Glowing translucent ethereal female figure standing in mossy ancient stone ruins
A Date With Destiny

How Spiritual Connection Transforms Your Life

“But they who join themselves to the Lord become spiritually one with Him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)


Your physical body is aging, but your spirit is timeless and eternal.

Because of your connection to Jesus and the power of His resurrection, you have become one with Him. The Spirit of Christ lives in you and lifts you to new levels of enlightenment.

Springing up with Living Water, your spirit rushes like a river, creating the current which propels your physical form to each new assignment from God.

In union with the Spirit of Christ, you are able to generate supernatural energy.

This effect infuses the atmosphere surrounding you with a positive charge. This is why you are known as one who lights up the room wherever you go.

In this way, you are living inside-out, using the power produced by the Spirit to transform your human experience into an eternal, supernatural adventure.

Woman looking and smiling at her reflection in a bathroom mirror
A Date With Destiny

How Patience with Yourself Leads to Spiritual Growth

We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.

(2 Corinthians 6:6)

Happy Birthday 6/6


You have an amazing ability to make others feel accepted.  You are known for creating a safe space where people can relax and be themselves.

Sometimes, it seems your patience is offered to everyone except yourself. You struggle to accept your own shortcomings. You are often very impatient with that one child of God you see in the mirror each morning.

You accept the various weaknesses and imperfections of others readily, yet you often expect perfection of yourself.

Even though God has given you an amazing ability to be patient and tolerant with others, you struggle to be consistent in applying that patience to your own shortcomings as well.

But as you practice patience with yourself, you will begin to sense a deeper awareness of the special place you hold in the heart of God.


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A Date With Destiny

Creating Safe Spaces: The Role of a Peacemaker

“Surely there is someone in your group wise enough to resolve a complaint between two believers.”

(1 Corinthians 6:5)

In a world filled with humans fighting for power through complaints and arguments, you choose to exhibit the power of praise and peace instead.

You stand out as a beacon of light to those who are lost in a swirling sea of conflict. You are a peacemaker.

The Spirit of God enables you to create a safe space in which differences can be addressed and forgiveness can flow. You are able to make peace when there is conflict and hold onto it when there is a chance it might slip away.

Others rely on your logical input when settling disputes or searching for a reasonable compromise. As you walk in the peace of Christ, which passes all understanding, you are able to guide others toward a common goal.

The peace you bring to your circle of influence is often the glue which repairs broken relationships and holds organizations together.

It is one of your most intriguing talents and even you don’t know exactly how it happens. All you know is, you are delighted to see peace win, and you are thrilled to be a part of making it happen.

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A Date With Destiny

Finding Strength When You Are Exhausted

“I am worn out, O Lord; have pity on me. Give me strength for I am completely exhausted.” (Psalm 6:2)

Moving toward the goal is not always easy. Some days you are required to push through the pain and keep your eye on the prize.

You know that Christ has equipped you for your race, but there is also a constant need for His supernatural strength and endurance.

When you are discouraged or tired of the strain, you remember that there is a reason Christ called you. There is a purpose for your life and a destiny that only you can fulfill. 

It is your goal to discover your gifts and talents, then cooperate with Jesus in order to put them to use for His Kingdom.

Christ took hold of you so that you can take hold of the assignments that are yours.

On some days your mission is very clear; other days, not so much. That’s why your life and your pursuits are a collaborative effort between your Creator and yourself.  As the two of you work together, your objective comes into focus and the Kingdom of God is advanced.

Because He is there to carry the heaviness you feel after having been wronged,  you are able to move freely into forgiveness where healing can be found. 

Assured that the Creator of the universe is interested in your emotional well-being and is willing to listen as your pour out your heart, you are able to experience hope and healing that can only come from divine intervention.

Split image showing a happy woman hiking with 'YES Paths and Possibilities' and a sad woman sitting with 'NO Hesitation and Regret'
Tetelestai Recovery

Understanding the Power of Yes and No

Split image showing a happy woman hiking with 'YES Paths and Possibilities' and a sad woman sitting with 'NO Hesitation and Regret'

As we level up, we begin to view every decision as both a yes and a no. Every yes carries an implied no, and every no carries an indirect yes

  • If we say yes to the blue shirt, we are also saying no to the red one.
  • If we say yes to a shower, we are also saying no to bad hygiene.
  • If we say yes to watching TV, we are also saying no to going outside.
  • If we say yes to healthy habits, we are saying no to junk food and laziness. We are also saying no to medical problems and poor self-image.
  • If we say yes to wasting time at work, or stealing from our employer, we are saying no to a clean conscience and integrity. As a result, we will develop resentment toward our boss to help alleviate our guilt.
  • If we say no to flirtations from a co-worker, we are saying yes to the trust and respect of our spouse.
  • If we say yes to gratitude, we are saying no to discontentment.
  • If we say yes to good manners, we are saying no to boorish behavior.

