Daily Readings By Wild At Heart podcast

#Religion #Christianity #John Eldredge #New Books #Wild At Heart

35:24

Let’s talk about adulting— actual adulting. Not just paying bills or keeping a houseplant alive, but the kind that involves emotional maturity, healthy boundaries, and conscious self-leadership. Because let’s be honest, most of us weren’t taught how to be fully functioning adults… and it shows. Joining us is Michelle Chalfant , licensed therapist turned holistic life coach, creator of The Adult Chair® model, and author of the new book The Adult Chair: Get Unstuck, Claim Your Power, and Transform Your Life . With millions reached through her podcast, coaching programs, and retreats, she’s here to walk us through the five pillars of being a healthy, grounded adult. Here’s the truth: being an adult isn’t about checking boxes or pretending you’re fine. It’s about owning your truth. Feeling your feelings. Practicing compassion without letting yourself off the hook. It’s about setting firm boundaries—with no need for justification—and recognizing that your triggers are not flaws, they’re clues. None of us were handed a guidebook for how to grow up emotionally. We inherited patterns from people who were figuring it out as they went. But what Michelle shares today is empowering: it’s never too late to unlearn what no longer serves you and become the adult you were meant to be. Whether you’re starting this work or knee-deep in your personal development era, this episode will meet you where you are—and help you move forward with clarity, self-trust, and strength. Connect with Michelle: Website: https://theadultchair.com/ Book: https://theadultchair.com/book IG: https://www.instagram.com/themichellechalfant/?hl=en FB: https://www.facebook.com/@TheMichelleChalfant/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/michellechalfant Related Podcast Episodes: How To Build Emotionally Mature Leaders with Dr. Christie Smith | 272 Boundaries vs. Ultimatums with Jan & Jillian Yuhas | 297 Gentleness: Cultivating Compassion for Yourself and Others with Courtney Carver | 282 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Daily Readings are a daily excerpt from books and teachings from John and Stasi Eldredge and Morgan Snyder.

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Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

updated 2 години тому

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Daily Readings are a daily excerpt from books and teachings from John and Stasi Eldredge and Morgan Snyder.

808 епізодів

#Religion #Christianity #John Eldredge #New Books #Wild At Heart

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Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
Perseverance 2:04

2 hours тому2:04

2:04

There’s a passage in the book of Hebrews we don’t like very much. “Although he was a son”—it is speaking about Jesus Christ–“he learned obedience from what he suffered” (5:8). Dang. If Jesus needed to learn through suffering, well, it just doesn’t leave any room for complaining, does it? How are we going to skip this class if he had to take it? Suffering will be a part of our education as God’s children. This is NOT to say that every bad thing that comes your way is God’s discipline. It does not mean that marital crisis is some sort of retribution for past sins. That is bad theology and it has hurt a lot of people. A friend was suffering from a terrible flu; she said, “I sure hope I learn what God has for me in this, so I can get over it.” I didn’t want to be unkind, so I kept my mouth shut. But inside I tho ught, You think God made you sick!? There are others things at work in this world. Germs, for ins tance. We live in a broken world; disease, accident, injury are just part of life east of Eden. This world has foul spirits in it, too; they cause a lot of havoc. The sin of man is also enough to sink any ship. Stir all these together and you got plenty of reason for suffering. So don’t go thinking that every bad things happening is God punishing you. As Dallas Willard re minds us, “What we learn about God from Jesus should prove to us that suffering and ‘bad things’ happening to us are not the Father’s preferred way of dealing with us—sometimes necessary, perhaps, but never what he would, on the whole, prefer. ” Not his prefe rred means—keep that in mind. Want more? Order your copy of Love & War today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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You Have What it Takes 1:31

1 day тому1:31

1:31

I am here to tell you that you can get your heart back. But I need to warn you — if you want your heart back, if you want the wound healed and your strength restored and to find your true name, you’re going to have to fight for it. Notice your reaction to my words. Does not something in you stir a little, a yearning to live? And doesn’t another voice rush in, urging caution, maybe wanting to dismiss me altogether? He’s being melodramatic. What arrogance . Or, maybe some guys could, but not me . Or, I don’t know ... is this really worth it? That’s part of the battle, right there. See? I’m not making this up. First and foremost, we still need to know what we never heard, or heard so badly, from our fathers. We need to know who we are and if we have what it takes. What do we do now with that ultimate question? Where do we go to find an answer? In order to help you find the answer to The Question, let me ask you another: What have you done with your question? Where have you taken it? You see, a man’s core question does not go away. He may try for years to shove it out of his awareness, and just “get on with life.” But it does not go away. It is a hunger so essential to our souls that it will compel us to find a resolution. In truth, it drives everything we do. Want more? Order your copy of Wild at Heart today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Receiving Identity and Validation 2:02

