Subdue The Joanna Gaines Way

I’m not an avid Fixer Upper watcher, but when I do catch a show I’m always so impressed with how Joanna Gaines can take just about anything and make it into some spectacular! With confidence and skill she makes calls and gets things done with kindness and creativity! It’s so inspiring how her and her family has taken old land and buildings, added some order, and now those same spots are bringing profit in amazing ways! Joanna has created culture, content, and creativity with the skills, talents and dreams God has given her.

So what does this have to do with us? Well.... let’s start at the beginning, Genesis to be exact.

There are a few "commissioning scriptures" in the Bible, Genesis 1:28 is the one I'm going to highlight here. Although the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20), the Great Commandment (Mark 12:30), and the Parent's Creed (Deut 6) are great ones to study as well. Gen 1:28, is the first commissioning scripture we see in the Bible. Step one so to speak so it's important to look at. "And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it....” Gen 1:28 ESV Subdue can be a vague word .What does that mean for us?

I think of these word pictures when I think of the word Subdue:

- A coach shaping an all star team. - A friend coming and doing a mass organization on your cluttered closet. - An artist turning a blank canvas into a masterpiece. - A chef taking raw ingredients and transforming it into something delicious.

- And ... Joana Gaines (Ha! But honestly, a designer that can turn dust into beauty).

In essence, to subdue means to “bring order”. To take vastness and lean into the potential.

You see, we each have been given little "plots" to build upon : Your home, your job, your family. God has given us instruction to SUBDUE what we’ve been given. This can not be taken lightly.

Let me give some examples of "Subdue" for you:

Some of you need to subdue some attitudes in your children’s hearts.

Some need to subdue some dreams and get to work.

Others may need to subdue a physical home by adding beauty and creating a safe place.

Here's where we need to get to work : All of us need to evaluate our plots and then get to work to bring beauty and order.

I’m using this Joanna example lightly for a mental picture, but honestly, as ambassador's of Jesus, we have been commissioned to make our “plots” look like Heaven.

One day we will stand before Jesus and be accountable for the stewardship and subduing we did. We must work hard, and cultivate the potential that God has given us.

For me, in this season with a home and husband and two littles, subdue looks like managing a home that is filled with righteousness, peace, and joy. It looks like building the character of my children with lots of repetition as we learn the ways of Jesus as we walk, and play, and sleep, and eat. It looks like commuting to a life of prayer to plant things now for generations later to reap. It looks like keeping a tender heart and open ear to obey in small and big ways each day.

What does subdue look like for you? What have you been given by God? With courage, confidence and conviction, how can you use your time, talents and space to create something beautiful for the Kingdom of God?

Make your life count. Push your plot to the potential. Holy Spirit will help you! It will be hard work, but at the end you will stand back and say, "Wow! Look at what the Lord allowed me to do!"

Don't Let Your Plot Rot, Abby ***Don't forget... The Cirkles are cheering you on.