Welcome And Purpose Of Show

Hello my friends and welcome to Everyday God for Your Every Day with Kathy, a space where we'll discuss real practical ways for life with God, especially for those days when life is hard, complicated, and messy. How do we apply biblical principles such as God's love, mercy, grace, and wisdom to our daily grind? Well, join me each week as we do just that together. So wherever you may find yourself today, please know that you are seen, held, accepted, loved, and never alone. So let's get to it. Hello and welcome back to Everyday God for you every day. I am Kathy, your host, and this is episode three, Audience of One Knowing. I'm really excited to continue this conversation that we've started regarding doing life with God, specifically delving deeper into seeking God, which of course leads to knowing God. And as I was preparing for this episode, I was writing out the content and a question kept coming up. Well, why is knowing God so important? Because if you're going to tell people to do life with God, just like God said, you know, people can't do life with me, Kat, if they don't know me. And you can't know someone unless you seek them. So why should your audience, whomever is listening to you, care about knowing me? I had to stop for a minute because although I understand why knowing God is important, it's one thing to understand something and know it, and it's something else to really try to convey it so that someone else might understand the message. Knowing God is the key to knowing ourselves. That is a principal belief of mine, that you cannot truly understand who you are without knowing your creator. I also believe that knowing God is the key to loving ourselves better, to better understanding who we were created to be, who we were made to be. Knowing God enables us to understand our origin story. Like I know why I was created. I know that I was created regardless of how I came to be in terms of conception, regardless of what happened between my earthly parents. I was created for a reason by the creator of the universe, the maker of heaven and earth knew me before I came to be. That's an incredibly powerful truth to have. It's a great foundation in terms of understanding how to anchor yourself in life, especially when life will throw you curveballs. I also believe that the purpose of our being is that we are chasing God's love and we don't have to chase it. So I want to reframe that. We want to be around him. Whether you're cognizant of it or not, there is a hole that every human being has that can only be satisfied by one. As we think about the title of this episode and last episode as well, audience of one. It's true. I have an audience of one. There is one who, at the end of the day, matters in my life. There is one that he loves me beyond all measure. That is what anchors me. So knowing God is really it's the driving force at the deepest core of who we are. We cannot fully love ourselves and others until we really know God. So, again, going back to doing life with God at the helm and at our side, it's really the only way I know to live and have an abundant life. It's because I know my creator and not only know him, I know him deeply and intimately. I do life with him. He is a part, he is at the center of my life. He is as much of my life as my children are or any other member of, as a matter of fact, much more so because I can go to God about things and I turn to God about things that, quite frankly, I never would a normal human being. So knowing, like seeking, is an ongoing and persistent journey. I believe that knowing helps to anchor our faith. To know means that you have this really deep knowledge, this deep understanding that goes beyond the surface. It implies a level of certainty, like a strong confidence in the knowledge that you possess, right? Like when you know someone, like I know them, it goes beyond just superficial knowledge. It means that you will stake like your reputation on the fact that you know this person or this thing. And so, how do we know God in that way? How do we possess knowledge about God that we have a strong confidence in who God is, even in the absence of tangible proof? Which ultimately, by the way, is faith. Well, very simple thing. Number one, the same way that you get to know a person, a human being, we must spend time with God by simply allocating time to spend with him in silence, whether it's walking in nature and really communing with God, or whether it's when you wake up and you go in a, you find a quiet corner in your home, or you can go in your closet, whatever it may be, but you are not only allocating time, but you're making space for God. You are inviting him into your world, into your heart, into your life. We also spend time with God by reading our Bible. We spend time in scripture. Oh, that is so important. You have to dedicate time, it's a commitment. I talked about it in episode two that I would, you know, set an alarm and as an appointment to be with God. Well, it's the same thing. If you're in a relationship with anybody that's important to you, whether it's a spouse or whether it's a mate or whether it's your children or your best friend, if that person is important to you, you make time for them. You make time to know them, you make time to hear from them, you make time, you make space in your heart for them. And God is no different. God wants space in our lives. He wants to be with us, he wants to commune with us, He longs for us in the same way that I believe our souls long to be with him. So I like to be silent uh to hear God's voice. It's not always easy. I will tell you that in the beginning it was very hard for me. I'm one of those, you know, people that constantly thinks. And sleep is typically the only way that I can shut, uh I can shut down the voices in my head. I mean, um, you know what I mean. But it's taking time, especially when I go outside, and just in the first light of day, to just listen. If you take the time to listen, it's amazing how nature really sings and tells you about God, whether it's the sunset or the