Why aren’t things happening my way and in my timing? Now seems like the perfect time? Have I been forgotten? I DON’T UNDERSTAND!!
Have you ever said these things to yourself, to someone else or maybe even God himself…?? I know I have; very recently in fact. I’ve even at times felt as though I'm not being heard at all, but in all reality God is saying…”Yep, got it. I heard you the first time you asked!” Haha! He knows and He cares about everything little part of us. When things just aren’t falling into place it’s hard to get your flesh and spirit on the same page; are they ever?! You know in your spirit what’s right; who’s really in control and that His way will far surpass yours, but that darn flesh and its emotions always seem to get in the way and it definitely takes the Holy Spirit’s guidance and peace to bring those emotions under the obedience of the Word of God. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Emotions are a funny thing. It still amazes me how frequently they come and go. So many times as Christians when we begin to feel those emotions that aren’t necessarily popular like; grief, anger, sadness, loneliness…etc, we begin to condemn ourselves, and the devil is right there ever so eager to assist in the condemnation. “Look at you! You’re supposed to be a Christian.” “Don’t you have any faith?!” “Where’s your trust in God?!” But you know what, being followers of Christ does not cancel out our humanity. We still experience all those crazy emotions that come with the twists and turns of life and the bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven….”
What sets us apart is the way we react to those emotions. Do you let the anger consume you or do you hand it over to God and embrace forgiveness? Do you fall into a deep depression because of grief and sadness or do you allow God to give you beauty for ashes? Experiencing those emotions is not wrong or a lack of faith, it’s what you do with them that matters.
There are things going on in my life right now that I do not understand one bit and I’ve been hashing things out with God, but by going to him with my hurts and fears I allow him to send his Holy Spirit to reassure and comfort me. God can handle our honesty, so tell him the truth about where you’re at. Besides, he already knows.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
The Beginning
This past weekend I was honored and blessed beyond words to be asked to share my story at a women's event in Wichita, KS.
The church I spoke at is VERY special to me because it's the first church I ever attended. I was saved in this church at the age of five. So it was a surreal experience to say the least.
I went prepared with three pages of notes and a powerpoint but asked God ever so fervently to speak through me. Not for one second did I want Tressa to get in the way.
This opportunity came to me as confirmation of many things the Lord had laid on my heart and I went as a willing vessel ready to be used by Him.
God allowed me to endure what I did for a purpose. I believe that purpose is to bring Him glory by sharing my story wherever He opens a door. My heart is to see hope restored in those who have none. I want everyone to experience what hope in Christ is really about. God sacrificed his only Son so that we could be free from all the bondage the world wants to put us in and here's the kicker ladies and gents.... IT'S FREE! His love, His grace, His hope is a free gift! All you have to do is accept it!
I believe and hope that this is just the beginning of my wonderful journey in spreading this message....
Lord, you lead, I'll follow!
THANK YOU FAMILY CHURCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY HEART!
The church I spoke at is VERY special to me because it's the first church I ever attended. I was saved in this church at the age of five. So it was a surreal experience to say the least.
I went prepared with three pages of notes and a powerpoint but asked God ever so fervently to speak through me. Not for one second did I want Tressa to get in the way.
This opportunity came to me as confirmation of many things the Lord had laid on my heart and I went as a willing vessel ready to be used by Him.
God allowed me to endure what I did for a purpose. I believe that purpose is to bring Him glory by sharing my story wherever He opens a door. My heart is to see hope restored in those who have none. I want everyone to experience what hope in Christ is really about. God sacrificed his only Son so that we could be free from all the bondage the world wants to put us in and here's the kicker ladies and gents.... IT'S FREE! His love, His grace, His hope is a free gift! All you have to do is accept it!
I believe and hope that this is just the beginning of my wonderful journey in spreading this message....
Lord, you lead, I'll follow!
