I Am Woman

The Best Ammunition

2012-02-18T12:55:00.001-08:00

“I want to have A LOT of kids.”

I’ve come to realize that this simple statement can act as a pretty reliable repellant. Use it, and you are sure to see faces of surprise, horror and maybe even disgust. Say it in the presence of most guys, and you can watch them make a run for the door. It’s quite entertaining.

Entertaining, perhaps. Disheartening, VERY.

If I was being completely honest, it is very discouraging for me to the lack of interest most young Christians possess in having a family.

I was raised by amazing parents, who loved me. I mean LOVED me. They gave so sacrificially to give me a wonderful childhood...I’m pretty sure I had the best one ever! :) But more importantly, they instilled in me a love for Christ and for family. They never failed to show me and my sisters that we were blessings to their lives. That they were so thankful the Lord gave us to them. And they raised us with that same heart.

Children are a blessing.

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is His reward.”

Psalm 127:3

From about the time that I was four years old, all I wanted to do was get married to a godly man, and have many beautiful babies. Children that we, together, would show the same kind of love my parents did. It would be our delight to train them up to love the Lord, and when we were gone, they would carry on that legacy.

“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.”

Psalm 127:4-5

There was a purpose in having children. Not to land our own TV show, or make people stare in wonder when we go to Wal-Mart, but there was an eternal one. One where you left this world filled with more Jesus-lovers than when you came into it. We can’t live forever, thus you leave behind your quiver full of warriors for Christ.

Now, I have to be honest. I thought this mindset was common among Christians. It was only after seeing the numerous “reactions” described above, that I realized I was pretty odd.

What discourages me the most is the reaction young Christian guys have to this. Not because I want to pick on guys, but because...I can’t really start a family without one. ;) I know many amazing Christian guys, who are doing wonderful things for the Kingdom. But they are doing it alone. A wife and kids would only slow that down. They are busy doing the stuff that really matters.

I politely beg to differ.

Investing in the lives of the “future torch carriers” is not a waste of time. Nor is it less important than other Kingdom work. All you have to do is read about all of the kings of Israel and Judah, to see how devastating this lack of interest in raising up godly children can be to the furtherance of Christ. King Hezekiah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. He removed the high places, and cut down the idols in the land.

“For he (Hezekiah) clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.”

2 Kings 18:6

He was such a godly man. And through him, the Lord delivered Judah from Assyria. Hezekiah left a mark on Judah, and changed it for the better. But who took the throne once he was gone?

His son, Manasseh.

Now if you know anything about Bible history, you recognize this name. Manasseh was indisputably the worst king Judah had ever had. His wickedness far outmeasured any kings before him. He built back all of the high places that his father had torn down, he practiced witchcraft and divination, he set up the carved image of Asherah in the house of the Lord, and he even offered his son as a human sacrifice to the gods. (2 Kings 21)

“...and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel.”

2 Kings 21:9

Manasseh was even worse than the pagan nations that surrounded Israel! Whenever I read this, I marvel at the fact that he was Hezekiah’s son. How could such a godly man have such a wicked son? How was there such a disconnect between the two?

Scripture doesn’t give us a clear answer, but it’s safe to assume that Hezekiah had not made the next generation a priority. He had not taken into consideration the fact that he was just a vapor on this earth, and that someone else would have to continue the work he was doing for the Lord. And because he failed to mentor his son in this same love of the Lord, all the progress and changes he had made in Judah was destroyed by his own son.

Guys, if you’re reading this, don’t make the same mistake Hezekiah did. Yes, continue seeking the Lord and serving Him in the place He has you. Be that light in the darkness and preach the Word. But don’t overlook the fact that the Lord uses the family as a weapon for His Kingdom as well. In a battle you want arrows, and the Lord says children are those arrows. So arm yourself well.

And ladies, if you don’t have a heart for family or children, ask the Lord to change it if it’s His will for you. Yes, I know not all of us are called to marriage and family. He gifts some of us for singleness. But the majority of us will marry someday, and all I encourage you to do is get in the Word and see for yourself what God says about family. Let Him show you what is right, and don’t let our culture control what your perception of or desire for children.

As for me, this is one of those character qualities in a man that I am not willing to compromise on. My two non-negotiables are: he’s got to love Jesus with all of his heart & be about making disciples, and love children and see their worth and purpose in the work we’re doing here on earth for Christ. These are two qualities that are so very rare. But I’m willing to wait as long as I have to, because of the truths that I’ve seen from His Word.

My battle plan is simple: repopulate the earth with little Jesus-followers. :)

A Valentine's Day Poem

2012-02-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

The Man in my life exceeds all of my dreams,

He loves me just the way I am & meets all of my needs.

He listens to my every word, & understands when no one can

He holds me together when I’m a wreck and don’t think I can stand.

True, He may not be here to take me to dinner & a movie

buy me roses or some other sweet gift to woo me.

But He has gone away to prepare for me a place

and one day very soon I will get to see His face.

He will wipe away the tears from my eyes

that I cried on those many lonely nights.

He will bring me to His Father, a bride spotless and pure,

this only being true because of the cross which He endured.

He gave His very life for me, a sacrifice no other man has given,

He bled for my wickedness, as the nails in His wrists were driven.

And as He hung there, bearing my shame,

He washed me clean and gave me a new name.

Now as I eagerly await His return to come and claim me,

I will not let the lies of this world ensnare me.

Yes, He will return, and I will not refrain from looking,

Waiting and watching and hoping and searching.

Earthly love fades in comparison to this wondrous love I’ve known,

And through the letter He wrote me, my love for Him has grown.

Don’t settle into thinking that all of your dreams will come true,

If you could only find someone to date you or love you for you.

Do not search for love and fulfillment in other people,

In Jesus there is a love that can never be equaled,

When The Truth Gets Ugly

2012-01-17T22:20:00.000-08:00

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the

LORD has anointed me To bring good news to

the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the

brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives

and freedom to prisoners;”

Isaiah 61:1

This is a blog post that has been on my heart for awhile now. I’ve been mulling over it and thinking of how to put what has been going on in my heart into words.

Let me start a few weeks back. I attended the Passion268 conference in Atlanta at the start of January. It was absolutely incredible! Worshiping my Savior surrounded by 45,000 other college aged believers is an experience I will never forget. It makes my heart happy just thinking about it.

The main “theme” of the conference was human slavery. When someone says the word “slave” to me, I automatically think of the past. I think of William Wilberforce abolishing the African slave trade and think to myself, “Man, I’m glad we don’t have slaves like that today! That was just awful!” But at Passion the veil was ripped from my eyes and I was faced with an enormous, ugly truth.

