A confident woman is a light in the darkness effusing an unexplainable, contagious radiance. I believe the source of her inner beauty is not about all her accomplishments, her appearance, or that she does everything perfectly. Being successful and having a loving and supporting spouse or close family and friends are definitely the icing on the cake. Even without that, we all have access to this unlimited source of beauty and Godly power. But first, we have to differentiate between “self-confidence and “God confidence.”

Self-confidence is a slippery slope of working in our strength and striving after our own desires. We seek power through out accomplishments, materialistically and it’s based on outward appearances rather than inner beauty. We think that by being people-pleasers, doing everything perfectly, having credentials and being secure financially will develop poise and self-assurance. But it’s all fine until the façade crumbles and we fall flat on our face.

A God-confident woman is not perfect, but her self worth is not measured by her appearance or net worth. It is based on her faith and commitment to Christ. The Bible tells us: “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence” (Jeremiah 17:7 NLT). When we make it our life’s mission to build our inner strength through God’s power, we become an unstoppable Godly force.

Here are six examples on how to build God-confidence.

1. Devour God’s word. We’ve heard the saying, “We are what we eat.” But the Bible tells us: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Deeply knowing God’s word helps us discern God’s truth from the deceitful arrows of Satan. The Bible also tells us that the more we know God the more we will know ourselves. (Ephesians 1)
2. You have a Godly purpose. Knowing you have a calling on our life keeps you focused with eyes on Heavenly things and not earthly distractions and changes like the Covid-19 crisis. (Ephesians 2:10).
3. Learn to be thankful. A thankful woman is a force to be reckoned with. She knows her provisions, protection and power come from God and the working of the Holy Spirit. Thankfulness breeds contentment that evolves into confidence. (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
4. Be generous. A generous woman knows that God will supply all her needs and is familiar with the concept of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7). She understands that to give away means that God will return the blessing at just the right time.
5. Walk into your fear. Fear is a dangerous and life depleting virus. Building confidence is “doing it afraid.” We have to learn to breathe and allow faith to help us walk through the barriers of fear. Faith helps us to hold onto our dreams and experience God’s extravagant stories He wants to unfold in our lives.
6. She understands supernatural rest. Trusting God brings a supernatural rest to our soul that takes away worry and allows us to enjoy life no matter what comes against us. When we rest in God’s sovereignty it removes anxiety and sets us free to accept who we are and we no longer have anything to prove.

Confidence is building a strong faith in God with the knowledge that with God“…I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need” (Philippians 4:13).

That’s the unstoppable, God confident woman I want to become. How about you?

“We’re all in this together and we will get through this,” echoes daily on social media.

Covid 19 has shrunk our world. Countries across the globe have become our next door neighbor struggling to put food on the table, paying the mortgage, keeping in touch with loved ones in isolated facilities. Their wives, husbands, sons and daughters are on the front lines in arms way, providing the care so desperately needed.

How out of control things can become seemingly over night. The account in Revelation 18 of the doom to come upon the great city where everything was wiped out in one hour doesn’t sound to far- fetched anymore.

OK God where are you?

Have you not been listening? Haven’t you heard these stories all your life? Don’t you understand the foundation of all things?”
God sits high above the round ball of the earth.
The people look like mere ants. He stretches out the skies like a canvas-yes, like a tent canvas to live under.
He ignores what all the princes say and do…
They shrivel when God blows on them Like flecks of chaff, they’re gone with the wind. Isaiah 40:22-24

How do we respond in such a time?
I recently listened to Bill Johnson give a message on: How to respond Biblicly to a Crises.
He first of all quoted the famous revival quote from 11 Chronicles 7:14. He went on to point out three crisis in the Bible and how it was responded to.

Genesis 26
There was a famine in the land and Issac planned to go back to Egypt. God appeared to Isaac and said, don’t go down to Egypt, stay in the land and I will be with you and bless you. Isaac stayed and used the seed to plant crops, he took in a huge harvest and God blessed him. He got richer and richer by the day ISAAC SEWED INTO HIS OWN FUTURE

Nehemiah 5
There was a protest among fellow Jews some of whom were not getting enough food for their families, they were being heavily taxed and had to mortgage their fields and vineyards and homes to keep from starving. It goes on to say that Nehemiah got really angry with his fellow Jews and ordered them to stop gouging their brothers and return to them their foreclosed field and vineyards. They did as Nehemiah at instructed.
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS RESTORED.

Acts 11
At the time when Barnabas and Saul were in Antioch teaching the new Christians, some prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem and Agabus stood up and warned that a severe famine was about to devastate the country so the disciples decided that each of them would send whatever they could to their fellow Christians in Judea. These people were believers because they were witnessed to GENEROSITY DISPLAYED.

What can we learn and apply from these times of Biblical crises:

1. INVEST IN OUR PERSONAL WELFARE

   Strengthen your personal relationship with God. Start a new hobby, my neighbor has made masks for anyone in our condo building who would like one, do an online course, learn to appreciate different genres of music and literature. Learn a new game. The list is endless.

2. RE-AFFIRM DEVOTION TO ONE ANOTHER

   Deepen family relationships. Spend quality time together. Learn to appreciate those who teach your children. Check in on seniors you know. Share your toilet paper and your hair color!! The church in Acts made sure nobody was lacking, pursue those who maybe in need weather it is material or emotional want. It is not a time to withdraw but a time to be present at a distance.

