Now that you’ve reset for the Gregorian year ahead, let go of bad habits, adopt new ones, and celebrate yourself for graduating to another measurement of a GREATER being!
Then, remember ALWAYS to,
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
This blog was created to empower women across the globe—uniting us in strength, purpose, and power. It celebrates our accomplishments, ignites our dreams, and provides the support needed to rise into who we are called to be. Join Dr. Gwen Stephens as she equips women to master their mindset, walk boldly in purpose, and build Kingdom success. From the Founder’s Desk: stay empowered—and LIVE fully. Connect with Dr. Gwen Stephens in the Global Network of Women on the Move Facebook Group
SOUL FAST Day Seven: Capacity
The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. There’s no capacity for them
(1 Corinthians 2:14)
All human beings are born with capacity. Among the many things we have capacity for is the capacity to grow, to learn, to love, to create, to change, to modify our behavior based on the demands of the situation or circumstance, to succeed, and to prosper. The purpose of The 40 Day Soul Fast is to create in you the capacity to hear and receive God’s best plan for your life–to enlarge the capacity of your soul for the great work that lies ahead of us all. May you be among those, as Jesus said, “to whom [the capacity to receive] it has been given” (Matt. 19:11 AMP).
Take time to reflect on what you are hearing the Lord say this week. Press in and focus on discerning the Lord’s voice amidst all the static and clutter around you. Clear the ground wherever you are by making room for the presence of God—let Him come and burn up the overgrowth and chaff in your life.
Every day of this 40-day Soul Fast you should be growing more spiritually alive! You should be increasing your capacity to access everything God’s Spirit is doing! Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art. — Leonardo da Vinci
ACTION STEPS
- What have you learned about yourself so far?
- What are four things you will purpose to eliminate
- What four new habits will you focus on cultivating.
Make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work (Ecclesiastes 5:19).
SOUL FAST PURPOSE: Week Two
Pray! Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom as you seek to understand the purpose of a Soul Fast.
DRILLING DOWN
What are the major events or decisions–or lack thereof–that brought you to where you are now?
What is the fruit (rotting, perhaps!) you are carrying with you as a result? Be sensitive to areas of regret or shame that may surface.
What have you chosen to believe about yourself and others? How is that reflected in your relationships?
Think on this:
The speed at which you choose to believe a thought is how quickly you change the course of your destiny. Your life is simply a representation of the sum total of your choices, choices that either enslave or save your soul. Ultimately, you are only one decision away from changing everything! How does this make you feel?
Encouraged?
Purpose to do this–from here forward, make the decision to align everything you say or do with the Word of God. What do you think will change as a result of this one decision?
Monday Vitamin 💊
There comes a time in everyone’s life when the decision to move forward will come. That opportunity may not present itself in a box with fancy bells and whistles. It may appear as a brown paper bag whose wrinkles are so deep that you cannot see the value of what’s inside. Remember to keep an open mind and press through. The light of the LORD is guiding you.
SOUL FAST Day Six: Patience
PATIENCE
We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next (Romans 5:3-4).
Yesterday we talked about commitment. Once you’ve committed to an endeavor, you will need patience to see it through to completion. Patience will refine and perfect you. Patience is a discipline you must practice if you want to break free from the myriad of things that can plague and pollute your soul! Jesus said that it is only by exercising patience that you will learn to “possess your soul” (Luke 21:19 NKJV).
As you draw closer to your authentic self, you must learn to take possession of your soul by mastering the art of patience. Developing patience is key to growing into your authentic self and fulfilling your best destiny: “For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God” (Heb. 10:36 AMP). If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. —Henry David Thoreau
ACTION STEPS
- What typically causes you to lose your patience?
- How can you change your perspective to tap into the power of patience?
- Visualize yourself exercising patient restraint the next time you want to react otherwise.
Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:4 NKJV).
Friday Vitamin 💊
The songwriter once said,
“There is no pain that Jesus cannot heal nor battle that he cannot win”.
Life offers moments when the leafs 🍃 on the ground wither away and the sound of the battle weary is followed by silent thinking. During moments like these, lean not to your own understanding. Instead, look to the hills from which comes your help. Knowing all our help comes from God.
