Make Your Life Count: Dream God's Dreams!

Poppy Smith urges women to "go for it" when it comes to dreams, but she encourages them to seek out God's dreams for their lives first. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she offers five action steps to help us create a life that counts for the Lord.

"You have one life," Poppy says. "Make it count by following God's dreams, desires and direction for you!"

This may be a new concept to many, and it took me (Dawn) many years to understand God wants to give me the desires of my heart, but He wants to fill my heart with a desire to please Him first! (Psalm 37:4).

Poppy continues . . .

I didn’t grow up with dreams. My English parents were content with their lives and never urged my two sisters or me to aim high.

The only aim we had was to find good-looking, kind husbands who had decent incomes.  And, of course, to each have several pink-cheeked English babies.

After becoming a Christian, however, I discovered something that radically changed me.

As I grew in my knowledge of the Word I discovered that God had purposes for my life—and the lives of all who follow Him. He had plans for who I was to become, and what I was to do.

To my amazement, I found that how I lived and how I used my time and talents was NOT up to me!

Ephesians 2:10 taught me: “We are created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God had prepared in advance for us to do.” 

I had no idea.

Philippians 2:13 showed me: “It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” 

Now I saw where my longings and dreams of serving Him came from. He was behind those tugs and urges to speak, write, encourage, listen and love.

Our culture urges women to dream big. Aim high. Push forward at any cost. Achieve all you can.

But, unless those dreams, desires, and direction are of God, they can amount to a wasted life.

What are God’s dreams, desires, and direction for you? 

Here are five actions to guide you in creating a life that counts for Him.

1. Value your life as significant to God. 

It is a gift, a treasure, an opportunity to impact your world for Him. Are you investing it or wasting it?

2. Choose to walk worthy of your calling.

Pursue God, ask for insight: what does He want to touch in your life?

3. Ask God what dream He has for you.

Is it an old dream, or a new one? What is holding you back from saying YES?

Refuse to be scared—don’t cower in fear and miss God’s power in your life. Choose to put your faith in God and move forward.

4. Trace God’s direction of your life.

Remember how He has worked in you, shaping your personality, experiences, capabilities and longings.

Whatever your age or season of life, allow Him to stretch and use you in new ways today, and tomorrow. 

5. Fill your heart and mind with Him.

Seek His face. Delight in His Word. Meditate on it, be nourished by it.

Let the Word and the Spirit touch and transform your heart and your dreams.

Another year is almost gone. As you think about next year, what dreams, desires, or Spirit-given nudges do you sense in your soul?  Don’t IGNORE them—EXPLORE them! Say YES to His will and His ways, pray for direction, and Go For It!

Poppy Smith is British, married to an American, and has lived in many countries. A former Bible Study Fellowship teaching leader with a Masters in Spiritual Formation, she is a multi-published author. Her most recent release, Go For It! Make Your Life Count for God, uses Scripture, personal stories and insightful questions, motivating readers to find God’s purpose for their lives. Poppy speaks widely, challenging audiences to make their lives count by deepening their delight in God. Learn more about her and her ministry at her website and blog.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Dollarphotoclub / Graphicstock.com.

Your Labels: True or False?

In this Biblical Thinking UPGRADE, Poppy Smith hit on a topic that plagued me for years. I was called "stupid," so I thought I was. Maybe you're wearing some labels too.

"I grew up with the label “Sloppy Poppy,” Poppy said. "My parents were very loving and it was a family joke that I tended to drop things, spill soup, or mess-up when tackling domestic chores such as cooking or sewing. I’m still that way."

I (Dawn) could talk about a relative who falls off chairs (but I won't). I'm sure every family has its share of members who do klutzy or kooky things, and labeling people as such certainly won't help them cope or change.

But it's an even deeper message Poppy has for us today.

She continues . . .

Some labels wound.

They sting.

They demolish confidence.

They limit your life.

Not all labels make us laugh. Nor are they attached with loving, good humor.

When I was in seminary getting my Masters in Spiritual Formation and Direction, a professor declared:

Let God label you, not others.

