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Finding a New Normal – Darlene Lund
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My eyes are continually toward the LORD, For He will pluck my feet out of the net… Psalms 25:15

During my mom’s final days of life I struggled in spending focused time with reading and retaining what I read, even with a few verses. That is so not me—one warning sign I was stretched thin. But what I love is how God knows what we need when we need it, if we are looking for His hand to provide.

One day as I walked into my mom’s room, my oldest sister, Deb, greeted me. After our catch-up on Mom’s status, Deb said, “You need to read this.” She handed me a devotional book with a dog-eared page.

I started to read and my brain wouldn’t wrap around the words. I knew my sister had something precious she wanted me to grasp. I asked her, “Would you read it to me please?” It was so sweet and special as I finally could receive the words. My brain soaked them in and, better yet, the verse permeated my heart. The Spirit of God has made me and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

We sat near our mother, knowing God would soon take her home. I know my mom heard my sister read truth to me that day and I am guessing she was smiling inside as Deb read to me the way she used to way back as little girls. That moment is etched in my mind as a special token of God’s love, showing up during a time of deep sadness. My job was to anticipate His provision as I kept my eyes on Him.

Twice in the last few days I’ve heard the phrase, “finding the new normal.” When life and death clash, the ripple effect is far reaching. When life throws a curve ball we can get stuck or can’t focus clearly. Looking to God to settle the heart’s needs and anticipating His work is crucial in finding proper footing, My eyes are continually toward the LORD, For He will pluck my feet out of the net. I have to keep my eyes focused on what is eternal, not what is temporal.

What can you do to keep your eyes focused on truth, especially when you are in pain or finding a new normal in life? Start by looking upward.

Darlene Lund is a Life Purpose Coach® for women and a Grief Coach. She is a Ministry Consultant and a Lifetime-Instructor of Coaches for Life Purpose Coaching Centers International® (LPCCI®,) She facilitates two-day Life Plans for women as well as a one day grief facilitation. In the fall of 2011 Darlene will be releasing a facilitation for women “Submersed in the Secret Sorrow of Infertility.” She targets the heart of women in her coaching, teaching-speaking, and writing.” Part of her story is published in Live Big, by Dr. Katie Brazelton. She sends out a monthly online newsletter geared for women. Sign up at www.Heartswithapurpose.com or contact Darlene@Heartswithapurpose.com

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A Heartfelt Lesson – Darlene Lund
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…men’s hearts failing them for fear … Luke 21:26

I lost my father and youngest brother from heart attacks and watched my other brother go through a triple bypass. I knew I needed to see a cardiologist. After running the gamut of cardiac tests including an MRI of the heart, wearing a heart holter for thirty days, electrocardiogram, and a heart catheterization, they all showed that my plumbing looked good, but the electrical side of the heart wasn’t beating in sync.

I didn’t have peace with my doctor’s two recommendations. I needed time to get my life in balance and intentionally invite more peace. Fear had been knocking me down and was showing its effect all over my heart chambers. It had robbed me of joy, peace, purpose, focus, and forward living — as well as spraying stress all over me.

When I came upon this verse in Luke it caused me to pause. Especially since learning about studies that specifically show that fear can lead to heart attacks. …men’s hearts failing them for fear …

After losing my loved ones, I determined to lessen the grip of fear. I purposely chose verses to beat down the fear that desired to attach itself to me. Fear is not of God. I said that over and over slowly when fear wanted to march in, sit down, have a conversation with me, and then be my tag-a-long day and night. It was a purposeful choice to walk away from its grip.

Three years later I revisited my cardiologist for another round of tests. I am pleased to say that the cardiologist told me my heart beats were much more regular than before. The doctor gave me the thumbs up for improvement yet I knew who had healed my heart. It was God through His power, love, and helping me choose to keep a sound mind.

Only God knows the inner heart workings of my father and brother, but I know for me, fear had been a tag-a-long way too long.

How about you? Are you ready to purposefully walk away from the grip of fear to a life of freedom?

Darlene Lund is a Life Purpose Coach® for women and a Grief Coach. She is also a Ministry Consultant and a Lifetime-Instructor of Coaches for Life Purpose Coaching Centers International® (LPCCI®). She facilitates two-day Life Plans for women as well as a one day grief facilitation. In the fall of 2011 Darlene will be releasing a facilitation for women, Submersed in the Secret Sorrow of Infertility. She targets the heart of women in her coaching, teaching, speaking, and writing. Part of her story is published in Live Big, by Dr. Katie Brazelton. She sends out a monthly online newsletter geared for women. Sign up at www.Heartswithapurpose.com or contact Darlene@Heartswithapurpose.com.

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Mirror, Mirror – Darlene Lund
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They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed. Psalms 34:5

“I was raised believing I was a mistake,” the young woman said as she blotted a tear. “Then I married and my spouse repeats that phrase when I make errors. He’s my husband so if both my parents and husband believe that about me, it must be true.”

