Overcoming Loss – Day 5: Light the World: Build the Kingdom Challenge
Are you struggling with overcoming loss? Perhaps the loss of a job, a career or business? Or perhaps a loved one, pet or close friend? Maybe you’ve lost your confidence or your dreams seem gone forever? Whatever you’ve lost, it is not really gone. It’s scientifically impossible for them to be gone.
The first law of thermodynamics states:
“The total amount of energy in a closed system cannot be created nor destroyed (though it can be changed from one form to another). ” Ask a Physicist, PhysicsCentral.com
Everything you love about the “missing” person, place or thing still exists. It has simply changed from one form to another. Often that form is scattered out into the world around you, but it still exists.
What does this have to do with loss, grief, joy and pain? That’s what I explain in today’s video. In it, I share how I came to see the joy amidst the pain and the compensating blessings in the devastation.
Recommended Reading
- Change Your Story: Change Your Brain by Dr. Linda Miles
- The Breakthrough Experience by Dr. John Demartini
How the Challenge Works
Step 1: Ask God each day, “What is one thing I can do to light the world and build the kingdom today?”
Step 2: ACT upon whatever He leads you to do. Go through the day EXPECTING for opportunities to arise.
Step 3: Document somewhere — in your private journal or on your favorite social media platform.
Step 4: Share! If you share publicly, please use our hash tags: #BuildTheKingdom and #LightTheWorldNow so I can cheer you on! If you’re going to be documenting privately, I recommend sharing your experience with a close friend or accountability partner. There is power in the sharing.
For ongoing support and a place to share, please join our Facebook group.
Featured Image Copyright: agsandrew / BigStockPhoto..com
Day 4: Light the World: Build the Kingdom Challenge
Angels are on your side. In this day’s segment of the Light the World: Build the Kingdom Challenge, I talk about the story in 2 Kings 6 where Elisha and his servant see heavenly hosts and chariots of fire filling the mountain, ready to protect them and fight their battles for them.
This story fits nicely with a great book series I read recently by Victoria Fielding. The first book in the series, “A Piece of Time” is about a young girl who dies, goes to heaven, and learns more about why we are here on earth and what life is about.
In the second book, “A Piece of Hope,” Lilly has angels on her side, helping her through dangerous situations. The book is an excellent guide to truly understanding and tapping into the power of the heavenly help that is readily available to you. I encourage you to check out these excellent books. They’re well-written, thought-provoking and inspiring.
How the Challenge Works
Day 3 Light the World: Build the Kingdom 90 Day Challenge (Year 2)
The power of belief can create miracles and unlock blessings. The challenge is that many times circumstances look impossible, and we cannot see a way out of our predicament. We have trouble mustering the courage to believe that anything can change.
In this segment I share the story of a man and his son who came to Jesus for help. The boy had been possessed of a “dumb spirit” since his childhood. He would throw himself into the fire, foam, and move uncontrollably. His father took him to Jesus’ disciples for healing, but they could not help him.
The disciples brought the father and son to Jesus. Jesus told the father: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” The father cried out through tears, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:23-24)
I too have had situations in my life that seemed impossible. Like that father, I believed but needed help with my unbelief. In this short video I share my experience with learning to believe that God really does want to give good things to His children.
How the Challenge Works
Step 1: Ask God each day, “What is one thing I can do to light the world and build the kingdom today?”
Step 2: ACT upon whatever He leads you to do. Go through the day EXPECTING for opportunities to arise.
Step 3: Document somewhere — in your private journal or on your favorite social media platform.
Step 4: Share! If you share publicly, please use our hash tags: #BuildTheKingdom and #LightTheWorldNow so I can cheer you on! If you’re going to be documenting privately, I recommend sharing your experience with a close friend or accountability partner. There is power in the sharing.
For ongoing support and a place to share, please join our Facebook group.
Featured Image Copyright: Mitand73 / BigStockPhoto.com
Day 2: Light the World: Build the Kingdom 90-Day Challenge (Year 2)
In his book, “The Slight Edge,” Jeff Olson shares the story of two frogs who hop into a milk bucket and can’t get out. In this video I share the story, which illustrates the power of consistency. This metaphor teaches us how to harness the power of consistency to make the world a better place, lighting the world for good.
I hope you’ll join us in the Light the World: Build the Kingdom 90-Day Challenge. Consistency is a powerful force. Participating in this challenge is a great way to develop the character trait of consistency. By nature I am not a consistent person, but challenges like these and other aspects of my work have helped me become more consistent.
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10
How the Challenge Works
Featured Image Copyright: NatalyaAksenova / BigStockPhoto.com
Day 1: Light the World: Build the Kingdom 90-Day Challenge (Year 2)
In the video below, I share how amazing miracles came into my life since last year’s 90 Day Light the World, Build the Kingdom Challenge. I invite you to be a part of this year’s. If you need God’s hand in your life, join us!
