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Watch where you step · Fostering Faith

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  Welcome back to Fostering Faith. And so my name
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  is Tracy Foster. I am your host today for Fostering
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  Faith. And we're going to be discussing something
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  that I've been kind of wrestling with. And it
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  has just kind of been there in the background
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  and kind of off and on. And so I wanted to share
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  kind of just what I really felt in this last
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  week. We've been super busy. with Gia and allowing
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  her to play two sports and she's doing volleyball
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  and basketball basketball has been every day
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  she threw in some volleyball in there we didn't
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  get home until late until Monday until like 11
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  30 um and you know your girl is in bed by nine
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  o 'clock and we're up whenever God wakes us up
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  but I love my sleep and um but I love watching
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  her more than anything. And, um, just watching
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  her grow and flourish and do a sport that she
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  just loves to do. And she practices and just
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  to watch her flourish. And I was just like, man,
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  you know, I bet God really just loves watching
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  us. Like we love to watch our kids. We love to
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  watch our grandbabies. We love to watch our,
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  um, our friends, kids potentially even, and how
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  he looks at us and be like, yes. that's my son,
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  that's my daughter. Like, I'm so proud of you.
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  Like staying up late, staying up in the middle
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  of the night, saying, you know, just, you'll
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  do whatever you can just to, to be with that
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  child and to know, so they know that you love
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  them, that you are putting other things aside
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  because you're making them a priority. And then
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  just allowing her to be. and do what she loves
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  to do. And so just that position that she takes
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  on the court and the power that she has whenever
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  she actually does what she's supposed to do.
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  And it got me thinking about this stupid step
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  in one of my best friend's shops. She has this,
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  she owns a t -shirt company and a boutique. And
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  she does all the spirit wear. So I will give
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  her a shout out. So from on Monroe Dean apparel,
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  and I will tag her in some links. And that's
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  where our fostering face shirts are made. And
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  it is just a cute little boutique that we have
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  here in town. And she has this t -shirt press
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  in the back. And I want to do nothing but help
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  her and just, you know, just if she has to be
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  gone, you know, run the store, whatever, you
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  know, make t -shirts for us. It was, she has
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  this step and it's right butted up against this
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  stupid machine. And I have cussed this machine.
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  I have just disliked this machine because this
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  machine has made me think that I am weak. And
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  if you know, if you've seen any of my other videos,
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  you know that strength training is my jam. You
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  know that I love strength training. You know
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  that I... love a good shoulder workout. And I
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  want to be that salt that, you know, the Proverbs
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  31 woman or says an NIV about having strong arms.
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  And it was, um, just, I have workout. I do. I
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  lift every day, uh, except for Sundays. I'm doing
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  some type of strength training, uh, whether it
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  be Pilates, weightlifting, hard, um, whatever
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  have you. And this stupid machine makes me feel
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  so weak. And I'm like, man, like I can lap pull.
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  You know, 150 pounds. Like, I can curl. I can
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  do push -ups. I can do these things. Like, why
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  is this machine so dumb? And it's because I was
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  using the step in the wrong position. I was using
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  the step where it was at. And so it was the position
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  that it worked for Nicole. It was the position
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  that worked for her body frame. And we're completely
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  different body framed. I have really long arms,
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  a long torso, not so much long legs. But I'm
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  taller than she is. I have longer arms than she
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  does. And it was, I had to move this step back,
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  bark quite a bit of ways, for me to be able to
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  crank that press down. And it was like, oh, I'm
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  not weak. I don't suck. I can do this. Like,
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  you know, and so it was about the positioning
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  of the step. And, and this, this step has just
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  been just kind of like this kind of nuance and
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  just, just what, what are you trying to teach
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  me, God? What are you trying to teach me? Because
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  you go back and then you're, you try to use that
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  step because if she can use that step in that
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  position, then I should be able to use that step
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  in that position. And I cannot pull this machine
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  down for nothing. It is so dumb. And then I have
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  to move that step back and then I can crank out
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  however many t -shirts I need. It's super easy.
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  It's super easy for me to just slam it down because
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  I am strong. I am, you know, I have all the back
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  muscles. I have all the abs. I have everything
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  that I need to do this, but not in the position
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  that she's at. And so I want to dive in there
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  because if you can tell my voice, I'm just so.
