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10 Apr Breathing Room – Day 21

Posted at 13:32h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:21 (NLT) I will praise the Lord,     and may everyone on earth bless his holy name     forever and ever. It’s fitting as we come to the end of our 21 Days of Psalm 145, in the Breathing Room with Jesus, that David ends his song of praise the...

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07 Apr Breathing Room – Day 20

Posted at 13:32h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:20 (NLT) The Lord protects all those who love him,     but he destroys the wicked. There are only 2 kinds of people in this world: protected and unprotected. Protected people are those who love God and whom God sees as righteous. Unprotected people—those who do not love God,...

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06 Apr Breathing Room – Day 19

Posted at 13:32h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:19 (NLT) He grants the desires of those who fear him;     he hears their cries for help and rescues them. What do you think this verse means? Maybe a better question is, what do you hope it means? Perhaps you’ve heard this phrase long quoted at evangelistic crusades:...

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05 Apr Breathing Room – Day 18

Posted at 21:03h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:18 (NLT) The Lord is close to all who call on him,     yes, to all who call on him in truth. Yesterday we talked about the right-ness and truth of God— in that God is who he says he is, and he always does what he says...

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04 Apr Breathing Room – Day 17

Posted at 21:03h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:17 (NLT) The Lord is righteous in everything he does;     he is filled with kindness. We either believe God, or we don’t. We either believe that he is righteous (right) and just all the time, or we don't. We either believe that he is filled with kindness, or we...

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03 Apr Breathing Room – Day 16

Posted at 21:03h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:16 (NLT) When you open your hand,     you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. We have a bit of preoccupation with food these days; gathering up at the grocery whatever we can find, hoping we’ll have enough to last this 30-day Shelter-in-Place (SIP). I...

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02 Apr Breathing Room – Day 15

Posted at 21:03h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:15 (NLT) The eyes of all look to you in hope;     you give them their food as they need it. I’m hungry for something, but I don’t what for. So, I go to the panty and search, hoping to find something that might satisfy what’s growling inside...

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01 Apr Breathing Room – Day 14

Posted at 16:10h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:13b-14 (NLT) The Lord always keeps his promises;     he is gracious in all he does. The Lord helps the fallen     and lifts those bent beneath their loads. I learned something from my man 20 years ago when we first began dating. He taught a ‪Sunday morning Bible class at...

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31 Mar Breathing Room – Day 13

Posted at 18:04h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:13a (NLT) For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.     You rule throughout all generations. By now most of us have realized that our personal kingdoms and worldly security measures are failing us, crumbling under and all around us. Those are just the facts of the fallout of...

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30 Mar Breathing Room – Day 12

Posted at 18:04h in Breathing Room, Making The Most of Now, Suffering and Trials

Psalm 145:12 (NLT) They will tell about your mighty deeds     and about the majesty and glory of your reign. The Breathing Room is the space we make and the time we take to get alone with Jesus daily; to acknowledge God first, recalibrate under His truth and get...

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Are you on Instagram? C’mon and do a little life-on-life with me!

 


The Truth of God’s Word builds strong, firm spir
The Truth of God’s Word builds strong, firm spiritual muscle. So, if we're going to get in good, mature, strong, spiritual shape, we're going to have to do some heavy lifting. Here are 5 things to regularly *exercise* to help you strengthen your faith.⠀ ⠀ Part of this list was inspired by Chuck Swindoll. He’s a marvelous teacher, preacher, and has written a number of books that have marked me deeply. His teaching is solid and sound.⠀ ⠀ Chuck came up with this list that will help us grow strong in our faith and strong in the truth of God's word, and then I added to it.⠀ ⠀ 1. Hear the Bible taught.⠀ 2. Read the Bible for yourself.⠀ 3. Study the Bible with pen in hand to take notes.⠀ 4. Memorize and meditate on God’s word.⠀ 5. Get discipled!⠀ ⠀ Can you spot what I added? That’s right! Find an older woman out there to disciple you– not necessarily chronologically older, but someone more mature in her faith who loves God, loves and follows Jesus, and loves God's word and knows how it works in everyday life.⠀ ⠀ Friends, that is precisely what we need in our life. That's what's missing. If you want to get strong in the truth of God's word and firm in your faith, find someone to do life-on-life with discipleship with you… to disciple you in Truth—not opinion, but in God’s Truth.⠀ ⠀ We need God's word y'all. So, keep at it. Persevere and say this with me one more time, “The stronger I am in God's Truth, the firmer I'll stand in faith… trusting him, believing him, living for him and falling in love with him over and over and over again.”⠀ ⠀ I love y’all!⠀ xo - P♥️⠀ ⠀ #lifeonlifepodcast #discipleship #lifetogether #bettertogether #accountability #readthebible #standfirm