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Ask God each day, “What is one thing I can do to light the world and build the kingdom today?”
Step 2: ACT upon whatever He leads you to do. Go through the day EXPECTING for opportunities to arise.
Step 3: DOCUMENT somewhere — in your private journal or on your favorite social media platform.
Step 4: SHARE – If you share publicly, please use our hash tags: #BuildTheKingdom and #LightTheWorldNow so I can cheer you on! If you’re going to be documenting privately, I recommend sharing your experience with a close friend or accountability partner. There is power in the sharing.
For ongoing support and a place to share, please join our Facebook group.
On this site, you’ll find last year’s videos and I’ll also be posting this year’s as we go. Be sure to subscribe to our email list to receive encouragement along the way.
I hope you’ll join me! God bless!
Marnie
Day 61: Music Hath Charms
They say music hath charms to soothe the savage beast. Sometimes my own thoughts and fears are the most threatening beast I face.
Tonight a sweet friend called and serenaded me. I felt my mind calm and my body relax and had this sweet assurance “it’s all going to be all right.”
I’m so blessed to have such wonderful friends who support me, pray and fast for me. Thank you for lighting my world!
Day 60: Abide In Me
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:4,5,7)
God’s grace is what enables us to bear fruit. As we stay connected to Him, the impossible becomes possible.
Day 59: Peace I Leave With You
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:26-27
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 58: Orchestrating For Our Good
“Only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement can bring us peace, hope, and understanding.” Robert D Hales
Let go of searching for the why’s and focus on the Lord Jesus Christ and putting your trust in Him. We may never know the why’s, but we can know He is orchestrating everything for our good.
Life is an adventure in gaining trust in God’s plan, His divine timing and His divine orchestration.
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 57: Charity Suffereth Long
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 56: Clues to Your Life Purpose
Many of us wonder what our life purpose is. How can you know for sure? This verse in Isaiah gives you a place to start:
“Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.” Isaiah 51:1.
Day 54: Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
“Perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18-21.
Have you dealt with rejection? Do you feel fear of rejection? I know I’ve dealt with my share of this. While praying about how to release the fear of rejection, God gave me this answer:
“If someone rejects you it is in them. It is not in you. No one who rejects another has fully seen that person. If they had seen them they would see as I see, and I reject no one. This is the cause of all the contention in the world: mankind will not seek to fully see each other.”
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 55: Consider the Lilies of the Field
Consider the lilies of the field,
How they grow, how they grow.
Consider the birds in the sky,
How they fly, how they fly.
He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky.
And He will feed those who trust Him,
And guide them with His eye.
Consider the sheep of His fold,
How they follow where He leads.
Though the path may wind across the mountains,
He knows the meadows where they feed.
He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky,
And He will feed those who trust Him,
And guide them with His eye.
Consider the sweet, tender children
Who must suffer on this earth.
The pains of all of them He carried
From the day of His birth.
He clothes the lilies of the field,
He feeds the lambs in His fold,
And He will heal those who trust Him,
And make their hearts as gold.
He clothes the lilies of the field,
He feeds the lambs in His fold,
And He will heal those who trust Him,
And make their hearts as gold.
Day 53: Parable of the Sheep and Goats
In the parable of the sheep and goats, Jesus teaches us that how we treat each other is an indication of how we treat Him.
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 52: You Have a Calling
Are you feeling incapable of fulfilling the task you know God is calling you to perform. Jeremiah felt the same way and this is what God told him.
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.”
Before you were born, God knew you and He has a purpose for you on this earth. Whom the Lord calls, He qualifies. You are no alone. Lean on Him.
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 51: Make Crooked Paths Straight
Do you feel like you’re traveling crooked paths, repeating unwanted patterns, stuck in some form of bondage or another? You don’t have to stay stuck in this. God is telling you,
“I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” Isaiah 45:2-3
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 50: To Everything There Is a Season
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 49: Faith Is The Substance Of Things Hoped For
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 48: Neglect Not The Gift That Is In Thee
Are you neglecting the gifts that are in you? Are you discounting the talents, abilities and spiritual gifts you possess.
“Neglect not the gift that is in thee.” 1 Timothy 4:14
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 47: Make Darkness Light
Life often sends us on twists and turns. Paths we felt led to travel often lead to tragedy or pain. But through it all, if we look to Christ, He can make the winding paths of our lives work together for our good.
“And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 46: Fear Not, I Am With Thee
When we we’re walking through the refiner’s fire, we have the choice to be consumed or forged. If we look to Christ, our hardest trials can work together for our good and transform us into a better, purer, stronger person. Our thought today comes from Isaiah 43:2:
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isaiah 43:2
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 45: I the Lord Thy God Will Hold Thy Right Hand
When hard things happen and you wonder if you can make it another day or even another hour, I hope you’ll take comfort in these words from Isaiah.
