A NEW Years Resolution

Ya know sometimes I feel a little boastful and braggy when I share my faith and talk about things that I experience or where I believe that Lord is taking me. It is NOT because I have it all figured out. It is NOT because I complete a checklist of tidy little Christian things. It’s not because I think that I represent something that others do not or aren’t capable of. (I am still so very imperfectly on my way.)

But I have developed such a sincere and sweet appreciation for the power of our Testimony about him. And the only testimony that I have is my own.

I have confidence in that, not because of “my” but because of “HE” who answered me when I called. Knowing His power, gives me the grace and courage to share [so very publicly] my flaws. Because even in MY IMPERFECTIONS, and in MY MESS and in MY CHAOS, I can still see HIS GLORY!

But it wasn’t until I sought how to have my own knowledge of him that I began to seek him differently. And as he promises in Jeremiah 29:12-13, when I sought HIM [and not just someone else that would tell me something profound about him] I indeed found Him.

I trust that the Lord will also help me shape my words as I grow, so that they may also become more like his. I also have confidence that if anyone else should read this and also choose to seek Him differently and sincerely and passionately; they too will join me in a song of their own.

If you are looking for a New Year’s Resolution, there is nothing that you could do better than resolving to know Jesus Christ! And I have a challenge for you!

And if my testimony doesn’t convince you then, perhaps you’ll let the great apostle Paul reiterate by reading what he wrote in Philippians 3.

May you and I grow and be blessed and be even more confident in the one who IS in 2016!

Tuesday Challenge #47 | Resolve To Know

At some point I began to question why I believed certain things. Sure, I spent a good deal of time in church but did I believe all of the things that I was learning or was I just following what I was told? What if someone gave me the wrong message? Would I be able to recognize it for myself or would I continue to follow along?

That thought began twisting under my skin.

I ended up committing to a year of figuring out my faith and forcing myself to learn from the Word. And thus this blog was born....

While I have merely dipped my toe in the sea of faith [and water of his Word], it has been a LIFE changing experience for me. I know it was the best decision that I ever made. There is no turning back for me.

As 2015 draws to a close, I know many of you are also trying to come up with the perfect resolution. Hear my heart when I ask you these questions below. Your answers should help you determine whether or not this is also the perfect resolution for you.

1. Do you know what YOU believe and why you believe it? Do you have experiences that back up your data or have you been going with the flow; relying on what your parents and/or peers told you? Why and how do you know what you know? None of us will ever be able to fully comprehend the depths of God. But he can take you deeper than you are right now or than you have been before. Seek him and you will find him. (Jeremiah 29:13-15)

2. Would you recognize a false prophet or something non-scriptural if spoken to you? What are you comparing that data against? This one is kind of tricky because everything depends on context. We're all men and women too; as in still sinners. So you might not be thinking or hearing something correctly and the other person might not be speaking it correctly either. -No matter how strong we are in faith, mishaps happen! Be strong in KNOWLEDGE and go directly to the source!

3. When you want to hear a good word, do you run to your Bible or to a Preacher? While preachers are wonderful teachers, they are essentially tools to help us grow our faith. They are also men. While they may be used as vessels, our relationship with them is NOT a substitute for the direct relationship that we can have with our Lord. You can listen to an entire series on a subject and still not get what you needed to hear. You can also crack your Bible open and diligently seek the Lord's response and find a word or single sentence that literally satisfies everything that you're heart wanted to know. Many times it's vastly different than what you were seeking in a message. And you don't have to wait for a specific broadcast, appointment or service time. The Bible can be opened 24/7! - The good Lord can use anything & anyone to speak to us but the question here is what are you leaning on?

4. Do you need others to confirm/affirm every decision that you make or thought you think? If you said yes, then you might be people pleasing instead of God pleasing. It is good to be encouraged by your peers. There are also seasons that we need other believers to help guide us. But if you always have to have someone tell you whether or not what you are thinking is right or wrong, then you might have a problem. Jeremiah tells us that HE has a plan for YOU. John tells us that HE is the way, the truth and the Life. Let God be your accountability partner. Who would know better than HE if you were on the right track?

5. Are you certain of your salvation?  Romans 10:9-10 tells us “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." If something about that scripture bothers you, is it possible maybe you don't believe Him. There is a big difference in believing that there is a God and then believing in what He says that He is or will do. But remember our verse from Jeremiah 29:12-13 "...seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

If any of these questions struck you, I pray that you will take this challenge for as long as you need to. Resolve to KNOW!

Do you have a testimony about this challenge or a suggestion for another one? I'd love to hear it! Comment here!

What's this about? | Other challenges

Picture Credit [then modified]: http://www.superbwallpapers.com/nature/sunrise-over-the-mountains-14501/

In the unfinished

This morning I went for a bike ride with my dog-brother-in-law, Sunny. I wanted to go fast. After all there was a purpose to my riding. But he was content to trot in –his first- ride; Taking it all in.

At first I tried to coax him into my plans. But as his collar slid over one ear, I just decided that even slow was still better than not at all. His pace encouraged me to savor the morning for myself. -To smell the air like it was my first time and let it fill every space in my lungs. To feel the rain as it touched my skin and exchanged it’s cool for my heat. -To be refreshed by nature and to receive something that I can’t make for myself.

