{"id":12056,"date":"2019-02-02T21:00:12","date_gmt":"2019-02-03T02:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/?p=12056"},"modified":"2019-02-02T21:00:12","modified_gmt":"2019-02-03T02:00:12","slug":"book-review-unexpected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/?p=12056","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: Unexpected"},"content":{"rendered":"

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“Whether we ever understand why, the only way to overcome any unexpected shock is through. No matter how much we wish we could go around a situation, under it, over it, or be delivered from it, there are times God wants to walk us through a process, because that is what\u2019s best for us.\u201d<\/i> Christine Caine, Unexpected<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
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I hope that when I get to heaven that<\/span> Christine Caine<\/a> is one of my neighbors. \u00a0She is one spunky lady\u2026she calls it like it is and treasures Jesus in a way that just causes the reader to want to know more about Him. \u00a0Caine is an incredible story teller because of her passion for the way the Lord is growing her. \u00a0 I have enjoyed reading and blogging reviews about some of her earlier books:\u00a0<\/span>Unashamed<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Undaunted<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Unstoppable<\/a>. \u00a0Her enthusiasm for sharing the gospel continues in her latest work,\u00a0<\/span>Unexpected: Leave Fear Behind, Move Forward in Faith, Embrace the Adventure<\/a>. \u00a0Christine\u2019s engaging way draws the reader in to the stories she shares which gives her one\u00a0opportunity after another to point straight to the truth of God\u2019s word. \u00a0This is definitely one of those books that had me\u00a0making notes to share with people close to me who are walking through difficult days. \u00a0The theme of this one\u2026God is faithful. \u00a0Trust the process.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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I highlighted several things while\u00a0reading and have posted those notes below…<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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    To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect. \u2014OSCAR WILDE Location: 274<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    We cannot shrink back in fear and go forward in faith at the same time. We cannot settle for our less and pursue his more at the same time. It\u2019s just not possible. Location: 306<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    What is possible is accepting his gracious invitation to trust him more in the face of our pain. Location: 308<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. HEBREWS 11:8, emphasis added Location: 318<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, \u201cSo shall your offspring be.\u201d Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead\u2014since he was about a hundred years old\u2014and that Sarah\u2019s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. ROMANS 4:18\u201321 Location: 329<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    He didn\u2019t deny the facts of his circumstances, but he refused to believe they were the whole truth because they did not account for God\u2019s promise. Location: 335<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    I know he created you on purpose, for a purpose\u2014and he never wants fear of the unexpected or from the unexpected to hold you back. Location: 379<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    True stability results when presumed order and presumed disorder are balanced. A truly stable system expects the unexpected, is prepared to be disrupted, waits to be transformed. TOM ROBBINS Location: 386<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    But as surprising as the unexpected is, we need to remember that our unexpected is never unexpected to God. Location: 477<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    I had learned that we either feed fear or we feed faith, and that I had the power to choose which one I would feed. So, I fed my faith. Location: 535<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    Whether we ever understand why, the only way to overcome any unexpected shock is through. No matter how much we wish we could go around a situation, under it, over it, or be delivered from it, there are times God wants to walk us through a process, because that is what\u2019s best for us. Location: 544<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    Moving through is about continuing to live a life of purpose and passion\u2014of always moving forward, never losing sight of your objective\u2014no matter how devastating the unexpected is. Location: 550<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    \u201cThough I walk through the valley of the shadow of death\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me\u201d (Psalm 23:4 NKJV, emphasis added). Location: 569<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    I believe it\u2019s time for us to get good at navigating the unexpected, to embrace and understand that through unexpected occurrences in life\u2014both good and bad\u2014we need to trust God, anticipating him to move in it while he moves us through it. We need to realize that he never expected us to live boring and predictable lives, even though we work hard to create regular routines. He\u2019s called us to live lives full of joys and sorrows, battles and celebrations, successes and failures, ups and downs. And he wants us to learn how to live expecting to gain from the unexpected, especially as the world grows ever more chaotic and unpredictable. Location: 607<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    What can we expect from God based on the truth of His word?<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect that his grace will be sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect that he will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect that he is working all things together for our good and his glory (Romans 8:28). \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect that no weapon forged against us will prevail (Isaiah 54:17).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect to be more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who strengthens us (Romans 8:37).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect that greater is he that is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect our God to be for us (Romans 8:31).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect God to be our very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect God to care for us (1 Peter 5:7).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect Jesus Christ to be consistent (Hebrews 13:8).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect streams in our desert (Isaiah 43:19).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect impenetrable walls to come down (Joshua 6:20).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect God to make a way where there is no way (Isaiah 43:16).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect our mourning to turn to gladness (Psalm 30:11).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect our sorrow to be turned to joy (Psalm 30:11).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect our broken heart to be bound up (Psalm 147:3).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect deliverance from our enemies (Psalm 60:12).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect our giants to be defeated (1 Samuel 14:47).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect that no temptation will be more than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      We can expect that he who promised will be faithful (Hebrews 10:23). Location: 625<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