2 дні тому2:02

2:02

The book "Killing Lions" is a conversation between John and Sam Eldredge about the trials young men face. Almost all initiation rituals handed down for centuries involved physical trials for young men. After finishing their training in a secret valley, the young warriors of Kauai had to swim home—miles in the open ocean. Sioux braves spent nights out on a mountain alone. For centuries the Maasai killed lions. Our elders knew that men learn by doing. It is one thing to be told you possess a genuine strength but another thing altogether to discover for yourself that you do. This is why hard work is so important for young men. If your friend could see his work in “hell” not as failure, not as a prison sentence, but as his lion to slay, he could come at it with a whole new perspective. Even if he only sticks it out another six months, he can walk away with blood on his hands and the sense of “I did that. I won. I can handle it.” Our starting place is to ask God what he thinks of us, to allow our Father to speak to us as sons. Then from there we begin to get active in the process of seeking and receiving identity and validation. God always treats a man like a man; he honors our involvement, invites our participation. Get active in the process: Where do you feel weak? Where do you need some shoring up? “Killing lions” is all about finding validation through genuine victories fought out of our true heart, from which we emerge with a genuine strength and sense of self. When you know you have accomplished that, it settles some important questions deep inside and allows you to move into your world with courage. The most fearsome lions will be the ones that roar with the sound of our historic shame, trying to cower us back into the false self, back to the script we were handed not by God but by The World (and ultimately by the evil one). Want more? Order your copy of Killing Lions today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Treasure Chests 3:17

3 дні тому3:17

3:17

Intimate and personal justice will be granted to us as well. You have suffered very specific wrongs over the course of your life; God is fully aware of every one of them. Jesus your King will make sure they are addressed with very specific reparations. Far be it from God to make light of it. “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). He is furious about what you have endured, and he will make it right. I know that so much has been stolen in my life. So many blessings, so many gifts, so much taken from my relationships, opportunities, personal restoration that was diminished or thwarted. You have too, dear ones—so much has been stolen from you. And it will be repaid a hundredfold. This recompense, this restitution must be part of telling every story rightly, or justice will not be fulfilled. And it will be fulfilled: “Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.” (Isaiah 60:5) Imagine—after your enemies are judged and banished, great treasure chests are then brought in and set before you. Huge oak chests; it requires two men or angels to bring each one in, and there are several. Jesus tells you to open them. You ask, “What are these, Lord?” and he replies, These are the gifts I meant for you in your former life but were stolen or prevented from making it to you. I return them now, with interest. Imagine all that fills those chests. You hear laughter coming from one, for so much of what has been lost are memories and joy. I am weeping as I write this. Then you turn to your right and ask, “And what are these chests, Lord?” These are the rewards for your life’s choices, your victories, your perseverance, and service . In addition to your estates, of course, he says with a smile. Those treasure chests are yours, friends; their contents will thrill your heart and redeem so much of what you have endured here. Justice shall be yours, justice personal and particular. Wrongs will be avenged, hurts shall be healed, and all that was stolen from you in this life recompensed far beyond your wildest hopes. You will open those chests, look, and be radiant. Your heart will throb and swell with joy. Want more? Order your copy of All Things New today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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The Heart Is Central 1:26

4 дні тому1:26

1:26

The heart is central. That I would even need to remind you of this only shows how far we have fallen from the life we were meant to live—or how powerful the spell has been. The subject of the heart is addressed in the Bible more than any other topic—more than “works” or “serve,” more than “believe” or “obey,” more than money and even more than worship. Maybe God knows something we’ve forgotten. But of course—all those other things are matters of the heart. Consider but a few passages: Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5) [Jesus called this the greatest of all the commandments—and notice that the heart comes first.] Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:34) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. (Psalms 119:11 NASB) These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (Matthew 15:8) For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) Want more? Order your copy of Waking the Dead today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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It's Not Christianity 1:59

5 днів тому1:59

1:59

We've exchanged that great hymn "Onward, Christian Soldiers" for a subtle but telling substitute, a song that is currently being taught to thousands of children in Sunday school each week, which goes something like this (sung in a very happy, upbeat tune): I may never march in the infantry, ride in the cavalry, shoot the artillery, I may never fly over the enemy but I'm in the Lord's army, yes sir! There is no battle and there is no war and there is no Enemy and your life is not at stake and you are not desperately needed this very hour, but you're in the Lord's army. Yes, sir. Doing what? may I ask. The reason I bring this up is that if you want the real deal, if you want the life and freedom that Jesus offers, then you are going to have to break free of this religious fog in particular. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Gal. 5:1). So here's a bottom-line test to expose the Religious Spirit: If it doesn't bring freedom and it doesn't bring life, it's not Christianity. If it doesn't restore the image of God and rejoice in the heart, it's not Christianity. The ministry of Jesus is summarized by one of those who knew him best when Peter brings the gospel to the Gentiles: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and...he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him" (Acts 10:38). The stream of Spiritual Warfare was essential to Jesus' life and ministry. It follows that it must be essential to ours if we would be his followers. Want more? Order your copy of Waking the Dead today…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Settling 2:26

6 днів тому2:26

2:26

The only fatal error is to pretend that we have found the life we prize. To mistake the water hole for the sea. To settle for the same old thing. Christopher Fry called such a life “the sleep of prisoners.” The most tragic day of all is to prefer slavery to freedom, to prefer death to life. We must not stay in this sleep. The time has come for us to wake, to arise from our slumber. As the Scriptures say, “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead” (Eph. 5:14). And so George MacDonald prayed, When I can no more stir my soul to move, And life is but the ashes of a fire; When I can but remember that my heart Once used to live and love, long and aspire— Oh, be thou then the first, the one thou art; Be thou the calling, before all answering love, And in me wake hope, fear, boundless desire. (George MacDonald, Diary of an Old Soul ) Bringing our heart along in our life’s journey is the most important mission of our lives—and the hardest. It all turns on what we do with our desire. If you will look around, you will see that most people have abandoned the journey. They have lost heart. They are camped in places of resignation or indulgence, or trapped in prisons of despair. I understand; I have frequented all those places before and return to them even still. Life provides any number of reasons and occasions to abandon desire. Certainly, one of the primary reasons is that it creates for us our deepest dilemmas. To desire something and not to have it—is this not the source of nearly all our pain and sorrow? Want more? Order your copy of The Journey of Desire today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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A Wonderful Secret 1:21

