Search Results

On Sunday, my husband and I decided to be spontaneous and go to Pigeon Forge, TN, for a little getaway. We chose not to book a hotel until we got there because Pigeon Forge has so many hotels; it would be better to go and see the hotel before making a decision. Being spontaneous in this way was also one of the things we did before we had children. I looked up several hotels to give us places to begin when we arrived. We decided to first look at a hotel called The Ramsey Hotel and Convention Center. When we arrived, it looked like a luxury hotel; I was thinking, "This is probably gonna be a little out of our price range," but I had found an online price that was reasonable and had determined if we booked it that, I would book the room on my phone while standing in the hotel lobby. We approached the counter and asked if they had availability and the nightly rate; while I was talking with the reservationist, my husband said, "This is the one. Let's stay here." I was not surprised that he chose the hotel because it looked like one of the best hotels in the area. My husband will always gravitate toward what is considered "the best." The reservationist, Richard matched the online price, so we paid for our room and were handed our keys. After taking our bags to the room, we got a bite to eat. When we returned, I was unpacking my bag when I noticed that on the end table, there was a bible lying open with a Book mark on it. I asked my husband if he had opened the Bible, and he said he had not. I leaned in to see that the Bible was opened to Psalm 5-8, with a bookmark on top (see the picture below). I read the bookmark, and I was speechless! The bookmark was a prayer: The Ramsey Hotel was not just a random hotel we had selected; it was a specifically chosen one for us! By God himself. Our arrival at The Ramsey Hotel wasn't just our prayer that had been answered; we were a manifestation of the answered prayer based on the bookmark! We later found out that the hotel has The Ramsey Hotel Church Services on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. and Bible Study on Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. Christian music was playing in every public area, and Christians independently own it. I was so excited about The Ramsey Hotel and Convention Center that my wheels started turning, so I decided to get information about a retreat and conference there. I love hosting retreats and conferences. When we talked with the woman about the meeting spaces, we discovered that the meeting rooms are called "Salons"! What?! My coaching business is called, The Soul SALON! How amazing would that for The Soul Salon to host a retreat or conference, and in the program, the meeting spaces are described as "Salon A, Salon B, etc., "Come on, Lord! Spontaneity isn't always spontaneous; sometimes, it's God's way of revealing His plan to us. He gives us the desires of our hearts when it's in alignment with His. Don't forget to share this blog with others!

A few weeks ago, a friend asked me if I was interested in getting a P.H.D. I told her not if I had to pay to get it, but I should have said, "I already have one." I have a P.H.D. in overcoming obstacles. I have overcome the obstacles of being bullied as a child and as an adult, experiencing various forms of abuse, rejection, racism, sexism, health challenges, divorce, marital problems, low self-esteem, anxiety, motherlessness, fatherlessness, loneliness, anger, fear of public speaking, having a learning disability, working in a toxic work environment, financial problems and one of my most recent obstacles was breaking my femur. I fell and was home alone; I had to crawl to the back of my house to get my phone and then crawl back to the front of my house to unlock the door. The pain was excruciating, but I did it! After completing left hip replacement surgery, I worked very hard in physical therapy to attend my son's wedding two weeks later in another state. I know how to overcome obstacles! What I have learned about overcoming obstacles is not buying into the illusion that I will not have any obstacles. Scripture clearly says, “…in this life, you will have trouble.” (John 16:33b). Being upset that an obstacle shows up in our lives only creates more suffering. The obstacle often will create enough suffering on its own. Obstacles generate a crisis. A crisis is a time when your normal is interrupted. The crisis that is produced thru the block can be a crisis of limits where your resources run out, like loss of finances, or a crisis of forced detachments which happens when we are forced to let go, like the death of a loved one, loss of a job, kids going to college, getting married. Every obstacle invites us to transcend and move beyond what limits us. Every obstacle is an invitation. I love how Paul describes his invitation to transcend his limitation in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 in the Message Translation. "Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become." I also love the New Living Translation of 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Paul said that through his suffering and limitation, He discovered that God could give him the power to transcend. It is the obstacle that reveals God's power, and it's through the obstacle that he is empowered to transcend! This is our good news! So when an obstacle appears in our lives, we must not yield to the temptation to believe the lies it brings; it’s an invitation to believe the Truth about the One who empowers us to overcome every obstacle. In every obstacle that God empowers you to overcome, you will see the splendor of your unique communal life call, the virtues of humility and detachment will be cultivated, and you will begin to appreciate your suffering because your obstacle would have transformed you. So the next time you experience an obstacle, don't resist it. Greet it warmly and say, "Well, hello, obstacle; in what ways will God's grace use you to empower me to transcend my limitations today?" Reflection: 1. What are the obstacles in your life that God is inviting you to transcend? 2. What virtues are being cultivated in you through your obstacle(s)? 3. What scriptures combat the lie(s) that the obstacle brings? Don't forget to share this blog with someone and check out our Resources.