THANK YOU FAMILY CHURCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY HEART!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Secret Blessings
When you’re in the thick of it you don’t see the purpose, plan or point of why things are happening the way they are, but it’s a beautiful thing when you come out on the other side, look back and see how God positioned things together like a perfect puzzle and what’s left is a priceless masterpiece.
I look back now on certain seasons in my life with such gratitude and clarity. I see how God went ahead of me and put everything right where it needed to be and asked me to be still and trust Him.
An example of this came to mind the other night when we were spending some time with our Catalyst Group.
While Averie was growing and developing at UAMS, someone anonymously donated a furnished apartment for me to stay in while living in Little Rock. It was such a blessing and a huge weight off our shoulders. I didn’t have to worry about living out of a suitcase, hotel costs, or any other factors that would cause even more anxiety. I lived in Little Rock Monday through Friday and usually would come home on the weekends. Casey came to visit when he could, but he had to work so we lived apart for close to four months. Now I know for some of you that’s nothing, but to us it was an eternity. Our marriage took a big hit.
My new home was nice. It was a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment. It was very spacious and would allow for guests who came to visit Averie a free place to stay. September came and Averie was doing well and I was settled into my Little Rock routine. Then one day I got a call from Casey and he proceeded to tell me he had broken his foot while on the job. Now this may sound horrible, but if he was going to break his foot I sure am glad he did it at work. Those were medical bills we did NOT need! Not only was his foot broken but he needed surgery to repair it. Are you kidding me?! My life had become a sick joke!
I checked in with Averie’s nurses at the hospital to ensure she was doing well and then made my trip home to Bentonville to be with Casey for his surgery. Everything went well and he was discharged with instructions to not put any weight on his foot whatsoever for a solid week. So that meant he was wheelchair bound and depended solely on me. I see clearly now how God gave me the grace and strength to do what I needed to do. I packed some of Casey’s stuff, loaded him in the car, and took him back to Little Rock with me.
When I first moved into the apartment I noticed it was more spacious than most apartments, but I didn’t think anything of it until I wheeled my temporarily handicapped husband through the door. THIS APARTMENT WAS HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE! Wide doorways, a sink he could roll right up to, a roll in shower, this place had it all and made getting around so much easier for him. I was and still am blown away by God’s provision! Although he was there recovering from an injury, I had my husband with me 24/7 for a solid week. That was a good week full of funny memories, sweet moments and much needed time together. I can still see me pushing him up the steep hill to the hospital entrance. We laughed every time because I had to get a running start to make it. I cherish that week because it came at a time when I needed him. I needed a surge of momentum to get me through. God had gone ahead and laid it all out just for us. I’m thankful for those secret blessings; those moments that may disguise themselves as additional hardships but when you look back they are a gift from above.
Look back on your journey and recognize God’s hand on your life. I know you will be able to pinpoint those secret blessings. He’s positioned and planned our life perfectly, now lets just set back and trust Him. What do ya say?
I look back now on certain seasons in my life with such gratitude and clarity. I see how God went ahead of me and put everything right where it needed to be and asked me to be still and trust Him.
An example of this came to mind the other night when we were spending some time with our Catalyst Group.
While Averie was growing and developing at UAMS, someone anonymously donated a furnished apartment for me to stay in while living in Little Rock. It was such a blessing and a huge weight off our shoulders. I didn’t have to worry about living out of a suitcase, hotel costs, or any other factors that would cause even more anxiety. I lived in Little Rock Monday through Friday and usually would come home on the weekends. Casey came to visit when he could, but he had to work so we lived apart for close to four months. Now I know for some of you that’s nothing, but to us it was an eternity. Our marriage took a big hit.
My new home was nice. It was a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment. It was very spacious and would allow for guests who came to visit Averie a free place to stay. September came and Averie was doing well and I was settled into my Little Rock routine. Then one day I got a call from Casey and he proceeded to tell me he had broken his foot while on the job. Now this may sound horrible, but if he was going to break his foot I sure am glad he did it at work. Those were medical bills we did NOT need! Not only was his foot broken but he needed surgery to repair it. Are you kidding me?! My life had become a sick joke!
