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10 Ways to Continue Growing in Your Faith This Summer

Let’s mark Summer 2018 as one that we truly LIVED sold and souled out for Jesus! Read on for 10 ways to continue growing in your faith this summer.

Oh… summer. A period of time filled with adventure, sunshine, new experiences, busyness, possible laziness, and schedules that are jam packed with things to do and possibly some lack in routine. For college students, you could go back home and leave the community that has been there to encourage you in your faith the past nine months and go back to a group of friends who don’t support you in your walk with the Lord. For others, your summer is so packed with adventures that your time with the Lord gets forgotten as when adventure calls… you have to go. For others, your summer is a time with no routine and you just feel lost in general and don’t even know where to start with diving deeper into your relationship with Christ.

For me, when I was away at school in Texas, I developed a routine and schedule for the time I would spend with Jesus; however, when I would return home to Washington for the summer that all changed.  

So to help, below you will find ten ways to continue growing in your faith over summer. Our prayer is no matter where you are or what you are doing this summer, that you will wake up hungry to see God move in your life, and go to bed grateful for all He did and eager to see what He will do tomorrow!

“My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.” – Isaiah 26:9

10 Ways to Continue Growing in Your Faith This Summer

1. Set a weekly date for you and Jesus that is NON-NEGOTIABLE.

This is your time. Just you and Jesus. Find a time during the week that you will set aside to be with Jesus. You wouldn’t cancel on a friend… so don’t cancel on Jesus. This can be at your house, a favorite coffee shop, just go somewhere you won’t be distracted or interrupted and spend your time journaling, reading your Bible, going through a devotional, going on a walk while listening to worship music, or however you fellowship with the Lord. Allow this to be your time to spend with just you and Jesus.

2. Plan a day or weekend Gal-venture with your pals. 

Spending quality time with your Sisters in Christ is a great way to grow, be challenged, and encouraged in your faith while simultaneously deepening friendships and making a lot of memories! Be intentional with this time by asking questions, dreaming about the future, being good active listeners and thanking God for the moments that you get to share together. I guarantee after that time together you will feel utterly full of the Holy Spirit.

PSA: we have a free resource to make this outing amazing! Click here to subscribe to our emails and get our “Gal-venture Guide 101” PDF.

3. Challenge yourself to memorize Bible verses.

Ephesians 6:17 tells us that we need to take up the ‘sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,‘ as we stand firm against the evil one. Ladies, when you live for the Kingdom of God, the enemy will come after you and the best way to stand firm against Him is with the Word of the Lord. Find a few verses that speak to you in the season that you are in and write them down, then tape it to your bathroom mirror (or somewhere you will see it frequently), put it in your car, set it as a reminder on your phone. Keep the verse somewhere where you will see it often. You will be surprised at how quickly you memorize it when you’re frequently coming back to it!

4. Join/start a Bible study.

If you can’t find a Bible study to join, then start one! It can be you and one other person if that is all your schedule allows for – no group is too small or too big. Joining together in community with one another in order to dive into the Word and unpack hard questions is one of the best ways to grow in your faith.

If you are looking for a book to go through, join us as we go through our first Bible Study this summer through the Book of Ephesians! Interested in joining us for this four week series, look more into it here!

5. Make a commitment you can be proud of at the end of Summer.

We hate to admit it, but summer is short. These three months are going to fly by before we know what happened. So I want to challenge you to make a commitment to do something specific for all three of these months that you can look back at the end of August and say, “This summer I committed to…….” This could be a LARGE variety of things from committing to spend 20 minutes with Jesus every morning, to reading one chapter a day in the Bible, to having more patience with your parents, to your physical health by remaining active, or thinking of intentional ways you can serve your friends. No commitment is too small or too big, but I encourage you to challenge yourself with the commitment you make and stick to it for all three months.  

6. Serve/Volunteer in a new way.

As ambassadors for Jesus, we are called to serve one-another humbly in love and love those around us. Summer is an easy time to get wrapped up in our own plans and trips, but I want to challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and try something new to love those around you. I recently had the opportunity to visit the Seattle Food Bank and meet some of the wonderful people who volunteer/work there weekly. You never know the stories you’ll hear or people you might impact by simply dedicating a few hours of your time throughout the week to serve others less fortunate than you.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” –Galatians 5:13

7. Get in the WORD!

This could look like choosing a book of the Bible to go through each month, finding a She Reads Truth Study to go through, or even joining Live Salted as we read through one chapter of the Gospels each day. As you go through text both read it and study it! Mark up your Bible with questions you have and things that God highlights for you. Create a “key,” for example – green = questions, orange = generally good info, pink = hits home, blue = commands from God, yellow = Jesus’ identity, purple = promises from God… however you want to do it!

Have a hard time opening the Bible or are intimated by where to start? Summer of 2016 we made a resource to help people learn how to read the Bible and we would LOVE for you to go through it! You can find that here with our Bible 101 Series.

8. Get LOST in words. 

There are SO many terrific books out there, and summer is a great time to get in a hammock, lay next to a pool, sit by some water and get LOST in those books. These books can a novel, or a book about faith, wellness, science or ANYTHING that makes your brain fill with excitement towards learning. Just being school isn’t in session, doesn’t mean you should stop learning. Make sure you check out our Live Salted Summer 2018 Reading List for ideas on what to read!  

9. Ask your friends how you can be praying for them.

And then write down their requests, and follow up in a few days. If you have ever been asked the question, “how can I be praying for you?” you know how good it feels. One, because a friend is being intentional about learning what is on your mind and two, because that friend is willing to go to God on your behalf in prayer. And we know how powerful prayer is! So text, call or message your friends, family (or we dare you your neighbor), and ask them how you can be praying for them. Then, actually follow up! That is when you get to witness God move and work around you.

Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees. – Corrie Ten Boom

10. Find a mentor (if don’t have one, or meet up with the one you have.)

One of the greatest things you can do to continue growing in your faith is to find someone who challenges you, and who can pour into you, and ultimately who you can learn from. If there isn’t someone you feel comfortable reaching out to, ask around at your Church or to friends, and bring that request to God. When you ask for things in His name, He will provide. 

“You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” – John 14:14

Now Do It!

Ladies, you are all the more equipped now with ideas and ways in which you can continue to grow in your faith this summer. Ask the Lord which of these (if not all of them) He wants you to apply to your life and then DO IT! Look at these next three months as an opportunity to grow deep in your faith and see what surprises God will have you along the way becuase of your obedience.

from 10 Ways to Continue Growing in Your Faith This Summer

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Living Whole: This is Living Part 4

Join us for final part of our four part series called “This is Living!” This week looks at how God is only one that makes us fully whole!

Marriage Doesn’t Equal Wholeness

I used to view marriage as the greatest thing ever, an end of my loneliness. I wanted it so badly and I thought it would fill every empty, hurt spot and exchange it for security and happiness. When I came to understand the Gospel, I began to see marriage through a totally different lens. Jesus took something that I idolized and put it in its rightful place. Marriage is one of the most incredible gifts, but instead of it being a means of satisfying a void and living happily ever after, it became an over-pouring of the love that already has made me whole, it became about Gospel Re-Enactment.

Our wedding day was overwhelming, but it wasn’t just because I had finally found my prince charming (thank you, Jesus!!)… In the two months of planning for our wedding, my emotions were overwhelmed with how marriage reflects the beauty of the Gospel, it’s a way for us to mirror the relationship between Jesus and His church. As Tim Keller would say, marriage is truly Gospel re-enactment.

In all honesty, I wasn’t as overwhelmed with the flowers and romanticism of the day, I was mostly overwhelmed with emotion at the opportunity for Jesus to make His name known through our wedding day. Our goal for our wedding day wasn’t to put our relationship on display, but rather, we wanted our day to point to Him and all that He’s done for us. We want our marriage to reflect the relationship between Jesus and His Church.

When I took that long awaited walk down the aisle to my sweet, loving, steadfast husband, my heart just about beat out of my chest. Jesus showed me that this beautiful walk was not only gorgeous in-and-of itself, but made even more beautiful by the fact that this walk was a preview of the ultimate walk that I will one day take into my Savior’s loving arms.

  The song “Priceless” was playing as I walked down the aisle.

“I see you dressed in white, every wrong made right, I see a rose in bloom, at the sight of you. Irreplaceable. Unmistakeable. Incomparable. Darling, it’s beautiful. I see it all in you, oh, so priceless.”

So there I was, literally dressed in white. Walking to a man who chooses to love me, who sees me as priceless. Mirroring the greatest love story ever told – the Gospel. In Jesus, we are clothed in white and presented blameless before God. He did that by dying on a cross so that we could be made whole. There was nothing that could stop Him from pursuing us because He sees us as nothing short of priceless.

When I saw myself as whole in Christ, I no longer idolized marriage. I truly could say that God was enough for me, even IF I never got to experience being a bride or being someone’s wife. Jesus filled all of those empty spots that I was hoping a husband would one day fill. Without Jesus, our marriage wouldn’t be half as joyful, secure, kind, + fun as it is. Because we can love one another without expecting anything in return. My sweet husband (although I can’t even find words to express how much I love him) isn’t the source of my happiness, Jesus is.

Girl, I’m sharing this story with you because so many of us girls (myself once included) have this feeling in our souls that we will finally be whole when we are married. This is a total lie, it couldn’t be further from the truth.

