69 | Solid Ground: Why Your Spiritual Foundation Actually Matters

Have you ever looked at your faith and wondered if it's just something you claim to have, or if it's truly the foundation you're standing on? When life's storms hit—illness, loss, disappointment—do you find yourself scrambling for stability or standing firm in peace?

The difference between a Christian life that thrives and one that merely survives lies in the strength of its foundation. Far too many of us build our spiritual lives on the shifting sands of convenience, culture, or fleeting emotions. We postpone commitment until "life slows down" or abandon spiritual practices when we don't "feel" God's presence. Yet as Jesus taught in Matthew 7, both the wise and foolish builders faced storms—the only difference was what they built their houses upon. Building a life on the rock requires intentional commitment to three essential pillars uncovered in this episode.

Ready to move from merely hearing to actually doing? Join me in embracing a faith that doesn't just survive life's challenges but thrives through them. Schedule your personalized coaching session at paulabehrens.com/coaching and discover how to create a devotional routine that fits your busy life while deepening your connection with God. The foundation you build today determines the legacy you'll leave tomorrow.

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Reserve your transformative coaching hour today. Dive into the incredible benefits of essential oils while enhancing your spiritual journey. Through personalized, step-by-step guidance, you'll create a devotional routine that effortlessly fits into your lifestyle. Discover more at PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

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Episode Transcript

Paula Behrens (00:00):
Have you ever looked at your life and wondered
is my faith just something Isay I have?
Or is it the very ground I'mwalking on?
When the storms of life startto rumble illness, loss,
disappointment do you findyourself standing firm in peace
or scrambling to hold everythingtogether?
Today, I want to take youdeeper into the rock-solid

(00:21):
truths of what it really meansto live a life built on Christ
not just occasionally influencedby Him, but built on Christ.
Because, let me tell you, thedifference between a Christian
life that thrives and one thatmerely survives is the strength
of its foundation.
Before we get started, I'd liketo give a shout out to Aubree,
with Mom Intentional, shewrites, "I am so excited that I

(00:44):
found this gem.
Paula gives such great ideas onhow to connect with God
intentionally and consistently.
I am always trying to grow inmy faith and know this podcast
will forever be a valuableresource for me.
" Well, thank you so much,Aubree.
If you'd like to leave a review, we'd truly appreciate it.

(01:05):
On Apple Podcasts, simplyscroll down to the five-star
rating section and click onleave a review.
If you're using a PC, open theiTunes app and you'll find the
link near the top.
Share your thoughts with ustoday and your review could be
showcased on one of our upcomingepisodes.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual

(01:27):
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God, but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.

(01:49):
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But, truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I

(02:10):
realized that even in my chaos,there was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Hey sister, are the demands ofdaily life leaving you feeling
overwhelmed, while your heartlongs to find peace and purpose?

(02:31):
Do you yearn for a deeperconnection with God, but
struggle to establish adevotional routine that truly
inspires you?
After retiring from years inthe ministry, I sought to enrich
my spiritual life, exploringvarious methods to reconnect
with God in a profound way.
It seemed elusive at firstuntil I discovered something
that really resonated with mysoul.

(02:52):
For over 18 months now, I'veembraced a new approach that has
transformed my spiritualjourney.
My connection to God isflourishing and my sense of
peace has never been stronger.
Each day offers fresh, newopportunities to connect with
God in meaningful ways.
Your days of feeling adrift orconstantly searching for
meaningful ways to connect withGod can come to an end.

(03:13):
Join me for an hour coachingsession where you'll discover
strategies that can profoundlyimpact your life.
We'll delve into how essentialoils can enhance your daily
quiet time with the Lord, andyou will be surprised at how
simple it is to create adevotional routine customized to
fit your schedule and yourneeds that will reignite the

(03:34):
fire of the Holy Spirit withinyou.
Visit paulabehrens.
com/ coaching.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .com/coaching.
This could very well be theanswer you've been praying for.
I look forward to walking withyou on this beautiful journey

(03:55):
together.
All right, it's time to getstarted.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal and cozy up to your
favorite beverage and let's divein.
I remember the exact moment Irealized God was calling me into
the pastoral ministry.
It wasn't flashy, there was nothunder from heaven or
handwriting on the wall.

