Ahh…are you breathing in the stillness today too? I love the week between Christmas and New Year- the shopping & wrapping, the baking & serving, the cleaning & decorating, the hosting & visiting is through and you’re not yet fully back in the full swing of things with the rest of life. (Even those of you who are back to work probably feel a spaciousness this week, that wasn’t there just a few days ago.) So take time to pause in the pause. This is a week I am intentionally unplugging in order to reconnect- with God, with myself, with those I love. I know it sounds like an oxymoron to unplug to reconnect, but sadly, in such a connected-via-tech world, that’s what we have to do to quiet the noise and so we can sit in the stillness. And so today I am inviting you to join me in an exercise that I myself am doing this week. I invite you to sit down with you + God to dream again. In fact, we’re doing it together inside the Redeem Her Time Community and through Dec 31st, you can lock in founder member pricing when you use the link lissafiggins.com/join-founder. Feel free to push pause and go do that while it’s top of mind…and then we’ll dive in to dreaming with God.
Has it been a while since you’ve spent time dreaming? If so, you are not alone. As little girls, no one had to tell me to dream about being a teacher, or a mom or having my own home or going on trips- I did that all the time with my stuffed animals and dolls. What did you dream about as a little girl? Then somewhere in my school years, a pencil was put in my hand and a piece of paper on my desk and I learned to focus on doing and achieving and following rules. And then it was college and starting a career and getting married and becoming a mom and raising kids…and it wasn’t until Jan 1st of the year I was turning 40, that I suddenly realized I had forgotten how to dream. Life had become more about putting one foot in front of the other and making it through the day. Who had time to dream anyway? But with 40 approaching quickly, I had a wakeup call that this was not the life He intended for me. Not that there was anything wrong with being a stay at home mom, but I felt Him nudge me and remind me that He had given me gifts and abilities and passions to use for His kingdom purposes, whether that was within my home, my church, my neighborhood or a bigger world- and I wasn’t. It was at that time in my life that I starting asking God what He wanted for my life…and then once I had that dream, that vision, staring to live it out. Now, as this episode comes out, I am staring at 50, just a few months away and amazed at how fast the last decade has passed. And i feel that stirring in my yet again to redeem my time for what He has given me to do …for such a time as as this. You don’t have to have any special milestone moment, like a decade birthday or even a new year for that matter, you can start dreaming with God any day of the year…it’s always the best day to start…TODAY. I’m giving you permission- permission to pause- to slow life down long enough to just be. Permission to ponder- to ask good questions that lead to answers and action. Today is the perfect day. There’s something about cozy blankets, shorter days and longer nights and the lights that are still twinkling on the tree. So grab your journal and let’s lean in…and do this together.
Actually, let me pause for a minute before we get into this simple process to address a key question: Why is it so hard for women to dream? Why don’t we naturally do this? As I sat and pondered this, I found 4 obstacles that I think often get in the way…
1. We don’t stop long enough to ask. If you were with us on Episode 93 when we talked about the B**** word, you know what I mean. We live in a state of chronic busyness and nothing is going to change unless we do. So listening to this podcast is taking a step in that direction…and so is going through this exercise with God- He would love to have a conversation with you.
2. When we do ask, we don’t know what we desire. I don’t know about you, but for a lot of years, I thought it was selfish to have wants and so I always deferred to someone else- whatever you want or you choose. I’m here to tell you I’ve learned it’s ok to have desires and when they are God-honoring, they are actually selfless and are there for a purpose to grow us and bless others.
3. When we do know what we desire, we don’t know how to start. My friend, how many times have you felt that Holy Spirit nudge and yet fear of the unknown or comparison of those who are further or perfectionism of having it all figured out kept you from talking the first step? The first step is always the hardest, but in partnership with God, He will make the way clear.
4. When you do finally start, we don’t know how to see it till completion. So often we look back at the times we’ve started and stopped, the times we’ve stepped out and slipped up, the times we began strong and never saw the finish line. Don’t let your past results, or lack thereof, dictate what you can do moving forward.
Girl, I want you to know that wherever you are in this journey, I’ve got you every step of the way cuz I’ve been there too…and even better, He’s got you. So let’s lock arms, stop only dreaming while you sleep and then sleep-walking through your day… and start dreaming with your eyes (and heart) wide open. Today we’ll work on step 1 and 2- pausing and pondering, putting our attention on the 8 important areas of our life by slowing down and asking good questions. Then in the next few episodes we’ll work on step 3- how to start by creating your affirmations and intentions and step 4- how to see it to completion…implementation. Are you ready for it?
There are 2 ways you may choose to use this episode- 1 way is to do this exercise all the way through in one sitting. Maybe the kids or grandkids are all occupied playing with their new toys or enjoying a movie marathon or maybe your house is now empty, so you can have extended time to yourself. If so, with pushing pause to do the work for each area of attention you’ll want to carve out about 30-40 min. Or you can do this in pieces, taking 1 area of your life and giving it 5-7 minutes of attention each day over the next week. Either way, it’s works…and it’s always good to work on you.
