Flourish & Renew Your Mind!

"Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2

   God has given us this beautiful gift of free will, the ability to choose. Sadly, many of us are held back from living our best life by the battle that is in our own minds to choose rightly! Romans 12:2 reminds us that we are called to renew our minds by allowing God to radically yet gently transform and restore us!  I am keenly aware that we are living in an age where the world is offering a 'counterfeit restoration' on many fronts. The battle is fierce both in the church and in the world for our attention, devotion and are preoccupation with thoughts that are not worthy of taking up real estate in our God given think-tank.  Toxic thoughts, believing lies, and distorted media messaging can mess with our minds on so many levels, we need to heed the warning the Apostle Paul is giving us:" "Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world."...  Or for many in the Church, we often hear the phrase: "Be in the world, but not of  the world'. We know we are called to be "set apart", but in reality...our church pews are filled with many double minded devotees, not able to recognize God's voice or discern His will. Black and white becomes grey, depression, anxiety, apathy, pessimism becomes the norm for so, so many. We must ask ourselves: do we have a desire for the world's "behaviours and customs" more than the hunger for the Word of God and to be in His presence? Have we allowed any of this to creep into our lives, our minds, our journey?

 I say it's time to 'switch on our brains'  so we can truly flourish as we were created to!

    Early on in my walk with Jesus, I was introduced to the ministry "Freedom in Christ" with founder Neil. T Anderson. Although I was raised in a Christian home, attended church regularly, I didn't learn or retain too much in my formative years about the Holy Spirit, the reality of spiritual warfare (and how to combat it), my identity in Jesus Christ or the importance of announcing truth and renouncing lies. It wasn't until I was a married woman with two small children at home where I experienced a profound life changing moment with the Living God who delivered me, set me free and truly spoke deeply and intimately to my spirit of who I am and how He views me as His daughter. Soon after that encounter, Freedom in Christ's resources became some of my early discipleship tools/ resources that I devoured and recommended to others like "Bondage Breaker", "Victory over the Darkness" and the "Steps to Freedom." Their ministry comes to mind as we prepare for our upcoming conference "FLOURISH" as they focus so much on having a truth encounter with the Word of God.  Practical teaching to equip the reader to take control of our thoughts through the help of the Holy Spirit at work within, renounce lies and to announce truth as a regular discipline in our journey of faith. Truly a bootcamp for the soul!

http://www.jodikozan.com/resources.php

    The 7 steps to freedom are not the be all end all resource out there, but I can personally vouch for the fact that it is truly one of the best there is to identify all the various areas where we loose our focus, become tripped up in the world of sin and how to confess, repent and renounce anything that comes in the way of living our best lives. I loved this resource so much, that when it came out in a free pdf online e-book, I highlighted it as a recommended resource on my personal website. If you haven't gone through the process before, or have access to that book- He has simplified the 7 steps in his book "Restored!" Click here to view the ebook, intro video and to download and print a copy of "Who am I in Christ." I encourage you to memorize those truth statements so it becomes a practical tool on your journey to flourish! If you do, let us know here at WJOF so that we can cheer you on, encourage you and give prayer support. You can email us anytime or click here to visit our online WJOF Mentor Center and we can partner you with an online-mentor!
- Your friend on the Journey, Jodi Kozan (Founder, President of WJOF)

      Save the Date! Biblical Scientific expert on the mind Dr. Caroline Leaf will be our keynote speaker for our 15th annual conference "Flourish" on November 7-8th in Saskatoon, SK Canada.   www.wjof.com/2014  We encourage you to visit her website, pick up one of her books, watch her videos online or consider downloading her 21 day Brain Detox program. Better yet, pick up your tickets NOW and join us for our 15th annual conference in November. This is a rare opportunity to meet Dr. Leaf in person as it is her life calling to equip others with practical tools through her teaching and resources to renew our minds! "We control our brains, our brains don't control us. ...I love to share with people that you are you are literally your own best 'brain surgeon'! What I mean by that is is that you are designed with your mind to change your thoughts..., you can wire them out. "- Dr. Caroline Leaf 

Watch Dr. Leaf's  episode "Pop Those Toxic Thoughts and Renew Your Mind"