If you know anyone who has had a baby in the past 10-15 years … then you know how exciting the day of the first sonogram is! To be able to count the baby’s fingers and toes … to see its tiny ears … and to observe its little heart beating … is a day of joyous comfort.

Would you like to see my next baby’s sonogram? Would you like a sneak peek?

We are approaching the due date of my next baby … my next book, that is!

“Overflowing – Living Abundantly in a Broken Culture” will meet the world on Tuesday, June 25 … and we are all counting the days!

But would you like a sneak peek?

Today is “sonogram day” of “Overflowing” … and I hope that it whets your appetite for all that is to come.

I hope that this excerpt from “Overflowing – Living Abundantly in a Broken Culture” will fill your soul with anticipation and joy.

“I’ve never really liked the word if. It’s a wishy-washy word and yet certain issues in life seem to depend upon its instability. Let me explain my internal obstinacy to this perfectly conditional word.

You can go to your friend’s house IF you do your homework first.

You will feel good about yourself at your class reunion IF you lose twenty pounds first.

You will be considered a wonderful wife IF you clean your house and cook three meals a day.

You will be chosen for the position IF a committee of people who don’t know you decide you are qualified.

Do you see what I mean? Sometimes the word if can be a “sick-to-your- stomach” kind of if.

Human Nature

Paul was well-acquainted with human nature and therefore realized not every believer in Christ would hold fast to the Word of truth. In this next passage, we will read about the awful “sick-to-your-stomach” kind of if.

If indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister” (Colossians 1:23)

Paul knew some of those who had been reconciled would likely move away from the hope of the gospel.

I have a dear childhood friend who was a dedicated believer in Jesus Christ throughout her childhood years and continued to live for the Lord all during high school. When she went to college, she held Bible studies and prayer meetings in her dorm room. Now, she lives an alternate lifestyle and worships other gods. She is in a very dark place, and I pray for her daily.

I often have wondered how this happens in the life of a believer. How does a person who loved Jesus enthusiastically decide to walk away? Paul, in his letter to the church at Colossae, warns there will be those who no longer adhere to the hope of the gospel. Although I do not have an answer to the “why” of this dilemma, I can assure you the Holy Spirit is relentlessly pursuing these dear ones.

Not Me

I am wholly dedicated to Jesus Christ and daily I long to guarantee I will not be one of those who are tempted to walk away from my first love—Jesus Christ. Perhaps you, like me, desire that same insurance and therefore you declare, “No matter what storm I go through, regardless of how I am treated at church, even when I walk through a horrific fire in life, I will cling to my faith in Jesus Christ.” I yearn to have the assurance that I will not fall away, and I will not be moved regardless of what happens in my life.

There are a few disciplines, when incorporated into the life of a Christian, that will give the assurance of a solid foundation and a solid faith that will not be moved. Our faith must be firmly established so we are steadfast when the storms of life rage and the winds of life blow.

Firmly Established

Over the years, I have incorporated a few disciplines into my Christian walk that have anchored me through every storm and windy gale. If these habits have safeguarded me, they will do the same for you.

The first and primary discipline is to read your Bible daily. If you miss a day, please do not let that day become two days, a week, or even a month. If you do neglect to read your Bible due to busyness or forgetfulness, pick it right back up the next day. The most encouraging and beautiful moments of your day always are found in reading the sacred pages of Scripture.

I also hope you faithfully attend a church where the Word of God is honored and preached enthusiastically, where worship is heartfelt and sincere, where missionaries are supported, and where children are loved. There is nothing—this side of heaven—like a joyful, peaceful, missional, loving church.

I always encourage both men and women to attend a weekly Bible study. The Bible study can be small or large in attendance, but it must be a place where Scripture is studied verse by verse, where questions are welcomed, and where community is warm.

Do you have a mentor or someone to whom you go with your questions? Discipleship is a must for the body of Christ. We all need someone who is more mature in the faith and whose wisdom will enhance our walk in Christ.

My faith is solidified by reading books rich in theology by men and women who are recognized leaders in the body of Christ. I choose books that make the Bible come alive and that encourage me to live enthusiastically for Christ during my tenure on earth. I read Christian books that tackle difficult subjects and are written from a biblical worldview.

It’s Up to You

Jesus has reconciled you to God the Father, but you are the one who chooses to be firmly established in your faith. If your faith is weak and you find yourself wavering with doubts and discouragement, it is not God’s fault, your pastor’s fault, or your parents’ fault. We all choose how deeply we will go into the soil of our faith. It’s an individual choice to read your Bible or not, to go to church or not, to attend Bible study or not, to have a mentor or not, and to read great books or not. You choose if and how you will fan the flame of your faith. One great truth I have learned along the pathway of my faith journey is this: you will find more joy and stability the deeper you go.

PRAYER

Jesus, I don’t want to suffer, but I do want to be more like you. I pray today You would confirm, strengthen, and establish my faith. In Your wonderful name I pray. Amen.

WORDS OF WISDOM

For many of us, the great danger is not that we will renounce our faith. It is that we will become so distracted and rushed and preoccupied that we will settle for a mediocre version of it. We will just skim our lives instead of actually living them.

—John Mark Comer

Thanks for listening to my heart this week. As you know by now, my heart is truly not a perfect heart but it is a heart that is filled to overflowing with gratitude for the life I have been given and for the people who walk with me. And, it continues to be a heart that is relentlessly chasing after God and all that He is!

Help Bring Hope to a Hurting World!

I am launching three books this year, and we are preparing to make a major impact for the Kingdom of God. If you are on social media and you want to help spread this message of abundant hope and overflowing joy, can I invite you to join my Book Club with Carol Facebook group?

When you join, you’ll gain access to a FREE digital copy of Overflowing: Living Abundantly in a Broken Culture as well as other exclusive content, private teaching sessions, and fun giveaways.

Join the launch team

The Big “If”: An Excerpt from Overflowing