Does overcoming obstacles seem nearly impossible? They sure have for me. But, I’ve learned practical ways to overcome obstacles and find a path to getting unstuck that might help you and your children.
We all encounter obstacles, but not everyone has the tools to turn these challenges into stepping stones. With faith, a positive outlook, and a few actionable steps, you can learn how to overcome obstacles that can keep you stuck. Whether you’re struggling with work, your personal life, or your child is struggling, there’s a way to gain forward movement.
While obstacles are common, learning to overcome them can change your future. Challenges don’t have to defeat us or keep us stuck. That’s why consistent time with the Lord and a community of friends can change that.
We all encounter obstacles, but not everyone has the tools to turn these challenges into stepping stones. That’s why I’m excited to share this episode with you and your family. I want you to learn not only how to get unstuck but also how to run your race with excellence.
Overcoming Obstacles by Identifying and Assessing
We can’t overcome obstacles if we don’t understand the problem. Which is why you have to be honest with yourself.
I like to begin by gathering as much information as possible about the circumstances, feelings, behavior, and thought patterns that are keeping me stuck. You can do this too.
Pray and ask the Lord to give you insights
Ask trusted friends or your family what they have observed about me
Write down why you feel the way you feel
Carefully examine where your thoughts and beliefs are coming from that you are believing about yourself.
The benefits of carefully assessing and identifying why you can’t overcome obstacles using these steps can be eye-opening. Once you or your child has completed these steps, I recommend looking for triggers and patterns that you might not realize are happening.
Understanding Triggers and Patterns
Learning to get beyond struggles that might be holding you back, requires identifying triggers and noticing patterns of thought and behavior.
What specific situation causes you to feel stuck?
What is your emotional reaction?
Do you have recurring thoughts and behaviors that cause you to pause?
By spending time on reflective listening, we can identify triggers and patterns of thought and behavior. The words we think and believe about ourselves are powerful, which is why we must not focus on addressing them.
Overcoming Obstacles Through Reflecting Listening
The purpose of reflective listening is to help one understand any deeply held beliefs about oneself or the world. When you take the time to pay attention to what you think or say, you can start to construct a plan that will move you forward.
I’m not good at ______?
I lack self-confidence.
What if I fail?
Fear of failure
Our underlying beliefs can cause internal frustration and emotional paralysis. The next step in getting unstuck is to identify where our thoughts, beliefs, and patterns are coming from.
Acceptance and Skills Development to Overcome Obstacles
Learning to accept where you are is a pathway to knowing what skills you need to develop to move forward. To do this well, we need to learn practical problem-solving skills to deal with specific situations that might be causing us to get stuck. Here are a few
Tell yourself the truth about a situation. Being honest with yourself is essential to learning.
Remind yourself that no one can make you feel or stay stuck. Others may say or do things that knock you down. They don’t have the power to keep you there.
Pray: Ask the Lord to help you develop problem-solving skills. Trying to get around obstacles on your own makes any situation more difficult. God has a plan for your obstacle; you need to know the plan.
Every new skill requires practice. I encourage you to write down the behavior you need to improve, the thoughts you want to change, and the patterns you want to challenge. Remember this: When God instructs us to lay something down, we are told what to pick up. It is easier to replace old habits with new ones. That takes practice.
Evaluate and Readjust
Throughout your life, you will be faced with many obstacles. For this reason, make it a habit to evaluate and readjust as needed. Consider what is working and change what isn’t. There is freedom in the pivot. Your approach to overcoming obstacles will change as you and your children grow and mature.
My prayer is that you can gain insight into the processes you need and learn effective ways to overcome obstacles so that you can move forward. I encourage you to tailor these tips to your specific needs and circumstances. The goal is to equip yourself with skills and tools that you can use when obstacles present themselves.
Discover the perfect companion for your spiritual journey with our 30-day guided prayer journal from Connie Albers at Equipped To Be. This journal is designed to help you cultivate an intentional prayer life and deepen your relationship with the Lord.
Each page gently guides you through self-reflection and growth, focusing uniquely on your faith, family, and community. Embrace this opportunity to strengthen your spiritual practice and connect more meaningfully with God.
As I’ve traveled this summer, I’ve heard many people talk about being tired and overwhelmed. Just like you, I can’t get everything on my list done in a day! As a part of a recent conference, I participated in a retreat. So today I’m sharing with you the importance of retreating, just as Jesus did in the Bible. There is an urgent need to retreat! Let’s talk about this need for finding quietness and rest amidst the chaos of life and how retreating can provide strength, joy, and a renewed connection with God.