SOUL FAST Day Five: Commitment
COMMITMENT
Self-sacrifice is the way, My way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for? (Mark 8:35-37)
The difference between those who win at life and those who lose is not based on the amount of education one acquires, the amount of money one earns, nor the superior skills one was born with, but instead is based upon one’s level of commitment. Commitment requires faith. You must not only have faith in God, but faith in the person that God has made you to be. That faith will be tested along the way. The testing and trying of your faith, the refining of your intentions and resolve, the dedication, determination, and perseverance required to stick with something until you’ve obtained the desired outcome will empower and liberate you—and expand your capacity to do even more. Jesus told His disciples,
“By your steadfastness and patient endurance you shall win the true life of your souls” (Luke 21:19 AMP).
If you are reading this, you have already demonstrated this characteristic and are well on your way to living truer to your authentic self. Continue to cultivate commitment by sticking with this 40-day endeavor to the very end! It is this steadfast endurance that will strengthen and purify your soul like nothing else.
A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success. —Elbert Hubbard
ACTION STEPS
- In light of “thinking bigger,” what would your life look like if you were to actually “win the true life of your soul?” Imagine it now.
- What are you going to commit to doing in order to save the real you?
- Identify one thing you should purge from your life that is causing you to lose the real you.
- Now identify one thing you could add that will help cultivate your truest self.
Staying with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry (Luke 21:19).
Thursday Vitamin 💊
There is a way that seems right, but does it lead to life? Does it lead to light? Is it led by Yahweh or is it our way? Listen to that still small voice. It will never lead you down the wrong path.
SOUL FAST Day Four: Truth
TRUTH
You with open minds; truth-ready minds will see it at once. Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career. For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her (Proverbs 8:9-11).
As we progress on our journey toward authenticity, we have talked about being more self-aware and about the importance of pursuing godliness. To help us do both more fully, we must be willing to take an honest look at our lives and be willing to seek the truth about who we are now versus who God calls us to be in Christ. The concept of truth has always been at the center of great debates among theologians and scientists. The foundational key to living authentically is truth. When truth is absent from our lives, it is impossible for the soul to be truly free. It is, therefore, a spiritual imperative that you should not only be true to yourself, but should continuously strive to live in the full light of the truth and to be governed by the Spirit of Truth. As the psalmist wrote, “What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life” (Ps. 51:6). Truth demands honesty. Those daring to live authentically must, first and foremost, be honest with themselves and others. Always speak the truth. Exemplify truth. Uphold the truth. Stand on the truth. Live the truth!
Leaders of the future will have the courage to align with principles and go against the grain of old assumptions or paradigms. It takes tremendous courage and stamina to say, “I’m going to align my personal value system, my lifestyle, my direction, and my habits with timeless principles.” —Stephen Covey
ACTION STEPS
Sit quietly with the Spirit of Truth and allow Him to guide you into all truth about who God has created you to be. (See John 16:13.)
Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal “deep and hidden things” about yourself that you should either embrace or change. (See Daniel 2:22 NIV.)
Ask Him to help you filter through what is not of the truth, to cut anything away from your heart or mind that is not true, and to help you cultivate those things that lead “to finding yourself, your true self” (Luke 9:23).
What would this new, true life look like if it were conceived in you? How can you realign your life so that it reflects the authentic you God had in mind?
When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard (John 16:13 NLT). The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. —Winston Churchill
Wednesday Vitamin 💊
Some may not understand YOU because they don’t understand or agree with your assignment, and guess what? That’s completely OKAY. It’s okay to walk in such a way that the lid others try to put you in cannot stop your purpose or prophetic flow. You were made for this. Keep God first, remain humble, submit your ways to the Lord, and you will be established in everything you do #Building that which others can benefit from and wanting nothing in return #That is servanthood at best
#Who have YOU served lately
Tuesday Vitamin 💊
Watch the company you keep, because your ability to SOAR depends on the type of WEIGHT that you allow to onboard your wings #1 Corinthians 15:33
SOUL FAST Day Three: Godliness
We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, Godhonoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered Himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people He can be proud of, energetic in goodness (Titus 2:12-14).
As we move through day three of our 40-day Soul Fast, I want to talk to you about the third characteristic of an authentic person:
Godliness. Godliness begins with the “Godlikeness” of your thoughts—the thoughts that govern your mind. It begins by putting on the mind of Christ. As Paul wrote the Corinthians, “Examine your motives, test your heart!” (1 Cor. 11:27). Make sure everything you say, do, think, and choose is lined up with who it is you truly want to be. Check your heart. Clean house by sweeping up any impure motives or stray intentions. Pay attention to how the things you harbor within your heart affect your words and behaviors—and equally important, how your words, habits, and behaviors affect the life of your soul. I encourage you today to do a thorough study of the word godliness and meditate on all it implies. Then ask yourself where you are falling short of it. Eliminate those things that are not “adding to your faith” and supplement those key things Peter listed that will “have your life on a firm footing” (2 Pet. 1:10)!