sunrise, whether it's birds you hearing chirping, whether it's the wind that you feel against your skin, whether it's just watching the trees as they sway, whether it's simply looking at hawks or birds soaring in the sky, we are surrounded by evidence of great design, intelligent design, of a divine God who is creative, who is loving, who is a provider, and he has an amazing imagination. And I found that in spending time with God, I've understood character traits about myself in a much deeper way. I get my imagination, I get my ability to tell stories, I get my writing from my heavenly father, I get my love of my children from my heavenly father. I always say that I think I was born to be a mom. I like to take care of people. That's who God is. And so when I spend time with God and I know him, I know myself in ways that I never could have thought that I would understand me, that I would understand maybe this is why I do the things that I do. And I have come to embrace both the strengths that I, you know, everybody else likes as well, but also I've come to embrace what I have seen as weaknesses. They no longer are these things that I want to hide in shame. Because when you know God and you know the heart of God, you know yourself, you can fully embrace and integrate every part of who you are. The good, the bad, and quite frankly, the not so attractive, the not so desirable part of you. Because when you know God, you know that he loves everything about you and he created everything about you. So that means that if God, who is perfect and who knows all, can love everything about me, then that means I can love me too. And that's amazing, guys. That's that's why that's why I'm doing this. And I and you know, sometimes I sit and I'm I wonder, and because again, I overthink and I question, God, why me? Why this podcast, knowing, you know, how I feel about it and how uncomfortable it makes me feel, all of that. And then he reminds me, number one, why not you? But number two, Kathy, because there are things you know, honey. There's a love that we have. There are ways that you know me that my other kids need to know as well. And it would be selfish of me because of my discomfort and because of, you know, these less attractive traits of mine. Like, I don't like to share certain things. It would be, it would be wrong of me. It would be selfish to respond in any other way to God's amazing love for me. I have to share this and I have to do it because I want whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you're going through, that you would know that love, that you would know who it is that loves you as deeply as God does. That's what I want for everyone. In addition to spending time with God, there's also, again, reading the Bible. Reading scripture is incredibly important because scripture, number one, really tells us not only about God, but I believe the Bible tells us about ourselves. So it's impossible to know God if you don't know what he's done, if you don't know the stories about him. Again, if you look at a human being, you would want to hear about their past. Like, how were you when you were younger? You know, like what would your family say about you? Well, again, God is the same way, and except that God's like, listen, I'm an open book. Here is here is this Bible that will tell you everything you could ever want to know. And the rest, I will tell you myself. It is, it is truly an amazing thing to open the Bible because I think about it and I'm like, God is perfect. He is all-knowing. He is, you know, again, maker of the universe, Alpha and the Omega. God could have chosen to, you know, have a Bible with characters in the Bible that are perfect, that are, quite frankly, the way that we would paint the characters in our own book, right? They're typically awesome and, you know, like superheroes that have very few flaws, if any flaws at all. But I believe that one of the reasons why the Bible, reading the Bible, is so pivotal and crucial in our quest to know God and do life with Him is because the Bible is full of characters that are flawed, just like us. And yet it is a love story about this perfect being, this creator, this God who makes man and woman in his own image, and has been from essentially from Genesis to Revelation, has been trying to reconcile them back to himself. It is a redemption story. It's about God's mission to just bring us back to his heart. The Bible teaches us not only about the person of God, his names, which of course are his character traits, but also his promises to us, his commitment to us, and his heart for us. When I read the Bible, I can see myself, and I'm sure if you start reading and if you're reading your Bible, you see yourself in the different characters. You can't, I see myself in David. When I think about David as the shepherd boy who had such courage to go against a giant like Goliath with nothing but little pebbles in a sling. And where did that courage come from? The courage was not founded or grounded or anchored in David. The foundation of his confidence was in the God he believed in. The God who had helped him to slay a lion before and a bear before. It was in that God that he could go up against Goliath that he would win because he knew who was with him in that battle. Same David ordained to be king of Israel, but then is running for his life for 15 years before he actually ever sits on the throne. That has been the story of my life. God has shown me things, promises, God dreams that he had for me, and I had to wait. And I didn't know how long I was gonna wait. And the waiting was not enjoyable, I'm gonna be honest. But again, he was a faithful God throughout the waiting period. He was with me in the trenches. And if I think about, you know, again, David being an adulterer, a murderer. And yet God calls this same David a man after his own heart. Abraham, the father of faith, the one with whom God made a covenant to save not only the people of Israel, but to save all men. And that Abraham, on more than one occasion, meaning multiple times, offered up his wife to other men so that he