At the beginning of this week, I found out my friends in Texas received their reorganization strategy. There are two main offices in Texas -- Dallas and Austin. They are closing the Dallas office. Those who are offered a job will have to relocate to Austin. Keep in mind there are dual income families. There are families who are taking care of sick relatives. There are those who are not mobile for many reasons.Their plan will be finalized by the end of the year, and those who are moving will do so most likely by June of 2012.
Offices in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia have been cut in half.
We've been told our plan has been changed a minimum of four times by corporate.
It's distrurbing. I'm concerned for my friends in Texas, and the difficult decisions they will have to make in the next year regarding their families and about their careers.
With all that being said, we obviously will not be hearing about our transition plan at the end of the first quarter. We don't know when we will hear about the future of our office or of our jobs.
While it is easy to become frought with worry and stress, I know my God will supply all my needs. He prepared this job for me before I knew that I would need one. I know that I am not mobile, but even more than that I know that God is working it all out for my good. So I continue to trust, and I will wait. I'm not waiting on State Farm. I'm waiting on the Lord -- those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength (Is 40:31). I'm waiting to see where the Lord will have me serve Him next.
Waiting in the Hands of the Almighty,
Kristy
Travel with me through life and through the Word of God. I seek truth and appreciate humor wherever I can find it. Just as God's mercies are new every day, His Word is alive and active and penetrates my soul on a daily basis. It's not always easy, and it's not always fun, but it is definitely worth the journey.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
LEGACY
It’s Saturday morning, and I sat in a room with fifteen women who were laughing and talking and enjoying a nice brunch. Each of these women were invited to the brunch by my mom because she wanted to celebrate spring’s arrival. As each woman arrived, she made her way around the room giving a hug to each of the other ladies whether she knew her or not. This is how they introduced themselves. Some of these women knew my mom from high school, some from prior women’s ministry teams mom had led; some are family and friends she had picked up along the way. But as I sat there I looked as each of these beautiful, godly women and realized I am their legacy.
Mrs. Virginia is the one who got my mom into women’s ministry in the first place which is why I was exposed to it. This exposure was a way God prepared my heart for when it was my turn to lead in women’s ministry. There were women from the team my mom lead many years ago. There was, of course, the “Sister Circle” – a group of women who have been friends for years and know how valuable true friendship is and makes time for it. There were women there who had prayed for me to become a mom. There were women who had known me from my childhood, and there were women who God put into my life through the life of my mom for specific reasons – some reasons I know, and some I don’t. This group of women is just a few who have invested in my life to make it such a rich tapestry, hopefully pleasing to my God. There are many more.
Normally when I think of legacy, I think of what am I leaving my children, but today, I began to think of myself as being the legacy of these women who are ahead of me. Women who have endured hardships, difficulties, health issues, marital issues, child rearing issues, and here they sit, laughing, telling stories, and saying how good God is. These women are my heritage, and I am their legacy. Thank you, ladies. I love ya’ll.
Mrs. Virginia is the one who got my mom into women’s ministry in the first place which is why I was exposed to it. This exposure was a way God prepared my heart for when it was my turn to lead in women’s ministry. There were women from the team my mom lead many years ago. There was, of course, the “Sister Circle” – a group of women who have been friends for years and know how valuable true friendship is and makes time for it. There were women there who had prayed for me to become a mom. There were women who had known me from my childhood, and there were women who God put into my life through the life of my mom for specific reasons – some reasons I know, and some I don’t. This group of women is just a few who have invested in my life to make it such a rich tapestry, hopefully pleasing to my God. There are many more.
Normally when I think of legacy, I think of what am I leaving my children, but today, I began to think of myself as being the legacy of these women who are ahead of me. Women who have endured hardships, difficulties, health issues, marital issues, child rearing issues, and here they sit, laughing, telling stories, and saying how good God is. These women are my heritage, and I am their legacy. Thank you, ladies. I love ya’ll.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Last Time I Checked Griping and Complaining Were Not Spiritual Gifts or Fruits of the Spirit
When my daughter was around 2 ½ and my niece was about 2 years old, I took a picture that is forever engrained in my mind. My mom is holding Erin who is doing this mouth wide-open cry, and Lori is holding Madeleine who has obviously been crying but has stopped to watch Erin. The story behind the picture? There was no reason for Erin to be crying, but Madeleine had been crying and got picked up, so Erin started. I remember I could always get Erin to stop the big-mouth-wide-open cry by saying “candy.” She stops instantly and says, “I want candy.” Yes, the big-mouth-wide-open cry may have produced tears, but it wasn’t real. She normally used this cry in order to get what she wanted. She was focused on herself, and what two years old isn’t? Unfortunately though, there are a lot of adults and Christians who are so focused on themselves that they don’t truly see those around them. When we are focused on what is happening to us, we take our EYES off of Jesus. When we are focused on what we are going through, we stop serving and living the life to which God has called us. When we take our eyes off of Christ, we start making anything and everything about “US.” How vain and prideful is that! Reminds me of that Carly Simon song, “You’re So Vain.”
This week in our small group we were reading the Bible to apply it to our lives, and the verses I selected teaches that as Christians, we are to have our focus on living a life that emulates our Creator. It challenges us to get beyond our comfort zone, to go beyond our circle of friends and family and to give God the glory for what happens.
1 Peter 4:8-11 The Amplified
8Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and [e]disregards the offenses of others].(A)
9Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ's body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him).
10As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God's many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the [f]extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor].
11Whoever speaks, [let him do it as one who utters] oracles of God; whoever renders service, [let him do it] as with the strength which God furnishes [g]abundantly, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever (through endless ages). Amen (so be it).
For accountability purposes, I’ll tell how I applied these verses in my life. Each day I meditated on a verse, I posted it on my Facebook page. For verse 8, I asked God to show me someone to love. I love the Amplified version – “have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” I also loved the Message version – “…love each other as if your life depended on it.” That is some intense love, isn’t it? Sometimes the hardest people to love are those in our immediate family. Sometimes the hardest people to reach are those in our closest circle. Sometimes the only way you can love like our lives depend on it is to ask God to allow you to see them through His eyes. This goes for family, friends, coworkers and strangers.
The next verse speaks to us as Christians to be hospitable by serving using our spiritual gifts that God has given to each believer. The Amplified said to do it ungrudgingly and WITHOUT COMPLAINING. The Message said to do it cheerfully. Have you ever encountered a “Christian” who complained about most everything? I tend to tell them to put their big girl panties on and deal with it. I don’t have much tolerance for gripers. Last time I checked, griping and complaining weren’t fruits of the Spirit or a gift of the Spirit – just saying! The act of service alone is not enough. Anyone off the street can serve the homeless and the hungry when told to or asked to. How are we as Christians to be different in our service? ATTITUDE. My attitude when I serve my family, my church, and people in my community needs to reflect that of my Creator. What does your attitude say about you? What do your children hear your attitude say? OUCH – They are the closest observers after all.