7 днів тому1:21

1:21

I am letting you in on a wonderful secret. What happens when God comes and releases us from long-held fears or fears that have long held us? What happens when we surrender fear to God and invite his love to overwhelm it? What is on the other side of fear? Is it faith? Yes, but the form it takes is desire. What comes is a surfacing of desire . Or perhaps a resurfacing of desire. Desires surface that you didn’t even know you had. Freedom rises to embrace your life and live it. I mean really live it. To live unabashedly. Desires rise in your heart for yourself and for others. Desires awaken regarding what you want to offer, do, experience, become . No longer bound by fear, how high can we soar? How deep can we dive? How much delight can we experience? Yes, there will be sorrow too—it’s a part of the deal—but life gets the final word. Life . Life always gets the final word. Every single time. Forever. Want more? Order your copy of Becoming Myself today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
What Jesus Offers 1:02

8 днів тому1:02

1:02

Late into the night, early in the morning, walking down the road, in the middle of his supper, at home, abroad, Jesus offers. His time, his words, his touch, flowing like the wine at Cana. To appreciate the reality of it all, remember, this is not Superman. Remember his loneliness, his weariness, his humanity. This is utterly remarkable—particularly in light of the fact that this is a man on a life-or-death mission. He is lavish with himself. And that's the key, right there—that giving of himself. That is what is so precious. Moses offered leadership, and tirelessly. Solomon handed out the rarest of wisdom free of charge. Pilate seemed willing to toss to the crowds anyone they wanted. But Jesus gives himself . This is, after all, what he came to give, and what we most desperately need. Want more? Order your copy of Beautiful Outlaw today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
I’m Not Here 1:41

9 днів тому1:41

1:41

“Nothing dangerous is happening here.” Incredible. What a self-indictment. Those men have already been taken out because they’ve swallowed the Enemy’s first line of attack: “I’m not here—this is all just you.” You can’t fight a battle you don’t think exists. This is right out of The Screwtape Letters , where Lewis has the old devil instruct his apprentice in this very matter: My dear Wormwood, I wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence. That question, at least for the present phase of the struggle, has been answered for us by the High Command. Our policy, for the moment, is to conceal ourselves. As for those who want to be dangerous (cutting-edge), take a close look at 1 Peter 5:8–9: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” What is the Holy Spirit, through Peter, assuming about your life? That you are under spiritual attack . This is not a passage about nonbelievers; he’s talking about “your brethren.” Peter takes it for granted that every believer is under some sort of unseen assault. And what does he insist you do? Resist the devil. Fight back, take a stand. Want more? Order your copy of Wild at Heart today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
More Than We Are Now 1:44

10 днів тому1:44

1:44

We all—men and women—were created in the image of God. Fearfully and wonderfully made, fashioned as living icons of the bravest, wisest, most stunning Person who ever lived. Those who have ever seen him fell to their knees without even thinking about it, as you find yourself breathless before the Grand Canyon or the Alps or the sea at dawn. That glory was shared with us; we were, in Chesterton’s phrase, “statues of God walking about in a Garden,” endowed with a strength and beauty all our own. All that we ever wished we could be, we were—and more. We were fully alive. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27) When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you have set in place — what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? For you made us only a little lower than God, and you crowned us with glory and honor. (Psalms 8:3–5 NLT) I daresay we’ve heard a bit about original sin, but not nearly enough about original glory, which comes before sin and is deeper to our nature. We were crowned with glory and honor. Why does a woman long to be beautiful? Why does a man hope to be found brave? Because we remember, if only faintly, that we were once more than we are now. The reason you doubt there could be a glory to your life is because that glory has been the object of a long and brutal war. Want more? Order your copy of Waking the Dead today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Repentance in the Moment 0:59

