The Fellowship of Christian Business & Professional Women
Pause for Reflection with Deb Callahan
D Callahan
Living Fearlessly
2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. KJ21
For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline. AVS
Another bible (AMP) uses the word timidity. It matters not what negative word is being used, the positivity is God’s. God will empower me, us, everyone. The awareness of God working in our life is aided by the tool of reading, the Bible is an incredible compilation of God’s words. I feel that I’m blessed that my more spiritually-literate friends have shared Bible verses to guide my steps on my journey of spiritual growth.
How about you? Are you sometimes stopped by fear? Can you instead focus on God’s power, love and strength? Let a fellow FCBPW’s words inspire you as they did me, as I affirm: “God will ALWAYS be present in my decisions and wisdom for this team.”
Unity’s Daily Word recently affirms “I choose to live fearlessly.”
It has been said that we are born with only two fears: the fear of loud noises and the fear of falling. I might have developed other fears—of insects, storms, or heights—but I can choose to be fearless.
Eleanor Roosevelt famously said, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” Facing fear means moving through it, not around it. I might have been afraid to ask for a raise, or state my opinion, or try something new. Yet when I faced my fear, it disappeared. I learned, and I grew.
Living fearlessly is a courageous decision I make. I take comfort as I remember the prayer: “Wherever I am, God is.”
I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 NIV
Deb Callahan is the managing director of
Positive Ventures of Minnesota and fledgling founder of
the Confident Community.
You may connect with her at Deb@positiveventuresmn.com.
Pause for Reflection with Kim Isaak
photo from morguefile
Dressed From the Inside Out
Colossians 3:12-14 The Message
So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
Everyday, essential wisdom - that’s what we find in these few verses from Colossians. These are truths to linger in; truths that heal us as we allow them to soak into our soul.It can be tempting to take a willful approach to dressing ourselves in the character of Christ. As women, many of us were taught to wear this clothing out of duty and compliance. Yet the kind of clothing mentioned here is the kind the Spirit forms in us over time, from the inside out. Certainly, our willing cooperation is needed. Often, we need someone to see and recognize these qualities within ourselves. Their eyes and voices help us grow into our God clothes.
Pause to soak in this passage. What word or phrase or image resonates with a longing in your heart? Bring this longing into a conversational prayer with Jesus. What do you sense him saying to you? What do you most long to hear from him? Rest in any consolation he brings to your heart. Love looks beautiful on you! Where might the Spirit invite you to notice the God-clothing in someone in your workplace today? Love looks beautiful on all of us!
Kim Isaak is a spiritual director and Executive Director at Restoration Ministries. You may connect with her at kim@restorationmn.org or check out the website at www.restorationmn.org
Pause for Reflection with Rosemary Davis
Flail, Flounder or Float?
Are you fighting your way through life, heedless of the floatation devices God sends your way? It’s life against the current and you against the world—but done your way. If might makes right, you’re positive you’ll win the day and swim to your next goal.
You’ve been in the water a while now, and your strength is giving out. Waves wash over you and leave you feeling helpless with an acrid taste in your mouth toward life. You’re beginning to resign yourself to going under. It’s increasingly more difficult to see above the towering waves around you. You’ve choked on bitter water and your self-confidence is leaking profusely. You sink beneath the waves until you cease to struggle.
Then you realize this is a big, big ocean, and the Creator of that ocean is even bigger. The truly astounding revelation is that God’s love for you is bigger still; larger than the oceans, wider than the heavens and deeper than the hurt and shame in your heart from trying to go it alone. You feel the ocean of God’s love lift and carry you. You’re no longer in control of the speed or the direction of your travel—but what bliss to simply float! God’s presence buoys your body and spirit. A peaceful calm stills the waves.
Every day, the choice is yours: flail, flounder or float.
Psalm 69: 1-3a, NIV
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched.