1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: Life Audio. This is Donna Jones and you are listening 2 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: to That's just what I needed. Hey, friend, If you've 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: ever been in a conversation where you've walked away thinking, Wow, 4 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: that was just what I needed. You know how life 5 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: giving that can be, Well, that's what this podcast is 6 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: all about. We're women who want to know, love, and 7 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: follow God in our real lives, but sometimes wonder just 8 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: how to do it. So each week we'll talk about 9 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: what following God looks like in the midst of daily 10 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: demands and crazy cultural chaos. Because this isn't just what 11 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: we need, it's actually exactly what we need. Hey, hey, 12 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: my friend, and welcome to the podcast. Before we jump 13 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:54,279 Speaker 1: into the meat of today's episode, why don't you hit 14 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: subscribe right now so you don't miss a single episode. 15 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: I am in the process of booking some amazing guests. Truly, 16 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: I can't wait for you to hear them. They're gonna 17 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: be so great, and I don't want you to miss 18 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: a single one. In addition to you know, sometimes it's 19 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: just me and hopefully those are just what you needed too, 20 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: So hit the subscribe button so you don't miss a 21 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: single one. And if we don't follow each other on 22 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,279 Speaker 1: social media. Let's just take care of that, my friend. 23 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: You will find me on Instagram at Donna A. Jones 24 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: or Facebook Donna Jones, speaker and author. Well, let me 25 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: tell you what we're gonna chat about today. It's something 26 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 1: I have been thinking about quite a lot, and I 27 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: figure anytime I'm thinking about something, you probably are thinking 28 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: about it, or we'll be thinking about it soon. So 29 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: we're gonna be talking about what in the world is 30 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: God doing in my life? Have you ever wondered that? 31 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: Have you ever faced a circumstance and been like, Lord, 32 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: what in the world are you doing? Or maybe face 33 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: a decision that you've thought, Lord, what do you want 34 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: me to do? Would you just give me clarity? In fact, 35 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 1: in all my years of ministry, if I had a 36 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: dollar for every person who's asking me, Donna, Okay, how 37 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: do I know God's will for my life? I would 38 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 1: be recording this podcast from the beach somewhere tropical. Now 39 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: just full disclosure, I actually am recording this podcast from 40 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:32,239 Speaker 1: the beach, but it's the coast of Oregon and it's 41 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: not quite warm outside right now, so little different from 42 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: the tropical paradise that I might have if I had 43 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: a dollar for every time somebody asked me What's God's 44 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: will for my life? Because that's just the easy question, right, 45 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: Because we tend to think that God is mostly about 46 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: the business of directing our lives. But the truth is 47 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 1: God is mostly about the business of transform forming our lives. 48 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: Conforming our lives. I mean, that's what he's actually doing. 49 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: I mean, we spend so much of our lives asking 50 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: questions like should I take this job, should I move, 51 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: Should I marry him? Should I leave? Should I retire? 52 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: Should I, you know, do this thing or that thing? 53 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: And those are great questions, they are important questions, but 54 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: in large part we ask them because we're desperate to 55 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: know God's will, because we're desperate that we might get 56 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: something wrong. But what if we've been asking the wrong question. 57 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: What if God is actually far more concerned with who 58 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: we're becoming than the decision that we're making. You see, 59 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: that's a paradigm shift to think about everything that's happening 60 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: in our lives, the good, the bad, the decisions that 61 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: we need to make, or just the routines that we 62 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: don't really need to change. All of that in the 63 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: grander landscape of our life. Is meant to be doing 64 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: one thing, and that's to mature us and complete us 65 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: and make us more like Jesus. Now here's the cool thing. 66 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: We don't do this on our own. Philippians one six says, 67 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: I'm confident of this that he who began a good 68 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: work in you will complete it until the day of 69 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,359 Speaker 1: Christ Jesus. So God finishes what he starts. If he 70 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: has started a work in you, because you have come 71 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: to know Jesus as your savior, he's not going to stop. 72 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 1: He's finishing it. He's wanting to complete you, to mature you, 73 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 1: to make you, as the Apostle Paul wrote, and also 74 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: the Book of James says, to make you perfect and complete, 75 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: lacking in nothing. That's what he's doing in my life too. 76 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: And so when we can broaden our perspective and look 77 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: at what's going on in our lives, in our relational life, 78 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: and our personal life, and our thought life, in our 79 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 1: spiritual life, in our professional life, if we broaden it 80 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: and we think, Okay, what God is really doing right 81 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 1: now is he's conforming me to the image of Christ. 