Today, Espressos of Faith is delighted to have guest blogger, Bonnie Sue Beardsley of More Than Just Coffee. If you pay even a little attention to me, you can see we are not only name but also coffee twins, joined at the hip by our love for God, and secondly, writing.
I drew so much wisdom from this post of hers. It somehow reached into an old, rusty wheel that turns once in a while inside my mind and heart and oiled it with God’s Truth.
Don’t we all resurrect those old negative voices now and then? See how Bonnie encourages you to follow Scripture to shut out the self-talk that holds you back. She shares what lies just ahead of pushing through. Blessings!
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“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
I’m sure when Paul wrote Philippians 1:21, he was talking about physical. What I learned is this verse is one of the most powerful truths to ending the negative self-talk. We let it run amuck in our heads everyday.
A couple weeks ago a good friend and I had an argument about me being able to write fiction. I felt like there was no way I could do it. He just told me to get out of my head and do it. Yes, I have a BIG problem with listening to the voice inside saying, “You can’t do this,” or “You wouldn’t be good at that.”
It doesn’t matter if I know Philippians 4:13 says that I can do all things in Jesus. It is when I let the voice get in my way and stop me from even attempting to try to do something, like write a fiction piece.
This week there was a challenge in a post to write a spontaneous piece to a picture in the post. My first thought was there is no way I could do that. Then as I sat looking at the picture thoughts of what was going on in the scene started popping into my mind. I pushed past the negative thoughts and wrote down what was going on in my mind about the picture. When I finished it, I could not believe what I wrote.
We listen to the negative self-talk in our heads. Time to take #power over the #mindgames.… https://t.co/x8UZVTX2mb
— More Than Just Coffe (@than_coffe) September 4, 2015
*This blog was first featured at More Than Just Coffee. Join Bonnie at her Bonbon ‘n’ Coffee Link-up Party each Thursday!
**It has also been shared at any link highlighted here: Mom 2 Mom Monday Link-Up, Make a Difference Mondays, Pick Your Pin Tuesday, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Grace & Truth, A Little R & R, RaRa Link-Up, Me, Coffee & Jesus, Dance With Jesus, Blessing Counters, Coffee & Conversation, Saturday Soiree, Tell His Story, Find Stability, So Much at Home, Faith-Filled Fridays, Reflect His Love and Glory Link-Up, Bonbon ‘n Coffee Linkup, and Christian Mommy Blogger.
☕ Espressos of Faith ☕ 
Deb Little
September 17, 2015 at 11:05 am
I have heard, MANY times, that same voice in my head! “You can’t do that; you wouldn’t be good enough, or IT (what I did) wouldn’t be good enough.” The biggest example of this was when I decided to go back to school, night school, work full time, etc. I thought, NO WAY can you study again. So, two months before my first class, I bought the text book and read it COVER TO COVER! Crazy I know, but I heard that voice loud & clear.
My husband and I have been on a TWO year journey with our sweet Beagle Holly, who has separation anxiety. Holly will graduate this Saturday, so I can really say HAD! We have had many Beagles with many problems (five out of six have been rescues), but NEVER faced anything like this. The best way to describe it is like when a person has a panic attack. It is REAL and truly a horrific disorder for the dog and guardians. Our wonderful trainer Malena asked me to write a blog for her web site/Facebook page. That old voice kicked in once again. BUT, I left it in the dust and wrote my blog, something I thought I’d never be able to do! I do believe The Lord has given me the strength to get Holly through this process! He also helped me find the words to write the blog in hopes of helping other guardians know it is possible to get through the journey and on to the finish line!
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Bonnie
September 17, 2015 at 1:37 pm
Great for you Deb! I never thought that I could write a blog either but He is faithful to give you all that you need to do what He has called you to do. I have a hundred pound chicken that stands and barks at his shadow on the fence then comes running when it moves.
Bonnie Beardsley
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Bonnie Lyn Smith
September 17, 2015 at 1:40 pm
I am so so glad you are not letting it hold you back, Deb! I can relate so much to those loud, nasty, lying voices. I am so excited you have worked through this with Holly and can help others. I can’t wait to read the blog! I love the textbook story…that sounds like something I would do. Let’s help each other walk away from these taunts and keep focusing on the blessings, like you do…getting Holly through this. Wow…what an accomplishment, especially with a nonhuman who cannot communicate the panic in the same ways (with words).