God’s kingdom needs an army, not an audience. Ar
God’s kingdom needs an army, not an audience. Armies enlist to fight, to defend and to be willing to die for whatever they're guarding, while audiences come to be entertained. Armies are challenged and convicted by Truth and compelled to action, while audiences want to be unbothered and comfortable.⠀ ⠀ Living for comfort is a really dangerous place to live because it’s not the place God has called us. God is not concerned with our comfort. He's concerned with our character. God, through Jesus, calls us to deny ourselves daily, to take up our cross and to follow him (Luke 9:23).⠀ ⠀ There's nothing more uncomfortable than saying no to yourself and letting somebody else take control of your destiny. I mean, that is about as uncomfortable as it gets and it makes our skin crawl, just thinking about it.⠀ ⠀ God calls us to serve right now– where we are and with what we have. And we’ve got to be prepared. We’ve got to *live* ready. We've got to *stay* ready. And, we've got to *stand* ready because when the going gets tough, the tough don't gather up food and supplies and buy up land and head to the hills to find shelter. When the going gets tough, the tough are already prepared and they keep going for God. They go and they make disciples to build up the army of God.⠀ ⠀ Stop a moment. Think. Pray. Look at your life. Where are you standing right now? Are you going to stand firm in your faith– in this day, in this age, in this time on the Kingdom calendar? Because right here, right now is exactly where God put you and me. This is exactly where you have been called, where you've been tapped to stand, to serve, and to follow Christ. So, let’s stand shoulder-to-shoulder with one another and serve him!⠀ ⠀ I love y’all!⠀ xo - P♥️⠀ ⠀ #lifeonlifepodcast #discipleship #lifetogether #bettertogether #accountability #readthebible #standfirm

Y’all, we have grown into the *habit* of not goi
Y’all, we have grown into the *habit* of not going to church, and that’s not healthy. Yes- we’ve had a crazy difficult 14 months and most churches were closed. So we started watching church online (and praise God for the technology that allowed us to). But churches are open now- and we’ve got to kick the habit of online church on the couch. It’s unhealthy. Because for the body of Christ to thrive, we have to be together. Last week our nursery opened back up and more families were able to get back to church. I was never so happy to see this darling girl right here in my arms… We nearly squeezed one another to death. Her name is Coral (isn’t she beautiful?). And though we have been face-timing for the past year, last week was the first time I got to hold her tight. I have loved her since before she was born; her mom is one of my beloved young’uns; and both her parents and 2 brothers are precious to John and me. Our church is our family and the 5 Dixson‘s are part of our “household of faith” and the army of God that gathers together on Sunday mornings @reunionchurchdallas to worship together, love one another, get equipped in the Word and go out into the world for Jesus. I’m literally in tears right now… Just so excited to get to see my Family again this morning! Don’t take my word for it, but do take the Word of God seriously that reminds us: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 Come on, y’all! Jump in the shower, get dressed, grab your Bible and go to church! Repeat next Sunday! I love y’all! xo P♥️ #LifeOnLife #LifeOnLifePodcast #GoToChurch #Church #fellowship #BetterTogether