Slavery still exists.

Did you know there are 27 millions people who are enslaved today? Let me repeat that number for you: 27 MILLION. There are more people enslaved today than ever before in history!! How the heck did I not know this? It’s massive and right in front of me, and I never even knew.

My naivety was not only surprising and upsetting, it is just plain wrong. How could I, who have been set free from my bondage to sin by the blood of my Savior, not see the need of those who are in chains now? How could I not hear the cries of the children who are being sold for sex, being robbed of their innocence and everything that is good and decent, while I sit on the couch and watch TV. How could I just sit by and never know this was happening?

As I watched a video of the stories of three rescued slaves on the big screen at Passion, my heart was broken into a million pieces. They were heart-wrenching! The things these people suffered and went through caused a pain in my heart that I’d never felt before. And I knew that Jesus’ heart was broken too.

When I became a follower of Jesus, I gave Him all of me. I gave Him my life, my dreams, and my future. What a small sacrifice compared to what He gave me. He took me from being an enemy of God (Rom. 5:10), to a child of God (Gal. 3:26). He brought me from darkness into light (Col. 1:13-14). He loosed the chains and set me free (Is. 58:6). What a Savior!!

But with this awesome privilege, comes an even greater responsibility. Now I am to go and tell of this Jesus, who can set the captive free and cleanse the lepers. This Jesus who can calm the sea and give sight to the blind. It is not a burden, but an honor to be called to this mission!

The Lord revealed an overwhelming and heart breaking truth to me at this conference, and I will not sit by any longer! I am not okay with this suffering. I do not know what sort role I am to play in this story, whether it be great or small. But this I do know, I will play a role.

The Little Rebel Inside

2011-10-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

*Warning*

This post reveals the often sinful heart condition of the

author. For those who wish to hold to the illusion that I

am perfect and have it all together do not need

to read any further. :)

The Lord broke through my rebellious heart tonight.

Have you ever experienced a time when you see, without any filtering, your sinfulness? In all its ugliness. In all its filth. You just see it for what it is.

Tonight was one of those nights for me.

For those of you who don’t know me, I am a very stubborn person. I mean very. Blame it on heredity, blame it on my personality, either way the truth is: I am stubborn. And this is not a good thing.

Lately though, my stubbornness has been rearing its ugly head in the area of submitting to/obeying my parents.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have the most amazing parents. They love the Lord, and are such great examples in my life. They have sacrificed so much for me, given me more than I could ever deserve, and have taught me to follow the Lord. Without them I know I would not know the Lord the way that I do.

Why in the world would it be hard to honor and obey such terrific parents?

I’m stubborn remember??? And on top of that, I think I’m right the majority of the time. I’ve got it figured out, and I don’t need someone to tell me what to do.

I’ve been letting the wisdom of the world, and the tendencies of my wicked heart to dominate the way I view my parents. I want to do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and how I want to do it.

After all, no one else my age has to live under the same rules I do!

Even as I type these words, I feel such shame that these were the thoughts of my heart. They seem so blatantly rebellious when written down...yet I somehow managed to justify them when they are whispered in my heart.

But thankfully, the Lord was not fooled. He brought me to my knees, broken and grieved over my sin. He revealed just how wicked and rebellious my heart had been, and brought me to a place of repentance and surrender.

He reminded me of His commands for me as a child of my parents:

“Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Honor your father and mother (which is the first

commandment with a promise), so that it will be well with

you, and that you may live long on the earth.”

Ephesians 6:1-3

“Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this

is well-pleasing to the Lord.”

Colossians 3:20

“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake

your mother’s teaching;”

Proverbs 1:8

These verses are so cut and dry. They are to the point and there’s no arguing with the command here. Obey. Honor. Heed Instruction.

I am called, no matter what my age, to obey and honor my parents. Yes, this is a strange concept in our culture. At age 18 we are considered to be “adults” and on our own. We have the freedom to make our own decisions, do what we want, and answer only to ourselves. And this mindset of the world can so easily become my mindset.

But is that God’s way?

Not for my life it isn’t. The Lord has placed me under my parents’ care and authority in this moment. It can be such a blessing...that is, when my heart is right. :)

I have so much to be thankful for. I love my parents. And they love me unconditionally and consistently. They want what is best for me, even if it’s not what I want to hear. They have prayed for me since I was conceived, and have devoted their lives to pouring into me and showing me how to live for Jesus. I am so thankful for them.

My prayer tonight is for the Lord to give me a heart change. To give me a submissive and meek heart towards my parents. That I would joyfully submit to their authority and serve them from my heart.

I want more than anything to be pleasing to the Lord in every area of my life. It's easy to be a saint when you're leading a Bible study, are at church or with your godly friends. But when I come home and no one else is looking, I want to still be found faithful. I want to honor those who know me best, who see me at my worst and yet still love me. I want to be faithful where it truly counts...because even if no one else sees the way I treat my parents, the Lord does. And He should be all I am striving to please.

“...a wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish

son is a grief to his mother.”

Proverbs 10:1

I want to bring gladness to my father and mother, and not grief.

The Selfish Romantic...

2011-10-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

I am a hopeless romantic. I try to hide it, but it nevertheless always manages to come out somehow. I want to be pursued by a man, for him to want me and no one else, and for him to make an effort to win my heart.

As far back as I can remember I have pictured the scenario, straight out of a Hallmark movie, where he brings me flowers, takes me somewhere special and listens to my every word. He laughs at my jokes, holds me when I cry, loves me even when I’m mean, and stands by me no matter what. And even when I’m gray-haired and covered in wrinkles, that he will still say I take his breath away.

Siigghhh.

Did you notice anything about what I’ve just described? Did you see the pattern here? It’s all about me. Never once did I mention anything that is important. Yeah, that would be nice, wouldn’t it? To be adored and spoiled rotten. But not only is that not reality, it’s not at all what my life is to be about as a Christian.

Since when has it become about me?

When I believed in Jesus Christ and began this walk in Him, I said goodbye to my wants and my desires.

“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified

the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Galatians 5:24

“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I

who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now l

ive in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who

loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Galatians 2:20

“Let no one seek his own good...”

1 Corinthians 10:24

However difficult it may be to hear, life is not about me. It’s about Christ and His glory.

Why would I think romance would be any different? I think something doesn’t connect in my mind when I begin to think about relationships and marriage. I remember all of the Disney movies I grew up watching, where Prince Charming always came riding into the picture to save the girl. Or all of the “chick flicks” out there, where the girl always chooses the guy who gives her just what she wants, who meets all of her needs. This is a very incorrect view of what God intended relationships to be all about.

