It's Time

Awareness requires action.

Those three words have stuck to me like glue. Recently I became aware of something ugly and horrific. It's something I knew very little about and yet it's happening in my own city. Over the past couple of months, God has been opening the doors that would lead me out of my comfort zone and into the world of human trafficking.

I can no longer sit in my comfy home as if this problem will resolve itself. There are too many women who need to hear that they are loved and that freedom can be a reality in their life no matter what they've been told. They need love, pure and perfect love. Redeeming love from the Savior Himself.

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Pure and Simple~Pride

"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." Matthew 6:1


I question myself from time to time about whether or not I am being prideful and often pray that God will reveal any pride in me that I might be unaware of. I try to live my life according to His will and His ways and I know pride is not an attribute that pleases Him. After all, it was pride that got Satan thrown out of heaven. Satan had quite the ego. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying God is going to throw His children out of heaven because of their pride or swelled head, but He will hold us accountable.

Most of the time I think I walk in sincere humility if only because I know from where I've come and how God has been faithful in redeeming me; saving me from a pit of despair. My hearts desire is to glorify God in my work and my everyday life, so when I found myself face to face with a hefty dose of pride, I was taken aback. 

God is in the business of refining and pruning so it's no surprise that He would want to make me aware of my sin, but He revealed it to me in an unusual way. It took me a little while to realize that it was indeed pride I was dealing with. Pride snuck in when I wasn't looking. You see, when others around me were being acknowledged for all their accomplishments and I was left out, well, let's just say I was upset, disappointed and hurt. 

I rebelled against God. I stopped my daily devotional, even prayed less. I was grumpy towards God and my family. I was miserable. Soon, the divine pursuit began. A few days passed by and God began to soften my heart as only He can do. 

I was looking for comfort and He led me to a new Bible study by Priscilla Shirer called SEED. Here's what caught my eye and my attention: 

If you feel unnoticed, unappreciated, and overlooked, just lift up your eyes, and your gaze will fall on the eyes of the Holy One. He is watching every opportunity you've grasped, every gift you've offered, every undisclosed detail you've set straight. He has taken note and promises a reward - one that surpasses mere human attention and applause -  the only reward worth receiving anyway.

I thought my eyes were focused on Him. How did this happen? Had I really fallen into the pride trap? It wasn't obvious and could have gone undetected had the "incident" not occurred that brought it to the surface. It came in the back door, uninvited. Thankfully, God exposed it for what it was. Pure and simple - P.R.I.D.E.  I was looking for human praise and didn't even know it until it wasn't there.

It's hard to admit this happened but I believe we all have times in our lives that we can share with other believers, times that we've struggled and needed a divine intervention. Times that we have seen God at work. You never know when it may help someone else. Honesty and transparency can be valuable assets on this journey of faith we are traveling. 

Storms of Life

Getting through life's storms are hard, painful and in some case simply unbearable. Having seen the destruction caused by last weeks tornados in Pleasant Grove makes me appreciate life as I know it today. I have what I need most; my family and my home and I have a Savior who loves me dearly. 

God does not cause bad things to happen but He does use every situation to bring people closer to Himself and to one another. I have seen firsthand the outpouring of love and kindness in so many ways this past week. God is with us, He provides for our every need and He wants us to depend on Him completely. In the midst of all the chaos and confusion this past week, God has been there. God does not change. We do.

Embrace

I am absolutely convinced that nothing – nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable – absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way Jesus our Master has embraced us.

                                                                                                                                --Romans 8:39 (MSG)

…the way Jesus our Master has embraced us…

I have fed on this verse for over a month now, returning to the truth within it to feed me almost every single day.  After living through the last two years of what I affectionately refer to as grown up problems, I’ve read this verse in order to breathe some days.  Life collects weight as we get older, doesn’t it?  Paul knew that, too, and he knew we would need to be reminded that Jesus’ love isn’t negotiable.  As I read this verse this morning, I was reminded of what it means to be ‘embraced’ by Christ when I thought of my child and my love for my child. 

As I got my -not-so-baby- baby ready for her first day of school last year, I prepared to present her to her new class.  I picked out the perfect outfit, made the perfect breakfast, strapped on her pink sparkling backpack and excitedly got her together.  I knew I wouldn’t be with her all day so I fussed over every detail of her day so that she didn’t have to.  As we walked through the hall to her classroom, I pulled a little piece of hair out of her eyes, wiped milk from the side of her mouth, and dusted any last crumbs off of her outfit.  When we reached the door, I knelt down, turned her face to mine, pulled her close and enfolded her in a tight hug.  In that embrace, I whispered how I loved her in her ear.  I wanted my touch to convey to her that she is mine, and that I will always love her no matter what the outcome of her day.  Without saying much of anything, I wanted to reassure her that everything would be all right.  I hoped that my fragrance would linger on her skin and that she would gain confidence if she got nervous or scared in knowing she was mine.   I poured my heart into her with that embrace and silently prayed for her joy, peace and safety.  Plainly put, I offered her everything I had to offer in that embrace.  After I let her go, I went to talk to her teacher and made sure I knew the details of Clare’s morning, and that they knew where I could be reached if there was any need to call me.  Through this memory of this morning, I remember what it felt like to embrace my child.