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      The unexpected is usually what brings the unbelievable. \u2014MANDY KELLOGG RYE Location: 674<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      Fear can diminish our willingness to risk. To dream. To try again. To believe again. Instead of declaring, we question. Instead of standing, we shrink. Instead of persevering, we quit. Instead of trusting, we worry. Instead of resting in God, we exhaust ourselves. Location: 737<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      But fear is not from God, and it\u2019s not more powerful than God. He knew it would come to steal our peace, not once or twice, but constantly throughout our lives. So, in his great mercy and faithfulness to us, God made a way for us to be more than equipped to overcome its effects and walk in faith. He gave us three offensive weapons to lean into when we\u2019re attacked: \u201cFor God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind\u201d (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV, emphasis added). Location: 751<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      God wants us to believe his love, walk in his love, and be mentally at peace. That\u2019s the third weapon, which is having a sound mind. He doesn\u2019t want us to live tormented by fear\u2019s driving thoughts that lead to so much worry and stress. God has larger shoulders than we do, and he wants to carry our concerns for us. But we have to mentally hand them over to him. We have to cast our cares on him in prayer.5 We cannot control the uncontrollable, but we can entrust all of it to God. Location: 771<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. PSALM 61:1\u20132 NKJV Location: 827<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      When we feel like we\u2019re losing heart, God wants us to lean into him: \u201cI have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world\u201d (John 16:33) Location: 835<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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      Imagine if in every fearful situation, we could be so anchored in God that the fruit of the Spirit were simply our most authentic response. Imagine if we displayed:<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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        Love in the midst of indifference<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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        Joy in the midst of sorrow<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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        Peace in the midst of chaos<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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        Patience in the midst of frenzy<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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        Kindness in the midst of cruelty<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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        Goodness in the midst of evil<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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        Faithfulness in the midst of carelessness<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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        Gentleness in the midst of hardness<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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        Self-control in the midst of a world spiraling out of control Location; 875<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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          Imagine how free we\u2019d feel if we learned to truly believe that in every situation, trust was the antidote to fear, that consciously trusting God would cause our moments of anxiety and panic to be short-lived. Imagine if we could grow to a place where trusting him was our first reaction. \u201cTrust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight\u201d (Proverbs 3:5\u20136). Location: 886<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          When we partake in Christ\u2019s sufferings, we resist the temptation of limiting God to our present understanding, believing that he is writing the story of our lives that will inevitably lead to a conclusion of victory. Location: 918<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Most people want to be circled by safety, not by the unexpected. The unexpected can take you out. But the unexpected can also take you over and change your life. Put a heart in your body where a stone used to be. \u2014RON HALL Location: 961<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          No wonder Jesus said, \u201cTruly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it\u201d (Mark 10:15). If we are going to fulfill our purpose and keep on loving the adventure, then we must accept that some things will break down along the way. Location: 1,105<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Do we trust that God is who he says he is? Do we trust that God will do what he says he will do? Do we trust that God is working all things together for our good and his glory? Do we trust that he who promised is faithful? Location: 1,128<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          What one experience has stopped you in your tracks? What one experience has shaken you to your core and stolen all your confidence? What one experience have you believed disqualifies you for the purpose to which God called you? Do you see how it\u2019s what we do with our disappointments that determines our destiny? If we don\u2019t go through our hardships, we may move on in years, but our life stops at the point of our greatest disappointment. Location: 1,207<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Has it ever occurred to you that, if you\u2019ll revisit your disappointment, God can give you a new perspective on it\u2014one that can become a tool to help others? That you can take what he gives to you and pass it on? This is the very principle the apostle Paul describes in his second letter to the church at Corinth: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3\u20134 Location: 1,221<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed\u2014not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence\u2014continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. PHILIPPIANS 2:12\u201313 Location: 1,250<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Trusting God is a series of choices, not a one-time event. Location: 1,252<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Loss