I checked in with Averie’s nurses at the hospital to ensure she was doing well and then made my trip home to Bentonville to be with Casey for his surgery. Everything went well and he was discharged with instructions to not put any weight on his foot whatsoever for a solid week. So that meant he was wheelchair bound and depended solely on me. I see clearly now how God gave me the grace and strength to do what I needed to do. I packed some of Casey’s stuff, loaded him in the car, and took him back to Little Rock with me.
When I first moved into the apartment I noticed it was more spacious than most apartments, but I didn’t think anything of it until I wheeled my temporarily handicapped husband through the door. THIS APARTMENT WAS HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE! Wide doorways, a sink he could roll right up to, a roll in shower, this place had it all and made getting around so much easier for him. I was and still am blown away by God’s provision! Although he was there recovering from an injury, I had my husband with me 24/7 for a solid week. That was a good week full of funny memories, sweet moments and much needed time together. I can still see me pushing him up the steep hill to the hospital entrance. We laughed every time because I had to get a running start to make it. I cherish that week because it came at a time when I needed him. I needed a surge of momentum to get me through. God had gone ahead and laid it all out just for us. I’m thankful for those secret blessings; those moments that may disguise themselves as additional hardships but when you look back they are a gift from above.
Look back on your journey and recognize God’s hand on your life. I know you will be able to pinpoint those secret blessings. He’s positioned and planned our life perfectly, now lets just set back and trust Him. What do ya say?
Monday, August 20, 2012
A Tribute To Her
So my little sister is getting married in October and of course I am her matron of honor. UGH! I have to say ‘MATRON’ of honor since I’m married. It makes me sound so old!
Anyway, I’ve got this "matron" of honor speech that I’m writing and when I stop to think about it it’s such a daunting task. I mean how can I wrap up a lifetimes’ worth of memories and feelings into one speech?! There’s just no way! So it really got me thinking about my sissy, our relationship and life together.
Tayla Dawn Baker and I are 3 ½ years apart in age and although we may look the same we are very different, but that’s the beauty of our relationship. Where she is scared, I am brave and where I am unsure she is fearless. We complement each other very well. What is it about this sisterly bond? Its hard to put into words.
I never liked sleeping alone growing up, and even though we had our own rooms, more times than not I would find myself in her bed. Sometimes she would try to kick me out, but I would just keep coming back. HA! There was just something comforting about being together. Once my parents got us bunk beds and we had these sleeping bags that were pink with frogs whose eyes glowed in the dark. Now that I think about it, they were kind of creepy. We liked them anyway.
You wouldn’t believe it now, but Tay used to be a HUGE tomboy! She didn’t care about getting dressed up or painting her nails and her hair was always in a ponytail. When we were really little she used to run away crying when my mom would say it was time to get ready for church. She did NOT want to wear a dress. I loved them of course because I was little Miss Priss and even better, they were matching dresses!! One time dad was recording me singing on the fireplace with my hairbrush microphone and low and behold here comes Tayla running right in front of the camera naked as a jay bird stealing the show!
Tay was always outside! She climbed trees, collected rocks and weird things like curly fries from Arby’s. (That’s not a joke. The really cool ones she kept. My mom found some in her dresser drawer once.)
Tayla doesn’t even know how funny she is, she has that dry sense of humor that sends you into a belly laugh and the whole time she’s looking at you like, “What’s so funny?!” Some of the funniest memories as a kid involve Tay somehow. Now there are times when Asher will give me a look and I’ll say; “You look exactly like your Tee Tee!”
I love looking back with such fondness on my childhood with her and now that we are both adults, I’m excited about what’s ahead. She’s getting married and I will be so honored to stand beside her on that day. There have been some definite rocky patches but one thing has always remained…her and I; together! We’ve survived a lot and have only grown closer because of it. My sister is the best and I cannot imagine my life without her. I LOVE YOU TAYBAY!