Sometimes quiet is something that we have to make happen. This act of retreating keeps us steady in the midst of chaos and near the heart of God.
“In quietness and rest is your strength.” – Isaiah 30:15
I’ve learned that if we don’t make time for this quiet and stillness, sometimes it is thrust upon us. It is vital that we retreat so we have the needed quiet to allow our minds to be still. God provides strength to us when we retreat. Rest moves us from burnout to breakthrough. Our lives are so busy, and these things are robbing us of the time that we need to be in God’s presence.
When I say retreat, I’m not talking about activities that require money or days away. I’m referring to the simple daily time alone with God.
In Genesis, God modeled the practice of rest after He finished creating. In the Gospels, Jesus modeled getting away from the crowds. If God Himself rested and retreated, it seems that we should follow His example. It is a lifeline for us!
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” – Luke 5:16
Exactly how you do this will look a little different from another person. Maybe you do this by taking a walk, sitting on the porch, or a chair where you can sit alone. You might be able to retreat for a minute or ten minutes or an hour.
Also, remember that your children are watching you. They will see how you take this time away with God and how you make spending that time a priority.
Things to consider:
Where can you retreat?
How long can you retreat?
What does God want to say to you?
More Verses to Ponder:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” – Psalm 23:2-3
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” – Psalm 37:7
“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'” – Mark 6:31
“Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” – Psalm 116:7
“The Lord replied, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'” – Exodus 33:14
As the fall season approaches, I encourage you to incorporate retreating into your daily lives. I challenge you to add a time of retreat to your calendar. Guard that time like you do taking your children to their various activities. By carving out moments for stillness and communion with God, we can find strength, joy, and direction in the midst of life’s chaos.
I met Doris Swift a few years ago, shortly before we both started our podcasts. I’ve been a guest on her show and I’m delighted to introduce you to her in this episode. She’s an author, podcaster, and founder of Fierce Calling Ministries. Listen in as we talk about embracing your fierce calling in using your gifts, navigating challenges, and embracing the seasons in your lives.
This episode is sponsored by BJU Press Homeschool. Visit bjupresshomeschool.com for trusted educational resources from a biblical worldview.
Doris and I discuss:
Doris’ passion for encouraging and equipping women to walk deeper in God’s word and use their gifts to impact the world for Christ.
Being grandparents
What if I’m missing my calling?
The importance of embracing different seasons of life, including motherhood
The importance of not comparing ourselves to others
Facing trials and challenges, such as the destruction of Doris’ home by a hurricane
Finding strength and joy in Christ
The need for community and supporting one another in difficult times
The story behind Surrender the Joy Stealers, a 6-week Bible study
How we don’t know the depth of the stories of the people we cross paths with
I hope this episode inspired and equipped you to seek out the “joy stealers” in your life!
About Doris Swift
Doris Swift is an author, speaker, founder of Fierce Calling Ministries, and podcast host of the award-winning Fierce Calling Podcast. In ministry for more than thirty years, Doris is passionate about encouraging and equipping women to walk deeper in God’s word, take action where their passion, compassion, and conviction intersect, and use their God-given gifts to impact the world for Christ.
She is the author of Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, a six-week Bible study rooted in John 15, which was released in May 2023 by Elk Lake Publishers, Inc.
Doris’s writing has been featured on popular sites and in magazines such as (in)courage, Just Between Us Magazine, Life Letter Café, Thrive Global, Purposeful Faith, Arise Daily, and Spark Media Magazine. Doris contributed a chapter to the award-winning book compilation We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished by author Deb DeArmond, published by Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Liberty University in Christian counseling, psychology, and business.
Doris currently resides in Florida with her awesomely supportive husband Brian, is mom to two amazing grown-ups and a daughter-in-love and son-in-love, and gammy to six wonderful grandkids she adores.
Tasks. Work. Chores. Whatever you call them, there are things that need to be done in your home, and frankly, no one really wants to have to do them. Since the magic fairy isn’t going to be arriving anytime soon to handle these things, we as parents have to find a way to motivate our kids to get their share of the work done. I found that every age and stage and child requires a little different tactic and mindset, but it always comes back to adding an element of fun.
This episode is sponsored by BJU Press Homeschool. Visit bjupresshomeschool.com for trusted educational resources from a biblical worldview.
An Element of Fun in Daily Tasks
As Mary Poppins so famously said, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.”
That fun might be adding a timer to see how fast the job can be completed. This is great for your competitive kids. It might mean promising an outside fun activity after the work is finished. When we make it fun, everyone’s attitude is better, even yours!