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness….For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” Isaiah 41:10-13
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 44: The Law of Sacrifice
Do you want more time? More money? More friends? To achieve your dreams? The answer is found in the law of sacrifice as explained by Jesus:
“Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit.” John 12:24-25.
Today I’m exploring the blessings that come through death — the new life, the new possibilities, the new power that comes as we sacrifice time, money and resources and as we release those we love to the grave.
There is something about grief in losing a loved one that opens us up to sweet miracles, divine tender mercies and joy. It is one of the most exquisite manifestations of the duality of our universe … that within every challenge there are equal blessings. The law of divine compensation is on overdrive at these times if we have eyes to see and acknowledge it.
My heart goes out to my dear friends Martina, Luanna and Marcia with the passing of your parents. They will be near you, watching over you. They are your angels with more power to run to you and assist you than they ever had in mortality.
As Obi Wan told Darth, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
Day 42: Where There’s Desire, There’s Power
Is there is something you’ve always wanted to do, but don’t think you have the ability to do it? Where there is desire, there is power. Psalms 37:4 says
“Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart.”
In this video, I’ll prove to you the truth of this statement by giving you an example.
I’ve always wanted to feel comfortable singing in front of people, but I was too scared to do more than sing in the car by myself. I also have wanted to be able to compose music. Today, I wrote a song and I’m going to sing it for you in this video… just to prove to you that God really can give you the desires of your heart, whether they’re ever spoken or not.
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 43: Be Still My Soul
Three of my good friends have lost a parent this week. Their loss has brought back the feelings and experiences in losing my own mother. Interestingly enough, I’m staying at the house of my own friend who lost her father unexpectedly today. No one saw it coming. He was only 62 and died out of a heart attack.
It’s one of those days when I finally understand why I am where I am and it’s not why I thought you were. Obviously, the reason I felt inspired to take this trip this summer is so that I could be here with my friend Martina and offer what comfort I can.
Day 41: Receiving – Ask and Ye Shall Receive
Are there things you want to be different in your life? Have you taken the time to ask God for them specifically? Do you set clear intentions? Sometimes we feel dissatisfaction with situations, but never get clear enough to ask for a solution.
Today’s thought comes from Luke 11:9-13
“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
Day 40: Feeding the 4,000
Often we feel like we’re not enough. We lack the skills, the talents, the strength, the resources, the money or the time to achieve the things we feel called to do. But Jesus made it clear feeding the 4,000 that He can take our meager resources and transform them to over and above what is needed.
The story is found in Matthew 15:32-8
“Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.”
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 39: How Jesus Handled Competition
A lot of us get upset if someone else is doing something similar to what we are. We may feel like there isn’t room in the world for us and another person doing the same thing. We may feel like they’re going to steal our customers or are going to encroach on our territory. Or maybe we were first and it irritates us when someone comes along and “steals our idea.” Have you ever wondered what Jesus thinks about competition?
In this short video I talk about Luke 9:49-50
“And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 38 How to Prosper And Have Good Success
Have you been in a manna state where you’re just getting by day-by-day? Are you ready to enter your promised land? Are you ready to have good success? God tells us how in Joshua 1:5-9:
“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.
Day 37 Light the World: God Caters Healing to the Individual
As we read the Bible we see that Jesus rarely healed people in exactly the same way. Healing seems to be catered to the individual. One woman suffers 12 years and then touches the hem of Jesus’ garment and is instantly healed. Another man is healed without Jesus ever coming into contact with him. Another is healed by Jesus telling Him to arise, take up his bed, and walk.
The method is rarely the same, but there seems to be the common thread of faith. But, how much faith is enough? The woman who touched His garment may have had faith those twelve long years. The man whose servant was healed from afar may have had faith for his servant’s healing, but we don’t know if the servant himself actually had any faith at all.
Healing seems to come in God’s timing and way. It seems to be an individual process. This reminds me of a verse repeated in John, Acts and Matthew
“For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” Matthew 13:15-16
Like conversion, healing seems to be an individual process that has to do with us listening, seeing and understanding with our hearts. Each of us comes to this place of being able to open our eyes to see or opening our hearts to understand. My friend LaurieKae Banks once told me, “broken is open.” Many times it takes brokenness to get to the point where we’re open enough to see the loving healing God is offering us.
I know in my own experience, losing my mother, husband and my family property simultaneously took me to that broken place where I looked up to God with new eyes and new ears. I asked him to create a new heart in me because the one I had was demolished. There was nothing left of it and the only solution was to ask God to create a new heart in me. This process facilitated miraculous emotional, spiritual and mental healing.
Yet, I am fully aware that my experience is mine. Your road to healing may take completely different twists and turns. All we clearly know is that faith is a requisite. So whatever it takes, whatever happens, look to God and choose faith.
Have you read the book that started the movement? Get your copy of Light the World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift the Planet.