Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Getting Back On Course
Daily Devotional - 7/18/12
In Touch Ministries
Dr. Charles Stanley
Getting Back on Course
Read: 2 Peter 3:17-18
No matter how far away from God you have drifted, you're always welcome back. That's the lesson from Jesus' parable about the prodigal son--the foolish boy who followed a pleasure-filled path to ruin before returning to his father and finding redemption (Luke 15:11-32). Perhaps ruin has not yet come to you, but you know that your heart has grown cool to the things of God. Whatever your drifting story, make this the day that you point yourself back to the Lord.
As with any sin, the first motion toward getting back on course is to acknowledge that you have slipped away from the Lord. Then you confess and repent, which is like turning your boat in the opposite direction and paddling toward God with all your strength. If you're wondering exactly how to do that, I suggest a strategy I use every morning. Before I step out of bed, I give myself to God by acknowledging, I surrender my entire life to You for this day. When something comes up that runs counter to His plan and I consider pursuing it, the Holy Spirit reminds me that I am not my own. Only God's way will do for me.
Every day we choose whether to row or drift. As for me, I choose to vigorously pursue God.
Peter gives a warning to be on guard against attitudes and ideologies that would carry you away from truth (2 Peter 3:17). Instead, choose to paddle your lifeboat toward the Lord by meditating on Scripture, praying, and living obediently. Practicing the spiritual disciplines keeps a heart warm toward God.
In Touch Ministries
Dr. Charles Stanley
Getting Back on Course
Read: 2 Peter 3:17-18
No matter how far away from God you have drifted, you're always welcome back. That's the lesson from Jesus' parable about the prodigal son--the foolish boy who followed a pleasure-filled path to ruin before returning to his father and finding redemption (Luke 15:11-32). Perhaps ruin has not yet come to you, but you know that your heart has grown cool to the things of God. Whatever your drifting story, make this the day that you point yourself back to the Lord.
As with any sin, the first motion toward getting back on course is to acknowledge that you have slipped away from the Lord. Then you confess and repent, which is like turning your boat in the opposite direction and paddling toward God with all your strength. If you're wondering exactly how to do that, I suggest a strategy I use every morning. Before I step out of bed, I give myself to God by acknowledging, I surrender my entire life to You for this day. When something comes up that runs counter to His plan and I consider pursuing it, the Holy Spirit reminds me that I am not my own. Only God's way will do for me.
Every day we choose whether to row or drift. As for me, I choose to vigorously pursue God.
Peter gives a warning to be on guard against attitudes and ideologies that would carry you away from truth (2 Peter 3:17). Instead, choose to paddle your lifeboat toward the Lord by meditating on Scripture, praying, and living obediently. Practicing the spiritual disciplines keeps a heart warm toward God.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
A Church Without Walls - Norfolk, VA
Stay tuned....off to Roc School of Urban Ministry in September, graduating in June w/a Bachelor's in Biblical Studies, with a Minor in Urban Ministry, then the Fox family is goin into the mission field in the Hampton Roads, VA area to plant and raise up this ministry alongside my little brother!!! Jimmy has a huge vision and the Lord has called us with him & lined things up in our lives in this season to prepare us for this. From my personal devotional time Thursday morning: The Lord will do a NEW thing, HERE on EARTH! Their leader will be ONE OF THEIR OWN!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Are You Saved?
April 18, 2012
Dr. Charles Stanley
In Touch Daily Devotion
The God Who Saves
Ephesians 2:8-9
Recently I was talking with a fellow about his spiritual life. When I asked, "Are you saved?" he answered, "No, but I'm working at it." When I pressed him, he explained that he was making some changes in his life. He had given up smoking and drinking, among other things. I knew that I should help him understand a few important principles, as his only guarantee so far was better health.
What this gentleman needed to realize was that what we do or what we give up for Jesus doesn't amount to much. The Lord isn't looking for people who change a few habits by sheer force of will; He's calling people to surrender themselves to Him. The only action God expects of a "seeker" is to believe in Jesus--that He is who He says, He will do what He says, He has the authority to forgive, and He will equip His people to live a godly life. Because of those convictions, a new Christian is empowered to turn away from his old life--in other words, to repent--and begin the process of becoming "a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17).
