Showing posts with label resilience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resilience. Show all posts

Sunday, November 30, 2025

My Story - 6 Things I Never Want to Forget

​Listen to My Story and Find 6 essential reminders to help you stay strong, focused, and motivated during tough times. Find hope and keep going even when life gets hard.

Life isn’t always easy, but you’re not alone. In this message, we’ll cover 6 things to never forget when things get tough. Learn how to stay positive, build resilience, and find motivation when you need it most. Whether you’re facing challenges or just need a boost, these reminders will help you keep going and grow stronger every day. Subscribe for more tips on personal growth and overcoming life’s obstacles!

my story

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Notes for My Story - 6 Thing To Never Forget

My Story - 6 Things I Never What to Forget

I’m going to do something I don’t think I’ve ever done. Every time I speak I ask God for His words for His people. When I did that to prepare for this message, I felt him leading me to share my story.

I will often share my stories when I speak. I think I’ve only shared my story once…and I was a lot younger then so you get a longer version.

I don’t want to think this is all about me. This needs to be my story about being impacted by God. I want to prompt you to think about your own story with God. Our stories connect us and I so look forward to hearing more of your stories.

Before we begin:

Can I pray?

My name is Trevor Lund. I’m the second child—oldest male of four siblings. Janine is the youngest. Shawn is the younger than me, then our oldest sister Jacqueline is married to Dan and they have 3 adult kids.

Being Anonymous

Growing up, our dad was the “New pastor” in a small town, even though he was there for 16 years when I left for university.

He also taught at the High School and everybody knew Mom, so whenever I got into trouble the news got home before I did. I feel like I got into trouble regularly. I’ve never been one to avoid trouble.

But I was tired of everyone knowing my business and decided I wanted to be anonymous when I entered university. I was accepted for early admittance and got my student code. I told all my friends they needed to call me by it, so I’d get used to being anonymous. I’d introduce myself “I’m 30-42-68, my friends call me 30”.

My English teacher called my name in class one day and after I ignored her for a while I responded “I’m 30-42-68 my friends call me 30”. “Well 30…” she started. I interrupted, “You can call me 30-42-68”. “Trevor!” My wife has that same tone since I’ve gotten hearing aids.

I wanted to be anonymous and most of the first year I was anonymous.

And I didn’t hear anything positive about religion. If anyone said anything about Christianity it was negative. The most positive thing I heard was that “religion slows down society so that it can accept the inevitable change so it doesn’t happen so quickly.”

Questioning my faith

So I think it’s perfectly natural I questioned my faith.

The first question I asked was “Is God real?”

But I had seen too many miracles and had too many encounters with the living God growing up to not quickly move on from that question. I knew there is a God.

The next question was “Is the God I was taught the real God?”

I mean, I knew I might have some things wrong. I remember—it must have been when I was two or three—I learned the verse “Be sure your sin will find you out” and I understood that to mean, if I was going to do something wrong, I’d better be sure to get away with it. It may explain my grade school years.

I made a decision to study the religions of the world. I’d studied their history and theology. I read books, went to talks and lectures and talked with people who were Hindu and Muslim and Buddhist and Wiccan and Jewish and Taoist. I studied ancient Egyptian, Sumarian, Greek and Roman Pantheon and Norse and Celt folklore.

But I also decided to read the Bible as I studied other religions. I wanted to know what the Bible actually said.

I read the Bible more and had more autodidactic studies than I spent time in my coursework…and I have the marks that first year to prove it.

And I ended up deciding that if Jesus didn’t die and rise again, I would be a Taoist. But since he did, my faith was my faith, not just my parent’s faith.

After my first year

After the first year of university I thought I would go to Bible College—not to be a pastor, but to goof off and have fun. I gave a speech at an awards ceremony when I was in grade 10 and someone from the town came up and told me, “you’ll be a [expletive] good pastor like your dad one day.” To which I responded, “Don’t wish that curse on me.”

My plan was to work all summer and save up for the new HMS Missions Class they were starting up. Who wouldn’t want to got on a mission’s trip?

But I blew my knee out playing slo pitch against the nurses and I couldn’t work all summer. If you’re going to injure yourself, do it around nurses. I had excellent care before the ambulance came.

My story about my summer

So since I couldn’t work I decided I’d be a counsellor to summer camp for another year. I had spent a week each summer doing that since I was 13.

I didn’t tell the camp director I was in brace. They didn’t tell me they were giving me 12 12-year olds who were all pastor’s kids, deacon’s kids and/or convicted felons.

It was an interesting week.

The second last night service focussed on divine healing. I wasn’t seeking God for healing at this point. When I first blew out my knee I asked him for healing, but He gave me deep sense that I didn’t need to worry about next year and this summer was a gift. He was taking care of things.

So I went up for prayer not really to be healed but to show these 12 12-year olds that I believed in healing. The speaker prayed for me then stepped back and said “God has been trying to say something to you. You need to hear it.”

And then I heard the audible voice of God say “You’re a pastor”.

And I was sprawled on the floor. I felt so insignificant and so highly valued. I was in awe of God in a way I had never been in awe of God before.

Two hours later I was sitting on the front pew and the camp director came up and asked me I knew where my 12-12 year olds were. Apparently I lost them. Nothing burned down, no police had to be called. I found them fairly quickly.

Not wanting to leave my brain

I couldn’t work that summer, so I didn’t have money to do a missions trip, but I could still get a student loan to continue at University.

I think if I would have left university at that point I wouldn’t come back. And I would have missed so much. I would have had doubts that an intellectual approach to experiencing God was possible.

I had seen far too many examples where they were at odds. When I was 13 or 14 years old I questioned one travelling minister over something he said in the service. He was blaming people for their lack of faith for not being healed. I pointed out Jesus blamed the disciples lack of faith when they couldn’t do miracles. He went bright red and stuck his finger in my face across the dinner table and said, “I’ve seen the dead raised, you don’t question me boy.”

I told God then, “If I have to leave my brain at the door to see miracles, I don’t want to see miracles.”

You don’t need to leave your brain at the door to see miracles.

Returning the University not wanting to be Anonymous

I went back to university and wanted to connect. I hung out with students who were so confident in what they believed and realized I was so much more confident in what I believed. I started questioning the profs who promoted anti-Christ sentiment.

I remember one time I said in class, “I’m a Christian and what you said isn’t right.” She mocked me, “Was anyone else offended?” I turned around and two-thirds of the class put up their hands and I asked the room: “Where were you 2 minutes ago?”