Anyway, I’ve got this "matron" of honor speech that I’m writing and when I stop to think about it it’s such a daunting task. I mean how can I wrap up a lifetimes’ worth of memories and feelings into one speech?! There’s just no way! So it really got me thinking about my sissy, our relationship and life together.
Tayla Dawn Baker and I are 3 ½ years apart in age and although we may look the same we are very different, but that’s the beauty of our relationship. Where she is scared, I am brave and where I am unsure she is fearless. We complement each other very well. What is it about this sisterly bond? Its hard to put into words.
I never liked sleeping alone growing up, and even though we had our own rooms, more times than not I would find myself in her bed. Sometimes she would try to kick me out, but I would just keep coming back. HA! There was just something comforting about being together. Once my parents got us bunk beds and we had these sleeping bags that were pink with frogs whose eyes glowed in the dark. Now that I think about it, they were kind of creepy. We liked them anyway.
You wouldn’t believe it now, but Tay used to be a HUGE tomboy! She didn’t care about getting dressed up or painting her nails and her hair was always in a ponytail. When we were really little she used to run away crying when my mom would say it was time to get ready for church. She did NOT want to wear a dress. I loved them of course because I was little Miss Priss and even better, they were matching dresses!! One time dad was recording me singing on the fireplace with my hairbrush microphone and low and behold here comes Tayla running right in front of the camera naked as a jay bird stealing the show!
Tay was always outside! She climbed trees, collected rocks and weird things like curly fries from Arby’s. (That’s not a joke. The really cool ones she kept. My mom found some in her dresser drawer once.)
Tayla doesn’t even know how funny she is, she has that dry sense of humor that sends you into a belly laugh and the whole time she’s looking at you like, “What’s so funny?!” Some of the funniest memories as a kid involve Tay somehow. Now there are times when Asher will give me a look and I’ll say; “You look exactly like your Tee Tee!”
I love looking back with such fondness on my childhood with her and now that we are both adults, I’m excited about what’s ahead. She’s getting married and I will be so honored to stand beside her on that day. There have been some definite rocky patches but one thing has always remained…her and I; together! We’ve survived a lot and have only grown closer because of it. My sister is the best and I cannot imagine my life without her. I LOVE YOU TAYBAY!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Who's In Control?
I believe with all my heart that our gracious and loving God has a wonderful sense of humor.
If you know me at all, you know that I am a planner. I like things to be orderly, scheduled and I really DO NOT like it when unexpected circumstances are thrown at me at the last minute that causes my carefully laid plans to change. It’s horrible I know and I’m getting better. Seeing the way my life has unfolded, you would think I would have learned by now that I have control of absolutely nothing. I only think I do. I can just imagine God looking at me trying to control and schedule my life down to the smallest detail, shaking his head and chuckling under his breath. So many times I know he’s said, “Oh my sweet Tressa, you only think that’s how it’s gonna go.”
Time and time again I see how patience and allowing God’s plan to unfold is so much more fulfilling than anything I could dream up, but yet I still find myself striving to control the situation and make things happen as I think they should. Goodness, that’s exhausting! Anyone else out there like this? Why do we do this when the alternative brings such peace, rest and the desires of our heart?! For me, fear is one of the big reasons! I fear that if I don’t make these plans and ensure that it all unfolds accordingly then WHO WILL?! I fear the unknown. I like to know what’s coming. The thought of my future just floating around out there and me just flying by the seat of my pants literally makes it hard for me to breathe. But you know what, that’s not how it is at all. God has our lives in the palm of his hand. He sees every second of everyday and he’s planned it all. He knows how life is going to go for us and he has a purpose for everything. The most beautiful part is that it’s a GOOD purpose. All good things come from him. James 1:17; “Every good and perfect gift is from above…”
Think about it. God, the Creator of everything, has a specific and very detailed life laid out just for YOU! Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I think his plan just might be better than ours. This is where intimately knowing Him and his Holy Spirit is crucial because He will order your steps and send his Holy Spirit to speak and tell you when to move or when to be still. So again, this all goes back to KNOWING HIM! That’s our job!