11 днів тому0:59

0:59

Will we do it perfectly? Of course not. Friends, let’s set perfection aside. We are on our way, we are being transformed, but the moment we insist on total perfection we set ourselves up for bitter disappointment. Sin shall not be our master, because we are under grace. Grace. So it might be more helpful for us to talk about what to do when we blow it. Repent quickly. The sooner the better. For one thing, you do not want to lose your intimacy with God. For another, you know the enemy is going jump all over you when you blow it, and you don’t want to get hammered by that for days, weeks, months, years. Also, you are after freedom; the longer you wait to repent, the deeper a hold the sin gets in you. Repent quickly; it looks something like this: First, run to God. "Father, forgive me. I’m sorry. I ask your forgiveness for [fill in the blank – this envy, that comment, the lust, my cowardice] . O forgive me, father." Second, renounce it. If you intend to repeat it, your repentance is a fraud. By renouncing it you summon your soul to the posture that you do not intend to repeat it. Furthermore, when you sin, you give way to forces that you do not want running pell-mell around your soul. Sin is what gives the evil one a place in our life: “Do not sin, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26-27). You do not want him taking advantage of your fall. Renounce it quickly. "And Father, I renounce this. I renounce [the envy, comment, lust, cowardice]. I renounce choosing this; I renounce giving it a place in my heart and soul. I renounce every claim I’ve given to the enemy through my sin. I reject this, in Jesus’ name. I banish this from me. I am dead to sin, and alive to God." If you don’t really renounce it, you’re not really breaking with it; which means, you’re allowing for the possibility that you’ll repeat it again. And what kind of repentance is that? If you ignore the enemy’s role in this (many Christians just want to ask forgiveness but not resist the devil) then you are being naive; you are giving him the opportunity to hang around and use this against you – either through further accusation, or, by urging you to do it again. Did Satan take advantage of Adam and Eve’s sin? You bet he did. Don’t let him take advantage of yours. Third, cleansing and renewal. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) and “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). "Father, cleanse me with the blood of Jesus; wash me right here, from all of this. I plead the blood of Christ over this sin. Wash me clean; renew me. O father, sanctify me through and through right here, in this. I ask you for your holiness here, in this." It took me longer to explain it and longer for your to read it than it actually takes in practice. Really – you can jump straight to this in your car, in the elevator, as soon as you step out of the meeting (or why wait; do this silently in your heart in the meeting). If you will practice this – instead of, say, just going to self-loathing for several hours, or giving way to resignation – you are going to love the freedom it brings. Absolutely love it. Friends, holiness is ours, if we will ask for it, seek it, pursue it. “For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again” (Proverbs 24:16). Want more? Order your copy of Free to Live today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Every Precious Moment 3:08

12 днів тому3:08

3:08

I remember a conversation I had as a therapist with a young mother. She came to see me not because of some crisis, but in tears nevertheless over the passage of her children’s childhood right before her eyes. “These are such precious, precious days,” she wept, “and they are passing so quickly I can’t hang onto them. I can hardly bear it; I’m grieving during days that ought to be joyful.” Few of us remember the taste of our first ice cream (what flavor was it?), the first book we read ourselves, our first kiss. We can barely recall that vacation we planned for so many years; it was over in mere weeks. I name this loss because it is loss—tragic, sweeping, and expansive. Your entire life, every dear moment, is currently being swept downstream from you even as you read this sentence. It does such harm to the soul and our life with God. All good things come to an end. I hate that phrase, hate it like the sound of sirens, the sound of dirt falling on a casket. Lest we despair, God has given us “a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT) and to be quite specific, it includes the restoration of every precious day of our lives. Heaven is not a memory wipe. It is the time and capacity to truly relish the story of our lives, to see the hand of God in it all (how many times angels rescued you), to be vindicated, and even rewarded. “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:37–40). Notice that this promise cannot be fulfilled unless our stories are known, down to the smallest details. Your story matters. Your story will not be lost. But I wrote more fully about that in a book entitled All Things New , so I will only mention it here. All good things do not come to an end. Not even close. In the meantime, God in his mercy has given us a grace for this recurrent, incessant, unavoidable, daily experience of loss, and that gift is memory. Through which— if we make use of it—we can go back and drink more deeply, savor, take in the full gift of wonderful moments great and small (for the full gift can never be taken in during the moment). Want more? Order your copy of Get Your Life Back today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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A Subtle Erosion 1:07

13 днів тому1:07

1:07

There are few things more crucial to us than our own lives. And there are few things we are less clear about. This journey we are taking is hardly down the yellow brick road. Then again, that's not a bad analogy at all. We may set out in the light, with hope and joy, but eventually, our path always seems to lead us through dark woods, shrouded with a low-lying mist. Where is this abundant life that Christ supposedly promised? Where is God when we need him most? What is to become of us? The cumulative effect of days upon years that we do not really understand is a subtle erosion . We come to doubt our place, we come to question God's intentions toward us, and we lose track of the most important things in life. We're not fully convinced that God's offer to us is life. We have forgotten that the heart is central. And we had no idea that we were born into a world at war. Want more? Order your copy of Waking the Dead today…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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The Zap View of Prayer 1:28

14 днів тому1:28

1:28

Christians have been told over and over that God is almighty. And indeed he is—the God of four hundred billion billion suns. We have been told he is also sovereign. And indeed he is. Perhaps out of respect, we have adopted the notion that if he is going to act, he is going to act quickly. Bam. Zap. (If we are honest, I think we adopted that perspective because it also relieves us of strenuous prayer.) But is this what we see in so many of these biblical accounts? Clearly, God does not just zap Peter out of prison. The church has to pray “strenuously” for him; the event goes on into the night. He does not zap the promised rain either—Elijah had to climb to the top of the mountain, and there he prayed eight rounds of intervening prayer. God did send the angel to Daniel the first day he prayed—but it took three weeks for him to break through. God didn’t just zap Joseph, Mary, and the child Jesus down into safety in Egypt—an angel had to come to them as well; they had to flee in the night. Are you getting the picture? Prayer is not just asking God to do something and waiting for him to zap it. Intervening prayer often takes time. And it takes repetition , repeatedly intervening and invoking. (Eight rounds for Elijah). Want more? Order your copy of Moving Mountains today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Matter of the Heart 2:08