We don't evolve into a saved people by deleting old habits and instituting better religious ones; we are transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ when we believe in Him.
Since salvation isn't something we earn, no one can boast before God. All of our moral living, good deeds, and strenuous efforts to change bad habits amount to a pile of trash compared to the holiness of Jesus Christ (Isa. 64:6). Only His righteousness can cover our sins and make us right before the Father.
Dr. Charles Stanley
In Touch Daily Devotion
The God Who Saves
Ephesians 2:8-9
Recently I was talking with a fellow about his spiritual life. When I asked, "Are you saved?" he answered, "No, but I'm working at it." When I pressed him, he explained that he was making some changes in his life. He had given up smoking and drinking, among other things. I knew that I should help him understand a few important principles, as his only guarantee so far was better health.
What this gentleman needed to realize was that what we do or what we give up for Jesus doesn't amount to much. The Lord isn't looking for people who change a few habits by sheer force of will; He's calling people to surrender themselves to Him. The only action God expects of a "seeker" is to believe in Jesus--that He is who He says, He will do what He says, He has the authority to forgive, and He will equip His people to live a godly life. Because of those convictions, a new Christian is empowered to turn away from his old life--in other words, to repent--and begin the process of becoming "a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17).
We don't evolve into a saved people by deleting old habits and instituting better religious ones; we are transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ when we believe in Him.
Since salvation isn't something we earn, no one can boast before God. All of our moral living, good deeds, and strenuous efforts to change bad habits amount to a pile of trash compared to the holiness of Jesus Christ (Isa. 64:6). Only His righteousness can cover our sins and make us right before the Father.
A Church Without Walls: Ever Feel Like Skipping Church?
A Church Without Walls: Ever Feel Like Skipping Church?: Ever Feel Like Skipping Church? If you follow our blog you probably noticed that I was unable to go out to the streets with Jimmy last...
Monday, April 16, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
NEW!!!!!! Walking In Victory Kids Section!!!
Jesus loved the little children! This new section was something that the Lord laid on my heart a while ago and I am still seeking His vision for, but Lola Grace brought home something from church that I thought was cute enough to share to get us started in teaching our kids to Walk In Victory! Please feel free to utilize the things I post in this section from time to time for the purpose of training up your own children and any children you interact with! Sometimes it will be something that the parent or adult can use as a teaching tool and other times I'm hoping to share activities and activity pages that can be printed out for the kiddos to do on their own. I would love to eventually have a way to track Bible Verse Memorization and things like that! We'll see...... :) For now, I thought this worksheet was neat in how it took scripture and put it in a way children can understand. I'll try to post the coloring sheet later if I can figure out how to do it! :) But for now, you can share this message:
*The Bible is God's Word!
*Proverbs is a book in the Bible written by a very wise king - King Soloman!
*King Soloman wrote the book of Proverbs to help us and give us instructions for life in the protection and blessing of God!
*In Proverbs, King Soloman says:
*The Bible is God's Word!
*Proverbs is a book in the Bible written by a very wise king - King Soloman!
*King Soloman wrote the book of Proverbs to help us and give us instructions for life in the protection and blessing of God!
*In Proverbs, King Soloman says:
STOP!!
LOOK OUT!!
Don't Fall Into Satan's Traps!!
What you should do to stay out of danger:
*Always be home early in the evening even when you become a teenager.
*Dress right: Young men dress as young men. Young ladies dress like nice young ladies. Dress to please Jesus!!
*Young men and women - do not listen to anyone who tries to get you to do wrong!
*Sometimes wicked people act very nice, but that is just to get you to do wrong.
Don't Do It!!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Hillsong Live - Forever Reign
Something practical to help us Walk In Victory Over Insecurity today! We're gonna disect this topic but for now, may this song help you "Run To His Arms" as your source of security today!! As the song says, "Nothing compares to His embrace!"