My needs are met through Christ, and Him alone. Why would I expect a man to play that role? Not only does it put an enormous amount of pressure on him, but I will always be dissatisfied. I could marry the most angelic, sweet, tender, and sensitive guy out there, but my true needs would still never be met. Yes, I may be happy at first, but eventually a desire that can only be fulfilled by my Creator will begin to nag at my heart, making me miserable, until I run to Him.

“For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry

soul He fills with good things.”

Psalm 107:9

“O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,

That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

Psalm 90:14

He alone can satisfy.

So, my sisters, I encourage you to take a good hard look at your view of romance and marriage. Are you looking to the future, thinking that one day all of your deepest longings will be met by a Prince Charming? That all of your problems will be solved with three things: tall, dark and handsome?

Or are you being satisfied in Jesus now? The One who knows us better than anyone ever could, who made us and formed us, and is intimately acquainted with all our ways (Ps. 139:3). Jesus truly is all we could ever desire or hope for.

And yes, maybe one day in the future the Lord will bring that amazing man of God (or maybe He already has), who loves you as Christ loves the church. Together you can both serve the Lord better than you could apart. But it will be so much sweeter if you are already finding your satisfaction in the Lord, than expecting it to come from him.

I’m on this same journey with you. I struggle all the time with this wrong outlook. I so often take my eyes off of Jesus, and look instead off into the horizon waiting for the gallant prince to come riding up on his horse to rescue me. So if you struggle with this, you’re not alone. But let’s learn from this, repent, and fix our eyes on Jesus.

I mean after all, if anyone could pass as a Prince Charming, couldn’t He? ;)

The Little Things

2011-10-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today was a rainy day. I could hear the rain drizzling softly on the skylight above my bed. I tightened my grip on my covers, rolled over, snuggled deeper into my bed and lazily shut my eyes. Oh, how good it felt.

Yesterday had been a good day, but an exhausting one. I deserved to get a little extra sleep. I knew I had to take Carley to the orthodontist in a few hours, which meant all I had to do was get a shower, get ready and we were good!

Then I heard that little voice...the sometimes dreaded voice...inside of me. “And where does time with Me fit into all of this?” I shut my eyes tighter, trying to drown Him out. I just want to sleep! Is that too much to ask?

Then I heard it. “Get up.” It wasn’t mean or demanding, but more of a calling. I almost rolled over.

But I didn’t.

I opened my eyes and got up.

Big deal, you may be thinking. And you’re right. I’m not tootin' my own horn here, I assure you. And this may not seem like a huge sacrifice...because it’s not. But for me this morning, God taught me an amazing lesson through this example.

How can I ever think that God can use me to do big things for Him if I won’t even get out of bed to seek His face? How can I expect Him to entrust me with lives and the dreams He has placed in my heart, if I’d rather just sleep? Because I’m tired.

The Lord showed me this morning, as I spent time with Him, that I have to be faithful in the little things to be entrusted with much.

“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful

also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very

little thing is unrighteous also in much.”

Luke 16:10

This is the desire of my heart. I want to be faithful. I want to seek my Jesus before anything else. I want to put Him FIRST.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,

and all these things will be added to you.”

Matthew 6:33

I fail at this daily. There are too many mornings where I roll over and go back to sleep. But I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to always choose Jesus.

Lord, help me to be faithful in the little things!

The Victory of Two

2011-09-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight my sister and I watched the movie Amazing Grace. It portrays the story of William Wilberforce, a leader in the abolition of the slave trade in Britain. This movie always makes me want to cry, for it is a story of a man who was passionate about the Lord and passionate about justice. His life truly was one of perseverance and endurance. He remained faithful, and eventually accomplished the task God had given him: the abolition of the slave trade.

The life of this man inspires me. I want to be a William Wilberforce. I want to be faithful, and set about to proclaim freedom to those enslaved by sin. To cry out to people:

My chains are gone

I've been set free

My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy rains

Unending love, Amazing grace

But that is not the topic I want to cover in this post. As I watched this film about William, I was struck by the role his wife, Barbara Spooner, played in his life. Barbara came into William’s life at a time when his bill to abolish the slave trade had been rejected...again. He was physically sick, and emotionally stripped of his passion. He had given up.

They became friends, and soon learned that they shared many of the same political and moral views. She too was passionate about the abolition of slavery, but whenever she tried to converse with him about it, he would change the subject. It was too painful for him to talk about. It reminded him of what he thought was his failing to accomplish what God had called him to do.

On a walk one day, she cautiously brought it up again. As he began to talk and express his defeat and frustration, she listened patiently. This conversation soon turned into an all night recollection of all he had tried to accomplish. He told her of the years of evidence he and his colleagues had collected, that they were sure this time they would be victorious. But they had once again failed.

Barbara, still listening, gets from the couch they are sitting on, and walks towards a curtained window. She opens it and seeing that it is now morning, she lets the light in. She looks at him and says:

“After the night comes day.”

It was through this encouragement William is then seen packing his bags, headed back to London to fight once more for the cause.

Oh, and he married Barbara too. :)

What struck me the most through the example of Barbara Wilberforce, was the fact that she truly lived out her God-given role as a helpmate.

In Genesis, we have the account of God creating the first woman.

“Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be

alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." Out of the

ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and

every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see

what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living

creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the

cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field,

but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So

the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man,

and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the

flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the

rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.”

Genesis 2:18-22

The word helper is used twice in these verses. The Lord made woman for what purpose? To be a suitable helper for the man. Now, I know many women have a problem with this, but that is another blog post. I didn’t write the Bible, God did...so ask Him about it. ;)

After watching Amazing Grace, I was struck by a thought. Yes I want to make a difference in the world for the glory of the Lord, and yes I want to do big things for God. But I also have to realize that I may not always be the one on the front lines. I may not be the one to stand in parliament, displaying my bill for the abolition of slavery. I may not be President of the United States, or another Billy Graham. I may be called to the role of Barbara Wilberforce, encouraging the man who is standing in parliament, changing the world. One is not less than the other. If it hadn’t been for the encouragement and exhortation of Barbara, William would have given up. They were victorious together.

I want to marry a William Wilberforce. I will not settle for a man who is passive towards his God-given role of making disciples and proclaiming the gospel. I would soon stay single before I settle. But I must also take a good hard look at my own life, and see if I am developing qualities that make me suitable to be the helper to someone who is passionately seeking God.

Am I living my life, and developing qualities that will equip me for this role? Do I live my life for what I want and expect others to serve me? Or do I follow the example of Jesus who:

“...did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give

His life a ransom for many."

