Just When I Thought I Was About To Go Under

I was helpless to prevent myself from drowning. 

Such was the dilemma in all of my relationships.

I needed my relationships somehow to fill me, to fix me, to feed all of the dry and hungry parts of my soul. I needed their strength. I needed their comfort. I needed their love. Punishing and critical of myself, I was obsessed with winning other’s approval. I felt it impossible to say no to friend’s demands. I could never speak my thoughts and feelings, and I did my very best to avoid any conflict that came my way.

I could feel the undertow. The exhaustion. Pulling me under. I was slowly losing my footing. I was paralyzed by any notion of rejection or ridicule; undone by the faint echo of disappointment in other’s words.

I needed my relationships in all the ways I should have needed God. I trusted the voice of others because I could never trust my own, and I could never quiet the quivering in my mind long enough to hear Him whisper His sweet and tender words, Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matt.11:28, NIV)

I thought of how He called Peter out on the water, how He pulled Him up from the waves and steadied his weak-knee’d, weary heart. (Matthew 14:22-33)

I remembered the woman at the well to whom He spoke words of compassion, of love, and gave her blistered, calloused heart new hope, new life, new rest. (John 4:1-26)

Could He give me rest?

Oh yes, He did give me rest, and He gave me so much more.

On my healing journey, I discovered that God not only wanted me to be healed, but whole. His desire for my life was to find rest and peace. To discover in the deepest bone and marrow within me that He was my rest and peace.

God rescued me from myself. He planted me on dry land and walked with me as I healed both spiritually and emotionally. He helped grow my roots and my identity to be strong and sure. He showed me what abundance looked like in my life and my relationships.

He said, I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10b, NASB)

Yes, abundantly. Whole. Safe. Sound. Complete. Abounding. Overflowing. Abundantly. That is His desire for you, too!

He didn’t need me to be perfect. He didn’t need me to have it all together. He doesn’t need you to have it all together either.

[clickToTweet tweet="He loves you right in the middle of the chaos and broken places. #PeaceForALifetime " quote="He loves you right in the middle of the chaos and broken places. #PeaceForALifetime "]

My new book, Peace for a Lifetime: Embracing a Life of Hope, Wholeness, and Harmony Through Emotional Abundance, is for anyone who has ever felt hopelessly broken, who has lived life struggling to keep your head above water, who has felt weary, desperate, sinking. I share simple, practical life steps that can help you understand the hope and the life God has for you.

Will you come to Him today?

He’s reaching out His hand. He wants to pull you up and rescue you from drowning. He wants to give you indestructible rest and peace.

Reach out and take His hand, His rest. I did and I never looked back. Just when I thought I was about to go under, I was overwhelmed by His love and it changed my life forever!

To order your copy of 'Peace for a Lifetime' click here!

Has there ever been a time in your life when you thought you were about to go under and Jesus rescued you?  I'd love to have you join the conversation!

Blessings, 

Lisa

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Why You Should Get Excited About Spring

… and the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.  Anais NinThis quote comes to mind often as I gaze around me and see spring begin to unfold in full bloom. It’s how I feel inside. It's as if the cavernous chill of winter that has held me tightly in its cocoon has now begun to loosen its grasp underneath the penetrating heat of the sun. Winter is gone. Death is gone. New life is born – right here, right now.

I guess that’s why I love Easter so much. Within a three-day period, we get to experience the apex of spiritual winter – a death so profound that everything is draped in darkness.  It feels interminable. The anguish of our sin, overwhelming.  All hope is lost.  Or so it seems…

And then on Sunday, beautiful Sunday, the unimaginable happens! Mary and Martha find the stone has been rolled away. Jesus is not there. He is risen. He is risen indeed!

Out of death springs life. Out of darkness shines light. His light. I never have to fear the winter, because I know that is not the end of the story. Spring is coming.

For any of us who have experienced winter in their lives, there are three reasons to get excited about spring.

The arrival of spring means that winter is almost over.

We all need winter. God takes us gently and faithfully into barren seasons, heart-breaking seasons.  He knows all of the old, shattered, wounded parts need to be healed so that new life can grow.  Without winter, there is no spring. Without death, there is no life.