is the uninvited door that extends us an unexpected invitation to unimaginable possibilities. \u2014CRAIG D. JONESBOROUGH Location: 1,268<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers. PSALM 55:12\u201314 Location: 1,338<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Unexpected hurts often reveal unexpected pain, and, as strange as it may sound, I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to be healed of anything lurking under the surface of which I might not have been aware. Location: 1,425<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Reframing my questions changed my perspective. It turned my focus back toward Jesus\u2014where real answers come from. It reconnected me to hope\u2014which meant I was looking forward now and not backward at all the emotional wreckage in my wake. It also set my heart in a direction of letting Jesus mold me further into being the kind of friend I had always wanted. Location: 1,440<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Each time I\u2019ve been unexpectedly hurt, it has renewed my resolve to be quicker to ask for forgiveness\u2014so I practice ongoing forgiveness as often as possible. As a wife, I can lapse in kindness or attention. Sometimes, my fiery Greek emotions get the best of me, and I say things that are unfair. When I realize how I\u2019ve sounded or what I\u2019ve done, I ask Nick to forgive me. As a mother, I get plenty of opportunities as well. I love my girls with all my heart, but I don\u2019t always get it right, so I ask them to forgive me. I\u2019m a strong woman with convictions and visions and dreams for the future, so as a leader with more than two hundred members on our team, I don\u2019t always get it right there either. In those times when I realize I\u2019ve blown it, I want mercy. No matter the difference of opinion, or the differences in personality and interpretation of the circumstances, I want forgiveness and grace. Location: 1,461<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          The next year, she went to a new school and learned some valuable lessons: some friends are for a season; some friends are safe up close; and some are only safe from a distance. We can\u2019t bring everyone into our inner circle and trust them equally. Location: 1,539<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. \u2014MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Location: 1,553<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          Feelings of hopelessness can leave us wanting to pull back and rewrite the rest of our lives as a smaller, safer story than the adventurous one God originally planned for us. Location: 1,606<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          \u201cMay the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit\u201d (Romans 15:13). He promises to help us become the prisoners of hope he\u2019s called us to be so we can move beyond despair into a new destiny. Location: 1,703<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          David defeated the giant because he believed the Word of the Lord over Goliath\u2019s intimidating taunts. He understood what God wants us to understand: The facts can change, but the truth never does. The truth alone has the power to help us move from the hopelessness of what is to hope of what will be. Location: 1,731<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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          The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 CORINTHIANS 10:4\u20135 Location: 1,741<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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            Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. PHILIPPIANS 4:8 KJV Location: 1,757<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            \u201cReturn to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double\u201d (Zechariah 9:12 ESV). Location: 1,833<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            God wants to fulfill the dreams he\u2019s whispered to our hearts\u2014no matter how long ago. We may have set them aside, but he\u2019s never forgotten even one of them. Let\u2019s dare to open our hearts and minds and allow God to revive our hopes. Let\u2019s risk giving him room to fulfill his plans and purposes for our lives in unexpected ways. Location: 1,851<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            God\u2019s first priority for us is always transformation\u2014a change from the inside out. He almost always transforms us before he transforms our circumstances. Location: 1,948<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            God always prepares us for the place he has prepared for us. He wanted Kylie to learn how to strengthen her heart. He wanted her to learn how to move from halfhearted to wholehearted\u2014a process that takes time and often unfolds in a wilderness. And he wanted her to learn how to apply what she learned to the rest of her life. Location: 1,954<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            Caleb stayed on mission, regardless of all the setbacks. He stayed flexible, robust, passionate, and enthusiastic. And ultimately, it was his wholeness of heart that got him to the Promised Land. Even after forty years of disappointments and living among three million bitter complainers, he knew the secret was keeping his heart healthy\u2014and going through. Through the pain. Through the struggles. Through the doubt. Through the fear. Through the loss. Through the betrayal. Through the forgiveness. Through the confusion. Through the insecurity. Through the disappointment. Through the disillusionment. Through all the emotions. Through rediscovering the wonder\u2014over and over again. Caleb may or may not have been the most gifted, the most eloquent, or the smartest among his peers. But he was certainly the most wholehearted. I love his bold declaration, \u201cI am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I\u2019m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then\u201d (Joshua 14:10, emphasis added). Location: 2,029<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            I often say that the reason God is using me like he is today is simply because I\u2019m still here. Because I have allowed God to heal me and to continue healing me. When you get to be my age, it seems as though many have dropped out of the race and God has fewer options to choose from. But I can tell you from personal experience that if you stay in the race, if you keep your heart whole, God can and will use you. He will get his glory through whoever is willing, available, and tenaciously wholehearted. Location: 2,055<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            It\u2019s strange how new and unexpected conditions bring out unguessed ability to meet them. \u2014EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS Location: 2,127<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            Isn\u2019t it fascinating that Caleb was the one willing and able to take on these three giants\u2014Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai\u2014 and that he had to wait until he was eighty-five to do it? Could it be that sometimes there are giants we can defeat only because we\u2019ve been seasoned long enough by our wilderness years to know we can? That we\u2019ve followed God long enough to be strong and confident\u2014in who we are in Christ and in what we can do in his strength? When Caleb was old enough, strong enough, and mature enough, he defeated those three giants and took possession of the land\u2014as his reward, and as an inheritance for all the generations to come. He\u2019d lived long enough to be confident that every battle is the Lord\u2019s,9 no matter how big the giants are. Do you think that maybe you have a Hebron too? Maybe you\u2019ve raised your family, had a fulfilling career, and diligently grown your nest egg. You\u2019re \u201call set.