True godliness does not turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors to mend it. —William Penn
ACTION STEPS
Meditate on the following and journal what you believe the Bible is saying about you as a person:
God created human beings in His own image—reflecting His own nature. He blessed them saying:
“Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!” (See Genesis 1:26-28.)
Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.
- Are you sabotaging your own success by the thoughts you think? Are you allowing those thoughts to interfere with how God wants you to view yourself? Are you giving someone else permission to lay things on you that aren’t yours to carry and don’t further you toward your destiny?
- Are your past failures holding dominion over your future? Are relationships distracting you, or worse, suppressing your God-like nature for greatness, significance, and love?
- In what areas are you living “a godless, indulgent life” and how can you —starting right now—begin living a more “God-filled, God-honoring life?
- What undermining habits do you want God to help you to give up? List them and commit them to prayer. From this day onward, expect God to empower you to live a godly life pleasing to Him.
Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want (1 Peter 4:1-2).
The way to be truly happy is to be truly human, and the way to be truly human is to be truly godly. —J. J. Packer
SOUL FAST Day Two: Awareness
AWARENESS
God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are
(Romans 8:15)
Today of your journey to a more authentic life, begins with a focus on awareness. This is one of 40 characteristics that define a person who is living authentically—for how can you be truly yourself if you’re not aware of who you truly are?
For now, I want you to simply focus on being more self-aware. Without cultivating self-awareness, nothing else you do will move you toward living more authentically. It is the first step you must take in making the adjustments necessary to correct the course of your life.
If you are to grow as a person, you must be aware of what your thoughts are telling you about whom you are now and who you are capable of becoming. You must have an objective understanding of your own mindsets, habits, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses.
We shall not cease from exploration—and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. —T. S. Eliot
ACTION STEPS
Describe what you believe are some outstanding characteristics about yourself?
How have you capitalized on those and harnessed the inherent power of you?
What more can you do to maximize your unique set of gifts and minimize your own peculiar shortcomings?
Take a look at the 24 questions below. Take some time to look them over at the beginning of this 40-day journey. You don’t have to answer them all right now; return to reflect on them occasionally throughout the Soul Fast process. Insights will come to you along the way. When these questions keep you awake at night and make you listless during the day, set aside time to pray and journal your thoughts until you find the answers.
Listen carefully to what you hear God’s Spirit saying—that still, small voice—and write down what you hear.
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP).
24 QUESTIONS
1. Who am I outside of the roles I play?
2. What are my long-term goals?
3. What should I be doing with my life right now?
4. What are my strengths?
5. What are my weaknesses?
6. What direction will my life go if I continue doing what I’m doing?
7. How can I be sure I am in the right place, doing the right thing?
8. What is my purpose?
9. Who should I be partnering with?
10. What resources are available for me to accomplish my goals?
11. Do I like the person I’ve become?
12. What do I really want to achieve in this lifetime?
13. What brings me my greatest joy?
14. What am I really passionate about?
15. What frustrates me most or makes me sad?
16. If I could do something other than what I am doing now, what would that be?
17. If I could live somewhere else, where would that be?
18. Do these things that I do and am involved with make me feel good and happy?
19. Are my relationships mutually beneficial and symbiotic?
20. Is there room for improvement in my relationships?
21. What have I accomplished so far with my life? Is it enough?
22. If I could do one thing different, what would it be?
23. After my death, will future generations know that I lived?
24. How do I want people to remember me?
🆙 It’s Only Up From Here
Old things are passed away, behold ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW! That said, let us lay down weights of the past (mindsets, offenses, ways, etc.), and let’s position ourselves to ELEVATE! Let this year be the beginning of the highest place you’ve walked in since the day of your birthing #Its only UP from here #Excellence is the ONLY way
SOUL FAST Day One: Use Your Words Wisely
HAPPY NEW YEARS DAY LADIES
Today, we will begin our 40 DAY SOUL FAST shared from the book by Dr. Cindy Trimm. Take this journey with us as we walk through the second year of our MINDSET MATTERS CHALLENGE. Grab a journal, comment to this post. Either way, it’s about reclaiming and walking in what belongs to YOU today and forevermore!