82 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: He is in the process of completing me, and what 83 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: he starts, he's going to finish. You know, when I 84 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: think of that word conforming, it takes me back to 85 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: my daughter Ashton got married two years ago, and so, 86 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: of course, you know, that's so fun planning a wedding. 87 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: I just had a blast with both of my girls 88 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: when we plan their weddings. My girls, thankfully, we're not 89 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: like Bridezilla's. They were just absolutely delightful. And one of 90 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: the most fun thing was getting their wedding dress. And 91 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: you know, if you've been through this, you just know 92 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: how great this is. They try on dresses and it's 93 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: just everyone is just beautiful, but you're trying to find 94 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: that just that one, and finally they put it on 95 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: and you just know it's like, oh, that's just the one. 96 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 1: And then you of course pay for. 97 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 2: It, which is stick or shock, of course, but you 98 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 2: know you're happy to do it because this is your 99 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 2: child and this is her wedding day and you want 100 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 2: it to be beautiful and radiant. 101 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: And you know, they don't just give you the dress 102 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: right then. They order the dress. It takes several months 103 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: and then it comes in and they order the size, 104 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 1: but they don't just then hand you the dress in 105 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 1: your size. What they do is then they schedule several 106 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: fittings so that the dress is not only the bride's size, 107 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: but the dress is actually conformed to every nook and 108 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 1: cranny of that bride's figure. And so if it needs 109 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 1: to be taken in a little bit or let out 110 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: a little bit, or altered in any way, that's what 111 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:54,919 Speaker 1: the fittings are for. Why so that on her wedding day, 112 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 1: when she meets the groom, her dress will be abs 113 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: absolutely perfect. It will be conformed to her. And in 114 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: the same way, that's exactly what God is doing with 115 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: you and me. He has an image, and it's the 116 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: image of Jesus Christ. And when we come into a 117 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: relationship with Jesus, it's like buying the wedding dress, so 118 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: to speak. But then there are fittings, and the fittings 119 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: is all the circumstances of life. Is what actually, if 120 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: we allow God to do, this is what He uses 121 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: to conform us to the image of Christ. So the 122 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: reason I'm saying this is I want you whatever is 123 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: going on in your life right now, if it's a trial, 124 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: if it's something really great, if it's some sort of challenge, 125 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: if it's some sort of confusion, if it's some sort 126 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: of heartache. It's okay to feel all of those feelings. 127 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: You wouldn't be human if you didn't feel feelings about 128 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: your circumstance. But in addition to that, broaden your perspective, 129 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: as I am trying to broaden my perspective and seeing 130 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: the bigger picture here, that God is conforming me to 131 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: his son because I'm his bride and one day I'm 132 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: going to stand before him as my groom, and he 133 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: wants me to be perfect, to complete, lacking in nothing. 134 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: In fact, the Book of James says to consider it 135 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 136 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and 137 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may 138 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. And so one 139 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: of the ways that God matures us is in fact 140 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 1: through trials. Now, I know, I know, I hate it too. 141 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: I'm right there with your girlfriend. But it's just like 142 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: conforming that wedding dress. They have to like sniff off 143 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: pieces that are just too large and don't quite fit. 144 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: They have to tuck and pin and sew, and if 145 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: you were a piece of fabric, you would say that 146 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: was painful. Right, in the same way, that's what trials do. 147 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: They reveal, They test us. They reveal the character that 148 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: we already have, and then they also reveal the areas 149 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: that we're lacking in character. So it's kind of a twofer. 150 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: You see where you are mature, and you see then 151 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: where you're not mature. And here's the deal. God is 152 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: not trying to nitpick our lives to death and make 153 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: our lives a drag. No, what he has in mind 154 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:45,439 Speaker 1: is that will be absolutely beautiful. So it's to our benefit. 