I bet you’re thinking, “Is she for real? 2021?
I bet you’re thinking, “Is she for real? 2021? Part of God’s plan?” Yes. And if you trust in the sovereignty of God then you know that 2021 and 2020, and every other year prior has all figured into God’s Master Plan. Listen, I know it can be frightening. I know it can be very disturbing to watch the news and think, “Oh my goodness, everything is collapsing around us!” But, there's a lot of good God-work going on, too. There's a lot that God is doing that doesn't make the headlines, so we've got to keep our eyes open and watch for him.⠀ ⠀ Remember that God specifically assigned you and me for here and now– he planted us here in this particular time and place and purposed us to do Kingdom work. So, we've got to get after it! God's plan didn't change just because the pandemic fell on us and wreaked havoc on our world. God's plan didn’t change because on top of a pandemic, there were racial and political battles, and there were riots and conspiracy theories and families being torn apart in the throes of controversies.⠀ ⠀ Just because the calendar changed to 2021 and your plans may have been changed, doesn’t mean that God’s plan has changed. The Bible tells us that we are to *persevere* in tribulation. That word “tribulation” means big troubles as well as “general difficulties” – the day-to-day trials that Christians experience and have experienced throughout history. When those hard times do come, we as Christians are to persevere as Spirit-empowered people of God's kingdom.⠀ ⠀ So, hang in there. God’s plan is to give you purpose and perspective in the midst of your suffering. The Holy Spirit will enable you to persevere, to endure. No matter what kind of suffering or what kind of difficulty you're in– even though the circumstances have changed, it doesn't mean that God's plans have changed. You’re still here, and I’m still here, because God has a plan and purpose for us. Let’s live it, together!⠀ ⠀ I love y’all!⠀ xo - P♥️⠀ ⠀ #lifeonlifepodcast #discipleship #lifetogether #bettertogether #accountability #readthebible #standfirm

Lately on the #LifeonLife podcast we’ve been dis
Lately on the #LifeonLife podcast we’ve been discussing the critical necessity of the Holy Spirit. Remember, the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom, guidance, and empowers us to walk by faith in our daily lives.⠀ ⠀ But, there's the bigger picture of why we have the Holy Spirit: God has given us the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life *right now* in the year 2021, as a woman or man of faith; to be alive on this planet– right here, right now– in this day and time, living exactly where you are living, doing what you are doing. It's not a random accident that you and I are alive right now on this planet. No, in fact– we were specifically *appointed* for this moment in time.⠀ ⠀ This is part of God's well-thought-out Kingdom plan; a plan that includes you and me! And we are here as his appointed players with a particular purpose, a profound purpose to be lived out for our good and his glory. My job and your job is to build up the Kingdom of God– no matter what, and we are specifically to do it *right now.*⠀ ⠀ Wherever you are, this very moment your call is to follow Jesus, to point others to Christ, and to lead others to saving faith in Jesus, and to make disciples— to build up a Kingdom of Kingdom-builders… an army for the cause of Christ to advance the gospel.⠀ ⠀ Sound overwhelming? It is, and that’s why we have the Holy Spirit to help us. You know, God gave us the Holy Spirit because we can't live the Christian life on our own. We can't live it without him *empowering* us. And if we don't have the Holy Spirit in us, then we're not able to walk by faith or stand in faith, or be empowered to face the things that are going to surely come our way.⠀ ⠀ So, it begs the question: What kingdom are you building and who is helping you?⠀ ⠀ I love y’all!⠀ xo - P♥️⠀ ⠀ #lifeonlifepodcast #discipleship #lifetogether #bettertogether #accountability #readthebible #standfirm