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aladyinfrance
September 17, 2015 at 11:56 am
I am constantly pushing past the feeling of being terrified to take on, what seems like, a monumental project. (Non-fiction, for instance). But I know I can when I pray about it and then go for it. (I finished my romance novel last spring and am working on the revisions and edits). 🙂
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Bonnie Lyn Smith
September 17, 2015 at 1:43 pm
Good for you, Jennie…push past, push past! You know we’re all cheering you on! Blessings!
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Bonnie
September 17, 2015 at 1:49 pm
Great for you. If you need someone to go over it as an extra set of eyes, I’ll do it. Non-fiction is easy for me it is the fiction that totally is hard to get past. Maybe my next attempt should be a short story.
Bonnie #2
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Hillary
September 17, 2015 at 3:39 pm
Thank you for sharing this, especially this week. It is a blessing for me to read this, because I have been battling my thoughts for a very long, draining time. Yesterday, God gave me the grace to move on, to let go, and now this feels like more of his grace shared through your gifts.
I also have been writing, aching to write fiction, but fear has been holding me back. Thanks for the inspiration to shut down the negative voices and walk on. As writers we sometimes revel in our thoughts, but they can also be quite poisonous if we do not walk closely with Christ.
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Bonnie
September 17, 2015 at 6:17 pm
Hillary,
That is great! I was told by a good friend to always pray and ask God for the words to write. Then I recently read a blog that we also need to pray for those that read what we write. As we stay close and dependent on Him, our thoughts become more focused on what He wants.
Bonnie Beardsley
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Tabitha Wells
September 19, 2015 at 7:29 am
I grew up never being good enough even when I excelled, so that voice has always been there. It’s been difficult, but I’ve learned to start quieting that voice and trusting.
For a long time, my parents never read my writing; they were never interested in it. They knew I always scored high marks on my essays, but for many, many years, believed that my claims I was a good writer were delusions of grandeur. So much to the point that they tried to discourage me from pursuing journalism when I announced I wanted to go to school for it. I’ve never held that against them; I know they were trying to protect me and wanting what was best for me.
But for me, it was a discouragement. It was that voice that told me I’d never be that great, and I think I didn’t excel as well as I could have in college because I kept allowing that voice to keep me mediocre. I kept fighting though.
I still remember the day my parents read my first article. Finally, years after college, they picked up the paper after I was so proud of one of my first paid, published articles. I remember the look on my father’s face as he read it, realizing the skill and talent that I had.
Despite my fears, despite that voice, God knew how to break it. Since that moment, I haven’t looked back. I know I’m not the greatest writer in the world. I’m certainly no Stephen King or Joseph Pulitzer. But I am good. Sometimes, when I really focus, I’m better than good. Because that is the talent God blessed me with, and I excel when I believe that; when I acknowledge that God has made me good, and given me a voice to make a difference.
That awful, negative voice still comes back sometimes. It tries to discourage me most when I’m working on projects I know I’ve been called to do. But, that’s when I remind myself, I wouldn’t be called to do them if God felt I wasn’t capable of achieving them through Him.
Thanks for this wonderful post!
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2morethanjustcoffee
September 21, 2015 at 3:03 pm
Tabitha,
Being not good enough, I learned is not at all what God has said about me. When that voice pops up every now and then, I acknowledge it and say “That is not what God says about me. His opinion of me counts more.” Then I dismiss the thought. I agree that we are only at our best in writing when we seek Him to give us the words to say.
Bonnie Sue
More Than Just Coffee
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Bonnie Lyn Smith
September 20, 2015 at 6:55 pm
Tabitha….this could be its own post! Really! I so agree with you. I can relate for slightly different reasons to much of what you say. I’m so glad you kept writing. God helped you to persevere and not shut down your talent. I love your comments! I know you may feel protective of family, but maybe without mentioning that part, you could even make this a post somehow…it would encourage many! Blessings, and thanks for stopping by #EspressosofFaith! I’ll make sure Bonnie Beardsley (the author) sees your comments! –Bonnie Lyn Smith
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