155 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: And I love, by the way that passage in James 156 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: that says, consider it all joy when you encounter various trials. 157 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: That word consider in the Greek means to lead with 158 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: your mind. Now I love that because when I'm going 159 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: through a trial, my natural propensity is to lead with 160 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: my emotions. And you're nod in your head right now, 161 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: because every woman on the planet that I know, you 162 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: know what we're going through trial are the first thing 163 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: that we do is we just lead with our emotions. Right. 164 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 1: But James tells us, okay, consider it joy. You have 165 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: to leave with your mind because if you don't, your 166 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: emotions will just take over. And I love this saying 167 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: that I heard one time emotions can be in the car, 168 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: they just can't drive, And I think that's really apt. 169 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: You know, my emotions can be in the car, they 170 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 1: just can't drive, not if I want to go to 171 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: where God wants me to go. So like, we consider 172 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 1: it all joy knowing that God is doing something. He's 173 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: making his mature and complete, lacking in nothing. We're going 174 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,319 Speaker 1: to take a quick break and when we come back, 175 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about God, how to participate with 176 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: God in this and what God actually might be doing 177 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: in your life, and how you can find some freedom 178 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 1: in knowing that God has this really good planned for you. Okay, 179 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: So we're talking about being conformed to the image of 180 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: Christ and this is the bigger picture that God is 181 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: doing in our lives. And we talked about the fact 182 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 1: that God uses trials to do this make us mature, incomplete, 183 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 1: lacking in nothing. And I'm just thinking that for those 184 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: of us who are parents, that's what we want for 185 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: our children, right. We want them to be mature, we 186 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 1: want them to be complete. We don't want them to 187 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: be lacking in anything. And I'm reminded that I'm here 188 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: in Oregon right now recording this podcast, And as we 189 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: were getting on the plane, we began chatting with this 190 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: young man. He just graduated from high school and very 191 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 1: sweet young man, but also very immature. And I just thought, Wow, 192 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: you know, I wonder if his parents are a little 193 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: bit worried about him, because there was just some social immaturity. 194 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,679 Speaker 1: You could tell, there were just other ways that he 195 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: was just immature. It did make me actually think about 196 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: his parents, And like I said, I just thought, Oh, 197 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 1: I wonder if they're concerned about that. I wonder. I 198 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: bet they're kind of working with him on some things. 199 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: And in the same way, I wonder if God looks 200 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: down at me sometimes and says, Okay, well there's some 201 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: areas she's a little imature. The same with you is 202 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: that all of us have these areas that God wants 203 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,839 Speaker 1: to mature us. Now, why would a parent want their 204 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: child to be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. It's 205 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: because they love them so much, right, They want nothing 206 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,680 Speaker 1: but success for that child. They want that child to 207 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 1: absolutely flourish in every area of their life. Well, God 208 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: is our heavenly parent, That's what he wants for you 209 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:57,679 Speaker 1: and me. He wants to take those places that are 210 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: not yet conformed to Christ and to row Us in 211 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: those areas, and he does that in part through our circumstances, 212 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: but very specifically through trials. Another way he does that 213 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: is to people. You know, it's so funny. I was 214 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 1: just reflecting on my own spiritual growth and what has 215 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: motivated me in my own spiritual growth to become more 216 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: like Christ. First, I'm going to tell you what has 217 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: not motivated me, and then I'm going to tell you 218 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: what has motivated me. What hasn't motivated me is shame 219 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: or shame based statements or you should be more like Jesus. 