Limitless Life-Chapter 10

“The road to success goes through a dark valley called failure.” Derwin Gray. Chapter 10 From Failure to Faithful. Mr. Gray writes about some of his failures in this chapter. He felt pride was at the center of his failures. He said, “He failed but he wasn’t a failure. God placed the seeds of success in my failure that day to make me the man and leader I am today. And that failure would prepare me to live a life of faithfulness.”

I have a fear of failure. I love that Mr. Gray said, “In your greatest failure, God is preparing you for your future success.”  Does failure define you? Failure does not have to define you. In 1995, I prayed  through Neil Anderson’s Steps to Forgiveness, I forgave my dad of his failures, I forgave my husband of the things that were toxic in our marriage. I forgave myself for my mistakes. I renounced fear and failure. My ministry is to help women find freedom from the lies she believes. Many times the failures have stopped the person from growing in the grace of God.

Failure isn’t the end of the road. Mr. Gray writes about the disciples. Peter failed in his walk with Jesus. Jesus forgave him and he forgives us. Mr. Gray asks, “What name do you answer? The name you embrace is the name you will live by.”  At work, I am Diana case manager. At home, I am wife and daughter in law. But the insecure me, I am still that overweight woman. Derwin penned, ” Sometimes labels are stitched so deeply in our hearts that we don’t even know the lies we believe.”  I have lost 108 pounds, Tracie Miles has written a book, Your Life Still Counts, that will be out in October and my story is in her book. I believed so many lies, that I was fat, that I was lazy, that if I would just get on the right diet, that I am ugly. Yet the truth is that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

The new label for us to embrace in this chapter is faithful. I long for the day when I will hear, “Well done, Good and Faithful servant.”  Mr. Gray gives us some keys to use when we are moving from failure to faithful. Key 1. Realize that the name you answer to is the name you will live by. When I was a manager, I would tell the nurses that I was a supervising that she was in the driver seat of her career. My name at work is helpful. I want compassion as my name as I show Jesus’s love. Key 2. Be Humble–Humility Lets Jesus Transform You into a Winner. In Neil Anderson, Steps to Freedom, he states, “Humility is confidence properly placed.” When we are humble pride has no place in our life. When I feel that I am being prideful, I renounce the pride. Key 3. Remember that your weaknesses attract Jesus strength. Key 4. Know that Jesus doesn’t give up on you, even when you fail Him. I am secure in my relationship with God but I have not always been. Before my steps to freedom appointment in 1995, I felt as though God forgave others mistakes and choices but held me to a different standard. Really it was Satan condemning me. I believed his lies for such a long time. Key 5. Remember that your failure is transformed into triumphs. I love that Jesus prays for me. I am also sorry for the many times I have let him down. Before I would let those disappointments separate me from Jesus. There is a section in my prayer journal where I admit where I have failed Jesus. I have a place to record how Jesus is working in my life. I refuse to let my failures define me. I am forgiven.

What label or labels are you still embracing that prevents you from embracing the label Faithful?

What name do you answer most often? Beloved, Daughter, Faithful

Ie are not the names, what lies do you need to renounce and claim the truth that you are fearfully and wonderfully made?

Father God, failures are so hard to face. Is there a woman reading this that has failed in the weight loss game? Is there a woman who suffering because she had an abortion and is feeling condemned? Is there a woman who has had an affair because of failure to communicate with her husband? Is there a mom who feels like a failure because she constantly is yelling at her children, the ones she prayed to have? Is there a woman who is feeling the pain of her husband’s failure to stay away from pornography? Is there a woman who is facing physical pain day after day?  Each hurt, every tear, each ache needs to lead back to you. Oh Lord, your son died on the cross and his words, “Father forgive them, they do not know what they do”  I ask for the woman reading this that she accept the truth that she is forgiven. That your mercy and grace is amazing. God is there in our time of need. Oh Lord thank you that you have forgiven me and have change my name. You do not see me as a failure, you see me as Faithful.

Another song, I love to sing is “Just A Closer Walk With Thee.” I am weak but Thou are strong, Jesus, Keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, let me walk close to Thee. Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea. Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

As I close the pages of this book, I want that closer walk, I want the label faithful. I want to grow closer to Him every day. I no longer am afraid but courageous. I am no longer addicted I am free. I am no longer a mess, I am a masterpiece. I am not an orphan, I am adopted.  I am no longer damaged goods, I am a trophy of grace. I am no longer religious, I am covered by grace. I am no longer a consumer, I am a contributor. I am no longer purposeless, I am purposeful. I am a worshiper, I am no longer a failure, I am faithful. I sometimes grieve when I finish a book but the answer is to just re-read the book. Thank you Derwin Gray for such a life changing book.  Blessings, Diana