I'm Kelly Ann Snyder. Welcome to Living Perfectly Loved, the podcast created to encourage, equip, and inspire you to live free from fear and full of joy, secure in God's perfect love. If you're longing to stand firm in Christ amidst the storms of life with a faith deeply rooted in God's perfect love, stop anxiety and fear from stealing your joy and controlling your life, shine brightly and love fearlessly, confident in who God uniquely created and called you to be, then this faith-inspiring podcast, full of practical help and spiritual tools, is for you. You're listening to Season One, Episode 12: Renew Your Strength in the Lord. Brought to you by Living Perfectly Loved Ministries and my new book, Living Perfectly Loved: A Christian's 12-Step Journey to Freedom from the Grip of Anxiety and Fear. For all recommended resources, products, and freebies discussed in this episode, please see the notes for this episode. I'm happy to announce that in each episode this season, I will be sharing an excerpt from my book containing each of the 12 steps the Lord used to deliver me from the grip of anxiety and fear. In this way, you'll be getting a sneak peek into my book, Living Perfectly Loved. I'm so glad you've decided to join me. Subscribe to my email list today at kellyandsnyder.com and you will be kept in the loop with all book and ministry-related announcements I make, and be eligible to receive all free resources I create and share with my subscribers. Visit my website at kellyandsnyder.com to learn more about Living Perfectly Loved Ministries, including direct links to purchase my book and information that can help you take the next step forward in your faith journey. If you haven't yet listened to my podcast trailer, I'd like to invite you to do so after listening to this episode. All right, let's get started! The following is an excerpt from Step 11 of my book, Living Perfectly Loved, titled: Renew Your Strength in the Lord. Isaiah 40 verse 31 says,"But those who hope in 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." Did you know that Monarch butterflies have much to teach us about God's miraculous sustaining power? Amazingly, of all the butterflies God created, the Monarch butterfly is the only one that can make bird-like migrations every year, flying some 2,500 miles from north to south for the cold winter months. In an article called, The Monarchs, author Craig Meeker talks about his experience with these marvelous creatures while out on a walk."As I looked at the monarchs, I thought, this is impossible. These two pieces of paper flying in the wind. It is impossible for them to reach such a destination so far away. And I came to the conclusion that what makes the Christian move makes the monarch move and vice versa. When you open your heart heavenward in faith, God is able to put in there a determined desire to do his will. When you take a step to fulfill that desire, as we open our hearts to him, he puts power into our hearts to walk with him." Like the Monarch butterfly, we are nothing more than fragile vessels, easily broken. And yet, God chooses to use us to accomplish His will on this earth. He does this through the power of His Holy Spirit. The Bible explains it this way:"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us," Second Corinthians four verse seven. We may be"hard pressed." See second Corinthians four verses eight through nine. But this is only so Jesus may be glorified all the more through us. It may seem counter intuitive at first, but our weaknesses can actually show off God's strength. When we realize that our supposed weaknesses and imperfections better position us to be used by God in this world, we won't be so afraid of letting others see who we really are: weaknesses, past failures, and all. Look again at the apostle Paul. Before becoming a believer, Paul violently opposed Christianity. After he began his ministry, Paul had weaknesses that afflicted him daily. The Bible tells us that Paul was given a"thorn of the flesh," Second Corinthians 12 verse seven. We don't know exactly what that thorn was, but Paul wrote that he pleaded with God three times to remove it. Despite Paul's pleas, however, God chose to leave that thorn. Like Paul, there may be a thorn God has left in your flesh, an ongoing struggle, but it doesn't have to limit your ability to a obey. Paul had past failures and weaknesses to overcome, and yet God did not allow these things to hinder Paul from spreading the message of the gospel. God used Paul to write most of the New Testament, from inside a prison cell no less. Paul knew that admitting his problems was the best way to share with others how the power of God had radically transformed him. Thus God was glorified even more through Paul, not in spite of his weaknesses but because of them. When the Lord called me to write a book, I was unaware of all the challenges I would face along the way. Having never written a book before. I had a lot to learn about the craft of writing, where to find agents and publishers who would publish my book, and how to best connect with the people whom I was writing for. Little did I know that this was just the beginning. Along with learning all the ins and outs of writing and publishing a book, new