Verse 10 says we need to exercise and be good stewards of the spiritual gifts God has give each believer. If you don’t know what your spiritual gift is or how to use it, please contact me, and let’s talk about it. I taught a class on spiritual gifts in the fall of 2010. The ladies in my class carried around unopened gifts for about four weeks before they were allowed to open them. There are so many Christians walking around with this personalized, beautiful gift and not even bothering to see what is inside. How do you use your gift? I teach. I lead. Those who exercise their spiritual gifts are more satisfied in serving because they are serving from the overflow that God gives them. They serve from the passion He has put into their hearts. You’ve never served if you haven’t served using your spiritual gifts.
Verse 11 says when we practice our gifts we need to allow God to do it through us. By allowing God to use us to serve others means He will provide the strength and wisdom required for the task at hand. And when God provides anything, He is always generous and always on time. It is for His glory that we serve.
According to Howard and William Hendricks’ book Living by the Book there are nine questions you need to ask yourself when reading the Bible: (pg 342)
1. Is there an example for me to follow?
2. Is there a sin to avoid?
3. Is there a promise to claim?
4. Is there a prayer to repeat?
5. Is there a command to obey?
6. Is there a condition to meet?
7. Is there a verse to memorize?
8. Is there an error to mark?
9. Is there a challenge to face?
I hope you have been challenged during our studies on digging deeper. Now we are going to put it all into practice. Please read the first chapter of Ruth for next week. Read the whole chapter the first day. If you have time, read it in two different translations. Second day, write down the who, what, when, where, why, etc. for each verse. Is there a term you need to research? Get after it. Is anything repeated – write it down. On the fourth day, read it using your imagination – put yourself in the shoes of at least one of the parties involved. On the third day, is there a verse that has been catching your eye and attention – GREAT! Write it down and meditate on it. What is God telling you? Is there something you need to apply to your life? Can’t wait to hear about it.
This week in our small group we were reading the Bible to apply it to our lives, and the verses I selected teaches that as Christians, we are to have our focus on living a life that emulates our Creator. It challenges us to get beyond our comfort zone, to go beyond our circle of friends and family and to give God the glory for what happens.
1 Peter 4:8-11 The Amplified
8Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and [e]disregards the offenses of others].(A)
9Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ's body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him).
10As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God's many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the [f]extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor].
11Whoever speaks, [let him do it as one who utters] oracles of God; whoever renders service, [let him do it] as with the strength which God furnishes [g]abundantly, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever (through endless ages). Amen (so be it).
For accountability purposes, I’ll tell how I applied these verses in my life. Each day I meditated on a verse, I posted it on my Facebook page. For verse 8, I asked God to show me someone to love. I love the Amplified version – “have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” I also loved the Message version – “…love each other as if your life depended on it.” That is some intense love, isn’t it? Sometimes the hardest people to love are those in our immediate family. Sometimes the hardest people to reach are those in our closest circle. Sometimes the only way you can love like our lives depend on it is to ask God to allow you to see them through His eyes. This goes for family, friends, coworkers and strangers.
The next verse speaks to us as Christians to be hospitable by serving using our spiritual gifts that God has given to each believer. The Amplified said to do it ungrudgingly and WITHOUT COMPLAINING. The Message said to do it cheerfully. Have you ever encountered a “Christian” who complained about most everything? I tend to tell them to put their big girl panties on and deal with it. I don’t have much tolerance for gripers. Last time I checked, griping and complaining weren’t fruits of the Spirit or a gift of the Spirit – just saying! The act of service alone is not enough. Anyone off the street can serve the homeless and the hungry when told to or asked to. How are we as Christians to be different in our service? ATTITUDE. My attitude when I serve my family, my church, and people in my community needs to reflect that of my Creator. What does your attitude say about you? What do your children hear your attitude say? OUCH – They are the closest observers after all.
Verse 10 says we need to exercise and be good stewards of the spiritual gifts God has give each believer. If you don’t know what your spiritual gift is or how to use it, please contact me, and let’s talk about it. I taught a class on spiritual gifts in the fall of 2010. The ladies in my class carried around unopened gifts for about four weeks before they were allowed to open them. There are so many Christians walking around with this personalized, beautiful gift and not even bothering to see what is inside. How do you use your gift? I teach. I lead. Those who exercise their spiritual gifts are more satisfied in serving because they are serving from the overflow that God gives them. They serve from the passion He has put into their hearts. You’ve never served if you haven’t served using your spiritual gifts.
Verse 11 says when we practice our gifts we need to allow God to do it through us. By allowing God to use us to serve others means He will provide the strength and wisdom required for the task at hand. And when God provides anything, He is always generous and always on time. It is for His glory that we serve.
According to Howard and William Hendricks’ book Living by the Book there are nine questions you need to ask yourself when reading the Bible: (pg 342)
1. Is there an example for me to follow?
2. Is there a sin to avoid?
3. Is there a promise to claim?
4. Is there a prayer to repeat?
5. Is there a command to obey?
6. Is there a condition to meet?
7. Is there a verse to memorize?
8. Is there an error to mark?
9. Is there a challenge to face?
I hope you have been challenged during our studies on digging deeper. Now we are going to put it all into practice. Please read the first chapter of Ruth for next week. Read the whole chapter the first day. If you have time, read it in two different translations. Second day, write down the who, what, when, where, why, etc. for each verse. Is there a term you need to research? Get after it. Is anything repeated – write it down. On the fourth day, read it using your imagination – put yourself in the shoes of at least one of the parties involved. On the third day, is there a verse that has been catching your eye and attention – GREAT! Write it down and meditate on it. What is God telling you? Is there something you need to apply to your life? Can’t wait to hear about it.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Is Going Blind
The first time I went to get fitted for glasses, I laughed hysterically every time I would put on a different pair of glasses. After the third try, I could see the lady who was assisting me was a bit confused by it all. I explained that every time I looked into the mirror with a pair of glasses on that my mother was looking back at me. Well, I've gotten used to wearing glasses, and I went for another eye exam -- it had been 4 years, after all. Back to pick out frames I go. I can tell my eyes aren't what they once were because I have to squint to read my large letter Bible sometimes, and my optometrist told me after a few more birthdays we may have to consider the "b" word -- bifocals! Yes, apparently as we mature, our eye sight dwindles causing us to seek the aid of glasses.
At any rate, it got me to thinking about a verse to which I've been clinging since God first started calling me into ministry. Isaiah 42:16, "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." I cling to this verse as I parent too!
I pray that as I mature in my faith that I blindly trust God and follow Him wherever He leads knowing He is already preparing the way and that He will never leave me. My glasses may make me look like my mom, but my "blindness" helps me to see my heavenly Father for who He is -- my Provider, my Protector, my Shield, my Rock, my Deliverer, my Rescuer, my Supporter, my Savior, and many more (Ps 18).
