A few years ago, we stopped at Niagara Falls on a family road trip. Having never seen anything like it, we stood there amazed by its majestic grandeur and awesome power. We felt inexplicably joyous, as if a healing strength emanated from the rushing waters and sprayed on our faces with the windy mist.

I could have stayed there for hours basking in the comforting strength of it, filled with reverent wonder at one of God’s most incredible creations. How could anyone be near Niagara and not know that God exists in a living, tangible way?

Yet, I hadn’t thought about Niagara in some time… until today.

Every once in a while I wonder if I’m making the impact I could be making in the world. I often feel as if I’m on the verge of something big, but can’t quite step into it. Everything I do feels like tiny little steps that aren’t going anywhere fast enough.

This morning I prayed about why I keep having this gnawing feeling that I’m coming up short, never doing enough, never being fully who I can be – or perhaps who I already am. I feel like a glowing ball of light crammed into a two-inch box. As silly as it sounds, I can’t seem to find my way out of it. When will I learn that the box has absolutely no power to contain me other than the fact that I think it can?

I have come to understand that God created me to be a fountain putting forth the good things He gives me. I’m to become a conduit of His love, light and truth to others. I’m to share what He’s giving me and never selfishly try to contain it for myself. Because of this, I’m periodically drawn back to Jesus’ words to the woman at the well:

“Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14

As best I can, I’ve tried to stay connected to Christ and allow His living water to spring forth within me, out to bless others. But no matter what I do, it never seems to be enough. The box always seems to be getting in the way.

This morning as I was praying I felt as if God asked me, “When will it be enough, Marnie?”

Immediately Niagara Falls flashed into my mind, and I answered, “When I’m like Niagara!”

• When I’m a rushing waterfall of Living Water that showers and mists the world for good;
• When people know Jesus Christ because they know me;
• When people around me hear God’s voice like the rushing of great waters;
• When anyone who comes within my sphere of influence feels an inexpressible love, joy, and peace;
• When my life has become a masterpiece of God’s creations – testifying of His majestic power, strength and love to others . . .

Then it will be enough.

But how can I ever be like Niagara? Is it even possible? I believe my ability to be Niagara comes down to …

• The strength of my connection to Jesus Christ.
• Opening myself up completely to Him – letting His love and glory hollow out my soul and kick off the sides of that box.
• Letting Christ wash me clean of any and all obstructions.
• Being willing to fall and know that it’s all part of His plan.
• Letting go and allowing His abundance to rush straight through me and out to others.

Yes, when I am like Niagara, it will be enough.

A lady emailed me in response to my Step-by-Step Formula for Resurrecting Hope. She’s going through a painful situation. Her husband left her for another woman. Still married to the man, he continues to flaunt his misconduct by living with the other woman and giving his wife a hard time about her belief in God. She wrote asking my advice on what to do.

Some people might tell her “divorce is wrong” and she should hang on to hope that this marriage can be restored. Others might tell her to ditch her husband and move on. Honestly, it’s not my place to say either way. It’s not my place to judge what God will or will not do in her situation. Only God can answer that for her. All I can do is set her on a path which will lead her to God’s answer for her.

I have a feeling there are others out there who struggle in marriages that are dying on the vine, and so I’d like to address this concern with the SAM experiment. Here’s the advice I gave her and that I give anyone struggling in a painful marital situation.

1) Get very clear on the ideal husband you’d like to have – the ultimate – how he would act, treat you, be, etc. Get very specific. What are his beliefs? How does he take care of himself? How does he treat you? Etc. Be prayerful and seek the Lord’s input on this list. Let this list be your “Sam.”

2) Let go of “who” SAM is. It may or may not be your current husband. Let go of the “who” and give that to God. Allow Him the possibility of transforming your husband, radically changing your view of him, teaching you to unconditionally love your husband the way he is, or of bringing someone entirely new into your life. Put your Hope in Christ … not in an individual!

3) Keep a lookout for anyone or anything that comes into your life that aligns with SAM. It may be a stranger who helps you out of the blue. It might be a child. It may be your husband, or it may be a friend or sister. Anyone.

