You Are What You Think

August 26, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NLT.

Even into my adult years, I saw myself as a scared little girl. I was terrified of making mistakes. I had a deep fear of failure. My mom told me I would practice saying words in my crib before I ever used them publicly. The desire for excellence was in me from infancy!

But a desire for excellence easily and quickly became a fear of failure and a drive for perfection. Is perfection even possible for humans? Of course not! What does that mean? Failure was part of every effort to achieve perfection instead of excellence. How does one avoid failure and making mistakes? By choosing not to choose. Be deciding not to try. And that is what I often did.

I became a hesitant and shy child. Although my heart longed to soar, I kept my feet on the ground and my wings safely tucked in. No flying, no failure. Or so I thought.

Those thoughts limited my ability to achieve the excellence I so desired. They kept me from becoming the person I wanted to become. They tied me down and made me a prisoner to my fears. That isn’t what I wanted for myself. And it isn’t what I want for you either.

So, where do we start to overcome the thoughts that hold us down? We start by accepting that you are what you think and to become who you want to be you must change the way you think. So, here’s why.

What you think determines your attitude. Do certain things irritate you, but you aren’t sure where the irritation originates? “Why does this bug me so much?” That is the question to ask yourself. Being willing to ask that question will help to reveal your underlying attitudes. Answering that question will help you unlock what you think about the situation and the people involved.

Take the Time to Make the Time

August 19, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV

Time. Is it your enemy or your friend? Do you find yourself struggling to find the time to do the things you want to do? Does time seem to be slipping away, the future becoming now without anything to show for the past? I’ve got you, my friend!

Time. We all have the same amount, but some of us seem to make more of that time. Some of us seem to be accomplishing our goals and dreams. Some of us just seem to have more time.

Well, it isn’t true. No one has more time than you do. They are just using their time in a way that enables them to get done what they want to do. They are discovering their more in the way they use their time. Wouldn’t you like to do that, my friend? Okay, then! Let’s get started!

Where Will Your YES Take You?

August 12, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

'Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”’ Luke 1:38

Do you ever feel stuck? You know what I mean. Your life becomes predictable. Comfortable. Mundane. Routines are a valuable tool when they are designed to help you accomplish what is necessary and important, but if you aren’t careful, they can just suck you into the same-old same-old. Rise, routine, repeat. Right? That’s not what you want!

What do you want? You want a life that zings with meaning, purpose, passion, and potential. You want to know that you are discovering more—all the things that God created you for. You want your life to be a fulfilling adventure, not simply satisfying. Full. Even a little bit exciting. Am I right?

I totally get it and I have been there. What I’ve learned is that every day holds the possibility to discover some of that MORE. The key that unlocks potential is a three-letter word: YES. If you can allow yourself to think in terms of that three-letter word you will find yourself on what I like to call The YES Adventure. Yes by yes you discover the more you were meant for. You discover your MORE when you give God your YES. Are you ready?

Are YOU Brave Enough to Say YES?

August 5, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.” Psalms 18:32 NLT

“You’re so brave!” she said. The thought had never occurred to me that what I was doing was brave. I was just taking the next step on my journey with God. He had opened a door that I knew was mine to walk through. Brave? Was it really?

I had worked for several years to acquire my ministry license. Hours of classes and tests. A qualifying exam. An interview before a committee of respected ministers in my fellowship. Waiting while their recommendation was sent to the national office. Every step along the way was simply moving forward in the direction that I knew God was calling me. I had no idea how it was all going to turn out. I just knew that each new opportunity or challenge required another YES. This new venture was just one more “yes.”

I had been in my current position, a public middle school library aide, for nine years. I loved working in the school library. I had come to love the students and the staff. It was June and another school year was coming to a close. I had already submitted my paperwork to confirm another year of employment. I had no visions of a life change. Then my pastor called me in for an appointment…

The Peace Formula

July 29, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 NIV

There are certain memories that become anchors for our souls. I’ll bet you’ve got a few of those. As I look back on a particular time in my life, I remember a key lesson that I learned. One that has anchored me through so much. At that time, my soul was an angry sea, but now, when I apply what I learned then, I don’t experience the same kind of turbulence. I’d love to share my secret with you. It’s a formula for peace. Interested? Here goes!

In 1991, Tom and I, and our two children under 3 years old, moved back to New York after two years in Pensacola, Florida. Because we were just waiting for a call from the FAA for Tom to begin training as an air traffic controller, our plan was to live at my parents’ house until he finished training and then move to wherever he was placed. Simple plan. The only wrinkle in the plan was that the U.S. government put a freeze on all hiring, so no new air traffic controllers were being trained. There was no call coming from the FAA in the foreseeable future. Time for a new plan. Tom found a job and eventually went back to school to finish his degree. I struggled.