Where The Battle Is Won
Dr. Charles Stanley
In Touch Ministries
Daily Devotional
April 5, 2012
Where the Battle Is Won
Matthew 26:36-56
If you want to experience victory in the conflicts you face, consider how Jesus fought and won His battles. The pivotal battle of His life was fought even before He arrived at the cross. Praying at Gethsemane, He wrestled with the knowledge that He would bear the terrible weight of sin and endure spiritual separation from the Father.
In His special place of prayer, Jesus got alone on His face before the Father and cried out. And when He left that garden, He walked out a victor over Satan, whose sway over mankind was about to be broken on the cross. Jesus would still drink the cup of suffering and separation, but He knew that in the end, He would triumph (Heb. 12:2). That's why He could face His opponents with courage and authority. When Jesus went to confront the arresting party, He was in full control of the situation, so much so that the Pharisees and soldiers "drew back and fell to the ground" (John 18:6). He allowed them to arrest Him, determined to do His Father's perfect will.
If you're in the habit of regularly spending time alone with God, you will come to know His heart and mind. Then, when you encounter major decisions with lifelong consequences, you'll be able to discern the guidance He offers through His Spirit.
When you fully surrender, you place the consequences of your decision into the hands of an all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God who holds the past, present, and future. Even when you face staggering trials, you can do so with courage and power that will glorify God and shame the Enemy.
In Touch Ministries
Daily Devotional
April 5, 2012
Where the Battle Is Won
Matthew 26:36-56
If you want to experience victory in the conflicts you face, consider how Jesus fought and won His battles. The pivotal battle of His life was fought even before He arrived at the cross. Praying at Gethsemane, He wrestled with the knowledge that He would bear the terrible weight of sin and endure spiritual separation from the Father.
In His special place of prayer, Jesus got alone on His face before the Father and cried out. And when He left that garden, He walked out a victor over Satan, whose sway over mankind was about to be broken on the cross. Jesus would still drink the cup of suffering and separation, but He knew that in the end, He would triumph (Heb. 12:2). That's why He could face His opponents with courage and authority. When Jesus went to confront the arresting party, He was in full control of the situation, so much so that the Pharisees and soldiers "drew back and fell to the ground" (John 18:6). He allowed them to arrest Him, determined to do His Father's perfect will.
If you're in the habit of regularly spending time alone with God, you will come to know His heart and mind. Then, when you encounter major decisions with lifelong consequences, you'll be able to discern the guidance He offers through His Spirit.
When you fully surrender, you place the consequences of your decision into the hands of an all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God who holds the past, present, and future. Even when you face staggering trials, you can do so with courage and power that will glorify God and shame the Enemy.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
So Long Insecurity, You've Been a Bad Friend To Us!
Do you know how there are seasons of life when there definitely seems to be a common theme of the various struggles you are experiencing? When you reflect on the daily nitty gritty, the burdens and trials great and small, your weaknesses, the thorn in your side sort of stuff, the "thing" that just keeps you weighed down and keeps you defeated, I would even venture to say, the sin struggle you just can't seem to beat, if you really digested all the battles you battle on a daily basis, would there be a common theme or title you would give them in any given season? Is anyone else out there with me?
Assuming there is, and assuming that if I struggle in a particular area, especially when it seems to be a common theme in every area of life I struggle with in a given season, I would venture to say, that God is not only allowing it for my own personal growth but also because there are others that battle a common war. Although transparency in sharing a personal weakness, is never easy, I believe the Lord has prompted me out of my comfort zone because what He wants to accomplish in me, He also wants to accomplish in YOU! He wants to set us all free and wants us to Walk In Victory and then come alongside others and show them how to do the same!
Ok, so who's ready to go on this journey of self-discovery with me on a quest for freedom and victory?! Are you ready? We're better together! None of us can do it alone! So will you join me? You will?! :) Awesome! Ok, let's link arms then, and head into battle as we enter the front lines of this warfare against our souls and the landmines of our minds!