It’s so liberating to know that I don’t have to figure this whole thing out and make things happen. I just have to know Christ and follow His lead. Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God…”
I leave you with a scripture my friend sent me; Proverbs 16:9 MSG, “We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.”
If you know me at all, you know that I am a planner. I like things to be orderly, scheduled and I really DO NOT like it when unexpected circumstances are thrown at me at the last minute that causes my carefully laid plans to change. It’s horrible I know and I’m getting better. Seeing the way my life has unfolded, you would think I would have learned by now that I have control of absolutely nothing. I only think I do. I can just imagine God looking at me trying to control and schedule my life down to the smallest detail, shaking his head and chuckling under his breath. So many times I know he’s said, “Oh my sweet Tressa, you only think that’s how it’s gonna go.”
Time and time again I see how patience and allowing God’s plan to unfold is so much more fulfilling than anything I could dream up, but yet I still find myself striving to control the situation and make things happen as I think they should. Goodness, that’s exhausting! Anyone else out there like this? Why do we do this when the alternative brings such peace, rest and the desires of our heart?! For me, fear is one of the big reasons! I fear that if I don’t make these plans and ensure that it all unfolds accordingly then WHO WILL?! I fear the unknown. I like to know what’s coming. The thought of my future just floating around out there and me just flying by the seat of my pants literally makes it hard for me to breathe. But you know what, that’s not how it is at all. God has our lives in the palm of his hand. He sees every second of everyday and he’s planned it all. He knows how life is going to go for us and he has a purpose for everything. The most beautiful part is that it’s a GOOD purpose. All good things come from him. James 1:17; “Every good and perfect gift is from above…”
Think about it. God, the Creator of everything, has a specific and very detailed life laid out just for YOU! Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I think his plan just might be better than ours. This is where intimately knowing Him and his Holy Spirit is crucial because He will order your steps and send his Holy Spirit to speak and tell you when to move or when to be still. So again, this all goes back to KNOWING HIM! That’s our job!
It’s so liberating to know that I don’t have to figure this whole thing out and make things happen. I just have to know Christ and follow His lead. Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God…”
I leave you with a scripture my friend sent me; Proverbs 16:9 MSG, “We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.”
Monday, July 30, 2012
Take A Closer Look
Ladies, this post is for you. I love how God orchestrates those divine appointments when there’s no denying that He’s at work. Last year, during the planning stages of the W.O.W. Ladies Retreat, the Lord laid something on my heart and I shared it with Monica Sweeney, the director of W.O.W. at the time. I told her I felt that it was a subject that needed to be addressed as it went along with the theme for the retreat. She quickly replied and said, “I felt that I needed to ask you to speak and that was my confirmation.” So she asked me to speak at the retreat. The thought of speaking in public normally does not scare me, but in this case I was terrified. I knew God had given me a word and I felt a huge responsibility to deliver this message of Love and Unity.
I immediately got on my knees and surrendered this opportunity to Him. I did not want one second of this to be about me. I did not want one word out of my mouth to be about me or anything else but what God wanted to say. I submitted myself to him as a humble servant so willing to be his mouthpiece in this instance. When you do that, you better just hold on. When you ask God to use you, you better be ready for the ride of your life. Ask and you shall receive… right? His words and ideas began to flow from my pen to the paper. The title He gave me was “Crisis in Comparing…”
Everyone at one time or another plays the comparison game, but this is for us girls. Both consciously and subconsciously we compare ourselves to each other. It’s just what we do! It’s been said that we compare the worst of ourselves to the best of others. Why in the world would we do that?
Example, you arrive at a friend’s house; her house is clean and very well decorated. She is dressed to impress and looking beautiful. Her kids are playing quietly upstairs and her husband is tending to her every need. What’s your first instinct? To compare?
"My house could never look like this, I don't have any style."
"Wish I could look like that in that dress."
"Maybe she can teach my kids to manners."