Ladies…Jesus fusses over us.  He prepares us to be presented to God. No matter where you meet him or what shape you’re in when you do meet him each day, he touches up our soul, wipes away the stain of sin from our hearts, and embraces us in preparation to meet God.  With his full embrace, he reassures us that he will always love us no matter what.  His fragrance, the Holy Spirit, lingers over us for us to know that we are his; therefore, we can have confidence that he prepares our day so that we do not have to worry that any detail was neglected or unknown to him.  Accepting Christ as our Savior literally dresses us up spiritually so that Jesus can present us as flawless to God.  These are not sweet, sentimental words.  These are our truths as his children!

Today, if you are mired in grown up problems, look to our Lord Jesus.  Envision yourself as his child.  Remind yourself that he is fussing over you in preparation for whatever comes your way today and every day.  Feel him wiping you clean from your sins – every one of them, even the deep, dark secret ones that only you and he know about.   Smell the fragrance of our Savior on your skin and know that absolutely nothing can get between us and him, meaning nothing can ever take God’s love away from us.  In a world full of broken promises, this is one promise we can count on forever. 

Legacy

Have you thought about your legacy lately? Not many people like to think about their death and what comes afterward, but the truth is, we will all leave a legacy when we die our physical death. The good news is, we have a choice as to what that legacy looks like and whether it will have positive effects on our friends and loved ones when we're gone. The choices we make today and all the days that follow will have a lasting impact on future generations.

But, legacy is also important now, not just after we're gone. The world is watching how we live our lives. As we submit ourselves to the authority of the Holy Spirit we can rest in the fact that our lives will be a reflection of Jesus Christ. We have supernatural power flowing through us, making decisions for us. The Holy Spirit can convict us of our sin and set us on the right path again. The world needs to know there is Someone who loves us despite how many times we've messed up. We shouldn't keep this truth to ourselves.

We can live a godly legacy today that will encourage others as they make the narrow journey with Christ Jesus. Is it always easy? Not always. Is it satisfying? Most of the time. It means making decisions based on who Jesus is and not necessarily blending in with the world around us. That's what the word "holy" means; being set apart for God, sacred. It does NOT mean being perfect individuals nor does it mean we will have perfect lives without pain and suffering.

We are God's creatures, created in His image and therefore He knows better than we do what our needs are and what will bring us into closer fellowship with Him. Do you trust Him in all areas of your life? He knows that life is hard sometimes and is ready to reassure us through a friend, His Word or perhaps a rainbow. He pursues us gently and lovingly never turning away or leaving us without hope. He is serious about the covenant made thousands of years ago with Abraham.

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”                              Genesis 9:16

Spring is for refreshing

Our Women's Retreat is just a few weeks away and as I was searching God's Word for a passage to use here's the nugget that I found:

Let's do our best
   to know the LORD.
   His coming is as certain
   as the morning sun;
   he will refresh us like rain
   renewing the earth
   in the springtime. Hosea 6:3 CEV

Not only does God refresh the earth with rain so the spring plants can begin to grow, but He refreshes us
with His mercy, grace, forgiveness and love. How well we know God is determined by how faithfully we seek Him. Need some refreshing? Seek God and he will renew your heart and your mind.

Praise Alert

Today I found out that a specific prayer we had prayed for in my Monday morning prayer group just yesterday had been answered. We've actually had many prayers answered over the last 2 years. There's just no greater feeling than when you know without a doubt that God heard and responded to your prayers.

It occurred to me though that we don't always acknowledge (especially in public) "God listened and answered my prayer!" I wish we could be more open and give God the glory He so deserves. How cool would it be if we posted "Praise Alerts" here on our blog each time God responded to one of our prayers? 

Keeping a prayer journal is a great way to go back months and even years later to see how God answered prayers that we were unable to see or understand at the time. I believe God longs to hear our prayers and respond to them. His answers may not always be what we expect, so it helps to try and see things from His perspective. Have you had any "Praise Alerts" of your own lately?

                   

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.

Bend down and listen as I pray.  Psalm 17:6