Earlier this spring, I asked you a few questions:

What if you found yourself in a very difficult situation?  What if that difficult situation was your marriage? What if you had every reason to walk away, but God asked you to stay?

This question was inspired by friend Lara Williams’s book called “To Walk or Stay” *. Today I am honored to be hosting the last and final chapter of her book club:

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Chapter 10: Walking in His redeeming power

“You know a secret? I can’t do it. None of it. I can’t forgive. I can’t take my thoughts captive. I can’t love God or my husband. I can’t stay committed. I can’t pray. I can’t even believe Him unless His Spirit does a work within me.” – Lara Williams

Can you believe it? God asks us stay to do the hard work and the bottom line is we can’t do it on our own. This is where we land. We can’t, but He can. I love Lara’s heart and brutal honesty:

“Apart from Him birthing love and faith in and through me, I”m a hopeless mess.”

We might find this slightly frustrating, but if we lean into this truth we will find it freeing. Yes, I said we will find it freeing.

Lara walks us through such a beautiful explanation of what it means, as believers in Christ, to be filled with “The Almighty God Himself—the One who raised Jesus from the dead—(He) comes to live in us.”  To summarize:

  • He empowers us.
  • He loves through us.
  • He gives us joy.
  • He enables us to forgive.

It is His presence that allows us to make seemingly impossible choices. But with God, all things are possible. We can cling to this grace sweet friends for our marriages and in every aspect of our lives. What a promise!

Can I be honest with you for a moment? Some days, I find this leaning into His truth, His love, and His power easier than others. Some days, it just flows and I’m the broken and open vessel He can work through. Other days, I reminded by everyone around me that my brokenness is just that—broken.

It is on these days that I need to do what Lara defines as Stir Him Up! 

“Stir Him up. To stir Him up is to believe that He will fill us full For me, that looks like a personal mini-preaching session. And it begins with confession…I remind myself—out loud—that the Spirit of the Most Hight indwells me. The power of my God enables me to walk this moment with wisdom and joy. Then I praise Him. And I thank Him. Because praise and thanksgiving stir Him up.” – Lara Williams

Oh girls, lately I have needed to Stir Him Up all day long. The best way I know how is to start early in the morning,stirring, and responding to His gentle nudges. By noon, I need to Stir Him Up through worship music. And around the bedtime hour, I’m Stirring Him Up out loud in front of my family.

The beauty of it is He always responds to the stirring. He moves and I’m changed. Lara is quick to tell us in her final words:

“If you’ve named Him “Lord” then you are His and nothing can separate you from His love. Nothing. Dare to believe. Victory and abundance are yours for the taking regardless of your circumstance. Because He promised. And He always comes through.”

Girls, the victory is His. Regardless. You are His. He always comes through.

Amen.

 

Question: After reading this book, what is one “take away” you want His Spirit to seal upon your heart? 

Get the book at *Amazon.

Watch my video review here.

Meet Lara here.

*Amazon Affiliate Links included in this post