In the last weeks of winter, however, I become weary. The tepid grey skies, the endless days forced into confined spaces, and the repetition of dreariness, begin to take its toll. Spring announces that we made it through another winter season. We survived. Our hope, our healing is just over the horizon.

The arrival of spring prepares our hearts for rebirth.

There is nothing better than the first days that spring finally breaks through the waning hold of winter, and delivers the most life-giving, magical days. I can breathe again. I can hope again. All things become new.

When Jesus was crucified, it appeared that death had prevailed. There was no hope. But then on the third day, this marvelous and other-worldly, divine explosion broke through the tomb and broke through my heart, resurrecting from ashes a new light, a new life inside of me. I am reborn, in the depths of marrow and soul. I am utterly and delightfully refreshed and renewed. Spring has come. Life has come.

The arrival of spring offers the promise of hope, of new life.

Redemption ushers in unexpected restoration. Colossians 1:20-22 ESV says, And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him.

We, who were strangers, are now friends. We who were enemies, are now brothers. Jesus has reconciled all of my sin in His sacrifice on the cross, and now I am holy and blameless in His sight.

We are a new creation. We have a new identity. Our identity is as one who is beloved and chosen of our Father. We have hope for a future. Spring reveals to us that there are new seeds of life continually being planted within us. As winter seasons fulfill their purpose in our lives, so spring fulfills its purpose. Spring prepares and nurtures the crops for the harvest.

He has called you. He has a plan for you. He wants you to experience His life, His love, His freedom, His peace. He wants to heal you. He wants to plant new passions and purposes within you. He wants to bring forth a new harvest in your life.

The arrival of spring means that winter is almost over.  Whatever the winter is in your life – it won’t last forever.  Spring is coming. Spring prepares our hearts for rebirth.  Old things truly are dead and buried in the ground – behold ALL things are new in Him!  The arrival of spring offers the promise of new hope. The journey is not over.  Just as the blooms on the daffodils are beginning to unfold from their slumber and display God’s glory, so you too, are just beginning to blossom.  Embrace it.  Celebrate it.

My book, Peace for a Lifetime, shares how we can embrace whatever season in which we find ourselves to discover the healing, the wholeness, and the abundant life God has for us.  I share practical life steps that can help you experience an enduring peace.  We don't have to stay trapped in the winter seasons of our lives.  We can reach out and grasp hold of spring.

To Order The Book Click Here

Spring is beautiful!  Spring is God's gift to us.  Spring reminds us that God is bigger than our circumstances or pain.

Don’t remain tightly closed in a bud. Step out. Risk. Embrace all that God has for you and begin to see your life blossom in bold and brilliant ways!

Blessings,

Lisa

There are TWO DAYS LEFT in our social media contest!!!!!  Post a picture of your book along with the hashtag #PeaceForaLifetime and tag me, @_Lisa_Murray, and you'll be entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card!!!  That's it!! SO GET ENTERING TODAY!!

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Here's The Proof Behind The Book

I’ve spent the last fifteen years in my professional career researching the qualities that make individuals better able to effectively navigate their lives, their careers, their relationships. It’s not rocket-science, but most of us have never been shown the map, so to speak! 

Why are some people better able to deal with the stresses of life while others seem to crumble under the demands that life and relationships can bring?

Scientists have actually proven that our emotional intelligence is a greater predictor of success in life than our intellectual intelligence! EQ determines 80% of success in life vs. IQ determining 20%! WOW! Who knew?

All of the money parents spend on their children’s education, sports, etc. is largely wasted if we haven’t taught them these simple, practical life skills that will increase their Emotional Abundance (EA).

EA brings increased stability, satisfaction, as well as overall happiness and wellbeing in life.  EA allows us to navigate our emotions and make clear, wise decisions in our lives, our careers, our finances, and our relationships.

WHO WOULDN’T WANT THIS?

I want to share my discoveries with you. I want you to have access to information that can not only transform your life, but can dramatically influence the future success of your family, your children and their future families.

PRETTY IMPORTANT, HUH?

