Growing Stronger

Jennie Lusko teaches a great sermon in this video called "Growing Stronger". Jennie talks about how we have to learn to fight if we want to grow stronger in our souls. Working out to build a strong body isn't easy. It's easy to lay on the couch and eat donuts, it's difficult to get up early before work and head to the gym. We have to fight if we want stronger bodies and the same way we have to fight if we want stronger souls.

The first thing we might ask ourselves is "Why?". Why do we need to continue to grow in life, why can't we just chill and float through life? We need to keep growing to make sure we are not wasting our lives and to make a difference while we are here. When our lives are over we will be leaving something behind for our children and the next generation so the question is: "What do I want to leave behind, what do I want my legacy to be?" We can ask ourselves what kind of old person we want to become one day. Most of us probably want to become a loving, gentle, joyful and grateful old person rather than a bitter, angry and self-centered old person. The second question we can ask ourselves is: "What can I do this year to make sure I'm taking steps towards becoming that old person one day?" Research has shown that even the most introverted person will impact and influence around 10 000 people over the course of one life. How we choose to live matters.

Jennie Lusko talks about how we can learn to fight for our own soul, our relationships and our everyday lives. Jennie also talks about how we can fight through the trouble that will come our way during a lifetime on Earth. Jennie shares a little bit about her own worst experience with pain so far, when her daughter Lenya died, and how she got through that very painful time in her life.

Are we there yet?

Who likes waiting for things in life? Probably nobody. I'd much rather have each one of my dreams come true without any waiting seasons in between. The reality of life looks a lot different than that, we often find that we have to spend a lot of time waiting before our dreams come true. So why does God seem to keep us waiting so much in life?

Although nobody likes waiting the waiting seasons in life are often the times when God can grow us the most, while we wait God teaches us to trust and obey him. When we find ourselves in a waiting season there is usually something God wants to change within us before we are ready to enter our own "promise land". God knows that if he would let us enter the promise land before he has changed a few things inside of us we would be in danger of ruining that next assignment in life. God works in every waiting season to prepare us for the next stage in life.

God knows what we need to thrive and be successful in life. Each waiting season usually includes an area where God is waiting for us to obey him. We often know exactly what God wants us to do next to help us grow, but we don't want to do it. I like what Elyse says in the sermon: "But I can promise you that your promise land is on the other side of your obedience."

I can definitely relate to the message in this sermon. Many times I've found myself in a stage in life where I know exactly what God wants me to do next, but I'd rather do anything else than obey His will for my life. Why? Usually because it would require me to step outside of my comfort zone or because I'm afraid. Once I've finally decided to take that step of faith into the unknown it's always been worth it.

Pastor Elyse Murphy gives us a few tips on what to do when we feel like we can't get to our promise land, when we feel stuck walking around in circles in the wilderness. Elyse teaches us what we need to do to get up, get focused and get going toward that dream that seems so far out of reach at the moment.