“Her husband is so sweet; my husband never opens the door for me, and he would NEVER do the dishes!"
Then pride jumps in and needs to be justified:
"Well she just thinks she's better than me."
"Look at everything she's trying to throw in my face."
"Must be nice to not have any problems."
"He must be hiding something if he's treating her that well."
Insert wedge in friendship here; resentment and bitterness begin to creep in and you find yourself disconnecting and shutting down. The enemy puts the blame back on us so he can isolate us, get us in a vulnerable state and then begin to fill our minds with all kinds of lies. There’s something powerful about women united and the enemy knows that and that’s why he’s out to distort and destroy true Godly friendship. He's going to try to convince you that you are alone and the last thing you need to do is get close to anyone. He will tell you that everyone else has it all together and if you reach out you will only be judged. Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." We are better together and NO ONE has it all together. We need to realize we are NEVER alone. There is so much FREEDOM and POWER in that! I can't tell you how many times I've been so afraid to open up to my closest friends about something because I felt like I was alone and that no one else could possibly understand and then God in his gentle way will send someone to me and show me that I'm never alone. And even if there's no one physically in this life that "understands" or has gone through the same thing as you, HE HAS! Hebrews 2:18, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” He loves you and He understands! He’s been there! God created us deficient by design. He created us for relationship; for friendship. But Satan knows how hard we are on ourselves and He knows that if he can get us to turn on each other, then we'll never fulfill our true God given purpose. COMPARING IS A TOOL SATAN USES TO DIVIDE US! Once we start comparing ourselves and our lives to others; we begin making assumptions based on what we perceive. How crazy is that?! We think we have them all figured out based on what their wearing; who their setting with; how their house looks; or how their kids behave.
So how do we fight this crisis of comparing? First, you must live your life with awareness, not fear. We want the enemy to see us and go running in the opposite direction. Be aware that we do have an enemy who is out to steal, kill and destroy us. Second, when those thoughts and attacks start to creep in use your mouth! Speak out the truth. Recognize those lies and audibly replace them with words of truth. Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" Lastly, use the tools God has given you to wage war on the enemy. Ephesians 6:10-18; Put on the full armor of God.
John 13:34; “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
I’ve read this in a couple different settings and it makes me cry every time. Ladies, this is how God sees you. I pray that as you read this you will see yourself through HIS eyes.
Dear Women,
When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke them into being. When I created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils. But you woman, I fashioned after I breathed the breath of life into man because your nostrils are too delicate. I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you. Man was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with the creativity. From one bone I fashioned you. I chose the bone that protects his heart and his lungs and supports him, as you are meant to do. Around this one bone I shaped you. I modeled you. I created you perfectly and beautifully.
Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile. You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart.
Support the man as the rib cage supports the body. You were not taken from his feet, to be under him, nor were you taken from his head, to be above him. You were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to his side.
You are My perfect angel. You are My beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and My eyes fill when I see the virtues in your heart. Your eyes - don't change them. Your lips - how lovely when they part in prayer. Your nose, so perfect in form, your hands so gentle in touch. I've caressed your face in your deepest sleep; I've held your heart close to mine.
Of all that lives and breathes, you are the most like Me. Adam walked with Me in the cool of the day and yet he was lonely. He could not see Me or touch Me. He could only feel Me.
So everything I wanted Adam to share and experience with Me,I fashioned in you: My holiness, My strength, My purity, My love, My protection and support. You are special because you are the extension of Me.
Man represents My image, woman My emotions. Together you represent the totality of God. So man - treat woman well. Love her, respect her, for she is fragile. In hurting her, you hurt Me. What you do to her, you do to Me. In crushing her, you only damage your own heart, the heart of your Father, and the heart of her Father.
Woman, support man. In humility, show him the power of emotion I have given you. In gentle quietness show your strength. In love, show him that you are the rib that protects his inner self.
