In this video, I share my big vision for lighting the world and cover the three types of light bearers: thought leaders, advocates, and lantern bearers. Which one are you?
Please reply below or email me at marnie@marniepehrson.com and let me know what you think. If you have ideas for more proactively lighting the world, I’d love to hear them!
I believe everyone has a message to share. No, you don’t have to write a book, build a web site, create a blog, or start a speaking career. Ordinary people share their messages every day in the way they live their lives. That’s what this follow up-video to yesterday’s is all about:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufqXPcPyUlk[/youtube]
What’s your message? Share it below!
Never before has it been so easy to deliver a message using modern technology. In fact it’s so possible, that people are on information overload and getting confused about who to listen to and what to do. My colleagues and I are noticing that people are getting more immobilized by the day. There are too many choices, too many gurus, too many options for where to go. Rather than choose, people do nothing; and they remain stuck where they are.
You may have a wonderful message to share that could truly help people, but if you can’t get your message heard and understood, what can you do? If people don’t act upon the solution you’re offering because they’re overwhelmed, what will make your message stand out and go straight to their hearts? Not until you hit the heart, will they act and receive your solution.
This has been a constant consideration for me. I’ve pondered, prayed and pleaded to know how to cut through the noise and get good messages heard. Today, I had an epiphany on the subject that I’m sharing in this brief video. If you have a message to share, this video is for you!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74TEwR2mr8c&[/youtube]
Have you been through a challenge or life experience that has shaped who you are? Have you learned valuable lessons through the school of hard-knocks that could save other people countless hours and sleepless nights?
Then I have a question for you… how long will you allow those people to remain in bondage when you could be lighting their way to freedom?
In Exodus 3, God spoke to Moses from the burning bush and assigned him the task of delivering the children of Israel from bondage. The three “yeah but’s” Moses came back with are the same “yeah but’s” we use today when we avoid God’s call to deliver a group of his children.
1. Overwhelm and Lack of Knowledge – “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Moses asked God. That was a daunting task, wasn’t it? How do you get a wicked Pharaoh to listen to you and set millions of slaves free — just because you ask him to?
Have you ever asked a similar question when you felt prompted to stand up and make a difference? “Who am I? I don’t know how to make a difference. Where would I even begin?”
2, Fear of Rejection – “But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared to thee.”
Isn’t this a common rebuttal? “Nobody’s going to listen to me. No one wants to hear what I have to say. I’m no expert. Why would people listen to me?” How embarrassing to convey a message only to be laughed at or ignored!
3. Self-Doubt – “I am not eloquent … but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue,” Moses insisted.
For us, this might sound like, “I don’t have the skills for this. I’m too ugly. I’m too skinny. I’m too old. I’m too fat. I’m too young. I’m too poor. I’m too boring. I’m too….” fill in the blank.
One by one, God addressed Moses’ concerns. And I’m here to tell you that if you step up to the plate, God will address yours as well. Whom the Lord calls, He qualifies.
The fact is people are out there in bondage waiting for a deliverer. There’s a group of God’s children who won’t be set free until YOU step up to the call burning inside your heart. They’ll flounder until you say, “Here am I, send me.”
So here’s my challenge for you today. Ask yourself. if these three obstacles were moved out of your way and were no longer an issue, how would your life change? And how would other people’s lives change?
When the pain of bottling up your message becomes greater than these three obstacles, you and those you were born to deliver will be set free!
If you’d like to overcome these 3 common challenges, attend one of my live “You’re Here for a Reason: Impact the World with Your Message” Workshops.
My recent post about Dr. Michael J. Duckett’s, The Progression, stirred a bit of hubbub, which made me want to post a little more on why I feel it’s important for Christians to …
The way I see it, the “signs of the times” are upon us and we are living in the last days. I anticipate that Christ’s return is very near, and in the not too distant future, He will usher in a peaceful rein upon this earth:
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorry, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. Revelations 21:3-4
The question is, are we ready for Him? Are we ready for an incredible period of peace and unity? If we’re bickering, arguing and finding fault now, are we suddenly going to change our habits and the very nature of our beings simply because Christ is with us? I seriously doubt it. I believe we must become a peaceful people.
Notice there's no doorknob on this door! "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelations 3:20
Our ability to live in unity with one another may be the very invitation Christ needs to dwell among us. So, while I may not agree with everything a fellow-Christian may believe, I can still love and respect her and value the truths she shares with me from her perspective. While I may not agree with 100% of an entire presentation in a dvd or book, I can glean the truth and knowledge that is there. In order to do that, I must search diligently in the Light of Christ to identify truth when I see it. And the way to recognize it is by listening to the Spirit of God.
No human is perfect. No one has everything right or all the answers, but within each of us are valuable truths, talents and gifts that we can share with others. If I discount the truth you have to share or diminish your gifts and talents because you aren’t “right” about everything or use the same terminology I use, then it’s my loss.