My Story about Meeting Karen

I joined the Pentecostal Campus Ministries and met Karen when her and Shirley started coming. When we started dating I started coming to this church with her. She had her salvation experience here and her grandparents were coming.

Plans after university

While we were here, I found out there were seminaries that still taught people to love God. I thought you went to seminaries to be talked out of your faith. I decided to build on my undergrad and get a Masters. And since things going well with Karen I figured I could stay close to home and went to Edmonton Baptist Seminary (now Taylor).

Placement for Seminary

I knew I needed a placement when I was in seminary. And I think my mom talked to my uncle Gordon. He called me and asked me to consider joining him at his church—if things worked out.

He called me just before our wedding. If all of these improbable things happened, he would be looking for a new youth guy. I didn’t give it any thought. I think Karen and I prayed once about it. I told Karen all those things won’t likely happen. I needed a placement while I was in Seminary, but we’d work that out sometime.

My Story how I went to My first church

When we just returned from our honeymoon and I got a call from Gordon. “Do you want to come meet the elders?” “Sure”, I said. “Why?” The improbable happened and he’d like me to apply.

I was the youth guy, then youth pastor then associate Pastor, then after Gordon retired and I graduated from Seminary I was eventually asked to be the Senior pastor.

Walking oxymoron

Became a senior pastor at age 24. A walking oxymoron. I had 7 retired pastor and missionaries couples in my church that had more than double the ministry experience than I had experience at being alive.

I knew I didn’t know anything and that was what helped me.

My Story about how I prayed a lot

It made me pray… a lot. My Elders supported me to do this. Everyone knew my office hours started at 10:00. I could be there at 6:00 and pray for 4 hours before anyone came to see me.

Both our kids were born when we were there. When our kids were old enough for school I’d come in earlier, go home to help them get up and take them to school and come back and then still have more time to pray.

The church grew. People could belong before they believed. We had so many baptisms. It was so much fun. We literally had a meeting to discuss what to do with all the money we had coming in. In budgets, baptisms and butts—the key metrics every church worries about and very few talk about—we were ticking every box and running on full cylinders.

Not all rainbows and sunshine

Don’t get me wrong, there were a LOT of problems…but they were usually fun problems to have - absolutely impossible things that God had to solve, we couldn’t. Sometimes the problems were people who should have known better. Those weren’t as much fun.

Prophetic breaking

One Sunday, a daughter of the grandmothers of the congregation was visiting her mom and after the service she came to me and was surprised I spoke so good. Apparently the first time she heard me speak I wasn’t as impressive.

She could have been there the time I think I fell asleep during my own sermons —I was a young father and thought sleep was for wimps…and I might have been a little boring.

Anyway, she told me she saw a vision as I was speaking. She saw me sitting at a table writing and the pages of the I wrote flew off the table and went around the world and touched the shackles people were wearing and the chains they were burdened with broke off.

What she didn’t know was that she broke something over me.

I always enjoyed going into bookstores and libraries but I was getting more and more overwhelmed with my inability to add anything meaningful to the conversation. I was almost having panic attacks in book stores. “What could I possibly contribute?” But her prophetic words broke that off of me and I decided I needed to learn how to write. So I took classes and joined writing groups and went to writer’s workshops and writing retreats and I wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote.

God pulling at my heart

And soon God was pulling at my heart.

He had told Karen and I both—before we were married—that the bulk of our ministry would be outside Canada. Since I was better with dead languages than I was learning spoken languages I figured it would be somewhere in the English speaking world.

I made connections in England, the US, Australia South Africa and New Zealand over the years. And New Zealand really pulled at my heart. I was offered a church in a university town there. I fell in love with the people of the town, but felt God say it wasn’t time and when it would be time, our only reason would be obedience.

But with my heart in two continents, my patience was stretched thin and one day I got angry when I was the only one to put the chairs away. I pulled hard to lift a rather large stack of chairs and heard a pop in my back.

My Story about Needing surgery

My back needed surgery. With our health system in Canada, I couldn’t see the surgeon for a year and a half.

The pain was so intense one day that I couldn’t take it. All I could do was stand on a stair with my right leg dangling in the air. I was there for hours. When Karen got home she took me to the hospital. They gave me a shot of morphine and said they could do nothing else unless it was an emergency. I would know it was an emergency if I lost control of my bowels. The doctor put me on medication to manage the pain.

He gave me muscle relaxants to stop the back spasms and warned me, “They'll make you sleepy.” I was on anti-inflammatory medication to bring down the swelling and was warned to stay away from ibuprofen as the anti-inflammatory meds could eat a hole through my stomach. I was put on a narcotic for pain relief. They worked great, but I was cautioned, “Just don’t become addicted.” Finally I was put on anti–epileptic medication to deaden the nerve receptors. This was my favourite warning: “These could possibly could shut down the white blood cells, so see your doctor bi-weekly for blood work and to check for the signs of an ulcer.”

My epiphany

It was during this time I had an epiphany - and no, I don’t think it was the drugs. I thought about my doctors who were treating my symptoms. Baring a miracle —unless the cause of my pain was dealt with through surgery — the treatments that were meant to manage the symptoms could do me much more harm. The epiphany was that we were doing the same thing in the church. We were treating the symptoms, not dealing with the core issues—and were likely doing more harm than good. I didn’t want to do that any more. I wanted to give people real help to deal with the core issues.

I needed to learn how to get to the root of issue and help people with practical and real help.

How things Sped up

My father-in-law installed MRI’s and got me into one right away— I think I bumped some animals that used the unused MRI at night. That meant the specialist could see me and there was a cancelation so he could do the surgery a lot sooner. I had the MRI, the meeting with the surgeon, the surgery and fully recovered before the MRI I was scheduled for was originally booked for.

That was an answer to prayer for Karen. She told God she’d agree to what God was stirring in me after being there for 10 years.

Laying everything on the altar

I felt God asked us to leave our family, friends, finances and future on the altar and leave to go to New Zealand.

So we announced our resignation and told them we’d be leaving in 6 months.

Then my Dad was diagnosed with Bulbar ALS and given about 18 months to live.

I could have told the church I was staying. They could have voted on me staying if they wanted. But I spoke with Dad and he said “You need to obey what God is telling you to do.”

