? He is saying if you have things in your life that you want to change, begin to envision that change and speak it. It is not a magical formula but a process that must be persevered until the desired result is being experienced in your life. As you envision it and speak it, you will begin to believe it in it’s possiblity. Then your behavior begins to change to bring that belief to pass.  God is saying that what you believe opens or closes possibilities for your life. Your beliefs and assumptions about yourself, others, life and God have a tremendous impact on your behavior, performance and how you achieve your life or business goals. Ultimately, your beliefs construct your storylines, opening or closing the possibilities which influence your performance.

Another Scripture that comes to mind is Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” God is saying whatever you believe you can be, have or do is a possibility for you to experience in your life. Your beliefs and assumptions will manifest themselves in the decisions you make, the things you say and the things you do. On the other hand, whatever you do not believe limits the possibility for that to be a storyline of your life.  In other words, there are empowering beliefs and there are limiting beliefs. Let’s take a look at what an empowering belief might look like.

1.  I will carry through the decisions that I make.
2. I have the ability and the perseverance to achieve my goals.
3. I am a positive person and those around me learn to respond positively to me.

 A limiting belief would look like this.

1. No one ever supports me in what I want to do.
2. I am not good enough to earn that amount of money.
3. I am unworthy of good things.

Let’s look at the first example above of a limiting belief. When you believe no one ever supports you, your behavior will become such that it will cause people to be unsupportive towards you. Looking at the third example above of an empowering belief, your behavior will line up with the belief and you will have people responding to you in a positive way.

Romans 12:2 tells us that we are to be transformed by renewing our minds. Whatever beliefs you renew your mind to will become the storylines of your new life story.  Your thoughts will transform your behavior and your behavior will transform your life. We are able to know someone’s beliefs and values by looking at their behavior because behavior is a result of what we believe.

So it is important to acknowledge that you have been constructing and are able to construct what you experience. You are the one responsible for your own choices and those choices have created your storyline. If you continue making the same choices you will continue creating the same storylines. If you begin making different choices, you will begin to write a new life story.

 God says in Deuteronomy “ I set before you life and death.”  Then He goes on to say, “choose life”. You make the choice as to what you are going to believe, feel and do. When you choose empowering beliefs you are choosing beliefs that lead to successful behavior which will result in a successful life and career.

As a certified and licensed New Life Story Coach, when in step two of this coaching program, I help my clients to assess their storylines and determine the underlying assumptions and self concepts they were created from. I also help them learn to take their thoughts captive and analyze them as to whether they are thoughts that are empowering or limiting and then discard those that are not going to further the new story they desire to create. I also guide them in the examining of their emotions to determine the assumption or thought it is attached to and whether that assumption is relevant to their present life.  If not, the assumption can be changed and the feeling can be converted to an intention.

You can take control of your thoughts and feelings and create a new life experience. I would love to help you on your journey.

My next teleconference group program begins in August. Cost is $75.00 for 3 3-hour sessions. Group size is limited so you may want to reserve your space by emailing me at CoachSarah@sarahgoebel.com.

In addition to The Holy Bible, insight for this blog post  comes from (Live a New Life Story™ The Art and Science of Change, Reinvention, and Success by David Krueger, www.MentorPath.com).”  Sarah is a certified and licensed “Live a New Life Story” coach and will be using these materials in her upcoming teleconference coaching class.

Daniel 11:32b – Those who know their God shall be strong and do mighty exploits June 22, 2009

For many, after they become a Christian, they are interested in searching out answers concerning the circumstances of their lives or to find the healing they need due to wounds received along their life journey. For me, my priority was to know MORE about who this God was that loved me so much. This verse was my life verse for a long time as I wanted to know my God so that I would be able to do mighty exploits. I continue on my journey with this same desire. I want to know more about and experience more of God each and every day. Because I have this desire, He continues to reveal more of Himself to me by the Spirit and His written Word.

We also learn more about God as He walks with us through the events of our lives. For example, He has delivered me out of some really traumatic circumstances and when He did, one of the things that happened is my understanding of who God is deepened. Tonight while reading in the book of Exodus, I realized the same thing was true for the Israelites. Think about it. God delivered Israel not when Egypt was at their weakest, but when they were strong and powerful!

The story of their deliverance goes like this. Even after Moses staff became a snake and ate all of the snakes produced by the Pharaoh’s sorcerers, the Pharaoh’s “heart becomes hard…just as the Lord had said” (Exodus 7:13). It is clear that Pharaoh has not yet learned God’s identity. Now God sends a series of plagues to show the Pharaoh that He the Lord must be obeyed. As we read the story about the plagues it is evident that both Israel and Egypt would “learn to know” a little more about God through each plague.

