Faith – Page 2

Freedom at all costs

By Staci McLean on Sunday, March 7, 2021

Have you seen the movie ‘Harriet?’

It is about Harriet Tubman, an incredible woman who was born into slavery, escaped and then led many missions to rescue slaves and led them to freedom. It is a true story and a compelling movie for many reasons.

Harriet had suffered a head injury as a child and as a result she had headaches and dreamlike trances. She believed her trances and visions were God’s revelations. Because of her strong faith she listened carefully to God and she would only go where she felt God was leading her. She had extraordinarily success on her missions despite the unfavourable odds against her and the real danger to her life and she lived to over 90 years old. A truly inspirational story.

In the movie there is one scene which impacted me as I felt like she was speaking directly to this current generation. In this scene Harriet is meeting with a group of prominent and important politicians and those working to abolish slavery and they tell her that further rescue missions are too dangerous and impossible.

Harriet replies to them, ‘Many of you don’t know slavery first-hand. You were born free, or maybe you have been free so long, you forgot what it’s like. You got comfortable and important’. (paraphrased)

It made me think about my freedom in Christ. There was a time when I was a slave to addiction, to brokenness, to sin and to pain. I was made free by Jesus over 20 year ago and I fight with myself all the time to not to get too comfortable and forget what it was like to live under the slavery of world. There are people in our communities and all over the world living under oppression, captivity, and hopelessness, who need us not to forget or to get comfortable in our lives. They need us to stand up, to fight for them, to make it our mission to find them and led them to Jesus to be set free.

In the movie Harriet goes on to say ‘What those still enslaved are going through right now! I have heard their groans and sighs, and seen their tears, and I would give every drop of blood in my veins to free them! (paraphrased)

We need fresh eyes to see the pain all around us and fresh ears to hear the groans and a fresh spirit of a warrior to take action, to not allow comfort or the busyness of our modern lives or our lack of confidence to stop us from stepping on to the battlefield. We can play our part in the plan, we can see Jesus change lives and set free the captives. When we listen to the voice of God, go where we are called and go where we are led by God just like Harriet Tubman.

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.
Harriet Tubman

Confidence and Self esteem Faith Inspiration Stop your excuses

Round one goes to…

By Staci McLean on Monday, March 1, 2021

I am learning to celebrate the victories and a job well done.

I have a great job; I get to share my stories with people, through what I write and speaking at events and workshops. I love what I do. I do not love the day after an event, or after my work has gone out public.

I find it extremely easy to focus on the little mistakes I made, sometimes real but mostly imagined. No matter how well an event has gone or the great feedback I get, I go through this process of tearing it all apart and beating myself up for not doing better. It is a boxing match with many rounds as I try to dodge punches from myself. I am the meanest and toughest opponent I will ever face in a fight, because I will always go for the low blows, pulling out all the insults and old baggage to use against myself.

The joy of a doing a good job, of seeing all the hard work in planning and preparation come together is stolen through self-doubt and self-criticism.

Yes, it is always worth reviewing your work and getting feedback so you can learn and grow for next time. A healthy debrief is vital in improving our performance and services but a personal attack on ourselves for perceived failure or obsessing over it, is not healthy or helpful and destroys confidence and joy.

So, what do we do instead?

What has worked for me is to stop focussing on myself, but instead focus outwards. Self-doubt, self-criticism, and self-reproach have one thing in common: SELF. These destructive thoughts are all directed internally. Too much time spent dwelling in the negative or when we became too absorbed thinking about ourselves is damaging.

To change your focus from your inner critic to the outside world, change the direction of your thoughts. For me instead of thinking about all the things I might or might not have done right, I think about the people I met or talked to. I pray for the people who heard me speak or brought my book. Praying for other people shifts your focus. Do not stay stuck in your own boxing match, fighting against the nastier and meaner version of yourself. Take off the gloves and step out of the ring.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Philippians 2:3-5

Confidence and Self esteem Faith Inspiration

Avoid the rear vision mirror

By Staci McLean on Monday, February 22, 2021

Today as I was driving my car, the car behind me stopped suddenly in the middle of the road, it was usual behaviour so I kept looking in the rear vision mirror as to what was going on. I quickly realised how dangerous it was to get sidetracked by what is in the rear vision and not focusing on where I was driving. It made me think, how often in life do we get so concerned with what has happened in the past and behind us that we do not see the obstacles and interesting view in front of us.

When you learn to drive, you are taught to take quick looks behind you to check there are no vehicles about to overtake you or in your way when you shift lanes. But only a quick view. Most of the time you need to look forward, surveying for possible hazards and navigating to your destination. Taking your eyes off the road even for a minute can have life changing results.