My Story about Leaving with The wrong attitude

I went to New Zealand with the wrong attitude. I went demanding something from God. If I gave up so much—I knew obedience came with a blessing—I wanted open heaven.

God wanted to teach me faith.

I don’t know what open heaven means to you, but January 1, 2005 we landed in Auckland New Zealand—a city at that time of just over a million people. We arrived at 6:00 AM and everyone was at the beach.

We had a family friend come from the beach, drive us to his house down an empty 8 lane highway. I was waiting for tumble weeds to tumble on by. He set us up to sleep off the jet lag and gave us directions to join them at the beach in a couple of days. It wasn’t what I expected as open heaven.

And yet I think we did have open heaven over us.

Once we were settled, Karen and I were going to separate prayer times so one of us could be with the kids. I went in the morning to this church who prayed scripture with music and it was always amazing. Karen went in the evening with some people who connected with us in our church.

But eventually we wanted to pray together so we opened our home and invited people to come. One of us would be putting the kids down and the other would answer the door. We always had powerful and prophetic prayer times and people would leave and we’d ask each other how the other knew them. We each thought the other knew who was there and it turns out we often prayed with strangers. I think that was a bit of open heaven.

When I felt God Speak The Second Call

I started my first novel in New Zealand. I wrote advertising features for the local paper. I was out on a walk with God one day lamenting my situation and asking why he had me do it and I sensed his voice again. It stopped me in my tracks. I felt him say, “I’ve given you time to write. Why are you doing everything but?”

So I finished the first draft of my novel and after consulting with people of great faith—who I thought would tell us to stiff upper lip it for the sake of being faithful— all of them came back with the same answer. We needed to be with family. We came home to be with family after only 9 months.

Coming home

I came home and helped my dad finish his book before he died. In the process of helping him publish it, I realized there had got to be a better way to facilitate self-publishing. I started a publishing company on a credit card. Never make a major life decision when you’re grieving. Never start a business on a credit card.

Experiencing Rejection

The other thing going on when we returned was we faced rejection on what seems like every front. I was told by a pastor friend I was expecting to work with, “You have too much vision.” A potential Christian employer decided, “You’d be too evangelistic.” A former congregation member said, “What happened? You used to be someone.” Friends told us, “You talk too much about weird stuff.”

I had a book publisher call me up at tell me my novel would lead people to hell. What book publishers has time to call up an author on their slush pile? I tell you, we were getting rejection from everywhere.

I went for one interview at a local paper and the guy I’d be replacing asked me “Did I hear you on the radio last night” I told him I did some interviews for my books a little earlier, but I didn’t do anything live local yesterday. “No that was you. I heard you. That’s what you should be doing! You don’t want to work here.” That was probably the best rejection I had.

I had a pastor call me in to ask why I feel I can use Revtrev.com as my domain as I’m not paid to be a pastor. I said being paid as a pastor doesn’t make you a pastor. Pastor isn’t a title, it’s a gift Jesus gives the church. I then told him “God’s gift and his call are irrevocable and I have more people interacting with my website every day than I’ve ever spoken to in one location…and that includes yours.”

What do you do with all that?

My Story about Sucking it up

God is the potter, I’m the clay. I’m the work of His hands. What pot can tell the potter it’s not being made right?

I didn’t know I just piling it all on and mourning the death of my dad and I was oblivious to how angry I was at God.

Bill Johnson

But I heard I message from Bill Johnson who was mourning the death of his dad around the same time. They had seen so many people healed from cancer and his dad died of cancer. He was processing things on a different level than was possible for me.

He told the story of John the Baptist being in prison and sending his disciples to Jesus to ask he was the one or if they should wait for another. The spirit of the Lord was on Jesus to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and his cousin was in jail. He wanted to know if he had gotten it wrong. And Jesus told his disciples to tell John what they saw and “Blessed is he who is unoffended because of me. Bill taught me I could be offended at God.

And it took me out of a funk. Well, confession and repentance took me out of the funk.

If you live offended to God you need to confess and repent. Your peace is more important than your vindication.

My Story about the Negativity Fast

When we came home and we attended a church plant with family and friends from our first church. One day a friend came up to me to tell me she saw a vision of a wave of negativity crashing into the city and overwhelming this church. I told her to go talk to the pastor.

But during worship I thought of the word “Negativity Fast” and googled it. And I became angry that there was no Christian website encouraging people to not be negative. It was all relational gurus and Buddhists monks that cornered the market. So during the break I went up to the pastor—who was talking to my friend and gave him a plan to run a negativity fast for the church. He was more than happy to let me do it.

2006 ran my first Negativity Fast. Next year is the 20th anniversary of the first one. I have had over 10,000 people go through the material.

My greatest ministry happens outside of Canada. The internet wasn’t invented when God told me my greatest ministry would happen outside Canada.

The problem of finding success

Nobody ever tells you about being a success online. I had 10,000 people sign up for my email list and my email list provider wanted to charge me tens of thousands of dollars to send emails. I couldn’t afford that. My podcast had 5,000+ downloads every episode—this was back when nobody had a podcast—RevTrev Radio was one of the first. I was storing the episodes on Amazon AWS and its price for downloads quickly became untenable for me. I had so many people coming to my website that it was constantly crashing. I had Turkish Muslims Cyber Jihadist take over a site - Don’t think you’re doing effect ministry online unless you’ve had Turkish Muslim Cyber Jihadist take out a site—or you can lose a facebook page with 12,000 subscribers to hacker. Then I think you can say you’re doing ministry online. That’s happened to me too. BTW our church website has been hacked, but we’ve tightened up security on it.

At the time I didn’t have any books or courses or coaching to sell to offset those costs.

He was teaching me hope

Back in those day, Twitter was a conversation and miracles were happening on it. People would send me things to pray for. I’d tweet out a quick prayer. Answers would happen. I would have people ask me questions. And someone had a question that I didn’t know how to answer. I asked Karen about it and she knew the answer she said - “You need to teach her how to hope.”

So I wrote a book - Hope in Transition and realized that through everything we had gone through God was teaching me how to hope.

Doors kept closing

But doors kept on closing.

Eventually—I wanted to be useful—so we returned to this church because Karen’s grandparents were coming and I thought at least I could drive them. But Stan gave me opportunity to preach. When every door was forcibly slammed in my face. We came back and it helped our healing.

Stan opened the door then other doors were opened.

My second church

I was called by a friend and asked if I would consider coming to their church. It was started by another friend and… As I prayed about it I felt God tell me if I went, He would teach me about love.