At any rate, it got me to thinking about a verse to which I've been clinging since God first started calling me into ministry. Isaiah 42:16, "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." I cling to this verse as I parent too!
I pray that as I mature in my faith that I blindly trust God and follow Him wherever He leads knowing He is already preparing the way and that He will never leave me. My glasses may make me look like my mom, but my "blindness" helps me to see my heavenly Father for who He is -- my Provider, my Protector, my Shield, my Rock, my Deliverer, my Rescuer, my Supporter, my Savior, and many more (Ps 18).
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Has a Designer, One-of-a-Kind, Hand-Tailored...
When I was growing up, I was a runt. I was so skinny that my mom had to sew most of my clothes. I was so skinny that we had to find specialty shops with size 0s through most of my high school years. I was so skinny that my daddy used to tell people if I would stick out my tongue I’d look like a zipper! When I was a teen, they didn’t make clothes for people like me, and I wanted so badly to be able to buy my clothes off the rack. To have a name or label on my clothes, well, that just didn’t happen.
This week was meditating on God’s Word. I asked my friends to write down Ephesians 6:10-18 on a 3 by 5 card. They were to meditate on these verses this week and see if they could answer the following questions:
1. What part of the body is not covered by the armor of God?
2. Why is the armor of God put on in this order?
3. What are the defensive pieces of the armor?
4. What are the offensive pieces of armor?
In order to meditate on God’s Word, we must still have perspective. You need to read the whole chapter of Ephesians 6. Who was Paul writing to? Does this apply to you?
How would you read this Scripture using your imagination? For me, I drew a person (stick person), and I drew the armor onto the body. That’s when some of my questions began. How did you use your imagination? In my class, I used a large belt that a friend of mine used when she was having back problems, a corset, a wide brim hat, and some shoes – things my girlfriends could relate to and associate with pieces of armor. Granted armor is worn on the outside of the clothing for everyone to see, and some of my garments were not, but it still provided a visual!
So, let’s dig into Ephesians 6:10 – 18. The first thing I realize is this armor is for doing battle like a gladiator not a knight. A knight is covered from head to toe. A gladiator is not.
The very first piece of armor is the BELT OF TRUTH. The word “truth” rang a bell in my head, so I looked up the verse. In John 14:6, Jesus said He was the Way, the Truth and the Life. For Christians, the first thing we need to put on is Christ. He is the foundation on which everything else is built. The belt gives support to your core. Bodybuilders use weight belts when they are lifting heavy weights to support their body while they do a difficult task. Jesus says He will never leave us or forsake us no matter how hard or difficult the task – He gives support.
The second is the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. What in the world is righteousness? Another word for you to ponder and look up. For me, righteousness is the character of a Christian. Character is what we do when no one else is around. 1 Peter 1:13-16 says, we are to be holy just as Christ is holy. Do not take my word for it. LOOK IT UP! Why a breastplate? Holiness and being Christ-like protects our vital organs that sustain life – our heart, our lungs, etc. If we are living a holy life, doing what is right in the eyes of God, there is protection.
The third piece is the FEET OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. Matthew 28:16-20 says we are to go. We are to go and tell others, so they may be saved. Your feet are what take you. They are how you “go.”
The fourth piece of armor is the SHIELD OF FAITH, and it is used on one of your arms. You have faith because Jesus is your support. You have faith because He is with you and is your strength, fortress, rock, deliverer, stronghold, refuge, and the list goes on – see Psalm 18. God gives you the amount of faith you need in order to extinguish the arrows of Satan…not just deflect, but EXTINGUISHES.
Then we are to put on the HELMET OF SALVATION. I have to tell you. I had a hard time with this one. I asked other people their thoughts and opinions. I read commentaries. I read other translations of the Bible. Why would a Christian need to put on Salvation? Then I remembered Luke 9:23, “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Romans 6:6, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.” We must daily die to our selfish desires and wants and pick up the cross and follow Him. We must choose to live like a Christian every day. Have you ever met someone who claimed to be a Christian but lived like the Devil? That’s my point. We have to choose to lay down our own agenda to follow Him.
One other thing about the HELMET – what does it protect? Your brain. Your thought-life. Your mind is a battlefield (http://theheartandmindofawoman.blogspot.com/2011/03/knows-your-mind-is-battlefield.html).
And the only offensive type piece of armor is THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which is the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Word of God does not change. It is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Truth within it does not morph in order to fit society or our desires.
The last piece of armor is the offensive piece. God doesn’t want us taking on principalities, spiritual forces of evil or anything in His name if we are not adequately prepared and suited up, and yet we often leave the house NAKED walking right into the lion’s den completely unprepared and ill-equipped by our own choosing. And we wonder how we fall time and time again? DUH! (Trust me. I am guilty of it too.)
So, what isn’t protected? YOUR BACKSIDE! There is nothing there to protect those who turn tail and run. God equips us with the top-of-the-line, best-made, hand-tailored armor to each of us. It is by His strength that we fight, and ladies, if you haven’t read the end of the book, He is the VICTOR! WOOHOO! GLORY HALLELUJAH!
Now, we aren’t done yet. In this passage of Scripture, what is repeated? What words do you see over and over? If it is repeated, it is important. How about – FULL ARMOR OF GOD? Meaning, it isn’t enough to put on one piece and go out into the world. If you go out and only take the breastplate, then you are living in your own strength, and your righteousness will fail. If you wear your salvation, but are unprotected from the head down, you are living unprotected.
We also see the word STAND. Stand firm. We can have the confidence in standing firm because we are suited up. We are ready to fight in God’s strength not our own.
Then the last verse is directing us to pray in the Spirit. This isn’t the prayer that we say by rote. Pray as the Spirit guides you. Pray as the Spirit teaches you.
Next week's faithwork: 1 Peter 4:8-11 Use all the things you've learned and apply it to your life. Let's see what that looks like.
This week was meditating on God’s Word. I asked my friends to write down Ephesians 6:10-18 on a 3 by 5 card. They were to meditate on these verses this week and see if they could answer the following questions:
1. What part of the body is not covered by the armor of God?
2. Why is the armor of God put on in this order?
3. What are the defensive pieces of the armor?
4. What are the offensive pieces of armor?
In order to meditate on God’s Word, we must still have perspective. You need to read the whole chapter of Ephesians 6. Who was Paul writing to? Does this apply to you?
How would you read this Scripture using your imagination? For me, I drew a person (stick person), and I drew the armor onto the body. That’s when some of my questions began. How did you use your imagination? In my class, I used a large belt that a friend of mine used when she was having back problems, a corset, a wide brim hat, and some shoes – things my girlfriends could relate to and associate with pieces of armor. Granted armor is worn on the outside of the clothing for everyone to see, and some of my garments were not, but it still provided a visual!