In a few short days, the information that I’ve learned and share every day with my clients, I will share with you.

• Do you feel stuck in life?
• Do you every wonder if there is more to life than what you are experiencing?
• Do you long to experience hope, wholeness, and harmony in your relationships?
• Do you want your children to be equipped to manage their lives and relationships successfully?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are that you could benefit from the life-changing information found in Peace For A Lifetime.

On Monday, March 7, I’ll be releasing my new book, Peace For A Lifetime. I’ll also be sharing information about some gifts I have for you.

Your healing is right around the corner. Your future is waiting to begin!

Get ready!!

Blessings,

Lisa

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From Pain To Peace

ONE WEEK UNTIL THE MARCH 7

"PEACE FOR A LIFETIME" BOOK LAUNCH!!!!!

I'm honored to be guest posting today at my dear friend, Kelly Balarie's place, Purposeful Faith.  She has been a fearless and passionate follower of Christ, leader, and cheerleader in the online community.  Let's show her our community love and support by visiting her site and share, share, share the post on Facebook and Twitter.

Also, if you haven't had the chance to support the "Peace For A Lifetime" book launch on Thunderclap, please click here>> https://www.thunderclap.it/en/projects/37713-peace-for-a-lifetime-release?utm_content=buffer0291d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer.

 It takes 30 seconds!!!  Blessings, friends!

It was the tipping point. The beginning of the fall. No, it wasn’t a crash, a sudden impact dive that you didn’t see coming. I saw this coming. I could feel it making its way toward me and yet, I was entirely helpless to stop it.

It was a slow, distinct unraveling. That moment where you can feel the wheels teetering ever so slightly out of balance until the whole thing comes unhinged. My heart, that is.

This was the season of my undoing.....   To read the rest of the article, click here!!!

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Blessings,

Lisa

Peace For A Lifetime Video Trailer

https://vimeo.com/155392891 

Imagine if... we traded brokenness for healing, emptiness for abundance, chaos for peace? In my new book, Peace for a Lifetime, I share the keys to cultivating a life that’s deeply rooted, overflowing, and abundant, the fruit of which is peace.

Click here to learn more about Lisa's book!!

Or buy the book NOW on Amazon!!

Why Authentic Living is The Perfect Place To Thrive

A wise friend once told me, “Lisa, don’t listen to what a person says, watch what they do; what they do will tell you everything about what they believe.”

All of us have encountered people in our lives who have said one thing and done something completely different. These encounters leave us feeling shocked, disappointed, confused.

We like to be with individuals who live out their values and beliefs. They are consistent. What they say and do matches up. Their attitudes, their choices, their behaviors are natural extensions of their most deeply held principles. We feel safe with these people. We trust these people.

Here is an excerpt from my new book, Peace For a Lifetime, that shares why living out our values and beliefs is necessary for us to thrive.

Experts have said what you believe (perceive) becomes your reality. You do not believe what you see; rather you see what you already believe. Knowing ourselves requires us to look inside and carefully examine our beliefs and values because they hold the keys to unlocking and creating the reality for which we long.

All of us have an inner system of beliefs and values we have developed over the course of our lives. They are an accumulation of everything we have experienced in our lives from our parents and families, our religious heritage, our friends and peers, education, work experience, and more. If we take the time to identify what we believe, the things we value and why, we are closer to understanding ourselves at a deeper level and gaining insight into what drives and motivates us.

Beliefs are core convictions we generally hold to be true. Our beliefs grow from what we experience, see, listen to, or reflect upon. They can be spiritual, moral, social, intellectual, financial, or political in nature. From our experiences, opinions are formulated and developed.

Sometimes our beliefs are based on truth and sometimes they are not. Nevertheless, they can have a profound impact on our understanding or misunderstanding of the world around us. If we grew up in an abusive household, we might form the belief that love equals pain. Those of us who didn’t grow up with abuse can identify that belief as untrue, but until the abused can recognize that truth and heal from their wounds, that misbelief will impact how they experience themselves and everything around them.