15 днів тому2:08

2:08

Let’s come back to something very basic to our pursuit of God and the transformation he is always after in our lives—everything we do has a reason behind it, a motive. Within the Christian community we tend to focus on behavior, and that is right and that is wrong. Of course what we do matters. It matters how you treat people. It matters whether you lie or steal or commit adultery. Our actions have enormous consequences to them. However, according to Jesus, holiness is a matter of the heart. This is the gist of his famous Sermon on the Mount. Jesus asks, “Why do you pray—to be seen as holy? Why do you give—to be seen as generous? Why do you fast—to impress others?” “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do. ... “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. ... “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:1–2, 5, 16–18) Jesus is moving the whole question of genuine goodness from the external to the internal. He is taking us back to motive. If we will follow him in this, it will open up fields of goodness for us. Want more? Order your copy of Walking with God today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Battle of the Flesh 1:14

16 днів тому1:14

1:14

There is a civil war waged between the new heart and the old nature. Romans 7–8 describes it quite well. Part of me doesn’t want to love my neighbor—not when his son just backed his car into my Jeep and smashed it up. I want to take the little brat to court. Part of me knows that prayer is essential; another part of me would rather turn on the TV and check out. And that whole bit about long-suffering—no way. Part of me wants to just get drunk. And that is the part I must crucify daily, give no ground to, make no alliance with. It’s not the true me (Romans 7:22). It’s my battle with the flesh. We all know that battle well. But that is not what I’m wanting to explore here. No, there’s something else we are describing when we say, “Well, part of me wants to and part of me doesn’t.” It’s more than a figure of speech. We might not know it, but something really significant is being revealed in those remarks. There are these places that we cannot seem to get beyond. Everything is going along just fine, and then—boom. Something suddenly brings you to tears or makes you furious, depressed, or anxious, and you cannot say why. I’ll tell you why. We are not wholehearted. Want more? Order your copy of Waking the Dead today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Eden Glory 7:32

17 днів тому7:32

7:32

When you think of what Desolation looks like, picture a barren desert. Desolation wants to make everything a wasteland. So what is the opposite of a wasteland? Eden! The paradise of God, our first home, with all its lush, glorious beauty overflowing here, there, everywhere! If you follow the flow of Scripture and human history, you can see that our enemy wants to make everything a wasteland, and God wants to make everything a restored Eden. When it comes to the resilience we need against Desolation, part of our Father’s provision is his Eden Glory—the glory of God in you and around you, giving you supernatural resilience and guarding you like a shield. What do I mean by Eden Glory? In the book of Romans, Paul is trying to help us under- stand the availability of the power of God for us, in us. He turned to the resurrection and said, “Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). It was by the glory of God that Jesus was raised from the dead. The glory of God—the regenerative, resurrecting Eden Glory of God. Isaiah reminds us that “the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3). Think of the sun, how absolutely wonderful the sun is! Its radiance, beauty, and cheerfulness, and how much life it gives! It is pulsating with the glory-power of God. Think of the oceans and the forests of the world, how vast they are, how filled with life. The whole world is filled with the glory of God. It is the life-giving, life-sustaining, generative power of God. So, for our purposes here, when you think of the glory of God, think of the sun, the ocean, water turned into wine, Christ raised from the dead. Think of Eden. Now for something truly breathtaking: you are meant to be filled with the glory of God. Think back to the tabernacle and temple—in the Old Testament, the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, then the temple. The manifest presence of God came and dwelt there, filled with radiance, beauty, and regenerative power. And where is the temple now? You are the temple. The New Testament makes that clear. This is why Paul wrote, But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NASB) The transformation of your character and the regeneration of your humanity is taking place in you because of the glory of God in you! (How else could it take place?) The New International Version adds, “with ever-increasing glory.” Oh friends, please listen closely: We need the Eden Glory of God—the regenerative, life-giving, life-sustaining glory of God—in great measure right now. We need a greater measure of the manifest presence of Jesus in us. And we are meant to be filled with it. The glory of God is meant to fill our hearts and souls. We can ask for this supernatural grace, so by all means let’s do! Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I receive your Glory into my being. I receive the Glory that fills the oceans, the Glory that sustains the sun. I receive the Glory that raised Christ from the dead! I pray that your Eden Glory would fill my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I am your temple, Lord; come and fill your temple with your Glory! I also pray that your Eden Glory would shield me against all forms of Desolation coming over my life. I renounce every agreement I might have made with Desolation, every agreement large and small. I choose you, God. I renounce the Falling Away, and I choose you. Regardless of how I feel, I choose you, Lord. You are my God and Savior. I pray that your Eden Glory would fill my life—restoring me, renewing me, granting me supernatural endurance and resilience. I also invoke your Eden Glory over my life as a shield, over my household and domain. I invoke your glory, love, and kingdom as my constant strength and shield. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, ruler of heaven and earth. Thank you, Lord! This prayer has become so important to me I find myself invoking the phrase “Your glory, your love, your kingdom” all throughout my day. Want more? Order your copy of Resilient today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
Behind Enemy Lines 2:47