During this time, I usually pray and ponder scripture and dream. Today was no different. But as we rode back and forth, weaving from each side of the road, my words too seemed to drift in the same sing-song fashion. While it is not uncommon for me to sing, today the words felt loud enough for the neighbors to hear and maybe a little less kept back by another of MY plans to retain or shape them.

Psalm 45:1 seemed to circle outside and within-

“My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.”

***

I don’t know where this post will take you, any more than I know how our day will end. But I know that both have a purpose, like my ride did. Don’t let the purpose, precede it’s meaning. Being stirred isn’t always (or usually) in a straight line. And there is something to be said and even accomplished by the unfinished.

The Gift

***

Contemplation #1

2013

I can't say that I am a girl that lives for shopping but I do love it when I have the perfect gift to give. You know what I am talking about- When you know that you have a winner, don't you?

You may or may not watch the sales paper. You search store after store for the exact color, shape, functions, size... When you find it, you are elated. You check the bag six times on the way home, to not only confirm that it is still with you; but you just want to take it out and look at it again, and then again. ... and then again. 

To see it. To touch it. To remind yourself of how awesome it is. There is a satisfaction in having it to give.

What about being a recipient of that gift? When someone else gives you the perfect one, very seldom do we hide it away. It's out so you can admire it and so that others can ask you about it. It's on the top shelf so it won't get broken. Every time you touch it, your reflexes begin wiping it off so that it maintains the luster of new.

As the Christmas Holiday drew closer, my mind just kept thinking about different "gift" analogies... I knew that there was something to write. I couldn't seem to tie them all together. When I prayed about closing it, I was startled when I felt the reply "You don't get it yet."

So, I prayed to get a better understanding. 

***

Contemplation #2

2014

Almost a year later on Thanksgiving I picked up my cousin Suzi. Her son is away at school in California and she was on the phone with him. I couldn't help but overhear part of the conversation.

She was asking Him about emails that she had sent Him earlier in the week. It was kind of funny. I don't really know what He was saying but she had a certain motherly urgency in her tone. I pictured Him on the other end of the phone, rolling his eyes and sighing "Yes mother. I have the emails." "No, I haven't read them." "Yes, I will."

On this side of the call though, I heard something different. The pang of disappointment. I could interpret what her heart was saying underneath... "I have prepared this gift for you."

I asked her about it when she got off the phone. She explained about some deadlines. She did the work to get the information for him. There were several messages of varying sorts but she had spent time putting it all together for him. Something He needed. Something he'd want. Something that would help him. That same undertone surfaced again and all I could hear was "My love spent so much time preparing this thing for Him and He just doesn't receive it."

It struck me that this is the gift that that I was supposed to be writing about. He has prepared something for us and we just don't receive it.

***

Contemplation #3

I once read somewhere that if you're dying of thirst, believing in water won't save your life. You have to drink it for it to help, or change, or save you. In John 4 Jesus is talking to the Samaritan woman and says "IF you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water." We don't ask for more or even at all because we don't yet know that He is. 

And we don't know yet that we don't know.

Take a drink.

My commentary in my Bible says: "The woman mistakenly believed that if she received the water Jesus offered, she would not have to return to the well each day. She was interested in Jesus' message because she thought it could make her life easier. But if that were the case, people would accept Christ's message for the wrong reasons. Christ did not come to take away challenges but to change us on the inside and to empower us to deal with problems from God's perspective." and "Faith is a gift that grows as we use it."

***

And still here it is now 2 years after beginning this post [probably 20 years since being saved] and I think I am just now beginning to get it. We can spend all of Christmas [or Christianity] talking about the importance of receiving Christ; and even doing a good job reminding ourselves to stay focused.

Maybe we believe that there is a God and that the whole message of Jesus is a real and true account. And yet still sometimes we don't even know that we're not applying/allowing (for a lack of a better word) the God given freedom that comes only by letting Him saturate our lives.

The water is the Word of God.

We share the message asking others to believe in Him when we should be pleading instead for others to take the drink. Offering it, serving it, filling our vessels and seeking the thirsty to refresh, until we know that they fully receive it too.

Trust me when I tell you that I am not there yet either.

And before we get into heretics, let me clarify that the Bible says you ONLY have to believe! You don't have to practice rituals or complete checklists to find salvation. (Mark 5:36, John 3:15-16) 

But even the Samaritan woman ran away and HAD TO TELL EVERYONE what Jesus was doing in her life. And because of her testimony, others came to hear for themselves and they too believed.

WHO are you telling?

Why are we ALL not shouting from the rooftops (((I KNOW A REDEEMER WHO LIVES)))?

***

Contemplation #4

Luke 11:33 says "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.”

Boy that sounds like contemplation #1 now doesn't it?

1 John 1:5-6 – “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.” 

Yet how many times are we bogged down instead by current circumstances? While we believe in the message, we don't receive the power to keep the light bright amidst that circumstance. We let darkness dim our light. 