So, let’s dig into Ephesians 6:10 – 18. The first thing I realize is this armor is for doing battle like a gladiator not a knight. A knight is covered from head to toe. A gladiator is not.
The very first piece of armor is the BELT OF TRUTH. The word “truth” rang a bell in my head, so I looked up the verse. In John 14:6, Jesus said He was the Way, the Truth and the Life. For Christians, the first thing we need to put on is Christ. He is the foundation on which everything else is built. The belt gives support to your core. Bodybuilders use weight belts when they are lifting heavy weights to support their body while they do a difficult task. Jesus says He will never leave us or forsake us no matter how hard or difficult the task – He gives support.
The second is the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. What in the world is righteousness? Another word for you to ponder and look up. For me, righteousness is the character of a Christian. Character is what we do when no one else is around. 1 Peter 1:13-16 says, we are to be holy just as Christ is holy. Do not take my word for it. LOOK IT UP! Why a breastplate? Holiness and being Christ-like protects our vital organs that sustain life – our heart, our lungs, etc. If we are living a holy life, doing what is right in the eyes of God, there is protection.
The third piece is the FEET OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. Matthew 28:16-20 says we are to go. We are to go and tell others, so they may be saved. Your feet are what take you. They are how you “go.”
The fourth piece of armor is the SHIELD OF FAITH, and it is used on one of your arms. You have faith because Jesus is your support. You have faith because He is with you and is your strength, fortress, rock, deliverer, stronghold, refuge, and the list goes on – see Psalm 18. God gives you the amount of faith you need in order to extinguish the arrows of Satan…not just deflect, but EXTINGUISHES.
Then we are to put on the HELMET OF SALVATION. I have to tell you. I had a hard time with this one. I asked other people their thoughts and opinions. I read commentaries. I read other translations of the Bible. Why would a Christian need to put on Salvation? Then I remembered Luke 9:23, “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Romans 6:6, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.” We must daily die to our selfish desires and wants and pick up the cross and follow Him. We must choose to live like a Christian every day. Have you ever met someone who claimed to be a Christian but lived like the Devil? That’s my point. We have to choose to lay down our own agenda to follow Him.
One other thing about the HELMET – what does it protect? Your brain. Your thought-life. Your mind is a battlefield (http://theheartandmindofawoman.blogspot.com/2011/03/knows-your-mind-is-battlefield.html).
And the only offensive type piece of armor is THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which is the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Word of God does not change. It is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Truth within it does not morph in order to fit society or our desires.
The last piece of armor is the offensive piece. God doesn’t want us taking on principalities, spiritual forces of evil or anything in His name if we are not adequately prepared and suited up, and yet we often leave the house NAKED walking right into the lion’s den completely unprepared and ill-equipped by our own choosing. And we wonder how we fall time and time again? DUH! (Trust me. I am guilty of it too.)
So, what isn’t protected? YOUR BACKSIDE! There is nothing there to protect those who turn tail and run. God equips us with the top-of-the-line, best-made, hand-tailored armor to each of us. It is by His strength that we fight, and ladies, if you haven’t read the end of the book, He is the VICTOR! WOOHOO! GLORY HALLELUJAH!
Now, we aren’t done yet. In this passage of Scripture, what is repeated? What words do you see over and over? If it is repeated, it is important. How about – FULL ARMOR OF GOD? Meaning, it isn’t enough to put on one piece and go out into the world. If you go out and only take the breastplate, then you are living in your own strength, and your righteousness will fail. If you wear your salvation, but are unprotected from the head down, you are living unprotected.
We also see the word STAND. Stand firm. We can have the confidence in standing firm because we are suited up. We are ready to fight in God’s strength not our own.
Then the last verse is directing us to pray in the Spirit. This isn’t the prayer that we say by rote. Pray as the Spirit guides you. Pray as the Spirit teaches you.
Next week's faithwork: 1 Peter 4:8-11 Use all the things you've learned and apply it to your life. Let's see what that looks like.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Has Your Checklist of How to Study
We have been learning to dig deeper in God's Word. Before digging into God's Word, we learned we need to spend time in prayer, seeking God, asking God to open our hearts and minds as to what He wants us to learn, and to wait till He leads you into the Word from your time of prayer. We are to ask God to give us a hunger for his Word and for wisdom – He is generous. He will answer.
After our quiet time with Him, we need to read the verse(s) on which we want to focus. Then we need to read the verse in context to the paragraph, the chapter and sometimes the book in which it is written. Studying God's Word is not accomplished in one sitting necessarily. Most times the most in-depth digging into God's Word is over a week, over a month or longer as He leads you. I remember when I had set aside four weeks for my mom to teach me and my friends about "submission" – the "s" word! It took six weeks. God's timing isn't our timing, and if He isn't through teaching us, then who are we to stop learning?
When we are studying God's word, we need to ask questions about every verse – who, what, when, where, why, how come. I'm sure you can think of more. Last week we talked about reading God's Word again using our imagination. We wondered what Mary was thinking when she told Jesus about there being no wine at the wedding. Did she want him to run down to the Piggly Wiggly and get some more? And what was it like to be that poor servant who was delivering the water to the master of ceremonies knowing he was expecting wine. I love reading God's Word using my imagination wondering what it would be like to be one of the people I'm reading about or one of the bystanders. What did they hear, see, smell?
These are things to remember during our course of study.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Had an Interesting Trip to Brookshire’s
After a long trip home from New Orleans, I stopped by Brookshire's to get some groceries. On my left arm are two bags, on my right are two bags, and my right hand holds the keys. I push the button to unlock the doors and open the rear, driver's side door. In a split second, I think, "Boy, that floorboard looks clean, and then I hear, "Uh, ma'am, this isn't your car." Sure enough, it wasn't. My vehicle was two places down and had temp tags. It was the same kind of vehicle, same color, and parked near the same spot, but it wasn't my truck.
Truth and ½ truths are a lot like that, and it's easy to get confused unless you know what you are looking for. Satan likes to make his lies appear like the truth, but it isn't 100% the truth. And ladies, if it isn't "the whole truth and nothing but the truth," it is a lie from the prince of lies.
The truth was the vehicles were the same year, make and model, but the ½ truth was the vehicle I opened didn't have my suitcase, my laptop or personal effects. It looked like the truth – the vehicle I wanted to open and get into – but it wasn't. If I had just taken the time to see there was a license plate on the back of the vehicle, I would have known it wasn't mine. Many times we are in a rush, and we fail to look at the details of the matter and blindly trust what is written, said or taught.
If you don't know how to dig in the Word of God to find out what the truth is, then find someone who does and ask them to teach you. Believing a ½ truth can lead to tragic results. Don't think so? Ask Eve. Ask those who escaped occults. It sounds good. It even sounds right, but is it really. Just because someone stands behind the pulpit and says it is so, doesn't mean it is. FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF. DIG!