I believe Christians have within them the ability to transform this world and work miracles. God gave us dominion over this earth and all things in it, but we …
I don’t want Christians to learn how to use the laws of the universe and their creative ability so we can all get rich and prosperous and show off to others that God is blessing us. I want Christians to utilize this creative power so we can clothe the naked, feed the hungry, liberate the captives, and administer relief to the sick and afflicted.
What if we used this creative power to liberate children kept in cages in human trafficking rackets in Nicaragua or Costa Rica? What if we used this creative power to build orphanages and safe houses? What if we used it to develop healing programs for those who have suffered trauma? What if we used it to provide food, clothing and shelter for those in poverty?
What if we used this creative power to “wipe away all tears” NOW? It may sound idealistic, but I believe that if we stepped forward and lived in peace and love NOW, we would be sending out a planetary invitation to Jesus Christ — “Come, Lord Jesus, dwell among us.” Certainly, a segment of the world will continue to travel in darkness, but Jesus showed us that it only takes one God and a handful of disciples to change the world.
Can’t we be those disciples now?
A few years ago, we stopped at Niagara Falls on a family road trip. Having never seen anything like it, we stood there amazed by its majestic grandeur and awesome power. We felt inexplicably joyous, as if a healing strength emanated from the rushing waters and sprayed on our faces with the windy mist.
I could have stayed there for hours basking in the comforting strength of it, filled with reverent wonder at one of God’s most incredible creations. How could anyone be near Niagara and not know that God exists in a living, tangible way?
Yet, I hadn’t thought about Niagara in some time… until today.
Every once in a while I wonder if I’m making the impact I could be making in the world. I often feel as if I’m on the verge of something big, but can’t quite step into it. Everything I do feels like tiny little steps that aren’t going anywhere fast enough.
This morning I prayed about why I keep having this gnawing feeling that I’m coming up short, never doing enough, never being fully who I can be – or perhaps who I already am. I feel like a glowing ball of light crammed into a two-inch box. As silly as it sounds, I can’t seem to find my way out of it. When will I learn that the box has absolutely no power to contain me other than the fact that I think it can?
I have come to understand that God created me to be a fountain putting forth the good things He gives me. I’m to become a conduit of His love, light and truth to others. I’m to share what He’s giving me and never selfishly try to contain it for myself. Because of this, I’m periodically drawn back to Jesus’ words to the woman at the well:
“Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14
As best I can, I’ve tried to stay connected to Christ and allow His living water to spring forth within me, out to bless others. But no matter what I do, it never seems to be enough. The box always seems to be getting in the way.
This morning as I was praying I felt as if God asked me, “When will it be enough, Marnie?”
Immediately Niagara Falls flashed into my mind, and I answered, “When I’m like Niagara!”
Then it will be enough.
But how can I ever be like Niagara? Is it even possible? I believe my ability to be Niagara comes down to …
Yes, when I am like Niagara, it will be enough.
Tuesday night, Judy Hansen and I talked about “Unearthing the Treasure in Your Own Backyard.” If you missed that call, an audio is up of this powerful 30-minute presentation where I share how I literally transformed my backyard into treasure. 🙂
This call is an itty-bitty taste of what you can expect in Zion National Park, April 20-23rd. Those who attend will come away transformed, filled with vision, purpose and the courage to live in alignment with their God-given missions. How do I know that? Because it happens for me every time I go to Zion National Park with Judy Hansen and Lisa Rae Preston! These women are incredible! For years, I had a big dream that churned in my soul, but I never had the courage to really make it happen … to step forward into the unknown … until I spent a week with Judy Hansen in September 2009.
I came away with vision, faith, and enough fearlessness to do things I’d never done before. In December 2009, I took my good friend Lisa Rae Preston to stay a week with Judy, and the same thing happened for her! The three of us came away with a vision of a world dotted with righteous women, standing in God’s power, in their own unique way, illuminating the path for others to follow, and inviting Christ to come light up this world!
We’ve seen it; we know it can happen! And we’ve seen that the women who come to this event in April are pioneers of what’s to come. With all my heart, I want for you what happened for me! I want you to dust off that dream that God placed in your heart long ago. Bring it to Zion and let us help you midwife it into existence!
Please pray about whether YOU should be with us in April. There’s still time to book flights. I got a really good deal straight from Chattanooga to St. George on Travelocity.com. There’s still time to stay at Cliffrose. Or if you’re interested, a couple of the girls attending are renting a house, and it can be more economical to stay there while they still have space.
This is your chance to enjoy four days in an intimate, inspirational setting with two of the finest musicians on the planet, myself, Judy Hansen, and Lisa Rae Preston. Together we’re here to help 20-30 women birth their dreams.