18 днів тому2:47

2:47

For some reason we keep forgetting that Jesus, in the Gospels, is operating in enemy territory. We project into the Gospel stories a pastoral backdrop, the quaint charm of a Middle Eastern travel brochure—picturesque villages, bustling markets, smiling children—and Jesus wandering through it all like a son come home from college. We forget the context of his life and mission. His story begins with genocide —the massacre of the innocents, Herod's attempt to murder Jesus by ordering the systematic execution of all young boys around Bethlehem. I've never seen this included in any crèche scene, ever. Who could bear it? You must picture ethnic cleansing as the twentieth century saw in Bosnia, Rwanda, Burma. Atrocity, the ground soaked with the blood of children who five minutes earlier were laughing and playing. God the Father, knowing this is about to strike, sends an angel to warn Joseph: An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. (Matthew 2:13–15) The little family flees the country under cover of darkness, like fugitives. The Father's strategy is intriguing—surely God could have simply taken Herod out. Or sent angels to surround the holy family. Why must they run for their lives? It ought to make you think twice about how God goes about his plans in this world. Surely you see that Jesus was a hunted man? We cannot understand his actions, nor taste the richness of his personality until we set them within context—the man is operating deep behind enemy lines. This colors his extraordinary movements across the pages of the Gospels and helps to strip away that benevolent religious fog that continues to creep into our reading. It also gives depth and poignancy to moments of self-disclosure such as, "The Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matthew 8:20). Because he was hunted. Want more? Order your copy of Beautiful Outlaw today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
Missing the Most Important Thing 1:30

19 днів тому1:30

1:30

We take folks through a discipleship program whereby they master any number of Christian precepts and miss the most important thing of all, the very thing for which we were created: intimacy with God. There are, after all, those troubling words Jesus spoke to those who were doing all the “right” things: “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you’” (Matthew 7:23). Knowing God. That’s the point. You might recall the old proverb: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” The same holds true here. Teach a man a rule and you help him solve a problem; teach a man to walk with God and you help him solve the rest of his life. Truth be told, you couldn’t master enough principles to see yourself safely through this Story. There are too many surprises, ambiguities, exceptions to the rule. Things are hard at work—is it time to make a move? What has God called you to do with your life? Things are hard at home—is this just a phase your son is going through, or should you be more concerned? You can’t seem to shake this depression—is it medical or something darker? What does the future hold for you—and how should you respond? Only by walking with God can we hope to find the path that leads to life. That is what it means to be a disciple. After all—aren’t we “followers of Christ”? Then by all means, let’s actually follow him. Not ideas about him. Not just his principles. Him. Want more? Order your copy of Waking the Dead today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
Answer His Call 2:11

20 днів тому2:11

2:11

Life has a way of wearing on a person. Under the weight of losses, pressures, failures, and endless demands, something in our souls begins to wither. Passions dry up. The zeal of a beginning turns into a despairing end. A stone falls heavily down, crushing our will, and in those very places where Jesus once gave birth to vibrant hope, we yield to the grave. Our hearts retreat with a “no more” as death gets ahold of us. But the cemetery is not where we are meant to live. I had the privilege of visiting Israel a few years ago. It was an incredible experience to go to places I had read of and wondered at for so long. One day, I was awed to be standing outside of Lazarus’s tomb. While there, the pastor leading our little group asked us to inquire of God if there were places within us that we had closed in a grave. I knew the answer for me was yes. I was tired. I was hurting. Betrayal from a friend had left me wanting to shrink back from all people. My passion for life had dimmed. My zeal to tell others of the wonders of Jesus had faded. I realized a part of my heart had become buried. And then I felt His call. Jesus’ call to us is the same as His call to Lazarus as He stood before his grave in John 11: “Come out!” he commanded. “Come alive!” We are not meant to live in a tomb. Our callings are needed in the world; they are not to be buried under the burden of others’ demands or judgments. Pain comes, but it does not get to seal our graves. So I ask you, where is death for you? What song has died on your lips at the critics’ continual shaming of your voice? Jesus commands you loudly and firmly to “come out.” And He says it with tears. He is fierce in His instruction and in His intercession for you. He has life for you. Life. Ask Jesus where the tomb holds you and then answer His call. Want more? Order your copy of Defiant Joy today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
Practice All You Have Learned 2:45

21 день тому2:45

2:45

Dear friends, I hope you see clearly that more of God is our greatest need, our greatest joy, our only rescue. This isn’t optional. He’s the source of the strength and resiliency we need for this hour, the Life that allows us to enjoy everything else in life. So the very simple question is this: What will you do, on a daily and weekly basis, to find God and receive more of him? There are many traditional practices: prayer, fasting, the sacraments. But there are good books on those things. There are also monastic practices like simple work. The summer I lost my dear friend, I built a log rail fence. Long hours of simple, manual labor was exactly what my soul needed. God knew that, brought it to me just in time. He will bring the things you need across your path in the time you need them too. Your soul will let you know when it’s not doing well, when it needs attention, and often what it needs. So let me leave you for now with a piece of advice and a blessing. The advice comes from St. Paul, who lovingly and tenderly offered this to his dear sons and daughters in the faith: Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9 NLT) I love the kindness of this encouragement. Keep putting into practice. It’s not about perfection; it’s not about being amazing. God is nowhere in the pressure to be amazing. He’s waiting in the simple dailies. Just keep putting into practice the things that heal your soul and bring you more of Jesus. Then the God of peace will be with you. You’ll no longer be sipping God from teaspoons; you’ll learn to drink deeply from the tangible, nourishing, life-giving presence of the eternal God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—the fountain of living waters. Which is my blessing: May the Son of God, who is already formed in you, grow in you, so that for you he will become immeasurable, and that in you he will become laughter, exultation, the fullness of joy which no one can take from you. —Isaac of Stella Want more? Order your copy of Get Your Life Bac k today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
Beauty and Affliction 2:31

