Gaining Clarity and Vision on Where You are Headed in Life
As summer days are now upon us, I love the late evenings at the pool. I hope you get to relax and enjoy those you love and that you bask in the love of the Father’s waves. Summer is a time for all of us to reflect on where we’ve been and to discover where we are going.
With each step in our journey, others are following us—it could be happening if you have grandchildren (see above photo of my amazing grandchildren, David and Brielle), or earthly children, and as we gather spiritual children. The steps we have taken with Jesus create a path for others around us to follow!
For me, summer is a time of playing pool tag with the family, heading over to the coast to escape Redding summer heat, and asking God some important questions, like:
How can I support the justice call on my life to end sex-trafficking and abortion and what I am I called to do now?
What are the main elements in the children’s book I am writing about identity to help children who are bullied and don’t know they are loved by God and how can I create that with my art?
How can I help more people like YOU fulfill your dreams and awaken God’s creative potential within you?
Clarity and Defining Our Direction in Life
Let's talk now about clarifying what's next in your life...
Proverbs 29:18 says that without a vision, the people perish. Habakkuk 2:2,3 tells us to write down the plans to make them plain. This means we have to assess where we are to build, with whom we are to partner, and then devise a plan.
In the book of Nehemiah, we find out how Nehemiah grew in God’s Creative Plan for his life and how he helped the community work together under his direction to rebuild the broken defenses in Jerusalem. Let’s review Nehemiah’s plans and how they brought success:
Step 1: Prayer and Preparation
Before taking action, Nehemiah spent time fasting and praying. He mourned over the broken state of his people and confessed their sins before God. (Nehemiah 1)
Step 2: Assessment and Inspection
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Nehemiah did not immediately announce his plans. In the dead of night, he secretly rode out to inspect the exact damage of the walls and gates to understand the magnitude of the project. (Nehemiah 2)
Step 3: Mobilizing and Casting Vision
Nehemiah shared the burden with the Jewish leaders, priests, and people. He recounted God’s favor and encouraged them to rise up and build, which motivated the community to unite in the work. (Nehemiah 2:17-18)
Step 4: Creative Strategic Organization and Delegation
Rather than assigning a few experts, Nehemiah organized the entire community. He assigned different gates and sections of the wall to various families, clans, and trades—many of whom repaired the sections directly in front of their own homes. (Nehemiah 3:1-32)
Step 5: Overcoming Opposition & Maintaining Vigilance Through Creative Solutions
When local enemies (like Sanballat and Tobiah) mocked and threatened to attack, Nehemiah armed the workers. He combined unwavering faith in God with practical security measures, splitting the people into builders and guards. (Nehemiah 4:1-23)
Step 6: Completion and Celebration
Despite plots, intimidation, and internal exhaustion, the wall was miraculously completed in just 52 days. The project culminated in a joyous dedication ceremony to thank God for the physical and spiritual restoration of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 6:15-16, Nehemiah 12:27-43)
What are the parallels that we see today?
Need for Brokenness and Restoration
I believe so many believers are facing a break down in faith because of the enemy’s plan to ravage the body and for Christians to turn on other Christians. There are issues of purity, judging, harboring bitterness, believers not attending churches, and many Christians feeling overwhelmed by how to move forward. I wonder how this has impacted you, friends and those you love.
Nehemiah felt the same thing—but he decided to weep and seek the Lord. If we see a problem, but do not put prayer and our feet to ask for creative strategies, then we can partner with a powerless, victim mindset, which Jesus never demonstrates with us.
Vision for Our Part
What I liked about Nehemiah is he went IN to the front lines and he confronted the territorial spirits over God’s people and what he saw did not stop him from moving forward, but it created synergy for him to SHARE his vision and then he shared testimonies about God’s faithfulness in the past.
God Wants to Give Us Creative Solutions and Plans as a Family
Even though the enemy tried to stop Nehemiah, he remained steadfast and he received creative downloads in putting together a creative system that included families learning to fight for Jerusalem—even though they had believed they were powerless and ineffectual in creating change. And in only 52 days—52 days the walls around Jerusalem were rebuilt.
God has a plan for your life—and like Nehemiah, I am asking you to see God’s faithfulness not your limitations in gaining the victory for you and others.
Receiving a Vision for Your Life
What creative dream has God put in your heart?
What is one thing you feel called to create, build, write, start, or develop?
What obstacles (like what happened to the people in Jerusalem before Nehemiah came) make it difficult to see clearly?
Do you have a community around you that will support you and who see and know you for who you are?
Remember to relax and let God’s love splash all over you!
-Theresa
