Ep. 114 Living Stones: Letting God Shape Your Life & Purpose

[00:00:01] I shared recently how I felt like things in my life are just shifting. Like there's some uncertainty, I feel like I'm maybe being moved around, stretched and honestly just a little uncomfortable in life right now. And yet in the middle of that, this line from scripture just really brought me so much comfort and kind of stopped me in my tracks. Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house. So that's what we're going to talk about today. What it really means to be a spiritual house.

[00:00:31] What it means to be a living stone and how to trust God when he's the one doing the building. Welcome to the Nourished to Bloom podcast where your faith meets your health. I'm your host Kara Trochta, a registered dietitian and certified Catholic coach. And I'm here to help you cultivate a deeper connection with your body, your spirit and the nourishment that sustains them both.

[00:00:53] In a world filled with noise and confusion about food, health and body image. This podcast offers truth and healing from a Christ centered perspective. Together we'll untangle the deep roots of diet culture and discover what it means to truly care for ourselves through joyful nourishment of mind, body and soul. We're here to dive into the transformative power of intuitive eating coupled with the rich teachings of our Christian faith. With every episode I'll be cheering you on offering

[00:01:23] insights, inspiration, inspiration and practical tools to help you heal your relationship with food and embrace the beauty of your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. With confidence and courage that can only be found in Christ. Join me as we journey together towards a more holistic approach to wellness. One that honors the wisdom of your body as God's creation, the teachings of our faith and the unique purpose you're called to fulfill.

[00:01:49] You were made to bloom. You were made to bloom. To come into full beauty and health in order to bear good fruit for the Lord with your life. So if you're ready to nourish your body, feed your soul and bloom into the best version of yourself, then you're in the right place and I'm so happy you're here. Welcome to Nourish to Bloom, where every day is a sacred invitation to thrive.

[00:02:14] Hey there, welcome back to the Nourish to Bloom podcast. So happy to be here with you this week. I know last week I was a little vulnerable and open and shared just some of the struggles that I've been facing lately in life and just kind of feeling like I've been in just this desert and there's this dry space. And we always know, and what we talked about last week is how God is there with us through that.

[00:02:38] It doesn't mean that he's going to automatically pick you up out of the desert and place you in a lush rainforest, but that he's always there with us. And he's reminding us that he is there and that we can trust him. And as I sat in mass this weekend from the second reading in first Peter chapter two verses four through nine, this one particular verse and that really stood out to me. And it was like living stones.

[00:03:06] Let yourselves be built into a spiritual house. And it was just so comforting. And it just kind of got my mind thinking about that idea of being a living stone. And I have to be honest, cause my first thought was kind of funny. I immediately thought of the trolls from frozen, you know, those like little living rocks with personality and purpose. But really the more I sat with it, the more I just realized how beautiful of a message that is to us as daughters of Christ.

[00:03:35] And that God just isn't building something around us or that he's leaving us out of a plan, an architecture structure that he's building. But he's really building something with us and that we are those stones. And so to be this idea and this image of a living stone, it means that we allow ourselves to be used by the Lord to build his kingdom.

[00:04:04] The way that he sees fit. And I think that's the part that can really feel uncomfortable. Because sometimes being living stones for the Lord means that we're being picked up and moved around or being placed somewhere unexpected. Maybe we're being used to reinforce something that feels hidden or unseen. Maybe we're constantly being shaped and chipped or refined to fit this, his architecture so perfectly.

[00:04:34] And that might not feel very good either. And like I said, if I'm being honest, that's really where I felt like I've been lately. A little unsure of what God is building with me in my life. But when we stop and we can spend time with this image, it reminds us that we are not random pieces. And that we are intentionally chosen to be living stones where we are and where God puts us.

[00:05:01] And that means that we are just purposely placed as he sees fit. As he sees fit. And I think kind of this idea, if we really want to think about ourselves as living stones, it can become, we can bring some practicality into that. Right? Because we don't just like passively exist as these stones.

[00:05:24] But I think the deeper invitation is to kind of own the identity of being a living stone. To take ownership of being a living stone. And that means to take ownership of our gifts and our talents, our strengths, our weaknesses, our blessings, and even our sufferings. All of it. Because God uses all of it to build something beautiful. But I think this is where I can find myself getting stuck and maybe have gotten stuck in the past.

[00:05:54] And maybe you might find yourself getting stuck with this. But we can't necessarily take ownership of it if we don't know who we are fully. If we don't know really who God created us to be. And so if we take some practicality. I've kind of broken this down into a couple of steps of how I think just looking at kind of my own journey. And if I'm embodying being a living stone.

[00:06:21] These are the things that I've done in the past that has helped me kind of take ownership of this. And allowed the Lord to use me as this living stone to build what he sees fit. And so I want to share kind of things that have worked for me in the past. And maybe they'll help you in this season too. And so the first one is really all about doing the identity work. Like knowing who God created you to be.