What is my purpose? This question seems to be on the minds and hearts of many people. Many people are struggling because they are not clear about their purpose. Purpose is not a career path, a vocation, or a ministry. Those things are ways that your purpose is expressed. Your purpose is the lens you use to observe, interpret, and respond to yourself, others, situations, and what's happening in the world. For example. I am a teacher, an encourager, a leader, an innovator; I have wisdom and keen perception or discernment. Therefore when I find myself meeting with various people or in various situations, I am generally wondering how I can take what I'm learning and share it with someone else or encourage someone to be their best selves; as a leader, I may offer guidance, as an innovator, I might be offering ideas, while sharing some wisdom and what I am discerning or perceiving. I do not work at doing these things; they come "naturally" without effort. All are attributes of God. Your purpose anchors your life in the attributes and communal call of God. This blog is the way my purpose is expressed, but doing a blog is not my purpose. My purpose is to teach, encourage, lead, innovate, offer wisdom, and be discerning. These are how I reflect God's image in the world. It's a few ways that God has formed and is forming me. I love what Proverbs 29:18 says in the Message version: If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. Did you read what that verse said? If you can't see what God is doing, you are going to stumble over yourself. The first principle for clarifying your purpose is that you must see what God is doing. As this relates to your purpose, you must see what God has done and is doing in you, how he forms you into Christ's image and creates you into Christ's image. You are made in His image. He has put gifts, talents, longings, and desires in you to fulfill Ephesians 2:10 in your life: which says that you are God's masterpiece. He has created you to do good things. The second principle for clarifying your purpose is that you will have peace when you see that you are a masterpiece. You will have a sense of stability. Proverbs 29:18 says that you will stumble over yourself if you can't see what God is doing. There is no peace in stumbling because of its instability. Stability brings peace. Peace comes from living out of who you most deeply are. Isaiah 61:3 says that you are an oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, and a display of His splendor. I want to ask you a few questions to help you see how God has created you. What motivates you? What energizes you? What does your heart long for? What have you wanted and never gotten? What kind of people do you enjoy being with? What kinds of people and situations get under your skin and frustrate you? What is the thing that you can do that is effortless that brings you joy? If you could do______________for the rest of your life and get paid for it, what would that be? What is the one thing you could do for the rest of your life, and it wouldn't matter if you got paid? How would you describe the lens you use to filter the world? See (Romans 12:4-8, 1 Cor. 12:4-11) These questions are designed to help you to discover your purpose. What did God reveal to you about yourself? Proverb 29:18 says that when you focus on what God is revealing, you will be blessed! Spend some time focusing on what makes you God's masterpiece! And then GO AND BE a display of His splendor and be blessed and be on purpose! Don't forget to share this with someone. If this blog resonates with you check out the Soul Salon

Have you ever had a time when life is happening, and you are struggling to get your time in with God? Of course, you can pray throughout the day, but there are days when it seems that getting more than five minutes of concentrated time with God is hard. Yes, we can say, "Make time, take the time, make spending time with God a priority, but there are times in your life when that's not even the issue. I want to offer you a resource, 40 Ways to Spend Five Minutes With God. This is an excellent resource, and I am all about being a resource and providing you with resources. We need to prioritize spending time with God, even if it's just five minutes. Five minutes can still bear fruit in your life. Enjoy! Don't forget to share this blog with someone and check out the RESOURCES.

