Originally published Thursday, 09 October 2014.
Today I have the privilege of meeting Sarah Francis Martin in real life and giving away a copy of her brand new book, Just RISE UP! To win a copy, please leave a comment at ReneeFisher.com.
It is common to look at our faith as something that just “is”.
It’s not strong, nor is it weak; it’s simply a part of us. But faith is something we desire to strengthen. It is a vital relationship with our Lord that should be nurtured, celebrated, and shouted from the rooftops as the most incredible gift we will ever receive. Just RISE UP! is a call to do just that.
This invigorating study motivates women to do life differently by making Jesus famous in all aspects of life. Many have the itch to make a difference with their lives but don’t know how. By living a life of praise, with a humble posture and a Kingdom perspective, women will step into their life purpose. With Just RISE UP! readers will evaluate their present stance before the Lord and become excited to RISE UP! and take their place in the Kingdom to make the name of Jesus renowned.
Below is an excerpt from her book entitled Waiting in Expectation.
I remember the exact moment when my faith and my entire life collided into a clear focus. I sat in my favorite red chair with my comfy blanket and a cup of hot tea as I snuggled in with my Bible and a new book. The book was huge, several hundred pages long, and yet it didn’t intimidate me one bit. It will stay on my favorite book list forever. Written by the beloved Chuck Colson, How Now Shall We Live? set the lens of life in focus so that I now include my faith in every square inch of my existence. For years I struggled with this imbalance of my faith in one hand and the rest of my life in the other hand. This book spelled out this segregation for me and challenged me to place my King, Jesus, in the center of my entire life—not leaving Him out of anything.
This game changer also challenged me to not sit idle but to go and tell others all about what God had just downloaded into my life. What happened next was a bit uncharacteristic of me as a type A personality who loves to jump in with both feet. You see, when I get passion- ate about something, all I want is to engulf myself in that something. This time was different, though, as God calmed my passionate spirit and drew me into a time of waiting, learning, reading of His Word, praying, and just soaking in His presence. I think I obeyed instead of jumping into some sort of project to spread the word out of sheer bliss that I now could make sense of my life, my faith, and how the two are intricately woven together. This sweet time of waiting lasted several months, and I look back at the time with fondness.
I encourage you to take some time to wait in expectation for the what and the how and the when of these dreams and purposes that God is planting in your heart.
This itch, this desire to do something meaningful with our lives, shouldn’t outweigh or override our passion for seeking God’s presence. A heart full of worship spills into an openness to receive God’s call. Let’s seek Him first, then chase after the actions we must take to live out our passionate faith.
Join me Psalm 145 as we allow God’s Word to call us into a time of seeking Him.
All eyes have turned toward You, waiting in expectation; when they are hungry, You feed them right on time. (Psalm 145:15 THE VOICE)
I believe that as we have practiced a life of worship and kingdom perspective, our eyes have, in fact, turned toward our Jesus. During the rising up, we can’t help but look up toward heaven. Our perspectives have matured to see Him as the One who is worthy of all praise and adoration. Verse 15 of Psalm 145 reminds us to continue a steadfast focus on Him even through life’s drama and distractions that threaten our consistent and constant praise of Jesus. As we seek Him for our dreams and purpose in life, let’s remember that what we consume through our eyes affects the condition of our hearts. The more we soak in God’s presence daily and spend time with Him, the more our hearts are molded and conformed to His image—the image of Jesus. We become more like Him; we train our eyes, our hearts, and our minds to seek after the Lord above all else.
Sarah Francis Martin is an wife, mom, friend, mentor, author and wannabe artist. Sarah has invigorates women to get up off the couch of complacency and live out their faith with every square inch of their lives. Reflected in her speaking and in the pages of her books, Sarah looks straight into women’s hearts with her real, raw and relevant approach. With a vision to spark passion for the fame of Jesus, Sarah desires that women in this generation will RISE UP! and do life differently as they step into their God-given purpose and place in God’s kingdom. When she is not writing or working on a teaching message, you can often find Sarah on date nights with her husband, rough housing with her young son or getting messy with craft paint. Read more from Sarah at www.liveitoutblog.com.Win a copy of Just RISE UP! by leaving a comment at ReneeFisher.com.
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