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  passionate about people living an amazing life
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  where God has put you and looking at the position
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  that you're in there, you're saying like, I am
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  so weak. And so just looking at that position.
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  And so we here on Fostering Faith, we want to
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  build your spiritual strength one life moment
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  at a time, real life moments. And so today it's
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  going to be a message that is a little deep.
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  We're going to be talking about position and
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  not your job position, not a platform, not your
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  following. We're talking about God's position
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  and where you've placed yourself, that place,
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  that step, the infamous step, that assignment
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  that was designed for you. And I want to start
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  today with the truth. That's where we were at.
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  And so, you know, going and shaking some things
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  up and just loosening up that spiritual, like,
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  you know, just hanging on so tight. You cannot
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  walk in someone else's strength because you weren't
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  meant to stand in their place. And so let that
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  simmer. Where are you standing right now that
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  you feel weakened? Are you trying to use someone
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  else's step? And so let's break it down. And
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  so have you ever done and been on the wrong step
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  like I had been? Like I'm trying to use. And
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  so picture it. So, you know, you're trying to
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  climb a ladder, stairs. And for some reason,
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  that little step too far over, it was shaky,
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  it was wobbly. And you feel like the panic raises,
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  your gut hurts. And let me get back to where
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  I belong. Let me get back to where, you know,
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  I was comfortable at. But it's about that step
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  that you put on there and you're like, oh my
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  gosh, I cannot do this. Like it works for her.
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  It works for him. Why can't it work for me? Because
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  it's not your step. Some of us are spiritually
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  standing on steps. God never asked us to climb,
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  never to step up on that step. But you saw someone
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  else do it and it worked for them. So why can't
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  I do it? We saw someone else thriving in a certain
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  space. And we thought, well, maybe if I just
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  do it like them. I'll be strong too. But listen,
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  God didn't build our strength for that position.
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  We have Psalm 1832 that says, it is God who arms
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  me with strength and keeps me secure. And that
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  means your strength is tied to your path, your
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  position, and your purpose. And whenever you
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  step out on that, no matter how shiny or appealing
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  someone else's calling looks, you choose and
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  lose the strength that God has reserved for you.
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  And so just think about the times that you wanted
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  to be like somebody else. But he said, no, there
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  being them, I made you to be you. You are your
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  best version of yourself. No one can copycat
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  that. And this... reminds me of such a good story
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  in scripture. Whenever you're in 1 Samuel 17
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  and David shows up to the battlefield ready to
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  fight Goliath and Saul the king tries to give
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  David his armor, the king's armor. And I mean,
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  why wouldn't you want to, you know, have the
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  best of the best? And they're just thinking,
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  oh, here, put this on, put this on. And there's
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  no way that you're going to win against this
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  Goliath without this armor on. But David puts
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  it on. walks around in it for a little bit. And
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  he's like, I can't go out there in this. I'm
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  not used to this. I can't, I can't use what you're
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  giving me. I've spent all my time in this field
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  with God and he's taught me how to use a slingshot.
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  I can't, I can't use this. It's not mine. Like
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  I, it's too big. Like I just, it's, it's not
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  for me. So he takes it off. But why? Why would
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  you take off something that is better than what
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  you have, that is more expensive than what you
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  have, something that you can never buy on your
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  own? Why would you take that off? Because the
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  armor was made for Saul's battles, not David.
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  It was not custom fitted to him. And so some
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  of us are tired, worn out, and completely discouraged,
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  not because God is failing us. But because we're
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  trying to fight in armor and go up on steps and
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  ladders that weren't designed for us. Trying
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  to lead ministries, chase dreams, and live lives
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  that are copies of someone else's calling. But
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  hear me. Your anointing doesn't come through
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  imitation. It comes through alignment. It's your
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  alignment. There is wisdom. and humility in stepping
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  back. And so just like my story in the very beginning,
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  it was about, I had to get off the step, step
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  back, move it back for it to work for me because
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  I couldn't use it in the position that it was
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  in. I was weak where she was strong because it
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  was made for her and not me. So I want to encourage
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  someone today who feels like they're hustling
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  in a role, a job, a calling, even a relationship.
