What Defines Me?

May 27, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Ephesians 1:11 MSG

What criteria do you use to define your own existence? That’s a big question! Do you know the answer?

How do you find out who you are? What criteria do you use? Is it what other people say or have said about you? Is it public acclamation or your accomplishments? Is it the opportunities that you may have received or not received? Perhaps you define yourself by your good behavior or religious activity. I can say that was my story. Yet, none of those things are what God uses to define us.

In this grand adventure of life with God, we often think of our life with God as what we do FOR Him— our devotional activity, our acts of service. But what God really wants from us is to understand that our life WITH Him isn't really about those things. What it IS about is knowing and living in our identity in Christ.

Ephesians 1: 11 in The Message translation of the Bible says that "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for." God wants you and me to be defined by our relationship with Him rather than all the other things that we seek out to tell us who we are.

As you consider what defines you, ask yourself, “Am I finding out who I am in Christ?” What criteria are you using to define yourself?

Called? Me?

May 20, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3 NLT

You want to say YES to God, right? Saying yes starts with hearing God say something, right? YES is a response. We don't say it for no apparent reason! So, what are we saying YES to? A calling? You might say, "Isn't that only for pastors and other spiritual leaders? God hasn't really called me, has He? And if He has called me, then what am I supposed to do?"

Let me affirm something. God IS calling YOU! He is, has, and will continue to call you. As a person who wants to say YES to Him, you need to firmly fix that into your belief system. God IS calling YOU. Once you have that firmly fixed in place, then it's time to consider the other question: "If God HAS and IS calling me, then what am I supposed to do?" That can be so intimidating!

The truth is that every single one of us feels ill-equipped for a calling from God.

Still There

May 13, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. Psalms 145: 18

When Tom and I travel we love to take long drives and explore, especially when we are in a new place. On our first trip to Rhode Island, we found ourselves on such a drive. We would have been at Misquamicut Beach soaking in the sun and breathing in the sea, but the clouds were obscuring the sun and the fog blurred out the sea.

We planned our route by map. Remember maps? Those paper things people used before phones could access GPS and give us turn-by-turn directions? We planned to stop at the lighthouse near Point Judith and then drive up the coast to Narragansett. According to the map, we arrived at Point Judith. We didn’t see the lighthouse anywhere. In fact, we couldn’t even see the ocean, the fog was so thick. After a while, we realized that we were in the right place, we just couldn’t see the lighthouse because of the fog. So, we drove on up the coast. The rock wall along the road was the border between us and the ocean. According to the map, the ocean was there. According to our eyes, there was only a wall of grey, cloudiness. We reached Narragansett and looked around a bit, then returned to our hotel.

The next day greeted us with clear skies and sunshine, so we decided to retrace our tire tracks and try for the lighthouse again. We were amazed to see just how close we had been to it the day before without even a hint that it was right there! Not only that, but the location opened up to some breathtaking ocean views that were totally invisible the day before.

The ride to Narragansett was equally astonishing.

Take The Next Right Step

May 6, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Are you living a life of adventure? Adventure involves risk and uncertainty. You might think of adventure as bungee jumping or rock climbing. But what if you applied that definition to everyday experiences? Then every day takes on an element of adventure, right? And you know what? God is in the middle of our little everyday adventures just as much as the big ones.

My daughter lives in Brooklyn. She's lived in New York for a number of years and knows her way around the New York public transportation system well, so when we visit, we trust her to guide us from one place to another. But on a recent visit, a power outage somewhere in the system turned a routine trip into an adventure! It was full of risk and uncertainty.

Are You Crossing the Rickety Bridge?

