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Welcome to part 2 of Free to Be You. (To go to Part 1, click here)
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 Compartmentalization, Perfectionism and Procrastination Compartmentalization Compartmentalization means we divide all things that pertain to our life by what we believe is sacred vs secular. In my case I spend my time doing organized ministry by serving in the body of Christ, and biblically coaching and teaching women. In the secular realm, I work in my husband's paint business, have my own architectural color consulting business, where I choose colors for homes and offices, decorate and rearrange furniture. I also have a separate business that focuses on life coaching for everyone that often includes color psychology for their environment and fitness, teaching spin and barre classes. The question is, is one more effective for blessing others and glorifying God? I would say no. All our work should be considered sacred. Of course we want everyone to come to know and love Jesus but so many of the people whose lives I touch would never come to me for biblical coaching or even be interested in hearing about Jesus. Do we trust the power of the Holy Spirit living in us when we just love and serve others to shine the light of Christ? Do we not realize that God divinely orchestrates for us to go places and meet people that otherwise we would not have had a chance to? People that we can then go home and intercede before the throne of God for? Should you choose a profession based on whether you categorize it sacred or secular? Think about doctors. Whether they are believers or not, God is obviously using them to bless others and ultimately glorify Him. We certainly wouldn't want talented, insightful medical professionals to deny those gifts and become full-time vocational ministers thinking one is sacred and one is purely secular. It is so clear in that case that what they are doing is what God called them to do. So how about you? Are you compartmentalizing and denying that you can do what you are called to do, use the gifts, talents, skills, opportunities and spheres of influence that ultimately came through the hand of God to bless others and bring Him praise and glory? I want to be fully me, fully engaged and heartily doing even the most seemingly menial task with great care not deeming one as sacred or another as secular. No matter what the job, God lives in us and He is the author of productivity, creativity and excellent work ethic and He guides our paths with a perfectly orchestrated plan. In my personal life when I first really started living biblically I didn't understand the concept of compartmentalization and I really compartmentalized aspects of my life, especially in areas I deemed as vain. For instance, I got rid of not just my immodest clothes, but also my cute clothes! That was unnecessary (the cute ones), but I was so grateful for God cleaning me up and giving me a new life that I wanted to repent of anything I thought could possibly be worldly. But as I grew in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus I began to understand I was free to be me and appreciate pretty things and be stylish. What liberty that was! So how do we conquer compartmentalization?
Perfectionism and Procrastination Ecclesiastes says "If you wait for perfect condition you'll never get anything done." Isn't that the truth. Have you noticed perfect conditions never fully arrive? And if you are waiting to be perfect, well forget that, since you won't be perfect until you see Him face to face. It'll be too late then. The good news is Jesus came as a man and was perfect in our place. So we are free to be us, resting in His perfection. I have been saying for YEARS that I am going to make videos, audio, and online coaching materials for those struggling with drugs and alcohol who, like me when I was a drug addict, would never set foot in a church. I KNOW this is what I am called to do in this season. So I announced it publically in June 2016 when I gave this very same talk at Faith@Work. I finally began work on it 2 months ago. You see, I was procrastinating, waiting for perfect conditions, waiting until I felt more prepared because being a perfectionist I didn't want to say the wrong thing, or come across in the wrong way. After all, the book of James tells us teachers will be judged more strictly. Then I had so many ideas that it led to paralysis by analysis. By the grace of God I am happy to report I am shooting for launching my program this July! And in hindsight I can tell you that it was not wasted time. I have to learn again and again that the "how" and the "when" and the clarity are God's. He gave me the what and the why way in advance of the how and when. What I did do in the time in between was pray, share my vision with others, had prayer warriors pray and began to do the next thing in front of me. How do we conquer perfectionism and procrastination?
Remember Gods work is always a transformation from the inside out- so how you think will impact how you feel, and subsequently the actions you take. Think on these things:
You have a unique sphere of influence and a mission so exciting and custom fit for you. You are already a victor, so move from fear to faith to freedom and be free to be you! Do you need someone to come alongside you as you step-by-step set godly goals, work through limiting beliefs and make a plan? Watch for my new workbook and planner, Success God's Way coming in January 2018! Sign up for the newsletter to be the first to know when it's released!
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Do you need someone to come alongside you as you step-by-step set godly goals, work through limiting beliefs and make a plan? Watch for my new workbook and planner, Success God's Way coming in January 2018! Sign up for the newsletter to be the first to know when it's released! Welcome to part 1 of an 2 part series, Free to Be You. Imposter Syndrome and Complacency "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 John 10:10 tells us clearly that Satan's mission statement is to steal, kill and destroy. Thankfully, in that same verse Jesus tells us that He came to give us life more abundantly. Part of that abundant life is us passionately pursuing His purpose and calling for our lives and as you've probably experienced, Satan doesn't just sit back and watch, but through our flesh tries to deter and discourage us. Here are some of the ways I've seen it manifest in my own life. Imposter Syndrome Have you ever felt like you just don't belong in a certain circle, an occupation, or a group of people? Like they have made a mistake and sooner or later they will discover who you really are and reject you? I have. From a public speaking mishap to embarking on a new career in my forties, there have been plenty of times I've felt like an imposter even while I knew I was in God's perfect will for my life. Wikipedia describes imposter syndrome like this, "high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a "fraud". Despite external evidence of their competence, those exhibiting the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be. Some studies suggest that impostor syndrome is particularly common among high-achieving women. " We could also say it involves not knowing or believing our new identity in Christ. Do you know when I feel that way the most? When I take my eyes off of God and others and focus on myself and my flaws. So the best way I've found to conquer imposter syndrome is to be present in the moment focusing on who I am serving and how I can bless them. How can we conquer imposter syndrome?
God has given us our gifts, talents, desires and opportunities so focus on glorifying Him and blessing others. Complacency It's easy to be complacent. You don't even see the outcome of it until something wakes you up to it. Relationships, careers, health, all can be stagnant and remain healthy for a time but eventually you'll find yourself in a rut, settling for mediocrity which is unhealthy. Going out of your comfort zone is the way to conquer complacency. Quitting a job where I made good money and knew exactly what I was doing to go to work for my husband and to start my own business was out of my comfort zone. Sharing my testimony of past drug addiction with people who may not understand and may judge me was outside of my comfort zone. Doing Facebook livestreams are always outside of my comfort zone. I'm not gonna lie, it's uncomfortable, definitely not easy and sometimes I daydream about just settling for comfort! But I embrace the growth that comes and the dependence it creates for me to lean hard into Jesus in order to be fully alive and pursuing God and His calling for me. How can we conquer complacency, go out of our comfort zones and please God with our faith?
"God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 "Without faith it is impossible to please Him…" Hebrews 11:6 Remember Gods work is always a transformation from the inside out- so how you think will impact how you feel, and subsequently the actions you take. Think on these things:
You have a unique sphere of influence and a mission so exciting and custom fit for you. You are already a victor, so move from fear to faith to freedom and be free to be you! Continued in Part 2 with Compartmentalization, Perfectionism and Procrastination |
AuthorBut you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 Archives
January 2020
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