If we say yes to forgiveness, we are saying no to the weight of being easily offended, resulting in freedom and peace of mind.

 

Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.  Matthew 5:37

For every yes, there is a no; and for every no, there is a yes. As we level up, we become aware of our personal guardrails and use good judgement concerning what to accept and what to reject.

Person hiking on mountain trail with wildflowers and distant mountains
Tetelestai Recovery

Understanding Tests: Patience as a Path to Growth

Person hiking on mountain trail with wildflowers and distant mountains

When caught up in a moment of testing, we must resist letting our feelings and circumstances serve as a litmus test for our faith. It is not healthy, nor is it accurate.

Tests are for the express purpose of developing patience. Whether the tests come from internal or external forces, they have a purpose. Some of the tests we face are due to our own weaknesses and might easily become our demise, but even then, God always has a better plan. Any test that activates patience is beneficial. Guilt and blame serve no purpose.

Patience tells us that tests are only temporary. Patience tells us that God is doing a good work in us, and He will complete it. Patience tells us not to judge our walk by one random stumble. Patience keeps us steady as we wait for the storm to pass.

It is patience that we lack when we throw up our hands and give up. It is patience that we lack when we question our progress. It is patience that will get us to the finish line. It is patience that will help us be gentle with ourselves.

Sometimes, our tests are random and spring up like a pop quiz. Other times, an ominous test looms far in the future, and we struggle to avoid it. However, considering our passage from James, we need not avoid tests. They all have a purpose; even the ones we fail. If the test teaches us to be patient, with ourselves, with God, or with another human being, we have passed. With God, we are always in a win-win situation.

Our tests are to develop patience. The work of patience is to develop perfection. There is no fast track from one to the other. Each test takes time. That’s where patience does its work.

Winding mountain road with cars and sun rays breaking through dark clouds
Tetelestai Recovery

Finding Joy in Trials: Embracing Life’s Challenges

Winding mountain road with cars and sun rays breaking through dark clouds

When the roads are easy, we feel joy in looking back to see how far we’ve come. When the roads are difficult, we seem to take one step forward, two steps back. Sometimes we slip and fall. Sometimes we just stand still and shrug. Even when we do finally get on firm footing again and start to move forward, we scold ourselves for not being stronger, more resilient, or more determined.

We aren’t sure what to call these moments of uncertainty. The word ‘backsliding’ seems way too judgmental. The last thing we need is to feel more isolated and cut off from God than we already do.

One evening without notice, a moment of grace fell on our Friday night group. One member shared a passage from the book of James. It altered our perspective about these irritating, uninspiring days when we are simply putting one foot in front of the other.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

Ripe and unripe tomatoes growing on a garden vine tied to a wooden stake.
Tetelestai Recovery

How Babies and Tomatoes Teach Us About Perfection

People commonly use the word perfect to describe a newborn baby. Babies are inadequate in every way. They are unable to feed themselves, walk, read, or even roll over. Sometimes they cry or make messes. Yet, we say they are perfect. Every stage is perfect and necessary in the process of transitioning to the next stage.

A tiny green tomato on the vine is a perfect tomato, although it does not have the color, flavor, or texture of a fully ripened tomato. The tiny green fruit is perfect, but it is not yet useful for its intended purpose. If it remains on the vine, the perfect green tomato will grow into its full potential. And throughout each stage of its growth, it will continue to be perfect.

Thus, we conclude that perfection is about potential. Perfection has little to do with current behavior or ability, but a lot to do with our mindset. Perfection is a state of being which maintains continuous momentum toward progress…

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Tetelestai Recovery

Can We Be Perfect? Exploring Jesus’ Challenge

Therefore, be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48

We wonder why Jesus would make such an outrageous suggestion. How could we possibly ever be perfect?

Ironically, when we claim that we are not perfect, we are speaking in direct opposition to these words of Jesus. We certainly don’t want to do that!

Since we believe that the words of Jesus are our truth, His invitation to be perfect sparks our curiosity and draws us into its multi-dimensional mystery. If He said it, it must be something reasonable and attainable. At least it is, somewhere in time.

When God said, “Let there be light,” He was speaking into the darkness. Therefore, when Jesus invites us to be perfect, He is speaking into our imperfections, calling for a manifestation of our original design.

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Tetelestai Recovery

From Struggle to Serenity: Embracing Change

Greed, lust, strife, envy, deception, and fear were familiar to us. Generosity, honesty, loyalty, wisdom, honor, and humility existed outside of our comfort zone. These traits seemed unattainable for those of us who seemed so deeply damaged.

We sometimes felt it was impossible to be comfortable in such unfamiliar territory.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)

Within these words of Jesus, we found our stability. We stopped beating ourselves up for failing to accomplish what no human could. We realized our New Normal was a gift from God. We could not force it or coerce it. We would not need to use our old manipulation techniques to con Him into giving us a new life.

We found relief in knowing that it was His pleasure to make us into the people He designed us to be.