If you’d like to be one of them and receive a full year of support thereafter, go to http://www.SpiritTreePublishing.com/event.htm today and reserve your spot!
To listen to “Unearthing the Treasure in Your Own Backyard” go here.
Oh, and just for reading this blog, you can save $200 off admission! Just use referral id MEPN.
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” -John Adams
My father believes that you can determine a person’s intelligence by how far into the future they plan. If all they work for is a party weekend, that tells you something about them. But if the person has a 1-year, 5-year, or 10-year plan, that also reflects something about their intelligence and their character.
I would take what my father said a step further and link morality with forward-thinking as well. A person who has a clear sense of right and wrong tends to think further into the future. They long to leave a legacy, to make the world a better place, and to share the blessings they enjoy. They think about the type of nation their children and grandchildren will experience. They also tend to care more about ideals and working toward them. This could be the reason John Adams said the U.S. Constitution was made for a moral and religious people.
Our Founding Fathers knew that “government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master” (George Washington). The Founders put into place clear checks and balances to control government and to foster individual responsibility among its citizens.
Shortsighted individuals will use governmental force to satisfy their own immediate needs and wants. Forward-thinking individuals realize that when we abdicate personal responsibility to the government, we enslave future generations. Thus the need for a moral and religious people – people who will not use government to take from one group of people and give it to others.
In my opinion, there is only one way to reclaim our country and that is to instill moral and religious values into the current and future generations. And the best way I know to impact generations is through women. It is said that a good woman impacts four generations. Think about that! That’s her children, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren and her great great grandchildren. As William Russ Wallace wrote, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”
I have found this to be true. Today, I and thousands of others are still being influenced by my fifth great grandmother, Dicey Langston (a 14-year-old girl who saved an entire village during the Revolutionary War). Women who are clear about who they are and what they stand for, who lean upon the Lord and reflect His light, impact the world in powerful ways. Their influence radiates, ripples and cascades through time.
Imagine if we were to bring together thousands of these women so they could learn from, support and encourage one another. Then they would no longer be a single prism standing alone reflecting God’s love and light to the world. They would be part of a glorious chandelier of prisms, tied together in a way that could not be ignored.
Women coming together to light the world could be part of what Isaiah saw in his vision of the last days:
Isaiah 60:1-4,8
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?”
In an ever-darkening world, women are God’s secret weapon. As we wake up and get clear about who we are and our relationship to Him, His light shines through us. Then as we encourage and support one another, we “arise and shine. Our light is come, for the glory of the Lord rises upon us.”
As we light up the world, leaders of nations will take notice, and good people everywhere will flock to the Light like doves to the windows.
If you would like to join with other like-minded Christian women across denominational lines to make a difference, we want to hear from you! Join us in April 2010 for the Light the World: Birthing Your Destiny Retreat.
Have you ever asked yourself what you would do if you were completely fearless? What if money were no object, what if what other people said didn’t matter? Or as Jana Stanfield sings in her song, “If I Were Brave”,
What if we’re all meant to do what we secretly dream? What would you ask if you knew you could have anything? Like the mighty oak sleeps in the heart of a seed, are there miracles in you and me? … What steps would I take today if I were brave?
I’d like to invite you to join me in Zion’s National Park in April 2010 for the “Light the World: Birthing Your Destiny Retreat.” I’m so excited about this retreat because I’m excited about meeting you! Whether one woman attends, 10, 50 or 100, it doesn’t matter to me because I know the power of one woman. Women influence generations. Have you ever thought about that? They say statistically a women influences 4 generations.
When I think about that, I think about my own mother and grandmother. They were wonderful women who were authentic. They are and were these giving, loving, good women who influenced their children and grandchildren. I would not be who I am today without them, and if there is any influence that I make in this world, it’s greatly attributable to my mother. A good woman influences not only her own family, but also all those they go forth and influence.
So whether you come to this event just to impact your family for the better, or your friends or your community, or maybe you want to go nationwide or globally with your message, that’s what this event is about. It’s about helping you have the reach you were born to have.
I want to introduce you to my team. These women are amazing. And I would not be doing this retreat without them because each one of them has a gift and a message to share that dovetails perfectly with what I’m trying to do. I think our retreat is a microcosm of what will happen for you. I hope you will come to this event and find other women who you can work with, who you click with, who want to do what you’d like to do, and who will assist you and hold you accountable.
The video above will share more with you about our event. I hope you’ll watch it whether you plan to attend or not. You are amazing and I want you to know how much God loves you and how much He believes you can make a difference!
Do you have friends who might like to attend this event with you? If so, learn how both you and they can save when you come together! Email me at marnie@marniepehrson.com for details. If you’re thinking about coming, please do leave a comment below. We’re trying to get a feel for how many people are interested. To reserve your spot or to learn more, go here.