The way that you phrase or present the tasks makes a difference. This requires thinking about your child’s unique personality and motivations. What will get this child excited about doing something? I know there are some kids who just have more of a bent toward murmuring and complaining, and it will take more work to get to a joyful heart for those kids. But, I’ve found that for most kids, offering a treat or reward activity really helps.
Sometimes your child’s creative ways will actually make the tasks take longer. That’s ok. Don’t squash their creativity. Let them use those skills and gifts. Sometimes it lightens the mood and makes everyone have more fun. Just be aware of your very responsible child who just wants to get the job done. They might be bothered by a sibling who stretches out the time it takes to do a task.
I’ve talked many times about journaling and keeping notes about your child. What motivates, excites, and delights your children? Use these insights to help motivate them to get the hard, boring, mundane things done.
By incorporating fun into everyday chores, parents can foster unity and collaboration, and ignite their child’s imagination. You’re instilling in them character qualities that will be written on their hearts for a lifetime. One day, your kids will sit around the table, when they are adults and don’t have to be there, and they will remember these days and how you made daily tasks fun.
I’m often asked these types of questions as I travel and speak to parents around the country and internationally: How do you raise godly kids? How do you raise kids that love Jesus? How do you raise kids who don’t walk away from the church? In this episode, I’m going to dive into nurturing spiritual development in your children.
This episode is sponsored by BJU Press Homeschool. Visit bjupresshomeschool.com for trusted educational resources from a biblical worldview.
As parents, we often witness our young children express enthusiasm and love for Jesus and the church. However, as they grow older, they may start asking difficult questions or experiencing doubts. They may encounter conflicting ideas from friends or struggle to understand certain biblical passages. Eventually, some teenagers or young adults may even question or reject their faith altogether. There’s no formula to follow that will guarantee that your child will move from religion to relationship. It’s a living God who works in the hearts and minds of each of us, including our kids. While good, there’s more to it than a list of magic steps like reading the Bible to them, having them do copywork, and taking them to church each week. Nurturing spiritual development in children is much more about your relationship with them, the routines you put in place, and having the difficult spiritual conversations.
Parents Are the Primary Spiritual Influence
Deuteronomy tells us that we are to teach and train our kids in the way that they should go. You are supposed to be teaching and training them. The second part of that passage tells us that when they are old, they will not depart from it. Now, I know some of you listening and reading did everything right and your child still walked away. It is crucial that you recognize that it is your job to teach and train your child in the way they should go, but it is the Lord’s job to draw them near to Himself. Remember that when they walk away, it might not be forever.
It is crucial to recognize that you, as a parent, are the primary influence in your child’s life. Despite the challenges and external influences, you have a significant impact on their moral and spiritual development. You, not the youth group leader, the Sunday school teacher, the Christian school, or the co-op leader, are responsible. Your daily actions, conversations, and modeling of a godly life shape their understanding of faith. Do they see you spending time in prayer and reading God’s Word? Do you engage in conversations about the Lord, addressing their doubts and questions? By actively participating in their spiritual growth, you cultivate their enthusiasm and eagerness to know God.
Routines and Rituals
To instill a deep love for God, it’s essential to incorporate routines and rituals into your family life. These practices can reinforce the importance of faith in your everyday activities. For instance, you can have family Bible reading or devotion time, share prayer requests, or put up Bible verses around the house. By consistently engaging in these activities, you demonstrate that your relationship with God is not limited to specific times or places. It becomes an integral part of your lives.
Having Spiritual Conversations
Children observe and imitate their parents. By modeling a godly life, you show them the practical application of faith in various situations. But, they also need you to acknowledge their questions and doubts, responding with patience and encouragement rather than mockery or dismissal. Take time to affirm their curiosity and create a safe space for them to discuss their thoughts and concerns.
Encourage your children to appreciate God’s presence in the world around them. Teach them to marvel at the beauty of nature and see creation as a reflection of His glory. Foster empathy and compassion by praying for those in need, whether it be accident victims or the homeless. These experiences help children develop a heart for others and recognize God’s love and provision in their lives. Your kids naturally want to know more about God. Remember, faith is a journey, and doubts are a natural part of it. By intentionally fostering conversation, you help them deepen their relationship with God.
The Journey Not the Outcome
Don’t make learning about the Lord a task or school subject or just something that has to be done. Make it fun and creative and engaging. As parents, we have the privilege and responsibility to nurture spiritual development in your children. While we cannot guarantee the outcome or prevent them from experiencing doubts, we can create an environment that fosters their relationship with God. By having relationships with them, incorporating routines and rituals into our lives, and engaging in meaningful conversations we can guide them toward a faith that transcends head knowledge.