Is God Enough?

The question that I believe this story beckons is “is God enough?” Take a moment and ask yourself that question. I know, it might be uncomfortable. Your real answer might not be what you wanted to come out. But it’s ok. I think the honest answer is what is going to set the foundation for your breakthrough.

Like I said earlier, marriage is truly a means of Gospel Re-Enactment. Something that we all are already doing as believers. When we put our faith in Jesus, we essentially become His bride. We are called to make Him the King of our lives, and to submit to His perfect will in obedience. Knowing that our freedom and joy comes from being one of His sheep. Marriage reflects that because of what we read in Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which He is the Savior.”

Jesus has already made you whole, He has already saved you and claimed you as His bride. So even though marriage is a beautiful gift, it in no way makes us whole. Jesus does.

Living Whole

When you place your faith in Jesus, you become His bride: He dresses you in white. He makes all of your wrongs right. He sees you as perfect, without flaw. He is irrevocably in love with you. You can’t do anything to separate yourself from Him. He is in awe of you, your beauty, your smile, the glimmer in your eyes. He loves you so much that He even collects all of your tears. And each moment of your life, you’re essentially walking down the aisle, closer and closer, to meet your sweet Savior at the end. To be picked up, twirled around, and kissed on the forehead. To be told, “well done, my good and faithful servant.” This is how it feels to be made whole, this is love without conditions, this is what you’re worth to Me, this is the real thing. This is living.

This Is Living Series

This 4 part series is titled “This is Living” because when we release the things of this world that we are trying to find fulfillment in, and decide to place our lives into the hands of the Father, then we can truly come to life. We once were lost and now we’re found. Life becomes so much more about Him than it is about us. When we come alive in Him we can truly say, this is living.

Get ready for the other posts in this series!

Living Redeemed

Living Intimately

Living Worthy

Hey! My name is Dana Marie Arnold. I love seeing women set free by encountering a relationship Jesus Christ. You can head over here and pick up a free ebook I created, just for you. It includes a series of 3 devotionals that will help you live out your identity in Christ! I can’t wait to connect with you, girlfriend!

from Living Whole: This is Living Part 4

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10 Books to Read this Summer

Summer provides many great opportunities to read a book from pitching a hammock outside, to sitting near the water, or laying out in the sun. Read on to discover what Live Salted is reading this summer (or re-reading), and see if you want to read any as well!

Reading sometimes can get a bad rep because of all the things we have been required to read in school or for work, but let’s never forget the power of words and the importance of filling our minds with wisdom.

“For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.“ -Proverbs 8:11

We want to encourage you to make intentional time this summer to read, and to read books of varying styles. Check out our list below and make it a goal to read through at least three books before the end of August! (PS! If you click on the linked book it takes you right to the Amazon link!)

10 Books to Read This Summer

1. Switch on Your Brain – Dr. Caroline Leaf

“We all want to be more at peace, to be happier and healthier, but we often don’t know how to go about it. Everything we try seems to fall short of true change. Dr. Caroline Leaf knows that we cannot change anything until we change our thinking. This book will help readers apply the science and wisdom of Switch On Your Brain to their daily lives so that they can detox their thinking and experience improved happiness and health.”

2. Forgiveness – Rodney Hogue

“Based on a Christian frame work, the author leads the readers to the place of being willing to take the risk of releasing their offenders and learn to live in freedom through forgiveness.” 

This book is HANDS down the best book I have read on forgiveness. Forgiveness is the air we breathe in the Kingdom of God and if there is anyone in your life (including yourself) that you need to forgive (which is us all), then this book is for you! It is a quick read, and it is worth the time!

3. Uninvited – Lysa Terkeurst

“The enemy wants us to feel rejected . . . left out, lonely, and less than. In Uninvited, Lysa shares her own deeply personal experiences of rejection–from the perceived judgment of the perfectly toned woman one elliptical over to the incredibly painful childhood abandonment by her father. She leans in to honestly examine the roots of rejection, as well as rejection’s ability to poison relationships from the inside out, including our relationship with God.”

4. Women’s Wellness – Dr. Libby Weaver 

This book TRANSFORMED the way I view my health and the choices I make in my daily life. Dr. Libby combines years of research and personal relationships with clients to provide the most comprehensive guide to being a woman. The book is only available in the US via downloadable download as a heads up! So get it from the linked title.

“Being a woman is a beautiful gift – however, at times it can be easy to lose sight of this. We can often feel betrayed by our bodies, and feel as though we have no control over our thoughts, leaving us feeling like we’re grasping for air while trying to meet everyone else’s expectations. It doesn’t have to be this way. This book will help you to understand the “why” behind some of your common frustrations – from the weight you can’t shift, to why you feel trapped on the “stress express”, or why you find it so difficult to say “no” to some people.”

5. Screw Tape Letters – C.S. Lewis 

This book is one of the best tools to learn how to identify the schemes of the enemy. Written in the form of letters from Screwtape (a demon) to Wormwood (his apprentice) on how to attack the patient (us humans) from not achieving what the enemy (the Lord) has called us to do. It’s kinda confusing we know! But an amazing, real look at how the enemy is working overtime in our lives everyday to steal, kill and destroy!

“The Screwtape Letters by C.S.  Lewis is a classic masterpiece of religious satire that entertains readers with its sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to “Our Father Below.” At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters is the most engaging account of temptation—and triumph over it—ever written.”

  6. The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness- Timothy Keller 

“What are the marks of a supernaturally changed heart? This is one of the questions the Apostle Paul addresses as he writes to the church in Corinth. He s not after some superficial outward tinkering, but instead a deep rooted, life altering change that takes place on the inside. In an age where pleasing people, puffing up your ego and building your résumé are seen as the methods to make it , the Apostle Paul calls us to find true rest in blessed self forgetfulness. In this short and punchy book, best selling author Timothy Keller, shows that gospel humility means we can stop connecting every experience, every conversation with ourselves and can thus be free from self condemnation. A truly gospel humble person is not a self hating person or a self lo

ving person, but a self forgetful person. This freedom can be yours…”

7. Everybody Always – Bob Goff

Bob’s first book, Love Does, changed the way I pray for stories in my own life. Bob is a man who lives by love – the kind of way Jesus modeled for us – and it will inspire you to do the same. The book is made up of many shorter stories, and is a quick easy read! I suggest reading one chapter a night to extend its goodness.

“In his entertaining and inspiring follow-up to the New York Times bestselling phenomenon Love Does, Bob Goff takes readers on a journey into the secret of living without fear, constraint, or worry. The path toward the liberated existence we all long for is found in a truth as simple to say as it is hard to do: love people, even the difficult ones, without distinction and without limits.”

8. Scary Close – Donald Miller

Intimacy and authenticity is essential to deep relationships and a life well lived, and Donald Miller makes that very clear in his book Scary Close. This book will re-shape who you view relationships and how you want to engage with others around you.

“Scary Close is a book about the risk involved in choosing to impress fewer people and connect with more, about the freedom that comes when we stop acting and start loving. It is a story about knocking down old walls to create a healthy mind, a strong family, and a satisfying career. And it all feels like a conversation with the best kind of friend: smart, funny, true, important.”

9. Praying Life – Paul E. Miller

This book has been recommended to me many many times, and it wasn’t until a friend literally gave it to me that I finally started reading. It is such a beautiful and practical guide on how to pray and what prayer really means. It paints an irresistible image of doing live with Jesus through constant prayer that has you running to get on your knees every night!

“Prayer is so hard that unless circumstances demand it―an illness, or saying grace at a meal―most of us simply do not pray. We prize accomplishments and productivity over time in prayer. Even Christians experience this prayerlessness―a kind of practical unbelief that leaves us marked by fear, anxiety, joylessness, and spiritual lethargy. Prayer is all about relationship. When Jesus describes the intimacy He seeks with us, He talk

s about joining us for dinner (Revelation 3:20). A Praying Life feels like having dinner with good friends. It is the way we experience and connect to God. In A Praying Life, author Paul Miller lays out a pattern for living in relationship with God and includes helpful habits and approaches to prayer that enable us to return to a childlike faith.”

10. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality – Peter Scazzero

“Scazzero found two truths to be true: you can’t be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature, and unless you slow and quiet your life down for a first-hand relationship with Jesus Christ, little change is possible. The integration of these two truths unleashed a spiritual revolution in Scazzero, in his church, and now in thousands of other churches. In this revised bestselling book, Scazzero outlines his journey and offers a roadmap for a discipleship with Jesus that is powerfully transformative. Topics include how to identify emotionally unhealthy spirituality, how to grow your soul through grief and loss, and how to develop into an emotionally mature adult. Offering new stories and principles, this updated edition will inspire readers to revolutionize their spiritual life.”

Now DO IT!

It’s one thing to order a book or get it at the library, it’s another thing to ACTUALLY read it. We want you ladies to have wisdom inscribed on your heart in a way that you can pull it out in any situation. Find an accountability partner to hold you accountable to reading, or get some friends together to do a book club. Come together with others and sharpen one another!

    from 10 Books to Read this Summer

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Ephesians Bible Study

We created our first study, and are SO excited to share it with you. Click to read more about the study, where you can get it, and how you can possibly get connected with like minded people and do it with them this summer!