3. BE GENEROUS

   Even in the face of loss. Sow into peoples lives. My hairdresser works out of her unfinished basement. Will she be re-reimbursed for all the canceled appointments? Pay your tithes and offerings. Honor appointments if possible. Thrive in the face of loss.

Fred Rogers, host of the long run children’s show, It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood told a story about his mother. When Fred was a little boy he would sometimes get scared about something he saw on TV. His mother would say to him “Look for the Helpers”.

When a Crises hits it is not difficult to see rising out of the ashes of the ruins the HELPERS. Hopefully I am in there somewhere.

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ Psalm 46:10

God tells us that our strength and safety lies in waiting on Him.

When the world is experiencing a global health crisis and being in the midst of it, count on God who is our stronghold. Whatever mountains are crumbling around you, take the high ground and stop striving. Eventually God will change this situation but in the meantime He wants to change us.

He is working behind the scenes for our highest good. Romans 8:28-30

He is still in the business of bringing about an unbelievable ending from challenging beginnings.

For Esther’s people in Persia, life turned bleak overnight because of Haman’s wicked plan born in his mind. Esther 3:8-15

Every Jew was living on borrowed time as the capital city was thrown into a state of confusion. There was no place to hide. Mordecai’s action portrayed the feelings of the Jewish people. They had done nothing to deserve what was coming from the state.

Mordecai challenged Esther and she wisely waited making a request to Mordecai-

Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16-17

For the three days the Jewish people fasted ;

• they calmed their emotions
• they gained perspective
• they placed their problem in the hands of God

‘But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow  weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Waiting on God at such a time;

• dedicate your time in prayer
• read the word of God as you memorize scriptures and God’s promises

This will remove panic because our confidence is in the Lord. God is still at work and he knows what you are going through.
God uses and controls natural events so that nothing happens by mere chance.

Lets learn to trust in God’s help and He will transform situations.

Jesus replied, I am leaving you with a gift- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

Biblically defining the word “Abide” means to accept without objection or hesitation, and continue to remain stable. It further goes on to expand on this action word abide, by defying it as being fixed, in a state of love and ‘peace.’

Okay … STOP!! I know, I know!!! “Have you seen and heard all that is happening?” My circumstances are, to put it mildly…’Anything but peaceful.’

Abiding in a place with peace of mind, and heart, can keep your day to day stable. God is for you and not against you, even when the world has circumstances mounting and hope seems far away. Jesus replied to his disciples and said, “The peace I give you is a peace the world cannot give.” When we look to Jesus during the darkest times of our lives, we are abiding in Him. We are actually holding on to hope and not giving up. We will discover that we can experience courage, peace and clarity in our thoughts. Together with prayer, reading scriptures daily and most of all trusting what His word says.

We are not alone! We have a Heavenly Father that loves us so much he gave his life for us. He gave us a gift of the Holy Spirit to comfort us, to help us and guide us every moment of everyday.

May I encourage your heart today? His whisper to you, as a woman, wife, mother, grandmother, caregiver, front line worker, his loving words are clear, “Abide in me.” “Don’t be troubled or afraid.” You are in his hands, will you trust him today? Will you say yes to Jesus, and allow him to comfort you, as you Abide in him?

You, are not alone!

Author: Stacy Mueller

At this time in human history, it appears that we are living in an epic movie adventure fraught with danger, mystery, and a fear towards the unknown. It seems the world took a collective step and found themselves tripping face first into a trench so vast and wide it resembles a crater. The words quarantine, self isolation and social distancing are on every computer screen and mentioned in every news report. This is a difficult concept to grasp for a human race created for relationship.

Hollywood has often flirted with the sensationalism of the apocalyptic world raking in billions from the underlying fears of the human spirit. But the one truth that keeps the viewers attention movie after movie is the potential of the hero in the story. We love an ending where that unsung hero leads the way fulfilling his destiny in saving the world… and thus saving them from themselves.

Perhaps it is because potential is one of the greatest mysteries of the human spirit. It is tightly thread into our very existence along side the feeling of hope. But it seems to also be one of the greatest threats to our human condition woven deep into our ego. We long for the sensation of what ‘could be’ buying into the false belief that we can control our potential through our own sheer will. It is a beast with which we tangle; a dance of entanglement we long to savour yet burn to break free from.

Perhaps that is why our human condition struggles so very much in our sin. Our need for control is in constant war with our Creator with whom we know giving over our will, control, and need to achieve will grant us the peace within our soul that we seek.

But our own potential can be used against us when we allow our eyes to slip away from the One who created us thread by thread.

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  Why does one allow their soul to stretch itself beyond the borders of their marital union when every heart struggles with the same emptiness?
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  Why does one seek refuge in a different pew when the walls of every church are filled with the same sins?
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  Why does one long for change when new patterns eventually just become old patterns once again?

When we don’t see the end result of what it is we’re seeking, or we miss the lesson all together, perhaps it is an injustice to the Holy Spirit who promises to always be at work within us. Because potential must be understood through God’s eyes, not through our own foggy vision. In the Apostle Paul’s writings to the church of Ephesus, Paul urged the church to rely upon the grace of God when trying to stand firm in their faith. There was so much unknown in times of strife and trouble, but as God carried them through, He will carry us too.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

As Christ followers, and especially as leaders, He promises us that He will do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine- and our imaginations take can us to some wild places for we long to be the unsung hero of the story. If we let Him be our guide, the potential of what He can do is simply something we can’t measure by the standards of this world.