I didn't even know how to label this particular battle until recently. Its not that I only started wrestling with it recently, in fact, as I reflect back on my journey called life, I would go out on a limb and say that I have struggled in this area most of my life as I know it. I just didn't recognize how each symptom contributes to the overall diagnosis until recently, as in probably over the past year or so, as I began dodging fiery darts from every side of this common war and was faced with a choice - I could continue living defeated, which was causing a whole host of other symptoms, I was frankly at my wits end with suffering, or I could engage in the battle and fight back in my quest for the abundant and victorious life Christ paid the ultimate penalty for me to have! As with any good fight, the more I have fought back, the harder the enemy has come at me because he has been challenged and I'd be totally lying if I said there have not been set-backs or that I have it conquered. To be honest, on this side of eternity, I don't know that it will be entirely conquered, but I do believe we can fight back and take back what the enemy has stolen and Walk In Victory to the finish line!
As I faced a vicious attack against my marriage and family last year, I had no choice but to fight back! There's one area I won't let the enemy have without a fight and that's my marriage and family! There's just something about those mama claws coming out and although he knows if he attacks the institution of marriage and family, he can wipe out an entire generation, he better know that when you threaten an overprotective mama bear who takes her role very seriously, he better come armed with some very serious ammunition - and that he did!
Now, I'm surely no Job! But I would go out on a limb and say that I just may be a distant cousin!! :) Just kidding! :) The devil began trying to claim me for destruction as a child but the Lord had a bigger plan! I'm sure he began his quest from the moment I was conceived in my mother's womb, but my first memory of the battle against my very life was at the tender age of 4, when a vicious dog attack SHOULD have claimed my tiny little life, however despite my face being mangled to hamburger meat, my neck shooting blood from a jugglers vein to the tune of in a matter of mere minutes the blood loss would have been significant enough to claim my life, the doctor's claiming my future for plastic surgery to even look "normal," guess what devil? I'm still standing, but by the grace of God, no plastic surgery and but for a scar that blends pretty well with my jaw and can be covered with a little bit of makeup, I think I look pretty "normal." My husband even tells me my scar is a little "sexy!" :) My rebellious teenage son even tells me it makes me look a little, "hardcore" which I guess amps up my coolarity factor - at least in his eyes! :) I should actually be totally offended by being compared to Scarface - as a matter of fact, son, you're grounded! :) But let me tell you the truth, I sure don't "feel" very "normal" or even pretty most days when I look in the mirror and this purple scar on the side of my face that extends all the way down my neck is ALL I see, let alone, as my husband would say, sexy! I mean, let's be honest, mess with the FACE, hence the beauty of a girl, and from a very young age, I began my battle with the affliction of - INSECURITY!!!
Yep, that's the battle, did you catch it?! Ugh! (Cringing)! Like, who wants to admit THAT weakness to the world?! But you know what? That's exactly what compels me to talk about it! The fact that NOBODY is talking about it! Let's face it, if you battle insecurity, you're likely too insecure to admit, let alone, tell anyone that you're insecure! :) Truthfully, though, as I began my journey to be secure about a year ago, I first had to figure out what it was exactly that I was struggling with because I didn't know it was called insecurity! As I began researching in my, "I've had it" moment all of the different symptoms I was experiencing, low self-esteem, jealousy, mistrust, depression, anxiety, overprotectiveness, constant fear and worry over everything, I mean everything, I was emotionally and physically exhausted, I found the common theme of my problems and it was called insecurity. At first I was like, "Well, that sounds a little more sophisticated than, I'm depressed, I have low self-esteem, I'm jealous, I don't trust anyone, etc.! I'm insecure, yes, that's it, that sounds like a classier version of my battle with sin!" :)
And so the Paralegal in me went to work and began researching, analyzing, writing memorandums of law, drafting pleadings, motions, and gathering all the facts and witnesses in the case of Insecurity v. Jennifer Fox! :) Let me tell you, when the devil's the Plaintiff waging war, and you are the Defendant fighting back and you're on trial for your very life in Victory, the Almighty Judge will prevail and it's a good thing, in this particular case, He is in favor of Victory!