I'm not a prophet. I can't see into the future, bu
I'm not a prophet. I can't see into the future, but I will tell you this: Yes, we're living in the end times before Jesus returns *because* the end times BEGAN the minute Jesus ascended into heaven.⠀ ⠀ Jesus talks about the signs of the end times in Matthew 24 (also Mark 13 & Luke 21). He mentioned all sorts of things that will signal the end, that if you look around today, have only continued to escalate over the years. The signs are bigger, more intense, and they’ve become more frequent. So, yeah, those things *have been* happening and *will continue* to happen because they're all part of the signs that herald the end times.⠀ ⠀ Here’s the thing: When Jesus left Earth to go to Heaven and be with the Father, his parting words were not warnings about end times. His last words were about living *right now* and doing the Kingdom work of “going into all of the world and making disciples” (Matthew 28:19). He told them, “Now, you go and disciple others the way I discipled you, so that they will in turn disciple others who will disciple others” (my paraphrase). That’s what he wanted them to remember. He didn’t caution them to hunker down and fear the end times– instead, he told them to stay focused and get busy doing the Kingdom work he’d commanded them to do (and it is a command).⠀ ⠀ So, is Jesus coming back soon? Yes, I believe he is— but “soon” according to *his* timetable. Remember that one day to God is like a thousand years to us (2 Peter 3:8). It's a really long time for us, but it's simply a moment for him. And in the meantime, we’re not to spend our time speculating on when that will be because nobody knows except God. Jesus himself doesn't even know when he's coming back! He won’t know until that moment when the Father grabs his shoulder and says, “Now, Son, go get your Bride!” ⠀ ⠀ When it comes to the “end times,” the only thing I can tell you with absolute certainty is this: It’s later than it has ever been. We are closer than we have ever been, and Jesus’ return is sooner than it has ever been. Are you ready?⠀ ⠀ More in Episode 10! Listen at http://punkytolson.com/podcast (link in bio).⠀ ⠀ I love y’all!⠀ xo - P♥️⠀ ⠀ #lifeonlifepodcast #discipleship


In Eph. 1, Paul talks about what you and I have “inherited” as a dearly loved child of the Most High God. Think about that– the Creator of the Universe is *your Father* and there is nothing your God can't do.⠀ ⠀ Just think— your Father can do anything! He has all surpassing authority over all because he has created everything. Do you believe that? Do you believe him? Do you pray like you do? That’s the kind of boldness and confidence with which we’ve got to pray.⠀ ⠀ Pray like you believe he’s listening. Pray like you believe that there's nothing too small to talk to God about. Pray like there's nothing too big to bring to him. Pray like there’s nothing too awful, too shameful, or too painful. If something is causing you confusion, if you're angry about it, or you simply don’t understand something– bring it to your Father God.⠀ ⠀ From Heb. 4:16 we know we can “come boldly to the throne room of grace to find mercy in our time of need.” When we walk in, we come boldly– not timidly, not sneaking in, or hanging our head down. We don’t barge in like a spoiled brat, but like a child who knows *exactly* who she’s going to, for whatever she needs, with confidence that her Father will listen and respond.⠀ ⠀ P.S. If you had a great relationship with your dad here on earth, then this might be easy for you to understand. But if you didn't, then there's a good chance you’ve got a “father wound” in some way. That is all the more reason you’ve got to get to know your Abba Father, your God in heaven, because he loves you so incredibly much—beyond anything you’ve ever experienced! He loves you more than any earthly father or mother ever could… a thousand-million-billion-eternal times more than they could. But the only way to know that is to get to know him through his Word.⠀ ⠀ It’s critical that you get to know God and his boundless love for you because here’s the thing: You're not going to trust someone you don't know, and you’re not going to get to know God apart from His Word—the Bible. And oh, sweet friend, your heavenly Father can absolutely be trusted—100%, all the time!⠀ ⠀ I love y’all!⠀ xo - P♥️⠀ ⠀ #lifeonlifepodcast #readthebible #standfirm #pray #talktoGod #confidence

Child of God- don’t forget to remember:
Shame
D
Child of God- don’t forget to remember: Shame Disgrace Humiliation They all mean to keep you stuck, afraid and permanently stained. But your God, the “Commander of the Heavenly Armies” has wiped them out and washed them all away. Maybe somebody else needed to be reminded of this today. I know I did. “Don’t be afraid, for there is no one to shame you.     Don’t fear humiliation, for there is no one to disgrace you. The shame of your younger years and the sorrow of your widowhood are over.     You’ll forget those days as if they never happened. Because the One who made you will be your husband;     the One called Commander of heavenly armies Will set you right again, the Holy One of Israel.     It’s not for nothing that He is called “God of all the earth.” Isaiah 54:4-5 I love y’all! xo P♥️ #lifeonlife #lifeonlifepodcast #God #sin #shame #forgiveness #bettertogether #discipleship #makedisciples

