Saw this today and I thought to myself, “My Frans must see this!!!!” . . . a new perspective on summer reading. . .
Category: journal
Five Minute Friday: Risk
I’m joining The Gypsy Mama over at lisajobaker.com for Five Minute Friday today, where Lisa-Jo invites bloggers to “write for five minutes without worrying about getting it right.” That’s right. I had five minutes to write about a topic she pre-selects, today it was “risk,” without over thinking, spell checking, correcting, re-reading, all of that stuff. yikes. So, I had up one post and I followed all the rules as I wrote it but then I had another thought so I scrapped the first, set my timer and wrote the post below. Here’s my first attempt, which turned out to be more like ten minute Friday since I scrapped the first try. :0/ Mercy, Frans. :0) Check out the post and then hop over to the site and see how some of the other bloggers are pondering and writing about risk.
START
We all knew that it was a healing service. And we had been told just the day before that we needed to “get our faith up” because if we wanted to see God do anything miraculous, it would require our faith, for His word does indeed say that without faith it is impossible to please God.
As I sat in my seat, I could only imagine what were the needs of the people gathered there around me. I knew that I was coming searching for healing for the broken places in my mind and in my heart but what were the other needs? Was there a lame man who would dare to trust God to give his legs back their mobility, right there for all of us to see? Was there a blind man? A bleeding woman? What would we see that night? Who would dare take the risk to trust Him? And is there really any risk when you are dealing with the things of the divine?
To my surprise, there were many. And yes, there was a man who was was not lame but he had a crippled walk. All throughout the service, I heard him and I watched Him. Sitting there, in his wheelchair, he worked to get his faith up. He came for something that night and the risk of going back home with it cost more than giving his whole self to God. Frans, he got up out of that chair, and out loud he called the devil a liar. And he walked across the floor. And He stared risk right in the face and said, “Lord, I trust you. Make me to walk.”
STOP
Oh For Shame . . .
I’ve been doing the Esther study written by my Fran, Beth Moore. ;0) In the week three video session, she says this:
“One of the most important parts of fulfilling your destiny will be your transparency.”
Now, I loves me some Beth Moore, but I was quite irritated when I heard her say this. In a room full of other women eager to hear the word of God, I wanted to shout, “Hey Siesta, mind your own business!” :0/ I was just so frustrated that the Lord would be using her to, once again, make me uncomfortable with the covering I had afforded myself adapted by and from shame. ugh.
Has anybody out there ever struggled with being ashamed of themselves other than me?
Those of you nodding your head yes, know the things that we do to try to make ourselves feel better and look better. But it never works. God is authentic and He came that we may have life and have it to the full (see John 10:10). Operating under illegitimate shame cannot work in tandem with His work for us to have an abundant life.
But hold on! Help is on the way!
There are two kinds of shame: legitimate shame and illegitimate shame.
“Legitimate shame is the same inner experience as biblical humbling. It is the recognition of our state as desperate and our response to our rebellious condition as deplorable, deserving condemnation and death. . . Legitimate shame, in other words, always leads to a sense of being lifted up by God to possess what is surprising, unnerving, and undeserved. . .Shame is experienced before the one I’ve entitled or given the right to judge me. Ultimately, that is the prerogative of God alone. To give that privilege–in essence, the opportunity to bestow or retract life–to anyone other than God is idolatry. This concept helps clarify further the difference between legitimate and illegitimate shame.“~Dr. Dan B. Allender
If you have sinned, repent, receive God’s forgiveness, and move toward Him. Do not take direction from our great ancestors, Adam and Eve, who sought cover through fig leaves and hid from Him (Genesis 3:7-8). Satan knows what he’s doing. When he can convince you to walk around with a lowered head, feeling less than who God says you are, and living beneath what God has for you, not operating in your destiny nor getting any closer to it, he’s won.
We serve such a loving God. Even after Adam and Eve sinned, God was there to correct and deal with the sin but He was also there to provide. He got rid of those pitiful fig leaves and “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)” Every attempt we make to act independently of God will render us pitiful. Whatever your fig leaves are, drop ’em. Let Him clothe you in His love.
Photo found on Google, from http://rockthenations.deviantart.com/art/sadness-64267947
Anything?
