Birthday Reflections: What I Know Now

August 24, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” Philippians 3:12 NLT

Every birthday is an opportunity for reflection. Don’t you think? When I was young every birthday was an opportunity to reflect on possibilities. As I have aged, although possibilities are still part of the reflection process, birthdays have become more about processing lessons learned. August is my birthday reflection month. What do I know now that I didn’t know forty years ago? Forty years ago I had just graduated from college and was at the beginning my walk with Christ. I was so excited! Excited to complete my education. Excited for all that lay ahead for me. I wanted all that God had for me and didn’t know how to go about receiving it. I wanted to make it happen. I was learning what it meant to put faith into action, but also to trust God, His timing and His sovereignty.

I needed a job. I asked an older wiser lady in my new Jesus-loving church, “Do I just wait for God to bring me a job?” “No,” she said. “You’ve got to put your foot in Jordan and if the waters part you know to go through.” I learned my efforts were necessary to discover God’s will.

But then there was learning to wait on God. My pastor called me out one Sunday and shared a message from God in a prophetic picture. He described me as a child outside a candy store and I was anxious to have all that I saw. But the message from God was to wait and He would give it all to me. Learning to wait on God’s timing and sovereignty is still one of the most difficult lessons to learn.

There are so many things I could share that more than forty years of following Jesus has taught me, but here are some of the most important lessons.

The truth I know must be tested by my experience.

What I am l Learning: Sometimes You Just Need a Break

June 15, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”Matthew 11:28 NIV

Well, my friend, it’s been a rough week. I had an unexpected medical issue arise. So even as I am recovering from two broken wrists and right wrist surgery, I found myself facing another challenge. Ever been there?

Part of what I am learning throughout this stressful season is that sometimes you just need a break. I see it on my husband’s face as he walks through it with me and I recognize it in myself as well.

So, if you will indulge me, I’m going to step out. I’ll see you next week!

By the way, my friend, if you are going through a rough season, maybe you just need a break, too.

What I am Learning: How to Roll with the Unexpected

June 8, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

I don’t know about you, but the unexpected can rattle me. My current season is full of the unexpected. I am currently healing from surgery on my right wrist after a fall that broke both my wrists. The morning of the surgery I found myself praying, “God, I know there are going to be unexpected things in this process. Help me to roll with the unexpected.” I am glad I prayed that prayer!

So, here are a few of the unexpected things that I experienced. Because both of my wrists are injured, the medical staff did not want to add fluid to an already injured body location. Did you know that an IV in the foot is the other option? Well, I didn’t. I was surprised, but not rattled when the nurse told me about it. “Time to roll with the unexpected”, I thought. The initial “pinch” felt like any other IV. It hurt at first, but then it was just weird knowing it was there.

For the same reason, a blood pressure cuff was wrapped around my leg rather than my arm. IV on the right foot. Blood pressure cuff on the left leg. I was connected to that all day as well. Every so often the cuff would tighten around my leg to get a reading. What a strange sensation! Surprised, but not rattled. Another opportunity for God to come through with grace. And He did.

I have never had a cast before, so I have never had a cast removed before. As the nurse was removing my cast so that the surgery could take place, the whirr of the machine she was using to cut through the plaster filled the room.

What Will Happen if You Say YES to God?

April 20, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” Luke 5:5 NLT

Do you sometimes struggle to say YES to God? I know I do. I want to see where my YES will take me before I give it. But obedience doesn’t work that way, does it? There is risk when we give God our YES.

Remember the story of Peter and his fellow fisherman? They had fished all night. The right time to fish. They were exhausted after a professionally exhausting and unprofitable night shift. Depressing daylight meant cleaning their empty nets and getting some sleep. Then, Jesus, the carpenter’s-son-turned-itinerant-preacher, gets into their boat, tells them to launch out into the deep water, and cast their nets IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY! Peter had every logical reason to turn down this teacher with no professional fishing knowledge. But Jesus’s obvious connection to God caused Peter to let the teacher become the fishing foreman. So, they launched out into the deep water and cast their nets in the middle of the day.

Something about Jesus’ character led Peter to say YES to an action that made no sense at all. And it worked. You know the rest of the story. They caught so many fish that their nets began to break. Peter’s obedient YES proved overwhelmingly profitable. But that was just the beginning.