As we appraise our beliefs, we can determine their worth or value in our lives; hence values are a natural extension of our core beliefs. Values are traits or qualities that we deem worthwhile. They comprise our top priorities, and our most deeply felt driving forces. Values can include concepts such as equality, honesty, faith, family, education, courage, effort, determination, loyalty, faithfulness, hard work, integrity, responsibility, excellence, respect, teamwork, freedom, beauty, happiness, empathy, wisdom, security, independence, challenge, learning, compassion, discipline, generosity, optimism, innovativeness, and service.

Emotionally-abundant people take the time to understand historic influences in their lives and begin to identify and develop a clear, meaningful set of beliefs and values. Living according to an internal code of values brings meaning, purpose, and direction to our daily lives. Decisions become easier as our understanding of ourselves becomes clearer. Choices are easier and our stress is reduced. Life feels calmer and more stable.

Do you find your behaviors betraying your most deeply held principles? Do you wonder why you struggle to discover your passion and purpose in life? Do you long to find peace and calm in the midst of the storms in life?

God desires for you to know your identity. He longs for you to find the deep meaning, purpose and direction that come from knowing your beliefs and values and living them out not perfectly, but consistently, day by day.

I share simple, practical life steps in my book, Peace For a Lifetime, that can help you understand the life God has for you. This material can help you create and experience an indestructible peace – not just for today, not just for tomorrow, you can experience peace…for a lifetime!

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When We're Tired of Living a Counterfeit Life

Have you ever bought a counterfeit? Have you wandered the streets of Manhattan and found a bottle of your favorite perfume or a beautiful designer bag for $20?

Did you think it was real? So many of us, whether we knew it or not, have been duped by a counterfeit. It looked real, we thought it was real —until we compared it to the real thing and realized we’d been taken by an inferior imitation!

Counterfeiting isn’t only for perfumes and handbags. Many of us live counterfeit lives. We’re afraid of letting our real selves be known, afraid of ridicule, terrified of rejection. We never let anyone get to know who we really are. We never get to know who we really are. We miss the joy of experiencing the person God created. Living with a counterfeit self, we can never experience abundance, we can never know true peace.

Here is an excerpt from my new book, Peace For a Lifetime, that shares the importance of knowing and growing our authentic self so that we can experience the life and relationships we desire.

Let’s face it. All of us at some point, whether we knew or not, have bought a counterfeit. Whether we were looking for a lower-cost prescription medication or simply trying to obtain some designer watch, handbag, or boots at a discount price, we have all been duped by an imposter that looked just like the real thing. If we’re honest, many of us don’t mind being duped. We have lost an appreciation for what’s real because we just want what we want—easy, fast, and cheap. Who cares if the item is real, right—as long as the look of status we’re hoping for is supported?

Unfortunately, counterfeiting hasn’t just impacted the world of luxury goods. Over the past few decades, the practice has filtered down into our medications, our food supply, even our home-building materials. What is the saddest to me, though, is the way counterfeiting has begun to impact our relationships and even our individual identities.

With the increasing popularity of social networks, we can now even counterfeit friends and relationships. People are engaged to, and in love with, others on Facebook who they have never met and who don’t even exist. Even the idea of posting status updates makes us feel pressured to present ourselves and our lives as an ideal picture of who we are, or who we would like others to think we are. We become satisfied with a world of pretend people with pretend identities living in pretend relationships.

The problem with spending so much time and energy creating or living an illusion is we never get to experience the real thing. Somewhere in all of us is a longing for something authentic, something dependable. Nothing fake will ever satisfy our souls like a true connection with a friend, a genuine encounter with God, or an authentic understanding of ourselves.

[clickToTweet tweet="Nothing fake will ever satisfy our souls. #authenticity #peace" quote="Nothing fake will ever satisfy our souls."]

You don’t have to keep up the façade. You don’t have to keep pretending. You can experience authentic love that will never disappoint and will never let you down. God created you with all of your strengths and weaknesses, gifts and abilities, for a reason. He doesn’t want an imitation of you. He wants you! He longs for you to find freedom from everything that’s counterfeit so that you can embrace the unparalleled beauty of your true, authentic self.