That was a life-changing truth for me. It was liberating.

And it’s something I love sharing with those who struggle with negative labels super-glued on their hearts and minds by parents, teachers, coaches or an abusive boyfriend or husband.

I'm talking about cruel labels such as, You're ...

Dumb

Ugly

A Failure

Stupid

Useless

A Mistake

Unwanted

They produce great pain. They also hold great power over you—limiting your joy, confidence and freedom to experience all God wants for you.

A close friend was constantly called “stupid idiot” by her parents, and “ugly wart” by a boy at school.  She was emotionally damaged for decades by her verbally and physically abusive parents—until she learned to recognize who she really was in God’s eyes and reject the lies that had held her in their grip.

It takes time to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12: 2) but with God’s help, it can be your experience.

The Bible is full of wonderfully healing words that you can apply to your heart and replay in your mind. If you’re a child of God, let me encourage you to revel in these truthful labels and toss the others in the trash where they belong.

Here are three simple steps to help you do this:

1. Repeat these biblically-true words regularly:

I am precious and loved by God, chosen, adopted, forgiven (Ephesians 1:2-14)

I am created for a purpose and capable of doing all He plans for me (Ephesians 2:10)

I am valued by God. He is for me and works everything together for my good (Romans 8:28-29) 

2. Say them out loud and add to your list as you read Scripture.

3. Ask God for help.

His power is what enables you to change your thoughts, attitudes, and actions.

What negative labels persistently pop into your head? Ask yourself: Would Jesus call me that? Is this how God sees me?

Force yourself to look at the labels you think are not true, reject them and embrace the amazing truth that you are truly loved and accepted by God.

Poppy Smith is British, married to an American, and has lived in many countries. A former Bible Study Fellowship teaching leader with a Masters in Spiritual Formation, she is a multi-published author who speaks widely, challenging women to make their lives count by looking at their choices, attitudes, and relationship with God. Discover more about Poppy here. 

Graphic: Image courtesy of imagerymajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Make Time for God

Poppy Smith ..... 

“I have a bad habit I’m trying to break,” Popppy says. “Instead of cozying up to God first thing in the morning, I cozy up to my computer, filling my head with what’s temporary rather than eternal.”

Oh, I (Dawn) sooooo understand this. There are so many "temptations" to keep us from seeking God first, aren't there? I check email early because I work for people "back east" and want to see if there are assignments, but after that, I try to not get distracted and spend time with the Lord. Believe me, it takes intentionality!

Poppy continues . . .

You’d think that King David had his spiritual life all together—but clearly, he didn’t.

 David says, 

"My hearts says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, Lord, I will seek" (Psalm 27:8).

He acknowledges his longing for a greater closeness to the Lord, but he also recognized that deliberate choices were needed in order to experience what he desired.

His response to the stirring in his spirit required a decision of his will.

It takes more than inner yearning for us to enjoy God. It takes a conscious decision of our will to follow through on the words, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” 

For God to work inner transformation and produce a deeper sense of His presence in us takes time and some level of self-discipline. But it is possible. We can discipline our bodies and our time.

I’ve seen the Holy Spirit change me in many ways, but on a recent Sunday I decided more self-discipline was desperately needed. I especially wanted to see if I could break my addiction to checking email. 

Instead of merely not looking at my inbox for the day, I determined to not even turn the computer on.

I’d been responding like Pavlov’s dog every time my email pinged, so I deliberately fasted—I gave up one thing to give time to another.

That’s my definition of fasting, whether it’s food or anything else that has control over me.

As the hours went by I was amazed. By committing my little exercise to the Lord, I discovered that I could control myself and spend more time in His presence. I learned that I don’t have to allow email, or any other habit, to gobble up the hours in my day.

For someone who isn’t naturally self-disciplined, this was a major victory.

How about you? Is there a habit, attitude, or hard-to-break behavior that needs kicking out of your life? It won’t happen by magic, but it can be overcome if you ask God for help and follow through with personal discipline.

Paul urged Timothy to “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (l Timothy 4:7).

