I have had many encouraging emails telling me how much you are benefiting from the information on my web site. It's great to hear that some of you have been challenged and provoked and others have renewed hope.

I'd love to know how you found my web site and how you have benefited.

Please feel free to contact me, I thrive on encouragement!

And do let your friends know about the site so they can benefit too.

Apologies to people who have used the contact form or e mailed me and had a slow response.

I lost my broadband connnection for 7 days. I hope you'll forgive me for not being as responsive as usual. Normal service is being resumed.

What's new

I've added a donation page so that, if you'd like to, you can join me in making information freely available to people who want to grow in God and get their lives in order.

Any amount is welcome, every little helps. If you're benefiting from my website please consider making a donation but don't feel under any obligation.

If you are able to make a donation of £10 or more, by way of saying thank you, I'll send you a link to download 10 wonderful electronic books in PDF format . Details of the books and how to donate are on the donation page

I hope you enjoy this issue of The 5 Minute Life Coach. There's a link to lots of free books below.

Warm regards,

Lynne

Inspiration

These YouTube videos are awesome. Take a few minutes to watch and listen and feed your spirit. We truly have an amazing God.

Indescribable

Breathe

Did you know that you're amazing too?

Take a fresh look at Psalm 139 in The Message

GOD, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand.

I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking.

You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight.

You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence.

I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too - your reassuring presence, coming and going.

This is too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in!

Is there any place I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight?

If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there!

If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon,

You'd find me in a minute - you're already there waiting!

Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I'm immersed in the light!"

It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God - you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration - what a creation!

You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.

Your thoughts - how rare, how beautiful! God, I'll never comprehend them!

I couldn't even begin to count them - any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! ...

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about;

See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong - then guide me on the road to eternal life.

You Were Created by God for a Purpose

"Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'He has no hands'?

Woe to him who says to his father, 'What have you begotten?' or to his mother, 'What have you brought to birth?'

This is what the LORD says - the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands?" Isaiah 45:9-11 NIV

Each one of us was colourfully formed by God, using our family tree as His palette. He has chosen every feature with care. Every molecule is known intimately, and although we may not be physically or mentally perfect, as the world sees perfect, He made no errors.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:13-16 NIV

The Lord has days ordained for us, He has a purpose for us. We were designed like instruments to fulfil our part in the great symphony of the ages. He has a role for each of us, things for us to do, or to go through. Some of these things are noble, some mundane or boring, others difficult or painful. We may even think our lot in life is unfair.

"One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'"

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? Romans 9:19-21

But this doesn’t mean we don’t have a free will. The Lord knows the decisions we will make before we make them, and He has already taken them into account as He unfolds His plans, but they are still our decisions. He expects us to do our part, to wrestle, struggle and to ‘fight the good fight of the faith’.

"Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience." 1 Timothy 1:18-19a NIV

We should take comfort that God has individually made us and has a purpose for us. We don’t have to live up to anyone else’s standards or expectations. He has compassion on us, He knows we are weak.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13-14 NIV

Spend some time praying and thank God that you aren’t some accident of science, but He formed you Himself with care. Pray that you would be conformed to His will, and that you’ll fulfil His purposes.

Copyright: Simon Whitton ©2007 www.spiritsword.org
Used with permission

"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ, ... He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." Ephesians 1:11

Before you were born, God planned your life. He longs for you to discover the life He created you to live both here on earth and in eternity.

You're only a temporary resident on earth. Your days are numbered. If you don't already know what your purpose is, it's time to find out.

What drives or controls your life?

Here are some of the things that could be in the driving seat

• Deadlines
• Problems Regrets
• Guilt
• Anger
• Resentment
• Fear
• Feelings
• Need for approval
• Materialism

What is your God given purpose?

Is your life guided and directed by God's purposes or are you driven by circumstances?

If you don't already know your purpose in life it's time to discover what God put you on earth for.

Don't be like Isaiah who complained that he had laboured to no purpose and spent his strength for nothing. Live your life on purpose.

God has plans for you, plans to give you a hope and a future.

When you know your purpose you know what to do and what you can say no to. It's easier to make decisions when you ask yourself, "Does this help me fulfil God's purpose for my life?"

Imagine life where you no longer make choices based on circumstances, pressures or your present frame of mind.
If you're struggling to get everything done, is it possible that you're trying to do more than God intended?

When you know your purpose you can focus and concentrate time and energy on what's important.

"Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants." Ephesians 5:17

Consider setting aside time to sit with your journal and ask God to show you what your purpose is. Ask Him to show you what to focus on and what you need to let go.

It's time to forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead.

"You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an asembly line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly placed on earth by the Master Craftsman." Max Lucado"

Free Books

John Piper has made many of his books available online for free. So this month's link is a link to many valuable free books.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/

Amongst those on offer, Desiring God, The Pleasures of God, A Godward Life and The Purifying Power of Living by Faith in Future Grace There is a stirring audio of Don't Waste Your Life which will challenge and stir you.

For those of you who are writing for the web here's a link to a free report on writing small reports for profit

Lynne Recommends

Maximum Confidence by Jack Canfield of Chicken soup for the soul fame. This audio series will help you create more positive relationships with yourself and others.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Discover the 7 habits all successful people share and how to make them a part of your everyday life.

Boundaries Face to Face by Henry Cloud and John Townsend. A practical handbook on positive confrontation. Setting healthy boundaries improves relationships.

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Lynne Lee is a life coach, spiritual mentor and writer who partners with others to help them to develop a closer walk with God and design their life the way they want it to be.

Copyright © 2007, all rights reserved. The 5 Minute Life Coach is a publication of Christian Life Coaching Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute this newsletter provided that The 5 Minute Life Coach is kept intact, and this copyright notice and full information about contacting Lynne are included.