(04:15):
It was a quiet afternoon.
I was sitting in the game roomof our 4,200 square foot home.
The house was still, the kidswere at school and husband at
work, and I was feeling well,like something was missing.
So I began praying for thefirst time in my life, as if
there just might be someone outthere listening.
I began by saying God, and thenI remembered a verse of

(04:38):
scripture that I had learned asa child.
It was the one where Jesussaid, "come to me all who are
weary, and I will give you rest.
" And I thought that's what'smissing.
That rest, that peace, that'swhat I need in my life.
So I continued saying God, if Ican have that rest, if I can

(05:00):
have that peace that Jesus saysI can have, I want to give my
life to him.
And at that moment my heart waschanged.
The way I saw God, the way Isaw others and the world around
me, the way I saw myself wascompletely different and I
thought what was that?
I didn't do that.
I didn't change my heart likethat, but it is definitely

(05:23):
changed.
Then I realized that somethingoutside of myself changed my
heart and at that moment, forthe first time in my life, I
believed that God existed.
Not long after my heart-changingexperience and reading through
the Bible two and a half timesin four months, I began to feel
a call into the ministry toserve as a pastor in God's

(05:46):
church.
I didn't really feel ready, Ididn't feel worthy, but God
wasn't asking me to be either ofthose things.
He was asking me to say yes,and that yes led me down a path
I never anticipated - myundergrad work at a Christian
university, then four years ofseminary classes, lots of late
night Bible study sessions, lotsand lots of prayer, moments of

(06:10):
deep doubt and even deepersurrender.
And through it all, God waslaying down the foundation of a
life built not on what I coulddo, but on who he is.
The funny thing is this, whenyou tell God you want to give
your life to him, he doesn'tmess around.
He takes it seriously, makingsure that your faith is built on

(06:33):
the rock, that your faith isbuilt on Jesus Christ.
What does it mean to embracefaith?
Well, embracing faith isn't aone-time decision, it's a
lifestyle.
It's not just the prayer youprayed years ago at a revival or
the tearful moment at the altar.
Those moments are beautiful andpowerful, but they're not the

(06:54):
end.
They're the beginning.
To embrace faith means to wrapyour life around the truth of
who God is.
It means holding on to hispromises even when your
circumstances suggest otherwise.
It means allowing his Word tobe the lens through which you
see your life, not just yourSunday mornings.
Jesus talks about this inMatthew 7.

(07:15):
He says the wise person is theone who not only hears his words
but puts them into practice.
That's the key difference.
The foolish man or woman hearsbut doesn't do.
The wise man or woman hears andobeys.
The question we have to askourselves is, am I living like

(07:37):
the wise person?
Let's get real here.
Too many of us are trying tobuild our lives on the sand of
convenience, culture or feelings.
We say things like, I'll getserious about God when life
slows down or I just don't feelclose to him right now.
Listen, faith isn't built onfeelings.

(07:58):
It's built on truth.
When Jesus talked about thehouse built on sand, he wasn't
describing a reckless sinner whohated God.
He was describing someone whoheard the Word but didn't apply
it.
Now that's sobering.
The storms of life come for allof us, both the wise and the

(08:18):
foolish.
The only difference is whatwe're standing on when they
arrive.
So what are you standing ontoday?
Be honest with yourself.
Is it your own strength, yourability to plan and control?
Is it your emotions?
If you feel good, you believe,but if life gets hard, your
faith crumbles?

(08:38):
Or is it the unchanging truthof Jesus Christ?
If we're going to build ourlives on the rock, we need to be
intentional.
Let me share three pillars thathave been essential in my own
walk with the Lord and that Ibelieve are crucial for every
Christian woman who wants to godeeper.
First, intimacy with Godthrough his Word.

(09:00):
The Bible isn't just acollection of ancient stories.
It's a living, breathingrevelation of God's heart.
When you open your Bible,you're not just reading, you're
communing with God through HisHoly Spirit.
I remember reading through thePsalms every day.
I would start reading anddidn't stop until I felt God's
peace surrounding me.

(09:21):
Sometimes it was just a fewminutes for that peace to flood
my heart.
During trying times, I may haveread for four to six hours
until I finally felt a sense ofpeace settle in, but it always
did.
God was faithful in giving methat peace, that rest that Jesus
says we can have.
I encourage you to carve outsome sacred time each day.

(09:43):
It doesn't have to be long, butit does need to be real.
1.
Go to the word hungry.
Ask God to speak and don't stopreading until something grabs
hold of your heart.
Write it down, meditate on itand live it out.
2.
Consistent prayer.
Prayer is your lifeline.
It's not just a grocery list ofneeds.

(10:05):
It's a conversation with yourCreator.
When you pray, you're aligningyour spirit with God's Holy
Spirit.
You're receiving his peace, hispower and his perspective.
Make prayer a rhythm.
Whisper it while foldinglaundry.
Sing it while driving.
Cry it when you're overwhelmed.
He is listening and he isspeaking.