Saw this today in my email from (in)courage. Got me thinking . . .
Jennie Allen was also featured on Life Today with James and Betty Robison today. Today she spoke about her bible study Stuck and she had some very relevant insights.
Today was the first that I had heard of Jennie Allen but her current project, Anything, really spoke to me and I thought that you may enjoy it too.
Risky prayer to pray, “God, I’ll do anything. I’ll give you anything . . . even the very thing of which I am most afraid.”
Or is it?
Are you desperate enough for God to pray that prayer?
Hi Frans!!
It’s been a long time. I shouldn’t have left you, without a . . . :0)(couldn’t figure out something cool to finish off Eric B. and Rakim’s masterpiece to make it my own . . .)
Last week I did not post a word. AlL. WeEk. LoNg. I was running around like a sugared up child preparing to host a bridal shower for a dear friend of mine. Her wedding is July 8, just a couple of weeks away and I’m pretty excited about going to Charleston, SC to celebrate with her (and the fact that Huni and I will be parlaying that wedding weekend into an anniversary excursion adds a splash of giddiness to the pie!!)
Everything at the shower was great but ole Pammie-Pam is still in class, taking life lessons on time management sooooo . . . the fact that I did not post a word last week, should tell you how I scored on that last test. :0/
BUT! I love to write and I love the practice that I get here and I love that I have a few faithful readers who actually enjoy reading my musings and ponderings. I pray that the Lord is being glorified with every word.
So. Tomorrow is Wednesday and we’ll be in the word with Beth (Beth Moore, that is. I just like her so much that I feel like we’re on a first name basis :0)) but I wanted to end this post with a piece of a scripture she’s teaching on:
12 Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
13 He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.
14 The Lord confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them. (Psalm 25:12-14, NIV)
May this particular word be life for someone, right now.
Oh Be Careful Little Mouths What You Say . . .
Recently I started to feel strong negative feelings about someone who I dearly love and is very close to me. I didn’t understand where the feelings were coming from or altogether what was going on because there had been no distinct event occur to trigger such a staunch and growing disdain. I went from being excited to share company with this person every time I got the chance, to dreading our next encounter days before it would even come to pass.
So, I started to explore what was going on with me. I talked to Huni about it and told him how I was feeling. He, being just as baffled as I was by the sudden onslaught of negativity, was very concerned and discouraged. He worried about me and what was going on in my often troubled mind that would make me feel the way I was feeling. So he listened. And he prayed.
Weeks passed, months, but with each moment, I confessed the way that I was feeling. I talked about it with Huni when it would come up in me, and I fully felt all that was going on in my mind, giving it flesh with my words. I had something of a trinity moment as I spun myself out into three; my thoughts, myself and me, and we sent this mysterious presence out to live among people, representing us and allowed it to become the force by which we interpreted the world. From one simple thought, I created a living, breathing, form that I took with me everywhere I went and I greeted it, cared for it, confirmed and addressed it every time I noticed it. The more I talked about it, the bigger it grew. The more I nurtured it with, “I just don’t like her.” “But did you hear the way that was said?” “What do you think was meant by that?” “I can tell that she can feel it too.” “She made me feel so terrible when . . .” “She doesn’t like me just as much as I don’t like her” and soon that baby thought was fully grown, with a mind of its own, no longer controlled by my thoughts and actions but controlling my thoughts and actions by its mere existence. I had talked myself into a mess. I left no room to reverse the way I felt or consider another viewpoint because of all of that talking and processing.
Ever been there?
I’m in no way suggesting that we shouldn’t decompress, explore, vent!!! Lord knows, we need to vent. We need to purge and get the gook out of us, so that it doesn’t fester and blister sore hurting us and others around us. But be careful how you do it and your motivation behind it. What would have been better for me to do with all that I was feeling, is to speak it, vent it, YES!! and then cover it with prayer and scripture. These two elements together have a way of exposing what’s truth and what’s lies. And I can truly say, with my 20/20 hindsight vision, that what was I was feeling was a LIE!!! (thank you, Rey. you were right. it was a LIE!!!!–and no, for all of you inquiring minds, she isn’t the one I’m referring to in this post!)