might save himself. That, if you think about it, is is that how we would think of a hero? But he is in the hall of faith in the Bible, and God called Abraham friend. So again, that same God who knows every facet of who you are, who knew that David would sin, who knew everything that David would end up doing, yet still chose to put him in the Bible, and still chose to call him a man after his own heart. He called Abraham friend. Not one person in the Bible that God chose was without sin. There was only one, and that is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. So if this is a God who is not ashamed of who we are, of his children, he is not ashamed of our sins. As a matter of fact, he comes to rescue us from that. That's why it's important to know God. Because knowing God will carry you through the worst times and days of your life, but it will also bless you and give you some of the most amazing days of your life. I have thought long and hard about my life in recent months, why I'm here, why God has chosen me in many ways, and how I've seen my self changing. And I will say that I am in awe, in awe of a God whose heart is so tender towards me, towards you, towards his people, his children. Isaiah 43, verse one says, but now this is what the Lord says He who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel, do not fear, for I have redeemed you by name. You are my. That verse has been my blanket. My blanket. I have wrapped myself in that verse in days where I quite frankly did not know which way was up. When I was uncertain, when I did not like myself, when I didn't know who I was, when I couldn't understand, that verse reminded me that I am redeemed, that I have been called by name, that I am chosen. And the great thing about it, friends, is that that is not just unique to me, that is not just my reality, that is not just a verse for Kathy, that is also for you. Whether you're in Mexico, which apparently somebody in Mexico did download an episode, I'm I'm baffled by that, thrilled and baffled. But if you're in Mexico, if you're in Israel, if you are in Iran, if you're in Pakistan, if you are in Russia, if you are in the Ukraine, if you're in the United States, if you're in Maryland, if you are in DC, wherever you might be, in Haiti, in Jamaica, God, this verse is for you. God loves us all. And I cannot think of a better time, quite frankly, than right now as we prepare for Easter, where the greatest sacrifice ever, and yes, and also the greatest victory ever, that who are we? Who am I, that my king should come and die for me. Knowing God means that at the end of the day, we know our pedigree. We know that regardless of whatever station to which we may have been born, or whatever labels or status the world may have assigned us, that we are beloved children of the Most High God, and that we were fearfully and wonderfully made in his image. And the reality is that the Bible tells us of our identity, our identity in Christ. So that again, regardless of what lies, or regardless of what insecurities, or regardless of what anything tells you, whether it's social media, whether it is your you know internal critic, whether it is your parent who did not see the best in you, whether it is your spouse who doesn't love you the way that you feel you deserve to be loved, whatever it may be, the God of the universe loves you. He sees you, and he wants nothing more than for you to draw near to him. You know, in the Bible, it tells us that God wants to abide in us. It is in, I believe, John chapter 15, verses 4 through 11 that really discusses this principle, this idea of abiding in God. Jesus says, if we abide in him, then he too will abide in us. And I really love the word abide because it's a beautiful word. It means to remain, to stay, to dwell, which speaks to continuity, right? When you dwell someplace, it means you're not just there for a minute. You're not there short term. You make yourself at home there. It is like your home base. So Jesus is in essence asking us to dwell in him, to make our home in and with him. And he in turn will make his home in us and with us. You can't make your home someone that you don't know. So if you think about your home, right? This idea of home, somewhere that you have lived a long time. You know every corner, every nook and cranny of that place. You know where there's, you know, great Wi-Fi signal, and you know those dead spots. You know where you can hide from your children and they can't find you. You know where you put your cookies when you don't want anyone else to find them. You know your home. Your home becomes your safe space. It becomes your refuge. It's your shelter, it's your comfort. And many will say it's their sanctuary. Well, when you get to know God, He becomes all of that for you. Because quite frankly, that's who our champion, our safe space, our shelter, our stronghold is supposed to be, our refuge. It's God. I am baffled by just how wonderful God is. Each time that I think I know, I am just astounded by his capacity to love, to love me, to see me, to really wrap himself around me. Each time I read the Bible, I glean new things. I, you know, I can read Genesis. I've read Genesis multiple times, I've read through the Bible multiple times, and yet I will read the same chapter that I've probably read 15 times before. And then depending on in what season I might be in or what's going on in my life, I glean some new pearl of wisdom. And I think that that's the wonderful thing about it. The Bible is living and breathing just like our God is. No, he doesn't promise that. As a matter of fact, he is very transparent in that he tells us you will have trouble. As a matter of fact, take up your cross. But my loves, he tells us, I will be there with you, and you will not carry your burdens alone. I love God. God doesn't lie, he's not like a man, he's he doesn't lie, tells us the truth. And sometimes I get it. The lies that the enemy tells us, the lies that the world shows us, these shiny objects that are meant to distract us. Yes, they might seem attractive, they might seem like