220 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: Those kinds of things to me are very demotivating and 221 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: discouraging and shame based. Now I'm not saying that, you know, 222 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: people walk around telling me that all the time, but 223 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: I am saying that in religious circles sometimes we can 224 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:03,079 Speaker 1: get that message and that just leaves us feeling like, 225 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: how am I ever going to do this? It's like 226 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 1: it's becoming like Jesus is like how can you even 227 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: do that? That's that's such a tall order. And so 228 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:17,199 Speaker 1: a shame based message doesn't offer hope or offer a 229 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: path for how that happens. But I'll tell you what 230 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: actually in my life has really helped me. When I 231 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: am in the presence of someone who really loves Jesus, 232 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 1: I want to be like that person. I want to 233 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: love Jesus more. When I'm in the presence of someone 234 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: who models authentic Christianity, it so motivates me. I always 235 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: walk away wanting to be more christ Like. And so 236 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: when I'm talking about people in our lives, how people 237 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: can influence us to be conformed to the image of 238 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: Christ Christ, I'm thinking about asking ourselves these questions, like 239 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: do I surround myself not just with people you know 240 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 1: who go to Bible studies. I mean, that's great, you know, 241 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: I teach Bible studies because we got we have to 242 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: know the Bible. We can't know what Jesus is like 243 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: if we don't know the Jesus of the Bible. I'm 244 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: not saying that, but it's so much more than that. 245 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: It's like an authentic walk with Jesus. Are your friends 246 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 1: like that? Do you have people like that? They motivate 247 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: you to be more like Jesus. That's what's going to 248 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: help conform you to the image of Christ and get 249 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: the bigger picture of your life and help you be 250 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: more mature and complete hacking and nothing, And that's what's 251 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: going to help me too. One of the questions I 252 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: think it's really important to ask ourselves is this, Who 253 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: in your life has permission to tell you the truth? 254 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: Who in your life has permission to tell you the 255 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: truth without you getting defensive and we with knowing that 256 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: they really genuinely love you. Because in order for us 257 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: to grow and mature, we have to have somebody who 258 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: sees our blind spots and who loves us enough to 259 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: point out our blind spots so that we can grow. 260 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: So God uses trials, he uses people, he uses his word. 261 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: I mentioned that you can't know what Jesus is like 262 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: apart from knowing the Jesus of the Bible. So we 263 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: ask ourselves, like, am i in God's word? Am I 264 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: reading God's word? And not just reading God's word, but 265 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: reading God's word to see what God is like? So 266 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: when you read God's word, just ask yourself two questions, 267 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: what does this teach me about? Who are you? Lord? 268 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: And Number two, in light of who you are, how 269 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: would you want me to live? Who are you Lord? 270 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 1: And how would you want me to live. Those two 271 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 1: simple questions can help us grow and become mature and 272 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: complete and lacking in nothing, and conform to the image 273 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: of Jesus. You know, there's two passes of Scripture that 274 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 1: even if I've been talking, you might have even been 275 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,640 Speaker 1: thinking about. One is Romans eight twenty eight and twenty nine, 276 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: which is God causes all things to work together for 277 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: the good, for those who love the Lord, for those 278 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 1: who are called according to His purpose, for those he 279 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 1: fore knew he also predestined to become conformed to the 280 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 1: image of his Son. So God takes all things and 281 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: he works all those things. Everything that's going on in 282 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: your life right now, And I want you just to 283 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: think about for a minute, like, what's going on in 284 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: your life right now? I wish I was sitting across 285 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: from you having coffee. Wouldn't that be so fun? And 286 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 1: you could tell me what's going on in your life 287 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: right now? And I could tell you what's going on 288 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 1: in my life right now, and we could both encourage 289 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:43,560 Speaker 1: each other. How is God using this to conform us 290 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 1: to the image of his son Jesus. That'd be an 291 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 1: amazing conversation, wouldn't it. But even though we're not face 292 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: to face. Would you just take a minute and pause 293 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: and think about the all things and maybe just ponder 294 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: how God might want to be using that to refine 295 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:06,479 Speaker 1: your character or expand your faith, or cause you to 296 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 1: trust Him even more, maybe in ways you haven't ever 297 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:14,439 Speaker 1: been challenged to trust him. Maybe it's causing you to 298 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,920 Speaker 1: pray more like Jesus did, or depend on the Father 299 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:22,399 Speaker 1: more like Jesus did, or be bolder like Jesus was. 300 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 1: You know, what is it that God is doing in 301 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: your circumstances? And then there's another passage of scripture, probably 302 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 1: less familiar but still just as important, and that's found 303 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: in