It was during this time I feel he entrusted me with the seed of the message to help people

Live LIGHT which now means to Live…

…Loved

…Insightful

…Grateful

…Hopeful

…Trusting

To Live LOVED was what kicked it off.

It was a hurting church and hurt people hurt people. And we saw some baptisms and saw some good things happen, but our kids saw hypocrisy in the church that I’m afraid that’s become an excuse for them.

And we left after 4 years, just before that church closed its doors.

Returning to Highway

We returned to this church. We needed more healing.

Eventually I was speaking here and doing some speaking and seminars at other churches.

My Story about the menacing voice

I remember the Sunday I spoke on practicing the Sabbath. I said something extemporaneously like “If you don’t take a regular sabbath, a sabbath can take you. It happened to ancient Israel, what makes you think it won’t happen to you.”

I sat down after the message and felt a menacing voice say, “That’s the last sermon you’re ever going to preach.”

And I don’t have time for menacing voices. Jesus didn’t argue with demons, I don’t give them the time of day. That was the twelfth time I spoke in 14 weeks. My books were selling and people were promoting my books. By the grace of God, I’m not going to fall. Why should I worry?

My Story - a bit - about the Heart attack

But a week later I had a heart attack.

I didn’t go in for another week, but that’s a long story you don’t need to hear right now. Just don’t do what I did.

And as I recovered in hospital I remembered that voice and it screamed in my head.

Ongoing health

Since the heart attack, I’ve had two stents put in and surgery for two types of carcinoma. I’ve had AFIB and Cardiac Ablation surgery, I am being treated for fibromyalgia. I’ve lost a range of frequencies in my hearing, so I wear hearing aids. My arms got too short and font on phones only get so big so I have to wear readers.

But God…

But I’ve also had an atheist grab me and ask me to pray so she can have my peace. I’ve had a nurse tell me “you’re far too joyful for someone in this situation.” I’ve been able to tell people about the hope that I have in Jesus.

I’ve learned I can create safe space for people to self express their thoughts, feelings and emotions without judgment criticism and condemnation.

And I’ve seen miracles. Miracles when I’m the only one to have faith, miracles when friends of the one who needs prayer are the ones who have the faith. And miracles when I have absolutely no faith.

I have seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I’ve been through the fire and not been burned. Through the deep water and not drowned. Through the rushing water and have not been overwhelmed. He has been good to me. By the grace of God I am who I am and His grace to me was not without effect.

6 Things I Never Want to Forget

And in all of that and because of all of that was there are 6 things I never want to forget.

All of us have gone through the fire. The good news is He has brought you through. The sad news is you’re still in a world that has yet to be redeemed, surrounded by people who are at best being redeemed, and you have an enemy that comes to steal kill and destroy. So what do you do when you get that phone call that drops you to your knees?

You’re going to need to know how to ENDURE. How can you endure whatever trials come your way?

That’s a great question, I’m so glad you asked.

This is based on the first tool I ever created with an acronym. I’ve had to tweak it because God has been reminding me of one more thing I never want to forget.

How to ENDURE Tool

E — Ever remember to never

E — Ever remember to never give God credit for the works of the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy because Jesus came to give us life and have it to the full. John 10:10

Story - Living offended at God.

Women in seminar…

Deal with the lies you’re believing as truth. Get to the root, don’t just treat the symptoms. Our emotions show us what we truly believe. Let Holy Spirit replace the lies you believe with the truth He reveals. You can feel like you’ve forgiven. You can have peace at all times and in every situation.

Am I giving God credit for the works of the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy?

N — Never forget to treat all hardship as discipline

N — Never forget to treat all hardship as discipline (Hebrews 12:7-11) knowing He is a Good Father and is working all things together for good. Romans 8:28

Story - saints overcome. By the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony

You’ve heard my story, I want to hear your story. You have been through the fire…it is by the word of your testimony that you overcome.

Am I treating all hardship as disciple?

D — Don’t ever ignore that the God of all hope

D — Don’t ever ignore that the God of all hope fills me with all peace and joy as I trust in Him, so I can overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Nothing is more important than your peace. Peace is the emotion that is to rule our hearts.

I’ve had too many Christians too many times tell me they are trusting God but just can’t stop worrying. Show me your peace and I’ll know you’re trusting God. Show me your joy and I’ll know you’re trusting God. Show me your hope and I’ll know you’re trusting God. Your emotions show you what you actually believe. If you don’t have peace and hope and joy, go back to the last place you had them. Where did you lose them? Confession and repentance works wonders to get them back.

Do I overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit?

U — Understand that I can worry about nothing

U — Understand that I can worry about nothing but pray about everything with thankgiving (Philippians 4:6-7), knowing that giving thanks in all circumstances is His will for me. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Story - Last year I did my first 70-Day Gratitude Challenge. I just finished the second one last week. Every day for 70-Days I decide to give thanks, feel grateful for what I decide to give thanks for and show appreciation for what I feel gratitude for. That’s giving thanks with your whole heart. We don’t learn habits in 21 days but in 3 sets of 21 or 63-70 days the neural pathways realign to form a habit. In 70 days you realign your brain so you can give thanks at all times…and that’s God’s will for you.

Do I worry about nothing but pray about everything with thanksgiving?

R — Remember to cast all my cares upon him

R — Remember to cast all my cares upon him, because he cares for me (1 Peter 5:7) and to never leave a time of prayer without exchanging my problems for His peace.

After my Gratitude Challenge last year I felt God calling me to calling me to seek him, I didn’t know what that would look like with my current reality.

It ended up doing an extended prayer and bible and fellowship with Holy Spirit time every day. And I keep track to bring all my requests to him and remember all the answers to prayer. Look… my God answers my prayers. Worry about nothing. Pray about everything with thanksgiving…

Do I exchange my problems for His peace?

E — Embrace that He has showered me with His kindness

E — Embrace that He has showered me with His kindness, along with all wisdom and understanding (Galatians 6:8) so everything is figureoutable.

I don’t know what lies ahead. But I know He’s already there. I know I can trust him to prove himself good. I know he not only prompts me to do his will He empowers me to accomplish every good work prompted by faith. I know his favour is on me and His blessings overwhelm me.

Even though in this world I will have trouble, I take heart knowing he’s overcome the world.

Do I believe He has showered me with kindness and all wisdom and understanding?

