Conversations That Matter
Welcome back, Friend! I hope that your journey has been going well.
As I type out those words, what does it really mean when I say them? Do they convey that I truly care, or do they seem cordial? We don’t think about these things enough in conversation. We blab what we feel is fitting, and we let the conversation go where it will. Is that what we need?
Being a writer, I often tell my husband that words matter. You must say what you mean and mean what you say. So that right there tells you I have some struggles with the slang that seems to float around in today’s conversations. This isn’t to say that all of it is bad; it simply means that if you want to converse with me, we have to use meaningful language that conveys a message.
Friend… words matter tremendously in our journey with Jesus. His words are not to be taken lightly, and we shouldn’t be afraid to speak them when we are in that quiet space, getting to know Him.
We skip the conversations that make a difference because we assume everyone gets it, and that talking about the simple stuff of everyday life isn’t very compelling. God began to show me how important it is to talk about what matters in every aspect of life as we gain understanding of how to live with breakthroughs.
We tend to compartmentalize the conversations into two areas: faith and daily life.
For some reason, we forget that they are interconnected and should have a place in the same conversations. We need to learn how to talk about faith and home, or faith and self-care, at the same time. This is how we learn to look for the breakthroughs that transform us.
We often don’t find time to discuss what matters in breakthrough living. This is one of the key points God brought to my attention—conversations about what matters as we navigate life with Jesus.
All too often, we feel as though anything outside of church or the Bible is not important. We forget that our faith and our daily life are interconnected. Without both, we will stagnate and live in a chaotic world.
Before I get into the blog itself, I would like to invite you to send me your feedback. Please share any conversations that matter to you. You can leave a comment on this post or connect with me on Substack. If you have a prayer request, please let me know. If you would like to suggest a topic for study, let me know.
Hey… speaking of conversations that matter, I want to introduce a new way for us to gather and have that time to talk about faith and life. Within the next few weeks, I’ll be hopping on YouTube to meet you “On the Patio” for conversations that matter.
Think of it as if you are pulling over and sitting down with your coffee to chat with others about breakthrough living. Nothing spectacular or demanding, just simple and authentic conversations. This is just one of many spaces where we can have breakthrough conversations.
So what are the conversations that matter? What can we actually discuss that will make a difference in how we see things? What will matter in our lives when it comes to breakthrough living?
The things that matter fall into many areas of life. I have decided that I only want to focus on six main categories — you know, the spaces that we experience every day in some way. These are the spaces where faith and life intersect.
This is where breakthroughs happen—when we have the conversations that matter outside the compartments.
Faith and encounters:
This is the area of life where our faith encounters Jesus, and we become transformed.
Self:
We learn to steward the body, mind, heart, and spirit of the being God created in us.
Home:
Creating a space where God’s presence is welcome in our family environment.
Relationships: T
his is the space that we learn to navigate family, friendships, and community with grace and boundaries through honest discussions.
Work and calling:
This area encompasses everything we discover about our purpose and calling in our everyday work life.
Rest and adventure:
Learning to rest and reset is important in every area of life. There is always a reason to learn to relax, and sometimes to seek an adventure that sparks a new passion.
Breakthrough Living is Above All
The term breakthrough living tends to create a buzz. Living a life of breakthrough means we are fully focused on encountering God’s presence in the midst of a chaotic world. It’s living surrendered so that we may live in His goodness. But honestly, it should be a lifestyle that allows us to encounter God in the chaos.
Breakthrough living is living surrendered in a way that we experience transforming encounters. It doesn’t require us to be perfect… only present and ready to see what matters.
Each area of breakthrough living has a significant impact on our daily lives, so each deserves its own space.
Whether you join me “On the Patio” for weekly conversations, follow along here on the blog, or connect with me on Substack, you always have an invite to the conversations that matter. Let’s discover what breakthrough living looks like when faith meets the rest of our lives.
backroads reflection
Grab your journal and spend a few minutes with these questions:
- What conversation is on your mind?
- Is there a conversation you are holding back from Jesus?
- Which of the six areas is consuming the most space in your life right now?
"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." - Colossians 4:6 (ESV)
Want to journey together? Join our Backroads & Breakthroughs community on Substack, where we’re learning to pull over, get still, and encounter Jesus in the everyday overwhelm.