The Overview

Our Ephesian’s study is a 4 week study complete with video content, tips on how to run a Bible Study, workbook style pages to fill out, and a POWERFUL listening prayer activity. Our heart is for the study to be done in community, but it is also an incredible resource to do by yourself.

Here… take a look to see what Emily Jameison’s (the author of the Ephesians Study) boys have to say about the study:

Getting Connected

This summer, we encourage you to get a group of women together and commit to doing all four weeks. Make it fun with making dinner before hand or a late night adventure afterwards. We promise it will be worth it! Be bold in your ask and invite those who will probably say no to coming anyways- let them be the one that says no and not you! Ask the Lord to your Bible Study group together, and be expectant for Him to do that in mighty ways.

Where Do I Get This Thing?

Its quite simple.. you can buy the study online Here!

Have fun Ladies! We are praying for you!

from Ephesians Bible Study

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Summer Bible Plan: 4 Gospels. 4 Months.

At first, the Bible can be an intimidating book, but Ladies it is the lifeline and source of all Power and it is time we all get comfortable with it! This summer + September we will be going through the 4 Gospels in 4 months. Will you journey with us? 

4 Gospels. 4 Months. 

Starting on June 1st, we will be reading one chapter from a Gospel each day of the week besides Sunday. Our vision is to read all four Gospels by the end of September. When lining up the chapters of the Bible with the days of the month, that gives you about two weeks of wiggle room to get it all done. So if you are coming across this plan after June 1st, or start to ‘fall behind,’ keep on keeping on and do it at your own pace. The power behind of the Word of God will still be true today, tomorrow or ANY day!

In addition, to give more context for each Gospel we have included the INCREDIBLE animated videos from Bible Project to give you more background on the text.

Are you in? Here is what you will do:

Every day read ONE chapter from ONE of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). We made a schedule here. We suggest copy and pasting into your own Excell document to keep track of what you are reading!

Highlight, underline, or write in a journal and meditate on what sticks out to you while reading. No need to go all scholar and look up every word if you don’t want to, just read over it and ask the Lord to highlight what you need to hear for that day.

If you do want to dig deeper, we suggest David Guzik’s commentary that can be found here.

We also suggest joining our Summer 2018 Facebook Group so you can be encouraged throughout the summer by others from around the world, and ourselves through periodic free webinars and other interaction on FB.

Follow along with our social media! We will make references to what we are learning weekly, and would love for you to interact with us by tagging @livesalted on your posts and #livesaltedsummer!

  We are excited, are you?

Our team will be going through this plan as well, and we are excited to grow as sister’s in Christ alongside one another. When we decide to read the Bible, we are deciding to make a step closer to the Lord and deepen our relationship with Him- the author and perfecter of our faith! How rad is that! We hope you Ladies join us, so we can all grow deeper in our understanding and knowledge of the Bible together!

Reading Plan:

Find the plan here!

Matthew Videos:

Mark Videos:

Luke Videos:

John Videos:

from Summer Bible Plan: 4 Gospels. 4 Months.

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Living Intimately: This is Living Part 3

Join us for part three of our four part series called “This is Living!” This week asks the question: “do you intimately know God like He knows you?” Intimacy with the Lord should be at the top of our priority list… is it on yours?

If you’re anything like me, your family has a sort of secret language. My brother can do this funny nod and we’ll all bust out laughing because we’ve had an entire conversation without any words. I’m sure you have your own secret language with your family. I’m sure that if your phone rings at 6:37 AM each morning, you know without even looking that it’s your mom! I can differentiate each member of my family by the way their footsteps sound. Now that is intimacy, right!?

What if we thought of our relationship with the Lord in the same way?

The only reason that we know our family members like the back of our hands is because we’ve taken the time to get to know them, study them, talk to them, and spend time together. John 10:27 shows us that we actually have that same exact right to intimacy with Jesus:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27

  As believers, we are His sheep, we belong to Him by being in relationship with Him. Placing faith in Jesus is more than just participating in ministry, being a good person, or going to church. We become His sheep when we enter into relationship with Him, by placing our faith in Jesus. We are no longer slaves, but we’re heirs to the Kingdom of God.

  Check this out:

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” –Galatians 4:4-7

  We are part of God’s family, adopted, and given the privilege to be in an intimate relationship with the King of Kings! When we put our faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit takes residence in our hearts, and begins the work of conforming us into the image of Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:13). He kindly rests His hand on our deadened souls and causes us to want new things, things we never thought we’d want before. He gently works on the wiring of our hearts to reflect His desires.

How beautiful and intimate is that relationship? God knows you, but the question is, how well do you know Him? If Jesus walked into your house, would you know it was Him by the sound of His footsteps? The way you know your family members or your best friend’s footsteps?

The only way that we can know God like the back of our hand is by knowing His character. And we can only know His character by spending time with Him – in His Word, in prayer, in worship.

If the enemy isn’t tempting us with sin cycles, he’s usually getting after us by making us so busy and so distracted that we just don’t have time for God. The busier we are, the further away we get from spending time getting to know who He is. Christianity isn’t just meant to be a decision to trust in Him so that we are safe for eternity. Although, if that was all it was, that would be more than enough of a reason for us to worship all of our days, but Jesus wants more. He wants to walk with us, to be in relationship, to enter into fellowship with us. But we can’t have a personal relationship with Him if we don’t know how to discern His voice from the rest. The more we get into the Word of God, the more confident we become in His character, and the more clearly we can hear His voice. The invitation for intimacy is right in front of us, we just have to create the space in our lives and our hearts to accept it.

  John 10 says that He is our Good Shepherd, He is to be trusted. So many times, I have been overcome with anxiety because I’m not sure how a situation will play out. It’s like I get myself so overwhelmed with the perspective that things could go wrong that I take God out of the picture completely. Without trust, it’s impossible to have faith. The more that I practice trust, the easier it becomes, because I find that everything that I’m afraid happening is actually still going to be ok, because God is GOOD all the time, and all the time, God is good. He is a GOOD Shepherd, He can be trusted.

A shepherd might have his sheep in a pasture for a few days, and they might really love that pasture. But all of a sudden, the shepherd wants to move to another pasture, the sheep might not understand why they need to leave such a perfect pasture, but they know that their shepherd has their best in mind. They know he’s a good shepherd. Sheep don’t negotiate or ignore their shepherd, they just go wherever he leads. They know he’s leading them to greener pastures, that he can see the bigger picture, and that in the end, they’ll be better off following him than staying where they are.

I love that we are compared to sheep, and that Jesus is our Good Shepherd. It really takes the pressure off of us, when you think about it. We don’t have to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders because He’s already conquered it. He has already gone before you and prepared good works so that you might walk in them. When we listen to Him, when we obey His will for our lives, we will walk into that path that He has pre-lit for us.

I love that He doesn’t just want to save us, He wants to walk with us. He wants a friendship. He wants intimacy. And whenever we feel like a lost sheep, all we have to do is come back to our Shepherd…by spending time with Him. He’s always there, arms wide open, waiting to redeem us, waiting to remind us of who we are. Waiting to fill our lungs once again and say, my darling, let me lead, let me show you the way, this is how to dance. This is living.

This Is Living Series

This 4 part series is titled “This is Living” because when we release the things of this world that we are trying to find fulfillment in, and decide to place our lives into the hands of the Father, then we can truly come to life. We once were lost and now we’re found. Life becomes so much more about Him than it is about us. When we come alive in Him we can truly say, this is living.

Get ready for the other posts in this series!

Living Redeemed

Living Worthy

Living Whole (coming soon)

Hey! My name is Dana Marie Arnold. I love seeing women set free by encountering a relationship Jesus Christ. You can head over here and pick up a free ebook I created, just for you. It includes a series of 3 devotionals that will help you live out your identity in Christ! I can’t wait to connect with you, girlfriend!

from Living Intimately: This is Living Part 3

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Reside Portland Recap 2018

On May 5th, 2018 women gathered in Portland, Oregon for a packed day of community, worship and teaching on how to reside more fully in the Kingdom of God. Read on for a recap of the event (photos included!)

The Holy Spirit chills were happening before the very first worship song even began. Sometimes, you just have this feeling that something big is on the horizon when you step into a space or an event, and we were all feeling that way that morning at Westside: A Jesus Church in Beaverton, Oregon. The crowd was diverse in age, in color and in walks of life. There were women in that room from as young as 15 all the way up to women in their 50’s, and were women who were Black, Latino, Asian, and White. It felt like a glimpse of what Heaven is going to be like.

Throughout the day, we discussed the precious gift of time and how to make the most of it while keeping an eternal perspective. We talked about how emotions are indicators not dictators. We talked about how the most important question you can ask is, “God, what do you want me to know about this?” We talked about the importance of community and standing FOR your sisters and not against them. And finally we talked about how we cannot just hear these truths and sit with them, but rather need to GET OUT and do something. God has called us to a life of adventure and action, and we need to apply these truths and WALK THEM OUT.

We are thanking and praising our Father for what He did, and what He will continue to do in the lives of the women who attended, those who volunteered, and those who were part of the inner team. When you work and do life with God, EVERYONE benefits from it!

Take a look below at some of our favorite memories from the event as well as click the link for the full photo album!

CLICK FOR FULL ALBUM

from Reside Portland Recap 2018

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My Heart Is Changing… What Is Going On?