Day One
WORDS
By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. —MATTHEW 12:37, KJV
Discipline #1:
USE YOUR WORDS WISELY
Our words are powerful. They have power, presence, and prophetic implications with no time or place limitations. In other words, many things that are happening in our lives can be traced back to the words we have spoken in the past—a kind of self-fulfilled prophecy. We create the future by the words we speak, which is a conduit of the thoughts we think. Whether internal private dialogues or audible expressions of our thoughts, feelings, and intentions articulated by sound, we can build or tear down our lives and the world in which we live. Like a plant wilts or thrives based on what kind of nutrients, water, and sunlight it receives, so do individuals, families, communities, and countries wilt or thrive based on words. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Prov. 18:21). The fruit of your words
becomes the reality of your life. When you change your words, you change your reality.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Do you remember certain teachers you had in school who caused you to either wilt or thrive because of what they said?
Have you ever said or thought something negative and then observed it come to pass?
How often do you come into agreement with negative words being spoken about people or situations (whether it is in conversation or in the news) instead of listening to God’s heart and perspective?
Who are some people who do an exceptional job of watching their words and speaking words of life?
What is a step you could take toward guarding the words you speak and only releasing words of life?
ACTIVATION EXERCISES
Ask God to give you a mental picture of what happens in the spirit realm when you speak negative words. Then ask Him to give you a mental picture of what happens when you speak positive words.
Ask God to bring to your mind someone who needs encouragement—and then ask Him to help you craft it. Deliver that message however you wish.
Start a fund for the needy. For every negative thought or negative word spoken by you, your family, or close friends and associates, agree to give a dollar to that fund. At the end of every week or month, give it to someone less fortunate or to your favorite charity. Do this for a year.
EMPOWERMENT PRAYER
Say this out loud:
Dear Lord, give me grace to see the fruit of the words that leave my lips. Help me to be mindful of whether I am releasing words of life or death, and empower me by Your Holy Spirit to only release words of life.
I know that without You it would be impossible, so I choose to lean on You, listen, and yield to Your promptings. I choose to align myself with heaven’s perspective and release words of life from Your heart so that Your will can be done on earth as it is in heaven.
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Yes You Can
You are in control of your life. Situations may arise, but the wiring of the LORD within has already equipped you with the necessary tools to OVERCOME. You will overcome!
Three Types
There are three types of people in life: those who look up to you, those who pour into you, and those who take away from you.  The responsibility to identify amongst the three is yours.
How Bad Do You Want It
You can lead a horse to the water but you cannot make him drink. He has to want it bad enough for himself. That’s the lesson. That YOU cannot do it for him! He has to want it bad enough to make it happen for himself. How bad do YOU want it?
In All Things
When we know that God is with us in all things, it’s not difficult to BE STILL AND KNOW that God is in control. This takes setting your spirit and getting into a place of calmness and peace.
Take Up the Wind
Take time to celebrate. The ups and downs. The smiles and frowns. The good and bad. The ins and outs. You owe it to yourself to find peace within. You deserve the promise of expected ends. You are a woman of purpose, power, and integrity. So, let your hair down {on today}, soak up the sun, and fly with the wind. Then, remember ALWAYS to
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
No Apologies Needed
NO MEANS NO, and there is absolutely NO reason why anyone should come against this standard in your life. Whether it's family, friends, or someone you may not know. Your NO is not a word alone; but a STANCE and a STANDARD that COMMANDS honor of YOUR space, honor of YOUR peace, and honor of YOUR BOUNDARIES! Don't be afraid to SAY NO if you believe something or someone is getting to close.
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
No Justification Necessary
Listen, you don't have to justify who you are to anybody. Just be who GOD has called you to be and with integrity.
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Grave Clothes Off
You're not dead so stop putting your grave clothes on. Life is lived best STANDING! Rise UP mighty warrior and FLY!!!