As you gear up for fall, here are ways to respond when your soul echoes David’s cry: “My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

• Pray for Spirit-given discipline to put a higher value on seeking God’s face before other activities.
• Pursue daily intimacy by thinking about how Jesus treated people, spoke to them, noticed and cared for them. And ask that He would live that kind of life through you.
• Practice being alone with the Father to talk to Him, to quietly listen for his direction and correction, as well as encouragement and love. 
• Persevere in the race God has set before you, inviting the Holy Spirit to change your daily choices to what matters most to your best self.

We all have the same amount of time each day. What will you take time from in order to spend it in God’s presence?

Poppy Smith is British, married to an American, and has lived in many countries. A former Bible Study Fellowship teaching leader with a Masters in Spiritual Formation, she is a multi-published author who speaks widely, challenging women to make their lives count by looking at their choices, attitudes, and relationship with God. Find more about Poppy on her website.  

Graphic adapted, Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Turn Guilt into Growth

Poppy Smith is full of fun and passion, but it's her commitment to biblical truth that makes her a fountain of wisdom. In this Spiritual Growth UPGRADE, she encourages us to use guilt in a positive, life-transforming way.

“Guilty feelings happen,” says Poppy. “Guilt is a universal emotion that’s built into people. But as followers of Jesus, God doesn’t want us wallowing in self-condemnation. Instead, He calls us to receive His mercy, forgiveness, and power to move forward and start afresh.”

I (Dawn) was one of those "always guilty" kids. I always thought I'd done something wrong, even when I hadn't. Later in life, I learned to distinguish between real and false guilt, but it still took me a while to recognize the power of God's grace. So I can't tell you how much I appreciate this message of hope from Poppy.

She continues:

During a stop-over in Singapore several years ago, I had the opportunity to witness a Hindu festival.

Streams of men marched by their faces skewered with long, thin, metal rods. Some rods went through their top lip, tongue, and bottom lip. Others pierced through both cheeks. Small metal hooks, inserted into the men’s backs and chests, supported elaborate wire cages decorated with feathers and flowers.

This annual festival, called Thaipusam, celebrated the victory of Lord Murugan, the son of Shiva, over evil. Shiva’s devotees willingly underwent this painful ritual to express thanks for blessings received, gain special favors, and to atone for their sins.

Believers in Jesus Christ don’t have to atone for sin through the pain of skewered flesh! We’ve been set free from both the power and penalty for sin by the atoning death of God’s Son on the Cross.

The apostle Paul writes, “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1, NLT).

Even knowing this truth, we too often allow our failures to drag us down emotionally and spiritually. But this doesn’t have to be the outcome. Instead, our guilty feelings can help us grow in honesty, humility, and hope of transformation. 

Here are three truths that have helped me in my trip-up, get-up journey with Jesus:

1. Deal with Guilt.

Don’t hide from guilty feelings, shove them under the rug, or pretend they don’t exist.

Simply respond with gratitude and humility knowing that “If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

2. Delight in God’s grace.

Speak words of grace, not condemnation to yourself. No matter how you’ve failed, God promises to continue to work in you (Phil.1:6).

God doesn’t deal with us according to what we deserve but, instead, invites us to rejoice in His ever-flowing grace—unearned and life-transforming.

3. Discover where you need to grow.

Dr. Charles Stanley counsels, “Glean a lesson from your failures, but don’t frame them and hang them on the wall of your emotions for constant viewing.”

“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways” (Proverbs 14:8).

Whatever your particular weakness, be honest and acknowledge it. Ask the Holy Spirit’s help to see what’s behind your wrong attitude or action, and where you’re vulnerable.

Don’t let failure discourage you. We are human and in a life-long growth process.

Instead, recognize that every stumble is an invitation to come closer to God, to know ourselves more deeply, and to celebrate the fact that He has atoned for our sins—and we won’t ever need to skewer ourselves to win His favor!

How do you handle feelings of failure and guilt? What do you need to do differently to grow through this experience?

