Flourish as a Woman!

FLOURISH AS A WOMAN!

“The godly shall flourish like palm trees… For they are transplanted into the Lord’s own garden and are under His personal care… even in old age they will STILL produce fruit and be vital!”
Ps. 92:12-15

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT MEANS TO FLOURISH?

If we listen to social media and even our own wishful thinking, Flourishing means everything in life goes just as we dream.  It is the good life: no inflation, no unpleasant people, no hard situations to face.  It is a life of sunshine, fun, fulfilling work, happy family times, friends who love us and a God who answers every prayer we send up to Him. 

We all know life is not like that!  So, can we FLOURISH AS A WOMAN in the world as it is?  
 

YES, WE CAN!

We flourish in our relationship with God, with others, and with our emotions and attitudes when we live as God intends.  Here are 5 ways to flourish as a follower of Jesus:

• By knowing Him—Philippians 1:6 talks about God beginning a good work in you.

 

• By loving Him—John 14:15. How do you know you love Him? Not by warm fuzzy feelings but through obedience to what He calls you to be and do.

 

• By abiding in Him—John 15: spending time talking, listening, longing, praising, asking for Him to fill you with His Spirit and your life bearing evidence of His presence.

 

• By serving Him—Philippians 2:3-4 and 13: God is at work IN you to will, to want to, and to act to fulfill His good purposes.  Life is not all about you or me!  It is to be lived considering the interests and wellbeing of others!

 

• By being changed by Him—Romans 12:2. Through knowing Scripture, praying for the Holy Spirit to help you think and act differently, changing your attitude to people and situations. In other words, becoming a NEW person because of His work in your heart and mind.

In addition to what God does in us, we also flourish by actions we take:

• We all need people: family, friends, and community.  Do you have others in your life?

 

• We need to care for our emotional wellbeing. Do you thrive on solitude, being quiet, or laughing, having fun, enjoying activities? When do you do this?

 

• We need to live at our own pace: What is your energy level? When are you most energetic? Most tired? Most stressed? Say a wise NO and a happy YES according to your personal physical, mental, and emotional energy level.

 

• We need to move our bodies!  Exercise is essential for a healthy body, a realistic weight, and general wellbeing. Get out and walk, stretch, do deep knee bends, balance on one foot (but hold on to something). Be active!

 

• We need to keep learning: Keep your brain active!  Reading, puzzles, gaining knowledge and skills expand your interests and keep your mind working. Our minds need feeding with stimulating material.  What are you feeding yours?

 

• We need to choose a positive attitude: Jesus spoke the truth when He said in this world we would have tribulation. It is part of all our lives, but how we respond contributes to depression or peace. Peace comes through acceptance and trust that we belong to a God who is good, compassionate, and present. Psalm 34:17-18

 
When these things are part of our lives, we FLOURISH, we have the joy of the Lord even when life is hard and painful.  But to FLOURISH AS A WOMAN, we also need to know our PASSION! What is yours? Be sure to check out my next two blogs in this series: Know Your Passion! and Know Your Purpose.

To do this, begin to ask yourself:

What excites me? 

What stirs me to action?

What do I feel is wrong?  Or good? 

What stimulates or prompts me to do something? 

What touches my heart or wakes me up at night? 

These are God-given clues to both your PASSION AND YOUR PURPOSE. You are not here in this place, at this time in history, by accident!

God wants to both bless you and make you a blessing in your lifetime!

Do you have a friend who might be encouraged by FLOURISH AS A WOMAN?  Invite her to sign up and download a free chapter from Reaching Higher.

May you flourish in God’s loving care for you,
Poppy