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Discovering Who I Am, Endurance for the Journey, Featured

Fix Your Attention on God

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June 1, 2023

- Discovering Who I Am, Endurance for the Journey, Featured

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world,
but let God transform you into a new person
by changing the way you think.
Then you will know God’s will for you,
which is good and pleasing and perfect. ROMANS 12:2 (NLT)



I desperately desired to do God’s will – I desperately needed a change to take place within my mind. After turning to the Scripture for the answer I read Romans 12:2 and I knew I needed a change in my thinking but how was I to let God transform me? I found the answer in Romans 12:2 in The Message translation which states:


… fix your attention on God.
You will be changed from the inside out.


Yes!! I knew I did not have the power to overcome my weakness in my own strength, but God did and only if I was willing to give God permission to change me from the inside out – an act of my will that I knew I had to take.


I was desperate and I knew it was going to be a slow process. But by “fixing my attention on God” through daily being in His Word, daily surrender through prayer, daily practicing PPR (Pausing, Praying, then Responding), God began to slowly bring an end to the “civil war” that was taking place between my mind and my heart – (Psalm 27:17).


Are you struggling with a “civil war” within you? Are you desiring a transformation within you? Then “fix your attention on God”, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” and you will be blessed – we have Jesus’ promise on that.


You’re blessed when you get your inside world –
your heart and your mind – put right.
Then you can see God in the outside world.
MATTHEW 5:8 THE WORDS OF JESUS
(THE MESSAGE)



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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Endurance for the Journey, Featured

Avoiding The Slow Fade

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May 24, 2023

- Endurance for the Journey, Featured

Temptation comes from our own desires,
which entice us and drag us away.
These desires give birth to sinful actions.
When sin is allowed to grow,
it gives birth to death.
JAMES 1:14-15 (NLT)



No one chooses the slow fade. Subtly and slowly, the evil one tempts us by our own sinful desires and weaknesses – luring us away from God without us even being aware of it. On the slippery slope of the slow fade, our flesh attempts to justify our choices because we don’t want to deny our own desires. We give ear to the voice of the evil one and the world that tells us we deserve this “pleasure” because of past offenses and hurts or how hard we have worked or because we are alone – the list goes on and on. There is a whole gamut of human desires that exist within each one of us and for us Christians it can be a fierce battle – a civil war taking place within us. In the words of King David …


Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me will to obey you.
Psalm 51:10-12 (NLT)


When I became aware that I had been on a slow fade, the above Scripture became my daily prayer. What I needed was a change in my desires and in my will to obey God – to do what was right. I knew the change had to take place from the inside out. I could not do it in my own will power – I needed to surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit to allow Him to teach me His Will.


I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart.
PSALM 40:8 (NIV)



On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky

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Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Perseverance

Fan into Flames Avoid the Slow Fade

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May 16, 2023

- Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Perseverance

This is why I remind you to fan into flames
the Spiritual gift God gave you …
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity,
but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 TIMOTHY 1:6-7 (NLT)



Our Pastor, Kyle Fox, has been teaching a series on the Holy Spirit. I have been amazed how his teaching has paralleled my own personal transformation process. His teachings confirmed that I am on the right path to a “Heart Transformation.”


After each teaching, he challenged us to practice a different Spiritual Discipline to “Fan into Flames” the Holy Spirit within every believer. He encouraged us to daily surrender to God, confess our sins, study God’s Word, pray continually, dwell on the goodness of God, practice submission to one another, serve one another, sacrifice for one another and engage in the discipline of giving.


But in last week’s sermon, he gave us a warning if we want to fan into flames the Holy Spirit, we must avoid the slow fade. We must fight the slide toward appeasement (with worldly desires) and too much self-focus (fleshly desires). We must fight the slide toward convenience (taking the easy path), isolation (withdrawal) and bitterness (unresolved anger). It reminded me of the chorus in the song, Slow Fade by Casting Crowns.


It’s a slow fade
When you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade
When black and white have turned to grey
And thoughts invade, choices made
A price will be paid
when you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day


I know for myself personally, I had been on a slow fade for way too many years. It was all due to unresolved anger which led to poor choices, which led to withdrawal from family and friends. The price I paid (and my family) was monumental until I turned and surrendered to the Holy Spirit. When I took that first step of surrender, I had no idea where or how He would lead me, heal me, but I trusted Him to transform my heart. I am still in the process but I know that “He who began a good work in me, will see it to the day completion” Philippians 1:6.


Through the power of the Holy Spirit
who lives within us,
carefully guard the precious truth that
has been entrusted to you.
2 TIMOTHY 1:14 (NLT)



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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Discovering Who I Am, Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Uncategorized

Transformation Step #5 Adherence

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March 30, 2023

- Discovering Who I Am, Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Uncategorized

Adherence Produces the Fruit of the Spirit

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
There is no law against these things!
Those who belong to Christ Jesus
have nailed the passions and desires
of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
GALATIANS 5:22-24 (NLT)


Don’t we all have an innate desire for all of the fruit of the Spirit once we become aware that the power of the Holy Spirit lives within us? I know I do! I am totally aware of the fruit that I bear and the ones I don’t bear. The hard part is that I can’t produce the fruit even though I desire it. Only the Holy Spirit can produce Its own fruit not my own fleshly efforts.


