Be You

Just be yourself. 

How many times we hear it! But it's so hard to be myself! After all, who am I, really? 

Being yourself requires that you know who you are. To be yourself, you must figure out who you are and then embrace that person. It is finding an identity and owning it. But where do you find that identity? It could be your job. Maybe your identity is Wife and Mother. Maybe it's Single and Loving It. Maybe it's what you wear, or what you drive, or the stuff you're involved in. We can get our identities from just about anywhere. 

But should we?

Where should we get our identities? Two words: Jesus Christ. He has given us our identity as Children of God. Who am I? I am God"s child. Yes, I may be a teacher, an aunt and a lot of other things, but my  first identity-the only one that matters- is Child of God. 

Our society can try to label me. What I choose to do with that label is my choice. For many years, I let them label me. I tried to fit into a certain box. I would look at myself in the mirror and cringe because society had labeled me Fat. I would look at my life and cringe because society had labeled me Unsuccessful. I would look at my dating history and cringe because society had labeled me Unloveable. 

Then something changed. God changed me. He showed me my true identity. I was His and He loved me no matter how Fat, Unsuccessful, and Unlovable I felt. I wasn't meant to fit into society's stupid little narrow minded boxes. I was created in His image to enjoy my life in Him. I was free to be the me He created me to be. 

So I stopped giving a crap. I wasn't model thin. So what? I love food. I'm not going to starve myself just to look like the girls on TV. That's dumb. Sure, I don't have a degree in anything and I've jumped from job to job with long periods of unemployment in between. Whatever. I have a job now and I love it and I didn't need some expensive degree to get it. And yeah, I've never had a boyfriend. Oh well. At least I've never had my heart broken! Besides, there are more important things on life than having a man in my life. 

Once I freed myself of all those stupid labels, I found out a whole lot about myself:

I love color. I never embraced that about myself before. Color rocks and I look good in all kinds of colors. Bright colors. 

I hate clothing sets. How boring! I wear whatever I want whenever I feel like it. One day, I might be retro, and the next day I might be boho. I don't have a "look" and I don't really worry about if my clothes "go" together. The way I wear them, they do. 

I have a slightly charismatic worship style. I like clapping, dancing and raising my hands. Yes, I wear deodorant when I go to church. 

My weight is really not that important to me. I like to be active and I try to stay healthy. Being Jessica Alba is unhealthy and ridiculous. I would rather enjoy my life. 

I could go on, but I won't. The point is, you and I are God's Children and any other boxes people try to put you in and labels they put on you don't matter. God loves you and thinks you're something special. That's why He sent Jesus. So stop worrying about how you fit in with everybody else. Be unique! Be yourself!

Shake us up, Lord! 

Money Troubles

I was raised to be wise with my money. I've never been in debt, and I have always had money saved away in case of an emergency. I try not to buy stuff I don't absolutely need. Actually, it is almost painful to spend money at all. I try to be good with the resources God has given to me. I've never lived hand to mouth. I am blessed to have a steady job that pays enough so I don't have to do that. 

But in all honesty, I'm a little stingy when it comes to trusting God financially. I know He is capable of providing for my every need. I've never gone hungry. It's just so hard to give up the fact that I like money. 

I know I'm not the only one out there either. America is obsessed with the stuff. It's all about making money, spending money, and getting others to spend their money. Our culture is a slave to money. 

It is so hard to be a Christian and not focus on money. It is around every corner, trying to trap us. "You need me! I can do so much for you!" We worry and obess about our finances. Should I do this or that? I don't know if that is a wise decision to make with my money! Worry, worry worry! 

But Jesus told us not to.

"Therefore i tell you, do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, the clothes you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" Matthew 6:25

Before we continue, let's go back. The verses starts with "therefore" so we need to find out why. 

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where niether moths nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19-21

We often don't put these two passages together when we read. In fact, in most Bibles, the translators or whoever broke them up. But if you read them together, it actually makes sense because Jesus uses a couple of little illustrations. 

"Your eye is the lamp to your body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your body will be full of darkness. If then, the light in you is darkness, how great the darkness!" 

Matthew 6:22-23

Huh? What does this have to do with treasures in heaven and not worrying about money? Well, Jesus then goes on to say that you can't serve two masters. Still not tracking? 

"You cannot serve God and money." 

 You use your  eyes to show you where to walk. You focus on stuff with your eyes. If you focus on the right things, you will see clearly and not stumble. If you can't see, it is so much harder to get around! You have to hear and feel your way along. What Jesus is saying is that if you are focused on the treasures of this world, you will miss the point: Eternity. 