Matthew 20:28

So my exhortation to you, my sisters, is this: ask the Lord to search your heart. Take a good hard look at the way you are living your life, and see if you are willing to live the role of helper. If marriage is what the Lord calls you to, are you going to be able to stand behind your man, and help him in his role...whatever it may be?

At the close of the film, when William’s bill is passed, and the slave trade has been abolished once and for all, Lord Charles Fox stands up and says these words:

“When people speak of great men, they think of men like

Napoleon - men of violence. Rarely do they think of

peaceful men. But contrast the reception they will receive

when they return home from their battles. Napoleon will

arrive in pomp and in power, a man who's achieved the

very summit of earthly ambition. And yet his dreams will be

haunted by the oppressions of war. William Wilberforce,

however, will return to his family, lay his head on his pillow

and remember: the slave trade is no more.”

These words bring tears to my eyes. What an amazing thing the Lord did through the life of William Wilberforce. And through his wife, Barbara. :)

The Good Part

2011-09-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

It was a typical day. I was doing house work, and vacuuming up a storm. It's amazing how therapeutic vacuuming can be. :)

My mind was busy thinking over my schedule for the day.

I need to finish vacuuming this room, then move on to cleaning the bedroom.

I need to go the gym today, so I don't become a heifer.

Have we fed the animals today?

I need to make something for dinner.

Oh, and I need to read my Bible.

Then I heard that little voice inside of me whispering, "Martha, Martha." As I continued to vacuum, I mulled over those age old words that Jesus spoke to Martha in Luke. It hit me that just as Martha had been distracted and too busy to sit at the feet of Jesus, I was doing the same thing. "I'll get to my Bible reading after I finish cleaning this." It had been my excuse all morning.

My heart was so convicted, that I stopped vacuuming right there (which for my perfectionist self was a BIG deal!!), and went upstairs in my room spend some time at the Lord's feet. This is what I read:

"Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village;

and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her

home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at

the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was

distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to

Him and said, “Lord do you not care that my sister has

left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help

me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha,

Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many

things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has

chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away

from her.”

Luke 10:38-42

I came to see that I am just like Martha. We would have gotten along great...but we would have both chosen the wrong part.

Now Martha is not the “bad guy” in this story. Far from it! She was being hospitable by welcoming Jesus into her home. Which is what we are called to do.

“Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

1 Peter 4:9

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by

this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”

Hebrews 13:2

Martha was obeying the Word by welcoming people into her home. The problem comes in verse 40:

“But Martha was distracted with all her preparations...”

The word distracted in this verse means “to be over-occupied, too busy about a thing.” Man, that is a very accurate description of the way I live most of my life. I am just so busy. So occupied. So distracted. And, like Martha, I often come to the Lord...not to sit at His feet, but to complain.

“...Lord do you not care that my sister has

left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell

her to help me.”

Lord, my life is hard! Look at all that I am doing...and by myself too! Don’t you care? I can’t do this alone...make her help me!!

Jesus’ response to her is so kind, yet cuts right to the quick.

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about

so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for

Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be

taken away from her.”

He doesn’t condemn Martha. He simply names what she’s doing. She is bothered about so many things. Then He points to Mary, the object to which Martha directed her frustration. Mary has chosen the good part. What was this good part?

“...She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at

the Lord's feet, listening to His word...”

Mary was at the feet of Jesus, listening to His word. She realized what was necessary. What was important. And this was not going to be taken away from her.

After reading these verses, tears filled my eyes. How had I let the cares of this world, and the distractions of life keep me from sitting at His feet? What else really matters? Yes, we have to work hard. Yes, there are things in life that we have to do. That’s not even the issue here. The real question is, are you and am I putting Him first? Are we choosing the good part. The part that is lasting and imperishable. Time spend with our Lord and in His Word.

Pray that I will live this out. That no matter how crazy life gets, I will still put Jesus first. That I will just sit at the feet of my Savior.

That I will choose the good part.

Just Keep Running...

2011-09-06T15:18:00.000-07:00

“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you

get tired of doing the hard work you already did.”

Newt Gingrich

I’m exhausted. I’m irritable. And rest is no where in sight.

It’s in times like these, that my endurance & perseverance is tested. When life and circumstances that are out of my control won’t let me quit. And the only choice I have is to press on. To keep moving forward.

These times in my life are arduous. They are challenging. It ain’t fun!

But I find that it is in these times that the Lord shows Himself strong. I am forced to rely on His strength, because I have no strength left of my own. And He enables me to move forward. He causes good fruit to be produced in the soil of difficulty.

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations,

knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and

perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope...”

Romans 5:3-4

The word tribulation in this verse is the Greek word thlipsis. It’s meaning is that of a pressing, pressing together, pressure. Ever felt that way before? Sure sounds a lot like life to me! :)

But what does it say these tribulations produce in us? Perseverance, proven character and hope. Through this pressure or tribulation in our lives, the Lord is able to bring forth good.

How then should we respond to these difficult and pressure filled times in our life?

“...but we also exult in our tribulations...”

To exult means to glory in a thing. We must exult in the tough times, through the “pressing” times in life. Why? Because of what those times produce. Because of what the Lord can yield in our lives due to them.

I read a verse the other night, after an exhausting day that never seemed to end. What it said really convicted me.

"Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.”

Matthew 5:41

Running is awful. I am convinced it could be used as an effective method of torture (I am slightly exaggerating...slightly.). And if someone forced me to run a mile with them, I would most likely want to sit down, finish coughing up my lung and have a nice cold drink of water. Willingly running a second mile with them would never cross my mind. Yet that is what Jesus is telling us to do in this verse. Life’s hard, heck yeah. Sometimes it is just downright terrible. But despite how much we may dislike it, there is really nothing we can do about it.

As believers, we have to look at the bigger picture. We have to pray to our Heavenly Father to make our heart’s prayer be "yet not My will, but Yours be done." (Luke 22:42) And we have to run that second mile.

I do not have this concept mastered. I am SO far from any of what I’ve just shared. More times than not, I have to be dragged through through the first mile. Living this out is hard. This stuff is so easy for me to say, especially when my life could be so much harder. I have so much to be thankful for. Many of my friends come to mind as I write this, who are dealing with heart-wrenching trials. Depression. Cancer. The death of a friend. My life is a walk in the park with cotton candy in one hand and a puppy in the other, compared to theirs. My heart breaks for them, and my prayers are with them daily. But the message is for all of us, regardless of the level of difficulty we face in our lives. We must persevere. We must stay strong. And it gets back to us relying on that strength that comes only from our Heavenly Father.

So I leave you with this:

“...let us run with endurance the race that is set before

us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter

of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,

despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand

of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2

Get your running shoes on! :)

He Knows Our Frame

2011-08-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

“When Satan tempts me to despair,

And tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look, and see him there

Who made an end of all my sin.”