22 дні тому2:31

2:31

Simone Weil was absolutely right—beauty and affliction are the only two things that can pierce our hearts. Because this is so true, we must have a measure of beauty in our lives proportionate to our affliction. No, more. Much more. Is this not God’s prescription for us? Just take a look around. The sights and sounds, the aromas and sensations—the world is overflowing with beauty. God seems to be rather enamored with it. Gloriously wasteful. Apparently, he feels that there ought to be plenty of it in our lives. I am at a loss to say what I want to say regarding beauty. Somehow, that is as it ought to be. Our experience of beauty transcends our ability to speak about it, for its magic lies beyond the power of words. I want to speak of beauty’s healing power, of how it comforts and soothes, yet also how it stirs us, how it moves and inspires. All that sounds ridiculous. You know your own experiences of beauty. Let me call upon them then. Think of your favorite music, or tapestry, or landscape. “We have had a couple of inspiring sunsets this week.” A dear friend sent this in an e-mail: “It was as if the seams of our atmosphere split for a bit of heaven to plunge into the sea. I stood and applauded ... simultaneously I wanted to kneel and weep.” Yes—that’s it. All I want to do is validate those irreplaceable moments, lift any obstacle you may have to filling your life with greater and greater amounts of beauty. We need not fear indulging here. The experience of beauty is unique to all the other pleasures in this: there is no possessive quality to it. Just because you love the landscape doesn’t mean you have to acquire the real estate. Simply to behold the flower is enough; there is nothing in me that wants to consume it. Beauty is the closest thing we have to fullness without possessing on this side of eternity. It heralds the Great Restoration. Perhaps that is why it is so healing—beauty is pure gift. It helps us in our letting go. Want more? Order your copy of The Journey of Desire today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

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Beauty Is Not A Number 1:16

23 дні тому1:16

1:16

God says our latter glory will exceed our former. To our great loss, in our society we no longer value the wisdom and expertise that comes through living well through many years. Silver hair and wrinkles are earned. I have learned that being beautiful, feeling lovely, and enjoying who we uniquely are has absolutely nothing to do with our weight, our age, or the shape of our bodies. Take that in a moment and try it on for size. Let the possibility of that being true settle into your spirit for a moment before you quickly dismiss the idea. Beauty is not about the hair, the clothes, the marital status, the bank account, or the number on the scale. Being beautiful is a quality of spirit recognized primarily in a woman whose soul is at rest because she believes her God when he calls her lovely. She is no longer striving to reach the world’s unattainable standards of beauty and acceptance but instead is receiving the inheritance that is hers as an image bearer of the living God. She is embracing who God has made her to be. Want more? Order your copy of Becoming Myself today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
Following Him into the Unknown 1:23

24 дні тому1:23

1:23

Either we wake to tackle our “to do” list, get things done, guided by our morals and whatever clarity we may at the moment have (both rather lacking to the need, I might add); or we wake in the midst of a dangerous Story, as God’s intimate ally, following him into the unknown. If you’re not pursuing a dangerous quest with your life, well, then, you don’t need a Guide. If you haven’t found yourself in the midst of a ferocious war, then you won’t need a seasoned Captain. If you’ve settled in your mind to live as though this is a fairly neutral world and you are simply trying to live your life as best you can, then you can probably get by with the Christianity of tips and techniques. Maybe. I’ll give you about a fifty-fifty chance. But if you intend to live in the Story that God is telling, and if you want the life he offers, then you are going to need more than a handful of principles, however noble they may be. There are too many twists and turns in the road ahead, too many ambushes waiting only God knows where, too much at stake. You cannot possibly prepare yourself for every situation. Narrow is the way, said Jesus. How shall we be sure to find it? We need God intimately, and we need him desperately. “You have made known to me the path of life,” David said (Psalms 16:11). Yes—that’s it. In all the ins and outs of this thing we call living, there is one narrow path to life, and we need help finding it. Want more? Order your copy of Waking the Dead today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
Wholehearted 1:42

25 днів тому1:42

1:42

“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death ‘or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:4–5) No more tears. No more pain. No more death. No longer any reason to mourn. At the renewal of all things, our hearts are going to be free from grief. The joy of this will far surpass our physical relief. Think of it—if God would offer today to remove from you just one of your greatest sources of internal pain, what would you ask him to remove? And once it were gone, what would your joy be like? Oh my goodness—I would be a happy maniac, dancing in my underwear like David before the ark, running about the neighborhood like Scrooge on Christmas morning, leaping housetop to housetop like the fiddler on the roof. And if all your brokenness were finally and completely healed, and all your sin removed from you as far as the east is from the west—what will you no longer face? What will you finally be? How about your loved ones—what will they no longer wrestle with? What do they finally get to be? We shall, finally and fully, be wholehearted —a wish so deep in my soul I can hardly speak it. Want more? Order your copy of All Things New today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
The Message of the Arrows 1:45