Therefore, don't worry about the little things like food, clothes, and housing. Look at even the most helpless thing of nature like birds and flowers. They don't have bank accounts and pantries. Still, they have everything they need! And we, who are created in God's image, aren't we more valuable to God than birds and flowers? So why are we obsessing about our needs. God will supply all of me. Instead "seek first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness. Then all these things [food, water, clothing] will be added to you" 

That goes against everything our culture says. It tells us to worry about our future. Think ahead to what you want to do and how much money you want to make. Go to college, get up to your ears in student loans-loans by the way, that won't be paid off for a long time. Pursue a career that will give you the life you want. It's all about the status on the social ladder. Do you look like you make a lot of money? Do you have a nice house and a nice car? Can you afford to go on vacation to expensive places? Money, money money. 

How many big decisions do you make based on money? Think about it. Are you letting money get in the way of e life that God has for you? If He has a plan for you, follow it. Don't worry about the money. Choose to trust God and not money. Focus on the Kingdom-not money. Let your life be ruled by what God wants you to do instead of what money will allow you to do. I'm not saying to be stupid with money, just don't let in run your life. Let Christ truly be the center of your life.

Shake us up, Lord! 

Today

Today, I choose trust.

Today,I choose to trust God. 

Today, I choose God's word over my own. 

Today, I will put one foot in front of the other.

Today, I will hold on.

Tomorrow, I may slip.

Tomorrow, I may put one foot behind the other.

Tomorrow, I may choose my word over God's.

Tomorrow, I may trust me.

Tomorrow, I may choose faithlessness.

But today, I choose trust because He has made everything beautiful in its time. 

Shake us up, Lord!

Heart

Good works. 

What do you think of when you see those words? What are good works? 

For some, they are a way to get to heaven. For others, they are a way of keeping up appearances. For Christians, though, they are what we do. 

But where is that line between bringing God glory and bringing us glory? 

We know that good works don't save us (Isaiah 53:6, Eph 5:8-9). We also know that good works are a fruit of faith (James 2:17). But somehow we make good works a part of our sanctification. 

I grew up around and in the legalistic community of Christians. There was always this emphasis on doing good, looking just so, acting in this or that way, and separating ourselves from the evil in the world. Sounds good, right? Wrong. I was all about what we were doing to be "Good Christians" and became less about what Christ was doing in our lives to make us into His image. All of this was being motivated out of a self-centered, greatest-in-God's-kingdom heart. We had lost our reason-Jesus Christ. We had the good works. We didn't have the heart. 

Revelation 3:1-6 speaks to the church in Sardis about their good works. They had a reputation of being alive because of their works, when in fact they were dead. They had the appearance of lividity, but it was just the makeup of good works. "Wake up and strengthen what remains and what is about to die for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God." Not complete. Just as faith without works is dead, works without heart are incomplete. They are hollow. You can do all the right thing, say all the right things, and look like all the right things, but if you are doing it so that people will think well of you, you're doing it wrong. 

Our good works  should point to THE good work-Christ and Him crucified.  This isn't just for the legalists. Any good work you do should be for the glory of God. Don't do it so that everyone will say, "Wow! They're really dedicated!" Instead, do it because you love Jesus and you want to serve Him in any way you can. 

Maybe that means you do all those things that no one sees. Or maybe it means staying humble in the lime light. Whatever it is, let it point to Jesus. 

Shake us up, Lord! 

Respect

What does it mean to respect?

Webster defines respect as a high or special regard to someone or something. Respect for your elders and those in a leadership position over you. That is one way of looking at it.

Respect has come to mean more than esteem or reverence. We talk a lot about being respectful of our equals in school. Not bullying is a form of respect. Seeing someone as a person and not a punching bag is a kind of esteem. Maybe you don't put them on a pedestal, but you don't look down on them or discount their opinions.

Respect is seeing someone as an equal. Respect is seeing someone as valid.

You see yourself as important. You see yourself as valid. Your respect yourself in some way or other. So why not respect others?

Maybe it's because you get your validity from putting people down. When you get the chance to see yourself as higher than someone, you feel better about yourself. I know you don't do it consciously. But deep down inside there is that attitude. If you can be right and they can be wrong, your life is a little less dreary.

