About the Author

Holley Gerth is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, counselor, and life coach. Her newest release is The Powerful Purpose of Introverts: Why the World Needs You to Be You. She's also wife to Mark, Mom to Lovelle, and Nana to Eula and Clem.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Today is a buzz saw Sunday: teaching Sunday school, my turn in the morning nursery, ten of us all home for dinner (joy!), so I’m going to keep your running words in my mind today. Choose ye this day: fast or far. I want to go far in serving and making memories and loving my people.

    And I’m over half way through Fiercehearted — and loving the challenge in every chapter!

  2. Holley,
    To answer your question, I think the biggest step of obedience I can take is to, no matter what pace at which I’m running the race, run with a complete reliance and dependence upon the Lord. I’ve tried doing it all in my own power – my own self sufficiency with disastrous results. I find that when I am abiding in Him, which I describe as being daily in His Word, meditating on it, talking and LISTENING to God’s voice, just allowing myself to be still long enough to enter into His presence, crawling into His loving arms and letting myself hear His heart of love beating for me, asking Him for the strength to do the things I need to do, then and only then am I completely relying and depending on Him. Then I find the peace that comes in abiding in Him. Keep running your race….no perfection expected. Amen!
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

  3. Thank you for your much needed encouragement today!!
    Our family of 5 has been through a series of difficulty that has lasted three years. In October of 2014 we left our ministry, friends & home in the Northeast. Hoping to “renew ”
    back in our familiar, State of Texas.
    Although there’s been wonderful times with family & the Lord has been faithful…. Transition has been hard…staying with family for 18mos., various jobs & joblessness.
    Gods faithfulness in having a part time job at a local church provide a parsonage for our family to live in.
    And as my husband was hospitalized this past Spring due to pneumonia, stroke, and a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease followed by chemotherapy and juggling medical bills. Homeschooling during this time…but God opening a door for 2 of my boys to attend a Christian school nearby.
    And yet, a car accident has consumed most of my time, and energy this past month…
    Although my oldest son had a concussion and missed several weeks due to headache and neck strain…Life continues to move forward each day! Giving us an opportunity for obedience. My son felt the Lord speaking to him during this, “Be Still” moment of a couple of weeks his senior year! As he recently Returned to school he found out he’s been honored by his classmates to be in the Homecoming court.
    He has been searching the scriptures for answers and feels a calling to Worship Ministry. (His ways are greater than our ways!)
    All this to say, if we are committed
    To finish strong… Taking a “different pace”, & walking by faith…,hopefully we will honor the Lord on the journey!
    Blessings,
    B

  4. Holley,

    Loved this “We don’t have to go big or go home. We can just be obedient and leave it to God.” AMEN! I enjoy helping with several local missions. You won’t see me in leadership capacity-no just being the hands & feet of Jesus. I’m not about going big, but more about doing the little things that matter. Relying on His strength I can assist others in achieving our goals. I want each ministry to finish strong & accomplish His goals!

    Blessings 🙂

  5. Loved this, Holley!
    It so struck a chord with me! I am a distance walker & know how, after over 2 years, if I’m walking the right pace for me, or need to push myself a bit more, or listen to my body & slow down a bit.
    NOW I just need to translate this into my LIFE, which I tend to do full on, not enough pauses, not enough sleep & yet keep thinking of something else I’m ‘supposed’ to be doing for God, family,other people! No wonder that, recently, my body has been screaming ‘STOP! ‘ Thanks so much for the reminder, to go at ‘my’ (God ordained) pace & continue to be faithful in ‘going distance’!

  6. Holley, You are a recent addition to my life, I know God had something to do with this. I love your blog. I think I expressed this last week!) 🙂 Slowing down is a daily practice and sometimes struggle for me. It is a comparison thing for me and I can feel that I am being left behind or even overlooked. I have committed to your blog, and my daily conversation with God, for he will never forget about me or leave me behind,
    Thank you for the loving reminder to slow down. I don’t have ot go big or go home, just obey and leave it to God.

  7. Holley, I love this line “Let’s keep running OUR race at OUR pace. We’re doing better than we know. See you at the finish.” I know I oftentimes get bogged down with comparing and thinking I should know certain things that other Christian women my age know. (…sigh!) Neither my race, journey, or pace are the same as anyone else’s. I have to keep that in mind when I compare and think I know where others are vs. where I think I am. In reality, I know I’m right where I should be. When I take a moment and really think about it, you’re right! I’m doing better than I know! I’ll get to where I need to be when and ONLY when the time is right. Thank you for this lovely and timely reminder!

  8. I often have to remind myself that God wants me to love Him with MY heart, My mind, My soul…..and not someone’s else’s….and that comparisons, tho inevitable , are unnecessary.

    My life is circumscribed by limitations…..age/chronic illness….but My love, My heart, My mind and My soul are mine to give…..a gift more unique than the sparrow or the lily of the field.

  9. I love this idea, this concept! I’m in this race for life! It is more important to just keep a steady pace and do what needs to be done! Thanks for this one today

  10. Choose each day – the moments that I am am given to “Live Fully” and “Love Bravely”! To love bravely, I lay my heart out open and entrust to God that I will not jump under the covers and hide but purposefully risk being free and fierce in order to lean in with my whole heart rather than risk closing myself off to the Lord! #empowered #livefully #lovebravely #fiercehearted

  11. Thanks for your words of inspiration. These days, I’m no longer in a hurry to win any race. I just want to share God’s word with love and joy… and be kind and gentle with those that God puts in my path. With God’s blessing I will finish the race with a smile on my face and His peace in my heart.

  12. The words of today’s post came through you, Holley, but they were from God: “[Refuse] to give in to the fear that we should always be doing more and instead [continue] to faithfully, unglamorously do what matters most.” Right now what matters most in my life is helping my son and daughter-in-law; my own personal goals can wait. Sometimes it feels as if I should push myself to accomplish more each day, press on a little harder. But your words filled my heart with peace and encouragement. I want to leave the results of my goals in God’s hands, allowing him to accomplish HIS purpose for me. Thank you, Holley, for the reminder to “sow grace for myself” (Alia Joy’s wonderful expression).

  13. Your words are a reminder I need to read everyday. I love going faster and farther but find my endurance is short-lived and then I crash and burn. God has been showing me this season that rest is absolutely okay and moving slower is exactly what He is calling me to. I am not in a season that i need to prove myself but those around me seem to point me in a different direction.

    I’m praying to learn that following God is choosing His pace over and over and sometimes that is slow and steady. Blessings!

  14. Some of the older people in the south have a saying about not being able to run, they’d have to stand and fight. I spent my life running, a people pleaser trying to be a God pleaser. One day I had to stop running and fight even though it was years after old lady had ask me why I was running to get a seat at a healing service. I said to get a seat. I was doing what I was told,except God didn’t tell me to do that, He said, ” Be still and know that I am God. “