My Story Conclusion

That’s my story and that’s 6 things I never want to forget. I know I must ENDURE and encourage you to do the same.

I don’t know what impossible situations you are facing. I don’t know what lies you’re believing. I don’t know if you feel rejected or forgotten or alone, or if you’re dealing with health issues or have been diagnosed with something scary. But I want you know God is for you and since He’s for you who can be against you?

He is going to finish the good work he started in you. He rejoices over you with singing and quiets you with His love. I want you to be encouraged today. I want your courage to arise.

Blessings

Will you stand with me. It’s time for a blessing.

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
—Numbers 6:24–26

Can I pray?

Sunday, November 2, 2025

Gratitude Challenge Day 45 - Appreciating Others

​Show appreciation for those around you today! Gratitude Challenge Day 45 encourages us to value others and spread kindness. Take a moment to thank someone.

Welcome to Gratitude Challenge Day 45! Today’s focus is on appreciating others and showing gratitude for those who impact our lives. Join us as we explore simple ways to recognize and thank the people around us. Share your experience in the comments and let’s spread kindness together!

I’m Trevor Lund, the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com, the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca and your host inside the Live LIGHT Cascade Chalet http://revtrev.link/chalet

Every day for 70 days I’m going to give thanks with my whole heart. That means I’m going to decide to give thanks, feel gratitude and show appreciation for what I feel gratitude for. And I invite you to join me.

Also for every day for 70 days I’m going to live cast podcast and blog. If you want to catch me live, go to https://revtrev.com/tv and subscribe and set notifications to catch me live on YouTube or https://revtrev.com/fb and like and set notification to catch me live on FB or follow on X at https://revtrev.com/x and be notified there.Catch the podcast at https://revtrev.com/radio and the blog at https://revtrev.com/blog Or learn more about about the Live LIGHT 70-Day Gratitude Challenge at https://revtrev.link/thanks

appreciating others

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Gratitude Challenge Day 45: Appreciating Others

Are you looking for a simple way to deepen your faith and improve your relationships? Today’s Gratitude Challenge focuses on Appreciating Others—an act that not only strengthens community but aligns with Biblical teachings about love and kindness. Let’s explore how appreciating people around us can transform our lives and bring us closer to God’s purpose.

Why Appreciating Others Matters

Appreciating others is more than a polite gesture; it’s a powerful practice that reflects Christ’s love. When we recognize the good in those around us, we:

  • Encourage positive behavior
  • Build stronger connections
  • Create a culture of thankfulness

Related keywords: Encouragement, Community, Acts of Kindness

What Does the Bible Say about appreciating others?

Scripture repeatedly calls believers to honor and encourage one another. Consider these verses:

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
  • Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
  • Hebrews 10:24: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

Each passage highlights the importance of appreciation, encouragement, and actively seeking ways to uplift others.

How to Practice Appreciating Others Daily

You might wonder, “How can I show appreciation in practical ways?” Here are some simple steps:

1. Verbal Affirmation

Speak kind words. Thank someone for their help or acknowledge their strengths.

  • “I appreciate how you always listen patiently.”
  • “Your dedication inspires me.”

2. Acts of Service

Show gratitude through action. Small gestures can make a big impact.

  • Helping with chores
  • Sending an encouraging note
  • Offering prayers for someone’s needs

3. Public Recognition

Celebrate others’ achievements openly.

  • Share their story at church
  • Post a thank-you message online
  • Nominate them for a volunteer award

Common Questions About Appreciating Others

Q: Is appreciation just flattery?
No. Genuine appreciation comes from recognizing the true value in someone’s actions or character, not exaggeration.

Q: What if I’m shy or introverted?
Silent acts—like writing notes or praying for others—can be just as meaningful as spoken words.

Q: Can appreciation strengthen my faith?
Absolutely! Practicing gratitude and encouragement reflects God’s love and helps us grow spiritually (see Galatians 5:22-23).

Three Biblical Ways to Appreciate Others

  1. Pray for Them: Lift their needs before God (James 5:16).
  2. Serve Together: Join hands in ministry or outreach (Galatians 6:2).
  3. Express Thanks: Use words or actions to show gratitude (Colossians 3:15).

Conclusion & Call-to-Action

Appreciating others isn’t just good manners—it’s a reflection of Christ’s love working through us. Let’s commit today to see the best in those around us and express it genuinely.

How have you shown appreciation this week?
Share your experience in the comments below, or tag a friend who has inspired you! Don’t forget to subscribe for daily encouragement and share this post with your community.

Together, let’s build a culture of gratitude—one day at a time.

Today’s 70-Day Gratitude Challenge Question

Can I start the challenge anytime or do I need to follow specific dates?

You can start the challenge anytime.

Feel free to invite family members to join you. Starting on Thanksgiving can be meaningful, as it aligns with the theme of gratitude.

Challenge Overview:

  • Duration: 70 days
  • Daily Commitment:
    • Choose to give thanks.
    • Feel gratitude for what you give thanks for.
    • Show appreciation for what brings you joy.

Sign up for the free Live LIGHT 70-Day Gratitude Challenge at this link.

Benefits of Practicing Gratitude Daily for 70 Days

Improved Mental Health:

    • Regularly feeling gratitude can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
    • It promotes a positive mindset and emotional resilience.

Enhanced Relationships:

    • Expressing gratitude strengthens connections with others.
    • It fosters a sense of community and support.

Better Physical Health:

    • Grateful people often report better physical health.
    • They may engage in healthier behaviors, like regular exercise and proper sleep.

Increased Happiness:

    • Daily gratitude practices can elevate overall happiness levels.
    • Focusing on positive aspects of life shifts attention away from negativity.

Greater Life Satisfaction:

    • Gratitude enhances overall satisfaction with life.
    • It encourages individuals to appreciate their circumstances.

Supporting Studies

  • A study published in the journal Psychological Science found that participants who kept gratitude journals reported higher levels of well-being and less negative affect than those who did not. Link to study
  • Research from the Journal of Happiness Studies indicates that gratitude can significantly increase life satisfaction and well-being. Link to study
  • A study in The Journal of Positive Psychology revealed that individuals who practiced gratitude experienced enhanced feelings of connectedness and social support. Link to study

Engaging in this challenge for 70 days can greatly benefit your mental and emotional well-being, while also fostering deeper connections with those around you.