~ Before the Throne ~

Grace. That little word holds such a profound and life changing meaning. I know I never fully comprehend what it means. It seems that just when I think I understand it, some circumstance in my life reveals just how little I know about the grace of God.

grace - to find favor in the eyes of someone, to be acceptable to him, unmerited favor

When I believed in Christ as the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit came and dwelt inside of me, I changed. The Lord brought me from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (Col. 1:13). My entire identity changed because of Him, in that He made me His child and co-heir with Christ.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us,

that we would be called children of God; and such we

are. For this reason the world does not know us,

because it did not know Him.”

1 John 3:1

“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are

children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God

and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him

so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

Romans 8:16-17

That being said, there is one thing that didn’t change. And that is my flesh. I sometimes forget that a battle rages inside of me daily. The battle between the Spirit of God living inside of me and the flesh that destroys me.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out

the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire

against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for

these are in opposition to one another, so that you may

not do the things that you please.”

Galatians 5:16-17

And when I forget or lose sight of this battle, I am caught off guard by my sin. When I fail to walk by the Spirit and the flesh wins, I am left discouraged and dispirited. I want to hide from the very One who has the power to deliver me from the sins I have committed, too ashamed to face Him. “He must be so disappointed in me.”

But is this true?

“Just as a father has compassion on his children, so

the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that

we are but dust.”

Psalm 103:14-15

As our Father, He is compassionate towards us, and remembers the fact that we are but dust. He is not surprised by our weaknesses, or by our failures. Does He condone them? Certainly not. But is He disappointed in us? No. He is compassionate towards His children.

Christ Jesus, our Savior and the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29), is our High Priest. He is the One who makes propitiation for our sins (Heb. 2:17). And He understands.

“For since He Himself was tempted in that which He

has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those

who are tempted.”

Hebrews 2:18

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize

with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in

all things as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 4:15

Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses. He’s been there. The only difference is, He never caved or gave in. He was sinless. But He still understands. And He can come to our aid when we are tempted to give into our flesh. How precious is this? What hope!

So my encouragement to you is this: when you fail, when you sin, don’t let that keep you from seeking the face of God. Don’t let Satan temp you to despair. When those feelings of utter unworthiness consume you, remember who you are in Christ. You and I ARE unworthy. We are nothing apart from Him. But as His children, we are forgiven. We must remember His grace.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood,

the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to

the riches of His grace...”

Ephesians 1:7

Now, I am not condoning sin. You and I must repent and turn from our sins. We cannot continue in sin.

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so

that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall

we who died to sin still live in it?”

Romans 6:1-2

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under

law but under grace? May it never be!”

Romans 6:15

The grace of God is indescribably beautiful. But it is not to be abused. We are still called to be obedient to His commands and precepts. We have died to sin, and must not live in it. Sin must not be a habitual thing in our lives as believers.

But when we do sin, we must confess it from a broken and sincere heart. True repentance will equal a turning away from those sins. And when we do this, God will forgive us.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous

to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all

unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:9

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken

and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Psalm 51:17

So take heart. The Lord is never surprised by our weaknesses, and He is compassionate towards those of us who are His children. He remembers we are but dust. And He forgives us when we repent and cry out to Him from a broken heart.

So don’t become dispirited by the times you fail. When you lose the battle between the flesh and the Spirit. We may lose a battle here and there, but Christ Jesus has already won the war!

“Because a sinless Savior died,

My sinful soul is counted free;

For God, the Just, is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me”

~ Before the Throne ~

Is It Just Me?

2011-08-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those moments where you realize that you are different? I mean really different? You feel as though you stand out like a sore thumb.

You didn’t think that was funny.

You really don’t want to watch that.

Your purpose in life is not just to have fun.

It sure can make you feel alone. Like you’re the only one out there. Does anyone have the same morals or convictions as you?

I wish there was a way to avoid this, but there just isn’t. But take heart! As followers of Christ, this is to be expected.

What do I mean by this?

Jesus Christ came into the world in human form. How did the world respond to Him?

“...it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.”

(John 7:7)

The world hated Jesus. So much so that they killed Him. And in Ephesians, we are called to be imitators of Him:

“Therefore be imitators of God...”

(Ephesians 5:1)

So if the world hated Christ, and we are to imitate Him, what does this tell you? The world is going to hate us too.

Yay us!!! ;)

I promise you that I am not trying to discourage you. On the contrary. This may not seem encouraging at first glance, but for me, when I realize that opposition from the world is to be expected, it doesn’t catch me as off guard. And I am a person who likes to be prepared...

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you,

which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange

thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share

the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the

revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.”

(1 Peter 4:12-13)

Don’t be surprised or discouraged when you feel alone because of your faith. Christ went through the same thing for us, even suffering death on the cross for us. (Phil. 2:5-8) How small are these sufferings in comparison!

And there is hope despite these sufferings. Don’t think you are alone!

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have

peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I

have overcome the world."

(John 16:33)

We have peace and comfort in our Savior. And He has overcome this world. It ain’t got nothing on us! We have already won the war. Victory is ours through Christ Jesus.

So take heart, dear friends, that our God is greater than any thing in this world. Greater than the cutting words of a classmate. Greater than the rejection of those whom you love. And greater than the loneliness these things can cause.

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation,

or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Just as it is written, "For Your sake we are being put to death all day

long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered. But in all

these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”

(Romans 8:35-37)

The Benefits of Losing

2011-08-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

Losing your life. Being crucified with Christ. Dying to self.

I don’t know about you, but when I hear these phrases quoted from Scripture, I sometimes cringe at the thought. Something tells me that living these out is not going to be a very pleasant experience...

Is the Christian walk really that difficult? Can’t we all just be happy and always smiling...it seems to work for Joel Osteen! ;)

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but that is not at all how the gospel that Jesus

preached is described.

“You will be hated by all because of My name...”

Matthew 10:22

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are

not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

John 17:14

Following Christ is not for the faint of heart. It is not always easy. Now, I am not trying to be all gloom and doom here, but this side of the gospel is so often overlooked. Why? Because it makes people uncomfortable. It’s not “happy.” It requires us take a good hard look at how we are living.

It gets back to that losing your life thing.

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for

My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

Mark 8:35

Now, you may be more spiritual than I am, but when someone wants a show of hands of people who want to lose their life, I’m gonna keep my hands down as low as I can. But now that I am a child of God and a bondservant of Christ, this changes things. Or should.

“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with

its passions and desires.”