Fortunately, the lady in the truck was very gracious and had a sense of humor like I did, and we were able to laugh it off. My guess though is she won't soon forget the experience, and neither will I.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Knows Your Mind Is a Battlefield
If I know anything at all, I know that the biggest playground for Satan is in the mind. You give him one thought, and he wants your complete mind. I don’t know about you, but if I get a bee in my bonnet or I latch onto a thought that is ticking me off or hurting my feelings, I can harp on it. I can dwell on it, magnify it, add to it, and make it so much more than it really is. Am I alone, here? Something as benign as seeing someone’s underwear on the floor can send my mind to places like, “Who do they think I am? The maid?” and it goes nowhere good from there resulting in bad behavior on my part.
I was recently asked, “Why do we so readily accept the lies?” My answer is because we easily accept the negative about ourselves, those around us and about life in general. Satan’s best ploy is utilizing a part truth and twisting it with lies. Ladies, IF IT IS NOT THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, IT IS A LIE FROM THE MASTER OF LIES.
So how do we combat Satan in the biggest battlefield? Fortify your mind. If you aren’t memorizing Scripture, you are more susceptible to falling for a lie. I challenge you to get a pack of 3 by 5 or 4 by 6 cards, write a verse on it and stick it one on your mirror, one in your car, and one at your desk at work. The Bible says in Psalms 1:2, “Meditate on the Word both day and night.” There isn’t a time that we shouldn’t be able to remember the Word of God. This is crucial. Memorizing the Word of God is a must. 1 Peter 5:8 reads, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Verse 9 says, “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.” If you aren’t memorizing the Word of God, you are just using yourself as bait for Satan, and I guarantee that he’ll bite.
But let’s say you aren’t there. You haven’t been memorizing Scripture, and you’ve bought the lie hook, line and sinker, OR maybe you have memorized Scripture and Satan penetrated your mind through one of your weak spots – what now? “Finally,” sisters, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS.” (Phil 4:8) Any time your mind begins to ponder, meditate or think about the lie that has entrapped you IMMEDIATELY stop, say what the truth is OUT LOUD, and quote the Scripture you are claiming for this battle. Initially, you may not catch yourself to the end. That’s okay. It’s important to recognize the lie, acknowledge it’s a lie, then PROCLAIM and CLAIM the truth, God’s truth. Eventually, you’ll catch yourself in the middle of pondering the lie, and then you’ll begin recognizing that lie as soon as your mind begins to go there, and you will be able to claim the truth and quote the Scripture. And girlfriend, if you are so deep in it that you cannot find the truth, then you find yourself a growing, godly woman to whom you can confess your sin. James 5:16, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Verse 17 says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” There is a reason we are to confess our sins to others. Do you know why that is? It’s because it brings our sin out into the open. It brings our shame out of the closet. Sin and Satan don’t like the light of day. Confessing our sin to another person brings it out of the darkness. Darkness and light do not cohabitat. They do not coexist. It is either light, or it is dark. It cannot remain dark if THE LIGHT is in it. Be selective in who you confess your sin to. Make sure she is a growing, godly woman of discretion. Ask her to help you know what God’s truth is. Ladies, Jesus is THE TRUTH. John 14:6, “…I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE.”
This is the battle for you mind. Make no mistake this is spiritual warfare on the most basic level. II Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual fores of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after that you have done everything, to stand” (Eph 6:10-13).
You don’t have to live a life falling for or believing a lie. Psalms 139 says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. John 10:10 says Jesus came to that you may have life and have it more abundantly. By living in a lie and dwelling on the lie, you, girlfriend, are not living abundantly. I’d like the opportunity to pray for you. If you’d like to message me but not post the message, write CONFIDENTIAL at the beginning of your message, and it will not be posted.
Sisters, Satan doesn’t fight fair. It’s time you fight him with THE TRUTH because He has already won the victory.
I was recently asked, “Why do we so readily accept the lies?” My answer is because we easily accept the negative about ourselves, those around us and about life in general. Satan’s best ploy is utilizing a part truth and twisting it with lies. Ladies, IF IT IS NOT THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, IT IS A LIE FROM THE MASTER OF LIES.
So how do we combat Satan in the biggest battlefield? Fortify your mind. If you aren’t memorizing Scripture, you are more susceptible to falling for a lie. I challenge you to get a pack of 3 by 5 or 4 by 6 cards, write a verse on it and stick it one on your mirror, one in your car, and one at your desk at work. The Bible says in Psalms 1:2, “Meditate on the Word both day and night.” There isn’t a time that we shouldn’t be able to remember the Word of God. This is crucial. Memorizing the Word of God is a must. 1 Peter 5:8 reads, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Verse 9 says, “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.” If you aren’t memorizing the Word of God, you are just using yourself as bait for Satan, and I guarantee that he’ll bite.
But let’s say you aren’t there. You haven’t been memorizing Scripture, and you’ve bought the lie hook, line and sinker, OR maybe you have memorized Scripture and Satan penetrated your mind through one of your weak spots – what now? “Finally,” sisters, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS.” (Phil 4:8) Any time your mind begins to ponder, meditate or think about the lie that has entrapped you IMMEDIATELY stop, say what the truth is OUT LOUD, and quote the Scripture you are claiming for this battle. Initially, you may not catch yourself to the end. That’s okay. It’s important to recognize the lie, acknowledge it’s a lie, then PROCLAIM and CLAIM the truth, God’s truth. Eventually, you’ll catch yourself in the middle of pondering the lie, and then you’ll begin recognizing that lie as soon as your mind begins to go there, and you will be able to claim the truth and quote the Scripture. And girlfriend, if you are so deep in it that you cannot find the truth, then you find yourself a growing, godly woman to whom you can confess your sin. James 5:16, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Verse 17 says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” There is a reason we are to confess our sins to others. Do you know why that is? It’s because it brings our sin out into the open. It brings our shame out of the closet. Sin and Satan don’t like the light of day. Confessing our sin to another person brings it out of the darkness. Darkness and light do not cohabitat. They do not coexist. It is either light, or it is dark. It cannot remain dark if THE LIGHT is in it. Be selective in who you confess your sin to. Make sure she is a growing, godly woman of discretion. Ask her to help you know what God’s truth is. Ladies, Jesus is THE TRUTH. John 14:6, “…I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE.”
This is the battle for you mind. Make no mistake this is spiritual warfare on the most basic level. II Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual fores of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after that you have done everything, to stand” (Eph 6:10-13).
You don’t have to live a life falling for or believing a lie. Psalms 139 says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. John 10:10 says Jesus came to that you may have life and have it more abundantly. By living in a lie and dwelling on the lie, you, girlfriend, are not living abundantly. I’d like the opportunity to pray for you. If you’d like to message me but not post the message, write CONFIDENTIAL at the beginning of your message, and it will not be posted.