As her life coach I had my work cut out for me. I’d heard this women use words just like these repeatedly. Negative old scripts embedded in her brain poured out: “I cannot. I am not good enough. I was a mistake… if only I was more.” I wondered if she’d ever stood staring into a mirror saying, “Mirror, mirror on the wall…” The image she’d see would only be marred and broken.

Psalms tells us, They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed. Creator God is the designer and fashioner of mankind—creating us in His image, making us children with whom He is pleased. As our Father He is not ashamed of us and He longs for us to see the beauty He has sculpted within our souls.

Jesus defines us, not man. He highlights the truth and the lies that can be deleted and erased permanently such as, “I am a mistake.” It is our choice to believe the truth of the word. When I believe the words in my Bible as the truth, it allows them to penetrate my heart and make an inward and outward change.

When I ask, “Creator, Creator, who do you say I am?” I know He accepts me and loves me as I am. He is the unchangeable God, always dependable and everlasting; a safe Father to look to for definition.

Would our face mirror back to others the stamp of His possession and ownership? Look to him and see the radiant reflection of who He has fearfully and wonderfully made you to be.

Darlene Lund is a Life Purpose Coach® for women and holds all five levels of certification under Life Purpose Coaching Centers International® (LPCCI®). She was trained to be a LPCCI® Life-time Instructor of Coaches and is a Grief Facilitator. She facilitates two-day intense life plans, and also one-day grief facilitations. Darlene targets the heart of women in her speaking, coaching, writing, and creation of curriculum. Darlene is married to Phil and has three teenagers. She is a lifelong learner and enjoys reading and walking! Contact Darlene@Heartswithapurpose.com or visit her website
www.Heartswithapurpose.com

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How Long? – Darlene Lund
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How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Psalms 13:1-2

God had seen it and heard it all, yet, the unanswered questions lingered in my life. “How long?”seemed forever, as month after month, year after year slowly traveled by—my prayers unanswered. I wondered if He even existed and if He did, had He forgotten one of His daughters. I did not see His face as I waited for Him to change my circumstances. My soul grieved and sorrow consumed me. My enemy…infertility. My healthy female body waged war against my desires and dreams. I’d been on my knees multiple times as tears cascaded down my face, my fist in the air as I begged God to answer these questions.

As I wrestled with God during my infertility years, I found great comfort in His word. It spoke to me when David, a man after God’s own heart, poured his brutally honest questions out to the Lord. That gave me comfort, permission to do likewise, and hope. If David wrestled, then I certainly could.

I met God daily with tissue in hand, Bible open, and my audible voice. I tuned in to Him to hear the answers to my questions. He did answer, in His way, in His timing. Months turned into years and God was still God leading me along on my journey from doctor’s offices to adoption agencies; from childlessness to being a mother of three. From unanswered questions to answered.

Will God forget one of His own children? The answer is no. There will be times you think He is hiding, but He isn’t. There will be sorrow, but He counts your tears and keeps them in a bottle. Don’t allow your enemy to exalt over you. God just may want to use that enemy to draw you closer to Him. Allow Him to use the wrestling matches to draw you closer.

I met Him on the mat with an open heart and a box of tissue, and we wrestled until God won.

Give it a try.

Darlene Lund is a Life Purpose Coach® for women and holds all five levels of certification under Life Purpose Coaching Centers International® (LPCCI®). She was trained to be a LPCCI® Life-time Instructor of Coaches and is a Grief Facilitator. She facilitates two-day intense life plans, and also one-day grief facilitations. Darlene targets the heart of women in her speaking, coaching, writing, and creation of curriculum. Darlene is married to Phil and has three teenagers. She is a lifelong learner and enjoys reading and walking! Contact Darlene@Heartswithapurpose.com or visit her website www.Heartswithapurpose.com

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Websters Definition – Darlene Lund
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Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16 (NIV)

Webster’s dictionary states, “Loneliness is cut off from others, not frequented by human beings, and produces a feeling of bleakness or desolation.” Whew, not frequented by human beings — like a vacant soul. Feel that? Ouch! I recall that!

A few years back, I had in my head that busyness was the answer for the longing, so I just kept on doing. The busier I was, the less time I had to connect with other women. The cycle continued, until I chose to let gooooooooooo…. of something. I was famished for female connection. I desired to stop saying, “I am so busy.” That echoed throughout my body and camouflaged my heart as I longed to stop, drop, and really connect to the core heart issues of life.

I know women put on and take off several different hats a day, yet their being is starved for connection. How long can a woman keep running at mach speed? Does she allow herself to be frequented by others or not? If not, is she going to wear out first? If so, what fear is holding her back? Is she afraid she would not have one friend if she began to download?

Author Dr. Jill Hubbard, in The Secrets Women Keep states, “Christian women especially seem to feel the need to hide ways they’re not perfect.” Do you want to hear a secret of mine? I believed that, once upon a time. Yet, scripture states clearly, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” In the Message it reads, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed.” His way is the path to freedom. By stepping out, sharing an issue with a trusted confidant (this may not always be a sin, but something that has happened to you) is the beginning of breaking away from that bleak, desolated feeling of loneliness.

