Living Brightly with Elayne Cross

Renewing Your Mind

Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by renewing your mind. Religion tells you the most important part of that verse is what comes before that – do not be conformed to this world. Then they encourage you to work and strive to force yourself into some religiously acceptable version of yourself. But the way you don’t conform is by renewing your mind with the help of Holy Spirit. This is the sixth and final episode in the Developing Your Relationship With God series – Renewing Your Mind. The is a partnering with Holy Spirit to be transformed into your first nature, who God created you to be.

2 Paradigms in Bible

The 2 Paradigms in Bible emerge early with Cain and Able and continually reappear as Scripture unfolds. Like Cain and Able you were born into the Attention Paradigm of sin, seeking the attention of those around you. The distinct Relational Paradigm is modeled by people such as Abel, Noah, and Abraham. Listen as Elayne exposes the two divergent perspectives for life in time and space and begin to step fully into a Relational Paradigm.

Your Identity is who God Created You to Be

Your Identity is Who God Created You to Be, not the titles you have or the things you do. There are many facets to who you are including what you do and how you look, but those quantitative things are part of your physical self and you are body, soul, and spirit. Upon salvation God created in you a New Spirit that aligns with who He originally created you to be. You are a new creation not limited or defined by the physical world and you are in relationship with God who will never leave you or abandon you.

Knowing God is Trustworthy

Part 3 of the 40 day journey to Develop Your Relationship with God focusing on the character of God and discovering God is Trustworthy. Developing trust is relative to your interpersonal relationship health. Unfortunately, many people have heard storied, made assumptions, and religious baggage that hinders their trust in God. Join Elayne today as she digs into God's character and guides you through an exercise designed to let you trust God more fully. 

Hear God Speak in Bible

As you begin to develop your relationship with God you started with talking to Him, praying. Now you need to hear His reply. The primary way God speaks is through Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit leads you into His truth in Bible. God has never stopped speaking and wants to speak with you personally. Unlike all other relationships you cannot see or hear God without a little guidance and practice. Join Elayne as she outlines How to read Bible and hear God speak to you personally in the 42 Episode, Hear God Speak in Bible.

Take Time with God

The first step in Developing Your Relationship With God is communicating. Communicating with God is generally referred to as praying but the word prayer has lots of sociological baggage, expectations, assumptions, ritual, and structure. Yes many religions have structured prayers spoken like a mantra, communicating with God is more relational.

40 is a Significant Number

Bible uses 40 to signify significant events in individual’s lives or for a group of people, usually the nation of Israel. Join Elayne as she reviews several significant events that include forty and the lessons we can retrieve from them to live brightly and draw closer to God. Moments of potential transformation often include disruption in the normal flow of life you can use to level up closer to God.

Hello Giving: Part 4 of Adam & Madison money

As Newlyweds Adam and Madison begin to take their budget seriously, they agree, giving God ten percent is nothing compared to all He has given and provided for them. Join Elayne as they share the thought process behind their realization they want to tithe, and how they fit it into their very tight budget. The Final portion of Adam and Madison money wraps up with part four as they share how the Holy Spirit convicted each of them individually, and together they agreed it was time to trust God by tithing, giving ten percent of their income.

Hello Control: Part 3 of Adam & Madison money

Living without a budget created division and anxiety threatening destruction with the smallest emergency. Taking a chance to confront the depth of their debt, learning to budget, and committing to stay united Adam and Madison have taken control of their money by telling it where to go and what to do. Now just two years away from being completely debt free they have freedom within the budget to go and do more than they could imagine. Join Elayne with part three of money with Adam and Madison, Hello Control.
01:28 Some old habits must be killed
04:03 Admitting we have a problem
05:57 Pay off house in 11 years
07:39 Start with smallest balance
09:07 The B word - Budget
11:41 How much do we actually spend on things? Where is my money going?
16:47 What is the next priority?
18:08 Budget freedom
20:02 Eat those beans and rice!
21:55 Being aggressive with snowball debt reduction.
23:45 Six month emergency fund
24:28 Emergency – roof damage
26:53 knowing your Budget is having power
 

Hello Budgeting: Part 2 of Adam & Madison money

As we continue our visit with Adam and Madison we have learned adult money problems and debt can sneak up on you to overwhelming proportions. Part 2 for newlyweds Adam and Madison as panic mode set in and they discover they have no clue how to handle the financial crisis brewing. Laying everything out in the open is the first step but now that reality had proven they have few skills and tools to deal with the debt, they start with what they know and take control. Listen as they take a chance on some old CD’s given to them from a parent. Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey guides them to gain control of their money.