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Blessings,

Lisa

About Lisa

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, author, coffee lover, and wife. My online community lisamurrayonline.com provides a compassionate place in the midst of the stresses and struggles of life. At heart, I am just a Southern girl who loves beautiful things, whether it is the beauty of words found in a deeply moving story, the beauty of a meal cooked with love, the beauty of a cup of coffee with a friend, or the beauty seen in far away landscapes and cultures. I have fallen passionately in love with the journey and believe it is among the most beautiful gifts to embrace and celebrate. While I grew up in the Florida sunshine, I live with my husband just outside Nashville in Franklin, TN.

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About Peace for a Lifetime

In my new book, Peace for a Lifetime, I share the keys to cultivating a life that’s deeply rooted, overflowing, and abundant, the fruit of which is peace. Through personal and professional experience as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I've discovered how to take the broken pieces of life and find indestructible peace with herself, God and with others. Through my story and other’s stories you’ll realize that you can experience the life for which you long. You can experience abundance beyond anything you can imagine. You can experience peace, not just for today, not just for tomorrow. You can experience peace —for a lifetime!

Peace for a Lifetime is available on Amazon.com.

www.lisamurrayonline.com

Facebook: Lisa Murray

Twitter: @_Lisa_Murray

Book Trailer: https://vimeo.com/155392891

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Why Solitude Is a Necessary Place For Our Healing and Peace

 Life comes at us. We barely have a chance to catch our breath. From the time we wake up in the morning until we finally drift off to sleep, it seems we simply live reacting to whatever crises, whatever deadlines life demands. We carry our wounds with us, from one season to the next, one job to the next, one relationship to the next. At the end of the day, we’re left wondering why we are exhausted, depressed, undone.

This is not the life God designed for us. Healing will never happen in the hectic. Peace will never be cultivated out of chaos. Solitude is as Henri Nouwen describes, the only necessary thing — for our healing, for our peace.

If you’ve ever felt beaten-down, bruised, and broken, God has so much more in store for you! He longs for you to experience peace. “Peace” in Hebrew refers to wholeness, completeness, safety, soundness, and fullness. God wants us to be whole —physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I Thessalonians 5:23-24 (NLT) states, Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

Here is an excerpt from my new book, Peace For a Lifetime, that shares why solitude is a necessary place to experience true healing and ultimate peace.

As we embark on this phase of our journey, recognizing we must walk this pilgrimage alone with God is important. While family and friends can provide great support, encouragement, and wisdom during this season of healing, we must take all of the energy we expend externally on others and begin to focus that energy internally on ourselves and our walk with God.

I’ve spent so much time and energy over the course of my life reaching out to others with the hope or expectation that they might love me, fix me, heal me, or even need me. So many times I cried in anguish for what others could not give or fix. In my barrenness, hunger, and need, I approached those around me with an empty cup, begging them to fill my broken, empty vessel. Because of their love for me, they might try to fill me. But just at the time I thought my cup was full, I would look down to see all of the contents had escaped and once again I was empty. The cycle continued until my friends had nothing left to pour into my cup, and I felt my emptiness as their rejection of me.

The truth is our friends cannot heal our wounds; our pain is our pain, and their pain is theirs. Yes, Scripture says that as brothers we should carry each other’s burdens (Gal 6:2 NIV), but we only have one Healer and he is Jesus Christ. He is the One to whom we should run with our pain, our fear, our loneliness, and our desperation. He stands waiting in that place of solitude to heal us, to free us, and to strengthen us.

Only when we become still can we silence the outside world. That stillness enables us to turn down the volume on the noise that keeps us distracted and exhausted. Only in the stillness are we able to experience both God and ourselves, perhaps for the first time in our lives. Initially, the silence might be difficult, maybe even frightening, but such silence is the beginning of true healing and peace.

You don’t have to continue hanging on by a thread. You don’t have to carry your wounds with you one more day. I’ve put together materials in my book, Peace for a Lifetime, to provide simple, practical life steps that will help heal the broken place inside of you. These materials will show you how you can cultivate a life of indestructible and indispensible peace —not just for today, not just for tomorrow, but peace…for a lifetime!