[00:06:49] Because if we're going to be living stones, we have to first understand what kind of stone am I? And I don't mean this in like a limiting way. I mean it in this like deeply freeing way. Because when you know your identity and you're living your identity as a beloved daughter of Christ. You stop comparing. And then you also stop trying to be placed somewhere that you don't belong. Somewhere that the Lord doesn't intend for you to be.

[00:07:18] You stop striving to be someone else's stone. And this allows you to instead live with clarity and confidence and peace. And so this has really become kind of that foundation of everything I do in coaching. This deep identity work because it shapes so much. It shapes how you show up. It shapes how you make decisions. How you care for your body. And how you live for your vocation.

[00:07:42] And most importantly, it's all about grounding you in the truth that your worth is not something that you earn. It's something that you've been given. And so one of the ways that we can do this is really the step number two. And it can start with understanding your temperament. Because I think this is a really good practical tool that I love to use in coaching. That really helps with that identity piece.

[00:08:08] And to understand how the Lord may be using you as a living stone. And so it's really understanding your temperament. Whether you learn you're more choleric, which have characteristics of being very driven and decisive. Maybe you're sanguine, where you're more joyful and relational. Maybe you're melancholic, where you are a very deep and thoughtful person. Or maybe you're phlegmatic, where you find yourself, you're very peaceful and steady.

[00:08:36] And these aren't labels to box you in, but really they're insights in how God designed you. Your temperament helps you understand things like how you respond to stress and triggers. What energizes you helps you understand where you might struggle. And then where your natural strengths lie. And when you understand that, you can stop fighting yourself. And you can start working with the way that God created you. Because the truth is, is that God didn't accidentally make you the way you are.

[00:09:07] Your temperament is part of how he intends to use you as a living stone to build his kingdom. And so that leads us to step number three of being able to recognize your gifts and talents. And I think this is something that so many women, especially as we, you know, have journeyed through motherhood, really struggle with. Because sometimes I think we downplay it. We think that it's really not that special. Or that everyone and anyone can do that.

[00:09:37] Or it doesn't really matter. Or I don't have anything that I can offer. But what if these exact things that maybe you've been downplaying, the things that you kind of naturally do awesomely. Things that, you know, other people around you recognize and compliment you on. What if those exact things are the very ways that God wants to build his kingdom through you? Because your gifts might look like hospitality or teaching, being an encourager.

[00:10:05] Or maybe you have strong organization skills or loads of creativity. Maybe you're able to listen deeply. And when you can start to name these gifts and identify ways that the Lord may be calling you to use them, this is how you begin to see how and where God is placing you as a living stone. And then the next step, number four, is probably one of the hardest ones to do. And it's being open to the shaping.

[00:10:35] And that's really where trust and faith comes into play. Because being living stones for the Lord doesn't mean just knowing who you are. But it really means being open and willing to being shaped. And letting go and surrendering your plans and letting the Lord use you. And shaping can feel like things like discomfort or waiting, maybe some uncertainty, or being stretched beyond what feels easy.

[00:11:05] But this is where if we can stop and believe that God is the builder, God is good, and God is intentional, then that's where we stay rooted in that trust and faith. That what He is building with our lives will be good. For this life here on earth, as well as the next as we embark in our eternal life. And so I think this is exactly why and where coaching becomes so powerful.

[00:11:33] Because sometimes we can know these things intellectually. Maybe we know our gifts. Maybe we know our temperament. Or we kind of have this idea of where the God, where the Lord wants to use us. But then we just struggle to apply them, maybe to believe them, or to live them. And so coaching really creates a space to help you go deeper and uncover your identity on a deeper level.

[00:12:01] Recognize thought patterns that may be keeping you stuck from really allowing the Lord to use you as a living stone. Maybe it's stepping into your gifts with confidence. Or discerning where God is inviting you to next. And so it's really not about becoming someone new. But it's really about becoming and owning and embodying who you already are. And being open to how God wants to use you.

[00:12:29] And so I want to leave you with this question today. Are you resisting being a living stone? Or are you allowing the Lord to use your life to be placed and to let Him build something beautiful for His kingdom? Because the invitation isn't to figure everything out. Really, the invitation is to trust the builder. To be able to surrender and trust and faith and say, Lord, use me. Use my life.

[00:12:58] Even when it feels uncomfortable or unclear. Because He is building something beautiful. If this episode spoke to you, I'd love to hear from you. You can always reach out to me at Kara at caratractor.com. And if you are in that season where you feel like God is shaping you, moving you, stretching you, and you're really not quite sure what to do with that, let's talk. You can book a free session with me through the link in the show notes.

[00:13:26] And we can begin to uncover how God is uniquely calling you to live as a living stone for His kingdom. And as always, if this episode blessed you, share it with a friend, leave a review, and help us continue to spread this message. Remember, beauty held as the seed. Beauty shared as the flower. It is your time to bloom. Until next time, God bless and take care. And we'll talk soon. Bye.