If you and I aren't as excited about our faith as the Samaritan woman- If we don't believe that we have something in the gift of Jesus that we are proud of and -needing- to share, elated to give, and holding out for everyone to see-

If we don't have the urgency for others to know what this light is that we have inside-

If you can't find a reason to love [or even invite] everyone that sits [to sit] at your table;

If you do not have hope even when you don't know all of the answers-

If your Christ in the morning isn't the same Christ at the end of the day or if he isn't relative on the other days aside from Sunday-

If you believe that he changes hearts and you stay the same; be it addiction, insecurity, fear or anger, etc.

If you are not certain of your salvation, filled with awe and mystery or moved to fall on your knees when think of Him-

Hear me now, if you are not burning and if others are not warmed when they are near you, comforted by what your light brings to their darkness-

Could it be that even you [and I] do not fully receive what is before us?  

What IT IS that Christ offers? 

Ask yourself, have I left something on the table?

After all, He didn't give us eternal life so that we could spend our earthly lives hopeless.

Now let that settle for a minute…

or a day.

or a lifetime.

However long it takes-

The good news is that just like Jesus told the Samaritan woman, you and I can ask Him for a drink. Better yet, we can ask Him to give us the desire to drink it. The psalmist wrote "like the deer pants for water, O' my soul pants for you." Are you panting? For him alone? Ask him.

***

Contemplation #5

Colossians 2:6 - says “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” 

You must continue because there is always more behind the same message. You can spend your life unfolding the mystery of Christ. Unwrapping new meaning and luster in your spirit.

“For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And He will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. -Isaiah 9:6

If anything on the list of "what ifs" struck you- Whatever your darkness is friend, whether it be shame or sin; Even if it is only your doubt, resistance or lack of desire; our God and our gift is first- a counselor that will show you the way.

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

If we don't fully process who He is in that sentiment, we may never be able to process beyond that to know that He is a MIGHTY God. –Or that we can go to Him first like a Father or that He brings peace. First He must counsel.

His gifts come to each of us in many forms and variations. Each one is specifically and thoughtfully and freely offered to each of us. Already prepared. No matter what we have attained, there is more to grasp again. Continue.

Because is it EXCEEDINGLY MORE than all that we have ever asked for or imagined. - Ephesians 3:20-21

What have you given this season or might you give in the next?

What might you receive?

There is only one perfect gift.

He makes us

and all things

new.

Merry Christmas

and Happy *New* year.

Photo Credit:
Package: http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside/2015/12/its-the-time-of-year-for-the-spirit-of-giving-.html
Candle: https://pixabay.com/en/candle-light-dark-flame-night-704022/
Nativity: http://365cambridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/nativity.jpg

Tuesday Challenge #46 | Say Yes

This week's challenge - I once led the Creative Correction Bible Study in my home. This study is exactly as it sounds; a parenting study that helps you discipline your children. One of the best messages that I got from it was "Teach your child to say yes to you and they will say yes to God later". BAM!

Following through is hard for us, especially with such tiny, cute people to love. It's just so easy to give in. -Not to mention the busyness of life that sometimes distracts us from what we mean to do. This challenge is actually going to be a bigger focus for me next year. I will make my "one word" for the year "Yes".  To remind me to get them to say yes the first time that I ask them for something. -But also, I will try to say yes to them more as well.

For example: Yes, you can sleep in your school clothes. Yes you can eat a cupcake in the bathtub, yes you can do x, y or z.... If there is no real reason why they shouldn't, right? After all, sometimes it's just easy to say no, right? Could that be a message that we're sending?

Anyway, won't you join me? Even if it's only for a week? It could make this week extra eventful, especially being the week of Christmas. hahaha

Scripture for the week - Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”  -Ephesians 6:1-3 


Do you have a testimony about this challenge or a suggestion for another one? I'd love to hear it! Comment here!

What's this about? | Other challenges

Picture Credit [then modified]: http://www.superbwallpapers.com/nature/sunrise-over-the-mountains-14501/

Tuesday Challenge #45 | Prayer

This week's challenge - I once listened to a CD by Sharon Thomas. I think it was on the subject of "Praying God's Word". I don't remember the exact quote but she said if someone asks you to pray for them or perhaps you tell someone that you will pray for them; then you walk away... what does that mean to them? What if they don't know your God? What if they don't know why your praying should matter? Why is that important....?

It struck me.

Only to have it followed up by a friend during a phone call not too long after. Just before hanging up she said "May I pray for you right now?" Of course I said yes but it left another impression on me. Wow.

It propelled me to start praying out loud myself. If someone asked for another to lead a group in prayer, I accepted. If someone asked me to pray for them; I right did it then instead of later when I got home. Even if they sent it in an email, I would pray about it and then reply with a prayer to them. I sometimes even wrote prayers down because I was so afraid that I'd forget them when I got in public. But over time, I grew more comfortable praying out loud.

I can't tell you how much I have felt like it blessed me to do so. Then to have someone else come back to me and say "Man, I really needed that. Thank you." Praying is one of our basic Christian duties and it's free. It will only feel awkward at first. This week I challenge you to accept every opportunity to pray out loud. -Also volunteer to do so when given the opportunity.