In our lives it can be tempting to take a peak in the rear vision mirror a bit too often. Either to remember better times or rehash old wounds. It is fine to take a quick peak every now and to watch for previous struggles reemerging from behind you, but not to linger there.

Look ahead and watch for what could be a hazard ahead of you and look ahead to admire the amazing view and enjoy the journey. The view is not in the rear vision. The best view is in front of you.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Confidence and Self esteem Faith Inspiration

Eliminating the What ifs

By Staci McLean on Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Extract from ‘The Unburdened Warrior’ by Staci McLean

The answer to control is surrender. Surrender to God, who is the only one in control. You can control some things in your life—your behaviour, your thoughts, your emotions. You have control over yourself, and you can choose to surrender that control to God knowing He can do a better job of managing your life than you can. He knows everything, He wants the best for you, He loves you and cares for you.

You can’t control everything. You can’t control how other people will act, although you can influence their choices. You can choose who you have in your life and what behaviour you will accept from them, but you can’t control them. For that, we have prayer, faith and trust. God is in control when we can’t be. He knows better than us, as He can see the whole picture at once. We cannot.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

Peace and freedom come from accepting that we can’t control everything and neither do we want to. So many of life’s amazing experiences come out of the blue. God has incredible plans for you, amazing experiences for you, and opportunities for growth which will help you learn and become a stronger and better person. Don’t miss out because you’re holding on too tight, trying to control the world around you, not leaving space for mistakes or surprises.

The peace of God from surrender, trust, and faith doesn’t magically make the problems (the real problems) go away, although God can and will do miracles in your life when you let Him in. The peace of God is there despite your problems. It is a peace we have in the middle of the storm. It is not an easy life, but a light one.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6–7

Confidence and Self esteem Faith Inspiration

Do you doubt yourself?

By Staci McLean on Thursday, February 4, 2021

I have been working through a lot of self-doubt lately. It often pops up at the beginning of a new year, when I look at the plans and projects ahead of me that I believe God has called me for. And I wonder…. Can I really do it?

My doubt is focused on MY skills, experience, and ability to do the task set before me. That is the problem with self-doubt, it is totally self-focused.

Our self-doubt arises because we look at the natural world and assess that we do not have what it takes to accomplish what God wants us to do. We think God must have overestimate our ability, we doubt that we heard God correctly or we doubt God.

Self-Doubt robs us of faith, of trust and the blessing of seeing something that cannot be done be done. Miracles are waiting for us.

We need to have refreshed eyes to see God working. We don’t need skills, experience, talent, or abilities for what we are called to do, we just need a willing heart to obey and to learn. God will supply the lessons to learn, the training, the resources, and the supernatural power to see his plans come to pass.

Jesus walks on water even when we stay sitting in the boat. We might doubt we can do the impossible, but just like Peter we can walk on water with Jesus beside us – but we must get out of the boat and stop doubting.

 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
 “Come,” he said.
 Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 
Matthew 14:27-33

When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked to the natural world around him, the water, and the wind, he began to doubt the miracle he was in the middle of and he started to sink. To overcome self-doubt, stop looking within and stop looking around you but look towards Jesus and do not take your eyes off him. He will always reach out his hand to catch us.

You do not need to believe in yourself more or have more self confidence to overcome self-doubt but instead place your belief in Jesus and place your confidence in his victory.

Confidence and Self esteem Faith Inspiration Power words

Life is like a camera

By Staci McLean on Saturday, January 30, 2021

I love taking photos with my phone. The settings on my phone camera has an adjustable focus option. I can make the lens focus on a particular object, the foreground or on the background. This causes all the rest of the photo to became out of focus or blurry. The purpose of adjustable focus is to draw the eye to a specific area of the photo that the photographer wants to highlight. Our minds will naturally try to make sense of what we are seeing and be drawn to what it sees is in focus.

This such a great metaphor for our lives to. What we focus on and what we choose to highlight in our worlds is what our mind will be drawn to and what it will ‘see’. We know this is true, as we have all had that experience like if you decided to buy a red Honda and you would start to see red Hondas everywhere, when before you saw none. It is not that there is suddenly more red Hondas on the road coincidentally at the same time you purchased one. It is now you are aware of red Hondas and you are focused on them, your mind now sees them. They were always there, but now they are your focus.

It is the same with our feelings as well. Have you ever had one of those days when everything went wrong? Really, did everything go wrong or were you choosing to focus on the negative parts of the day, so it just seemed like everything went wrong. In fact, there would have been good things that happened but because you where only focusing on the negative, the good became blurry and out of focus.