Satan is so crafty and he uses us against ourselves more than we realize. Of course, we give him lots of material to work with, which is all the more reason for us to abandon our way of coping and existing and have our minds and hearts renewed and refreshed daily by the Father.
Woooooo! It’s crazy out here Frans. But take heart!
Loves me some William Matthews (thanks Huni.) And this song flows well with what Beth is talking about in her series about Loving Kindness (because it takes a whole lotta heart and strength to be kind in a mean world) and what I’m speaking about here in this post which is a bit of a transparent view of some of my mental struggles. There is much more to come, but in the meantime, take a listen to my Fran (not really, but in my mind we’re Frans) William Matthews.
“In death by love. . .He wears the scars of our freedom . . .In His name all our fears are swept away, He never fails, So take heart . . .All our failure and all our fear, God our love . . .He has overcome!!!!
If any of you have ever struggled with your mind, I’m praying you’ll experience Him through worship with this song.
xoxo
photo found on google, linked to naturalremedyfordepression.org
Accountability
I have two little girls and they are sweeeeeeeeeeet and sooooooo funny.
Izzie, my oldest, is often off doing her own thing and she engages her little sister, Ava (affectionately known as VaVa) when she wants to. :0) She loves her little sister and she always wants her around, but sometimes she doesn’t act like it.
Izzie has a habit of exploring parts of the house that VaVa is not allowed to entertain. One of those places is the stairs.
Izzie has enough skill and stamina to play on the stairs, within reason, but Va, not so much. She gives us a scare every time she goes near the stairs because she is apt to fall and we don’t want her to get hurt. She enjoys being on the stairs but she could be happily playing, giving no thought to the stairs and then her sister will sashay her little self over there and it’s like kingdom come. Oh the stairs! My favorite place! And it begins.
It’s the same with the kitchen cabinets. Iz takes a peek in and the Va is like oh, yeah, what’s in there anyway? Let’s explore! Iz takes to my blinds and Va is there, the dutiful supporting lady, ready to do whatever it is that they are trying to do as they rattle the wooden-like slats against the doors and windows. Even though she’s only two, we try to impress upon Iz the importance of being a good leader and setting a good example for Av because she’s watching Izzie and wants to do everything that Izzie does. Iz doesn’t quite get it, but she’s trying.
It’s funny how accountability can work that way. It seems that most often we think about accountability in a very self-centered manner; how we can use our relationships to make us answerable for the way we live and help us accomplish goals and better ourselves. But, like it or not, we are always answerable to someone about something. Our behavior should compel people to the good and we have to be careful to live like we know this. God requires that we love one another and that we take care of each other. One way to do this is by the example we set for others to follow. It could mean freedom or bondage for someone. It’s such a big deal.
19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19 NIV)
Abide . . .
Pulling from one of my favorite authors/Christ followers/women of God today: Ann Voskamp.
Abide. Because it’s never about your capabilities. When you’re in covenant with Christ, it’s His responsibility to cover your cracks, to be all your competency and completeness. Inabilities, in Christ are made all sufficient, just right abilities. Abandon worries–wholly abide. ~Ann Voskamp
This woman is amazing. For reals. She is using her writing as ministry and has delivered me right into the hands of the Father where I can receive true and ultimate deliverance. Her writing is a ministry that gets result for God, drawing people to God. She has written a book called One Thousand Gifts, a book that I read from cover to cover and am looking forward to reading again and it is the inspiration for my “My One Thousand” page on this here little blog. She blogs at http://www.aholyexperience.com/ daily and if by chance you do not get a new post, the archives are enough to keep you for a few weeks! When I click away from that site, I am encouraged, challenged and excited. When you have a moment, drop by. It will not be a waste of time.