Galatians 5:24

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives

in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Galatians 2:20

It’s no longer about me. I died with Christ. The life I am now living is not my own but is through faith in Christ.

This is a sacrifice, yes. But when you compare it with the last part of Galatians 2:20, it seems so small in comparison. Christ Jesus, the Son of God, gave Himself up for me. Why? He loved me. He forgave the debt of my sins that I could not pay, and granted me not only complete pardon, but also eternal life.

“My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”

Why in the world would I ever find giving my life for Him in return a difficult decision? When I see my life in light of who Christ Jesus is, and in light of the sacrifice He made for me, my life is of nothing to me. Take it all, Jesus!

Yet, this is still a daily struggle for me. Of dying to my flesh. I have to fall before Him more frequently than I’m proud of, and beg Him to change me. To make me willing to die to my flesh and desires. I had to do it tonight.

But He always helps me and hears my prayers.

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

He gave me mercy tonight. And made me willing to lose my life again, and caused this to be my heart’s prayer:

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:30

What's A Girl To Do?

2011-07-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

As my last week of school is finishing up before I graduate, I have been pondering the future. So many people have been asking me, “So what are you going to do now?” I’ve had many suggestions from well-intending folks, like teaching school or working an office job or joining the Marines (yeah, that one was a little far out...it gave me a good laugh though!)

Faced with all of these questions and suggestions, the possibilities for my life have been weighing heavily on my mind. What am I going to do?

First off, graduating from college does not change my God-given purpose and role as a woman. I am still called to be a keeper at home. (Titus 2:5, 1 Timothy 5:14) And I will continue in this role, college or no college. Although I am unmarried, I am still a woman (whew!). And the Lord has given me a place where I can serve my dad and mom here in our home. This confuses many people...and they view me as a lazy, selfish person, who has no goals of her own and is content to mooch off of her parents until they kick her out of the house. I ain’t no saint...but that is definitely not the case! :) I have my moments of laziness and selfishness to be sure (ask my sister, Carley!!), but being at home causes me to be anything but idle.

What do you do at home anyways?

I am my Mom’s “second hand man” if you will. My dad is the head of our home of course, but he is not a mirco-manager, so my mother is the one who runs the details of our home. She and I are very similar...I mean very similar. (this is both a blessing and a curse! ha) We both have the same way of working and organization makes us happy! She runs the office part of my dad’s business from her little office right off the kitchen. And this has begun to take up most of her time. She is a living and daily example to me of what it means to be a helpmeet to your husband. (shout out: LOVE YOU MOMMA! ;)) And this is where she needs my help. I help with the cooking, grocery shopping, mowing grass, keeping the house from looking like a pig-sty...you get the picture. And this sounds easy...I mean, how much time does it take to clean a toilet and put something in the oven for supper? This is true, but running a household smoothly is NOT for the faint of heart...believe me I know...as I write this I am staring at a huge pile of clean clothes on my bedroom floor that I have yet to put away, and two baskets of dirty clothes yet to be washed. It takes discipline and hard work! But it is where the Lord has placed me, and I can take delight in that...at least when I have the right heart! ;)

Our home is my “training ground.” I desire to be like my Momma, and be a helper to a husband of my own someday, if that is what the Lord has for my life. And what better place to prepare for that role than right here? Doctors go to school and learn about the human body and what they are to do to in different situations, but then they get hands-on experience in their field and are mentored by those who have experience and wisdom. This prepares them for their future roles. Athletes train and equip their bodies for the game or race. If they didn’t put in the hours of monotonous workouts in the gym and repetitious practices with their coaches, they would not be prepared for where it counts: the game. That is how I view my home. I am in training. And I can’t lose heart, or by swayed by people’s differing opinions saying I could be doing something more important with my time. This is where God wants me right now. And He is the only one I am trying to please.

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still striving to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”

(Galatians 1:10)

So what am I going to do after college?

Quite a lot actually. ;)

Don't Be A Glory-Hog!

2011-07-17T20:57:00.000-07:00

I can be a glory-hog. Not proud of it, but it’s true.

Last night, I was reading in the gospel of Matthew and this verse really jumped out at me:

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

I’ve read this verse more times than I can count. And the song “This Little Light of Mine.” always plays in my head...no lie. But that’s beside the point. :)

Anyway, the last part of the verse is what really hit me. Why are we commanded to let our light shine before men in the first place?

“...that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

God’s glory is the point! I thought I knew that, and it seems like a no-brainer when you actually think about it, but so many times my focus is completely off when I am “shining” my light through good deeds. My pride can get in the way and I practice righteousness to be seen by men (Matthew 6:1) ...thus trying to bring glory to myself.

How does the Lord feel about this?

“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another...” (Isaiah 42:8)

“...and My glory I will not give to another.” (Isaiah 48:11)

Glory is not something that the Lord shares. And how dare I ever try and take it from Him! Why is it so easy for me to lose sight of my purpose? God created me for HIS glory, and not for my own. I am made righteous through Jesus Christ for HIS glory. And any good deed that I do, or any fruit that I bear is for HIM.

“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” (John 15:8)

“For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:15)

It just comes down to this: it’s all about Him. Everything I do, every word I speak, every person I share with, every good deed I ever do is for Him.

Sounds simple, and it is. But my sinful heart and my pride get in the way every single day.

Lord, let me live for Your glory! You dwell inside of me

and produce every good and decent thing in me. I am

merely an earthen vessel used to hold an invaluable

Treasure (2 Corinthians 4:7). Let me not lose sight of

what I was before You saved me, and the person You

are making me today is all because of You. I am SO

thankful for You and what Jesus Christ did for me.

To You be the glory!

You One Strange Woman!

2011-06-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

A dear friend and I have been doing a recent study on brother/sister relationships in the body of Christ. Our heart’s desire is to edify our brothers in Christ and never act as a stumbling block to them, and are searching through the Bible for examples of what and what not to do.

In the midst of this study, I stumbled (well not literally...I didn’t trip on the book of Proverbs...) across the examples of the strange woman, or prostitute, in Proverbs. As early as chapter 2, the warnings to young men begin. These warnings are severe and frequent.

None who go to her return again, nor do they reach the paths of life.” (Proverbs 2:19)

“Suddenly he follows her....he does not know that it will cost him his life.”

(Proverbs 7:22-23)

Maybe it’s just me...but this ain’t good! And this is NOT what I desire for my brothers in Christ. And as a woman myself, I really want to take a good hard look at my own life and make sure that nothing in my character is similar to hers.

So I made a list of the adjectives and descriptions used to describe this woman, in order to know what not to do.