Poppy Smith is a former Bible Study Fellowship lecturer who speaks and writes out of a passion to make God known. This article on turning failure into a learning experience is adapted from her book, Reaching Higher: Ten Dynamic Truths from Abraham that Will Transform Your Life. Follow Poppy on her blog, Inspiring YOU to Thrive!

Graphic adapted: Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

21 Ways to Thrive through the Holidays

Poppy Smith’s personal blog banner reads “Inspiring YOU to Thrive!” I thought she’d be the perfect one to help us thrive all December long in this Holiday UPGRADE.

“We’ve all heard flight attendants instruct passengers to put their oxygen masks on first before helping others in an emergency,” Poppy said.

“Well, if we want to thrive rather than barely survive under the added pressures of the Christmas season, and if we want to shine with God’s love and joy rather than be grumpy and upset, we need to follow the same advice.”

I (Dawn) don't know about you, but I always end up exhausted by December 31st, and it's not just about being organized and prepared—because I am. So I was looking for some suggestions to make this year different.

Poppy continues …

Pay regular attention to your own physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. By doing this, you’ll avoid blow-ups and melt-downs that come from too much stress and low blood sugar, and instead, have what it takes to thrive and bless others.

In announcing Christ’s birth, an angel of the Lord said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” Luke 2:10. Christmas is a time for joy, smiles and delight in all God’s blessings.

Here are 21 ways that can help make this happen!

THRIVE by Doing What Gives You JOY! (Say "Yes!")

1. Do you love a Christmas concert? Check out what’s available and invite someone to go with you.

2. Take your children, grandchildren, or other little ones to a Nativity display with live animals.

3. Treat an older friend or relative to a special Christmas tea or lunch.

4. Go with a friend (or spouse, if willing) to a new, fun part of town to see the Christmas displays.

THRIVE by Saying "NO" to:

5. Too many events—choose one or two and enjoy others next year

6. Too many invitations—decline graciously by declaring you’re already tied up (you are—at home!)

7. Too much food, drink—eat before you go so you’re half-full. Taste everything. Then drink water!

8. Too much debt— decide NOW how much you’ll spend overall, and on each person.  Shop sales!

9. Spending too much time doing things to please others (or win their approval or admiration.)

THRIVE by Eliminating Pressure:

10. Hosting an event? Invite others to bring a treat or dish to share—don’t do it all!

11. Organizing your extended-family gift-giving? Suggest giving to one person, not ten!

12. Check your card or Christmas letter list. Send greetings to people who truly matter to you.

13. Give yourself permission to quit a tradition if you have no time or energy.

THRIVE by Taking Time For Yourself:

14. Take a long, hot, bubble-bath by candle light accompanied by your favorite music.

15. Go for a slow walk admiring the Christmas lights and twinkling trees in the windows.

16. Sing or play Christmas carols that celebrate the gift of God, His Son Jesus.

17. Sit by your tree, enjoy scented candles, and read the Word for an hour.

THRIVE by Focusing On Jesus:

18. Read the Christmas story to yourself or a child. Make it come alive. Be in awe.

19. Spend time writing down all the blessings you have because Jesus came.

20. Sing—by yourself, or with others. Raise your voices. Rejoice in His love.

21. Encourage children to act out the Christmas story and help them dress the part in creative costumes. Have fun with them so that they experience the wonder of that first Christ-filled day.

Make JOY your goal this holiday season.

Decide what’s important and what you want to say YES to. And, just as important, choose what you’ll say NO to. 

If you ask God for guidance and make some new decisions, YOU WILL THRIVE through the holidays!

Which of Poppy's 21 THRIVE suggestions are already working for you? Is there a suggestion you want to try?

Poppy Smith is British, married to an American, and has lived in many countries. A former Bible Study Fellowship teaching leader with a Masters in Spiritual Formation, she is a multi-published author who speaks widely, challenging women to make their lives count by looking at their choices, attitudes, and relationship with God. For more about Poppy and her helpful resources, including her book, I'm Too Human to Be Like Jesus: Spiritual Growth for the Not-So-Perfect Woman, visit her website.

Graphic adapted, Image courtesy of scottchan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net