Here's a tip, before you even get started, pray to God to turn your spiritual ears on. While you're listening to others, ask the Lord to guide you with words for them. When you start to pray, don't just blurt out a bunch of good sounding words. Wait a moment, center your heart on God and give him a chance to give you words instead.

Scripture for the week - Brothers and sisters, pray for us. -1 Thessalonians 5:25

Prayer: Father God your word assures us that your spirit searches all things even the depths of God. (1Cor2:10) Also that whoever is one with you, is united in spirit. (1Cor6:17) Give us the confidence to share your spirit with others. To be vessels of light and hope and to fulfill a duty of being your messenger. Fill us with your words God and give us a thirst for more and a hunger to share. Blessed be your name O' God.




Do you have a testimony about this challenge or a suggestion for another one? I'd love to hear it! Comment here!

What's this about? | Other challenges

Picture Credit [then modified]: http://www.superbwallpapers.com/nature/sunrise-over-the-mountains-14501/

To Cherish

It is true that every marriage has its ups and downs and mine is no different. I am thankful that at 15 years we're still getting better. But for the purposes related to a study coming up, I feel the need to talk about one of our hard spots. (With Colin's permission of course.)

My husband (Colin) has had Peripheral Neuropathy (severe nerve damage) in both legs and feet for about 10 years now. While HE is awesome; his illness has not been as kind. It has had an effect on him, me and our marriage. 

At times it has been difficult and even lonely for both of us. Chronic pain is a thief but working around it and through it has made us both stronger thus far. And it is something that the Lord has specifically used in my life to grow me and my love walk. 

I will never forget driving to work one morning a few years ago. Feeling defeated, I prayed to God. How could I be honest without being ugly? How could I love more when confronted with an illness that I didn't love at all? How could I get past my selfishness to remember that there was a man in the middle that was wounded by an illness and probably also by me? "Lord how do we do this and win?"

I thought of my vows and when I hit "to cherish" I felt a sting. I was pretty sure that I wasn't being as supportive or as loving as I could be. I simply confessed to God that I had no idea how to "cherish" something that I didn't even know how to deal with even if it was attached to someone that I loved. I knew that I needed an attitude adjustment and so I told God that he was going to have to give me a picture of what cherishing might look like.  

As I drove the rest of the way in thought, a vision of a teacup came to mind. While I don't collect china, it made me think of others that do. It also reminded me of some of my grandmother's dishes. Some of it's chipped, cracked and worn but still used often. I love those dishes and at every opportunity to bring them out, I do. I never even think about the flaws because I am so excited to have them out and at my table. 

In fact it's not really until I go to put them away that I pay attention to them. I know where they are weak and I take extra care to hold and support those places as I wash them. I also know where they will get the most beating in my cabinet and that the pressure from stacking them might cause them to crack further. So I put them higher up, above me, to a place with less traffic. Protecting them.

And if I was a collector with a teacup, wouldn't I turn the flawed side away (shielding it from view) so that others saw only the best side? Wouldn't I be quick to tell others all of the things that I loved about it and never once mention or point out things that might make it less in value?

Well I could go on and on here but it is an image that I have never forgotten. How quickly it convicted me of areas where I really could love more. I started trying to apply it as much as I could. Even now, years later as I write about it, it is still an image that convicts me. We can always love more. In all of our relationships.

As I calculate a mental inventory in comparison to it, the verse "love covers" also surfaces. It comes from 1 Peter 4:8. Don't those two words alone sound exactly as I've just described? If we are not "cherishing" our spouse our love might also not be reflecting our Father's perfect love. And we might be missing out on the fullness of its rewards.

(scroll down)

Ladies, if you are not praying for your spouse, you should be. It doesn't matter where you are in your marriage, you can go to God honestly and openly about any aspect of it. Psalm 139 also says that the Lord knows when you sit and when you stand. He knows your thoughts even before you do. You don't have to come up with all of the answers alone. 

I realize that most times we take our laundry list of wishes to God and when he doesn't give you the exact item that you request, we think he doesn't answer. However, I have found that I can take my praise list, wish list, defeated list, my "I don't know what to do with this" list and more times than none he answers but almost always with an action item for me. 

If he's not answering, could it be that we're not completing a step in his reply? It has been amazing to me to see in my life, not just in this scenario but with friends and other members of family, how prayer turns me toward the person I am praying for. I don't care how good of a spouse you are, your spouse could always have a better cheerleader.

Because I am always looking for ways to be the crown and helper that I am called to be for Colin; I am getting ready to read "The Power of the Praying Wife". I've decided that I'll try my hand and an online study too. So, there will be a Private Facebook Group and a private discussion forum for members that are not on Facebook. (But you can join both if you like!) We'll start 12/28. 

If you're interested, please email me (faithunfoldingblog@gmail.com). Let's begin 2016 by washing our husbands in prayer?

P.S. If a fella is reading this, you don't have to miss out. There is a Husband's version that you can read. 


 

Tuesday Challenge #44 | Food

This week's challenge - You may have read my post yesterday but if you haven't it was about how things in our physical diet are just as important as the things in our spiritual diet. Your challenge this week is to keep a food journal.