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Bless the Stress
Bless the Stress and MOVE ON
Some people say A LITTLE ANXIETY IS A GOOD THING! It pushes you to study harder, to practice more of the things you do well, or to get more involved in good causes. This could just show you care about the outcome. But the key is “a little.” Let anxiety become the ruler of your life, the king of your domain, the nagging voice that feeds your nightmares, and you’ll find yourself on shaky ground. That kind of stress just makes you a mess. Martin Luther suggested it would be a good idea to simply “pray and let God worry.” He had the right idea. Do pray. Talk things through with God and let him remind you who defines your worth. He does. Not school or work or scholarships or even acts of service. Just God. If you’re walking around with so much stress you can’t function well, then you need to seek out earthly help too. Parents, teachers, friends, and counselors can all make a difference if you let them. Give up the kind of stress that ruins your days, and give in to getting the right kind of help when you need it.
True Image Devotional
SCRIPTURE
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty
hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because
he cares for you; 1 Peter 5:6 – 7
TALK WITH GOD
Lord, I keep thinking I can
just let things go, but I don’t. Please help me to remember I’m not alone. I
have you, and I have others who care about me too. Today, I put all my worries
in your hands. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Respect in View
Hey Ladies,
We grow up with our own experiences and beliefs. The next time you see someone doing something that you may not understand, think about your life's framework and the possibilities of a difference in perspective. Try to appreciate the fact that you can be established in your own points of view. While not allowing your judgment of others to stand in between the two. Then remember ALWAYS to
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Lease Up
Ladies,
When your past tries to creep up from behind tell it to vacate, because it's lease has been given an EXPIRATION DATE!
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Adjust to Your Capacity
Ladies,
Everyone doesn't have the capacity to take all of you. So, learn what they are meant to receive and save the rest for another somebody. For someone who's listening, everyone's not built for your capacity. It's not rejection. It's protection. Understanding this is key.
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Respond To This
It's not about whats said but what you respond to. Rise above the noise. And operate in the EXCELLENCE of spirit in who you are.
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Rise and Rule
Ladies,
It's not your job to withstand it. Your job is to RISE above and RULE. Mountains are moving NOW!!
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Against ALL Odds
You owe it to YOURSELF to LIVE AGAIN! And against ALL odds you will do JUST THAT!!
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Embrace the New
What was sent to break you ONLY paved a way for God to RE-DIRECT your steps to where He would have for you to be. Now, walk in THAT place. In faith, favor, and AUTHORITY. Trouble don't last always. Weeping may endure for a night but JOY is coming. For some its ALREADY here but you need to EMBRACE what GOD is doing. Mountains are moving NOW!
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Healed in Victory
Somebody needs encouragement right now from what you are going through. ARISE and look WITHIN. Victory and HEALING belong to YOU
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Walk it Out
Ladies,
You have TOO MUCH to live for so don't give up! Instead, find YOUR purpose and WALK IN IT!
Remember ALWAYS to
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Point of Power
When life happens you don't give up. Instead, you look at your mistakes and learn from them. Then, use wisdom for the journey ahead. Nobody said life would be without mistakes. We all make them. That's life! But it's what you do with the mistakes you make that determines the outcome; inevitably.
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Stand in Faith
Ladies,
Sometimes in life things happen that we don't understand. During times like these, when we don't know what to do, is when our faith must take the front seat, and our hope become grounded on only what is true. Then, rest assured that there is a way on the other side of through. Now, whether or not you make it there is completely up to you. It's up to your push! It's up to your strive!! It's up to the efforts you put forth in faith that says it will be alright. Build your hope on nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteous. He has it all in control. And He will never fail #You
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Guard the Gates
If someone brings a bone they will carry one too. Word to the wise. Whose got your ear. Guard the gates.
Now, remember ALWAYS to
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Make it a Reality
Knowledge is power and your vision is the key. Why sit on what you can turn into a reality
1) Write the vision and make it plain
2) Learn the field you want to operate in
3) Set goals and deadlines for implementation
4) Gather yourself with people who have succeeded in what you desire to walk in
5) Be open to accountability
6) Celebrate even the small victories
And remember ALWAYS to
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
Rise Above the Noise
Be careful what you entertain. It will pull you into a place you’re not meant to be if you make it your reality
Just Be Free
She's afraid? But of what you may say. Afraid to fail. That she will not fit in. Afraid to lose. While in wait for a win. That her life will soon be short lived. In the night, prayers of might she does mourn.
To this one I declare you LIVE ON! Not to fall. But ascend to the sea. Do not fear. Walk in faith. And believe!! You have ALL. Everything that you need. Just dig deep; look within. And be free!!
~Be Empowered & LIVE~
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