How Easter Makes an Authentic Life Worth Living

Do You Really Want to Live an Authentic Life without Christ?

What does Easter have to do with living an authentic life? Hint: It has nothing to do with jellybeans. Answer: The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only reason I would ever want to live an authentic life.

Authentic means real, genuine, true to reality. We hear a lot these days about people who allegedly discover their authentic selves. And we are then expected to celebrate that discovery. But the truth is that our authentic selves are not to be celebrated as is.

What You Need to Know When Your Life Direction Gets Tough

You Can Choose Your Response to Resistance

When you’re thinking about stepping out in a new life direction, you should get advice. But be careful whom you ask for input.  Not everyone is qualified to give you guidance about stepping out by faith.

I mention the need to get wise and experienced counsel in Episode 10 of  The FaithWalker’s Podcast.

There may be voices in our life that we respect, but if they have never attempted to do what we are contemplating, we should take their input with a grain of salt.

Do You Worship Your Next Paycheck?

When Your Life Calling Requires You to Walk Away from Money

We worship what we fear. If it’s God, that’s a good thing. He should be feared. He’s God. But my own journey to find my calling forced me to ask myself a question that may be helpful for you. Do you worship your next paycheck?

One of the biggest challenges to stepping out in a new life direction is money.  I’m going to unpack some strategies and insights about that challenge in the coming weeks.

Let’s start by thinking about this statement: “I don’t know where my next paycheck is coming from.”

Does it strike fear into your soul? Pity? Or joy at the possibility of amazing opportunity?

Why Knowing Your Strengths Isn’t Enough

Finding Life Direction Requires a Kingdom Awareness

Finding your life direction requires figuring out your strengths. I shared about how I discovered my strengths in this post. But for the Christian seeking to live an authentic life, it will take more than an awareness of strengths to find God’s best for your life.

It will take a Kingdom awareness.

Our strengths reside where our passions and talents unite. So if we devote the bulk of our time to doing things where those two intersect, we will be more productive and more fulfilled.

Why? Because we are doing the kinds of things God wired us to do.

You do not need to be a Christ-follower for this to be true.

But the disciples of Jesus should desire more. Jesus calls us to follow him ahead of career ambitions, the love of money, or even family ties. Our life direction priorities must align with His Kingdom priorities.

The First Step to Find Your Life Direction

Start by Figuring Out Your Strengths

What are you good at? Isn’t that the classic question people ask you when you’re trying to figure out your life direction? It’s not a bad question, but it’s not enough. We need to start by figuring out our strengths.

It took me five years to figure out my strengths. It doesn’t have to take you that long.

I worked it in between running a school, getting my MBA, and engaging a family of five or six–however many kids we had at the time. I didn’t get intentional about it, partly because I didn’t get to it until later in life.

What’s Holding You Back from God’s Best?

Your Life Direction Doesn't Have to Be a Mystery

Yes, but…. Have you ever used that expression when talking to yourself or others about what God might want you to do in life? Have you ever thought you had figured it out, only to conclude that God’s best just isn’t possible for you? You are not alone.

I’ve coached a lot of people through the process of figuring out their best life direction (and it is a process!). I’ve been through it myself and must continually re-engage the process to ensure I stay on course.

God’s Plans Rarely Move in a Straight Line

Why Insisting on the Best Route May Keep You from Your Destination

You’ve probably heard it said that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. And usually that’s true. Except when we’re considering our life story – and God is involved.

Think about it.

God’s redemptive story has unfolded throughout history with a singular purpose, but it has often taken a circuitous route, twisting and turning unexpectedly, even doubling back on itself at times.

Or so it seems to us.

Life Direction: How to Get There from Here

Are You Willing to Make the Commitment to Move?

I had another post planned for today to help equip you to live an authentic life. I love hearing from all of you who let me know the faith challenges you face. I then prayerfully plan posts, podcasts, and other resources (in the works) to help you get clarity and confidence for living the Christian life. But today I wanted to share a few thoughts about how to get there from here.

I’ve recently had a number of conversations with people seeking clarity on life direction, something we all crave.

The Sixth Secret You Need to Know about God’s Will

How Serious Are You about Talking with God?

I came across an intriguing but sad comment by a reader recently. He said that he once asked God for direction, but God didn’t answer. So he had to make his own way, and it hadn’t turned out well. I couldn’t help but wonder if God had not answered or if this reader simply had not listened or not liked what he heard.

In fact, he had made some pretty serious, even criminal mistakes, all of which he blamed on God for not responding to his request for direction.

I know in my own faith walk, when I choose poorly, it is often the result of trusting in my own wisdom instead of waiting for and insisting on an answer from God.

The First Secret You Need to Know about God’s Will

Do You Actually Expect to Hear from God?

If you’re a Christian struggling with a decision right now, you may be asking a lot of questions about what God wants you to do next. But are you actually expecting to get answers or just going through the motions? This post is the first of seven in which I share some secrets I have learned about discerning God’s will for our lives when Scripture does not give us clear direction.

In my book A Story Worth Telling, I share the story of how we decided to move to Atlanta after nearly four decades of living in Northeast Ohio.  I had sensed a pull in the direction of Atlanta for well over a month before I even mentioned it, first to my wife and then to my life coach Dick Savidge (I highly recommend him if you are in need of Christ-centered life-coaching.)

I’m not one to naturally put a lot of confidence in feelings. It’s just not how God has wired me.