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The Only Remedy for the Hole Inside Our Hearts

 God created each of us with a “God-shaped hole” inside of us. A hole designed to draw us to Him, and into an intimate relationship with the God of the Universe. Most of us feel the ache of the hole inside, we feel the emptiness and despair that echoes our inner pain.

We try to fill that hole with anything and everything under the sun, except the one thing that was perfectly and uniquely designed to fill that hole.

Here is an excerpt from my new book, Peace For a Lifetime, that explains the importance of understanding the hole that exists within each of us, and details the only remedy to fill this hole and give us a life of abundance and peace – the perfect person of Jesus Christ. He is the remedy, our remedy!

St. Augustine wrote, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in You.”19 Still, humanity searches to fill this hole with anything and everything except God! Sadly, too many people spend their lives looking for something other than God to fill their longing for meaning only to discover how empty and unfulfilled they remain.

King Solomon, who had all the wealth, power, and success in the world still declared all those things vanity, because everything he had accumulated and achieved had cost him so much in time and energy and satisfied so little. He summarized his experience by declaring, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV)

Famous mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, echoed this truth by stating, “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can only be filled with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God Himself.”20

I cannot pour enough alcohol into the depths of this God-shaped hole to numb the pain of the emptiness in which I am helplessly lost. I cannot run fast enough to get my adrenaline fix of sex, gambling, or thrill-seeking to escape the numbness of this stale existence called life. I can’t glue together the cracks in my soul through compulsive relationships, spending, or eating to provide at least a few moments where I can breathe. The glue will eventually begin to pull apart, and the cracks will become even deeper and wider than they were before. Nor can I simply intellectualize my way out of this closet, trying to pretend in my self-proclaimed sophistication this hole does not exist any more than the God I cannot look at nor believe in exists.

We spend half of our time numbing ourselves and running from the pain, and the other half of our time using every rationale to pretend the pain doesn’t exist. Ironically, we appear to fear the light that would save us far more than we fear the darkness of the abyss that threatens to consume us. As a result, we prevent ourselves from passionately committing to anyone or anything outside of this prison cell of our own making.

What have you used to fill the hole inside of you? How have you tried to numb the pain in your soul? I invite you to stop running, stop reaching for things that cannot fill you or provide the meaning and peace for which you long.

In my book, Peace For a Lifetime, I share simple, practical life steps that can help you understand the life God desires for you. This material can help you discover identity, clarity, and purpose. It will help you create and experience an indestructible peace – not just for today, not just for tomorrow, you can experience peace…for a lifetime!

You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in You.

_ St. Augustine

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19 St. Augustine, Confessions (New York, NY: Doubleday, 1960), 43.

20 Blaise Pascal, Pensees (New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1966), 75.

How Our Search for Meaning Can Bring Us So Much Peace

 Do you ever find yourself bored, unsettled, restless? Have you ever struggled to find meaning in your life?

Culture tells us if we have the right education, the right house, the right spouse and kids, even the right toys, then we will have everything we could ever ask for in life. The problem is, all the things in the world were not meant to fill us, fix us, or provide the meaning for which our souls long. We were designed for so much more.

King Solomon had all the wealth the world had to offer and still declared, Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:11 NIV)

I’ve included an excerpt from my new book, Peace for a Lifetime, where I share why we were created for meaning, and how we can begin to search for and cultivate deep roots of purpose that will not only provide a solid foundation for your life, but will impact your life and relationships with significance, abundance and fulfillment beyond anything you could imagine!

Have you ever wondered, “Who am I?” or asked yourself, “What is my purpose in life?” Why are we here and what, if anything, provides meaning to our existence on this planet? Is this all for nothing? Is there more? These questions are not only valid, but they also are an active part of our journeys toward finding peace with God and peace within ourselves. There is within us all a quiet war, an epic battle for the answers to these very questions. These questions don’t request an invitation. They don’t sit politely by the side. They loom overhead in the routine and mundane tasks of the day. They step ever so softly over the stillness of our souls. We might not be aware of anything at all, except that somewhere what began as a tiny tremor grows into a seismic quake. We can feel the pounding in our ears and the reverberations in our chests, counting cadence, steadily louder and clearer. There comes a time when we can no longer tune out these battle drums. We must choose, we must fight to claim this territory once and for all, or surrender ourselves altogether.