Ephesians five, and it talks about the relationship between 304 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:42,360 Speaker 1: Christ and his bride, the Church. And it says this 305 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: in Ephesians five, the last part of twenty five, just 306 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for 307 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing 308 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: with water through the word, and to present her to 309 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 1: himself as a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or 310 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this passage 311 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: is talking about how, in God's grand eternal scheme, he's 312 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: taking the church, which is you and me, the bride 313 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 1: of Jesus Christ, and he's wanting to make us holy 314 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 1: and blameless, to present us as a radiant bride, as 315 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 1: a radiant church. And it says without stain or wrinkle 316 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:34,880 Speaker 1: or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. So back 317 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:38,679 Speaker 1: to Ashton's wedding dress story. We buy the wedding dress, 318 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 1: we go through the fittings, it's conformed to her image. 319 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: We get it all wrapped, you know, if they put 320 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: it in this beautiful white garment bag and they hang 321 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 1: the veil in a separate garment bag. And so we 322 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 1: made the final payment on that dress and we walked 323 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: out of the bridle shop and you should have seen us. 324 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: We held that so high we didn't want it to 325 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 1: touch the ground. We hung it in the back of 326 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: my car like it was worth twenty million dollars. I mean, 327 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: it was just ridiculous how careful we were. And we'd laugh. 328 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: We were like, we better drive home safely. You know, 329 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:19,479 Speaker 1: we have this wedding dress in the back of the car. 330 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: And as I think about that, I mean, it would 331 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: have been ridiculous for us to have purchased this wedding 332 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: dress for her to have gone through all the fittings 333 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: for this wedding dress and then have taken that wedding 334 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: dress and just thrown it in the back seat of 335 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:39,199 Speaker 1: our car and then stopped through a drive through and 336 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:43,119 Speaker 1: gotten frize and ketchup and just you know, eaten it 337 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: without any regard that the fact that white dress is 338 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: back in the in the back seat getting all crumbled up, 339 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 1: and then gone home and you know, have ashten just 340 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: like toss it into her closet and then on our 341 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:57,640 Speaker 1: wedding day just pull it out. She would have been 342 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,400 Speaker 1: you know, wrinkled and stained and all kinds of things 343 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 1: that would be ridiculous, right, we would never do that. Well, 344 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: that's what the Suphesians five passage says that Christ is 345 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: trying to do for us, what God is trying to 346 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: do for us. He's presenting us as a bride without 347 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 1: stain or wrinkle or blemish. Now, a stain is pretty visible, 348 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: a wrinkle is less visible, and a blemish is barely 349 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: visible to the human eye. But that is what God 350 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: is doing for you and me. He is taking us 351 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: as his beloved bride, and He's getting rid of our 352 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: stains and our wrinkles and our blemishes that cause us 353 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:44,199 Speaker 1: to be less than radiant, less than conformed to the 354 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 1: image of Christ. So, my friend, if you are asking, okay, 355 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: what should I do about this circumstance or that circumstance, 356 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 1: that's not a bad question. It's just an incomplete question. Instead, 357 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: let's ask the question not what should I do about 358 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:05,880 Speaker 1: such and such? But in addition, and Lord, what are 359 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: you doing about me? How are you conforming me to 360 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: the image of Christ? Because God, whatever you started, you 361 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: will complete. And my friend, the Bible says, I am 362 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 1: confident of this, that he who began a good work 363 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 1: in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus, 364 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: what a beautiful sight we will all be as the 365 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:40,640 Speaker 1: bride of Christ. Well, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. 366 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: I hope it encouraged you. I hope it helped you 367 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: see your circumstances in a new light. And as a reminder, 368 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: hit the subscribe button right now so you don't miss 369 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 1: a single episode. And let's follow each other on social media. 370 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: Donna A. Jones on Instagram, Donna Jones, Speaker and author 371 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 1: on Facebook, and jump over to my website Donna Jones 372 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 1: dot org. Right now, I'm in Oregon speaking. I could 373 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:08,360 Speaker 1: be in your neck of the woods, so check out 374 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: my speaking schedule and I'd love for you to invite 375 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,399 Speaker 1: me to speak at your church or for your organization. 376 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: And as always, my friend, I can't wait to see 377 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 1: you next time, for that's just what I needed.