Sometimes when we sense our hearts changing the devil can get in there and tell us the change is inauthentic. That feeling is a lie, because it is GOD behind the changing. Don’t doubt it. Read on to learn how one attendee’s heart was changed after attending the Reside Portland conference, and how the lessons she learned can impact your life as well!

I am writing this article only a week after attending Live Salted Reside Portland, and I am STILL coming down from the Jesus-high I felt in that building. The presence of God, both around and within me was beautifully overwhelming, and the best part is…. the feeling has yet to fade. The words so gracefully spoken in eight hours were jam-packed with perspective, inspiration and empowerment. I was rocked to the core, and I know I’m not the only woman that attended whose heart feels unbelievably touched and moved post Reside.

As a junior in college, who has semi-recently accepted Jesus into my life once again, God absolutely put me there for a reason, to hear and learn from what each speaker said. What I took away from Reside are a few heart-changing points that every woman should have the opportunity to hear, and can relate to in any season of life. I am excited to share my thoughts and take-aways, but first let me tell you a bit about where I’m at.

My Background

A few months ago, I realized I needed to make some drastic changes in my life. I grew up in a Christian household, was involved in YoungLife in high school, and have always been a firm believer in the grace of God and the wonders He can do. What I never truly had, but always desired, was a real relationship with Christ; I’ve never personally owned my faith. When I got to college, this only became more difficult, and I completely lost touch with all eagerness to grow and walk with Jesus. Along with this, I began doing things and acting ways I never thought I would. It wasn’t until December 2017 that something clicked and I was able to look at myself from a different perspective and recognize how out of line with my values I had become. What I didn’t think twice about now started to feel shameful. Literally, it was like God flipped a switch and out of nowhere. I started to completely doubt who I was. Or rather, who I thought I was. I took this as His way of hinting at me that I needed to, and that it was time, to make a change.

With that, I dived head first into my faith, once again accepting Christ – this time with purpose. I prayed, met people that pointed me in the right direction, read books and God’s word. For the most part, I did a 180. As I was slowly getting to a comfortable, strong place with my faith, I couldn’t help but doubt what I was doing. The drastic changes I made within a short few months started to scare me, and I began questioning my authenticity and my identity.

Who even am I anymore? Why am I making these changes, I was perfectly happy! I’m trying to be someone I’m not. What’s the point of fixing something that’s not broken?

The fact of the matter is change is HARD.

So yes, I started to doubt my reasoning behind making such changes. But it was right when I began questioning myself, that God spoke clearly to me through the women at Reside. What I’ve been learning over the past few months aligned with what I learned at the conference and it completely altered my outlook on change and identity.

Take a look at the three BIG things I learned when a heart changes. 

When Our Hearts Change…

1. It’s authentic because it’s instilled by God Himself. Trust Him.

Though this is hard to grasp, it’s important to remember that when we think change is something we are implementing unto ourselves, that’s not true. God is physically working within us to change our hearts and point us in the direction of Him. If our hearts begin to feel that desire for fulfillment, for a relationship with our Father, we shouldn’t question the authenticity behind that because then we are questioning the authenticity of the Lord.

When we think we’re being someone we’re not in pursuit of a life lived with God, that’s simply the enemy telling us so. The enemy does whatever he can to pull us away from our Father, but as we know, God does everything for the good of His people, His followers, and His children. He purposefully changes our hearts because He knows we will be victorious in the end. When God is calling us to change and live a life that looks more like Jesus- let’s ACCEPT it, not FIGHT it.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” -Romans 8:28

2. We may at first lose sight of our identity, but THAT IS GOOD.

Who we thought we were can change in an instant… but that is our Father’s way of letting us know that who we were wasn’t our true, God-given identity. He has a whole other idea of who He wants us to be and what He has in store for us, and without accepting Jesus, we will never become that person. God shatters our ‘identity’ in order to restore it. He will restore it and rebuild us up as a Daughter of Christ, and that may look different than who we thought we were! But let us trust in the Lord that He is shattering our hearts of stone, breaking us from the inside out, and renewing us with hearts of flesh. Through this we are ultimately pointed in the right direction- towards a life saved by Jesus Christ, a life lived with faithfulness in our Father, and a life filled with unconditional love. In trusting God, we trust that He will mold us into a Daughter of Christ that is exceedingly better than who we could ever become on our own, and THAT is ‘sure as heck’ is our true identity.

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” –Matthew 16:25

3. It’s not easy. But God wants us to be different.

Accepting the change God instills on our hearts is the easy part. When we devote our lives to Christ, words and thoughts simply aren’t enough. We are called to take action and do life with Jesus as our number one role model. Trusting that God is holding our hands and leading us towards a renewed life is one thing, but following through is easier said than done.

This has personally been my biggest struggle in my journey as a follower. Time and time again I have accepted Jesus and told myself that I will live a life devoted to Him. From the time I was a young girl, I have been eager for a relationship with Christ. Why have I never truly had one? Because I never followed through. Maybe I wasn’t mature enough, maybe it wasn’t the right time, or maybe I was too afraid. All I know is I’m learning it takes a lot more than acceptance to WALK in life as a Daughter.

At Reside, I learned that as a Jesus-follower, we ARE different. Whether that’s different than who you were before or different than those around you, it’s going to feel strange. But that means you’re doing something right.

God created us to be different because we don’t reside in this world. Our citizenship lies within heaven and with God.

As foreigners to this world, we’re going to look and act differently. And all that tells us when we do? That we are welcoming the Lord with open arms and acting on our calling to live with Him, like Him, and for Him. Let us remember that no matter where we are or what season of life we’re in, it is encouraged to give yourself up to the Lord completely. Yes, it’s scary. Yes, our peers may judge us or be confused by our changed actions. Yes, it may take time to get comfortable. But rather than think of acting differently as a burden, we need to think of it as a gift we receive because we are saved. The first thing we should understand as followers and as Daughters is to accept that we are foreigners to this world and embrace it with open arms. We don’t have to be the same as everyone else, we don’t have to conform. We get to live for our unique, God-given purpose, build up a new identity, and be RENEWED. And that is a beautiful thing.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Romans 12:2.

  The Call

Whether you are a new believer, a seasoned vet, or have been up and down in your journey like me, we can all learn from this. We can all make changes in our lives towards a strengthened relationship with God. We can all accept our uniqueness as foreigners to this world. We can all truly reside in the Kingdom of God.

I still have a LONG way to go, but am grateful for the opportunity I was given to hear from such knowledgeable, encouraging women that sparked a new feeling in my heart. We can all be more encouraged to take a step back and trust that with changed hearts and with taking that leap of faith in being different, fulfillment and renewal will follow. We have been put on this earth to learn who we are according to our Father and stay true to the identity He builds for us.

Let us all act upon that and fulfill our duties as Daughters of Christ.

  from My Heart Is Changing… What Is Going On?

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“Sex Outside of Marriage is Selfish”

Why should I wait to have sex until marriage? Isn’t that just one of those religious rules I am taught to believe but really doesn’t apply anymore in our time and culture? What even are healthy boundary lines? Read on to learn about Danielle’s personal experience with these questions in light of her past and present relationships. 

“Having sex outside of marriage is a sin.”

“Drinking is a sin.”

“Cursing is a sin.”

This was how I heard and interpreted the Gospel for the majority of my life: a long list of rules and things I wasn’t supposed to do.

My whole life I grew up going to church. I had my First Communion, I was Confirmed, and I attended a Christian private school. I went to church on Sunday to make my mom happy, and while I could answer questions about the Bible, and knew right from wrong, I didn’t have a strong relationship with Jesus. I prayed in spurts, but not consistently and my prayers were always about my own wants and desires. 

When I started college on a soccer scholarship. I had never dated anybody, apart from the occasional movie date in high school.

I definitely had never been in love.

My sophomore year, I met Zach. He played football and I played soccer. We had all the same friends. He was charming, funny, and I was instantly attracted to him. I probably had a crush on him for 4 months before we started dating. We spent so much time together. He was truly my best friend.

Going into the relationship, I had never had sex before.

Growing up going to church, I knew you were supposed to wait until you were married, but I just thought that was old fashioned and no one really waited anymore. Whereas the church tells you to wait until marriage, the world tells you just to wait until you are ready- whatever “ready” looks like. For me, I felt like I would be “ready” when I was with someone I loved and cared about and knew cared about me. Zach and I were best friends before we ever started dating, so I felt comfortable with him early on. I just wanted security and wanted to be in a “committed” relationship.

Once I felt like I had that, Zach and I had sex.   

Zach and I dated for almost a full year. My identity was completely wrapped in him, and my mood was dictated based on how our relationship was that day. For the sake of making a very long story short, the last four months or so of our relationship had a lot more lows than highs. Zach ended up breaking up with me almost a week before what would have been our one-year anniversary. I was devastated. I will never forget sitting in his car and him telling me he wasn’t happy and didn’t want to be together anymore. My heart was shattered.

I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t think. I felt so disposable.

It was the first time I realized that the “committed” relationship I so desired, really wasn’t so committed after all. All he had to do was say a few words, and he was out.

There are a lot of hard things about break ups. The one thing I had the hardest time with, was the thought of him being with someone else. It seriously made me want to die. When he eventually went on to date someone else, I had nightmares of them in bed together and would wake up with my heart pounding and drenched with sweat.