Look at 1 Tim. 2:1-4. Paul says to make supplications and thanksgivings for ALL PEOPLE, not just your friends and the people you respect. Not only that but Paul takes it a step further. "For kings, and all who are in high positions". Now don't start getting technical with me. When he says kings, that includes-dare I say it- our president. Yep. Paul says to pray and give thanksgivings for our dear old president.

I don't know about you, but I don't particularly love our president. I'm not political, really but I am not a big fan of the decisions he's made lately. Now I know a lot of people (dear friends of mine) who are very political. I was raised around people who believed in being active in the government . I got a little wrapped up in it myself for a time. Anymore all I do is vote and then roll my eyes every time our president does something I don't agree with.

But that's not what Paul told Timothy and the believers to do. He said to be thankful for these people in high places. There is always a higher up we won't be a fan of. Keep in mind Paul was writing to a group of people under Roman rule. Don't think for a second that they had an easier job of respecting the rulers of their day. They lived in a corrupt society. Many of the people in high positions were persecuting the Christians Paul was writing to.

Paul didn't say we had to agree with them. He just said to pray and be thankful. Why? "So that we might a peaceful and quiet life, Godly and dignified in every way. This is good and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior who desires that all be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth."

After all, is it really so important that we be right and they be wrong? Look at your higher ups through God's eyes. He wants them to be saved. They're lost. They need what you have. Who are you to think of yourself as better than them? Do really think you are more deserving of eternal life than they are? So what if they are messing up? Isn't that just a symptom of the fact that they need Jesus? God wants us to live in peace with others. Respect. Respect them enough to wish them the same grace shown to you. God has put them over you for a reason. If nothing else do it for God's name sake. Respect them enough to put aside you differences and honor them. Submit to those in authority over you.

I get that you have your opinions. Do you think that they are more valid that the president's? He is a smart person and didn't come by his views randomly. We need to be the ones setting the example of submission and respect. Not agreement. You don't have to agree with everything he does. Just respect. That's all.

Shake us up, Lord!

Knickers in a Knot

I'm sure that by now you have heard about the new line of Victoria's Secret for preteens, "Bright Young Things". A lot of parents are pretty fired up about it. And I get it. I'm tired of living in a culture that tells me that I'm fat. I'm tired of it telling me that I'm not worth something unless I'm hot, sexy and have a man in my life. I am an independent woman and it makes me sad that Victoria's Secret is preying on every preteen girl's insecurities of self image.

But is Victoria's Secret really the problem?

I've been reading a lot of blog posts about this new lingerie line. Most of them written by outraged parents and homeschoolers. And I mean no disrespect to the fired up cyber moms out there, but they're kind of missing the point. You can blame VS all you want but the truth of the matter is that Victoria's Secret is a company trying to make money. They aren't the problem. They're just cashing in on the problem. Or girls already have body image issues. Thanks to the entertainment and fashion worlds us girls are faced with stick thin models with Barbie like proportions. There are sixteen year olds playing thirteen year olds on tv and they are portrayed as sexually active. Our girls are told that you need to show a little zazazing in order to get the bling bling ring. It's our fallen culture not some woman's intimates store that is to blame for this.

And think on this: what kind of message are we sending to the world by getting our panties in a wad over this? We fly off the handle so easily at the slightest provocation! Why aren't we writing to companies like ABC Family about how they are influencing our girls? I mean if we're going to start complaining, we might as well complain to every company that is sending our kids a bad message. And while we're at it, why not pull our kids out of school so that they aren't influenced by their peers' bad values (no of fence to the homeschoolers out there. I'm not aiming this at you in particular. I'm just trying to make a point). In fact lets cut our kids off from the world in general so that they aren't influenced by the images of our culture!

This is the world we live in people. We can't overreact to protect our children. Yes it's sad but that's what happens when we reject God. Our culture has walked away from God and become filled with everything that is not of Him. The over sexualizing of women is just one part of a bigger, sadder picture entitled sin. So how's about we stop trying to fix the symptoms and focus on the problem. Let's focus on the people, not the panty stores. Disciple our children and train them up in the right way so that they don't feel the need to wear undies that say "Call Me".

Shake us up, Lord!

Need Him

I had a lightbulb moment today at church. We were singing "Lord I need You. Oh I need You. every hour I need You..." When it hit me: I need God. .i need Him desperately no matter what I'm going through.