April 29, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 NIV

It was a terrifying moment. I remember exactly where I was. I can clearly see the room around me in my memory. I was about to do something that could potentially rock my world, but I knew that it had to be done. The consequences of not following through outweighed the risk of taking the plunge, so I did it. I prayed Psalm 139:23-24 and meant it! “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”

I had begun to ask God to show me who I really was. It was like setting out to cross a rickety bridge. It didn’t look safe, but it was the only way to get to the other side. Reaching my goal required absolute honesty. The destination was more important than safety. I knew that to become the person that God wanted me to be I had to be willing to give up the comfort of staying the same. I had to risk Him showing me faults and patterns that I didn’t want to see so that I could move forward. I took the risk of praying the prayer. Then, I prepared myself for the awful things that I was sure God would reveal to me. I steeled myself against the pain of self-revelation. I imagined the worst.

But it never happened the way that I imagined it.

He's Got It Covered!

April 22, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

There’s a whole bunch happening in my life right now. What about you?
Isn’t it good to know that God isn’t surprised by any of it? He’s got it all covered because He made you and me and laid out every day from the beginning. Be encouraged, Dear Friend!

Psalm 139
(New Living Translation)

O Lord , you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do…

Every Goal Needs A Tune-Up

April 15, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ' Philippians 3:13-14

You’re on the road and realize that the road signs and landmarks don’t line up with where you thought you were going. You don’t want to waste time and gas by heading in the wrong direction. What do you do? You pull over, figure out where in the world you are, and check your navigation to make sure you are on the right track! Then you fine-tune your directions and get back on the road.

So, where are you on your journey toward fulfilling your divine destiny? Where are you in fulfilling the goals you have set? One of the most important things you can do to keep making progress is to stop and re-evaluate your goals. Every goal needs a tune-up!

Here are some reasons why.

Silent Saturday: Counting the Cost

April 8, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

It is Saturday of Holy Week. Good Friday has passed. Easter Sunday is yet to come. We wait in anticipation of that joyous celebration. But what did the disciples do on that Saturday after the crucifixion? They did not know that joy awaited them. They observed the Sabbath in obedience, but that day of rest from work was most likely anything but a day of rest in the mind. How could they do anything but continue to relive Friday’s horror and wonder how they would ever face, not only Sunday, but every day after?

It is in human nature to avoid the painful, but what if you and I took this Saturday to relive some of Good Friday’s pain? Might it increase our joy of the resurrection?

Celebration is Motivation!

April 1, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ' Philippians 3:13-14

You’ve taken the time to craft a compelling goal. You’ve created a system to remember your goals. You’ve thought about what you want to achieve. You’ve asked yourself some hard questions. Good work!

Now begins the task of working toward achieving that goal. Where are you at? It’s time to evaluate. Do you know what that means? More hard questions!

To evaluate where you are, take a good hard look at the reality that is right now. Why not start with an encouragement boost? Consider your goal, and ask yourself some questions.

What is working well? Start here.

Review Regularly. Remember. Achieve.

March 25, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Philippians 3:12

Remember that goal you set in January? You took the time to think it through. You crafted a compelling goal. You thought through your why. You took the time. You made the effort. Take a moment now and repeat back to yourself what you planned to accomplish. What’s that? You kind of remember? Is “kind of” remembering really remembering?

You and I have full lives. There are so many things happening every day, right? The kids have to go there. This bill needs to be paid. That customer needs this right away! The refrigerator is empty. And on and on and on. There are so many things that we absolutely need to do. It’s very easy for what we really want to do to get lost at the bottom of the pile. Unless….unless we make a plan to keep that goal at the top of the pile.

Here’s the bottom line, my friend: You will not do what you do not remember. The only way to set yourself up to actually achieve your goal is to regularly review it.

How does regularly reviewing your goals help you achieve your purpose? When you prayerfully and thoughtfully craft specific goals, these goals line up with your life purpose. You have made goals to help you achieve the purpose you were created for. When you set yourself up to accomplish those goals by regularly reviewing them, you set yourself up to achieve your purpose.

So, here are some tips to help you do just that.

Be intentional. It doesn’t matter how good your memory is, if you don’t decide to create a system to regularly remind yourself of your goals they will get lost in the list of to-dos.