The first trend I noticed in her description had to do with her mouth:

-she flatters with her words (Proverbs 2:16)

-her lips drip honey, smoother than oil is her speech (Proverbs 5:3)

-smooth tongue (Proverbs 6:24)

-with her flattering lips she seduces him (Proverbs 7:21)

This tells me that as women, we have to be very careful in the speech we use towards our brothers in Christ. There is a fine line between encouragement and flattery. Of course we should be speaking words of edification and encouragement to every member of the body of Christ, but with guys in particular we have to be very careful. “You’re so big and stroooong.” might be on the verge of “flattering with her words.” ha

Next were physical attributes:

-do not desire her beauty in your heart (Proverbs 6:25)

-she captures with her eye lids (Proverbs 6:25)

-dressed as a harlot (Proverbs 7:10)

From these verses, we can draw the conclusion that she is a beautiful woman. Now, this does not mean that if you are beautiful, you are automatically a harlot. God wants us all to be ugly! (totally kidding) But from the other verses, we can see that it is not simply the fact that she is beautiful that entices men. It says she is dressed as a harlot. Annnnd last time I checked, modesty isn’t at the top of a harlot’s list. So we can conclude that she dresses very immodestly.

“She captures with her eye lids.” I am not really sure what this means, but the ESV uses the word “eyelashes” in place of “eye lids.” And that seems to make more sense to me...but regardless, she uses her eyes to capture men. And this is not good. So batting our eyelashes, making cow eyes, and turning our eyes slowly and dramatically upwards to make eye contact are habits we need to break and rid ourselves of.

And a few more traits are:

-cunning of heart (Proverbs 7:10)

-boisterous and rebellious (Proverbs 7:11)

-her feet do not remain at home (Provers 7:11)

The words cunning means:

“having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion.”

So basically, she has a deceitful and manipulative heart. She achieves what she wants through lies and hidden motives.

In 1 Peter 3:4 we are commanded to have a “gentle and quiet spirit.” And the woman in Proverbs is described as boisterous and rebellious. This is just the opposite of quiet and gentle...

So her temperament is at odds with what the Lord desires us to be.

And the last point is a very interesting one. It says “her feet do not remain at home.” Isn’t that neat? What does this tell you?

“...to be sensible, pure, workers at home...” (Titus 2:5)

“...I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house...” (1 Timothy 5:14)

God has called women to be keepers at home. Yet the strange woman’s feet do not remain at home...

Are you seeing a trend here?

The strange woman is the opposite of a woman of God. Knowing the above gives me a list of guidelines, both good and bad, to judge myself by. If I see any of these tendencies in my heart and life, I need to humble myself and ask the Lord to change my heart.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

I want to be a woman after the heart of God. I want to be an encouragement to my brothers in Christ. And I never want to entice them or cause them to stumble.

This is my hearts prayer.

Where's Your Hope?

2011-05-28T20:58:00.000-07:00

If you are anything like me, disappointment is something you absolutely dread. I mean, I lower my expectations to keep from being disappointed. It doesn't ever work, but I do it anyway. Go figure.

This is not a positive thing. I mean, having a "glass half-empty" view on life to avoid disappointment is not something I'm proud of. And I don't think it is something the Lord desires for me.

"To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed." (Psalm 22:5)

This verse promises that if my trust and "expectation" is in the Lord, I will NOT be disappointed. What a precious promise! I cling to this verse in my times of doubt and fear. The Lord promises over and over in His Word that if my hope is in Him, I will never be disappointed.

"Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame." (Isaiah 49:23)

"For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed."' (Romans 10:11)

These verses do not imply, however, that we will never have disappointment in life. Life will let us down. When that job falls through. The death of a loved one. Rejection from someone you love. Whatever it may be, life is going to hurt.

When this disappointment comes, where are you going to place your trust?

Will you move on to another silver lining, in hopes that this time it will work out better than last time?

"This is going to be THE interview."

"She's going to recover."

"This time he's going to love me."

Or will you cling to something, or Someone, who will not let you down? When the hard things in life begin to hit you, what will you turn to?

"Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me?

Hope in God,

for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence." (Psalm 42:5)

I encourage you today to hope in God. Place your trust and hope in Christ. You've got God's promise that you will not be disappointed. That's what I'm going to do. Or at least strive for. It isn't easy...I mean, it's a daily struggle for me. But it's worth it. :)

So I leave you with this:

"Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord." (Psalm 31:24)

Look To The Sky!

2011-05-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

“But godliness with contentment is

great gain.”

1 Timothy 6:6

Contentment. I hate that word. I know that sounds awful, but I’m being honest! When people tell me, “Honey, you just need to be content!” sometimes I just want to knock their chair out from under them! Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating...maybe. ;)

What does the word contentment mean?

Contentment- a state of happiness and satisfaction.

So basically when I am content, then I am satisfied. I am not wanting more, desiring more, or wishing for more. I’m happy with what I have.

What things in your life make it difficult to be content? Is it not having a boyfriend/husband, thinking that “if I only had my Prince Charming, my life would be a piece of cake!” Or is it wishing you had more money to spend on beautiful clothes that make you feel beautiful...and don’t forget cute accessories! Or perhaps even wishing your had different parents...because Shanaynay’s parents are way cooler and aren’t so strict! Whatever it is in your life that makes the journey towards contentment hard, know this: you aren’t alone. I’m right there with you.

What do I struggle with? Well, as any girl does, I want to be loved by a wonderful man...cherished for the prize that I am. (kidding!) But seriously, what girl doesn’t want a man to love her and appreciate her for who she is, to choose her out of all of the other girls in the world? And I see my calling or “career” from the Word as being a keeper at home, a wife and a mother. And I really really want to be wife and a mother. I am a hopeless romantic, who longs for the day I can fix my sugarbuns a delicious home cooked meal, and have all of my perfectly obedient and orderly children around the table. (So I have high expectations...don’t judge me!) But the reality is, it is not the Lord’s timing for that phase of my life yet. And the fact is, it may never be. God’s plans are not my own.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8)

So what’s your point, Johnny Rain Cloud?

Well my point is, that all of us have desires that are not being met at the moment. It can range from hunger to marriage. It doesn’t matter. But what does matter is that the Lord calls us to be content and to shift our focus from earth to heaven.

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2)

Most of my discontentment problems come as a result of my focus. When I am thinking about what I want and what I desire, my focus in on me. Duh. (I’m a little slow okay?) But in Colossians it tells us to set our minds on the things above. Heavenly things. On the Lord. If we are renewing our minds and keeping them “set” on the Lord and on the things we are to be doing for His kingdom, the little things we want become so small...we may even lose sight of them altogether. I mean, if you think about it, when you’re looking up at the sky...you really can’t see anything else below it. It becomes the entirety of your vision.