How then do we trust the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in our lives? Well for me, it’s been a daily surrender to the Holy Spirit, a daily awareness of His Presence within me, a daily Pausing, Praying and then Responding (PPR) in all my relationships and interactions with others and myself. It’s been getting to know the God within my heart by being daily in His Word. It’s having a heart of sincere thankfulness for everything that is good in my life. A thankfulness for God’s promises in the areas of my life where there is hurt and pain.


In other words, I have found that it is the daily adherence to all these practices that has produced and is producing, the fruit of the Holy Spirit within me, living through me. Through daily adherence, God has been transforming my heart and I must tell you; I am in awe. So much in awe, that I never want to go back to my old ways of living out of my flesh again.


Of course, every now and then, I resurrect my flesh but when it does, I become immediately aware of it. When I ask the Holy Spirit, He reminds me and makes me aware. I no longer trust my flesh – I had to learn the hard way! I am so grateful that I can now trust the Holy Spirit within me – I am His work in process!



Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.
Keep on seeking, and you will find.
Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives.
Everyone who seeks, finds.
And to everyone that knocks, the door will be opened.
MATTHEW 7:7-8 (NLT)


On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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Discovering Who I Am, Endurance for the Journey, Featured

Transformation Step #4 – Action Ask the Holy Spirit to Guide You

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October 27, 2022

- Discovering Who I Am, Endurance for the Journey, Featured

“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you.
I will talk to the Father, and He’ll provide you another Friend
so that you will always have someone with you.
This Friend is the Spirit of Truth.”
JOHN 14:15-16 (THE MESSAGE)

“But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of Truth
He will take you by the hand and
guide you into all the truth there is.”
JOHN 16:13 (THE MESSAGE)



I invited Jesus into my heart over 40 years ago and I also know that when I did that, I also received the Holy Spirit. Throughout the years, here and there, I knew the Holy Spirit was guiding me, when I asked him to, but other times (probably most of the times) I relied on my own instincts and past experiences to be my guide. But after starting the Transformation Process of Awareness, Acceptance and Appreciation, I faced the realization that now I needed to take the next step – Action. I knew that my personal fleshly attempts of taking action to bring a maturing and change in my life had failed miserably – I knew I could not do this alone. I needed the Holy Spirit to do what I felt was impossible.


I don’t know why it has taken me so long in my walk with Jesus to realize that I have a Miracle Worker living inside my heart, but it did. I decided that every morning, after I had awakened, before my feet hit the ground, I would ask the Holy Spirit within me to guide me, and teach me – my first step of Action!


Everyday I would pray Psalm 51:10-12:


Create in me a clean heart, O’ God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
PSALM 51:10-12 (NLT)


And then, I let the maturing and miracle change of my heart begin and I am in awe of how gently the Lord performed a miracle within my heart and mind.


“It is God’s Spirit that changes the atmosphere
of our way of looking at things,
and then things begin to be possible which before were impossible.
Getting into God’s stride means nothing less than oneness with Him.”
Oswald Chambers – My Utmost for His Highest



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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Dealing With Doubt, Endurance for the Journey, Fear, Featured

Transformation Step #3 Appreciation after the Storm

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September 17, 2022

- Dealing With Doubt, Endurance for the Journey, Fear, Featured

Be thankful in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you
for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 (NLT)



The other morning, I was on my daily walk, and I noticed how crystal-clear and blue the sky was. I had a picture-perfect view of the entire Sun Valley and Camelback Mountain – it was breathtaking. I just took in the view with awe and thankfulness.


But then I remembered why the air was so clear of all the hot dust that is normal for a summer in Arizona – the night before we had torrential rains and winds that “cleared the air.” While the storm that passed over us seemed violent and scary at times, the result was a “clearing of the air” so that we would be able to see such majestic beauty beyond the storm. I was thankful for the storm.


I thought about my own life and the storms that I have endured. I thought about how fearful, scared and alone I felt during those storms – fearful that I would not make it through. But then God reminded me of how the tears that I shed during those storms “cleansed my soul” and not one tear was wasted because He was faithful to show me the way through producing His beauty within me. I am thankful in ALL circumstances now – even the storms of life because I know what they produce.



I have seen the burden God has placed on us all.
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time.
ECCLESIASTES 3:10-11 (NLT)



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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Discovering Who I Am, Endurance for the Journey, Featured

Transformation Step #2 Acceptance

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September 8, 2022

- Discovering Who I Am, Endurance for the Journey, Featured

For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so that we can do the good things
He planned for us long ago.
EPHESIANS 2:10 (NLT)



Nothing exposes our good, bad, and ugly sides, more than spending the weekend with your adult children. They are all too familiar with our strengths and weaknesses – there is no fooling them – they’ve lived with us. This past weekend Dave and I went to visit our daughter’s and son’s families. We love being with our family but this time I prayed specifically that I would love my family well – seeing them through His eyes and that I also would be able to engage and receive their love.


