Walking Out Our Faith
Last month, I had the blessing of reading Tricia Goyer’s new book, Walk It Out. From the blurb:
When women stop focusing on their own dreams and purposes, and instead focus on God’s dreams and purposes, everything changes.”
Friends, may I just say, add this book to your reading list at once. It is a powerful and personal book that will challenge you (as it did me) to walk out your faith according to biblical principles. It’s been a long time since I felt a book take hold of my heart the way this one did.
It caused me to recall the Sunday when God drew me out of my general market career to write fiction for Him. His call came with a promise, and after He whispered the promise He then whispered what He wanted from me in return. To be sold out to Him. 100% sold out. No turning back sold out.
That was twenty years ago this month, and what an amazing journey it has been, following Him down the path He had/has for me. Of course, His plan was and is much bigger than only my writing. His plan is for my entire life, all corners of it, and I want to be 100% sold out to Him for every step along the way.
I love the way James 2:14–17 says it in The Message:
Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, ‘Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!’ and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?”
Blessings as you walk it out.
~robin
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I’ll be checking out that book for sure, Robin. I remember reading Sun Stand Still after you recommended it on this blog, and that book challenged my prayer life like nothing had before.
Thank you for the reminder to be 100% sold out. I needed that today. My human side gets in the way too often. It reminds me of that old hymn by Theodore Monod (1875) that we still sing in church:
Oh, the bitter pain and sorrow
That a time could ever be,
When I proudly said to Jesus,
“All of self, and none of Thee.”
Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on th’ accursed tree,
And my wistful heart said faintly,
“Some of self, and some of Thee.”
Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Brought me lower while I whispered,
“Less of self, and more of Thee.”
Higher than the highest heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered:
“None of self, and all of Thee.”
Most of the time I feel like I live at verse 3, but every once in a while I have a verse 4 moment. Oh, to live there!
Karen, I don’t recall singing that hymn, and I’m so thankful you shared the words. Powerful reminder!!
This is a beautiful hymn. I don’t remember ever hearing it.
Thanks for sharing.
Robin, I have Tricia’s book on my to buy list. I sure need to walk it out! Thanks for sharing with us. It’s hard to walk in faith sometimes, but God shows us to put one foot in front of the other and just GO on faith!
Thank you for sharing!
Lenora, Tricia really poured her heart and soul and self into this book. I think you’ll love it.
I keep hearing about this book. I need to check it out. Thanks for the post. Robin, on another note, I just finished You’re Gonna Love Me and really enjoyed it. I was able to read it through NetGalley and have already left a review on Goodreads. It is a sweet book and I took away a clear message of overcoming fear and walking in faith and trust. Thanks.
Gloria, I hope you’ll love Tricia’s book too. And thanks for reading and reviewing You’re Gonna Love Me. I so appreciate it.