(10:27):
Can you hear him?
3.
Spirit-led obedience.
Obedience is where the rubbermeets the road.
It's easy to know what God says.
It's harder to do it,especially when it costs
something.
But let me tell you there is nofreedom like the freedom on the
other side of obedience.

(10:47):
It might mean forgiving someonewho hurt you deeply.
It might mean stepping out infaith when the path isn't clear.
It might mean saying yes toministry when you feel
completely unqualified.
Hello, all of that is my lifestory.
But obedience is where faithbecomes sight.

(11:07):
It's where God shows up.
Let's break this downpractically.
What does this look like on anaverage Saturday?
It looks like speaking lifeover your spouse, children or
grandchildren when they'repushing all your buttons.
It looks like choosing peacewhen your plans fall apart.
It looks like being generouswhen your budget says you

(11:30):
shouldn't.
It's in those small moments,those quiet decisions, where
your foundation is either beingstrengthened or weakened.
You don't have to be on astage, writing a book or leading
ministry to live a life thatglorifies God.
You just have to be faithful,right where you are.
Because here's the thing whenyour faith is real in the

(11:51):
mundane, it will be unshakablein the storm.
Maybe you're listening today andthinking I want that kind of
faith, but I feel so far fromGod.
Maybe your Bible is gatheringdust and your prayers feel empty
.
Let me encourage you.
God hasn't moved.
He's still there, arms open,ready to rebuild.

(12:12):
Start small.
Open your Bible today, even ifit's just one verse.
Say a simple prayer, even ifit's just, Help me, Jesus.
Reach out to a trusted friendand ask for prayer.
God specializes in restoringbroken foundations.
You're not disqualified.
You're not too late.

(12:33):
The journey back begins with onestep.
Matthew 7, verse 24 through 25,reminds us that the house stood
not because the builder wasperfect, but because the
foundation was strong.
You may not get everythingright, you may stumble, but if
your life is built on Christ,you will stand and not just

(12:57):
stand.
You'll flourish, you'll thrive,you'll become a woman who
weathers storms with grace, whoradiates peace in chaos, who
speaks truth in love, who livesa life others want to follow.
And that, my friend, is thekind of faith that changes
families, communities andgenerations to come.
This week, I want to challengeyou.

(13:17):
I want to challenge you to readMatthew 7: 24-27 every day.
Ask God to show you where yourfoundation is strong and where
it needs repair.
Commit to one act of obedience,just one, whether it's
forgiving, giving or steppinginto something new.
Do it.
And three, share this messagewith a friend.

(13:40):
Don't keep this truth toyourself.
Let's build together.
Dear Heavenly Father, I thankyou for every woman listening
today.
I thank you that you see her,that you know her and that you
love her.
Lord, draw her closer to you,show her the cracks in the
foundation on which shecurrently stands and give her

(14:01):
the courage to build on thesolid rock, Jesus Christ.
Stir up a hunger in her foryour Word, a boldness in her for
obedience, and a dailyawareness of your presence.
Make her life be a livingtestimony of what it means to
embrace faith fully andcompletely.
In Jesus' precious and holyname, we ask these things.

(14:23):
Amen.
Okay, sister, the foundation youbuild today determines the
legacy you will leave tomorrow.
So choose the rock, embracefaith, live deeply and never
forget - you are seen, you arecalled and you are never alone.
Until next time, keep buildingyour house on the rock.

(14:47):
Thank you for tuning in todayand remember, just like setting
biblical boundaries, it's okayto say no to things that don't
serve you well, like that thirdpiece of cake at the church
potluck.
If you've enjoyed this episode,we would truly appreciate it if
you would take just a fewmoments to follow the show and
leave a review.
Also, prayerfully, considerinvesting just one hour to

(15:10):
deepen your faith and nurtureyour spiritual growth.
In your Aroma of Christcoaching hour, you will discover
how to craft a personalizeddevotional routine that will fit
perfectly into your busyschedule, incorporate essential
oils into your spiritualpractices, create an
easy-to-follow tracking plan forconsistency, and learn
tried-and-true strategies toexperience your quiet time with

(15:33):
God not just as a routine but asa joyful journey.
Schedule your call now atpaulabehrens.
com/ coaching.
That's Paula Behrens B-.
E-H-R-E-N-S .
com/ coaching (no spaces).
Be sure to check the show notesfor all the links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to live

(15:57):
on purpose in Christ.
Until then, keep leaning intoHim and walking in His wisdom.
See you next time.