I immediately got on my knees and surrendered this opportunity to Him. I did not want one second of this to be about me. I did not want one word out of my mouth to be about me or anything else but what God wanted to say. I submitted myself to him as a humble servant so willing to be his mouthpiece in this instance. When you do that, you better just hold on. When you ask God to use you, you better be ready for the ride of your life. Ask and you shall receive… right? His words and ideas began to flow from my pen to the paper. The title He gave me was “Crisis in Comparing…”
Everyone at one time or another plays the comparison game, but this is for us girls. Both consciously and subconsciously we compare ourselves to each other. It’s just what we do! It’s been said that we compare the worst of ourselves to the best of others. Why in the world would we do that?
Example, you arrive at a friend’s house; her house is clean and very well decorated. She is dressed to impress and looking beautiful. Her kids are playing quietly upstairs and her husband is tending to her every need. What’s your first instinct? To compare?
"My house could never look like this, I don't have any style."
"Wish I could look like that in that dress."
"Maybe she can teach my kids to manners."
“Her husband is so sweet; my husband never opens the door for me, and he would NEVER do the dishes!"
Then pride jumps in and needs to be justified:
"Well she just thinks she's better than me."
"Look at everything she's trying to throw in my face."
"Must be nice to not have any problems."
"He must be hiding something if he's treating her that well."
Insert wedge in friendship here; resentment and bitterness begin to creep in and you find yourself disconnecting and shutting down. The enemy puts the blame back on us so he can isolate us, get us in a vulnerable state and then begin to fill our minds with all kinds of lies. There’s something powerful about women united and the enemy knows that and that’s why he’s out to distort and destroy true Godly friendship. He's going to try to convince you that you are alone and the last thing you need to do is get close to anyone. He will tell you that everyone else has it all together and if you reach out you will only be judged. Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." We are better together and NO ONE has it all together. We need to realize we are NEVER alone. There is so much FREEDOM and POWER in that! I can't tell you how many times I've been so afraid to open up to my closest friends about something because I felt like I was alone and that no one else could possibly understand and then God in his gentle way will send someone to me and show me that I'm never alone. And even if there's no one physically in this life that "understands" or has gone through the same thing as you, HE HAS! Hebrews 2:18, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” He loves you and He understands! He’s been there! God created us deficient by design. He created us for relationship; for friendship. But Satan knows how hard we are on ourselves and He knows that if he can get us to turn on each other, then we'll never fulfill our true God given purpose. COMPARING IS A TOOL SATAN USES TO DIVIDE US! Once we start comparing ourselves and our lives to others; we begin making assumptions based on what we perceive. How crazy is that?! We think we have them all figured out based on what their wearing; who their setting with; how their house looks; or how their kids behave.
So how do we fight this crisis of comparing? First, you must live your life with awareness, not fear. We want the enemy to see us and go running in the opposite direction. Be aware that we do have an enemy who is out to steal, kill and destroy us. Second, when those thoughts and attacks start to creep in use your mouth! Speak out the truth. Recognize those lies and audibly replace them with words of truth. Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" Lastly, use the tools God has given you to wage war on the enemy. Ephesians 6:10-18; Put on the full armor of God.
John 13:34; “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
I’ve read this in a couple different settings and it makes me cry every time. Ladies, this is how God sees you. I pray that as you read this you will see yourself through HIS eyes.
Dear Women,
When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke them into being. When I created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils. But you woman, I fashioned after I breathed the breath of life into man because your nostrils are too delicate. I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you. Man was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with the creativity. From one bone I fashioned you. I chose the bone that protects his heart and his lungs and supports him, as you are meant to do. Around this one bone I shaped you. I modeled you. I created you perfectly and beautifully.
Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile. You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart.
Support the man as the rib cage supports the body. You were not taken from his feet, to be under him, nor were you taken from his head, to be above him. You were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to his side.
You are My perfect angel. You are My beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and My eyes fill when I see the virtues in your heart. Your eyes - don't change them. Your lips - how lovely when they part in prayer. Your nose, so perfect in form, your hands so gentle in touch. I've caressed your face in your deepest sleep; I've held your heart close to mine.