How I can help you do a 70-Day Gratitude Challenge

Looking for a simple way to boost your mood, shift your mindset, and bring more positivity into every day? Tune in to the Live LIGHT Daily Gratitude Podcast during the live campaign of the 70-Day Gratitude Challenge. Each short episode gives you practical gratitude prompts, encouragement, and reflections to help you embrace thankfulness—no matter what life throws your way. Whether you’re on the 70-Day Gratitude Challenge or just want a daily boost, these podcasts will guide you to give thanks with your whole heart and see the difference it makes. Listen now at https://revtrev.com/radio and start your day with gratitude!

Next Steps

Check out https://revtrev.link/thanks and learn how I can help you get involved in the Live LIGHT 70-Day Gratitude Challenge or do one on your own.

appreciating others

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Why You Need To Have and How to Have Well Healed Wounds

Explore effective strategies to well healed wounds, promoting resilience and emotional well-being. Discover Biblical tips for meaningful emotional recovery.

Learn how to heal from emotional trauma with proven strategies for emotional well-being and resilience. This message covers Biblical techniques for overcoming emotional wounds, fostering mental health, and building inner strength. Whether you're dealing with past trauma or current challenges, find out how to support your journey to emotional recovery.

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com He helps you give thanks with your whole heart https://revtrev.link/heart Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

well healed wounds

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Why you Need and How to Have Well Healed Wounds

Jeremiah 17:5-14 NLT “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.   But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.   The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.   Like a partridge that hatches eggs she has not laid, so are those who get their wealth by unjust means. At midlife they will lose their riches; in the end, they will become poor old fools. But we worship at your throne— eternal, high, and glorious! O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who turn away from you will be disgraced. They will be buried in the dust of the earth, for they have abandoned the Lord, the fountain of living water.   O Lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone!”

Today we’re talking about Why we need and how to have well healed wounds.

Can I pray?

I was in a church to help launch a fast from negativity. I was going to explain the concept of “gravitas.” This description comes from M. Craig Barnes “The Pastor as Minor Poet” p. 49

It [gravitas] speaks to a soul that has developed enough spiritual mass to be attractive, like gravity. It makes the soul appear old, but gravitas has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with wounds that have healed well, failures that have been redeemed, sins that have been forgiven, and thorns that have settled into the flesh. These severe experiences with life expand the soul until it appears larger than the body that contains it. Then it is large enough to proclaim a holy joy, which makes the soul so attractive.

As I shared that,  I felt I needed to expand the message. I said something like this extemporaneously,

“Some of you here take pride in your wounds. You wear your pain like a badge of honour. You think it makes you acceptable to God. But God wants you to know that your wounds hurt Him and what brings Him joy is when your wounds well healed. You need to have well healed wounds.”

After the service a lady came up to me with tears in her eyes. She told me some time ago God impressed upon her that her wounds would heal well. She said, “when you said that phrase – ‘well healed wounds’ – I knew God was saying my time of healing is complete.”

I was floored. I had just come from a long conversation with someone telling me how tough his life was and how he had a right to his bitterness. This lady had the opposite spirit. It was amazing.

Does having well healed wounds really matter?

Life often gives us opportunities to choose between becoming better or becoming bitter. God’s will is for us to become more and more like Jesus.

It’s never a good choice to be bitter against God. And the worst part is we can spiritualize it.

Imagine Eeyore is speaking:  “He’s the potter, I’m the clay. I’m the work of His hand”  “What is man that you’re mindful of him, the son of man that you’d care for him?” “Enjoy life with the wife you love…all your days of your life, all your miserable days”.

We’ve been there right?  Keep imagining Eeyore…“Don’t pray for patience, you’d just have to wait.”

Should Biblical truth suck the faith out of you?

When we spiritualize being offended at God, we don’t even realize we can be bitter against God.

Hebrews 12:15 (NLT) Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Remember that To live loved means we love each other

We love each other as we love ourselves… Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8, 1 John 4:10-11; 2 John 1:5

Because He first loved us… 1 John 4:19-20

Our love is sincere, we’re devoted to one another with brotherly love and honour one another above ourselves…Romans 12:9-10

We share with God’s people who are in need and practice hospitality… Romans 12:13

We forgive… Colossians 3:13-14

We are patient, kind. We don’t envy, don’t boast and are not proud… 1 Corinthians 13:4

We are not rude, we’re not self-seeking, we’re not easily angered… 1 Corinthians 13:5

We’re unoffendable - We keep no record of wrong… 1 Corinthians 13:5

We always protect, always trust, always hope and always persevere. 1 Corinthians 13:7

We are united together John 17:23

And can’t be motivated by fear 1 John 4:18

love covers a multitude of sins 1 Peter 4:8

The only debt that remains outstanding is our debt to love one another… Romans 13:8

We can’t live that way if our wounds are not well-healed.

It matters that we have well healed wounds.

Imagine

What would it be like if we all had well healed wounds?

1. Restoration of Relationships

Healing allows us to restore and maintain healthy relationships with others.

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” - Matthew 5:23-24 (NLT)

2. Personal Growth

Well-healed emotional wounds contribute to our personal growth and maturity.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” - Romans 8:28 (NLT)

3. Freedom from Past Hurts

Healing helps us let go of bitterness and resentment, leading to freedom and peace.

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” - Ephesians 4:31-32 (NLT)

4. Strengthening Faith

Emotional healing strengthens our faith and reliance on God’s promises.

“He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” - Psalm 147:3 (NLT)

5. Ability for us to better help each other.

Healed individuals can provide support and encouragement to others facing similar struggles.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort others.” - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)

6. We’d all be focussed on our divine purpose

Healing leads to peace in our lives, allowing us to focus on our divine purpose.

“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:7 (NLT)

7. Reflecting God’s Love

When we heal, we can better reflect God’s love and compassion to others.

“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” - 1 John 4:7 (NLT)

Healing emotional wounds is crucial for personal well-being and spiritual growth. The process encourages forgiveness, restoration, and support from both God and others.

When you have well healed wounds you can trust God as you trust in the God of Hope he fills you with peace and joy so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So how can we all have well healed wounds?

That’s a great question, I’m so glad you asked.

He is the one who heals our wounds

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Our role is to HEAL

H - Hasten healing: want to be healed. Jeremiah 17:14

E - Engage in Biblical Counselling. Proverbs 11:14

A - Always forgive with your whole heart. Matthew 18:35

L - Live unoffended at God. Matthew 11:2-6

H - Hasten healing: want to be healed

Jeremiah 17:14 (NIVUK) Heal me, Lord, and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved, for you are the one I praise.