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  And it's not working. You're trying to climb,
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  but you're not bearing any fruit. If anything,
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  your fruit might be rotten. And so looking at
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  that fruit, maybe it's not your step. And that's
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  okay. Sometimes stepping back from a step that
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  you forced yourself into Could be the bravest,
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  most obedient thing that you can do. Step back.
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  Be humble. Be wise. And we have Proverbs, which,
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  and you know, talking about wisdom. And I do
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  encourage this to read a Proverbs a day. Read
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  something in the books of wisdom. Ecclesiastic,
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  Proverbs, Psalms. Read a chapter every day. Grow
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  in your wisdom. Write it on your heart. And so
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  you have Proverbs 3. that says, in all your ways,
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  submit to him and he will make your path straight.
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  Listen to that. Submit to him. Not submit to
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  your friend's path. Not to submit to your Instagram
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  highlight reels. Submit to him. He's our guide
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  to your step. And I promise you, Whenever you
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  step in what God designed you for, you will flourish.
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  You will learn wisdom. You will learn humility.
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  You will learn that the God of the universe is
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  trying to teach you something because he has
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  a plan for you. For those that seek his face
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  and seek his wisdom and want that relationship
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  because it is not about religion. It is about
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  a relationship. It is about... Jesus and how
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  he died for our sins. And that could be a whole
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  nother podcast and we could get into that. But
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  it's, it's the, the power of the proper positionings.
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  And so think about your plants. Okay. Let's just
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  think about that as summer is coming up and things
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  are growing. You can have the healthiest seed
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  in the best soil, tons of sunlight. But if the
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  seed is planted in the wrong time zone, in the
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  wrong zone, is it going to thrive? No. It's not
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  a bad seed. It's just in the wrong place. And
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  so some of you need to hear that today. There
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  is nothing wrong with you. You're planted in
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  the wrong place. And it's time to stop. Forcing
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  yourself to grow in environments that God never
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  called you in. Never called you to. But because
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  where God's place for you is, he has grace for
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  you. And where God has called you, he equips
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  you. Where God's position for you, he prospers
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  you. Not always financially, but always spiritually.
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  Because our spirit man. needs to be fed. It needs
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  to thrive. It needs to be so filled with his
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  love and his joy and his peace that we're able
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  to just pour it out to others. And if we are
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  walking testimony and we walk through something,
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  that is to help somebody else out. And so let
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  God rearrange your steps. And so we have Psalm
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  37. 23 that says the steps of a good man are
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  ordered by the Lord and he delights in his ways.
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  And so let's be honest. Sometimes we order our
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  own steps and we do it all the time. And then
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  we ask God to bless them after the fact. And
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  so I don't, uh, it's like, you know, like do
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  what to do, what do you want or do what you think
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  is right. And then ask for forgiveness later
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  or, you know, something like that. We apply for
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  the thing. We commit to the plan. We say yes
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  to the opportunity and then go back and say,
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  okay, God, I'm ready for the power now. Okay,
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  let it happen. Make it work. Like, do your thing.
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  But his power flows with his will. And if you
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  want to talk about his strength, you need to
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  walk in his plan. Why would he give you something
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  if it's not the best for you? So let him rearrange
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  your steps and ask him honestly, God, am I on
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  the step you've called me to? Am I trying to
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  copy someone else's position? What step do I
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  need to stand out in right now? What step do
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  I need to go up? Do I need to go up to the third
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  rung, second rung? Is this even the right ladder?
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  Did you want me on a ladder? Did you want me
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  on a step stool? What step? And I'm not saying
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  that we can't step by faith. Absolutely. If you
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  feel like God is calling you to do something,
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  there has to be action. There has to be that
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  step. But you're going to know along the way
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  that this is what he wants you to do. Because
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  we've abided in him. We've asked him and we feel
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  the impression of God leading us to do something.
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  And it's not going to be easy. But we have those
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  promises that he's fully equipped you to do what
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  you're supposed to do. And so let's make it real.
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  And so we're going to identify where you're striving.
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  If it feels forced, unfruitful, and draining,
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  pause. That might not be your step. And pray
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  for repositioning. God, plant me where I will
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  flourish. You have fruits. You have gifts. Use
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  them. Don't use someone else's gift. And expect
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  it to be like super amazing. It's not going to
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  work. Encourage someone else to stand in their
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  strength. Don't compete. Complete each other.
