“One by one, we come to God–young and old, wealthy and homeless. Not one of us is alike, yet we’re the same. We’re all learning to live the life God promised, and longing to be fulfilled.” -Danise Jurado, Fulfilled

We live in a my way, right away kind of world. All you need to do in order to see what I mean is flip on the television. It won’t take long before you are completely inundated with marketing ploys designed to birth thoughts of discontent:

My phone doesn’t have a screen that big, or a network that fast.

If only my spouse behaved more like that.

I wish I had a body like hers!

If only ______ were different in my life, I would be happy. Fulfilled.

But, there’s a problem with this train of thought…

We have an eternal void that can only be filled in Christ.

The world around us can’t satisfy us. We exhaust ourselves trying to shove worldly possessions and achievements in the God sized hole in our heart.

When we take good things and make them ultimate things, we set ourselves up to feel discontent. Simply put, if we seek our contentment in anything other than Christ, we will never live the life God promised, a life Fulfilled.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).”

The deep longing each of us has to be fulfilled is a symptom of a heart that is disconnected from God.

As I was reading through Danise Jurado’s new book, “Fulfilled: Learning to Live the Life God Promised,” I was immeasurably blessed by how beautifully each chapter drove home the truth that our biggest need has already been fulfilled in Christ.

The first two chapters entitled “Forgiveness” and “Restoration” brought me to tears on more than one occasion. This past November I came to know the Lord, and finally found my identity in Christ. The years leading up to my salvation had been rough ones. In receiving God’s grace, I realized I had to make peace with painful experiences from my past, and forgive those who had wronged or hurt me. It’s been almost a year and I can honestly say that I haven’t looked back.

But, as Danise states so perfectly:

“God began to show me that true forgiveness is so much more than just simply forcing hurtful memories out of my mind (Fulfilled, page 16).”

And,

“It’s difficult to feel complete when your life is filled with broken pieces. God mends the shattered fragments through the beautiful and sometimes painful process of restoration (Fulfilled, page 17).”

We counter a discontent heart with God’s promises and truth.

Throughout the book, Danise shares both personal stories and practical applications to help readers identify sin in their lives and learn to live the life God promised. Her transparency in sharing makes it easy to relate. Quite often, I found myself thinking, “ME TOO!” And, I’ve already started to incorporate some of the practical steps she gives in order to fill my personal needs with God’s Truth.

Breaking free from old mindsets and destructive behavior can be difficult. Danise explains that once we identify the lies we believe, replace them with God’s Truth, and pray for God’s guidance throughout the process, we gain “control of the runaway train or roller coaster that once dictated our lives (Fulfilled, page 49).”

“Freedom is a gift that God freely and lovingly gives to all of His children through Christ Jesus, but it is also very much our daily choice (Danise Jurado, Fulfilled).”

We must chose freedom in Christ.

Don’t live your life in vain pursuit of possessions, achievements or attainments! They were never meant to eternally fulfill you. God warns us against this heart condition in the book of Matthew:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).”

“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).”

Instead, be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).”

“God has provided all we need to stand firm (Danise Jurado, Fulfilled).”

When we learn to live a life fulfilled in Christ, we awaken our complete God given potential. We find Contentment. Freedom. Restoration. Hope. Courage.

If you have ever felt like you needed some positive change in your life, or have tried to change but were unsuccessful, then this is definitely the book for you! With 119 pages and 13 chapters, Fulfilled book is an easy read for the avid reader like me, as well as those who rarely pick up a book.

The official release date is August 25th (one short week away), but you can pre-order on Amazon HERE. 50% of the net proceeds are being donated to LA Dream Center, where Danise has served as Director of the Transitions Program and as a Pastoral Counselor since 2001.

INTERESTED IN WINNING A SIGNED COPY OF FULFILLED?

Comment below before EOD Tuesday, August 25th to register to win. I will announce the winner, here, Wednesday, August 26th!

Update:  CONGRATULATIONS TO KRISTINE THE FULFILLED BOOK GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Interested in learning more and staying connected with Danise?

Visit:
http://www.danisejurado.com/
http://www.facebook.com/danise.jurado
http://twitter.com/danisejurado
http://instagram.com/danisejurado/
http://plus.google.com/107630617221985894581/
http://www.pinterest.com/danisejurado/

Special thanks to Danise Jurado and Kaitlyn Bouchillon for the graphics and for giving me the opportunity to review my first book. It was an honor to preview this awesome work God breathed through you, Danise. Two BIG thumbs up!

This is may be a difficult post for some to read, but the Lord has placed the subject on my heart. I will be ministering to myself as I write, and possibly also to some of you.

Most of us have probably heard the term “skeletons in the closet.” The phrase came to mind as I was watching a Criminal Minds episode with my teenage daughter.  The Season 9 Finale included a quote by Émile Zola that really did a number on my heart.  It speaks of the law of sowing and reaping:

“If you shut up truth and bury it under the ground, it will but grow, and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it bursts through it will blow up everything in its way.”

Sowing and reaping is a law of the natural world. Galatians 6:7  says,

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

Unfortunately, when I hear this phrase and verse my sinful heart is quick to think of the skeletons in someone else’s closet.  Sins committed against me.  But, when we choose to focus on the sins of others and not to deal with our own sin, that sinful root can grow within us and cause us to run far from the things of God.

“How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye (Matthew 7:4)?”

As followers of Christ, our heart’s desire should be to bring truth into the light.

“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible–and everything that is illuminated becomes a light (Ephesians 5:13).”

“Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves (1 Peter 2:16).”

Bringing truth to light involves confessing our sins to God and confessing our sins to others.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).”

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16).”

When a brother or sister in Christ stumbles and falls, it also involves restoring that individual by speaking truth in love.

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would [an unbeliever] (Matthew 18:15-17),

“…speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ (Ephesians 4:15).”

Truth brings freedom. Scripture tells us in John 14:6 that Jesus is Truth.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

As sinful human beings, it’s important to remember that we’re all doing life on an even playing field. Not one of us is without sin (Romans 3:23); however, In Christ, we have been set free from the bondage of sin. Confessing our sins to God and to our brothers & sisters in Christ helps to hold us accountable and build community.

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life (Romans 6:22).”

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).”

The Lord may be teaching you the hard way, through the natural law of sowing and reaping, that there are consequences for sinful behavior.  Don’t let this set of circumstances cause you to become critical and judgmental. Instead, allow it to bring you closer to God.  Let it be an opportunity for God to increase your faith and learn to hear His voice.  God will forgive us of our sinful ways. He will heal us and restore our relationship with others and with Him, but first, we must allow truth to come into the light.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32).”

Lord, I thank you for the finished work of the cross. Shower us with the liberating truth of the gospel and your life-breathing grace. Help us to trust and treasure you above all other things.  Give us a heart that is quick to repent when we are wrong and forgive when we are sinned against. In Jesus name, Amen!