health challenges arose. I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, IBS, after three months of starting to write the manuscript for the book, and then fibromyalgia after completing the first draft about two years later. My circumstances seem to move from bad to worse the harder I followed after Christ. I remember one morning in particular, I was in my bathroom trying to get ready for work. The pain was so bad, I broke down sobbing. On my knees on the bathroom floor, I bowed my head and hung my arms limp over the edge of the bathtub, palms up, and prayed. Not with words, but with tears in a posture of surrender, looking to God to do something to renew my strength. I had nothing left to give, and realistically, didn't see how I could get back up on my feet and go to work that day. That's when my husband walked in. Seeing I needed help. He reached down and wrapped his strong arms around my waist and gently lifted me to my feet. I didn't have the strength to stand on my own, but with the help of my husband, I could rise once again. In that moment, I felt held by my Heavenly Father, His everlasting arms underneath me holding me secure. See Deuteronomy 33, verse 27. Giving me the strength I needed to finish getting ready and walk out the door. When I found myself seemingly with nothing left to give, I returned to the Lord for help. Time and again, I asked God to renew my strength to complete the good work He began in me. The strength came, but not right after praying. It came as I stepped out in faith, in obedience to do the work He had given me to do. What I learned was, as I continued to step out in faith and obedience to do the work, God was there to supply me with the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength that I needed to keep going. I've also learned there are times when the strength God supplies us with isn't for us to keep going, but to let go. Shortly after God renewed my strength to get back up on my feet and head to work on that a particularly difficult day came another day where God called me to surrender my teaching career to Him. I discovered that day, it required just as much strength to let go as it did to hold on and keep going. It was difficult to walk away from 17 years of teaching. But for health reasons, it became necessary. What I didn't yet understand was that God had plans to renew my strength for a new role as a stay at home wife, mom, and writer. When God says He will renew your strength, it doesn't mean we are guaranteed physical strength, but God's power working through us to accomplish His will for us on earth. If you notice God is no longer renewing your strength for a particular task or assignment, it could be He wants to display His power through your weakness. It could also be, He wants to move you to start doing something else. I don't know what your particular struggles are, but I do know God has chosen you, just as you are, to be a vessel through which salvation in Jesus Christ may be revealed to the world. God will take the shattered, broken pieces of your life. Those areas of weakness that you probably see as most painful or shameful, and create a beautiful mosaic out of them to tell the world this story of His perfect love. You are truly a masterpiece in the making. Just as God spoke to Paul regarding his weaknesses, He also speaks to us saying,"My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness." Second Corinthians 12 verse nine. God will give you the power to be all He has called you to be. Therefore be joyful and patient in your suffering, see Romans 12 verse 12, knowing that it is your weaknesses, which make a way for God's grace to enter in. And where His grace has given, His glory will be revealed. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Thank you for helping me do the work You've called me to do. I confess there are days when I struggle, fail, and feel intimidated by the mountains before me. I question whether I am enough, but then You remind me of who I am. I am a child of God. I believe I am chosen and I can move mountains. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit's presence, which strengthens me daily and encourages me to never give up. Father help me to feel the power of Your Holy Spirit flowing through me. May I never rely upon my strength, but on Your strength alone, to empower me to follow and obey You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Living Perfectly Loved podcast. While it's true that God is love and we are perfectly loved by Him, we all struggle at times to live like this true. While we should strive to grow in Christ likeness, we can rest in knowing God loves us because of who He is, not because of who we are or anything we could ever do for Him. In Jesus Christ, we are enough! Remember, you don't have to be perfect to live perfectly loved. You have always been and will always be a completely forgiven, fully accepted, deeply loved, daughter the King. Beautiful friend, His grace is for you. Please subscribe to my podcast now and stay tuned for another episode of Living Perfectly Loved. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He shine His face on you and be gracious to you. May He turn His face toward you and give you peace, in Jesus' name.