The gnats were the first plague the magicians were not able to copy. The interesting thing is that all of Egypt was afflicted by this plague of flies. They filled the land, that is, everywhere except where the Israelites lived (8:20-24). What has God revealed to Egypt, the Israelites and to us in this event?

Here we see Yahweh, as our sovereign and all powerful God who is in control of everything that happens in our lives. Here we see that the disasters that had taken place were not just quirks of nature.  Then there were the locusts that ate all that was left after the hail and the darkness that covered the land – again except where the Israelites lived.  However, Pharaoh continues to dismiss Moses and his God. After all, He was Pharaoh.

There would be one more horrible plague that would free Israel. The angel of death would take every firstborn male in Egypt while God protected the Israelites giving them the instructions that would spare their children from death.  Finally, Egypt would not just free the Israelites, but they would demand they leave. God has demonstrated His authority in this one night over Pharaoh and all of Egypt’s gods.

God is revealed in the devastations and challenges of life. Without them, how would we know God? These events are a necessary part of life’s journey in order for us to know our God and do mighty exploits.

Tools ‹ Blog with Sarah — WordPress June 17, 2009

Tools ‹ Blog with Sarah — WordPress.

Week 4: A Scripture A Day — 1 Thess 2:4 May 25, 2009

“But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”

As you share what the Scripture speaks to you and it’s application to our lives today, also consider:
- What does it mean that we were “allowed” of God…?
- In light of this word “allowed” consider Acts 9:20-25 which speaks of Paul’s actions when he first became a Christian.
-Has there been a time in your life when you were in a hurry to get that promotion or receive that promise but you had to wait?

Week 3: A Scripture A Day — 2 Cor 3:18 May 25, 2009

 

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18

When do you find yourself quoting this verse? When in a difficult situation? What does it mean “from glory to glory”? Share with us what this Scripture speaks to you. I look forward to reading your response.

An enjoyable week May 23, 2009

This has been a wonderful week. I had the opportunity to go to Norfolk, VA and spend a day and night with my daughter and son while they were there for a work related conference. Then my son returned home with me and will be here until Monday. What a blessing! It had been a year since I had seen the two of them as they both live in CA now. When we got home, Jason assessed our needs and immediately jumped in to help us catch things up around the house. He cleaned the leaves and twigs off the roof, trimmed the bushes and mowed the lawn. Now he is helping Jon to place some stepping stones in the back yard. What a blessing to have a son who is willing to come home on vacation and help his parents. The Scripture tells us to train up a child in the way he should go and when he grows older he will not depart from it.  I am in that season of life where I am enjoying the fruit of my labor and perseverance with my children and I am praising God for His faithfulness!

I am slowing down on outside activities for the next couple of months. My daughter, son-in-law and grandson will be spending two months in Maryland and I want to spend as much time with them while they are on the east coast as I possibly can. Our families are such a blessing to our lives and we should be careful not to neglect them.

I hope all of you who read my blog are enjoying your summer and families too. May God bless you and yours!

May 11, 2009

I have had the most wonderful weekend and I feel so blessed to live for the Lord! The Lord has indeed shed His love and faithfulness towards me, especially through my husband and children.   My husband, as always,  shared his love so tenderly with me throughout the weekend.  You know, the journey of marriage is indeed priceless as a man and woman learn to care for one another. Jon’s patience and understanding towards me and his insight into my heart never ceases to amaze me. I do pray that he feels the same way about my care towards him.

Then there is the honor, privilege and awesome responsibility of being a mom. I love being a mom even now in my 50’s. And being a grandmother is a joy too! With Mother’s Day being today,  I received a card yesterday from my son created in his own words through the Hallmark online system. As I read the words that flowed from his heart onto that paper card, my heart swelled with joy and tears flowed down my face. Then there was the knock at the door. FLOWERS!  My daughter and son had both sent me the most beautiful bouquet! Oh and how sweet the aroma! I found myself thinking about the strong character possessed by both my children – Characters of integrity, honesty, loyalty, faithfulness. These are traits that, unfortunately, are sometimes so rare in the world today. I was overwhelmed by the faithfulness of God as I contemplated on the few difficult years we had during the teen years and how God has brought them — brought us – through. The Bible says we are to train our children in the way they should go and when they grow old, they will not depart from it (Prov 22:6). Oh, they may go astray for a time, but they will return. God promises it. I have witnessed it!

Pour your love, attention and the principles of  God’s Word into your young children’s minds. If you do, should life throw them a curve ball or should you see them take a detour,  those princples and the Spirit of God will lead them back to the right path. You can pray while resting  in the character of God…His integrity, honesty, loyalty and faithfulness!  This “rest” is your reward when you have been faithful to this command to “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he grows old, he will not depart from it.”