Get a notebook and write down everything and the times that you consume them. If you have coffee with cream and sugar, write coffee with cream and sugar. If you have a recipe with certain ingredients, write all of those ingredients down. A friend of mine used to get migraines. It turns out that she was allergic to pepper, an ingredient that is often overlooked. It was the pepper that was causing her migraines.

Documenting it will not only keep you accountable it will also help you see that maybe you're consuming too much of something. If you do have some allergy it will usually present itself in the first hour or two. However, there are rare occasions that it can take up to 24 hours to show up. So write down anything you feel along with the time here too. If you're suddenly wiped out, or if you get a migraine, or an anxiety attack... all of those things (and more) could be related to what you're eating. Make it a point to pay attention to it this week.

I know the documentation will be a challenge. But hopefully, you'll be the better for it, in the end.


Scripture for the week -  So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31


Prayer -Lord I pray for anyone considering this challenge to give a fresh look at what they consume. Give us patience for the documentation. Help us be mindful of what we're feeling when we go to eat, if it's genuine hunger or something else. Help us also to remember to document how it's made us feel afterward. We are your vessels. Help us strengthen our bodies in the way that you designed.

Do you have a testimony about this challenge or a suggestion for another one? I'd love to hear it! Comment here!

What's this about? | Other challenges

Picture Credit [then modified]: http://www.superbwallpapers.com/nature/sunrise-over-the-mountains-14501/

BODY and Spirit

A sweet friend and co-worker of mine has begun an accountability group for food and fitness. This morning I sat down to share a thought with the group but when the words kept coming, I decided that it might as well be a post here. haha.

When I began the Bible Study "Made to Crave" by Lysa Terkeurst, I was surprised to think that God might care about what I eat. I mean after all, it is a necessity. We are supposed to eat, right? YES.

But what are you eating? How much or how little are you eating? And what is it doing to your body or your mood? 

We all know that drinking alcohol can make you hyper, drowsy or even careless at times. Caffeine can wind you up. I also discovered that after being diagnosed with food allergies, wheat and sugary things make me very agitated. If I eat any or even too much of those things, it can make my "love walk" harder for me to do successfully. This might not be the same for you at all but perhaps something else in your diet is causing another issue that you've been wrestling with... unbeknownst to you.

Anyway, I read this piece of commentary this morning and it reminded me of my friends group. First let me share the verse and may it also speak to you. 

"Dear Friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go along well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." - 3 John 1:2

The Commentary is from my Life Application Bible.

"John was concerned for Gaius's physical and spiritual well-being. This was the opposite of the popular heresy that taught the separation of spirit and matter and despised the physical side of life. Today, many people still fall into this way of thinking. This non-Christian attitude logically leads to one of two responses: neglect of the body and physical health or indulgence of the body’s sinful desires. God is concerned for both your body and your soul. As a responsible Christian, you should neither neglect nor indulge yourself, but care for your physical needs and discipline your body so that you are at your best for God’s service."

Boy that kind of forces us to stop in our tracks, huh? You know 1 Corinthians 6:19 says that your body is a temple. Now close your eyes and imagine what you might find inside a temple. How might it also be cared for? 

If you switch that temple to your body, are those things that you imagined the same things that you're putting inside of your own body and temple? Do you even give it a pinch of the same maintenance, upkeep or attention?

If you're feeling a little pressure, don't let it turn to condemnation. TODAY you learned something new. The application begins now. :) Please also know that I join you here. I have put a lot more emphasis on my spiritual walk the last few years. It's been great but now that my babies are all running around, I know it's time to add a little something more. Won't you join me?

P.S. If you're looking for a local group of women to support and be encouraged by let me know. I have a friend in the Northern Neck and another in Gloucester. They both have a Facebook group that can help keep you accountable. :)

Photo Credit: https://walthope.files.wordpress.com

Tuesday Challenge # 43 | Sharing it

As we move into Christmas, everyone is always looking for ways to focus more on Christ. Our "Soul" purpose is to bring glory to him by exalting him and telling others about him. What better way to do so than to simply start trying to mention him more. 

The word "testimony" might intimidate you but you can start with some of your successes from last week. You can also tell someone about a prayer need that you have and how you might be seeing things happen around it. You can talk about something that you learned in one of your study groups or tell someone about your life verse or favorite verse. You can even write a note encouraging someone with scripture. 

Start small and work your way up and don't worry sometimes it takes a lot of tries before finding your comfort level. Give to God this season. No offering is too small for him. 

Scripture for the week:  And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. - Colossians 4:3

Do you have a testimony about this challenge or a suggestion for another one? I'd love to hear it! Comment here!

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Picture Credit [then modified]: http://www.superbwallpapers.com/nature/sunrise-over-the-mountains-14501/

Thankfulness Challenge Example | A message for daughters

So, in the challenge earlier this week, I said I'd share a success story or two from my own experience of it. This one ended up being long enough that I might not need to share the other. I hope it is a blessing and encouragement to you also.

My daughter, Sophie has never been a good sleeper, even as an infant. She always woke up at least once, never napped more than 45 minutes and gave up napping altogether at the age of 1. Lately her sleeping patterns have become noticeably worse. She can't seem to fall asleep when it's time for bed and then she's up many times in the middle of the night. She's also having nightmares which she barely remembers when you try to talk to her about them.