The most basic of all human desires is to find meaning to life. Individuals who experience Emotional Abundance (EA)—the ability to feel and manage their emotions—are not only able to meet the demands of everyday life, but are able to create meaning in their lives and relationships. Anxiety is the tension that arises from that battle for meaning. Kierkegaard calls anxiety the “dizziness of freedom.”14 Existentialist theologian Paul Tillich characterizes this as “the state in which a being is aware of its nonbeing.” 15

If you have struggled to find meaning in your life, if you live with an emptiness and despair in your soul, wondering if there must be more to life than this, you are not alone. For so many years I felt both helpless and hopeless to fill the emptiness that swallowed everything inside until I discovered how to fill that hole and build a life of hope, wholeness, and meaning.

In my book, Peace For a Lifetime, I share simple, practical life steps that can help you understand the life God desires for you. This material can help you create and experience an indestructible peace – not just for today, not just for tomorrow, you can experience peace…for a lifetime!

All the things in the world were not meant to fill us, fix us,

or provide the meaning for which our souls long.

We were designed for so much more.

We were designed for God.

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14 Soren Kierkegaard, The Concept of Anxiety (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1980), 61.

15 Paul Tillich, The Courage To Be (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2000), 35.

Why Neglecting Our Foundation Will Always Leave Us On Shaky Ground

 Have you ever watched a house being built? Ever seen the concrete and steel foundation formed carefully and precisely for the house that will be constructed on top?

In construction, the foundation is everything. If the foundation is defective or faulty in any way, it can undermine the strength and stability of the external structure. An entire house can sink, settle, or even collapse if the foundation is not completely secured, solid and strong.

Building our lives is a lot like building a house. We, too, have a foundation. If our foundation is not formed wisely and carefully, everything we will build on top will be built on shaky ground. Our careers, our relationships, our finances and our faith are subject to collapse if the foundation of our life is not well-built, trustworthy and strong.

Yet most of us have spent very little time focusing on the foundation. Our culture likes shiny things. We like shiny new houses and shiny new cars. We tend to focus our time and energy on making sure our “house” is decorated beautifully, without realizing the importance of evaluating and securing what lies beneath.

God wants each of us to build wisely on a solid foundation. Matthew 7:24-25 (NIV) tells us that “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

Here is an excerpt from my new book, Peace for a Lifetime, where I share both the importance of building a strong foundation as well as the history of how we as a culture arrived with little to no understanding of foundations and the impact they will have on every area of our lives. The good news is that it is never too late to shore up the foundation of your life. You can take this season to check your foundation and make certain that it is strong enough to withstand the storms and pressures that life will bring.

How many of us rush around busy with life, our careers, families, goals, etc., preoccupied with building our own towers? How much of our time is invested in having the right house, working the right job, driving the right car, sending our children to the right school, or being involved with the right circle of people? We focus our energy on making sure the exterior is polished and impressive while we devote little, if any, energy to make sure the foundation upon which everything else rests is strong and sure. What I have come to realize is you cannot have one without the other. You cannot have the gleaming exterior, the lifestyle, or the status, if you haven’t built your life on a strong foundation—at least you won’t have them for long.

The recession in the U.S. economy over the last several years has revealed to us that the opulence of the ’80s and ’90s in many ways wasn’t real, but was a façade. And that façade looked so good! Everyone had so much—lavish homes, vacations, boats, cars, jewels, etc.—we seemingly thought we were living out an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

Somewhere along the way in the last ten to twenty years, the ground beneath us as a society began to shift. We all felt the tremors. Perhaps we suspected something was awry, but very few of us were brave enough to question the foundation. Few of us were wise enough to spend time and energy focused on making our physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual foundations strong enough to bear the weight of the external structure.