And if you are a faith-led woman, be sure to intentionally invite God to be part of the conversation and ask His Spirit to guide and direct you. He is Emmanuel- God with us. As Trevor Hudson writes in Pauses for Advent, And in that promise of “I am with you” comes an invitation-”will you be with me?” With is a powerful word that evokes a sense of connection and partnership.” We can choose to live WITH God or WITHOUT Him, so if you’re choosing the former, which I hope you do, as you approach each area of attention, say to God, “I want to do this with you….and then expect God to work with you and through you in everything you do.
He knows you and loves you. He knows all of your days before even one of them came to be. He has given you life and breath and a purpose- one that is to ultimately glorify Him by knowing Him and making Him known. In 2 Peter 3:18 it says, “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, to Him be the glory.” and in John 17:3 Jesus Himself reminds us, “this is eternal life- that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” So before we go any further, take a few minutes to get quiet with Him, to invite Him in, to confess anything that might get in the way and to ask Him to direct your focus.
We’re going to walk through each of the 8 key areas of attention in your life and I want you to keep these 2 big questions in mind for each category- In light of the fact that I am redeemed by Him, Who is God calling me be in this area? And what would faithfully responding to His voice and walking towards that look like? You will then journal about the WHAT- what that God-size dream looks like for that area of your life a year from now (as if it’s already happened) and the WHY- why is that important- how will it grow your faith, yourself, your relationships and your impact this year. Make sense? As a quick summary, for each area, I’ll ask you some questions to get you thinking and then you’ll push pause (I recommend playing a worship song) and write out your WHAT + your WHY with God. And like I said, I’m doing this right along with you my friend.
So let’s start with the foundation of it all as faith-led women…
- FAITH-WALK. A year from now…. How connected do you feel to God? How are you plugged into a faith community to learn, grow and serve? What does regular time in the word and prayer look like? How does your faith guide your life, help resolve conflict and address issues? How often do you reflect on your faith throughout the day? How does forgiveness look towards others as one who has been forgiven? How comfortable are you in sharing your faith with others? I trust those questions have given you some specific things to think on. Push pause. Give yourself about 5 min to journal about your with-God dream for your faith-walk and why it matters…then come back to me for the next area.
- FAMILY. (This could include your spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, inlaws) A year from now… How do you feel about your family connections? What does meaningful time together look like? What kinds of conversations do you have with your family? What time do you set aside undistracted with your family? If you are married, what does your relationship look like? If you are a parent, what does your parenting or grandparenting look like in the stage of life your kids or grandkids are in? If you have aging parents or extended family who need your support, what does that look like? How do you support, encourage and respect your family members…and how do they treat you in those ways? What memories are you creating with your family? I trust those questions have given you some specific things to think on. Push pause. Give yourself about 5 min to journal about your with-God dream for your family relationships and why it matters…then come back to me for the next area.
- FRIENDSHIPS. Since we’re thinking about relationships…A year from now…How do you feel about the friends you spend the most time with? What does your network of friends look like? How do you want love, support and empower them…and how do they do the same for you? How do you challenge one another? How do you communicate with and connect with your friends? Are there friends you want to bring into your inner circle? Are there friends you need to remove? What memories are you creating with your friends? What are you able to say to your friends or a friend? I trust those questions have given you some specific things to think on. Push pause. Give yourself about 5 min to journal about your with-God dream for your friendships and why it matters…then come back to me for the next area.
- SERVICE. (This could include any work you do, whether paid or unpaid in a job, a business, volunteering, full time raising kids or grandkids) How satisfied do you feel about your work or service? How does your work/service meet your financial and personal needs and goals? How do you work/serve in a way that is in alignment with your purpose? What kind of goals do you set for your work? What do healthy boundaries around work time and family/friend/me time look like? How do you use your gifts and abilities in your work? How does your work/sesrvice impact the lives of others? Do you want to stay long term in your work or is there something else you want to do or start building on the side? I trust those questions have given you some specific things to think on. Push pause. Give yourself about 5 min to journal about your with God dream for your work/service and why it matters…then come back to me for the next area.
- FINANCE. A year from now…How do you feel when you look at your bank account or pay your bills? How are you saving for the future and emergencies? What does your debt look like? How does your monthly income look like in relation to your monthly expenses? What do your investments to look like? What does your tithing and giving look like? What guides your financial decisions? How are you stewarding the resources God has given you? I trust those questions have given you some specific things to think on. Push pause. Give yourself about 5 min to journal about your with-God dream for your finances and why it matters…then come back to me for the next area.