So. How do you abide? This week I am choosing to abide through scripture memory. Huni and I have a huge decision in front of us, a decision to follow Christ wholeheartedly with true abandon in a way that we have never done before. While I know that there is no way that we can turn and look the other way, it is still quite a decision to face because with it comes all of the ways that I am still challenged in the level of trust I have in God and how much I believe Him, not just believe in Him, but actually believe Him. So I’m abiding by meditating on Scripture. This one:
“Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs. (Jonah 2:8 NIV)
This verse may not strike your fancy but in my space of abiding, every time I look at it (I have it taped to my microwave because I spend most of my day in the kitchen) I’m stilled and my mind is checked and renewed and I move deeper into that trust place. And when the hum of the day provides the soundtrack to my busy-ness and eases my mind back into self-reliance and self-trust, I walk past that verse again and again my mind has to submit to the truth of the word of God, another opportunity to believe Him. Another chance to ditch my comfort idol and thrust myself into the will of God knowing that what He offers is so much greater than this pithy comfort I cling onto. And bit by bit, this HUGE, CrAzY idea is becoming more and more right and necessary.
So. How do you abide?
Mommy Goodness!
A big, fat, hearty Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers of the world!!!! :0) No matter how you are called upon daily to serve as a mom, it’s hard work being us, for reals and it is my sincere pleasure to wish you a happy day today and also to pray prayers of strength, love, courage, and deep relationship with God through Christ Jesus as you walk this walk of selflessness and service. As glorious and as sweet as days like today can be, I have learned that you’ll need Him every step of the way!
I have had a great day so far. I was greeted by mother’s day wishes starting around 6ish. Phone calls and texts galore! Ok. People. Thank you, but for reals??!!?? That early in the morn??!! I’m a mom! I needs my sleep!! :0) joking. . . kinda . . . ;0)
My Huni’s alarm slapped my ears at 6:30, like it does relentlessly morning after morning and so resigning that I wouldn’t be sleeping in on this Mother’s Day, I hopped on my laptop and found some wonderfully encouraging words for any mama’s soul in my inbox and on the Gypsy Mama’s site.
I love (in)courage and receive emails from the site fresh and hot to my inbox daily. This one: http://www.incourage.me/2012/05/what-we-wish-we-could-tell-you-mamas.html was waiting for me this morning and was a wonderful way to start my Mother’s Day, thinking of all moms, not just those like me. So good. Please do check it out. Guaranteed blessings there.
The Gypsy Mama offered up something different but it was just. what. I. needed. For reals. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand there’s a giveaway!! For free!! Check it out: http://thegypsymama.com/2012/05/and-then-i-broke-up-with-myself-six-years-ago/
Went to church service this morning. I love the body of believers that we worship with here. Really, truly, our lives have been changed in ways that we could never have imagined ever since our first Sunday worshiping there. And today was no different. Love, love, love it when my pastor’s wife speaks. She speaks truth and spoke it this morning like always. However just before she did, our worship leader Pastor Jon Owens and his wife Kelley shared a bit of themselves with us. I do not know them personally, but I really wish I did. Especially after this. They have an amazing testimony and have been used by God to help inspire some movement in our lives without even knowing it. Oh, this video . . . it hints to none of that. Just how amazingly talented and . . . fun they are. How can I describe this . . . .hmmmm . . . I don’t even know. You know what, just watch it. You’ll never be the same . . . :0)
So, for the rest of the day I will eat and rest. A dear friend has made plans to drop by later. I expect we’ll laugh and talk the evening away.
I asked for a book called Mother Letters as a gift for today.
I cannot wait to dig in. Check it out for yourself or gift it to someone else. Find out more here: http://motherletters.com/ebook/
Now, for my mama: I love you mommy. I know that a great part of who I am, God used your hands and heart to mold. I miss you so much. I wish I could see your face everyday and be closer to you, to take care of you and nurture you into your destiny the way that you did with me. But I trust God with you because before you were mine, you were so sweetly and securely His. May He ever love you and use you until He calls you. You’ve been a great mother–no matter the outcome of me and my sister’s lives. Now I get to have you as my friend. Thank you for being willing to stick around as my friend. In my absence, I send you my heart, my love, and this gap-toothed smile that you so generously shared with me.
I love you mommy!!!!
xoxoxoxoxoxo!!
Wednesdays with Beth: The Law of Kindness pt 2
Chuckled to myself about those “fights” I have with people in my mind. I prepare or replay the whole conversation and all the things I’d say to get somebody right, “Aunt Esther style” . . . giving little thought to how, most often, I’m so wrong. . .
Check it out: http://lifetoday.org/video/the-law-of-kindness-part-2
Photo taken from google, jameslogancourier.org
pamelluce.com 