Thrive to Make a Difference: A Christ-Centered Approach to Intentional Living

Copyright © 2022 Linda Karkafi

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.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher

make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book

and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

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.

www.thrivetomakeadifference.com

Instagram & Facebook: @thrivetomakeadifference

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4912-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4914-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4913-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021922282

WestBow Press rev. date: 02/08/2022

Learn how to identify your

God-given priorities through

your personal Thrive Plan.

A Christ-centered approach

to help you focus on what

matters most every day.

Dedication

To my first love,

Jesus Christ.

To my cherished

husband and best friend,

George.

To my beloved children—

Bethany Joy,

Samuel Alexander,

and Marie-Therese.

Contents

PART ONE: THRIVE WITH PERSPECTIVE

1.   You Can Thrive

2.   The Perfect Foundation

3.   It’s Time to Dream

4.   We All Need a Vision

PART TWO: THRIVE WITH A PLAN

5.   A Life with Purpose

6.   Your God-given Priorities

7.   Setting Your Thrive Goals

8.   Achieving Your Goals

PART THREE: THRIVE WITH PASSION

9.   Planning for Victory

10.   Visualize Success

11.   Thriving as a Way of Life

12.   It’s Time to Thrive

Daily Devotions

The Gift of Eternal Life

Acknowledgments

Notes

Part One

Thrive with Perspective

You know the days. The laundry is out of control. Dishes have piled up. Your children need you. Your work deadline is looming. You’re feeling overwhelmed and tired. Pulled in so many directions, you wish you could just hit pause for a moment and rest.

Welcome to the world of womanhood. Where the work never finishes, life never pauses, and the constant call for your attention is relentless. You crash at the end of the day, only to wake up in the morning to do it all again.

Friend, I’m here to tell you that life can be so much better. You don’t have to feel overwhelmed and exhausted all the time. Nor do you have to feel guilty or full of regret. It is actually possible to rise above the daily grind and find satisfaction and purpose like never before. You can feel like a great mother, a great wife, a great friend.

You can make a difference in this world. Sister, you can thrive. My commitment to you is to help you get there.

In the coming pages I’m going to personally take you on a journey where you can discover what it means to thrive. I want to help you become clear about your priorities and on track to achieving your life goals. I am confident that through prayer, God’s Word, intentionality and discipline, you will be well on your way to thriving in your life and making a difference for eternity. I’m honored that you would join me on this journey.

CHAPTER 1

You Can Thrive

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding

abundantly above all that we ask or think,

according to the power that worketh in us

(Ephesians 3:20).

O ne of the things I’ve found myself grappling with, as a wife and mother of three young children, is that the work never ends. Like, never. The weekend promises rest and relaxation, yet even on those days off the housework continues to pile up (are you nodding?). I have constantly strived to be one step ahead and not feeling like I’m always playing catch-up. To feel a sense of achievement and purpose in the seemingly mundane moments of life. I confess that I have often felt overwhelmed.

As women, we play a critical role in the lives of others—whether our husband, children, friends, relatives or colleagues. As we nurture and love the people God has given us with everything that is in us, we give, give, give, and give some more until we find ourselves depleted.

But what if I told you that it didn’t have to be this way? What if I told you that there is a better way to live?

I’m not suggesting that you ditch the dishes or give up on duty. What I am suggesting is that you take a step back and seek a fresh perspective on your life. Something, perhaps, that you haven’t had the luxury to do amid the constant hustle, week in and week out. Today I want to give you the permission to pause and carve out some space for reflection.

I believe that reflection is not common practice among Christian women today. We tend to forge ahead in life, putting all our energy into our daily routines. We become so reactive to the needs of others that we lose touch with why we are doing what we’re doing and how we ought to be going about it. We start to totally miss Jesus in it all and start doing life our own way. This then leads to frustration, fatigue, a lack of motivation and, potentially, even feelings of resentment (Why can’t someone else scrub this bathtub?!). We start turning to things or people to fulfill our lack of contentment. A shopping fix, gossip-fest, holiday or social media—we look to these things to escape the mundane reality of our own lives. We look around us and can’t seem to avoid the images of beautiful women in picture-perfect homes, living their best life yet—the kind that seems so out of reach to us.

Sister, it was never meant to be this way. The cross is meant to lead us to a life of joy and liberty. A life with purpose, contentment, and hope. I’d like to suggest that as a generation we have lost our way. But there is hope. The way back is not too far out of reach.

God’s Word is our road map, and it reveals the perfect path to finding satisfaction in our earthly lives. By taking a step back from where you are standing today and allowing Jesus to reveal to you His vision for your life, you can find the remedy to feelings of frustration and discontent which arise from time to time.

God has a purpose for your life, and the amazing thing about it is that only you can accomplish it. You have been gifted with a unique set of talents, experiences, and desires—together, they are what makes you so special. And your loving Creator, God Himself, is preparing a future for you that only you can bring to fruition.

I’m always amazed to see women around the world doing incredible things for God’s kingdom—things I could only dream of accomplishing. But in the same way, the Lord has given me specific abilities in areas that other women find daunting. The qualities that make me special were entrusted to me by God to accomplish His purpose for my life here on earth. We all have a special place in this world. We all have the opportunity to shine the light of Jesus and play our role in the body of Christ. We