I can’t help but think about the motto of financial guru, Dave Ramsey. He famously admonishes his audience to, “Live like no one else now so that later you can live like no one else!” His belief is if people will take a long, hard look at the financial area of their lives, and are willing to make some difficult choices today about how they spend their money, they will permanently alter their future financial trajectory and later will be in a position of financial freedom. In short, the sacrifices they are willing to make today will bring the rewards of financial peace tomorrow.

I wish we as individuals, couples, and families would have that same mindset and intensity in the emotional arena of our lives. What would happen if we could take a moment of our lives, a season, to embark on a journey of discovery and health? How much greater could our impact on the world be if we could check our emotional foundation from the bottom up and make sure the foundation on which we are building is strong and sure?

Is your foundation solid? Can it stand up to the stresses and strains of life? My new book, Peace for a Lifetime, will walk with you step by step to help you evaluate your life’s foundation. This material will provide simple, practical life steps that will help you build a foundation of indestructible peace —not just for today, not just for tomorrow, you can experience peace…for a lifetime!

The foundation on which we build our lives is

the difference between life and death in a storm.

 To learn more about the book, click HERE!

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How I Found Peace on the Road from Brokenness to Abundance

 We have all experienced seasons of winter. Each of us has felt the gnawing pain of barren and broken places deep inside that nothing seems to heal. Sometimes our brokenness catches us off guard and snatches the breath from our lungs in an untimely and unguarded instant. Sometimes our brokenness is a collision we can see careening towards us in the far-off distance but are otherwise helpless to escape. We come to the end of ourselves and we can go no further.

The good news is, for everyone who has experienced moments or seasons of brokenness, wounds that may be years old but are still tender to the touch, your broken places don’t have to stay broken.

God desires healing for you! John 10:10 (NKJV) encourages us that, 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.

I’ve included an excerpt from my new book, Peace For a Lifetime that shares the importance of Emotional Abundance and how we can begin building a life of abundance and peace. Peace is not something out of reach, it’s not something just for others. Peace is powerful, peace is possible!

I watched as the light changed from red to green. Cautiously, I pressed the gas pedal and accelerated through the intersection of this quaint little town. I had been through this intersection so many times before, but never to this destination.

The building was once a historic home, now turned into offices. As I entered the office, the corner office in the front of the house, I noticed two large windows. Old windows—windows where the glass slightly distorts the images outside, almost like a watercolor painting.

In between the two windows was a large fireplace. Though the fireplace did not work, and there was no fire lit, I immediately felt its warmth, as if something told me I was safe here.

I moved toward the sofa and noticed a book displayed on the mantel of the fireplace—one book sitting alone. The book must be important, I thought. I didn’t know how important.

That day, my first day, was the beginning of my healing. I had arrived here after a season I like to call the season of my undoing. Like those in recovery say, life had indeed become unmanageable.

No, there was no addiction, no rehab, or such. That might be easier to label somehow. I had simply come to the end of myself, and I could go no farther. I had reached, for me, the place of critical mass.

Change was no longer a matter of choice. Change was a necessity.

Like everything else in life, change was a process, so he said. My therapist spoke eloquently of a journey. He said since I didn’t arrive here overnight, I probably would not get out of here overnight. He said to trust the process. I did. I had no other choice.  

Week after week, I would stare out the windows—those big, old windows— as we talked. In the fall, I watched the wind bluster through, causing the trees to shed their leaves. I watched the barren winter wield its mighty hand, reducing nature to a cavernous nothingness. I watched as the spring came and the leaves, the bright yellow-green leaves, began to paint their watercolor brilliance once again.

One day as I peered outside, I could see the wind gently blowing through the branches of those old ancient trees. Like waves on the seashore, theirs was a gentle ebb and flow, as if life was being breathed back into them. I felt life begin to breathe inside of me, too.

Peace for a Lifetime chronicles my journey from brokenness to abundance as I healed the wounds that had kept me stuck for so long and learned what it felt like to be whole. This book will give you simple, practical life steps that will help you heal the broken places inside and will guide you towards cultivating peace in every area of your life —peace with God, peace within yourself, and peace in your relationships.

You can experience peace not just for today, not just for tomorrow, you can experience peace…for a lifetime!

 To learn more about the book, click HERE!

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