So, a couple of years ago, I attended this satellite type conference at my church at the time called, "So Long Insecurity - You've Been a Bad Friend To Us," by Beth Moore. To be honest, at the time, I went just because it was a women's event at my church and I typically attended those sort of things, my girlfriends were going, and hey, my husband was gonna keep the kids for the day and this was gonna be my day out, so I wasn't gonna pass up that opportunity! :) Sure, I took a lot of good notes, a lot of what was spoken on encouraged me, I took a few nuggets of application away, and primarily did what I do every time I attend a Women's, Marriage, Parenting, or Homeschooling Conference - walked away saying what I usually walk away saying, "Well, I thought I was a good wife, mother, homeschooler, etc., until I was just informed of the "right" way to do things and now I realize, I'm really missing the mark!" It was something like this, "I didn't even know what insecurity was, I just attended this thing cuz it was for women, and now I feel, really, well, INSECURE!!" :)
To be honest, I moped around for a few days, wallowing in a sea of self pity, defeat, and INSECURITY and did what I always do after these types of conferences - filed my notes away and moved on with life, ATTEMPTING to apply what I learned but usually falling back on the good ole' reliable way I've always done things, until well, this season of attack on my marriage and family last year, and boy, did I race to the filing cabinet one day in a rude awakening!
So as I re-read my notes, I realized that Beth actually had published a book on this topic. So I asked my husband if we could put it in the budget to go spend $25 bucks on this book, assuring him that he would reap the rewards of my studying this topic! :) He drove me to the book store that day!! :) So of course, I go to the isle where those types of books should be and found precisely nothing! Please do not tell me I'm going to have to go to the customer service line in front of all those people and ask if I can order the book, "So Long INSECURITY!!!" How embarrassing! But I did what all desperate people do, I swallowed the pill of humility and asked. Of course the customer service person looks it up in the system which shows there should be 1 copy of the book in store and was more than willing to personally walk me to the section where there was 1 copy of the book left - of course, misplaced! Figures! :) Now that everyone around me knew I was INSECURE!!! :) Of course it's one of those Saturdays when you're just doing chores, running errands, and find absolutely NO need to dress in anything other than baggie sweatpants, your husbands oversized sweatshirt, hair thrown up in a big ole floppy bun on the very top of your head, no make-up, etc! :) So it's not like I felt like the most confident woman in the store as it was!! :) Where were my great big oversized, cover half my face sunglasses when I needed them?! Reaching to the top of my head where I usually "store" them, Ugh! left em on the dashboard in the vehicle! I was like, "God, this is so not even funny!" :)
So I go to the check-out! How embarrassing! The line seemed a mile long, it felt as if everyone was trying to read the cover of the book I was purchasing, so I flip it over so the ginormous letters spelling INSECURITY weren't showing on the front cover only to find the back cover reading the following:
"You're considering this book because you saw the word insecurity...and all your buried insecurities surfaced. You know you're insecure. So either you rushed to snatch the book up, not caring who saw, or you casually strolled over, hoping no one would see you as you slyly picked it up. You know you need help. (You're not alone.) Maybe you're okay for the most part...but there are those insecurities you could work on. Things could be better. You're wondering, Can I really say, "So long" to my insecurities? (Yes, you can.) Or maybe you're just curious. You're fine. You wonder what on earth there is for so many women to be insecure about. And has Beth Moore, of all people, struggled with insecurity? (Yes, she has.) Whoever you are, this book is for you, because you have it in you to be secure!!"
Ok, so there was absolutely NO WAY to put this book on the counter to pay for it without being mortified! No matter how I set it up there for the cashier to scan and bag, the front and back cover both had me busted! The only thing more embarrassing I can think of to hand her and have her bag in front of an entire line FULL of people is something like, "Help, I'm addicted to porn!" :) :) :)
Ok, in all seriousness, so, I survived the hardest part, or so I thought, purchasing the book. Then God calls me to announce to the world...."Soooooo, I'm insecure! Who wants to journey along with me to be secure?!" :) Well, come to think of it, it could be worse! I mean, He could call me to announce something like, "Help, I'm a Homeschooling Mother Of Four And I'm Addicted To Porn!" :) Now that would be embarrassing! Btw...I'm not addicted to porn!! :) It's just an illustration! Probably a bad one at that! Now don't go startin rumors! :) Just sayin... :)
So here's what my friend Beth Moore says in the front cover of her book, and so I relay to you:
Dear Friend,
We're insecure. You and me and every woman. (I, Jenn Fox will even add, it's not just women - men are insecure too)! Lately I've been realizing more and more that chronic insecurity is a cultural epidemic, but almost no one is talking about it! And it ticks me off (me too!)