My friend Gary and I are were doing a treasure hunt in a mall. He had a lot more experience than I did with it. But on this day, I was running into people I knew and everyone I asked wanted to get prayer for something. Garry was being turned down consistently, but the icing on the cake was a when a woman came hobbling by with a cane and Gary asked her if she’d like to be healed. She kept on walking and with more determination as she pulled her hanging jacket into her said, “I like my drugs.”

I’ve never met anyone with well healed wounds who didn’t want to get healed.

But I’ve met a lot of people who have learned to cope and have settled into coping.

And I’ve met a lot of Christians who feel it’s the burden God wants them to bear almost take pride in their wounds.

Remember the story of the Jesus healing the man by the pool of Bethesda? John 5:1-15 Jesus asked him “Do you want to be healed?”

What did he respond?  “I can’t…”  We can give God every excuse not to give us well healed wounds. There’s only one thing that I’ve seen break every excuse…

People who don’t want to get healed need a revelation of the love of God.

Those who need to cope need to treat all hardship as disciple knowing God is a Good Father and is working all things together for good and that He will finish the good work started in you, so seek His face always and live! Hebrews 12:7-11, 1 Chronicles 16:11; Amos 5:4

The ones who take pride in their wounds need to stop giving God credit for the works of the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy. John 10:10

The question you can ask is:

Do I want to have well healed wounds?

E - Engage in Biblical Counselling

Proverbs 11:14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

All counselling can be beneficial. Biblical counselling is a form of guidance and support that draws on the teachings of the Bible to address emotional, psychological, and spiritual issues. It focuses on biblical truth and confession and repentance.

7 Benefits in Engaging with Biblical Counselling

1. Get God's Wisdom.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Biblical counselling seeks to align our understanding and actions with God's wisdom.

2. Find restoration and healing.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Biblical counselling aims to bring individuals back to a place of emotional and spiritual health.

3. Obtain guidance in life’s challenges

Psalm 119:105  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Biblical counselling helps individuals navigate life's difficulties with guidance rooted in Scripture.

4. Transform through renewing the mind.

Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Biblical counselling focuses on transforming thoughts and behaviours in accordance with God's Word.

5. Address sin and encourage growth.

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Without confession there is no repentance and without repentance there is no meaningful change.

Biblical counselling can help individuals identify areas of sin or struggle in their lives and encourage them toward spiritual growth.

6. Encounter hope and encouragement.

1 Thessalonians 5:11  So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Biblical counselling can provide hope and encouragement to those feeling lost or overwhelmed.

7. Receive Accountability:

Proverbs 27:17  As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Biblical counselling fosters accountability, helping individuals stay committed to their spiritual and personal growth.

Biblical counselling that leads to Holy Spirit being your counsellor is—in my opinion—the fastest and most effective way to have well healed wounds. I’ve done enough biblical counselling to know how far I can get people to on 6 or 8 weeks of meeting. When I learned to have them hear Holy Spirit for themselves, I saw that 6 or 8 weeks shrink to 20-30 minutes… Biblical counselling should lead people to hearing Holy Spirit for themselves.

We’re going to give you time for that today.

The question you can ask is…

Do I need to seek out Biblical counselling?

A - Always forgive with your whole heart

Matthew 18:35 That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.

Your heart is the seat of your decision, the seat of your actions and the seat of your emotions. We choose to forgive, we bless in the name of Jesus and we should feel like we’ve forgiven. It’s effortless.

Sometimes it’s easy for us to feel forgiveness. We choose to forgive and we feel like we’ve forgiven.

Other times we don’t feel like we’ve forgiven. So—in a safe way—we bless those who curse us. When we do, we feel like we’ve forgiven.

Other times we can choose to forgive and safely bless and still don’t feel like we’ve forgiven.

It has nothing to do with the atrociousnes of the offence. It has everything to do with the lie we believe.

We need to get Holy Spirit to replace the lie with the truth. So let me re-introduce to you the How to Feel Like You’ve Forgiven Tool.

How to have GRACE to feel like you’ve forgiven tool

GRACE

G - Get in touch with the emotion

R - Remember when you felt like this before

A - Accept what the feeling reveals

C - Centre in on the truth

E - Examine if the feelings have changed

Let’s expand this…

G - Get in touch with the emotion

How does it make me feel? What comes to mind when I focus on what I’m feeling? When have I felt this way before?

R - Remember when you felt like this before

Is there an earlier emotion? How does that make me feel? Why do I feel that way? Why does believing _______ make me feel _____?

A - Accept what the feeling reveals

Not that it’s true, but does it feel true that _____?

C - Centre in on the truth

What does God say about what I believe?

Lord, what do you want me to know?

E - Examine if the feelings have changed

Does it still feel true that _______?

Does it feel like I’ve forgiven the offence against me?

The question you can ask is…

Do I feel like I’ve forgiven?

L - Live unoffended at God

When Karen and I  left our  family, friends, finances and future on the altar and left a church I loved to move to New Zealand and my Dad was diagnosed with Bulbar ALS and very quickly died, I didn’t have a language to say how I felt.

I was mad at God, but he’s the potter, I’m the clay. If he wanted me to be a lumpy cup that sat on the shelf that was his business. I complained like Jeremiah who said “God you set me up.” But I didn’t know how to move on from the lament.

It wasn’t until I heard a message by Bill Johnson that I had a language to use and path to get healing. He talked about John the Baptist.

Matthew 11:2-6 HCSB When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent a message by his disciples and asked Him, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind see, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. And if anyone is not offended because of Me, he is blessed.”

I was teaching this in a day seminar on hope and one of the participants closed up when I got to living unoffended at God. Her arms crossed and she slouched in her chair. I asked her what was going on. “I’m not offended at God. If God wanted to TAKE my husband, he can TAKE my husband.” She spat out the word take.

Over the years, I’ve found that’s a consistent theological response to emotional wounds.  So I’ve created a tool that I use to help people know if they may be offended at God.

How to recognize you may be OFFENDED at God Tool

Here's how to find if you may be OFFENDED at God

O - Overlook

If you can’t be still in His presence you may be offended at God.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."

Do I let His word read me?

F - Fail

If you don’t spend time in His word, you may be offended at God.

If you can’t or won’t praise God with your whole heart, you may be offended at God.