Sophie is very sensitive and we've had a lot of big things going on in recent months. Her grand-father has been battling cancer for some time, my husband just had a surgical procedure for chronic pain and we've experienced a few losses, etc. I am sure that she has things on her mind. We try to talk about them but I am not sure that she knows what is bothering her and I have had trouble helping her navigate the thoughts.

She also is a child that is seldom thirsty. When she begs for something to drink, she only takes a few sips and she's done. She never finishes a drink without my prodding her to do so. I did discover that insomnia in addition to a few other symptoms that she reports (like the common child complaints of headache/bellyache) can also be related to dehydration. She and I began a water drinking challenge but I also took her to the doctor just to confirm that something else wasn't going on. As I expected, the Doctor contributed her issue to most likely being a result of anxiety and worry.

We got her report card later in the week and she was devastated. There were no A's. What you need to know is that she is only in the 2nd grade. There are no A's or other standard letter grades until 3rd grade. Instead she had all S's (essentially the same thing). She did have 2 P's which mean progressing and this indicates the information that they are currently working on.  -Still not bad grades though.

Sophie and I tried to talk about it right then but we were in the middle of something else, which I can't remember now. She didn't understand me and we got distracted by the other thing and never made it back to the conversation.

She definitely seemed weighed down by something lately. She was more emotional and clingy. And I was bothered by the thought of my 7 year old stressing out so early about who she is. I wondered if she understood that she was measuring herself with an unfair and unrealistic metric. (While an 'S' and an 'A' might mean the same thing they are in fact 2 different letters and she can't change what the 2nd grade chooses to use on a report card.)

A few nights later she had nightmares again. I was able to settle her down and get her back to sleep but the next morning I wanted to talk to her about them.

I got up and followed my normal routine of reading and writing until the household is awake. I found this photograph over at middings.blogspot.com. I suspected that it was the perfect focus for my conversation with Sophie.

I waited a little bit after she woke up to have the conversation. We walked upstairs and sat down on my bed and I asked what she was dreaming about during the night. She started crying all over again. Then she said "I used the wrong pencil at school. My teacher told me to use a certain one. I did all of my work and at the end of the day she told me that I used the wrong one. All of my work was wrong and I didn't know it. I tried Mama, I tried..."  -Tears rolling down her cheeks.

At first, I wanted to chuckle at the innocence of it like, "that was it?!" But she wasn't recalling some thing that happened at school that still bothered her. This was just a dream. Yet you could hear panic and worry in her tone about doing something wrong. Being wrong. Her night mare wasn't about a scary bear or a bad guy. It was a fear of not being perfect. Not being right or good enough. -And she's only 7!

As a woman that has struggled (and still struggles) with my own insecurities and perceived failures, I recognized right away this desire for "being perfect". That if we don't address it right now, it could grow into a true villain like a monster that will haunt all of her days or a thief that will steal so many opportunities and leave her unfulfilled if we let it linger.

We talked more in depth about her report card. I think I said the same thing as before but she heard me this time. Maybe I did say it better?! I reminded her of things her teachers have said in conferences about being a hard worker and not playing around in class. We talked about her kindness and how she is often a "good citizen". Those things mean more to me than perfect grades. Her best effort will always be better than the best grade. Then I reminded her about each letter and what they mean and how it was equivalent to all 'A's' for 2nd grade.

Then I told her about some of my own similar struggles as an adult. How it affects who I am at work and as a mom, etc. Then I showed her the picture and talked about the difference between hoping to be a Super Woman when God really wants us to abide Him instead. I told her that we needed to start memorizing these verses and adjusting our thinking to what God thinks.

I knew at the end of it, it was a good conversation. We memorized the first verse last week. We also created a little reward system for sleeping through the night. Her sleeping is already almost 99% better. She also seems lighter during the day.

Success!

***

I wanted to share this post for several reasons.

First is that God answers. I prayed so many little prayers about this whole thing. He provided not only an answer but a pretty little chart and also gave me the perfect opportunity to seize and use it.

Second, it was HIS WORD that corrected it. I mean, I am a woman that needs to adjust my own thinking from Super Woman to Abiding Woman. I could have given Sophie a lot of advice but my own thinking is not exactly lined up to scripture 24/7 (no matter how much I would like it to be). It is HIS scripture on that right column that relieves my heart from unfair burdens. It is the same column that cleanses hers.

Third, when He answers we usually have an associated action item. It's like James says "Faith without works is dead" I had to act on her behalf by going to her and ministering to her but she and I both have to adjust our thinking and measuring to what His word says otherwise we never move from that place.

Fourth, I am told often that I am too hard on myself either by condemning myself, negating strengths or simply downplaying who I am. And boy is that a tough thing to work out! In an effort to try and change my thinking, I think it's important to note things that I do right. This post is one of them!

However, this reminds me of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 when Paul says His power is made perfect in my weakness. I can boast about all of my weaknesses so that God's power may rest on me. Because I know that I am weak; and because I know that I am a sinner; and because I know that many times I am wrong; And because I am willing to admit that and still look deeper into it no matter how uncomfortable it is. I am so much more able to see when it is HIM giving me power and not myself at all. Praise God!