Take a step, will you? Who can you talk to and share one small burden from your heart? If you are lonely then I would ask you, how long do you want to live without being frequented by others? What is one step you can take to change your heart connection? It can change your life.

Darlene Lund is a Life Purpose Coach® for women and holds all five levels of certification under Life Purpose Coaching Centers International® (LPCCI®). She was trained to be a LPCCI® Life-time Instructor of Coaches and is a Grief Facilitator. She facilitates two-day intense life plans, and also one-day grief facilitations. Darlene targets the heart of women in her speaking, coaching, writing, and creation of curriculum. Darlene is married to Phil and has three teenagers. She is a lifelong learner and enjoys reading and walking! Contact Darlene@Heartswithapurpose.com or visit her website www.Heartswithapurpose.com

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Pleading with God – Darlene Lund
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Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:12 NIV

I pleaded with God to take my life. I felt purposeless. I wanted to die! I had performed with serving and doing. Now, I was running on empty.

I knew where I needed to turn for the ache–my Creator. Psalms gives permission to feel and work through the emotions of the human soul. I was led to Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence. And do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. And sustain me with a willing spirit. The passage held my prescription right in it. I wanted the clean heart. I needed to be renewed. I desired steadfastness, again. I knew the Holy Spirit would not leave me, but I desperately wanted the joy of my salvation back. Yet, I longed to be sustained and, yes, to have a willing spirit too.

I prayed this passage for myself while God began the major cleaning of my heart chambers. He showed me my life was out of balance. I had taught in a Christian school, homeschooled my own children, opened my home to international students, taught at church, traveled with my husband, kept up with laundry, house work, meal preps, experienced the wretched taste of losing loved ones, and had a major surgery. I was on auto pilot; yet, perfectionism, people pleasing, fears, anger, rejection, and busyness reared their ugly heads for attention. I needed to take time to address the strongholds and get to the root of why I kept refueling them. God was at work. He convicted and led me to look at my motives. He revealed more. He purged. It took time, and finally truth began to sprout. I was being renewed! He is the restorer!

Is your life out of sync? Have you ever given God what you thought were the best years of your life, with the best ability you could, yet feel depleted? Are you living a life where your heart is not engaged? Take a step, pray truth over your life like Psalms 51 and see what God does!

Darlene Lund is a Life Purpose Coach® for women and holds all five levels of certification under Life Purpose Coaching Centers International® (LPCCI®). She was trained to be a LPCCI® Life-time Instructor of Coaches and is a Grief Facilitator. She facilitates two-day intense life plans, and also one-day grief facilitations. Darlene targets the heart of women in her speaking, coaching, writing, and creation of curriculum. Darlene is married to Phil and has three teenagers. She is a lifelong learner and enjoys reading and walking. Contact Darlene@Heartswithapurpose.com or visit her website www.Heartswithapurpose.com
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Pour Out Your Heart – Darlene Lund
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Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah Psalm 62:8b

My heart cracked–a literal physical ache from the amount of internal pain! Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I sobbed with my head in my hands. I needed to have it out with God! I dropped to my knees on a bed of fresh pine needles I’d found along my favorite wooded trail. My inward groaning erupted in a scream–”God where are you?”

Psalms says to “Pour out your heart before Him,” meaning to pour out like milk from a glass pitcher; spill it out, pour forth. It was not only an exercise of casting all my fears (and anguish) before God, but an exercise of faith. How would God answer the many questions I had? I needed to tip out of my heart all the anger, doubt, sadness, tears, and questions.

It had been less than three years since I’d lost my father unexpectedly to a heart attack, but to lose my 40-year-old younger brother the same way was too much for me to process. Both men appeared in good health–neither experienced any warning signs. Both were loved by the family and enjoyed the same love of working outside. They took their last breath in their homes a mile from each other. Both carried the same name to their graves. What kind of a mean joke was God playing on my family? I realized it was foolish to try and hide anything from an all-knowing maker and creator, so I “poured out” my thoughts into words. There is freedom and great release in being brutally honest with God.

Trust in Him at all times, O people… for God is our refuge. How can I believe one line of a verse and scrub the rest? I knew after I poured my heart out, I needed to let go and trust Him in faith. This time, as the verse says, “at all times” included death.

How about you? Have you poured your heart out lately? Will you trust Him in times of trouble, doubt, or grief? Will you let Him be your refuge? Pour your heart into the hands that never let anything slip through.

Darlene Lund is a Life Purpose Coach® for women and holds all five levels of certification under Life Purpose Coaching Centers International® (LPCCI®). She was trained to be a LPCCI® Life-time Instructor of Coaches and is a Grief Facilitator. She facilitates two-day intense life plans, and also one-day grief facilitations. Darlene targets the heart of women in her speaking, coaching, writing, and creation of curriculum. Darlene is married to Phil and has three teenagers. She is a lifelong learner and enjoys reading and walking! Contact Darlene@Heartswithapurpose.com or visit her website www.Heartswithapurpose.com

Read Darlene’s devotions.