Sisters, Satan doesn’t fight fair. It’s time you fight him with THE TRUTH because He has already won the victory.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Hears Wedding Bells -- Faithwork
In my small group of women on Sunday morning, there are women of all ages, backgrounds, single, married, divorced, widowed, with children, without children, with grandchildren, etc. In honor of one of my “young’uns” who will be getting married in April, the FAITHWORK this week was on Jesus’ first miracle which happens to be at a wedding.
Did you read it? Did you reread it? Did you read it as if it were your first time? Did you write down your notes answering questions for each verse? Did you read it using your imagination? What did you see, hear, sense, taste, feel? What questions came to your mind?
A brief summary of the who, what, when, where and whys. Jesus had just called five of his disciples before going to a wedding that he and his mother had been invited to attend. I know that weddings during this time were events that occurred over a span of a week with a lot of feasting and festivities. It was a celebration of two families joining and didn’t necessarily focus on the bride and groom alone. At some point during the festivities, but obviously not at the end, they ran out of wine. This must be families that Mary was close to because she became aware of the situation and instructed the servants to do whatever her son told them to do.
But before we get to that, Mary tells Jesus there is no more wine, and he says basically what concern was it of theirs. He also told her that his time had not come. Jesus addresses his mother as “Dear Woman.” (Now being the mother to a little boy, it would kill me if Pearce addressed me as Woman. “Mom” is a title I treasure and cherish, and I didn’t find anywhere in the Bible where Jesus ever calls Mary, “Mom.”) This was a term I did some searching on and seeking answers because my mother’s heart went out to Mary. When Jesus said, “Dear Woman,” it was out of affection and honor that he spoke to Mary. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, Jesus looks down at Mary and says, “Dear Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple,” (whom He loved) “Here is your mother.” Jesus loved His momma, girls. He did.
I love what happens next because Mary acts like a momma. While respecting Jesus’ request she still insisted he do something. She told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do. She didn’t tell the Master of Ceremony or the one in charge of the wedding feast. She didn’t make a big, grandiose statement drawing attention to her Son, the Savior. She told the servants. Now, my next question is, “What was Mary expecting Jesus to do exactly?” He hadn’t done any miracles before. It’s not like she wanted him to drive down to the Piggly Wiggly and get some more. What was Mary wanting Jesus to do? She might not have known how Jesus was going to fix the problem, but she knew if anyone could, the Son of God would know the answer. The SON OF GOD, her baby boy! HUGE!!!!!
The next thing that caught my eyes was the number of stone water jugs – six (one short of completion). Jesus perfected the water and changed it into wine. He is the completer in this story. There’d be no story if He didn’t complete it.
Jesus told the servant to fill the ceremonial pots with water. These had probably been emptied when the servants washed the feet of those who attended the wedding. The water was used to wash the hands of the guests before dining at the feasts, and now they sat empty, unused. You know what caught my attention now? The servants filled the pots to the brim. (Fill it to the rim with Brim. Do you remember that commercial from back in the day? The commercial was used to encourage people to fill their cups up with this hearty, tasty, flavorful coffee every morning.) I wonder how often when Jesus leads me to do a thing, do I fill it up to the brim expecting him to completely and totally deliver. Or do I just fill it up most of the way so I won’t be disappointed if things don’t pan out? I set myself up to fail because of my lack of faith, but these servants were in dier need and filled up to the brim.
The servants drew some water out of the jug and somewhere between there and the lips of the head waiter or master of ceremony, the water was turned into wine. The next thing that draws my eye is the statement from the master of ceremonies, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” When Jesus saves the day, He brings His best regardless if it is at the beginning or the end. The phrase “saving the best for last” is sticking in my head for some reason.
And finally, the disciples were able to see Jesus’ nature revealed, and they believed. I wonder how often the disciples reflected on these miracles to comfort them when things got difficult.
One last question, what is the significance of Jesus performing his first miracle at a wedding ceremony? What does that say?
Now, I want you to go back and read it with your imagination. Put yourself in different people’s shoes. Read it as a love letter from God to his Bride, the church, to you – what does He want you to get out of this?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Has Extravagant Love
How can you give something away if you never received it yourself?
When I was growing up, my parents kept my sister and I very sheltered. We went to a private, Christian academy and church and anything associated with the two. So one day when my daddy asked my sister what a street walker was, she replied, "It's someone who walks on the street." Daddy said, "Yes, it is." She had no clue what a street walker was, so could she pass along any knowledge on the subject? No, not good knowledge anyway. She was limited, and at our age that isn't a bad thing.
I'm finding a lot of Christians who are trying to give something away when they've never understood the depth of it or had any extensive knowledge of it. How can you give the love of Christ away when you yourself have not accepted the breadth, the width, the height of it? How can Christ use you to love on others when you refuse to accept it for yourself? It is for this reason, I "get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit – not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength – that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the EXTRAVAGANT dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God" (Eph 3:17-19 The Message).
What would your life look like, feel like if you truly accepted His all-encompassing, none exclusive love? Do you know there is no fear in His kind of love? "There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels EVERY TRACE of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)" 1 John 4:18. God's love is nothing like imperfect, human love. There are no strings. The only requirement is a confession of sin and asking Him into your heart, and then He wants to have the intimate, personal relationship with you where He sings over you (Zeph 3:17), where He lavishes His love on you, and where He keeps you as the apple of His eye. "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13). His love does not disappoint those whose hope is in Him (Is 49:23).
Why do we beat ourselves up over and over about the same thing over and over? I will tell you why. We allow Satan too much leeway in our minds. You give him one thought, he takes over the whole brain. We are the REDEEMED! (Ps107:1-3) We are OVERCOMERS! (1 John 5:3-5) We are the SAINTS! (Eph 2:19) We are PRECIOUS! We are daughters of the most righteous and holy King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and it's about time we started acting like the daughters of the King that we are. Claim victory. Live an overcomers abundant life. Come on, girls! Let's get it on!
Has Extravagant Love
How can you give something away if you never received it yourself?
When I was growing up, my parents kept my sister and I very sheltered. We went to a private, Christian academy and church and anything associated with the two. So one day when my daddy asked my sister what a street walker was, she replied, "It's someone who walks on the street." Daddy said, "Yes, it is." She had no clue what a street walker was, so could she pass along any knowledge on the subject? No, not good knowledge anyway. She was limited, and at our age that isn't a bad thing.
I'm finding a lot of Christians who are trying to give something away when they've never understood the depth of it or had any extensive knowledge of it. How can you give the love of Christ away when you yourself have not accepted the breadth, the width, the height of it? How can Christ use you to love on others when you refuse to accept it for yourself? It is for this reason, I "get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit – not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength – that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the EXTRAVAGANT dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God" (Eph 3:17-19 The Message).
What would your life look like, feel like if you truly accepted His all-encompassing, none exclusive love? Do you know there is no fear in His kind of love? "There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels EVERY TRACE of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)" 1 John 4:18. God's love is nothing like imperfect, human love. There are no strings. The only requirement is a confession of sin and asking Him into your heart, and then He wants to have the intimate, personal relationship with you where He sings over you (Zeph 3:17), where He lavishes His love on you, and where He keeps you as the apple of His eye. "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13). His love does not disappoint those whose hope is in Him (Is 49:23).