Fifth, as I have become more aware of my insecurities and even people pleasing tendencies, God is creating a heart in me that wants to work with women (including the little ones) about this issue. How perfect it is that he has given me a daughter so that we can teach each other who we are supposed to be in Christ. (Another praise to God!)

***

Closing with a side note - I also recently attended a Women in Banking Conference. One of the speakers is Donna Highfill who gave a wonderful message on Women and Confidence. She had a really great point about how boys don't grow up with the same issues as girls. Then she shared some messages that we tell our children. One is that "Boys will be boys" and we accept that they are rough and tough. Yet we tell girls that they should be "sugar and spice" and we encourage them to not cause conflict and to be polite. We usually compliment a boy's strength or action and yet tell little girls that they are pretty.

I try so hard to be mindful of this when I am with Sophie but hearing Donna's message reminds me of similar observations from my own life. Since I myself have 2 boys, I can echo everything that Donna said. I am convinced that my youngest child's love language is wrestling (physical touch). I accept it and laugh about it and don't do as much to correct it even when someone could get hurt.

Yet Sophie is a dreamer. She is always thinking of a song to write or painting something in her mind. She is just as energized by being mentally stimulated in her creativity as is he by the physical motion in the next attack. While her actions don't take up any more time than his, I find myself constantly trying to bring her back to what I am doing and yet letting Jackson go.

Donna also wrote a book called Glitter Girl geared toward women and girls alike regarding this issue. While I haven't read the book yet, I know who's getting one for Christmas and I encourage you to read Donna's post about her inspiration of it.

If you'd like to listen to more on being a grown up daughter check out this three part series called "Daughters of the King" by Sharon Thomas with Established Footsteps Ministries. (You can also search iTunes if the link doesn't work. It also has another girls book recommendation: My Child, My Princess by Beth Moore.)

Blessings to you and yours!

Love,
Reggie

Prayer

Father God, I am thankful that you work, even while we sleep as we've seen with Mordecai and Esther. I am thankful that like Samuel, even when we try to sleep, you love us so much, that you will pull us from that slumber when you have a message that we need to hear. I am thankful that that you love and never stop loving your prodigal sons [and daughters]. I am thankful that you hear and answer our prayers and that whether or not we even think that we are thirsty; you have a water that satisfies beyond what can even imagine. I am thankful that in all these cases it is YOU who brings true rest. Lord I pray for every woman that reads this post and for every child that she rears in light of it. You Lord are our first father. Let our lives be raised so that we always look up to you!

(Sophie found a clam)

Tuesday Challenge #42 | Thankfulness

Challenge for this week: One of my favorite verses is Colossians 4:2. "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."  [Talk to God. Watch for his answers. Remember to acknowledge him when you get it."]

I love to try and record how I see God working in my day or week. Admittedly, I don't do it enough. Last week I did pray about two or three specific situations and while I may or may not have been intentionally waiting to document the answer, I recognized it when I had received it. -But my actions were part of the answer and it resulted in a lot of thankfulness. -More so because I chose "wisely". I hope to share both of those experiences later (hopefully today but it might be later in the week).

For now, I just need to share the challenge. It's just too easy to get caught up in the day and what is happening in front of you. You might get through the whole day before you realize that you haven't done what was most meaningful to you.

As you're praying and planning your day [and throughout it]; be mindful of decisions you make. You really can't do it all. Ask God to really help you give the most of your attention to the areas around what you value most in life. (Hopefully those values line up with his.) Also ask him to help you be content with the things that don't get done. If you were successful in the department of values, then you really didn't "fail" when something was still incomplete.

At the end of the day, instead of making your mental list of the things that you didn't get done. Or the things that you didn't do right, spend some time instead noting what you were proud of instead. What did go well? Then offer up a prayer of thankfulness.

Later if a thought comes back "you didn't do this" remind yourself of what you did do and even how much more important that was.  -Offer up another prayer of thankfulness. -Repeat this pattern as much as necessary.  If you'd like to share any of your successes, I'd love to see them here! Please share!

I will get you two of mine this week! I truly hope you have a wonderful THANKSgiving!


Scripture for the week:  Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. - Colossians 4:2

Do you have a testimony about this challenge or a suggestion for another one? I'd love to hear it! Comment here!

What's this about? | Other challenges

Picture Credit [then modified]: http://www.superbwallpapers.com/nature/sunrise-over-the-mountains-14501/

Growing in Christ | 1 John 2

Hi there! I'm reading 1 John 2 this morning and I'd like to share with you 7 things that will help you grow your walk with Christ. So grab your Bible and follow along!

1. Repentance - (v2) This guy is the most important. That's why every walk begins right here. Whether you just accepted the Lord and you're trying to figure out where to go next or if you've been walking with the Lord for 50 years; Repentance is the first thing to check, when your walk isn't feeling so "Fresh". It's not just confession but once it's brought to mind and confessed; we should also turn from the thing you are confessing.

Not only does repentance help to remove the wedge of sin so that there is nothing between you and God. Repentance also helps to keep us humble by reminding ourselves that we too are sinners. This makes it easier to love others, particularly when they aren't so lovely. It also aids in teaching us how to depend on Christ. When we are weak, He is strong.