When I have hard times, I'm faced with my need for Him. I not only know I need Him, I know exactly how much I need Him. It's in my face every day. But when I'm normal and happy and life is moving along pretty well, I don't remember that I still need Him. How often do we remember that we need God always? Honestly, I don't really mean those lyrics when life is going fine. I don't feel my need. That doesn't mean it's still there though.

Do we believe we need Him always? We don't think about our need for God when we aren't staring it in the face. Our pride tells God that He doesn't need to bother about us right now. We're good! No worries, God! Go help someone who needs You more.

But we do need Him. Every hour we need Him. Because we cannot stand on our own. Because He is our everything. Even when things are going well, He is our everything.

Shake us up, Lord!

His Plan

Valentine's day. The day that anybody who is not a loser celebrates not being a loser. It's the day that teachers bear through hyper kids, and trees are sacrificed for a cute picture and a dorky saying. The whole concept is kind of sickening really.

Of course I'm a cynical single person whose best chance at romance is one of those cheesy cards from a student. I get that when you're in love, you want to celebrate it. That's cool. You've got a special someone in your life that makes you feel special. It's sweet really. I mean if you are genuinely celebrating the fact that you love someone then yay for you. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. Really.

I guess it's the commercialism of the whole thing that drives me nuts. It's the pressure to do something. Will he send you flowers? Where is he taking you for dinner? Does he write you a card telling you how much he loves you? It's all a big Hallmark holiday. It's a chance for businesses to take advantage of a poor pressured soul and make him feel like he's a bad person if he doesn't give his girl anything less than diamonds and the world.

And then there's the singles. We like to refer to this day as Singles Awareness Day. It's a time that we can remember that we are ever so alone. No matter how secure in our singleness we are, this day sort of rubs it in our faces. We feel like losers. No one is interested in us. No one thinks that we're attractive. We're alone for a reason.

Most-and I stress most-of the time I'm happy being single. I don't mind spending my Friday nights alone. I kind of like having a quiet home to come home to after a stressful day at work. I like the lack of boy drama in my life. I'm content the way I am. God has me here for a reason. If he plans on bringing love into my life, He will do it in His time. He will do it when it is perfect. I trust that. I know that He has a plan for my life and that it is not only right, it is good. That's because He is good. He loves me and He wants what's best for me. I'm ok with that.

So why am i going off on the day of love when I'm content with my love life? Maybe to remind you that even if you have that special someone in your life already, it doesn't make you a non-loser. God brought you together. It has nothing to do with your lack of losership and everything to do with God. Maybe it's to remind the other singles that you aren't a loser because you don't have a significant other. God has a plan for you and it's perfect. Don't let our culture tell you that your worth is based upon a date on the 14th of February. Your worth is more predacious than sliver or gold. Your worth is Jesus.



Shake us up, Lord!

Pass it On

I am who I am. I am a sinner. A bad sinner. I was born a sinner.But I am a saved sinner. I was dead but now I am alive. This doesn't make me perfect. Far from it in fact. I am a work in progress. But God loves me just the way I am. Tattoos, piercings, the occasional bad word and all. I still sin, and God loves me anyway. Just the way I am.

We have an opportunity. An amazing opportunity to share this same love with the world. Let's do it. Not by trying to act perfect or like we have all the answers but by being honest. By being ourselves. By taking the time and praying for the courage to stop and say to someone. "God loves you, no strings attached. And He wants you to be saved." It's hard because so often we feel like sharing the Gospel will end in social suicide. If we tell someone they are sinful and need a Savior, it might make them not want to be our friend. But what is more important, having a friend or someone's eternal destiny? If you think of them as your friend, how much do you love them really if you don't want to share Jesus with them because you are afraid it will make you uncool? I mean, really.

It may be that by sharing the Gospel with someone you will be rejected by them. Being a Christian in a bold way may make you some enemies. But we still meed to do it. Jesus will give you the courage and the boldness to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done. Because you never know. Maybe that person won't reject you. Maybe they will accept what you have to say. Maybe they are secretly looking for Jesus and you don't know it. The point is, you still have to try.

Even if you don't see it now, you never know what seeds you will plant to be used to God's glory. The sower threw the seeds everywhere. He didn't look for the fertile soil and then carefully plant the seeds. The seeds fell everywhere and as a result, it fell on the fertile soil. If he had been too afraid of wasting seed that he didn't plant at all, he would have never gotten a crop.

It's not about us and our social comfort. It's about God and what He did and will do. It's about Jesus. always Jesus. If He loved you enough to save you, you should love someone enough to share that salvation with them.

Shake us up, Lord!