Why do we beat ourselves up over and over about the same thing over and over? I will tell you why. We allow Satan too much leeway in our minds. You give him one thought, he takes over the whole brain. We are the REDEEMED! (Ps107:1-3) We are OVERCOMERS! (1 John 5:3-5) We are the SAINTS! (Eph 2:19) We are PRECIOUS! We are daughters of the most righteous and holy King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and it's about time we started acting like the daughters of the King that we are. Claim victory. Live an overcomers abundant life. Come on, girls! Let's get it on!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Has a Name
It is a daunting task to name a child. It will stick with them for the REST OF THEIR LIVES. When Patrick and I were first married we started discussing children and what we would name them. He insisted the children have the "W.P.M." initials. Patrick, his dad, and his brother all have those initials. So, it became a game. Wrangler. Winona. Willow. Willomena. Wilford. Whistler. Wynona. I told Patrick since I wasn't a WPM that the girls really didn't need to be WPMs and asked if the boys only could have WPM. He agreed. Names are HUGE! My daddy has a hard time remembering people's names, but he can tell you where they live and what they drive – sort of like a redneck savant, if there is such a thing. When we adopted our first child, we were still negotiating on her middle name the day she was born. Pearce's name had long been decided. William is Pearce's, Patrick's, and my daddy's first name. I'm intrigued by how people choose the names for their children. I know people who wait till after the baby is born to see what name the baby looks like. If I named my children after they were born Erin might be Bertha – even in the womb Erin was laid back and didn't want to move on out. Pearce would have been named String Bean because he was just skin and bones. One of the more interesting names I've seen is La-a (pronounced Ladasha). I, myself, was going to be Melissa Jo, but my mom's best friend delivered first and took the name – THANK YOU!
"He knows my name. He knows my every thought. He sees each tear that falls, and hears me when I call."
Out of all the people on the face of this planet currently, the ones that have previously walked on this planet and the ones who will tread this Earth in the future, He knows my name. He knows my name like He knows your name.
When I was growing up and all of my cousins would be in from out of town there would be an occasion that my Mammaw would have to call one of us on something. We weren't perfect, you see, and inevitably, Mammaw would start from the top calling out names till she got to the right kid. "Carrie, Kim, Kristy. Kristy, come here." Then there was Lori, Leslie, and Lauren. There were only two boys Jonathan and Peter, and they were rarely called down. My mom and her sister and their cousins who were also her neighbors had Sandra, Sharon, Shirley, and Sarah -- try saying those names fast four times. They were always called by someone else's name. I only have two children and invariably I will call Erin's name while looking at Pearce and vise versa. I'm their mother for crying out loud. I know who they are. I was there when we were working on their names. I was there when we filled out the form for their birth certificates, and yet, the wrong name will come out of my mouth.
It is unfathomable to me how God keeps everyone's name straight, and yet He does so much more than that. He knows our names. He has the hair on our heads numbered. He has allotted us the number of days we will live on this Earth. He knows what will happen tomorrow and the day after that for everyone, and what each one of us did this very time last year. He knows how to work everything out for each of us. He hears all of our prayers no matter the time, day or night for He never sleeps. He knows every language. He sees everything. Not even the most comprehensive computer could manipulate all that data much less contain it.
I am but one person in time, and I matter. I matter to my Creator. I matter to the One who is the Lover of my soul. And you matter too for He knows your name too.
Monday, March 7, 2011
She Speaks 2011
Beautifully coifed hair. Perfectly painted lips enveloping toothy smiles. Women I've never even met greeting me as they walked passed. It made me VERY uneasy. The first time one of the women smiled at me, I turned to look over my shoulder to see to whom she was smiling only to realize no one was there. She was smiling at me. You see, in my line of work, if someone is smiling at me that means they've pulled one over on me, and I don't like that at all. It makes me want to dig deeper and find out what their smile or smirk means. By day, I investigate insurance fraud. I have for 14 years now, but God with His sense of humor has called me to minister to women. I get paid to make people cry, and here God gives me women who cry for no reason at all and at the drop of a hat! So two years ago when I attended my first She Speaks Conference, I was completely out of my element and paranoid. All these smiling women…what on earth?!
What possessed me to go the first go around? I was feeling completely inept and inadequate in the role God had called me to fill, and my longtime girlfriend Lee Merrill convinced me this is where I needed to go. She was right. Even in my uneasiness, I absorbed so much information, knowledge and treasured friendships I have to this day. I primarily focused on the Women's Ministry Track and was so encouraged. The tools I learned during the conference I utilized the next year leading the women's ministry at my church.
Last year, I was so blessed to go to the conference with my mom. I combined the women's ministry track and the speaker's track. The speaker evaluation groups made me want to come back again this year. My leader said my teaching was anointed, and I was overwhelmed. I really want an opportunity to develop this aspect of my ministry and the giftedness God has given me.
One of the many blessings I received last year was at Table 11. Women from around the country with different reasons for being at the conference coming together to share meals – they are my Table 11 Sisters. Since the conference last year, we have kept in touch through Facebook and Facebook's e-mail. They have prayed for me and encouraged me. I have prayed and encouraged them, and now, four of us are meeting in a couple of weeks for a mini-reunion in my hometown. We are so excited to see one another in person.
You know the funny thing is last year, I was one of those smiling ladies who was greeting people as I passed them. And while I may not have had beautifully coifed hair, I was becoming more aware that I was seeing more of these women's inner beauty. I desire an opportunity to continue growing and becoming a better equipped leader, speaker and writer, and this scholarship will be my opportunity to attend.
If your desire is to write, speak or lead, I would highly encourage you to check out Proverbs 31 Ministry's She Speaks Conference. For more information, please check Lysa TerKeurst's blog http://lysaterkeurst.com/2011/03/she-speaks-scholarship-contest-2011. There is also information about the scholarship contest for which I am applying.
Keep Digging,
Kristy
Is Digging Deeper Using Imagination
What a POWERFUL story! Did you go through each verse from Acts 16:16 through the end of the chapter? Did you journal down the who, what, when, where, why? Did anything prompt you to search out more information? Did a term make you dig deeper into its meaning?
In small group Sunday morning, we dissected each verse looking at it as if it was the first time we had ever laid eyes on it. Then we went through it again using our imagination.
In some verses I put myself in the shoes of a spectator, someone in the crowd. I imagine myself being somewhere like a revival when I get distracted by one person. Being ADHD, this is really nothing new, but this girl gets a lot of attention from everyone around us. This same girl is persistent showing up day after day repeating the same thing over and over again. She is yelling truth, but I see that it is causing concern to the teacher, and he rebukes the spirit within the girl. The change is instant. It’s the kind of thing that makes the hair on your arm stand up on end, goose bumps.