Peter’s YES teaches me a few things. Maybe you’ll agree with me.

When you say YES you invite God into the situation. Peter’s obedience made room for God to get involved. The miraculous catch that followed Peter’s obedience opened him up to so much more.

What Was Your Egypt?

March 16, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!” Deuteronomy 20:1 NLT

What phrase describes all that the Lord has done for you?

God’s people had a phrase. You may not have noticed how often it is repeated. “The Lord God who brought you out of the land of Egypt…” That one phrase described so much for the Hebrew people. It summed up who they were before God delivered them, what they had lived with for 400 years, what God had done to deliver them, and how He had defeated the Egyptians without any action on their part. All they had to do was trust Moses, their leader, and obey the commands he gave to them. That phrase reminded them of how Pharaoh and his army drowned in the Red Sea after they had walked through on dry ground. It reminded them of the manna that had sustained them as God guided them through the desert by a pillar of flame and cloud. It reminded them of all that God had done in the desert as He prepared them to enter the Promised Land.

What phrase describes all that God has done for you up until now?

Invitation to Celebration

March 9, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.” Colossians 1:6 NLT

Do you ever feel like you are just crawling through life? The things you want to accomplish are still a dot on the horizon. The person you want to become is just a fuzzy image in the mirror. The minute hand seems to move at a minuscule pace a millimeter at a time. It can be discouraging.

In those moments when you feel like you aren’t growing at all and that you are going nowhere, stop for a moment. Look back and find something to celebrate. It may be a pebble compared to the boulder you still see in the way, but when you celebrate small victories, you gain perspective. You’ll see that change is actually taking place — just not at the pace you would prefer.

So, today I want to celebrate one of those pebbles. Last week I sent back a pair of glasses that I had ordered. I know, that may not seem like a lot to you. But to me, it is an indicator that I am not the person I used to be. And that, my friend, is a reason to celebrate! What might it do for you to celebrate some small victories?

Who Do You Trust?

March 2, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” Proverbs 29:25 NLT

Whose approval do you think you need to be successful? Who are you looking to for validation and acceptance? Who are you hoping will confirm that you are everything that God says you are?

Knowing what God says and believing it are two different things. Don’t I know it? I began my Christian walk as an “expert” in what the Word said, but walking it out for myself… Well, that was a different story.

To believe is to accept as true. However, belief is not enough to transform you and me into the people that God designed us to be. Right? And transformation is our goal. We have to trust in addition to believing if transformation is to take place.

What is the difference? Accepting truth is different than living by that truth. I can believe that what God says about me is true, but when I look to the affirmation of authority figures in my life to confirm that truth I am not walking in trust.

I can’t count on the people I admire to affirm what is true as much as I would like to. I can’t count on myself to know what is true about me and act on it. The only accurate source of truth is the Word of Truth. What does it look like to trust in who the Lord says I am without looking to others to validate me?

When I trust what God says about me, I am not trapped into saying what someone else wants to hear. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like other people to be unhappy with me. That has sometimes caused me to say something less than truthful. Now, that doesn’t sound too bad, right?

Discover Your More in 2024!

December 30, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 NLT

Dear Friend,

I have a challenge for you as we close out this year.

How much time do you take for reflection? It isn’t part of our culture at all, is it? Go, go, go! Do more and do it faster! Make more money! Have more impact! Be more efficient! What if the more you are looking for is really about becoming who you want to be, who you were designed to be?

Here is my challenge: In these last few days of the year take time to stop, ponder, and determine what you want for next year.

To help you meet that challenge, I’m giving you some questions to jumpstart your reflection. Let them stir grief if needed, inspire celebration, and ignite desire for the new year. If you journal, have your pen nearby to jot down some thoughts.

Prepare for the New Year: What Got You Through That Will Carry You Forward?

December 9, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24 NIV

Do you like to skip to the end of a book or a movie? Are you one of those people who just wants to see how it all turns out? Does knowing the end help you to enjoy the unfolding of the story better? You can see how everything fits together as it is happening. But it does take the element of wonder and surprise out of the picture, doesn’t it? When you don’t know the end, you find yourself trying to figure out how things fit. You think back to earlier parts of the story and try to envision where the creator is taking you. Life is more like that, right? As much as we want to skip to the end and see how it all turns out, we can’t. Each step along the journey of life is connected, but if we aren’t thinking back as well as looking forward, we don’t make the connection. Let’s apply that to right now, shall we?