Example: In my situation, Sam appeared as an elderly gentleman at the landfill when my truck broke down and wouldn’t start. Together we figured it out and got the engine started. Another time, Sam appeared as my 9-year-old son. I came home from a week at a church girl’s camp, and he’d totally reorganized his room without being asked. What once looked like a tornado aftermath was neat and tidy. What’s more, he’s kept it that way for over a month!

4) Be grateful for those SAM moments – express gratitude to God and to anyone involved for them. Document your SAM moments in a notebook or journal.

In the case of my 9-year-old, I took him aside and thanked him for what he did, letting him know why it meant so much to me that he would organize his room and how it made me happy and lifted my burdens.

5) Continue to be prayerful through this process because God is going to teach you things that I can’t tell you. He knows what you should do and who you should or should not have in your life. But the clearer you become, the more evident God’s hand will become in your life and the more you will see what you should do.

Once you’ve made your list of the ideal, ask yourself if there is anything you need to be or do in order to be prepared for this person to walk right into your life. If that ideal husband appeared tomorrow, what would you need to be ready for him? Do you want to be in better shape? Would you want a hair cut? Would you want some aspect of your home in better condition? I was telling this to a young single friend of mine and she said she’d keep her legs shaved.

For example, if “Sam” is in great shape, eats healthy and has lots of energy. Could you keep up with him if he appeared in your life tomorrow? If not, then you know you need to work on your own health and body. See what I mean? Be who you need to be so that there’s nothing between you and your ideal.

Throughout the process be prayerful. Ask to see your situation through God’s eyes. And be sincerely grateful for the tiniest glimpses of SAM in your life!

Over the last few months, I’ve stumbled upon a step-by-step method for resurrecting hope when hope feels dead and gone. I call it my SAM Experiment. Hope you enjoy this video explanation and give it a try for yourself!

Please tell me how it goes for you in the comment area below.

Have you lost hope in some area of your life? Perhaps financially, or maybe your marriage is struggling, your child is having problems or your health is poor. In this video, I share what I learned from my own apparently hopeless situation. All is not lost. There is always hope! With God nothing is impossible. Here’s how…

If the video doesn’t appear for you above, you can watch it here.

Be sure to watch the second part to this video which covers a step-by-step method for resurrecting hope.

In the New Testament we read of the miraculous healings that Jesus performed – healing the blind, the lame, those with palsy or leprosy. Whether tormented by devils or taken to the grave, nothing was beyond His ability to heal and make right.

Have you ever been sick or struck with an emotional trauma and wished He were nearby that you might simply reach out and touch the hem of his garment and be healed? Did you know that He IS nearby? Closer than you realize. He is always there, waiting for us to reach our hands out into the darkness and find the light. He is “the light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not” (John 1:5). But it takes an act of faith to extend ourselves and trust that He is there.

The following video is the testimony of one woman who did just that at our recent Light the World: Birthing Your Destiny Retreat. She reached out and found Him there.

To view the video if it doesn’t display, click here.

In this footage from the Light the World: Birthing Your Destiny Retreat I talk about discovering your Wny and how to know what you control and what God controls in the story of your life.

Jesus is the author and finisher of your faith story. In the who, what, why, when, where and how questions of life, which ones do you control and which ones does God control? Knowing the difference could make a huge impact on your life, AND have a rippling effect on others.

If you can’t see the video above, you may view it here.

Can you think of more examples where people tried to control God’s part of the situation? There are lots of Biblical examples of people doing it the wrong way and the right. Can you think of some? Or perhaps you have a personal example to share?

Our greatest resource in life is relationships. We need other people to make big dreams come true. If the adversary can drive a wedge between you and other people, he can keep you from accomplishing what you’re here to do. Some of the typical wedges he drives include feelings of judgement, jealousy, competition, anger, resentment, self-doubt and insecurity.

When we find our own purpose, we realize that God has placed each of us within a sphere of influence to do something no one else can do. This appreciation for our own mission and for that of others enables us to work together to do great things. But one of the first lessons we need to learn is to fish in our own pond.

This video clip is from the Light the World Birthing Your Destiny Retreat we held in Zion National Park in April 2010. In it I talk about how I overcame my own insecurities and learned the importance of fishing in my own pond.

If the video doesn’t show up for you, you can view it here.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13: 34-35)

Anyone who has ever given birth knows what it means to go through “transition.”  Transition is the most difficult phase of labor when the mother’s cervix dilates from 8-10 centimeters. It’s just prior to pushing. More often than not, it’s accompanied by the greatest pain.

