Overabundance is a daunting topic to write about. None of us want to think we have idols and strongholds that interfere with our relationship with God, yet with minimal self-reflection, I bet we can all name the area we get caught the most, be it: Clothes, Spending, Waste, Food, Possessions, Media, and/or Stress. Let me share with you the adventure God prompted in 2017 with my friend Jen (and fellow Good Word Project writer).

We were reviewing a well-known Bible study on excess to suggest it for the larger women’s group we are part of. The premise is to fast from these seven areas of excess, one area per month, to liberate yourself from the grip they have on you, or at least to make you aware of how each interplays with your day-to-day. In the end, we hope that our posture would be more like Christ, as in owning less, giving more, or consuming less and utilizing what we have. We knew it would be a difficult study for any of us to tackle, but that was just the beginning of our battle.

While we were “pitching” this study, the author went on record in a way that offended a handful of the leaders in our group. We were divided. Drawn to the freedom this study could provide the 150+ women of our community, yet uncomfortable supporting and falling under the teachings of a controversial author. Then God interceded. Somehow, Jen and I were appointed or nominated (or possibly we volunteered; our memory is blurry on this!) to just go ahead and write our own study on excess. After all, it’s what we all agreed we needed at the time. Have you ever taken on a Big Hairy Audacious Goal? This was a BHAG, a mega undertaking that we mega underestimated!

To this point, Jen was the Marketing Communications Director for a Christian school and had some added experience writing a handful of content as an editor for a local magazine, and I had a few years of experience writing for the local online style magazine. Neither of us is seminary trained. To put it in context, as a fashion blogger, my articles were quippy and light, with a style tip or hot item to try. My word count was kept short. This new writing project would be a mountain to conquer: research, confirming scripture truths, but mostly praying that God would lead us to the verses and personal stories (in some cases to the people with the personal stories) to share.

We said yes to what we called “Project Freedom” because we believed we and our friends could experience freedom if we took our eyes off of what the world was calling us to and toward our Savior. Freedom from things that were…
• Getting in the way of spending time with God
• Giving a false sense of security from bank accounts, job titles, and possessions
• Overindulgence, Overspending, Over-controlling …it’s the middle of December, and you might be feeling conviction around one of these areas right now too!

We tackled the topics of Time, Spending, Indulgence, Image, and Relationships, ending each chapter with a section on the Gift of God’s hope and freedom that came when this topic was no longer a stumbling block. We focused on the Life of Freedom written by Apostle Paul to the early Believers in Galatians 5, which simply states:

“Christ has set us free to live a free life.
So take your stand!
Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” (read the entirety here)

The Field Guide to Freedom rolled out eight months later, in the fall of 2017, and Jen and I were exhausted yet giddy to see it in print, and a little naïve to the transformation it would prompt.

“They were given rest by the Spirit of the LORD.”
Isaiah 63:14

Week by week we received calls and texts about how God was reaching others. During the Time module, we heard how a friend decided to start reading scripture first thing in the morning. Another friend prioritized weekly time in nature. Another created intentional playtime with her family.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Matthew 6:24

As we examined where we spent money, one friend realized she was stealing joy from her husband who enjoyed giving gifts. Another friend realized they didn’t tithe and took a step in faith to do so. Another decided a part-time job would allow her family to be more generous. Wow! I loved hearing that our groups were getting the heart posture God intended, not to feel guilty for spending, but understanding where money comes from and choosing to share with others.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed
and self-indulgence.”
Matthew 23:25

It was during the Indulgence module that freedom started breaking through. The strongholds shared were less about the material things, and more about attitudes and feelings. This chapter fell during the holiday season, allowing our groups to pause and reconsider gluttonous eating and drinking. It gave them opportunities to reconsider spoiling the kids for Christmas, even re-examining the family traditions done in the past and asking God what He was prompting. We heard about an uptick of service projects and quickly reminded the groups that God is not asking for our works, He is asking for our heart and belief in Him (John 6:28-29). He is asking us to be available and present to Him.

Similar breakthroughs were shared for the modules on Image (1 Peter 3:3-4) and Relationships (John 13:34-35) because we were seeking God first. We were making space for interacting with God, praying, and listening. We were letting Him bring out the best in us because we were receiving His freedom from the inside out – just like Paul wrote to the Romans:

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.
Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.
Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity,
God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Romans 12:2 The Message

 

Looking back, Jen and I are thrilled God interrupted and prompted us to write for Him. Yes, it was ambitious. It took countless hours and was very challenging at times, but years later, we are still proud of our work, quickly calling the other when a friend out of the blue tells us stories of goodness that resulted from this study. Personally, it was a gift to me. I learned not only do I love to journal, but I like the deeper dive of understanding scriptures and writing for others to learn too. I like tackling these deeper topics and following God’s lead. But mostly, this labor of love put Jen and me on a course of writing together, a journey we’ve been on together for seven years and counting!

What an adventure.

Seven years, a 148-page Bible Study, 138 blogs together for Good Word Project, plus collaborating with Julie and Erin, two other amazing Christian women and writers who are now close friends. It’s unknown the number of readers and our reach, it’s unknown the transformation our words have prompted in the name of Jesus. All we know is that it is Kingdom work that we are super proud of, and we encourage you to be open-handed and ready to say yes to God when you least expect it.

Please pray with me:
Lord, as we experience this month of excess, please stay close. Prompt us when our actions are focused more on the world than on You. Nudge us to prioritize time with You, so we can hear the adventures You begin to whisper and the direction You are guiding us to take. I’m so thankful for the writing collaborations and relationships You’ve brought into my life from an unexpected mishap years ago. You amaze me. Please don’t stop.
Your loving daughter. Amen.

Originally published for Goodwordproject.com December 14, 2023