The best way to prepare for the new year is to look back at the current year. We are a culture that skips over reflection to get to what is next. I know I do! Tom and I have been in a major transition for quite some time, and I have been so aware of how much I want to just skip to the end. But I have also been aware that I haven’t wanted to miss anything along the way. I know that every step is important. Every transition has endings and beginnings, but in between is the messy middle. That’s the place where you want to skip to the end! Now that our transition has more beginnings, I have been looking back and seeing the important steps along the way. The ones I wanted to skip.

How to Set a Goal That Really Matters

December 2, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3: 23-4

I don’t know about you, but I like to set goals early in the year. Setting goals gives me a direction for my time and energy. Over time I have learned how to set goals that motivate me and help me to move forward. I find that I meet the goals more often than I miss them. That is really encouraging!

An important part of goal setting and keeping is evaluation. Throughout the year I keep my goals in mind. I look at them frequently and I step back to see how I am doing in forward motion toward meeting that goal. But, later in the year, like November, is a good time for some serious evaluation. I look at the goals I set for the year and gauge what progress I’ve made, but I also begin to consider what my goals might be for the next year.

I have learned that setting a goal is an act of faith. I know that I can’t meet any goal without God’s help. So, I prayerfully set the goals with God. Setting goals for next year actually starts now for me. What about you? Do you set goals and stay on track with them? What if I could give you a way to set goals that will help you to make progress in what matters most? It might be a different approach and I hope it helps you end next year knowing that you have moved forward toward fulfilling the potential God put in you!

Several years ago, I began employing a different kind of goal that has guided my other goals. I pray about and choose a word as an overarching theme for the year. I have heard it said that the word really “chooses you” and I have found that to be true!

In the fall, I start listening for what my word might be for the next year. Many times, that word has been a surprise to me. I might be sitting in church or a conference and when the speaker uses a certain word it seems to be on loudspeaker! Or I might be reading – not necessarily the Bible, it could be anything – when a word seems to stand out as if it is. not only bold, but highlighted in fluorescent yellow or pink or green! I give it time and look for ways that word is confirmed before I take my next step.

Once I settle on the word, I begin to pray about an anchor scripture to go along with that word. One year my word was “Perseverance” and the companion scripture was Hebrews 10:36.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (NIV)

Another year my word was “Loved” and my scripture was Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

The systems I’ve created to keep my word and verse in mind have helped me to memorize the verse but also reminded me to do what it said – to persevere in pursuing my goals or to trust that because I am loved by God I am full of life and power that comes from Him. You get the idea?

Finally, I set some goals for the year. I don’t usually finalize those goals until January, but I begin to think about them as I evaluate the past year. As I craft goal statements, I try to keep my word in mind and align the goal with that word. The theme word doesn’t define the goal itself. It defines how I want to approach the goal. Such as with “perseverance” or to “influence” or from a position of knowing that I am “loved.”

As the year comes to a close, I find myself encouraged at how God has helped me to do so much more than I could do on my own. This year my word was “launch” and I have found myself launched into so many new things. Even though I may not have accomplished all the tasks on my goal list, I have lived out my word. The word is more about what God has done in me than accomplishing tasks. That’s my hope for you. That you would live in a way that allows God to do His work so that you can fulfill all that He has for you.

So, what do you think? Does this process intrigue you? If so, reach out to me. I’d love to talk with you about it. No matter how you approach your goals, my hope is that you will commit yourself to being all that God has called you to be. That is a goal worth reaching for!

Key Question: What are you doing right now to prepare for progress in the next year?

A Scripture to Consider: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3: 23-4

A YES Challenge: Start praying about a word for 2024. Keep your eyes and ears open so that you can be attentive to what God might be speaking to you.

Prayer: Father, I thank You for the progress I have made this past year. At times, it seemed like I wasn’t moving forward at all, but You have been faithful. You have helped me keep my focus and accomplish more than I could without You. As I look back on this year and look forward to next year, help me to discern what You are saying so that I can set appropriate goals. My greatest desire is to honor You. Help me to keep pressing toward my full potential for Your glory. Amen.