The topic of narcissism is growing in popularity in conversations among people everywhere. As we become more and more aware of the concept of narcissism, we must learn to correctly identify it ourselves so we can learn how to navigate narcissism in our relationships and within ourselves.

We all know that we’re called to love everyone, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily easy to love everyone. There will always be someone who though you’re called to love them, you want to run as far away from them as possible. 

But if we look at the life of Jesus, everywhere He went, Jesus loved the unlovable. He loved those that society didn’t want, He loved those who persecuted Him, and He loved those who He knew would betray Him. We’re called to live a life like His and with His help, we can love the unlovable. 

“Patience is a virtue.” Easier said than done, right? Patience, though it’s one of the Fruits of the Spirit and something we’re called to pursue, is not necessarily easy to grab and hold onto. 

We live in an instant-gratification culture. With most things available to us at the click of a button, it’s challenging for us to sit and wait on the things we deeply desire. Yet, good things (and “God-things”) come to those who wait. 

Change is a natural process everyone walks through in their lifetime at some point or another. Whether that change is initiated by us or it happens suddenly, we must learn to find Him in the midst of it. 

Did you know that we were designed to live in freedom? Take a look at Adam and Eve back in Genesis. God made them to be free. They could live in His garden, walk daily with Him, name the animals, and make choices. Freedom has been His plan from the beginning. After sin entered the world, Jesus died so that freedom could be reinstated.

The renewed mind is something that we talk about a lot in Church culture today and Paul highly emphasized it in His writings to the church in Rome. We all know the scripture and have heard this topic discussed many times. But, do we truly know why it’s so important?

Changing the way we think can change our lives. Our thought life impacts the way we do anything and everything. If we can believe who God says we are then we can live in the fullness of His destiny and purpose for us. 

Have you ever heard someone share a story or a testimony about their experience with God? Did you find it impacting you in a way that felt like you lived it? This is the power of the testimony of God. 

At the Transformation Center (and Bethel as a whole) we have a high value for sharing testimonies. Testimonies prophesy what God is doing and build faith for what is possible. Testimonies are an intricate part of living a life filled with hope. 

Sozo ministry started it all for the Transformation Center in the 90s and early 2000s. Founded by Dawna De Silva and Teresa Liebscher, Sozo is helping people connect to the Lord, heal from past wounds and trauma, and walk in real breakthrough all over the globe. 

Whether you’re young or old, male or female, Sozo is for you. 

With the rise of discussion surrounding the topic of emotional health, you’ve probably heard of something called “emotional regulation.” Our emotions can be really powerful and can overwhelm us if we don’t have the proper tools to process and regulate them. 

Understanding and utilizing emotional regulation tips and tools can help us to better navigate and respond to different emotional stressors, triggers, and challenges in every area of our lives. 

There is space for everything to be experienced and felt here on Earth when it comes to human emotion. When we reach heaven, no more pain, sorrow, or suffering will exist. We will live in the fullness of life and joy. We have a unique opportunity to experience mourning and grief and to meet God in it only on this side of heaven. Grief is good. 

One tendency that we have as human beings is to live in independence. We’re taught in society that being independent, doing life alone and apart from community is the better option! We’re taught that asking for help is a weakness, but that’s not actually how the Father created us to live. A life of isolation is not His best for us. He gave us the Holy Spirit, the ultimate Helper, to guide us through a life He knew we couldn’t live alone.  

In a society buzzing with productivity and busyness, it can be easy to forget ourselves in the process. We can become so consumed with what we’re doing that we don’t stop to take inventory of what’s happening within ourselves.

Healthy self-management is a lost art form, but it’s time for it to make a comeback! Let’s look at what self-management truly is and some tips to help us practice it in our daily lives.

Knowing and believing are 2 different places that we can live from. Often, we can know the truth with everything in our minds. We know what scripture says and what ought to be true about the Lord and who we are…but do we actually believe it? 

Are the words of God branded on our hearts like a seal? Have we been marked by the overwhelming and unshakeable belief in the truth of God’s word about Himself, ourselves, and the world around us? How do we close the gap between our heads and hearts to walk in true belief once and for all? 

Have you ever noticed that everyone measures success differently? What may look like a win to one is definitely not a win for another. This reality can cause a lot of tension and strife in our lives. We may think we’re crushing it and then someone comes along and tells us that wasn’t exactly right. It can be so discouraging!

What would it look like to measure our success not based on what the world is telling us, or even what we tell ourselves, but by the eyes of the Father?

It’s a new year and with a new year comes new goals and dreams. But, did you know that only 9% of us who set New Year’s goals will actually follow through with them? That’s a shockingly low number! 

While there are several reasons why we may not follow through with our goals, one big reason is self-sabotage. Many of us are self-sabotaging without even realizing it. But, with the help of Jesus and others and with self-awareness, you can overcome self-sabotage and succeed in reaching your New Year’s goals. 

It’s really easy to believe that our big emotions, like sadness, anger, or fear are too much for God. We can believe that when we experience negative emotions it’s bad so we should just avoid it. This could be because of the way we grew up or because of what people have taught us along the way.

The truth is that God is not afraid of your pain. He doesn’t hold you at arm's length when things get messy. He is close to the brokenhearted.

What do you think when you hear the words “react” and “respond”? Do you treat them like they’re the same thing? Do they have the same definition? Most of us would say yes!

The truth is that reacting and responding are 2 quite different things. We are called to be people who respond, rather than react. Learning to respond well in challenging moments is key when building strong emotional and relational health. 

Did you know that peace is a Person?

When Jesus went back to be with the Father after His resurrection, He didn’t leave us alone on earth to fend for ourselves! He knew that we would need help. He left us the Holy Spirit to be our Helper and Comforter.

We’ve all heard the word “trigger” before. It’s become sort of a buzzword in today’s world. But, do we actually know what a trigger is and what actually takes place within us when we become triggered?

Being triggered is much more than just being offended or upset by something. It goes much deeper than that. But, through learning how to identify and process our triggers, we can walk into greater freedom forever.

Comparison is something that we begin to experience at such a young age. We compare the toys we have, the food we eat, and the clothes we wear. Then, as we grow up, we begin to look at relationships, jobs, financial status…you get the idea.

But, we were never meant to measure ourselves against someone else. We weren’t made in the image of man, we were made in the image of God. If we want to break partnership with comparison and shift our perspectives, we can choose to celebrate ourselves and the people around us.