I began to think maybe there is a reason God tells us to wait, more than just an “old rule” to follow, but maybe a rule that brings us more life and less hurt.

After Zach and I broke up, I started going to FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and thought I would try working on my relationship with God and deal with my pain in a healthy way. It’s amazing to look back on that time of my life and see the ways God worked. I distinctly remember sitting in my bedroom thinking about how I wanted to go to FCA but didn’t want to go because I wouldn’t know anybody. My old teammate then texted me out of the blew inviting me to go with her. After that, I started going regularly.

It was at FCA that I heard the gospel in a way that I had never heard it growing up. For the time time, I understood that I am broken and Jesus was sent to this Earth to die on a cross paying the penalty for all of my sins so that I could stand before the Lord as holy and blameless and be in a relationship with Him. Entering a relationship with Jesus began (and still is) transforming every part of my life. My heart slowly began to align with His ways, in how I wanted to spend my time, who I wanted to spend my time with, and about dating relationships. I only wanted to surround myself with people who were going to push me closer to Christ and found myself less attracted to environments that pulled me away from Him.

As I began walking with the Lord, sex was one of the things I started to question. For so long I thought the pain I felt from my break up with Zach was normal, and that’s just the price you pay for love. It wasn’t until I built a relationship with the Lord that I discovered that the pain is preventable and isn’t a necessary “right of passage.”

I will never forget a specific relationship talk we had at FCA when Joe, our FCA leader, said “sex outside of marriage is selfish.” That line hit me like a school bus. I had never thought about that. Why does God say to wait for marriage? Because God created sex to bond two people for life, and when sex occurs outside of marriage, it is damaging. God created rules because he doesn’t want to see us hurt. After that talk, I started to really feel conviction about waiting to have sex again until I was married.

This is probably where a lot of questions come in, like “If you have already had sex, what’s the point of waiting?” Trust me, once upon a time I thought the same thing. I remember watching Sean Lowe’s season of The Bachelor (yes I am a Bachelor watcher) and quite frankly not understanding the whole “recycled virgin thing.” It didn’t make sense to me.

I then went on a mission trip with FCA over my senior spring break. I saw on that trip first-hand how selfless relationships look when they are centered around Christ and it made me want my life to look different in order to glorify Him.

It was the first time I began to not focus on what I couldn’t do if I followed Jesus, but what I could do. 

At this point, I knew I didn’t want to have sex again until I was married, with that, there came certain insecurities though.

“Is there even a guy out there who would want to wait?

“Am I worth waiting for?

While these insecurities were all lies, they were also hard to fight off.

Naturally, as the Lord changed my heart, my hearts’ desires changed, and who I was attracted to changed. I went on a dating hiatus for about six months before I started going on a date here and there, until …I met my now boyfriend Greg.

After my first date with Greg, I knew he went to church, listened to Christian podcasts, and the story of how he came to really know Jesus. I discovered the massive heart he has for the Lord. Greg is a leader in our relationship, and pushes me to know Jesus. I like the person I am with Greg.

What is crazy is in all my insecurity, I always questioned if any guy would wait,  and never thought I would meet a guy who felt as much conviction about sex as I did.

Greg and I didn’t talk about sex until about three months into our relationship, which might seem a little late, but he lives 2.5 hours away and to be honest in those first few months, we were never in a position where we needed to talk about it. We didn’t kiss until our fourth date, which was almost two months after we first met. When he came to visit me, he stayed at a friend’s house, or would sleep on my couch. Pretty much everything about Greg was different than my last relationship.

One night we were on the phone and got talking about past relationships and the topic of sex came up. I found out Greg has similar regrets that I have about sex. He said he wanted to wait, not only to honor God, but if we were to get married, it would be better for our marriage. The next thing that came up was boundaries. Not having sex is hard, but there are certain preventative measures you can take to make things easier. One thing we decided was to not sleep in the same bed. We also decided that honoring God meant abstaining from all sexual activity. I listened to a sermon one time that talked about sex and the minister said “When your bodies start preparing for sex, you have gone too far,” so to leave some things to the imagination, that is pretty much where we drew the line. I also want to add that Greg and I have been together for eight months now, and while we haven’t had sex, we haven’t been perfect and we struggle. It is something I am constantly praying about and something we regularly talk about. 

At the end of the day, my hope is not in abstaining from sex. Following rules is not what changed my life. My hope is in Jesus. Jesus is the one who transformed my heart and showed me how much better His ways are than mine. Choosing to wait until I am married is just an overflow of my love for Him.

So, where do you stand in all of this? These are the hard questions to think about and ponder but I encourage you to talk to a friend or mentor about it. Sex, intimacy, and relationships are all big topics and not ones to avoid or just accept the common cultural approach to. Dig in, be raw, and really start to discover what God has planned for you in the midst of it all.

from “Sex Outside of Marriage is Selfish”

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Lose Your Life to Find It

Often we hold tightly on to the things that God so desperately wants us to give to Him- our comfort, status, routine, stability and so many other things. If you believe that our God is good Father, then give it all to Him and you will get back more than you could ever imagine. 

Deny Yourself

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.“ -Luke 9:23-24 (ESV)

If you have been around the church, you probably have heard this verse a few times. You might have been asked, “How can you deny yourself in this next season to follow the Lord more closely?” This question usually gets a response of giving up addictions, luxuries, money, relationships, selfish goals or ambitions, etc., but how many times do you think those responses are acted upon?

How many people ACTUALLY deny their desires, wants, ambitions, luxuries, and comforts to pick up Jesus’ cross to follow Him?

The verse says we need to lose our lives for the Lord’s sake in order to find it. That doesn’t sound really sound like what an average person would wake up desiring, BUT that is exactly what the Lord is calling each and everyone of us to.

What would it look like for you to lose your life? What would it look like to take an inventory of your life and all of the things you value and hold closely to your heart, and then with an open palm give them all to God?

Could you do that?

In processing in our move to Seattle, the Lord used a passage in Luke to clearly affirm us to say “YES” in giving up all of our security and stability and take this leap of faith in moving:

Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Luke 18:28-30 NIV

Jesus is telling the disciples when they give up everything for the sake of following Him they will not regret their decision because NOT ONLY will they get back what they sacrificed many times over BUT ALSO the gift of eternal life. AND THAT is what makes it all worth it.

Nothing in this world will satisfy you- no job, relationship, car, toy, home, vacation. The only way to find true contentment, joy, and satisfaction is by living a surrendered life to the Lord knowing that what you do each day is for His glory because you understand that Earth really is only our temporary home.

So as we make our move to Seattle, we are all giving up a lot. We are giving up jobs and regular paychecks, leaving family and friends behind, saying good bye to our routines and comfort and welcoming in a lot of unknowns but we do this joyfully as we know we are doing it for the Lord! That doesn’t mean it is going to be easy or straight forward, but we know that whatever happens the Lord will be with us the whole time, and THAT is the life that we all want to live.

  What Do You Need To Sacrifice?

So what is it that the Lord calling you to sacrifice, to deny yourself of, to give up for the sake of the Kingdom?

If you already know what the answer is to that question then what is holding you back? Do it!

If you feel like you already live a surrendered life, then keep it up! Just make sure you are talking and praying with the Lord the whole time.

If you don’t know what it is that you might need to give up but feel like there is something, get on your knees and ask the Lord. If you come humbly to Him He will reveal to you all that you ask.

Ladies, you may think you have the “perfect plan” all lined up in your heads from college, to career, to relationship goals and such but let me encourage you to give it ALL up to the Lord. His plan is infinitely more incredible than the one you make up for yourself ever will be.

    from Lose Your Life to Find It

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We Are Moving To Seattle!!

Oh man, we are excited! Washington here we come! Read on to learn more about the call and our plan for this next season of Live Salted. 

The Call

Just under a year and half ago, Live Salted was launched in February 2016 and since then SO much has happened. We have put on three major conferences in Orange, California; Seattle, Washington; and Portland, Oregon, hosted two worship nights, spoke at various events and gatherings, wrote blog series and posts, and physically connected with hundreds of women from all over the world. We started off in a shed-turned office in Orange, California then made the move to Bend, Oregon AND NOW feel the call to move to our home base to Seattle, Washington right in the heart of University of Washington in University District.

When you surrender everything the Lord will work in and through you in ways you could have never fathomed. He will take you places you never could have never dreamed of and use you in ways far beyond your wildest imagination. Surrender does, however, come with a lot risk and a whole lot of trust. 

This past season of having Live Salted headquartered in Bend, Oregon has been a sweet one, but we knew it was going to be a temporary season. Locationally it is off major highways, away from major cities, and the airport is small, and resourcefully the number of college and millennial females that we could connect with was relatively low. Bend is nothing short of a paradise city, but when Emily and Marshall Jamieson’s called and suggested moving Live Salted up to Seattle it just seemed right. There was a peace about moving to a higher populated, well connected, college thriving community. So after a lot of prayer, and lot of time spent on the phone dreaming and talking out logistics, here we are!

In just a few weeks we will be packing up all of our things and making the drive to our new home in University District just one street off of University of Washington’s greek row!

The Plan

So this is going to sound crazy, and it is, but we believe God works in the crazy AND we are so excited about it.