Alternatively, we all know people who are focused on the positive all the time and they could have a car accident and be happy about it because they made a new friend. They have trained the lens in their brain to only focus on the positive in every situation.

This is not just positive thinking or manufacturing positive experiences, instead this is choosing to focus on what is already good in your life and what is important. Let the negative and unimportant became out of focus and blurry and it will have less impact on you. The Bible encourages us to focus on what is righteous, good, and true and the dwell on these things and not let our minds wander into unhelpful and hopeless areas.

To be happy, to be productive and free, we need to choose to focus on what is true and helpful. Set your lens to focus on the good and let the rest blur out and your experience of life will be quite different.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8

Confidence and Self esteem Faith Inspiration Stop your excuses

Love Workouts

By Staci McLean on Monday, January 18, 2021

I have signed up to do a half marathon in March. I have done a few in the past but not for 2 or 3 years so I definitely need to train for it.

Training for a half marathon generally involves 4 types of workouts – speed, hills, long and easy. Speed workouts are shorter and faster to increase your pace. Hills increase your endurance and fitness. Long slow workouts help you be ready to cover the distance of a half marathon and easy is a workout but comfortable and enjoyable. Each training workout is designed to develop different skills and abilities. All together they make doing a challenge like a half marathon possible, not just to finish but to enjoy the journey and finish well.

Similarity in our lives if we want to develop perseverance, stamina, strength and tenacity, there are challenges that we must face to build these skills. Just like the workouts, we need different type of experiences to develop a variety of important life skills.

We will face speed challenges, those situations that require us to react quickly and respond immediately. It might be a highly stressful situation which does not last awfully long but requires all our energy and attention at the times.

And we will face the hills, the ups and downs of life. Sometimes we cruise downhill and then we need to put our heads down and give it a burst of energy as we face an uphill battle.

And there will be times when we are in for the long slow challenge. Those projects, dreams, or situations when we need to persevere and pace ourselves during periods of extended challenge or struggle. We are in for the long stretch and slow and steady wins this race.

And then in between we will have times when it is easy. Times when life is in cruise mode, breathing space. We can take a moment to enjoy and be grateful for all that we have.

All these different seasons and experiences we have in our live create our character and develop our resistance. God gives us opportunities to grow and learn for our benefit, these challenges and trials might seem like a bad thing, but they are not. They give us the ability to grow stronger and be ready for the future. Love the workouts.

Confidence and Self esteem Faith Inspiration Power words

Why I never make New Year Resolutions

By Staci McLean on Tuesday, December 29, 2020

I am a very goal focused person and always have something I am working on or working towards, but I never make New Year Resolutions. I have a few reasons

Studies have shown that less than 25% of people stay committed to their resolutions after just 30 days, and only 8% accomplish them. The chances of your sticking to a New year’s resolution is very low.

New Years Resolutions tend to focus on what you want to do or not do. They are performance-based goals. Making goals like this when you are on holiday, sets you up for failure. Either because you can not start until you get home, or it is easy to do on holiday but difficult to incorporate into everyday life.

It is easy to get carried away on New Years Eve and make wide, sweeping declarations which are not realistic or achievable. I will NEVER eat chocolate again or this year I will exercise EVERYDAY.

Instead of New Years Resolutions I like to focus on what do I want to BE or what do I want MORE of in my life. What I want to BE is to what God created me to be. Every year I want to be more my true self, the person God made me to be and I want MORE of God in my life. That is all. I want to be more me, and I want more of God each and every year.

All my goals, achievements and aspirations flow from that. Every step I choose in the new year take me closer to God and closer to the person God created me to be, my best, authentic self.

Many years ago I listened to a great audio book called ‘My One Word – Change your life with Just one word’ by Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen. I love this book and it changed the way I look at a new year. In this book, the authors suggest finding one word to govern your year, kind of like a theme for the year. So instead of setting resolutions use one word to direct your bible reading, your prayer life, the skills you seek and your development. I have followed this for about 10 years, and I love the process of God revealing my word to me and watching as God breaks down and teaches me all the aspects and variations of this one word. Words I have had in the past have been revolution, restoration, healing, freedom, soaring and surrender. The word for 2020 was CLARITY. During the year I sort to clarify who I was, what I believe and clarifying my purpose. Although many unexpected things happened in 2020, my word and my mission of pursuing Clarity did not change, and God revealed so much of my character, His character and our relationship in that one word.