- WELLNESS. This includes your physical and mental wellness What does your overall health look like? How close are you to your ideal weight? What describes your mental health? How do you respond emotionally to stress and challenges? How often do you exercise and how does it feel? How active are you outside of exercise? How are you practicing relaxation daily, weekly, monthly, seasonaly? How are you fueling your body with food and drink? How do you feel about yourself when you look in the mirror? I trust those questions have given you some specific things to think on. Push pause. Give yourself about 5 min to journal about your with God dream for your wellness and why it matters…then come back to me for the next area.
- PASSIONS. This includes personal growth, hobbies, adventure, fun… One year from now…how do you rate the enjoyment in your life? What are you enjoying right around you? What new things or experiences are you trying? What hobbies or personal passions pursuing? What are you learning? What bucket list items are you checking off? How enjoyable do others say you are to be around? How do you make time for enjoyment and make sure it does not interfere with your responsibilities? How do you enjoy the gifts God has given you in His creation? I trust those questions have given you some specific things to think on. Push pause. Give yourself about 5 min to journal about your with God dream for your enjoyment and why it matters…then come back to me for the next area.
- DWELLING. (This includes the space in which you live- your home, neighborhood, community) A year from now… How do you feel in your home? What spaces in your home are important and what are you doing to make them feel the way you desire? How do the systems in your home feel (no, not the air conditioning or heating system, but the dishes, the laundry, the cleaning, the paperwork, the storage systems) In what ways do you open up your home to others? How often do you host guests in your home? How do those who live with you or visit feel when they walk in your home? How are you serving those in your neighborhood or community. I trust those questions have given you some specifics to think on. Push pause. Give yourself about 5 min to journal about your with-God dream for your dwelling and why it matters…then come back to me for an important reminder.
Girl, yeah for you! How does that feel to have a with God dream, a clear vision for each area of your life? If you’re me, it’s exciting to not just be stuck on survival or default mode. Keep this somewhere you will visit often. In fact, you’ve probably heard me talk about my lifescript- it’s a recording I made on my phone of my with God-vision for each of these areas of my life so it stays top of mind. Not only does it keep areas from falling in the cracks, it also puts my brain on alert to make it happen. I recorded my current one about a year ago, and am already seeing things that have happened or changed and so this week I will rerecord mine to reflect where I feel God is leading me to be in this next year.
And remember, everything in this life should tie back to where your treasure is….in kingdom purposes.
In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus reminds us, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Where your focus is, there will your heart be also. What is it God has given to you in your life, who is he calling you to be and what is He calling you to do with it? Remember this is not our forever home- we’re just here for a time and so we are stewards of the time, relationships, resources and bodies He has given us. So as you dream with Him this week, think about how these areas are an investment in kingdom purposes this year. This first step, attention- stopping long enough to get quiet with Him, is gonna open up dreams that may have been buried for a while by all-the-things in your life that got filled up with busy. And naming what you desire i and what He desires for you in this season is gonna grow your faith exponentially to believe bigger than where you’ve been living. Lean into the process and take as much time as you need in these 8 areas of attention. And next week we’ll lock arms together with him to figure out where to start by creating intentions.
Just in case you were multi-tasking or cleaning up the kitchen from all your hosting, let me quick review those 7 key areas. FAITH-WALK. FAMILY. FRIENDSHIPS. SERVICE. FINANCE. WELLNESS. PASSIONS, DWELLING. Got questions or want help with your areas of attention? I’ll leave my email in the show notes along with a few other places to grab resources to support your journey to living out His purpose for your life
But before we go, may I pray for you?
Dear Father- Thank you so much that you know each woman listening inside and out. You know where she’s been, you know where she is and you know where she’s going. Help her to trust that you have put her here for such a time as this and to steward her time and resources well for kingdom purposes. May your Spirit prompt her as she reflects and dreams in these areas with you about what you have for her and the impact they will make for your kingdom. Help her to not give in to fear or comparison or busyness or lack of focus any longer, but to redeem her time because she is redeemed. Thank you that you know all of her days in the year to come as well as those she has already walked. We rest in the truth that Your ways are always higher than ours and step into this next year with grateful anticipation- gratitude for what you’ve already done and anticipation for what is yet to come. May she know that she is never alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Let’s continue the conversation (and implementation) over in the Redeem Her Time Community- that’s our exclusive community off social where we can encourage, challenge and come alongside one another distraction free around topics like we’ve talked about today. We’re going to focus on 1 area a day for the next 7 days so come join us. And once you’re in, you can access the community online or via an app to make it even easier. Inside the community we have live calls, exclusive content and so many resources to help you make lasting change. And did I mention you can join the last week of December at the special founder member pricing when you use the link in the show notes? It’s the place to be if you want to take the next step to Redeem YOUR time. So let’s meet up over there…just go to lissfiggins.com/join-founder. And of course, I’ll leave that link in the comments
And don’t forget to grab your free guide to Simplify your Focus in 5 min at lissafiggins.com/5
Thanks for joining me for this episode and until next time, remember…
You DO have ALL the time you need to do ALL He has called you to…focus on who + what matters most to Redeem your Time…cuz you are here for Such a Time as This.