“...you are not the person Satan says you are. You do not have to listen to that condemning voice in your head or those negative feelings in your emotions. Do not trust them. They are his lies. He would like nothing better than to get you to doubt yourself and the God who created you. Satan likes to hang identities on us that are not who we really are at all. For instance, he likes to call us Sinner Disappointment Failure Weakling Doubter Most of us have been all of these things at one time or another. But they do not define us. They are not who we are. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God instead sees us as Righteous Achiever Overcomer Strong Faithful” Quote from: Robby Dawkins, Identity Thief: Exposing Satan's Plan to Steal Your Purpose, Passion and Power In what area of your life is satan trying to steal your identity in Christ? It's not who satan says you are. It's who God says you are! Your identity is in Christ alone. God deeply loves you, and you can overcome satan's lies. You are more than a conqueror! No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 Take some time to read the 100 Identity Truths; which one does God want you to know that needs to bear fruit in your life? Spend some time meditating on it, and may your life reflect the truth of God's Word about you! Don't forget to share this blog with someone and check out our RESOURCES.

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Psalm 95:1 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 Let this song usher you into the presence of God. Speak The Name! Sing along with the Lyrics. This is a song you will want to sing!

In coloring, there are no mistakes, just unique creations. Quote from Cleverpedia When was the last time you colored in a coloring book? I don't do it as often as I would like, but I enjoy coloring, and sometimes, when my grandchildren are coloring, I will color with them. Coloring slows down our minds and taps into our creative side. Being creative is a stress buster! So, go to the Dollar store and buy a coloring book and some crayons, or get you a plain piece of paper or maybe even draw a picture in your journal and then color it! It will help you to bust some stress! Print out the page below and color it! Enjoy! You should also check out this creative way to pray called Praying in Color. Share this blog with anyone who needs to bust some stress! Don't forget to check out our RESOURCES.

So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. Colossians 1:9-10 (NLT) Take a pause to just breathe - set a timer for 10 min. simply breathe Inhale and exhale Notice any tension or pain in your body.. ask the Lord to relax you or to heal that area. Notice your thoughts.... Release all that will distract you by simply saying silently or out loud "Lord, I releaseto you." When the ten min. is up sit silently until you are fully present at this moment. Then........ Read the scripture above 3x out loud or silently. As you enter into the weekend, consider these reflection questions: 1. As you read the scripture, what word or phrase speaks to you in this season of your life? 2. In what area(s) of your life are you seeking the knowledge of his will, spiritual wisdom, and understanding? 3. In what area(s) of your life are you bearing fruit in your attitude and actions? 4. In what area(s) of your life are you struggling to honor and please the Lord? 5. As you have spent time journaling, what is God speaking to you about what is on your heart based on the abovementioned scripture? 6. Write a prayer of response. Share this blog with others. Coming Soon, I will share my insights from the book of Job! Keep Checking back or subscribe today so that you won't miss out!

I am so grateful for the people who are reading my blog posts. Today I am sharing some articles that were sent to me and some that I found while researching this topic to help those following my blog. I pray they are helpful. If you want to send me articles or resources that will be helpful to others, feel free to send them to me @ joycelyn@joycelynlewis.com When Your Pastor Lies To Your Face For Five Yours What Should I Do If I See Moral Failings in My Pastor? How To Recover From Spiritual Abuse Recognizing Warning Signs of Spiritual Abuse in the Church What are Signs of Spiritual Abuse, and How Can We Recognize them in the Church? Six Ways To Heal and Recover from Spiritual Abuse Should a Church or Christian Ministry Cover Up Abuse? Share this blog with others, and don't forget to check out the Resources.

Take a pause and remember that it is finished! Share this with someone who needs to be encouraged today. And Don't forget to check out the Resources.

