5 Battle Tools to Help in Hard Moments & Battle Ready Book Giveaway

I've been absent from my blog and social media for most of the summer as I've been rehabbing a house, moving my family, and dealing with some heavy emotional stuff. When I told my friend, Kelly Balarie, that I'd support her book launch, I had no idea how much I'd be helped by the book and how little time I'd be able to give to support it.

While Kelly's book launch was happening I was battling life out with her book in one hand and a bible in theย other. It has served as a unique and intensely helpful field guide as I've walked through one of the tougher seasons in my life. It's helped me to identify some of my weak spots, but at the same time has reminded me of Christ's strengths and who I am in Him. Every time I pick it up, I'm convicted, encouraged, and truly inspired! If you haven't checked out this book yet, please do! This is a book I am confident you'll keep nearby, next to your bed or on your desk, for a very long time.

With her book being such a blessing in my life this summer, there's no better way to end the summer, start a fresh season, and get back into blogging again than to introduce you to Kelly (if you don't already know her) and begin again with some of her own words. Be encouraged by her in this guest post about battle tools that will help you in hard moments!

I'm giving away one book on September 7, 2018, to one person who comments in the comment section of this post! Would you please share one of your own battle tools with me?

5 Battle Tools To Help In Hard Moments

By: Kelly Balarie

She didn't so much as say hi to me. In fact, even worse, she walked right past me, looking the other direction. She pretended I wasn't there. Hmph!!ย After all I've done for her.ย After allย I've given her. After how I'veย gone out of my way to love her.ย 

Now I'm the one left looking like a crazed waving-at-the-air fool.ย ย Like -ย an idiot.

Iย humphย at her husbandย along the way to my church seat. Silently, I critique her in my mind,ย She's rude. Before not too long, I getย side-tracked by own thoughts:ย Everyone always hurts me. Like that boy, I asked to dance in 4th grade. Like those girls who circled upย to whisperย about me in that damp locker room. Like the group of women who act like they're far better than me.

I'm supposed to be listening in church, but who can listen, thinking aboutย all this, all them!?

Here, I find myself, inย the heat of a horrible battle. You can always tell if you're in the heat-of-a-battle. Almost instantly, your soul-crushing problemย magnifiesย 100x larger than your promise-keeping God.ย Suddenly, you'reย standing weaponless, in all-out combat within your own mind.ย Hardly able to win.

Ever been there?

I'veย struggled through a lot โ€“ through massive health-scares, depression, an eating disorder, financial debt and relationship-severing dramas. Battles. Huge, hard-fought battles, loaded with momentary decisions of pain, struggle and uncertainty.

I remember the time:

  1. The doctor returned to the room with the clipboard saying, "Youย really might have Mulitple Sclerosis."
    I thought: How do Iย keep my thoughts close to God with this kind of news?
  2. My colicky newborn made me pace myย hallways 24-7. Sleepless, hardly-thinkingย and powerless to change my health-situation, I didn't know what to do.

I thought: How do I still love people when myย whole life is unraveling?

  1. A family member called me to sayย I really should get on setting up long-term care for myself.

I thought: How do I deal with the fact all my dreams will now look different than I thought?

Through all this, I realized, real wisdom is having aย battle-plan.

Letโ€™s talk about Christ-centered battle-plan preparedness. Begin by asking yourself: What am I currently facing?

Identifying your main struggles (resentment, regret, trauma, unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, fear) is to allow God to help you win your battle. For example, for me, underneath that issue with the girl, was an old war full of rejection, humiliation,ย and abandonmentย from years past.ย Underneath, were old battles Iโ€™d lost โ€“ because they were left unaddressed. Therefore, they left me with resentment towards God.

Seeing our battles for what they are, gives us aย clear-cutย strategy to fight - and win.ย  It also removes all the pent-up offenses that, like plaque,ย cover our heart.

What about you? Do you emotionally respond to happenings set before you or do you wisely act based on Godโ€™s Word and promises?

Today, you can fight your battle a new way. Consider:

  1. Asking God what feelings of fear, worry, anger, resentment, neglect and hurt He desires you give to him.
  2. Giving those hurts to Jesus, by saying, "Jesus, I am not meant to carry these. Forgive me. They've hurt me for far too long. I know and believe you have peace, joy, life and freedom for me as I give you these things."
  3. Blessingย any womenย who have hurt you.
  4. Reframingย your moments of hurt. (Example: when she passed by me quickly, she was probably was in a rush, she might have had something to do orย she lost in thought)
  5. Returning to a heartย of love. (Example: Thank you God that you love me and I can love others. In fact, I can love the very person who hurt me by ___.)

