“You were made to practice from wherever you are not. You have a signature move, but God wants to use every little thing about you and every opportunity in your life for practicing your faith and building a life on him.”- Alli Patterson
“One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.”- Acts 16:14 (NIV)
Alli Patterson concludes Chapter 10 of How to Stay Standing with the second and third signature moves.
2. Receive like Isaac. If you’re like Isaac, the core of your faith = receiving a promise and standing firm on it. In addition, others may perceive the peace and patience in your life. Hence, you set others at ease. Because your heart is usually in a posture of rest and trust. And though you probably don’t struggle with anxiety often, you may take a passive stance when sudden, decisive action is called for.
3. Hustle like Jacob. Jacob, Alli notes, hustled in the sense of both hard work and being manipulative. He executed clever moves, always striving and contending for God’s promises. But sometimes you like to hustle first and listen to God later.
In conclusion, Alli exhorts:
“I want you to feel the freedom to practice following Jesus in a way that feels like you in all aspects of your life. Christians tend to have a reputation for living lives that look more like ‘be good’ checklists rather than lives that are free to be uniquely cultivated in a relationship with their Creator. . . .
In the Bible we see normal people who connect their lives to God from wherever they live, whatever position they’re in, and with whatever things they have at their fingertips. Their real life and real self was always a good enough place for God to start moving in their life.”
Today’s question: What do you see as your signature move and how do you put practice into action? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A robust view of risk – needed”
