Keep It 100 with God

By Nicholas Fallivene

Keep It 100 With God is thought-provoking. It takes readers on a spiritual journey, guiding them to pursue a path of holiness through God’s Word. Each sacred scripture is paired with thoughts on how to be a better disciple, while also including a reflect and connect experience. The author’s thoughts are intended to help believers grow as they navigate their unique road to discipleship. The reflect and connect sections include questions, prayers, and exercises that are designed to help readers live out God’s Word in their everyday life.

Do you want to discover the purpose God has placed on your life?
Life experience, culture, education, and the hunger to know more breeds wisdom. For the number of people in the world, that’s how many different approaches that exist on how to navigate through life. A person with a curious mind understands the importance of lifelong learning and will engage in opportunities, both inside and outside of their comfort zone to improve. When a person without faith seeks to grow and continuously evolve, they may realize their thirst for knowledge, achievement, and progress can’t be quenched. Only having a relationship with God can quench that thirst.
When Jesus is at the center of our lives, we’re fueled to go the distance on our mission, which enables us to pursue a path, pointing in the direction of discipleship. This is when a life with greater meaning takes flight, propelling us to soar toward fulfilling our unique purpose. Starting your spiritual engine can be the hard part. Before you get ready for takeoff, begin by being intentional in prayer, find time to reflect, and place full trust in God, as you put your best faith forward.

Topics featured include:
• How can you choose faith over fear?
• How can you stay hopeful amid the challenges of life?
• How can you resist the temptation of worldly desires?
• How can you choose grit over excuses?

To get the most out of God’s Word, you must dedicate time each day to lean in and listen. This requires blocking out distractions and quieting down the mind. Following what God has placed in your heart begins with devoting yourself to Jesus with a life of worship. As you seek discernment, you may find that your worldly wishes and wants are no longer in your heart—and with God’s grace, you will evolve in your thoughts and actions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9781664291713

Nicholas Fallivene

Nicholas Fallivene has experience teaching middle school and high school students and coaching youth basketball. He is passionate about making a positive change in the world and believes God calls us to serve by giving back and helping others. Presently, he is serving as the director of faith formation at his local church.

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Copyright © 2023 Nicholas Fallivene.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New American Bible (Revised Edition) NABRE Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-9170-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-9172-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-9171-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023902212

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/17/2023

CONTENTS

Prologue

1. Follow God’s Will

2. Our Purpose Is Significant

3. Faith over Fear

4. The Power of Emotion

5. Live Patient and Stay Hopeful

6. Resist the Temptation of Worldly Desires

7. Choose Grit over Excuses

8. God’s Spirit Provides Healing

9. Seek Humility

10. A Loving Heart Forgives

11. Encounter God to Overcome Adversity

12. Discipleship Is a Call to Action

13. Serve and Fight for Justice

14. Work for Peace

15. Be an Involved Shepherd

16. Glorify Our Redeemer

Acknowledgments

For Kylee Rose Fallivene

Thank you, God, for blessing our family with a miracle.

PROLOGUE

There is meaning and significance in each moment God allows us to experience. As you navigate through a world where the pursuits are limitless, think about how you can start fresh and recalibrate how you connect with God. If you believe God put you here for a reason, continuously take the time to nurture your faith and follow the narrow path. When we read God’s Word, our curiosity enables us to learn, grow, and encounter the truth.

Do you want to discover the purpose God has placed on your life?

Taking the time to reset, refresh, and reflect as you put your best faith forward initiates potential opportunities where heavenly plans can be revealed. To get the most out of God’s Word, dedicate time each day to lean in and listen. This requires blocking out distractions and quieting down the mind. Following what God has placed in your heart begins with devoting yourself to Jesus with a life of worship. As you seek discernment, you may find that your worldly wishes and wants are no longer in your heart. With God’s grace, you will evolve in your thoughts and actions, and be able to carefully handle moments of discomfort. Lastly, remember we’re citizens of a kingdom and visitors of this world.

Thank you for taking the time to embark on the journey to read Keep It 100 with God. I pray this book helps strengthen your mindset in your spiritual life and further develops your relationship with Jesus so you can experience God’s love and mercy.

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FOLLOW GOD’S WILL

SEEK THE TRUTH

The human heart plans the way,

but the LORD directs the steps.

—Proverbs 16:9 (NABRE)

GROW AS A DISCIPLE

God has a plan for all of us. We know, He desires our undivided love and wants a personal relationship with us. When we commit to following our heavenly Father’s will, we realize His timing is perfect. God’s agenda holds plans for our lives that are greater than we can imagine.

If you strive to utilize your time better, work to become more obedient to God, practice what He desires, and worship Him in prayer. Before making decisions that require a huge commitment, present your ideas to God first. Diving into a plan that God doesn’t want for your life will cause you to waste time and energy.

When you live unfocused without a meaningful relationship with God, you will become overly ambitious and labor heavily to pursue your aspirations. Unfortunately, this will result in outcomes reflective of your will instead of God’s will. As you work up the courage to discern what God desires for your life, take time to sit and pray on it. Once you draw near to God, your steps will have divine direction.

REFLECT AND CONNECT

Inquire about the purpose God has placed on your life. Once you’ve asked questions to ensure you’re on the right track, take a moment to reflect on your thoughts as they pass through your mind. Through active exploration, take some time to see where God leads you.

SEEK THE TRUTH

For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.

—Jeremiah 29:11 (NABRE)

GROW AS A DISCIPLE

The goodness of God is greater than we can imagine. Our visions will always be smaller than His. When heavy hearts feel the stress of life’s desires, much emphasis is placed on planning or the lack thereof. Plans can dictate the course of both personal and professional trajectories. When making plans, let God set the tempo. As we breathe fresh air and speak life into our prayers, the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon us to direct our thoughts and intentions so we can stand strong and feel God’s love.

Knowing we can do all things through Christ, authorizes us to identity as His followers. When we understand our lives are planned with a divine purpose, we can be living examples of the sons and daughters of God to others and work to yield results to help grow our heavenly Father’s Kingdom.

God has made us resilient so we can demonstrate an attitude of perseverance. When the