\u201d But what if God has more for you? Especially, now that you are older and wiser. You know things\u2014the kind of things you couldn\u2019t have known when you were younger. What if there are some enemies that only you can slay\u2014enemies only a mature, seasoned, passionate believer could ever take down? Enemies that need to be destroyed to prepare the way for the generations to come after you? Now is the time to take your Hebron. Now is the time to do more, not less. Now is the time for your life to wind up\u2014not down\u2014 because \u201cthe way of life winds upward for the wise\u201d (Proverbs 15:24 NKJV). Location: 2,230<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            I read books all the time to keep myself current with knowledge about leading teams, parenting my kids, and staying strong emotionally. I can\u2019t expect to remain an effective leader to my team if I don\u2019t keep enlarging in knowledge and the skillful application of it. I can\u2019t expect to keep up with a generation that speaks differently and was educated differently from my generation if I don\u2019t enlarge my mind to understand them and learn how to communicate effectively with them. As tempting as it is, I cannot rest on the success of my past to take me into the future in any area of my life. Location: 2,296<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            Fear is never logical. Location: 2,304<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            I believe you are the answer to someone\u2019s prayers. You are an unexpected blessing in someone\u2019s life. God wants to use you, and he wants you to have vision for every age and stage of life\u2014including this one. Location: 2,327<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            A keen sense of humor helps us overlook the unbecoming, understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant, overcome the unexpected, and outlast the unbearable. \u2014BILLY GRAHAM Location: 2,370<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            No matter the objective, the process is the same. God places in our hearts a calling, a mission, a goal, an idea, a destiny, and then he leads us to it through small, incremental steps. It\u2019s a principle of growth depicted throughout the Bible. The prophet Isaiah said it this way: \u201cHe tells us everything over and over\u2014one line at a time, a little here, and a little there!\u201d (Isaiah 28:10 NLT). Location: 2,484<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            God knew the end from the beginning, but I did not. God knew he was preparing me, but I did not. God knew all the unexpected moments were leading somewhere. I just trusted him and took steps, and he has never wasted one step. \u201cThe LORD directs the steps of the godly,\u201d writes the psalmist. \u201cHe delights in every detail of their lives\u201d (Psalm 37:23 NLT). Location: 2,560<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me. \u2014CARL SANDBURG Location: 3,241<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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            Faith in God is how we keep our hearts and minds fixed on where we\u2019re going. It\u2019s how we overcome the impossible and experience the supernatural\u2014just as every biblical hero who ran this race before us did:<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Abraham, who left the known for the unknown (Hebrews 11:8)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Sarah, who conceived despite her age (Genesis 21:2)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Noah, who built an ark with the storm yet unseen (Genesis 6:14)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Moses, who led the people out of Egypt (Exodus 6:26)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Caleb, who trusted God wholeheartedly (Numbers 14:24)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Joshua, who led the people to conquer Jericho (Joshua 5\u20136)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Rahab, who risked her life to help God\u2019s spies (Joshua 2)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Deborah, the judge who dispensed wisdom for more than thirty years (Judges 4)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              David, who defeated Goliath against all odds (1 Samuel 17)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Esther, who risked her life to save the Jews in the Persian empire (Esther 5)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Daniel, who feared God more than the king (Daniel 3)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who endured the flames (Daniel 3)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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              Mary, who said yes to being the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:38)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
            • \n
              The man at the pool of Bethesda, who picked up his mat and walked (John 5:1\u201318)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
            • \n
              The woman with the issue of blood, who dared to touch the hem of Jesus\u2019s garment (Luke 8:43\u201348)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
            • \n
              Bartimaeus, who received his sight and then followed Jesus (Mark 10:46\u201352)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
            • \n
              Peter, who stepped out of the boat (Matthew 14:29)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
            • \n
              Philip, who shared the message of Jesus with an Ethiopian leader (Acts 8:26\u201340)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
            • \n
              Paul, who traveled the world to preach the gospel (Acts 11\u201328) Location 3,297<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
              \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              “Whether we ever understand why, the only way to overcome any unexpected shock is through. No matter how much we wish we could go around a situation, under it, over it, or be delivered from it, there are times God wants to walk us through a process, because that is what\u2019s best for us.\u201d Christine […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,14,35,16,19,23,28,17,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-study","category-book-review","category-creative","category-family","category-funny","category-generosity","category-integrity","category-leadership","category-marriage"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12056\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}