I believe we should set aside a special time each
I believe we should set aside a special time each day to talk and listen to God, AND we should keep that conversation going all throughout the day, too!⠀ ⠀ It's like this: If you and I were hanging out together, side-by-side all day long, and I was going about my business, doing things around my house, going to my office, working, driving in my car, going to the grocery store— but I never said anything to you, never even acknowledged that you were there… that’s weird, right? Well, that's how it is with you and God. He's with you all the time. He's in you all the time. And he's waiting for you to talk to him about anything…anytime.⠀ ⠀ Whether you want to tell him how cool it is that everything is blooming outside, or just how amazing a meal was… it doesn’t matter what you want to tell him– just comment and acknowledge that he's there. You can tell him how great everything is… or how great everything *isn't* right now. Pour out your heart, your lament, your highest highs and your lowest lows. Give it all to him.♥️ You don't have to wait until the next “special appointed time” to talk to God. Talk to him now!⠀ ⠀ The writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 4:16 that we can go *boldly* anytime we want “into the throne of grace.” And Paul tells us in Philippians 4:16 to pray about everything. So, there's nothing you can't talk to God about at any time of day or night. Talk to him about everything because he knows your heart– he knows what's in there.⠀ ⠀ Talk to God, pray about everything, and pray with confidence knowing who you are and *Whose* you are, and that when you pray, your Abba Father God hears you. Not only does he hear you, he waits for you to speak to him and he wants to hear your voice. He *wants* to because you are a dearly loved child of the Most High God! That's who you are and that's Whose you are.⠀ ⠀ Don’t forget to remember that you belong to God, and that he has given you 24/7 access to him. So, start right now and talk to him! He’s your best friend!⠀ ⠀ I love y’all!⠀ xo - P♥️⠀ ⠀ #lifeonlifepodcast #discipleship #lifetogether #bettertogether #accountability #readthebible #standfirm #pray #prayer #talktoGod

One of the more supernatural hallmarks of the Chri
One of the more supernatural hallmarks of the Christian life is that you and I get to *talk* to our God. He not only hears us and listens to us, but he also *responds* to us. Psalm 116:1-2 says, “I love the Lord because he hears my prayers and answers them. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I breathe!”⠀ ⠀ What we have with God is unique and specific to us as Christ-followers; no other religion on the planet has a God that is alive and active in our lives. We get to enjoy the most beautiful, dynamic, living and active relationship with God by praying to him— communicating with him in and through his Word, by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.⠀ ⠀ Throughout the Scripture we see this dynamic relationship happening between God and his people; especially in the Psalms where we see and hear King David in this great, intimate relationship with God through prayer (which is conversation with God). Sometimes David is pouring out the deepest sorrows and the highest praises of his heart; and sometimes David is listening, quietly waiting for God’s response.⠀ ⠀ That’s so key to developing intimacy, isn’t it? If we’re honest, it’s probably the part of prayer that most of us struggle with… Listening. Waiting. Giving time to allow for a response. Imagine having a conversation with a friend who always does the talking and never sits long enough to listen to your response or leave room for you to speak. It would be tough to develop an intimate friendship, wouldn’t it?⠀ ⠀ Intimacy comes from time spent together in two-way communication. Talking and listening. That’s what God wants with us. He wants an intimate relationship. You and I were created for relationship, and most importantly we were created for relationship with God; hardwired by him for a deeply intimate relationship, rich with conversation. God desires that with us. He delights in spending time with you and with me. He absolutely delights in your company!⠀ ⠀ Today- start your time with Jesus by simply sitting with him, settling your heart and tuning your ears to listen, to hear, and to do whatever he says to do.⠀ ⠀ I love y’all!⠀ xo - P♥️⠀ ⠀ #lifeonlifepodcast #discipleship #conversation #prayer


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