When considering your word for 2021, reflect on these questions…

What kind of person do you want to become this year?
What drives your desire to be this kind of person?
Describe the characteristics of this kind of person. Make a list of words based on this description.
Reduce your list to ten words or less and research those words. Use the dictionary and your Bible, perhaps a thesaurus.
Choose one word from your list to be your one word for this year.
Also choose a Bible verse that speaks to you about your chosen word and memorize it. This will provide a foundation of truth you can continually return to and will fuel your hope to change.
What initial expectations do you have regarding the impact of your word?

“My One Word provides us with a lens, with a new way of seeing. It’s a tool to train our eyes. It helps us frame the way we process the world around us and what happens to us.
Mike Ashcraft

Faith Inspiration

A Time for Christmas reflection.

By Staci McLean on Friday, December 11, 2020

I went to see a play tonight based on the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. It has always been one of my favourite stories, probably in part because I was in the play when I was about 10 years old and I loved the experience.

Watching as an adult, reflecting on the message of the story is different though. It stuck me that we can all benefit from a visit from each of the ‘spirits’ in the story.

Scrooge is visited by 4 spirits over Christmas Eve and through the process he is forced to examine the choices he has made in his life and what direction he wants to go in.

The first is his old partner who came to warn him to change. The second is the Spirit of Christmas Past, which reminds him of what he was like when he was younger and explains how he got to be the angry, greedy man. The third is the Spirit of Christmas Present, who shows him what his employee and his nephew are doing for Christmas, both are joyful and cheerful despite not having the wealth, that Scrooge values so highly. The last is the Spirit of Christmas Future, who shows him the future consequences if he does not change his character.

For us now in modern times the exercise of reflecting on the past year, our present and our future is useful, especially at this time of year.

Looking back over the year, celebrating, and remembering the special moments and learning from our mistakes or struggles. Considering if we are where we want to be right now in the present. Are we using this Christmas to celebrate Jesus by demonstrating his love to those around us and being joyful and thankful?

Pondering our future. What do we want to ‘be’ next Christmas? Where do we want to grow? What new opportunities are we going to explore in the next year? What learning and developing do we want in our character and our Christian walk?

In the end of A Christmas Carol Scrooge does change and he becomes generous and caring. The story ends happily and hopefully. He decides to hold on to the lessons that the Past, Present and the Future has taught him, to make him a better person all year around. A great lesson for us all.

Scroogle reflects with this great quote:

“I will honour Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”
Charles Dickens

Confidence and Self esteem Faith Inspiration Stop your excuses

When you are Called

By Staci McLean on Wednesday, December 2, 2020

When you’re sitting in church, listening to the notices asking for volunteers for the worship team and you feel a little nudge saying, ‘You could do that’. Do you obey and sign up?

When you hear your neighbour has lost their job and you feel a wee tug in your heart saying, ‘Go and help them.’ Do you obey and help?

When you’re sitting with a friend over coffee as she tells you her marriage is struggling, and the Holy Spirit prompts you to pray with her now. Do you obey and offer to pray with her right then?

These little moments are opportunities to follow the call of God and obey. When we are faithful and obey with the little things, God will trust us with the bigger things.

I have heard it said God will call us according to our gifts and talents. God created us all with different gifts, abilities and strengths, and it is good to work within those strengths, within our passions and interests.

But don’t limit God by working only within the things you already know or are good at.

How do you know what other hidden talents or character traits could be developed if you don’t step out and try different things? God knows best what you are capable of and He will equip you for any purpose He calls you for, but you might not have everything you need at the start of the process. Obey in faith, and trust God for provision of all you need as the journey continues.

I’ve also heard people say that if a calling is a struggle or too difficult, then it must not be from God. Some people say your calling should be natural and easy for you. I disagree.

Don’t use this as an excuse to not take on something that seems like an impossible challenge, or to give up. Following God’s call may not be easy, and it might not ‘feel’ natural—especially at the start. Be wary of quitting something and classifying it as not being your calling too soon just because it feels too hard or too unfamiliar. Push through. Then the growth will come.

If you think you have been called by God to do something big, a calling that will have an impact on your life or those around you, consider it seriously. Pray about it, study the Bible, and talk with God. Pray for clarification and confirmation. Talk with people who are involved. Take advice from trusted Christian friends. Seek advice from wise and spiritual leaders around you. Be sure you have a calling from God before you follow. Then obey and trust the journey.

Be prepared to step up and step out of your comfort zone. Be prepared for surprises. God often doesn’t do things the way we expect or would prefer.

The outcome may be surprising, unexpected or even disappointing. But that is our human perspective, not God’s all-knowing eternal perspective.

Our plans can never be as well-planned or as imaginative or as intricate as the plans of God, the Creator of the Universe.

“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try”
John F. Kennedy

(except from ‘Footfalls’ by Staci McLean www.stacimclean.co.nz)