they are good on the surface, but what God offers has eternal value. Eternal value. So I'll wrap up with this and saying that. I know that I mentioned that prayer at the end of the day is a conversation with God. It's not simply a host of like requests and petitions that we have and we're going to God like a genie. We must also prepare ourselves in prayer to be still and silent so that we may hear his voice, so that we can be in his presence and be completely open to receive whatever it is that he has to give us. Prayer also enables us to come before God's throne and lay down our burdens. But when you lay down your burdens, don't pick them back up. We get to give our concerns and issues to God. And in turn, he gives us his peace, which surpasses all understanding. God is my confidant. He is the one I go to that I tell all of my troubles to, that I tell him everything. He is my champion, he is my wise counselor, he is my everything. He's my safe space. He is the one that I celebrate my wins with, because let's face it, he's enabled a lot of them, more all of them. And he's also the one I go to when I need a shoulder to cry on, when I don't know what to do, when I need help, when I need protection, and when I need someone to defend me. Many times as I've thought about my journey with God, I've thought about like the way, kind of like reframing some of my thinking, because that's what God has been doing, renewing my mind. And I realized that so much of how I've seen things in the past have really changed, right? Because we often think of these words like waiting and trusting and seeking and love as very passive words. But I am realizing that there is nothing passive about trust. Trust is not passive. If you've ever trusted when everything around you told you the opposite of what you were trusting for, when all signs, it was like shaking the, you know, the magic eight ball, and then it says, all signs point to know, you would know that trust requires a decision. It requires commitment. It is not passive. That to know is not passive because it means that I have to seek, that I have to do something to know someone. I got to do my own, I have to engage. I have to step out. I have to wake up early in the morning and make some time to talk to God or at night. I have to go in a corner. I got to say no to some things in order to say yes to God and to spending time with him so that I can know who he is. Sometimes it means saying no to the things that are seemingly good and full of pleasure in order for me to say yes to the things that are that have substance and to the things that will last forever and have eternal impact. So, with that, the deeper we know God, the deeper our faith can go. The more we become familiar with his pace, the more we start to do life walking in step with God, not forging ahead on our own, and yet not lagging behind either, but keeping his pace. I have found God's pace to be one that is unhurried, yet full of purpose. God is slow, but not as we understand slow to be, but instead intentional. The pace of one who knows the beginning and the end of the story and has full authority over it all. In your seeking, I promise you, you will find. If you seek with all your heart, you will find God. I have sought God what seems like my entire life. And in my seeking, I found the dad that I needed. And I found God to be a dad who is exceedingly abundantly more than I could have ever imagined or hoped for. I found a partner, a collaborator, a savior, a friend, a champion, a confidant, an advocate, a master, a friend, a lover of my soul. I've just found them the love of my life. The love of my life. The more I sought God, the more I found him, and the more I heard his voice, the deeper I got, the more he answered me, the more he revealed to me. And yet the more of me I found as well. I learned aspects of my personality and aspirations and desires that, quite frankly, I'd never wanted to acknowledge. Maybe doing life with God has been a saving grace in many ways. In many, many ways. I have felt love, and because I felt loved, I have felt known. Every fiber of my being is known by God. You know, God once told me, when you operate from love, then you operate from a place of strength. I don't think I really fully understood that years ago until now. We can be vulnerable, we can be imperfect, we can fail, we can do all of that, we can face our weaknesses and do it all and be confident and still be strong and still not waver in our love of who we are, in our acceptance of who we are, because we know love and quite frankly, God is love. I don't know where you are today in your journey. I don't know what you might be facing, I don't know what hell you might be walking through, but I can tell you that you are loved. God can help and he will rescue you whether you know him well or not at all. Just call out to him. You are wanted. Ask and he will answer. Seek him and you will find him. Knock and the door will be open. So we will end this episode in prayer. I want to thank you for listening. I want to thank you for taking the time. I want to thank you for taking this journey with me. Lord God, I thank you. I thank you that, Lord, you have chosen to use me in this way, that you have chosen to use my experiences and my journey to encourage whoever might be listening. Lord, I pray that you would reveal your hand and your character to those who may not know you, who are listening right now, and deep down inside, they want to know who you are. Father, I pray that you would comfort those who need to be comforted, even if they don't fully know who you are yet. And for those who know you, Lord, but are seeking a deeper relationship with you, who are seeking more intimacy with you, Lord, I pray that you would take them there with you, that you would reveal yourself to them in ways that they would have interactions with you, Lord, or an encounter with you, Father, that changes them from the inside out. Lord God, we give you all the glory. It is in your holy and matchless name, Jesus, we pray. Amen. I look forward to seeing you guys again. Thank you.