26 днів тому1:45

1:45

At some point we all face the same decision—what will we do with the Arrows we’ve known? Maybe a better way to say it is, what have they tempted us to do? However they come to us, whether through a loss we experience as abandonment or some deep violation we feel as abuse, their message is always the same: Kill your heart. Divorce it, neglect it, run from it, or indulge it with some anesthetic (our various addictions). Think of how you’ve handled the affliction that has pierced your own heart. How did the Arrows come to you? Where did they land? Are they still there? What have you done as a result? To say we all face a decision when we’re pierced by an Arrow is misleading. It makes the process sound so rational, as though we have the option of coolly assessing the situation and choosing a logical response. Life isn’t like that—the heart cannot be managed in a detached sort of way (certainly not when we are young, when some of the most defining Arrows strike). It feels more like an ambush, and our response is at a gut level. We may never put words to it. Our deepest convictions are formed without conscious effort, but the effect is a shift deep in our soul. Commitments form never to be in that position again, never to know that sort of pain again. The result is an approach to life that we often call our personality. If you’ll listen carefully to your life, you may begin to see how it has been shaped by the unique Arrows you’ve known and the particular convictions you’ve embraced as a result. The Arrows also taint and partially direct even our spiritual life. Want more? Order your copy of The Sacred Romance today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
There is a Way Things Work 1:23

27 днів тому1:23

1:23

Look, let’s go ahead and name the elephant in the room—some prayers work, and some prayers don’t. Why does that surprise and irritate us? Some diets work, but most don’t; no one is really surprised by that. We simply keep looking for the one that will work for us. Some investments produce, others don’t; you look for the program that works for you. Some schools are effective, others fail badly; hopefully you can find the situation that is right for your child. There is a way things work . Can you name anything in life where this isn’t so? And so it is with prayer. We just want it to be simple and easy; we want it to go like this: God is loving and powerful. We need his help. So we ask for help, as best we know how. The rest is up to him. After all—he’s God. He can do anything. The uncomfortable truth i s this: that is a very naïve view o f prayer, on a level with believing that all a marriage needs is love, or that we should base our foreign policy on belief in our fellow man. That simple view of prayer has crushed many a dear soul, because it ignores crucial facts. There is a way things work. Want more? Order your copy of Moving Mountains today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
A Sage Draws Us to God 4:04

28 днів тому4:04

4:04

We live now in a culture of expertise, so completely second nature to us that we don’t give it a second thought. Cutting-edge advances in science and technology—ever sharpening, ever thrusting forward—are now available to anyone with an Internet connection. If our doctor gives us grave news, we naturally get a second and third opinion from specialists. Businesses regularly hire consultants—experts—to help them get the edge over their competitors, and churches have jumped on the bandwagon as well. It’s become one of our shared assumptions, this reach to “find the expert,” and I wonder if it’s part of the reason we do not under- stand or recognize a true sage. In business circles experts are sometimes even called sages. They are worlds apart. A sage differs from an expert the way a lover differs from an engineer. To begin with, expertise quite often has nothing to do with walking with God, may in fact lead us farther from him. For the expertise of the specialist gives us the settled assurance that he has matters under control, and that we will also, as soon as we put our trust in him. That is why we love him. “The reason your church is not growing is because you’re not marketing yourselves properly to your intended customers.” On a human level, that might be true, might produce some results. But wouldn’t it be better to inquire of God why the church is not growing? The psychology of expertise comes indistinguishably close to the psychology of the Tower of Babel. “We have matters under our control now. Expertise has given us power over our destinies.” And we know how God feels about that. Now of course, there is nothing wrong with expertise—per se. I’d be the first one to find the best heart surgeon in the country should my son need heart surgery. And yet, why is it that we seem to have so few sages in our midst, that most of us have witnessed the sage only in stories like those I’ve recounted? Is it that they don’t exist, or might it be that our near-worship of expertise has pushed the sage to the sidelines? And what are we to make of the passage that tells us, “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23 NIV)? Whatever, whenever, wherever we place our hopes and confidence in something other than God, that is sin. Given mankind’s inexplicable reluctance to rely on God, and nearly limitless ability to rely on anything else, can you see how the culture of expertise actually plays right into our godlessness, despite all our protestations to the contrary? The sage, on the other hand, communes with God—an existence entirely different from and utterly superior to the life of the expert. Whatever counsel he offers, he draws you to God, not to self-reliance. Oh, yes, the sage has wisdom, gleaned from years of experience, and that wisdom is one of his great offerings. But he has learned not to lean upon his wisdom, knowing that often God is asking things of us that seem counterintuitive, and thus his wisdom (and expertise) are fully submitted to his God. Humility might be one of the great dividing lines between the expert and the sage, for the sage doesn’t think he is one. “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Prov. 26:12 NIV). Thus we might not know we have a sage at the table, for he will remain silent while the “experts” prattle on and on. The experts impress. The sage draws us to God. He offers a gift of presence, the richness of a soul that has lived long with God. Want more? Order your copy of Fathered by God today.…

Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

1
The Biggest African Lion I’ve Ever Seen 2:13

29 днів тому2:13