Your HeartSong Journey: Discovering and Living Your Inspired Dream and God-Designed Purpose

By Gail Armatys

WHAT IF YOU LIVED BELIEVING YOU'RE

GOOD ENOUGH AND LOVED NO MATTER WHAT?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HeartSong Press
• Release date: Jul 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781735307510

Gail Armatys

Gail Armatys, author of Your HeartSong Journey, is a professional certified life coach and a thoughtful and powerful communicator. She guides women to embrace their identity and worth and helps them experience the freedom found in living true to themselves and God's calling in their every day, very real personal and professional lives. Helping women discover why they are here and the difference they make is Gail's passion. Her desire to share her experiences through the lens of her faith offers strength and hope to others as her story includes life-defeating habits, thoughts, and circumstances not uncommon to Christian women everywhere. Having a low self-esteem, developing an eating disorder to cope with loneliness, anger, hurt and shame, experiencing divorce, remarriage, and a blended family, figuring out how to create and balance a successful personal life and career Gail found love and forgiveness when Jesus tenderly and firmly spoke to her heart, "You have to change." As he promises, God used her life choices and circumstances for good as he prepared her to serve other women of faith. Today, Gail helps women uncover the truth in love and really live believing through Christ, they are good enough and loved no matter what, strong enough to break through, they have purpose and God has a plan for them to fulfill it. Gail has a Master's Degree in Human Development and the Family. As a certified coach, Gail has additional training in the areas of career and divorce recovery. She approaches all her coaching from a Christ-centered, life application and life purpose perspective. She speaks to women's groups and organizations, conducts workshops, and offers online coaching, courses, and personal LifePlan retreats. Prior to beginning her business ministry, Gail was co-founder and administrator of a private college leading and encouraging staff and graduates to successful careers. It is clear her life experiences, education, and personal attributes were always meant to bring transformation, encouragement, confidence, and fulfillment not just to her life but also to the lives of others. Having a passion for anyone who feels or is trapped (including animals), Gail has served in her community to help victims of sex trafficking and mentors and coaches disadvantaged women seeking a hand up in their education, careers, and family lives. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband, Walter, their adopted dog Beaux and cat, Callie, and are grateful to live near their three adult kids and growing family.

Book preview

Step One

Discovering Your True Identity and Sacred Worth

Good Enough—Loved No Matter What

Like any journey, this one must have a starting point. Your HeartSong Journey begins by stepping into the knowledge and application of your sacred worth—the truth that declares you are good enough because Christ is enough. In Christ you are chosen. You are accepted. You are loved…no matter what.

Viewing yourself in the mirror of this truth is the right place to start. Because discovering who you really are (not what someone told you or you’ve chosen to believe) changes the way you think, the choices you make, the depth of your relationships, the enjoyment of your life, and your legacy.

Define yourself radically as one beloved by God.

This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.

—Brennan Manning

Heart Challenge 1

Identifying Your Current Life Scenario

Everyone is of sacred value.

You are made for more because you are worth more.

You have the image of Christ stamped on you.

—Ben Trammell

How Do You See Yourself?

Below are six scenarios describing familiar thoughts and feelings. Read the following instructions and determine which, if any, of the descriptions in the scenarios fit how you see yourself completely or in part.¹

•Circle the scenario(s) that seem to apply to you most. (More than one may apply.)

•Underline individual words in each description that resonate with you.

•If you don’t see yourself in these scenarios and their descriptions, write your own using the space provided at the end.

Which Scenario Best Describes You?

Confused

•I’m at a loss about what to do next.

•I know I have gifts to offer but I just don’t know how to unleash my talents and abilities.

•I need clarity. I’m not sure of God’s will for my life.

Stuck

•There are things I want to do, mountains for me to climb, and people for me to serve, but I can’t seem to gain any momentum.

•I have a dream for my life, but I don’t know how to accomplish it.

•I feel frustrated, trapped, paralyzed in my circumstances.

Out-of-Balance

•I’m clear on my dream and purpose. I’m just so busy I can’t keep up.

•My family and friendships are suffering.

•I feel tense, stressed, and sometimes—maybe too often—resentful and angry.

•I need to find peace in my life. I’m exhausted. Overwhelmed.

Dissatisfied

•I have a good life, but for some reason, I’m unhappy and maybe even a bit bored.

•I know something is missing, but what?

•I have a sense of emptiness and feel like I’m meant for more.

•I’m dissatisfied even though I really do have a good life.

Afraid

•I know I need to make a change, but it seems risky and I’m comfortable where I am.

•I like being in control and the thought of not knowing exactly what’s going to happen if I try something new or different scares me.

•I might look incompetent, fail, or create more work for myself if I try.

•I want to believe I can but struggle with fear and doubt.

Livin’ the Dream

•I’m thankful for my life. I know my unique purpose and live with intention. I wake up in the morning looking forward to doing things I enjoy, learning and challenging myself, serving, and knowing I make a difference.

Write your own scenario

What thoughts do you have about what you’ve written?

What jumps out at you