But wait! Is it wrong to desire good things? Things like education, marriage or having a family? No. That is not wrong at all. God gives us desires. The problem is when we let those desires shift our focus off of the One who gave them to us in the first place.

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

This is one of my favorite verses. One of my dear friends, Brooke, shared a perspective on this verse that I had never thought of. She said that when we are FIRST seeking the Lord and his kingdom, the other stuff will come. It will “be added to you.” And that just really stuck with me.

Of course this is not saying that we will get everything we want if we seek the Lord! That’s just not the way it works. But the things that God has in store for us and the blessings He wants to reward us with will come as a result of our obedience. And when we are truly seeking Him first, we won’t really care either way. We will be in “a state of happiness and satisfaction.” :)

So I encourage you girls to continue to seek God passionately and strive for contentment. Get in the Word daily. Learn what God wants us to be doing. And just love Him. Really really love Him. I am on this journey with you, and I fall short and lose my focus daily. So know what you are not alone on this walk. :)

And if you need prayer or a listening ear, shoot me an email or facebook me! I love hearing from you!

What Is A Suitable Helper?

2011-04-29T17:30:00.001-07:00

In my previous post, we talked about God’s purpose for women. We are to be helpers.

“Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)

But what does that look like practically?

Especially as young, unmarried woman, this role can be confusing to carry out. We don’t have a husband...so who do we serve?

Let’s see some examples from the Word:

Examples early on in the Bible, such as Rebekah, show a pattern. She was a daughter, living in her father’s home. She was a helper to him and his household. When Abraham’s servant was sent to find a wife for Isaac, he sat at the city well.

"Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water;” (Genesis 24:13)

Why was he there? Because the daughters of the men of the city came to water their father’s camels. The point being, it was common knowledge that daughters helped with tasks in their father’s homes.

Another example comes from the book of Nehemiah. The people of Israel were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The task of rebuilding the wall was colossal, and the only effective way to accomplish the task was for each family to begin working on the section of the wall that was in front of their homes. This is where our verse comes in:

“Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters.” (Nehemiah 3:12)

Shallum and his daughters were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem! I have always loved this verse, because it showed that the range of things us girls can do is not limited to knitting. :)

And my third and final example comes from the story of Esther. Esther was a Jewish woman who’s parents had died and she had been taken in by Mordecai. He was a father to her. And she was a daughter to him. And as such, they fulfilled their roles.

“Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.” (Esther 2:20)

Esther was an obedient daughter, and trusted in the wisdom of Mordecai. And she did what he told her to do.

So what does all this talk of camels, walls and wells have to do with anything? Well, everything actually. Try not to get caught up on the details of these verses, and try to see the whole picture. The picture is this: daughters who are unmarried, are to be helpers to their fathers.

How?

Well, this depends on your father, and your family situation. But ask your dad. What does he need help with? What tasks weigh heavily on his mind, that you could easily help him out with. Whether it be helping him with lawn work, taking out the trash, or helping your Mom, offer to help him. And follow through.

Attitude has a lot to do with it as well. I will be the first to admit that I have had a bad attitude many a time. Especially when my dad wants me to pick up sticks in the yard. I don’t know why, but I HATE that job. But it is in those moments that I have a choice: I can choose to serve my father with a loving and obedient attitude, or I can sigh and complain, which in turn causes me to be more of a burden than a blessing. I should never make my father feel guilty for asking me to help him. And sadly I do many times.

I don’t think we realize what an effect we can have on our fathers. This effect can be a positive one, or a negative one. The choice is up to you.

This time as a daughter in your father’s house is invaluable. If you desire to follow God’s calling on your life as a woman, and perhaps one day a wife, your father’s house is the training ground for that role. God knew what He was doing when He placed us first in our father’s home and secondly in our future husband’s home.

Even if we never marry, we still have a purpose and a role to play. Marriage is not the goal. Glorifying God and obeying His Word is. We must be careful that we do not serve our father’s only to better serve our future husbands. Yes, it will benefit our marriages if that is what the Lord has, but that should not be the sole purpose. We have to always check our heart’s motives and make sure we are serving for the right reasons. We should serve because it is what the Lord calls us to.

What are your thoughts?

I Am Woman. Hear me...meow?

2011-04-27T19:41:00.001-07:00

When someone says the word “woman” what comes to your mind? Is it a tall, slender figure, dressed in a power suit, talking into a blinking bluetooth? Perhaps it’s a woman with a muscular physique out on the basket ball court, dominating the game. Or is it the frazzled mom-on-the-go, with a baby in one hand and a skinny vanilla latte in the other? Whatever it may be, the point is: we all have our own meaning to the word woman.

What’s your point? You may be wondering.

My point is, what does God want our view to be? He created us, after all. And if anyone should know what it means to be a woman, He should!

Let’s start at the beginning. The very beginning.

God created the whole world, this amazing beautiful and complex world. And He made man out of the dust of the earth. Take a moment to let that sink in. Dirt. We’re talking dirt here! Okay, moments over. Back to what we were talking about...

The Lord made Adam to be a keeper of His garden.

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15)

Adam had a mission and a job to do from the Lord. Adam also had to name all of the animals the Lord had created. This presented a problem. (and no, the problem is not where in the world Adam came up with the name rhinoceros! This does raise the question as to whether or not marijuana existed in Eden...)

“Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:19-20)

What is the dilemma here? Adam was not complete. He could not properly carry out his job from the Lord without a suitable helper.

This is where us girls come in! Woot woot! We were created for the role of helper.

For many women, this is insulting! They reason, “This is the 21st century. Women are no longer required to slave over a hot stove and have babies. Anything men can do, we can do better!”

As the Helen Reddy song goes, “I am woman, hear me roar!” We want to be strong, fierce and demand respect. Because, after all, who wants to be a doormat?

I understand these feelings, really I do. Hey, I’m a woman too. But let me say this, what we feel, is not always right. What God says is. God’s Word doesn’t change to fit the culture. And God doesn’t call us girls to be fierce lions that roar.

“Your adornment must not be merely external-- braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” (1 Peter 3:3-4)

He calls us to have a spirit of quietness and gentleness. It is precious in His sight.

So instead of lions, we have to be little kittens? No. God is not calling us girls to be weak. Have you ever tried being quiet and gentle for more than 45 minutes? It’s hard!! For me it takes more strength to be quiet and gentle, than it is to be loud and abrasive. The latter comes natural to me, it is my sinful nature. The former is only achieved through the power of the Holy Spirit. When you are walking in your God-given role, your will experience joy, contentment and a fulfillment you have never experienced before.

After all, God usually knows what He’s doing. ;)