We ended up living downstairs at Mom and Dad’s for over three years. That was not the resolution I wanted! My heart yearned for a place of my own and for many months there was no personal space at the end of our tunnel.

Holy Spirit or My Own Heart?

July 22, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NLT

You want to be and do all that God has for you, right? Me too. That means that we want to do what God is saying, right? But how can I tell the difference between what God is saying to me and what I am saying to myself? Sometimes God’s voice is very clear. Like the holy highlighter on the pages of Scripture. But other times…

Learning to recognize the voice of God takes practice, but it really isn’t rocket science. As I learn to pay attention to the ways that God brings things to my awareness through His word, my thoughts, and circumstances I become more in tune with just how active God is in communicating with me on a regular basis. When I notice ideas that I recognize are not part of my normal train of thought I recognize the Holy Spirit at work. How awesome that the God of the universe takes the time to speak to me!

But, if you are like me, you may find yourself trying to rationalize what you are hearing. How can I be sure that is God? What if that is just my own self speaking and masquerading as the Holy Spirit? What if it isn’t God at all and I act on it?

How to Hear God Through The Voice of the Holy Spirit

July 15, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me." John 16:13-14 NLT

When God speaks, I want to listen. But how do I recognize the Holy Spirit speaking to me? What about you? How do you recognize His voice? There is one thing I am confident of. Whether or not I recognize His voice, He is speaking. He is speaking through the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit superintended the writing of God's Word and holds the "holy highlighter", but He is also the still, small voice that speaks the thoughts that won't go away. He whispers ideas and reminds us of what God's Word says. When I am in God’s Word regularly I give the Holy Spirit something to work with when He wants to speak to me. But how does that work and how do I know? It takes practice to know the difference between the Holy Spirit and my own thoughts and emotions. Not one of us is going to get it right every time. Only Jesus had 100% accuracy. Then how can we be sure?

How to Hear God’s Voice Through the “Holy Highlighter”

July 8, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” John 16:13 NIV

If you are struggling to discern what God is speaking to you, start by believing that He is. Our God is a God who speaks! He spoke creation into being. He spoke through Jesus Christ. He continues to speak through His Word and His Spirit. He speaks to all, and He speaks to individuals. He is speaking to you. Are you hearing Him?

You want to be someone who says YES to God because you want to be and do all that He designed you for. So, you are seeking to hear His voice. You remember that the larger mission of salvation is at the heart of all that He speaks. You notice the thoughts that don't go away and you are reading His word for illustrations and instructions regarding how He wants His people to live, but you are also trying to discern what He may be speaking to you specifically. How do I recognize when God is speaking directly to me through His Word?

One way to recognize His voice is through what someone has called the "holy highlighter."

The Thought That Won’t Go Away: What If It’s God Speaking?

July 1, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:21 NLT

Do you want to fulfill the destiny you were created for? Yes? Then be someone who says YES when God speaks. But how do you know that you are hearing God? It isn’t always clear, is it?

I want to be someone who says YES to God. I want to know what He is saying, to listen and obey. How do you and I learn to recognize His voice when there are so many other noises going on around us?

One way I've learned to recognize God's voice is in the thought that won't go away. You’ve felt it, too, right? That nagging sense that this is something that you’re supposed to do. It seems like every time you try to push it away, it keeps coming back. What if you stopped to listen and ask, “God, is that You?”

What is My Mission?

June 24, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— …This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1,3-4 NIV

You want to fulfill your divine potential. You want to fulfill your mission on the earth. You want to be and do all that God has called you to. You want to say YES to God. But how? How do you know what your mission is? How do you know what God is saying to you?

Your question: How do I know when I am hearing God’s voice so that I can fulfill His mission for me?

September 12, 2026

This is Not Forever

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT

As I tearfully opened the sodden boxes of our stored belongings, wondering what was ruined, a verse came to mind,

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21 NLT

We were temporarily living with my parents, and our stuff was stored in Tom’s parents' garage. They had a plumbing issue in their bathroom above the garage, causing a leak that soaked several of our boxes and other items, including our mattress. We weren’t sure what was salvageable.

That period of time was already difficult. We were waiting for a job to open up and unsure how long that would take, how long we would be living with my parents, how long our stuff would be stored. Both sets of parents had been patient, loving, and gracious. There was no one to blame for the water damage. Sometimes things just happen.

But when that verse popped into my brain, it completely changed my perspective on going through the damage. The tears didn’t stop. There was some mourning and disappointment. But at the same time, there was hope. This was temporary. These things were just things. What really mattered was how I responded. I could choose an eternal perspective. I could choose to treasure Christ more than an earthly possession.

As it turned out, very few of our things were unsalvageable, and insurance more than covered anything that was lost. But the eternal perspective I gained is a treasure that I still carry. That simple shift helped me through the three and a half years of living in the in-between.