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  Turn them on. You're not losing by staying in
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  your own lane. You're winning at being you. And
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  so I think that we really need to go back up
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  to that. And it says do not. Compete with your
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  friends, with your spouse, with your coworkers.
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  They are they and you are you. Complete each
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  other. Compliment each other. You know, like
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  opposites attract. And so also too, friends,
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  you're meant to have iron sharpen iron. Iron
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  doesn't sharpen plastic. It cuts plastic. And
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  so in that same instance, it's about allowing
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  each other to flourish wherever they were meant
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  to flourish. It's not a competition. With Nicole
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  and her business and all the things that she
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  does, there is no competition. I have no desire
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  to do any of that business. That is not my jam.
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  But my... Her joy is to help her complete whatever
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  task that she is on. If she needs help, if she's
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  overwhelmed, if she needs t -shirts made, if
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  she needs a large print done or whatever, girl,
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  I'm there. Let's go. I want to see you thrive.
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  I want to see you flourish in what God has called
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  you to do. And then whenever you're in friendships,
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  that feeling is reciprocated. That feeling is
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  like, okay, so she knows that we're going to
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  do a podcast or she knows that I'm going to train
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  for something. And she's there to be like, okay,
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  so you've got to get this done. So you're there
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  to complete and help each other, not to compete.
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  And fourth, and least but not last, I think it's
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  so important. Let go of your borrowed armor.
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  You don't need to look like her. You don't need
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  to sound like him. Or do it in their way. Just
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  show up. as you, because that's who God has made.
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  And you were beautifully and wonderfully made.
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  And he has a position that he made exactly for
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  you. And he knew that you were going to do all
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  the things that you did. But again, because of
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  his grace and mercy and his love for you, you
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  may get a second chance. You may get a third
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  chance. And so we don't know his timing. We don't
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  know his ways, but we know that he is great.
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  And I really want to take that as an opportunity.
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  I, that whole God is good thing kind of makes
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  me a little like, because it's not that he is
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  good. God is great. God is not good. I think
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  that's such an understatement and just kind of
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  like a punch in his face. Like God is great.
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  God is love. God is all just, just so just. So
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  many things above good. God is great. And so
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  we hope that this message has encouraged you
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  to look at the step that you've climbed. Look
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  at the step where you're at. And listen, the
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  strength in staying planted in God's position
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  for your life can be hard. But don't be afraid
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  to step back from the step that you climbed on
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  if it's shaky or under your feet. And you might
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  have to say, Holy Spirit, saying like, hey, I've
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  got something better for you. But it's about
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  that still, small voice. But it's about abiding
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  in him. It's about staying connected to him.
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  And that way you know, that way he can direct
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  your feet. And whenever you're finally standing
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  where you're called to stand, you'll feel it.
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  The strength that you meet, the peace will guard
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  you. And the fruit will come. Because God never
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  fails to show up in a place he has called you
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  to. And so let's be bold enough to ask God, place
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  me where I'll flourish. And it's okay to be scared.
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  It's okay to be excited. It's okay to be like,
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  I don't know what else to do, but I'm going to
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  take this step that I know that you've called
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  me on, and I'm going to step with you. And let's
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  be brave enough to stay there. And so we would
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  love to pray for you. Dear Heavenly Father, thank
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  you so much for today. Thank you so much for
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  yesterday. my step. Thank you that you have made
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  me strong and that I will flourish where you
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  have planted me. Thank you for the opportunity
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  to press into these people that you are a loving
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  God, that you are a great God, that you have
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  plans and purposes to prosper us. Thank you that
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  we will fear nothing because we have you by our
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  side, because we have the armor of God and that
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  it is specifically made for just us. Thank you
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  so much for all that you do. In Jesus name I
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  pray. Amen. Thank you so much for listening to
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  Fostering Faith. If this spoke to you today,
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  would you do me a favor? Share it with somebody
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  who's been trying to force a position that isn't
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  theirs. Tag us in it. Let's have a community
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  where there is relationship and messages. And
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  let me know how God's working in your life. And
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  until next time, stay faithful, stay positioned,
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  and stay rooted where the one who has never misstepped
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  has placed you. Have a great week. Love you guys.