By early October the Jamiesons, Rachel Brusca, and myself will all be living together in a six bedroom rental one street off of University of Washington’s Greek Row. Rachel and I will be in our own bedrooms in the basement, and the Jamieson’s – Emily, Marshall, Tucker (9), Bennett (7), Wesley (4), and Finn (22 months) – will be in the four bedrooms on the top story with all eight of us to sharing the kitchen, living and family room on the main floor!

  Pretty crazy right??

Everyone in the house has a heart for others, so our prayer is for this house to become a place of rest, restoration, Jesus and a whole lot of fun for ourselves as well as everyone who comes through our front door. We plan on hosting small groups, dinners, family game nights/ dance parties and whatever else the Lord has in store including all things Live Salted!

A lot of the details for this next chapter of life is up in the air, but we do know that our Lord will be with us through the entire thing directing our every step. We know there will be a learning curve when it comes to sharing this much life together – think emotional and physical needs as well as the household things like grocery shopping, chores, who gets to park in the driveway verses the street, and whatever else comes up but this idea (and now reality) of really DOING life together gets each and everyone of us excited.

Prayer + Support

If you would like to partner with us on this grand adventure through prayer please subscribe here to our Prayer Warrior newsletter. We will be sending out weekly emails with our specific prayer requests, and would love to have you come alongside us in our God-sized needs, wants and desires.

Financially, we are going to need a lot of support.

Please pray about partnering with us financially. We are in the process of becoming a non-profit in the next 3-6 months meaning any donations to us up to 72 months prior to our status being approved can be counted as tax-deductible. You can check out our “give” page here, donate directly here or send checks to 5037 16th Ave NE, Seattle Washington 98105!

Thank you!

 More Details

Over the next few weeks as we make our transition to Seattle, we will be posting more articles about our move and different aspects of the story as the Lord starts to reveal more of His plan to us. We hope you follow along.

Stories are the tangible reminders of God’s hand at work, and we pray our story reminds you of His presence in your own life as well. 

This next chapter is going to be an adventure, and we are expectant of all that will come from it!

Please keep us in your prayers (if you want to be on our prayer warrior team join here), and make sure to subscribe to “Our Story” a newsletter specific to keeping you updated on all the internal happenings and stories of Live Salted.

  XX

Your Salty Team

  from We Are Moving To Seattle!!

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Story: I Am Starting to Share Mine and Why You Need to do the Same.

Stories are powerful, and they allow us to be real, if we choose to be real. I am deciding to share more of my story in hopes of bringing glory to God and showing the world what God can do when you 100% surrender to Him. Will you surrender all of your story to discover the one He has for you?

Sharing My Story

The idea of personal blogging has always kinda turned me off. For many reasons, but the greatest of which is the fear that Live Salted would become the “Krista Show.” Where people would automatically associate Live Salted with Krista Hengesh, not Jesus Christ (first and foremost) as well as a community/resource for women running after their callings in the Lord. When I was a freshman and turned to the web to find a community of people following Jesus and resources to help me do the same, all I came across was personal Christian bloggers that made me more envious of their lives which lead to self doubt instead of directing me towards Jesus.

I never want the story of Live Salted to become like that or be about me.

I want it all to be all about Him. 

There is also a part of me that is scared about my story being out there. For people to know more about me than I know about them. For people to make assumptions about me because of what they see online or on social media, without ever meeting me. For my online life to potentially become this exemplified image of who I am to the point where when people meet me, I don’t measure up. There is also the fear that through sharing my story pride will creep in and get the best of me.

I don’t want this to be the case.

I want it to be all about Him. 

And this posture of my heart will never change. I have even prayed multiple times if Live Salted ever does become about me, that it would just fail. That things would blow up, fall apart, collapse, or be destroyed.

There is NO part of me that wants to do this for my fame or my recognition.

I am doing this to show others that freedom can be experienced from past events, insecurities and fears, and that Jesus really did come to give us “life and life to the full.”

My motive truly is to make this all about Him. 

So this has lead me to believe that all of Live Salted’s posts need to be scripture and truth based with little to no personal anecdote or story. In my head, that would allow people to not compare themselves to the author but rather be directed back to the Bible and the Lord. And that was my stance for a long time, but then a few truths have hit me recently that have shifted my perspective, and made me see why sharing my story IS important, and why sharing your story is equally important as well.

3 Reasons Why We Need To Share Our Stories

1) Stories are powerful

I have been studying the idea of “story” for a few years now from how to tell a good story, to what makes a good story, to why stories move people, and this past weekend I listened to a podcast called, “Blessing a Move Of God” where the power of story really hit me. The podcast said in order to recognize a move of God, start a move of God, or be transformed by a move of God, we need to be surrounded by the stories of what He is doing- no matter how big or small they maybe.

Stories are the tangible evidence of what God is doing, and we need to share them. 

Looking into this next season of life, I know there are going to be unbelievable stories of God’s provision and I want to have an outlet to share them. There has already been so many, which gets me so excited for what is next.

I am sure there are stories in your life as well. Try to find someone to share those with this week!

2) Jesus came to be an example, and we are called to do the same.

A while back Bridgetown Church did a series called “Practicing the Way,” and it was a vision series on what it would look like if we actually lived our lives walking in step with Jesus- if we lived with Him, became like Him, and did what He did. I am not kidding when I say this series changed me. The most lasting thing that stuck with me was this idea of apprenticeship.

Jesus came to Earth to show us how to live, and to make disciples to do the same thing for the people after Him. He did that by having people follow him around and watch how He lived. In that time, they would actually follow Him around- like spend every waking hour with Him. They would be so physically close to Him that the dirt of His shoes would be on them. When I heard this, I thought:

If someone were to follow me around, close enough to get the dirt of my shoes on them, would they become a better disciple of Christ? 

Well… if that is what Jesus did, then shouldn’t I be able to say the same thing about myself? Now that is some accountability if you ask me!

Our lives are to be mirrors of the Lord. And by sharing our own story and living out what it means to be a disciple of Christ, we will be able to show others how to live in the same manner.

Let your life mirror the way God intended life to be lived and in the process shine a light for others to do the same. 

3) To share what we are learning and to be real. 

Recently, I have been craving a place to be real. To share my insecurities, my downfalls, my mistakes, my temptations. I have been wanting a platform to be honest with myself and others as well as share what I have been learning through those moments- both the good and the bad. Stories are the best outlet to do that. The more we share, the more we reflect and comprehend, and then are transformed. Sometimes I catch myself downplaying things that happen in my life as a mere happenstance or coincidence, when in reality it is all a work of the Lord’s hand. The more I share, the more I realize that and the more blown away I am by His presence.

So let’s start sharing our stories, our real stories, and be walking testimonies to all that the Lord has done and will do in our lives.

My Story 

So here I am, a few weeks out from making a leap of faith by moving to Seattle with no job or income lined up – trusting that the Lord will provide for all of our temporary, earthly needs as we live sold out for the things that have weight in eternity.

Here I am, deciding to be more open with my story- the good, bad, and ugly – in hopes of being able to mirror what life looks like when lived and walked fully with the Lord, God-willing, encouraging others to do the same along the way.

My biggest prayer is that through this all, you will see Him and know that all of this is about Him. It isn’t about me. I am just one person, trying to live out her calling in the Kingdom of God, praying that through my life and my stories, you will be able to do the same thing in your own life.

It is all about Him.

Let’s share our stories, and bask in the goodness of our Father along the way!

XX Krista

  from Story: I Am Starting to Share Mine and Why You Need to do the Same.

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Preserving Innocence

We live in a world that attempts to steal our innocence and childlike wonder and replace it with an “over promise – under delivered” happiness that never truly satisfies. Let’s live to preserve our innocence and discover life to the full!

A few weeks ago, I took a group of 7th grade girls to Creekside, a Young Life camp in Central Oregon. It was exhausting, life giving, challenging, draining, fun, moving, and everything in between. Two weeks before camp started, I received a call asking if I would be able to lead. Doubting I could get work off, I called my manager and by the grace of God I was able to get the whole week off! It was with that that I knew the Lord was up to something amazing for that week. I was expectant for Him to show up in BIG ways, and (oh man) did He.

There is SO much I could talk about from those 5 days, but the main idea the Lord has put on my heart is the idea of innocence.

Preserving Innocence 

Day 2 of camp we were in our area’s leader meeting, and a leader came forward almost dumbfounded by the fact that every girl in her cabin was living under one roof with both parents. The rest of the leaders were equally struck as it goes against the 50% divorce rate, but it only took me a moment to have the reality of the situation settle in….

When I was in 7th grade, my parents were under the same roof. All seemed good and dandy. I would have said life was great! But only a year later all that would be changing as my parents were on the way to getting a divorce. It was there, sitting on the ground in a circle with the hot central Oregon sun on my back, that it hit me.

These girls are in a stage of their lives marked by innocence, and it is an innocence that I want them to preserve and live out of for as long as possible.

Yes, a lot of them have had hard times with family, friends, or school issues but for the majority of them nothing CRAZY has happened yet. They still listen and respect their parents for the most part. Their birthday parties involve eating pizza, playing games and wearing clothing, not getting drunk, making bad decisions, and not wearing more than a strip of clothing around their top and bottom as an “outfit.” Their summer activities involve going to get Slurpees and candy and playing outside in the park or on the river, instead of sneaking off with a bottle of Vodka and being mischievous with one another. Their issues revolve around gossip and friendship drama, not friends getting killed in car accidents or drug overdoses. Throughout the week, I learned more and more about how their innocence was being tampered with – almost all of my girls told me they had been asked for nudes over snapchat (what is this world coming to??), but a majority of them do not deal with big issues, and have not been hurt deeply.