On July 4, 2023, one of the sweetest women I have ever known passed away unexpectedly. My friend and I decided to drop by her house so that I could offer my condolences to her daughter and grandson, as well as any other family members and friends. At the conclusion of our visit, I was led to pray with those who were present. Later that evening, my friend shared with me that when I finished praying, one of the gentlemen made a comment about me. He said, "She's the real deal." After the prayer, I heard a few remarks, but I didn't focus on them until after my friend told me about them. I am not sharing the comment to give myself any accolade; I am sharing it because it reminded me of what we as believers need to do whenever we are in one another's presence and the presence of spiritual leaders. On the surface, the gentleman's comment may appear to be an accolade, but that's not what it was; it was an assessment. 1 John 4:1 says, "Don't believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit, but we must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God." (NLT); Scripture also says, "Just as we can identify a tree by its fruit, we can identify people by their actions." (Matthew 7:20). The gentleman was right to test my spirit. He was right to check out my fruit and assess whether or not he discerned that I was the "real deal." My friend also told me that those who knew me confirmed I was "the real deal." This is also an excellent lesson; even when we "test" someone's spirit and inspect their fruit, we should not just go on what we assess. We must receive confirmation from others. We can be deceived and allow many things to get in the way of our assessment, whether good or bad. We all have had times when we thought we were discerning something bad about a person and discovered that we were wrong, and we've also had times when we thought we discerned something good about a person and realized we were wrong. We should always talk with trusted friends when discerning people's spirits to ensure that we are discerning accurately. The enemy can try and deceive us into believing that someone good is bad and that someone bad is good, so ask someone to help you discern rightly. This is what is required of the body of Christ. As believers, we should all pray that when we meet people, pray for people, preach, teach God's Word, encourage people, visit the sick, lead others, and witness to others that when we leave those encounters, someone will have assessed our spirits and inspected our fruit and say that we are the "real deal" because our "realness" is a testimony that our God is real! It's all for His Glory and His glory alone! Get Ready! Over the next few weeks, my blog posts will be related to the book of Job! Journey with me. Don't forget to share this blog with others and check out our RESOURCES.

I was having a conversation with a Pastor recently, and I was sharing with him about my recent resignation, and he said, "You know, I'm all churched out." Those words resonated with me because I had been speaking those words in my head twenty-four hours before our conversation, so I've been pondering what these words mean for my soul. I decided to go to Tamela Mann's song, Take Me To the King, because that song has resonated with many believers worldwide. In the song, she says she is "all churched out, hurt, and abused." This is how many of us have felt and feel after experiencing toxic church environments. We've gone to church, attended all of the weekly activities, served in various capacities, and tried to encourage and lift those we come in contact with; we've been committed to our church. We show up with a purpose, "to love God with all of our hearts, with all of our minds, with all of our strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves" (Luke 10:27, Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31). We don't do it perfectly but we try to serve and show up sincerely. Others seem to show up for a different purpose; to control, disempower and devalue our gifts and even sometimes our very personhood. Getting involved in the church seems more like being a part of a game that is being played instead of being about a gospel that needs to be proclaimed and reflected in our actions and our attitudes. So we become "all churched out," ready to tap out of the game called church. We long for some church communities to be about the gospel, evangelizing to unbelievers, offering hope and healing for our pain, and encouraging and inspiring us to be an expression of God's image in the world thru our gifts, calling, and talents. It seems there are hidden agendas, resulting in hurt and abuse instead of edification and encouragement. We become "all churched out." Our heart's are "torn in pieces, we feel far from God, and it seems our prayers are going unanswered. We don't want to show up and be fake or appear to be "going along to get along," so we become desperate for a Word from the King Himself. This is where the chorus fulfills Romans 8:28; All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Being "all churched out" results in us running to the King instead of into the doors of a church. The church (the four-walled church) is a community that is filled with broken people, the spiritually mature and the spiritually immature, and those in positions who show up with their woundedness; the sharp edges of their brokenness sometimes cut us and make us bleed, but even when that happens, we can return to the King to ask Him to heal our wounds, to bind up our broken hearts, to set us free from harmful religiosity, the abuse of power and legalism. We must also ask that He heal the woundedness in others and those we consider our enemies (Matthew 5:43). We need to take our broken hearts before the throne of the King, gaze upon His glory, and reappraise our situation as an act of complete surrender. It is in the throne room that we receive a Word from our King; "..they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as an eagle, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint!" (Isaiah 40:31), Romans 5:3-5 says that our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Therefore we can glory in our sufferings because our suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope! Our hope in our King does not disappoint us because Christ died for us at the right time when we were powerless! He saved us! And He can save us from the games being played, the hidden agendas, the hurt, and the abuse of power in the four-walled church! Ephesians 5:27 says Christ loves the church (the people of God) so much that "he will present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any blemish, but holy and blameless." One day, the church (the people of God) will be pain-free because the people will be saved completely from the power of sin! Until that happens, we need to allow God to work in our hearts so that we can bear the fruit that will produce a radiant church. We need to stay in the King's presence where He can heal the hurt and the abuse; then, we will no longer feel "all churched out,"; we will be able to continue to be the church while we are attending a church. Pause and listen to Tamela Mann sing Take Me To The King. Don't forget to check out our Resources Please share this blog and website with others.