2. Obedience - (v3-6) - "We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands in a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." 

I really don't need to add to that. But the point of Jesus dying on a cross was so that the Holy Spirit could come and live with us. This Holy Spirit is full of power and can help us overcome any situation or sin. So, if the Holy Spirit lives in you and you are spending time daily with the Lord, you will not be sinning in the exact same manner as before.  I say exact because we are all sinners. We will all still have sin present but you should be able to see areas that you have overcome in time. (So should others.) As God reveals an area in your life that is sin, you should have the strength to overcome it and then on to the next.

It's also a good exercise to start a timeline for yourself with all of the main points about your relationship with God. You can add to it any personal milestones, etc. Not only will this encourage you in those dark areas but it will also give you a skeleton to build your testimony on.

3. Check your love walk - (v9) "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness." My commentary says that "Love is the key to walking in the light because we cannot grow spiritually while we hate others. Our growing relationship with God will result in growing relationships with others."

It sounds good on paper or a blog but stop to consider your past week. You may have gone to church or spent some time with the Lord praising him for how awesome He is BUT-

Does your neighbor make your blood boil?  Is everything that you've said to your husband this week snarky? Do you have a short fuse with your children? Have you gossiped about a co-worker? Real love reaches out and looks for ways to make a relationship work- not how to avoid it!

If you're struggling in this area, let me tell you a very simple prayer: Dear Jesus, I see that this area of my life is sin. I struggle to love, like and/or be near _______. Please help me see and even love him/her the way that you do.

Then look for ways to build that bridge or reconnect!

4. Not being held back by yourself or the devil - (v12-14) Look, it says here that all of the junk in your brain that keeps you from moving forward has already been defeated! This includes your past. We're all weak and imperfect by ourselves. But remember we're not alone. The helper is with us!

You remember what happened to the guy that hid is talent, right?  Yes, you do have talent! So, don't even go there. You just might not have developed it yet. (You get that when you practice it.) So, insecurity, sin, doubt-  We all have it! You're not isolated or special. Whether it's service, preaching, befriending, or anything else you're feeling led to do, show some faith that God will meet you in it and give Him the reigns.

And the devil well, he's just a liar. He's the one probably whispering all of the above stuff in your ear. Jesus overcame him too. So just walk on by.

Don't let the Devil's lies rob you of God's promises!

5. Not Loving anything in the world (v15) - Wait, What? Didn't you just tell me to love my brother and sister?  Yes, and we know they are all "in this world" like you and I. It is good to love others. It's natural to also love your hobby, your job, your collection and your car. -BUT you can't let that love come before God. So, when you get your paycheck on Friday and you really want to go to a show but you only have enough to pay tithes OR the tickets. Well, your love for God should be bigger. When you're having a temper tantrum and you only want to do what you want but a friend or even a foe has a need, your love for God should help you overcome yourself so that you can put your brother or sister first! -But in contrast, if you feel like the Lord's leading you to do something, you can't not do it because of what someone else might think. You must put the Lord first.

6. Not Denying God - (v22) So, I don't want to skew this. Clearly this verse is describing the antichrist as someone who denies that Jesus is the Christ. BUT for the purpose of growing in your walk, I'd like you to scale this item back to simply "Denying God" in general terms.

Not denying (or withholding) God can be a tough one, even for seasoned believers. You know when you're starting out in faith. You're curious enough to get more into it but you're just not sure that you want others to know about that side of you. So you don't mention God. Later, we might have times and places that we feel more comfortable with doing so but certain situations can still make us hesitant.

Yet, the "soul" purpose of our walk with God is to raise disciples and other believers; to save the lost and to glorify His name by pointing everything back to Christ himself. If you [we] can't mention Him, you're missing a critical nutrient in your own soil.

If you need a little encouragement here Philemon 1:6 says that your testimony builds YOUR faith. Revelations 12:11 says that the Devil will be defeated by the blood of the lamb AND the word of their testimony. -Both involve your pretty little lips and the word of God!

7. Reading the word - (v20-27) John 1:1 says that in the Beginning was the Word [When He first spoke it] and the Word was with God [As the Trinity] and the Word was God [His Name]

His word is still alive and active! It was all that he used to form the earth. It's all that he uses to speak into your heart and transform life. It's all that you need to call upon in a moment of strength! Whether written or spoken the word of God is who God is!

If you're not reading the word, how on earth can you know what it says? How can you possibly know him?!

The best part is...

While 1-7 might sound like a bunch of rules, if we continue in Christ as it says in the final verses of this passage, then these items actually become the fruit of that effort alone. Something revealed after or throughout our walk, not done only in order to have one.

You will want to repent because you won't want any wedge between you and God (1). You will want to do what Jesus did (2) because your interests change and your ways begin to mirror his; which includes loving others (3) and trusting in God not our self (4), putting God first (5) and bringing everything back to him (6).

So spend your time in the word friend and let his water simply wash through you; bringing life to the roots of your soul.

***

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

Photo Credit: Taken from here: http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Seedlings and then modified.