We're insecure about everything from our looks to our worth as women, (and I would add, as men too) from our relationships to our futures, and everything in between. You name it, and we're probably insecure about it.
Let's be honest here. Insecurity makes us miserable. It cripples us. It makes fools of us. It makes us feel worthless. Insecurity has been a bad friend to us. The bottom line is that it's self-sabotage.
Girlfriend, (and I would add, guys), listen to me. Our insecurities are lying to us. It doesn't have to be this way. It's time to say, "So long!" to insecurity. How? First we have to understand it, and the good news is that insecurity is understandable. The even better news is that insecurity is curable.
It's time we girls (and guys) help each other out so we can be the best wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends that we can possibly be. (I, Jenn Fox would add to my guy readers - so you can be the best husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, and friends you can possibly be.) Let's have a chat, you and me, through these pages. I'd be honored if you'd join me on my quest for real, lasting, soul-deep security.
Beth (and Jenn)! :)
So for now, get your Paralegal on! Put your thinking cap on. Start reflecting, analyzing, jotting down, etc., some personal struggles. Could it be insecurity? How's that workin out for ya?! :) Then decide if you wanna join me next time as we delve into Chapter 1 together: "Mad Enough to Change!"
Assuming there is, and assuming that if I struggle in a particular area, especially when it seems to be a common theme in every area of life I struggle with in a given season, I would venture to say, that God is not only allowing it for my own personal growth but also because there are others that battle a common war. Although transparency in sharing a personal weakness, is never easy, I believe the Lord has prompted me out of my comfort zone because what He wants to accomplish in me, He also wants to accomplish in YOU! He wants to set us all free and wants us to Walk In Victory and then come alongside others and show them how to do the same!
Ok, so who's ready to go on this journey of self-discovery with me on a quest for freedom and victory?! Are you ready? We're better together! None of us can do it alone! So will you join me? You will?! :) Awesome! Ok, let's link arms then, and head into battle as we enter the front lines of this warfare against our souls and the landmines of our minds!
I didn't even know how to label this particular battle until recently. Its not that I only started wrestling with it recently, in fact, as I reflect back on my journey called life, I would go out on a limb and say that I have struggled in this area most of my life as I know it. I just didn't recognize how each symptom contributes to the overall diagnosis until recently, as in probably over the past year or so, as I began dodging fiery darts from every side of this common war and was faced with a choice - I could continue living defeated, which was causing a whole host of other symptoms, I was frankly at my wits end with suffering, or I could engage in the battle and fight back in my quest for the abundant and victorious life Christ paid the ultimate penalty for me to have! As with any good fight, the more I have fought back, the harder the enemy has come at me because he has been challenged and I'd be totally lying if I said there have not been set-backs or that I have it conquered. To be honest, on this side of eternity, I don't know that it will be entirely conquered, but I do believe we can fight back and take back what the enemy has stolen and Walk In Victory to the finish line!
As I faced a vicious attack against my marriage and family last year, I had no choice but to fight back! There's one area I won't let the enemy have without a fight and that's my marriage and family! There's just something about those mama claws coming out and although he knows if he attacks the institution of marriage and family, he can wipe out an entire generation, he better know that when you threaten an overprotective mama bear who takes her role very seriously, he better come armed with some very serious ammunition - and that he did!