This is the start of being Battle Ready. There truly are practical insights, wise biblical instructions and truths that can help you rise above the mayhem of trials and hardships. You can find the light of Christ and step into all God has for you.

The victory belongs to the Lord. Isnโ€™t it time you began to make room for it?

ย 

About Battle Ready: Train Your Mind to Conquer Challenges, Defeat Doubt & Live Victoriously

"The best time to be strengthened against the Enemy's tactics of doubt, disappointment, and devastation is before he makes his first move toward us. We all desperately need the biblical guidance and preparation found inย Battle Ready!"

Lysa TerKeurst,ย New York Timesย bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Battle Readyย is a hands-on scriptural plan that teaches you twelve easy-to-implement, confidence-building mind-sets designed to transform your thoughts and, therefore, your life. You'll gain practical wisdom, like how to

ยท make new habits stick in just five steps
ยท disarm the seven most common attacks that plague women
ยท exchange self-limitingย thoughts for purpose-driven, love-releasing thoughts
ยท implement thirty-second mind-lifters that deliver peace
ยท create boundaries so you live life full of what matters

Buy Battle Ready here: https://amzn.to/2l5qQrw

To get Battle Ready freebies - printables, devotional reminders, a customizable daily Battle Plan and the โ€œFind Your Battle Styleโ€ quiz, visit: www.iambattleready.com ย 

Image result for battle ready prayer journal

To order the companion Battle Ready Daily Prayer Journal that will help you practically change your thoughts, then your life, visit Amazon.ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย ย 

Kelly Balarie, anย author and national speaker, is on a mission to encourage others not to give up. Through times of extreme testing, Kelly believes there is hope for every woman, every battle and in every circumstance. She shares this hope on her blog,ย Purposeful Faith, and on many writing publications such asย Relevant, Crosswalk,ย and Today's Christian Woman. Kelly's work has beenย featured on The Today Show, 700 Club Interactive, Moody Radio and other television and radio broadcasts. When Kelly is not writing, she is chilling at the beach with her husband, aย latte, and 2-toddlers who rightfully demand she build them awesome castles.

Facebooktwitterlinkedinrssyoutube
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

9 Responses to “5 Battle Tools to Help in Hard Moments & Battle Ready Book Giveaway”

  • suzanne
    8 years ago

    Amy, this sounds like an awesome book! We spend way to much precious time thinking thoughts that are not rooted in reality. How much less stress we would have if we limited our thoughts to things that are true, real and lovely!

    • Hi Suzanne! Thanks for commenting! You won the book! As much as we talk about thinking REAL thoughts, you'd think we'd have more of a handle on it! I do believe we're growing, though!

  • This looks to be a much needed book with lots of wisdom and Truths.

  • Lovely to have you back Amy! I was only thinking & praying for you the other day wondering if you were okay ๐Ÿ™‚

    I do know Kelly, I think we met through her link party actually! But I haven't read her book yet.

    My go to strategy in facing the battles in my life; Battles like
    * the deaths of my two children
    * my husband's brain tumor diagnosis & death 12 weeks later
    * recent challenges...posted...
    Is simply but significantly...prayer, bringing & leaving the battle to my Lord, as He is my Savior, I just need to rest in trusting Him for the outcome... prayer & the power of prayer is huge! ๐Ÿ˜€
    Jennifer

    • Jennifer, thanks for letting me know your battle plan of prayer. You've certainly been battling in this life. But I do believe you've done it well and continue on in that from what I read. My heart aches to hear your story of such loss. I can't comprehend such significant loss. I can't comprehend what must have taken place to bring you to the place of offering so much truth, peace, and encouragement to others through your writing. You're such a blessing...

      • Thank you Amy for your kind words, we have an amazing God who sustains us even through the unthinkable times & beyond...blessings,
        Jennifer

  • Amy,
    Welcome back. I pray you are well and all is well with your house rehab. So glad to know that the book helped you. Praying God's blessings on you and yours ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Hi Dolly, we finally got moved into the house! A tremendous step in the right direction! So thankful! Thank you for your prayers!

Leave a Reply