Having given birth to six children naturally, I know from experience that this is the point where you want to give up. But there’s no turning back.  There’s no putting the bun back in the oven. As transition passes, the urge to push becomes incredible. Shortly, your precious baby is born.

Birthing destinies is a lot like birthing babies. It’s at that point just before you break through to clarity, vision and courage, when most people go through a difficult period of transition. When you hit that difficult phase, you know that you’re just about to gain exquisite clarity about who you are and why you’re here. I call this transitional phase “transparency” or “authenticity.”

Being yourself and letting go of everything you’re NOT requires the courage to be authentic. For most of us, that requires a significant amount of self-discovery that can, quite frankly, be emotionally painful. But the benefits of pushing on through are incredible and life altering. You will never be the same. Quite literally you are reborn.

Stephanie Servoss, who attended our Light the World: Birthing Your Destiny Retreat in Zion National Park in April, articulates this process beautifully in the following short video.

If the video doesn’t show for you, go here to view it.

Remember, everything of value requires a sacrifice. And the sacrifice in birthing your destiny is letting go of everything you are not, and having the courage to be who God created you to be. If you’re interested in joining us for a future Light the World Retreat, click here to add yourself to our notification list.

So many of us let other people define who we are. We come into this world as babies; then the people around us start telling us who we are. They may tell us we’re smart, pretty, talented or funny. Others may tell us we’re dumb, fat, lazy or boring. For years, I let others define me as the “smart, well-behaved, shy girl.” When I went off to college, I decided I could be anybody I wanted to be. The people I grew up with weren’t there and I could choose to define myself however I wished.

I decided “shy” wasn’t a descriptor I wanted to keep, and I stepped outside my comfort zone. I made new friends and dated more. Eventually, life brought me opportunities to interact with more people. I became a teacher and a business person, and now I thrive on standing in front of a group and delivering a message. Sure, I can still be an introvert, but I don’t define myself as the “shy girl” anymore. It doesn’t fit. More importantly, it’s not who God created me to be.

At our Light the World Retreat we created a safe space for the women who attended to be themselves. We gave them an environment where they could let go of everything that wasn’t them, and become a clear conduit of God’s love and light — so they could be who HE created them to be.

In the following video, Quincy Magalei, talks about her experience at the Light the World: Birthing Your Destiny Retreat. She shares what it’s like allowing God to dwell within you and to be your Creator instead of letting false beliefs and outside voices be your creator. What a difference this shift makes!

If the video isn’t showing up for you, watch “Allowing God to Be Your Creator” here.

I turned 44 on Saturday. In the past, birthdays have been somewhat of a disappointment for me. I often feel like my birthday needs to be some magnificient celebratory day where I do something out of the ordinary, but that rarely happens. Life goes on. I work, I clean, I do the mom thing and birthdays tend to be like any other day.

Saturday was one of those ordinary birthdays, except for one thing. This time I came into my birthday after spending a week with some of my dearest friends, in my favorite place, doing what I love best, and surrounded by my favorite musicians. The Light the World: Birthing Your Destiny Retreat held April 20-23, 2010 in Zion National Park is still filling me with love and light.

I feel as if God gave me the greatest birthday present possible. It was incredible watching Him work His miracles in the lives of the 15 participants and to know it wasn’t us as presenters — that it was the Lord and His heavenly hosts at work in the lives of these women. I came away with 15 new friends whom I love dearly and a deeper relationship with my own daughter. Not only that, but I have an entire DVD full of gorgeous music.

From a young age music has been a critical part of my life. Music filled our home. My mother made sure of that. I started piano lessons at 5 (even though you’d never know it now). I love music. It expresses the deepest feelings of my heart. And no one captures the essence of what I’ve felt over the last couple weeks the way Sheldon Pickering and Jamie Bartschi do. Below are a few videos of them performing at the retreat. I thank the Lord for bringing these talented people into my life. What a priceless treasure!

Sheldon Pickering & Jamie Bartschi perform, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Sheldon Pickering & Jamie Bartschi playing “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”

Jamie singing my theme song, “I Believe I Can Fly.”

More music is posted on my Power of Gratitude blog here.