They have this innocence to them. A childlike wonder I never want them to lose.

When Innocence Is Lost

It was at this point that I started to think back to the last time I was at Creekside, and the group of gals I brought with me then. They too were innocent, full of childlike wonder and awe at everything around them. But now, a few years later, that seems to not be the case. They seem to be the ones wrapped up in the party scene. In the drinking scene. In the acceptance from boy scene. In the worldly scene that seems so tantalizing and tempting and alluring of fun, freedom, and good stories.

The scene that over-promises and ALWAYS under-delivers.

And it saddens me. It actually tears me apart on the inside. I think back to their younger selves dressed up in ripped black shirts with scrunchies in their hair and black eye-liner, strumming air-guitars and rocking out for team olympics, or dressed to the nines in their luau attire for the poolside formal dinner. I pictured them singing their hearts out to Katy Perry and Taylor Swift in the club room and going down the zip line with the biggest smiles on their faces.

I wonder if they would be able to find joy in activities like that now? I wonder if they have that childlike excitement and anticipation to see what is next.

At camp, everyday they would ask us leaders, “What’s next?” “What are we doing today?” “What do I need to be prepared to do?” “Am I going to get wet?”

There was a joyful expectancy about them.  

I wonder if they are still asking those questions in their own lives, or if they are kinda just floating through the motions and going to this party because everyone else is going, and wearing that outfit because everyone else looks that way. I wonder if they are being “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming” –Ephesians 4:14

I pray they aren’t doing that. I pray these girls see that there is so much more to life than going to the same dumb college house party every weekend, wearing the same skimpy outfit, drinking the same intoxicating poisonous cheap alcohol each week.

I pray they see the adventurous life that is out there waiting to be discovered and experienced every hour of everyday.

What would life be like if we came to God everyday asking him, “What’s next?” “What are we doing today?” “What do I need to be prepared to do?” Can you imagine all of the adventures we would go on? It would be glorious.

The Potential In This All

So here I sit, reflecting back on these mature young women who have a hunger and a thirst for the Lord. Women who cried when they thought about their friends who aren’t Christians yet, and the fact they won’t be in Heaven with them if they don’t believe. Women who asked hard questions, and desired to learn what it looks like to walk with Jesus. Women who want to wear their cross necklaces to school even when the school tells them they can’t. Women who want to stick together and be close friends and not turn on one another in an effort to fit in. Women, who even in their youth, want to go out there and be the change.

So then my brain started going and thinking and dreaming:

If these women go into their high school fired up on Jesus and assured of the power Jesus tells them they have when walking with Him, they could have the potential to  change their community and culture! I can see them rolling up as the God Squad going to all the parties but not having to drink to have a good time and being a light through their actions. I can see them showing the people around them what love looks like inside of friendships and not gossiping, comparing, or competing with one another. I can see them being nice to the outsiders and welcoming them in to their group to hang out and join in on the adventurous life they are living through the Lord. I can see this all happening, and I know they have it in them.

The only question is, will they listen to Jesus’ beckoning pursuing call to live this way, or will they let the world take them somewhere else?

They have the potential to change their high school, but with their high school instead change them?

We live in a world where the devil is out to steal, kill and destroy. He wants to take our innocence, corrupt our desires, and like a cookie cutter, make us in the mold of the culture around us, but praise the Lord that we serve a God who is stronger and mightier than the devil will ever be.

It is now up to us to say ‘yes’ to the Lord, and trust Him to be there for us through every situation regardless of what we are going through and live into the potential He created us with. I pray you will be strong and choose The Way of Jesus instead of being”tossed back and forth…. by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”

My Prayer

For everyone reading this, my prayer is that “you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky” -Philippians 2:14-15

You have the potential to shine among this world like the stars in the sky. Let your light shine, and do all you can to protect your light from being “hushed” out by the devil.

You have been chosen, forgiven, loved and invited by the King of Kings.

The rest is up to you.

from Preserving Innocence

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Tell All My Friends – Will Reagan

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  from Tell All My Friends – Will Reagan

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Lay It All Down

We carry around burdens with us each and every day that God wants to take off our backs and put on His. Will you let Him? We are called to lay it all down at the feet of Jesus, so what is holding you back? 

Overwhelmed With Burdens 

I love to write, but I haven’t written recently because I’ve felt like I’ve been overwhelmed with burdens. So many things have been holding me down almost suffocating me to where I can’t breathe.

I haven’t had much time to rest, to sit, to just be.

Today, life got the best of me when I realized my heart hasn’t been in the right place. I believe that some of the greatest changes in a person’s life is when they are blatantly vulnerable. So, here it goes:

This week I heard a song called “Lay It All Down” by Will Reagan for the first time. He talks about laying our burdens down at the feet of Jesus. For me I have heard the saying of laying your burdens down at the feet of Jesus and I felt like I understood it. But I guess I truly didn’t.

I still hold on to the burdens of my past- my mistakes, my busyness, my pride, my selfishness, my loss of control of my emotions, my sin, always trying to be okay.

I let these weigh me down every day.

I catch myself in the midst of my days unable to escape the negative thoughts. Thoughts of competitiveness, of having to go above and beyond to prove myself. Thoughts of comparison, trying to look like I’ve always got it all together.

It’s exhausting. And it has begun to drown me.

In Will Reagan’s song he says, “Bring your worry, guilt, and pain. Every cause you have for shame. Lay it all down.”

I lay here on my chocolate stained blanket, with messy hair, a tear stained cheek, and I’m telling you that as children of God we are given the opportunity to lay it all down.

As people pass by, I wonder what burdens are they carrying? What burdens are YOU who are reading this post carrying?

We are either too busy, worrying about the future, dealing with anxiety or depression, facing an illness that isn’t curable, or a myriad of different things, yet amongst all that crazy have you taken the time to just sit and be still? To really lay it all down? 

I know I haven’t.

Another thing on my heart is this feeling of being a bad friend, as I have been so focused on where I’m at right now and where I’m going that I haven’t asked what my friends’ burdens are. I don’t want this to be the case. 

However, it’s okay.

It is okay to mess up. It is okay to not be okay and to be struggling, because honestly all of us are struggling with something. It’s a broken world we live in, and things are not always going to be okay.

There have been two verses that have really stuck with me while thinking about this idea of laying it all down:  

 “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his names sake.“ -Psalm 23:1-3

“Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you & learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy & my burden is light” –Matthew 11:28-30

When we lay down our burdens, we are telling God that we surrender all to him. When we surrender all to Him, He will give us rest. It is easier said than done, of course, because here I stand guilty of failing to lay my burdens at the feet of Jesus.

I have been focusing on the outside appearance of myself rather than the inside appearance. And right now if you can picture a heart, mine is broken, it has scratches and dents and cracks.

One thing I’ve forgotten is that each of those cracks is unique, it builds to my character, the person that I am. And in those cracks and scratches is beauty, and is a part of the story that Jesus has written for my life. The same goes for you.

Our pasts, our mistakes, our struggles do not define us. What defines us is what we do after, who we decide to serve after we mess up. If we choose to go back and serve the God who allows us to lay it all down at His feet. If we do, we get to live this life to its fullest, glorifying God in all we do, think, and speak.

So my dear friends, join me in learning what it really means to lay it all down at the feet of Jesus. To fully surrender everything. Surrender our past, our family’s mistakes, our competitiveness in school, comparison, the sin that you hide, the deep hurt that you have.

As a community, let’s walk side by side in this journey of life learning to love God and love one another with all we’ve got.

Let’s lay it all down at the feet of Jesus. 

from Lay It All Down

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Living as a Coronary Christian + “Winning Life”

Walking out your belief in Christ is not something you do just when you are feeling it – it is a belief you hold on to regardless of feeling. Just like the constant beating of your heart, we must learn to live as coronary Christians. Day in. Day out. Constantly beating, constantly believing. 

Living as a Coronary Christian + Winning Life 

Krista Hengesh

“Stand firm, and you will win life” -Luke 21:19

100,000 times a day on average the heart beats. Day in. Day out. It beats.

Each day we wake up, it means it is beating. There are some times when we mentally recognize and feel our heartbeat, for instance after a work out, or when we are nervous, scared or anxious, or when we slow down enough to hear the constant, rhythmic pulse as we are going to bed or when we wake up in the morning. There are also days when we don’t notice our heartbeat; however, whether we feel it or not it will still be beating.  

That consistency, is what I want our walks with the Lord to be like.

I want us be a coronary Christians.

I want us to live lives where our faith is what keeps us alive. Whether we “feel” our heartbeat or not, we know that it’s keeping us alive.

Day in. Day out. Constantly beating. Constantly believing. 

More Than a Feeling

In some seasons, we “feel” our faith. We can see God moving in our lives and in the lives of our friends. When we open the Bible or we pray we can sense His nearness. We find ourselves eager to tell others about the Lord with no hesitation or shame. We are able to trust God with excitement, willing to go where ever He calls us. We wake up with enthusiasm to see what He has in store.