Hebrews 13:15 - "Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name."

Can I praise Him with all of my heart?

F - Falter

If you can’t or won’t praise God with your whole heart, you may be offended at God.

If you’re easily offended at others, you may be offended at God.

Proverbs 19:11 - "Smart people learn more from one rebuke than fools learn from a hundred lashes."

Am I more easily ticked off by people?

E - Easily Offended

If you’re easily offended at others, you may be offended at God.

Proverbs 19:11 - "Smart people learn more from one rebuke than fools learn from a hundred lashes."

Am I more easily ticked off by people?

N - Neglect

If you neglect your relationship with God, you’re likely offended at God.

James 4:8 - "Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world."

Do I do disciplines that bring me life?

D - Distance

If you rarely confess AND repent, there is a good chance you’re offended at God.

Isaiah 59:2 - "It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore."

When was the last time I confessed to God and repented?

E - Examine-less

If you refuse to examine your ways, you’re likely offended at God.

Lamentations 3:40 - "Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord."

Do I avoid examining my ways?

D - Doubt

If you don’t do what he tells you you to do, you’re likely offended at him

James 1:6 - "But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind."

Do I doubt God will be true to His word?

What is the solution when you're offended at God?

Confession and repentance

Confession - Agreeing with God you’re offended at Him.

Example: Learn to LAMENT. Go to the Psalms or Lamentations and read until you find something that feels the same way you do. Agree with God, that is how you feel.

Repentance - Changing your mind and going in the opposite direction

Example. Almost all the psalms of laments turn to praise.

What I have learned to do to live unoffended at God is that I choose to STAND:

S - Stop giving God credit for the works of the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy. - John 10:10

T- Treat all hardship as discipline knowing He is a Good Father and is working all things together for good and that He will finish the good work He started in me; so I seek His face always and live! Hebrews 12:7-11, 1 Chronicles 16:11; Amos 5:4- Hebrews 12:7-11 v.v.

A - Agree to cast all my cares upon Him, because he cares for me and use my prayer time to exchange my problems for His peace. - 1 Peter 5:7

N- Never forget that the God of all hope fills me with all peace and joy as I trust in Him, so that I can overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

D - Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything and thank him in all things, knowing that’s His will for me. - Philippians 4:6-7

The question you can ask yourself:

Am I living offended at God?

Conclusion

You can have well healed wounds. It’s God’s will for you to have well healed wounds. You can HEAL.

H - Hasten healing: Want to be healed Jeremiah 17:14 Do I want to have well healed wounds?

E - Engage in Biblical Counselling Proverbs 11:14 Do I need to seek out Biblical Counselling?

A - Always forgive with your whole heart Matthew 18:35 Do I feel like I’ve forgiven?

L - Live unoffended at God Matthew 11:2-6  Am I living offended at God?

When you HEAL, you’ll know you’re healed because people will see gravitas in you.

It [gravitas] speaks to a soul that has developed enough spiritual mass to be attractive, like gravity. It makes the soul appear old, but gravitas has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with wounds that have healed well, failures that have been redeemed, sins that have been forgiven, and thorns that have settled into the flesh. These severe experiences with life expand the soul until it appears larger than the body that contains it. Then it is large enough to proclaim a holy joy, which makes the soul so attractive.

Can I pray?

Lord, we have been through the waters and you have been with us. We’ve passed through the rivers and not been overwhelmed. We have been through the flames and not been burned up. You have been so, so good to us. Help us want to be healed and find good and godly counsel. Help us replace the lies with your truth and feel like we’ve forgiven and help us always to live unoffended at you.

Time of reflection…let Holy Spirit work.

Next Steps

Learn how to Forgive with Your Whole Heart with the Live LIGHT with Your Whole Heart Learn more at https://revtrev.link/heart

forgive with your whole heart

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Gratitude is the attitude that guards my heart

Discover how cultivating gratitude attitude can protect your heart and enhance your emotional well-being, fostering a positive mindset and resilience in life.

Trevor Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com He helps you give thanks with your whole heart https://revtrev.link/heart Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

gratitude attitude

Gratitude is the attitude that guards my heart

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” - 2 Corinthians 2:14 (GW)

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I live with my whole heart aligned with itself and with God. I live wholeheartedly. My heart is my emotions, but it’s also my decisions and my actions. The three need to agree. I can’t say one thing and do another. I can’t make a decision that goes counter to my emotions.

Peace is the only emotion I allow to rule in my heart. Other emotions make better servants than masters. My emotions show me what I truly believe. Aligning my decisions, my emotions and my actions enables me to enjoy His peace that passes all understanding. Thanksgiving aligns all three. Gratitude guards my heart.

With thanksgiving, I let the spoken word of God fill my life. I fix my thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. I think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

With thankfulness in my heart, I sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and I teach and get counsel with all the wisdom He gives. I obey what He says. I only do what I see the Father do. I only say what I hear the Father say. My steps are guided by gratitude. I do everything I do as unto the Lord, and I do it all with gratitude.

Today, giving thanks is a natural part of my life. I feel grateful. It’s not a rote declaration. I celebrate opportunities to show my appreciation. I let the peace of God rule in my heart, and I am always thankful. Gratitude is the attitude that guards my whole heart.

Reflection Questions to Ask Holy Spirit:

  1. How should I let Your spoken word fill my life today?
  2. What are some things that I feel most thankful for today?
  3. Who can I encourage today?

Next Steps

Unlock a happier you with our FREE 70-Day Gratitude Challenge Course—transform your mindset at your own pace! https://revtrev.link/thanks

Align your thoughts with God’s thoughts for you. Discover profound insights with our 70-Day Gratitude Challenge book, ebook, and audiobook—your wonderful guide to cultivating appreciation and joy! Learn more - https://revtrev.link/thanks

Enhance your journey with the Live LIGHT 70-Day Gratitude Challenge Journal, the perfect companion for the 70-Day Gratitude Challenge to inspire daily reflections and growth! https://revtrev.link/thanks

Don’t Forget to Give Thanks with Your Whole Heart

The Live LIGHT 70 Day Gratitude Challenge

Every day for 70 days …
Choose to give thanks – Decision
Feel grateful for what you give thanks for – Emotions
Show appreciation for what you feel gratitude for – Action

Learn to give thanks with your whole heart Check out the Live LIGHT with your Whole Heart course today - https://revtrev.link/heart

gratitude attitude