Acceptance of my good, bad, and ugly has enabled me to receive love from the Father because He loves me just as I am. He knows everything about me and yet He still loves me. God knows that I am still a work in process, and I know that if I surrender daily to His Will that He will mature me to be the Masterpiece He created me to be. Knowing this Truth enabled me to look and experience my family in a totally different way.


This past weekend I was able to laugh (with everyone else) at my own weaknesses (and I have many) instead of being ashamed and withdrawing. I was aware of how much they loved me as they teased me – I laughed with them.


I smiled at my daughter when she became frustrated with me when I didn’t give her the answer she wanted to hear. Normally I would be hurt, angry and withdraw but I just smiled and marveled at her beautiful heart and passion – I saw beyond her frustration with me and stayed engaged in the conversation.


When our 6-year-old granddaughter exhibited her strong will against her mother – our daughter, I chuckled and smiled too. Not because I was enjoying her mother getting back what she deserved (although that would have been the case in past) but because I now know that God instilled in our granddaughter that strong spirit. I know He will mold and shape that young wild mare into something beautiful just like He did for our daughter. I saw her strong will as a blessing instead of a curse.


It was a wonderful weekend.



Therefore accept each other
just as Christ has accepted you
so that God will be given the Glory.
ROMANS 15:7 (NLT)


On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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An Awakening from Brokenness, Endurance for the Journey, Featured

First Step of the Transformation

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September 8, 2022

- An Awakening from Brokenness, Endurance for the Journey, Featured

And I will ask the Father,
and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.
He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth…
But you know Him, because He lives with you now
and later will be in you.
JOHN 14:16-17 (NLT)



And so, I prayed every morning, before my feet hit the ground, that God would lead me into all truth. I prayed that I would not be afraid of the truth about myself as I know how painful it can be to see all of yourself – the good, the bad and the ugly. I prayed that He would be gentle with me as He revealed the truth to me. I closed my prayer with Psalm 51 …


Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
PSALM 51:10-12 (NLT)


As I went through my day, I no longer trusted my own judgement, my first impression and my old patterns. I started Pausing and Praying before I Responded (PPR) to questions and the triggers that would easily upset me. It was amazing to me how God changed my perspective. God allowed me to see beyond their words and actions so I could see directly into their hearts – which totally changed my response.


I then saw a major change – for the good – in how my family responded to me. Oh, at first, Dave thought I was ignoring his questions which frustrated him because I did not respond immediately. I explained to him that I was not disrespecting him by being quiet, I was actually respecting him by silently as he was speaking to me so that I could really understand him – to my surprise his response changed immediately. Not only was Dave beginning see the transformation that was taking place within my heart, I was actually experiencing it for myself.


Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world,
but let God transform you into a new person
by changing the way that you think.
Then you will learn to know God’s will for you …
ROMANS 12:2 (NLT)


On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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Endurance for the Journey, Faith, Featured

The Awakening

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August 11, 2022

- Endurance for the Journey, Faith, Featured

“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”
EPHESIANS 5:14 (NLT)


In the fantasy movie, Wizard of Oz, Dorothy desperately wanted to go home to Kansas. When she missed the hot air balloon ride back with the Wizard, she was devastated thinking she would never be able to go home. But then Glinda, the good witch of the south, appears and tells her that she has always had the ability to “go home”. All she had to do was tap her magical ruby shoes together and repeat “There is no place like home.”


I always knew that I received the Holy Spirit when I accepted Jesus into my heart but somehow, in my 40 years of walking with the Lord, I never realized the power of the Holy Spirit that existed within me. Many times, I approached God in prayer and asked for wisdom and guidance but as soon as I felt my prayers were answered I would resume my independent, self-reliant life depending on my own strengths and abilities.


When I became aware of the anger I had stuffed for years in my heart this realization allowed me to see the changes that were taking place in Dave’s heart. I knew I could no longer do this in my own strength. I wanted to be different and so I cried out to God for Truth. The truth about me, the Truth of His Word and the Truth from the Holy Spirit – I knew only the Holy Spirit could do the work in me that needed to be done.


So just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, when I felt completely hopeless that change would never take place in me, God woke me up one morning and I prayed. I told God that I did not know the way “home” to Him, and I asked Him to transform my heart. And just as Glinda told Dorothy, God told me that I had always had the ability to come “home” to Him through the power of the Holy Spirit that lived within my heart. All I needed to do was ask and surrender daily to the Holy Spirit. And so, I did and the adventure of transformation began.


To be continued …


“It is not by force nor by strength,
but by my Spirit,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
ZECHARIAH 4:6 (NLT)



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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"The journey of our suffering was not hopeless. Through it we discovered the power of endurance - not in our own ability, but in the comfort, encouragement, and hope that God provides"

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PO BOX 1912, SALINA, KS 67402

Phone: 800.295.5880

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