I’m still in the crowd as they seize Paul and Silus, take them before the magistrate on some trumped up charge. I know that Paul and Silas have been beaten and wrongfully accused, but the tension of the crowd is thick, and they are demanding justice. Part of me is fearful because I don’t like crowds. I’m clostrophic, and the crowd is getting riotous.
Then I imagine I’m in the Roman prison. There is minimal to no light penetrating the dark. I smell rotting flesh, probably urine. I hear rats that come out to nibble on those who are confined. This is the existence day and night. There is moaning and wailing from those who have recently been flogged, beaten or mutilated, but tonight…tonight is different. In the still of the night, I think I’m hallucinating because I hear music. I hear someone singing, no make that two people singing songs of praise and worship. I can’t see the, but I heard the rumors about them. They were flogged earlier today and are bound in an inner cell under high security – not sure what they’ve done, why they’re here or why they need heightened security, but the singing is coming from their direction. (What song would you be singing if you were sitting in this condition and under these circumstances? I’d want to sing “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.”)
Then it happened. It shook me to my very soul…an earthquake unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was so violent it rattled the doors of the cells opened. I heard it even knocked the chains off of the two fellows in that center cell. It jarred me so much I feared for my life. I couldn’t run. I didn’t know what to do, and just as the jailer was about to take his life, a voice from the inner cell told him we were all still safely in our cells. The jailer brought his light, and it shown brightly in my face. If I thought I was panic-stricken, he had me beat. He was white as a ghost. He shut the cells again, and then I heard talking. I heard them talking about a Savior.
This is such an intense story, but so often we glaze right over it because we’ve read it so many times. We think we know what to expect.
When I reread this passage of Scripture as if it were a love letter from God to me, I ask Him to show me what He wants me to glean from studying this passage, from meditating on it, and from rereading it. For me, God points out that Paul and Silas were doing His work. They were doing exactly what He led them to do, what He equipped them to do and what He empowered them to do. My question then becomes, “Then why was their teaching derailed? What’s the point? They were winning people for Christ and educating the body of Christ – all good things for the kingdom. And yet, God allowed them to be yanked from what they were doing, be wrongfully imprisoned and for what? A DIVINE APPOINTMENT.
Sometimes He removes of us from what we know to put us in a most uncomfortable place to grow us and because if He didn’t allow us to get to this uncomfortable place we would have never voluntarily gone. Thereby, we would miss out on a DIVINE APPOINTMENT.
I’ve been beaten up, bruised, battered in ministry and in the world. I’ve also been perfectly happy serving God when He has removed me from a situation to put me in another. Sitting in the dark (literally or figuratively), Paul and Silas sang songs of praise. People were listening. People they didn’t know. People were watching. As a result of being put into a most uncomfortable position, Paul and Silas made their DIVINE APPOINTMENT, and a jailer and his complete household were saved.
Next time I’m beaten, battered and in the dark, I pray that I can sing and look for that DIVINE APPOINTMENT. Here's to digging deeper!
YOUR FAITHWORK FOR THE WEEK: John 2:1-11 -- Pray. Read the Scripture through in its entirety. Read through again and journal the answers to questions for every verse. Read it in a different translation. Check out terms. Use your imagination.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Knows There Is Power in a Good Story
When I was a little girl and I would go in public with my daddy whether it was to church or the grocery store or wherever, I never had the fear of being left. I always knew where my daddy was. You see, my daddy is sanguine by nature, and when two or more are gathered in his presence, there he has an audience…and he is “on.” I always knew where daddy was because there was a crowd around him or the volume was louder where daddy was. I have heard his stories for YEARS, and I still crack up laughing every time. They never get old to me.
Some of my favorite stories are of the stupid stunts daddy would do to try to impress the girls at college. On more than one occasion when he was at the gym at Northwestern he would attempt to do daring feats on a trampoline or some other gymnastic equipment, only to find that when he came too the girls had gone, and he had invariably done something to knock himself out.
Last time we dug deeper in the Word of God, I asked you to read it like it was the first time you have ever read it and to ask questions who, what, when, where, and why. If we read His Word as if it is the first time, every time I guarantee His Word and the stories it contains will never get old to you either, and remember to start with a time of prayer.
This week we are going to look at Acts 16:16 through the end of the chapter. Please take time to read through this and practice what you’ve learned so far. Read it from several translations. Does a term remind you of another Scripture or story in the Bible? Check it out. Do the work. Write it in your journal.
Now that you’ve got the basic done, let’s read it remembering God’s Word is His love letter to you. It’s personal. Read it using your imagination – use your senses. What would you have seen? What would you have felt if you were Paul and Silas, the jailer, the other prisoners, the girl with the spirit? What would you have heard? Tasted? Sensed? What is impressed on you the most? What does God want you to personally get out of this Scripture for you to use today, this week in your life?
Then I want you to write down a version of this story that you can use to minister to someone who has been in jail. I want you to write down a version of this story to minister to someone who has been beaten and battered by the world.
Stories are powerful. They have a way of teaching a point without preaching at someone. I remember most if not all my daddy’s stories. I’ve heard them over and over, but he adds to them from time to time or leaves things out. I’m still captivated.
Let the Word of God captivate your heart, your mind and your imagination.
Some of my favorite stories are of the stupid stunts daddy would do to try to impress the girls at college. On more than one occasion when he was at the gym at Northwestern he would attempt to do daring feats on a trampoline or some other gymnastic equipment, only to find that when he came too the girls had gone, and he had invariably done something to knock himself out.
Last time we dug deeper in the Word of God, I asked you to read it like it was the first time you have ever read it and to ask questions who, what, when, where, and why. If we read His Word as if it is the first time, every time I guarantee His Word and the stories it contains will never get old to you either, and remember to start with a time of prayer.
This week we are going to look at Acts 16:16 through the end of the chapter. Please take time to read through this and practice what you’ve learned so far. Read it from several translations. Does a term remind you of another Scripture or story in the Bible? Check it out. Do the work. Write it in your journal.
Now that you’ve got the basic done, let’s read it remembering God’s Word is His love letter to you. It’s personal. Read it using your imagination – use your senses. What would you have seen? What would you have felt if you were Paul and Silas, the jailer, the other prisoners, the girl with the spirit? What would you have heard? Tasted? Sensed? What is impressed on you the most? What does God want you to personally get out of this Scripture for you to use today, this week in your life?
Then I want you to write down a version of this story that you can use to minister to someone who has been in jail. I want you to write down a version of this story to minister to someone who has been beaten and battered by the world.
Stories are powerful. They have a way of teaching a point without preaching at someone. I remember most if not all my daddy’s stories. I’ve heard them over and over, but he adds to them from time to time or leaves things out. I’m still captivated.
Let the Word of God captivate your heart, your mind and your imagination.
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