Of all that lives and breathes, you are the most like Me. Adam walked with Me in the cool of the day and yet he was lonely. He could not see Me or touch Me. He could only feel Me.
So everything I wanted Adam to share and experience with Me,I fashioned in you: My holiness, My strength, My purity, My love, My protection and support. You are special because you are the extension of Me.
Man represents My image, woman My emotions. Together you represent the totality of God. So man - treat woman well. Love her, respect her, for she is fragile. In hurting her, you hurt Me. What you do to her, you do to Me. In crushing her, you only damage your own heart, the heart of your Father, and the heart of her Father.
Woman, support man. In humility, show him the power of emotion I have given you. In gentle quietness show your strength. In love, show him that you are the rib that protects his inner self.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Close The Door
The doctor had just finished telling us that Averie had passed away and I couldn’t even form words. I ran to the bathroom because I thought I was going to be sick. When I joined the others back in the consultation room my dad saw exactly what needed to be done and I believe with all my heart it set the tone for what was to come. He said, “Let’s take a moment and praise God.” So that’s just what we did. Everyone in that room began to pray and praise God; thanking Him for Who He is. You see, our circumstances at that moment did not change God. He was and always is worthy of our praise regardless of what’s going on in our lives. By going to the feet of our Savior at that very moment we closed the door to Satan and all his plans he was devising to destroy us.
James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” I’m not saying there weren’t bad days. There were days that were unbearable, but we made the choice in the very beginning to cover our grief with praise to our King and He honored that. Any bitterness, anger, or blame that tried to creep in was quickly extinguished by His love and protection. We submitted ourselves to Him; put God in his rightful place and he took care of us.
We are ALL children of the Most High King and He should always be the first place we go. For all you parents out there, is there a better feeling than your little one crawling up in your lap just to set and allow you to love on them? No, there’s not. What’s your reaction when they are hurt and run to you for comfort? I’m assuming you quickly scoop them up, kiss the boo-boo and reassure them with your love. Think about that and realize that’s exactly how our heavenly Father is. He longs for us to crawl up into His lap and allow Him to love us. When we go to Him with our hurts, we release Him to heal us and restore what’s been stolen.
As stated earlier, this also closes the door to the evil plans of the enemy. John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Satan wants nothing more than to use the tragedies of life to destroy us, but when we run to Jesus and seek His face the enemy has no choice but to flee. Those negative thoughts you battle in your mind, they aren’t from God. Take them captive and replace them with TRUTH; the absolute Truth that’s found in God’s Word. 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
As so beautifully put by Casting Crowns, PRAISE HIM IN THE STORM! He will lift you up, guide you and see you through…ALWAYS!
James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” I’m not saying there weren’t bad days. There were days that were unbearable, but we made the choice in the very beginning to cover our grief with praise to our King and He honored that. Any bitterness, anger, or blame that tried to creep in was quickly extinguished by His love and protection. We submitted ourselves to Him; put God in his rightful place and he took care of us.
We are ALL children of the Most High King and He should always be the first place we go. For all you parents out there, is there a better feeling than your little one crawling up in your lap just to set and allow you to love on them? No, there’s not. What’s your reaction when they are hurt and run to you for comfort? I’m assuming you quickly scoop them up, kiss the boo-boo and reassure them with your love. Think about that and realize that’s exactly how our heavenly Father is. He longs for us to crawl up into His lap and allow Him to love us. When we go to Him with our hurts, we release Him to heal us and restore what’s been stolen.
As stated earlier, this also closes the door to the evil plans of the enemy. John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Satan wants nothing more than to use the tragedies of life to destroy us, but when we run to Jesus and seek His face the enemy has no choice but to flee. Those negative thoughts you battle in your mind, they aren’t from God. Take them captive and replace them with TRUTH; the absolute Truth that’s found in God’s Word. 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
As so beautifully put by Casting Crowns, PRAISE HIM IN THE STORM! He will lift you up, guide you and see you through…ALWAYS!
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