We feel the beating pulse of our faith.

THEN… there are other seasons where we just don’t feel it. We pray but don’t feel like we are getting a response. We go to church, and don’t feel like we got anything out of it. We don’t feel like we can trust or rely on God because of what is happening in our lives. This could be right after a relationship ended that you thought was going to last forever, or after your parents told you they were getting a divorce. It could be right after you lost your job, or one of your best friends let you down. It could also just be a season of waiting, a season of transition, where you don’t feel much of anything even though you are asking and praying about it.

  But you know what will still be there during those seasons as well as the good ones? Your heartbeat.

Regardless of what is happening on the outside of your body, your heart will still beat.

Day in. Day out. Constantly beating.

Faith is not based on a feeling. It is based on belief. A belief we need to stand firm on regardless of our circumstances. 

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” – 1 Peter 1:8

Coronary Christians = Standing Firm In All Circumstances = Winning Life 

“Stand firm, and you will win life” -Luke 21:19

To be a coronary Christian is to stand firm on your faith regardless of circumstances. Just as your heart will continue to beat and keep you alive through every season in your life, your faith in Christ will do the same.

This takes practice, and it takes strength, but the people who fight to stand firm and persevere under trials, hard seasons, and life’s ups and downs will be the ones to “win life,” like Jesus says in Luke 21:19. They will also be the ones to “receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” – James 1:12

This type of stance is not easy.

You will have to mentally tell yourself that you believe in the Lord more than you believe in the circumstances around you, and that each season you go through whether it be suffering, joy, trials or triumphs will be used to mature you into the woman.

God created you to be.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5

The most important part to remember is to KEEP standing firm.

Don’t give up the fight early and don’t grow weary in doing good. That is where the true display of faith to kick in, and you start to live out being a coronary Christian.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” – Galatians 6:9

  Desmond Doss – An Example of a Coronary Christian 

  Desmond Doss was a true war hero both for the American Army AND for the Kingdom of God. He served as a combat medic for an infantry during WWII and never ONCE touched a gun because of His conviction of “thou shall not kill,” (one of the Ten Commandments) and his relentless faith in the Lord. Despite experiencing immense persecution and rejection from people high up in military rankings as well as the men in his infantry he never once compromised his beliefs, relying on God through it all. During the battle of Okinawa, Doss saved 75 injur

ed men under fire with which he was awarded the Medal of Honor, the first conscientious objector to receive a medal. The night he saved all those men up on Hacksaw Ridge, he kept calling out to God saying,

“Just one more, God just give me one more.”

Doss lived his life to serve the Lord and the people around him. Despite the persecution from his peers early on in his training and the horrific happenings of war- Doss never gave up his faith, it was what kept him alive. Just as his heart kept beating throughout the war, he kept believing in the Lord the entire time.

(Desmond Doss’ story was turned into the movie- Hawksaw Ridge– and I encourage you all to watch it. It is a war movie, so at times it is hard to watch, but it is one of most moving films I have ever seen. Inspiring to say the least. Above is a clip from the end of the movie highlighting Dos’ passion for the Lord to “give me one more.”)

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” –John 15:7

The Call to Be Coronary

Desmond Doss listened to the call on his life, and was persistent to follow through until the end. He lived by his belief in the Lord, and because of that single handily saved the lives of at least 75 men and inspired millions after by the way He lived.

Ladies, we too have the ability to live lives like Doss. We have been called and created for a purpose, and now we need to live it out. We need to hold on to our faith and walk in the conviction of its truth each and every day, just like the beating of our hearts, especially in the face of trials and persecution.

God never told us life would be easy, nor did he say it would always be fun, but he did say he came to give us “life and life to the full” and that comes from living on dependence and reliance on him everyday.

Day in. Day out. Constantly beating. Constantly believing. 

from Living as a Coronary Christian + “Winning Life”

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Life as a Vapor – Part 2

Our time here on earth is temporary, so how do we live a life that is meaningful and fulfilling? We have one BIG answer that will help, and it is the greatest treasure of all.  

Life as a Vapor – Part 2

Krista Hengesh

 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” -Matthew 6:19-20

Last week we discussed how life is a vapor, looking at the fact that at some point our hearts will stop beating and our lungs will stop breathing and we will cease to exist on this earth. My prayer with this post was not to scare you, or have you fear death. Rather, I wanted to shed light on the truth that the issues we are dealing with and the seasons we are going through, in light of eternity, all serve as building blocks in God molding us into the women He created us to be.

{You can read Life as a Vapor- Part 1 here}

This week, we will be looking at how we can find meaning and fulfillment in our lives while are here on earth- pursing treasures that have eternal value and weight in Heaven.

What Do You Treasure?

Take a moment to think about what you treasure- the things you are pursing, or working towards in your life?

Is it…

A new job, an interview, a raise, a new position in a company?

Losing weight, eating healthier, getting in shape?

Making money to buy a new outfit, a car, an ourdoorsy toy, a flight to a vacation destination?

Being open to a possible new relationship, or being a better sister, daughter or friend?

Loving yourself and who you are in a deeper way- seeing yourself through God’s eyes?

Taking your faith more seriously, wanting to memorize more verses or understand the power of prayer more?

Wanting to seem or act or look a certain way to get attention or popularity from others?

The list could (and does) go on forever.

But take a moment and think about this for yourself, and write it down.

What is it that you treasure?

  Earthly Treasures

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” –Matthew 6:19

The first part of our verse in Matthew 6, talks about storing up treasures where moth and vermin cannot destroy, and where thieves cannot break in and steal, so here are a few facts about those three things to get your brain thinking about this verse in a tangible, realistic way:

Moths feed on natural materials such as wool, silk, fur, felt, hair and feathers. They eat anything that can dissolve in water, and feedon nectar from flowers, tree sap, bird droppings, animal dung, pollen, and rotting fruit. (info taken from What do Moths eat? )

Vermin are pests and nuisance animals that destroy crops and livestock. Think foxes, rodents, and insect pests. (info taken from Wiki)

Thieves steal well… everything and anything they can get their hands on. (info taken from a personal experience, and stories from many people- probably including yourself.)

So, in light of those things, what on your list of treasures could be destroyed or stolen? 

Now, don’t get me wrong, there are things that we have to work for on this earth that can be destroyed or stolen like money for a car or bike to get us around town, or food to sustain us, or a house to live in, or clothes to keep us warm and dressed, or working super hard for a job or a raise, or to get healthy, fit and in shape.

BUT, what I want you to remember is those earthly things do not define you, and they should not be the sole focus of your heart. Problems arise when the temporary things of this earth overwhelm our minds and become our everything.

You will be distracted from the main purpose of life, which is to live closely and in step with Jesus- storing up treasures in Heaven.

  Heavenly Treasures

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” -Matthew 6:20

What is it then that moth, vermin and thieves cannot destroy or steal, and how do I store those things up?

Isn’t this kind of the question of life?? 

What is it that I can do that will give me meaning and fulfillment on this earth? What is it that I can do that will matter?

This question is very complicated and different for each person, but the simple answer to that is to live your life storing up treasures that have eternal weight in Heaven. 

These are things like:

Loving others well (1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:21; John 15:12)

Living to bring glory to God (Psalms 115:1; 1 Peter 4:11)

Serving others with no need for acknowledgment (Mark 10:25; 1 Peter 4:10)

Giving generously without expecting anything in return (Proverbs 19:17; Luke 6:37-38)

Putting others above yourself (Philippians 2:3; Romans 12:10)

Intentionally being there for others in both the good and bad seasons. (Romans 12:13-15; 1 Corinthians 12:26)

  Our lives are a compilation of our actions and thoughts, and what Paul says in Galatians about reaping what we sow could not be more true:

“A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  -Galatians 6:7-9

How we choose to live each day, what we choose to sow, will directly effect our purpose and fulfillment in life. 

How will you live to store up treasures in heaven? 

The Greatest Treasure

There is one treasure that is worth living for more than any other, and it is the treasure of eternal life.

A parable in Matthew 13 compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a treasure being buried in a field. When a man found this treasure, he sold everything in order to buy the field and have that treasure.

The treasure of eternal life, life with God in Heaven for ever, is a treasure worth giving everything up for. It is also a treasure that is meant to be shared with your friends.

If you believe that you will be in heaven for eternity, and you have friends who are not believers, then let this be your reminder to pursue them and be bold in telling them about your faith. Eternal life truly is the greatest treasure, and the most important thing we can live for, so I encourage you to make it the focus of your life each and every day- especially when it comes to telling others about it!

Heaven is going to be one INCREDIBLE party, and we need to be intentional in how we boldly talk with others about what we believe, because if we are a good friend- we will want them there with us.

Giving someone the gift of eternal life truly is the most important gift they can ever receive- a transforming treasure that will last forever. 

  So, Where Are Your Treasures? Where Is Your Heart?

Be real with yourself. Are you living for things that have eternal weight and bring glory to God, or do you find yourself working towards things that don’t matter in light of eternity? Start asking yourself these questions, and give yourself a heart check- because it is our hearts and motives that the Lord looks as.

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

“I, the Lord, search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” – Jeremiah 17:10

“All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord” – Proverbs 16:2

  “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered-how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.” –Psalms 39:4-13 NLT

from Life as a Vapor – Part 2