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© 2020 Amber Schumacher

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Have you ever been invited to do something and lau

Have you ever been invited to do something and laughed in disbelief?

A woman named Sarah, in the Bible laughed when God told her she would finally have the baby He promised her, years prior.

Sarah laughed! I would laugh too if God said I would conceive and bear a child in my 80s.

Sarah’s laughing may have been out of nervousness... disbelief... doubt, maybe even humor.

I have a tendency to laugh when I’m nervous or feel like something is just too impossible to consider.

I blame the green in my personality.

Sarah doubted God’s power to do the unimaginable.

What does the unimaginable stir up in you?

I have heard sermons criticizing Sarah for her doubtful laughter, but I think it’s important to recognize what doubt, nervousness and disbelief sound like and feel like.

Recently, I was invited to do something I have never done before. I not only hesitated, I laughed.

I prayed for opportunities to bring hope to this exact pocket...but when God showed up with this, I was suddenly full of doubt, nervousness and disbelief.

Didn’t see that coming!

I laughed, then I played a few rounds of 20 questions with my mind.

Sound familiar?

It’s easy to find yourself doubting that uncomfortable invitation, that unexpected chapter in the story (aka the plot twist,) that thing you have a chance to do but have never done before. Maybe even that thing you dreamt of once but let go of over time.

It takes something to recognize the laugh; what it stands for and then STOP the mind game to actually consider doing something that sounds impossible, scary or uncomfortable.

Even if you know it’s good!

God’s plan turned Sarah’s nervous, doubtful laughter into laughter of joy, celebration and assurance of all of God’s promises.

Her laugh became a beacon of hope and joy.

That’s the power of God’s plan over our own. God’s timing will turn our doubtful, impatient, nervous anxiety of the timetable or magnitude of whatever we are stepping up to, into laughter.

Stop, take a breath, break down the laugh, then process it through truth. From that place you will find the confidence to take the step.

What doubt, nervousness or disbelief has you stuck laughing inside?

Ever wonder how the heck you got where you are? Y

Ever wonder how the heck you got where you are?

Yeah, me too!

Before I became a believer I struggled to be in any kind of relationship with women.

I bought into the stigma and the lie that women are hard.

The truth is, people are hard! People are legit messy and so am I.

God has quite the sense of humor when it comes to busting up lies we believe.

After I accepted Jesus, He got to work! Like He didn’t mess around. I showed up to a Bible study and I made friends with 8 ladies in one night.

Friend, I have heard church stories. I was 1000% ready to defend myself, guard my heart and break up with this group. No biggie.

Those same ladies became my possie. My ride or die. We have been through some hell and back together. To this day even though we have been scattered we are united. We continue to love each other and fight for each other.

That group of women changed the trajectory of my life.

I went from hiding from women to embracing them. As God tore down every lie I ever believed and replaced them with truth; I found deep compassion for women. That compassion grew into a passion and that passion a ministry.

And that ministry grew. It spanned two states and now goes all over the world online.

The girl in this picture pushed me to believe in more. To take brokenness and grow. Her belief in me fueled an intensity to fight for women. We raised babies together. We served together and then we led together.

We were called to a season apart (kind of like some disciples I know) and now I get to watch God bring her back out into this space where (although apart) we once again get to serve women together.

Don't ever underestimate the power of your story or what God is working out in it.

Wherever you are today, God is up to something. If you are struggling to believe in Him or yourself, girl I got you. I’ll be believing for you until you can get there.

@iammarcellacaldwell , I’m rooting for you! This isn’t about who is doing what, or how good or for how long. There is room at the table because the harvest is plenty and the workers are few. The world needs what you have to offer and I am honored to watch you soar.

Girl, we’ve got work to do!

What voices are leading you? I spent a few years

What voices are leading you?

I spent a few years believing that I needed make myself small to make sure other people didn’t feel threatened by whatever it was that made them uncomfortable.

I let the critical voices take up residence and create a story for my life that Jesus never intended.

Critical voices are swirling around us from the time we are born, all throughout our lives. Right now, life is loud. Many of us are carrying around critical voices from our childhood, adolescence or this afternoon.

We all internalize some of those voices to some extent, even if just for a moment. We can internalize those negative voices just as we can internalize love.

These voices can leave us feeling stuck.

I for sure have felt stuck.

How about you?

So what the heck do we do!?

We make a choice.

1. Prayerfully, take some time to find out what voices you have internalized.
2. Figure out where the voices are coming from and if they are positive or negative.
3. Give the negative voices the boot!
4. Get support rediscovering who you are.
5. Seek relationships that breathe life into you.

Something has to take up that space. That’s the way we were designed.

It’s our job to make sure that we have healthy supportive relationships and that we intentionally and purposefully take in the affirming voices to fill that space.

We can’t control that negative voices will come. That isn’t our part. We just control what we do with them.

We do need to find the encouraging uplifting voices. They are out there! Don’t give up looking. You may need a new circle to get those voices and that’s okay. Toxic relationships aren’t for you. Don’t be afraid to let go of some things to make room for the best things.

Where are people speaking truth, hope and life?

Start there!

In this space I offer support, tools and encouragement to those who want to evict those critical voices, set boundaries, pursue hope, make healthy changes and hear a positive voice.

Together we can find freedom from toxic thoughts, negative noise and the inner criticism✨

#yourstorymatters #businessbydesign #specialneedsmom #adhdparenting #bettertogether #hopedealer #toxicthoughts #encourageher #morethanme