Now, I'm surely no Job! But I would go out on a limb and say that I just may be a distant cousin!! :) Just kidding! :) The devil began trying to claim me for destruction as a child but the Lord had a bigger plan! I'm sure he began his quest from the moment I was conceived in my mother's womb, but my first memory of the battle against my very life was at the tender age of 4, when a vicious dog attack SHOULD have claimed my tiny little life, however despite my face being mangled to hamburger meat, my neck shooting blood from a jugglers vein to the tune of in a matter of mere minutes the blood loss would have been significant enough to claim my life, the doctor's claiming my future for plastic surgery to even look "normal," guess what devil? I'm still standing, but by the grace of God, no plastic surgery and but for a scar that blends pretty well with my jaw and can be covered with a little bit of makeup, I think I look pretty "normal." My husband even tells me my scar is a little "sexy!" :) My rebellious teenage son even tells me it makes me look a little, "hardcore" which I guess amps up my coolarity factor - at least in his eyes! :) I should actually be totally offended by being compared to Scarface - as a matter of fact, son, you're grounded! :) But let me tell you the truth, I sure don't "feel" very "normal" or even pretty most days when I look in the mirror and this purple scar on the side of my face that extends all the way down my neck is ALL I see, let alone, as my husband would say, sexy! I mean, let's be honest, mess with the FACE, hence the beauty of a girl, and from a very young age, I began my battle with the affliction of - INSECURITY!!!
Yep, that's the battle, did you catch it?! Ugh! (Cringing)! Like, who wants to admit THAT weakness to the world?! But you know what? That's exactly what compels me to talk about it! The fact that NOBODY is talking about it! Let's face it, if you battle insecurity, you're likely too insecure to admit, let alone, tell anyone that you're insecure! :) Truthfully, though, as I began my journey to be secure about a year ago, I first had to figure out what it was exactly that I was struggling with because I didn't know it was called insecurity! As I began researching in my, "I've had it" moment all of the different symptoms I was experiencing, low self-esteem, jealousy, mistrust, depression, anxiety, overprotectiveness, constant fear and worry over everything, I mean everything, I was emotionally and physically exhausted, I found the common theme of my problems and it was called insecurity. At first I was like, "Well, that sounds a little more sophisticated than, I'm depressed, I have low self-esteem, I'm jealous, I don't trust anyone, etc.! I'm insecure, yes, that's it, that sounds like a classier version of my battle with sin!" :)
And so the Paralegal in me went to work and began researching, analyzing, writing memorandums of law, drafting pleadings, motions, and gathering all the facts and witnesses in the case of Insecurity v. Jennifer Fox! :) Let me tell you, when the devil's the Plaintiff waging war, and you are the Defendant fighting back and you're on trial for your very life in Victory, the Almighty Judge will prevail and it's a good thing, in this particular case, He is in favor of Victory!
So, a couple of years ago, I attended this satellite type conference at my church at the time called, "So Long Insecurity - You've Been a Bad Friend To Us," by Beth Moore. To be honest, at the time, I went just because it was a women's event at my church and I typically attended those sort of things, my girlfriends were going, and hey, my husband was gonna keep the kids for the day and this was gonna be my day out, so I wasn't gonna pass up that opportunity! :) Sure, I took a lot of good notes, a lot of what was spoken on encouraged me, I took a few nuggets of application away, and primarily did what I do every time I attend a Women's, Marriage, Parenting, or Homeschooling Conference - walked away saying what I usually walk away saying, "Well, I thought I was a good wife, mother, homeschooler, etc., until I was just informed of the "right" way to do things and now I realize, I'm really missing the mark!" It was something like this, "I didn't even know what insecurity was, I just attended this thing cuz it was for women, and now I feel, really, well, INSECURE!!" :)
To be honest, I moped around for a few days, wallowing in a sea of self pity, defeat, and INSECURITY and did what I always do after these types of conferences - filed my notes away and moved on with life, ATTEMPTING to apply what I learned but usually falling back on the good ole' reliable way I've always done things, until well, this season of attack on my marriage and family last year, and boy, did I race to the filing cabinet one day in a rude awakening!
So as I re-read my notes, I realized that Beth actually had published a book on this topic. So I asked my husband if we could put it in the budget to go spend $25 bucks on this book, assuring him that he would reap the rewards of my studying this topic! :) He drove me to the book store that day!! :) So of course, I go to the isle where those types of books should be and found precisely nothing! Please do not tell me I'm going to have to go to the customer service line in front of all those people and ask if I can order the book, "So Long INSECURITY!!!" How embarrassing! But I did what all desperate people do, I swallowed the pill of humility and asked. Of course the customer service person looks it up in the system which shows there should be 1 copy of the book in store and was more than willing to personally walk me to the section where there was 1 copy of the book left - of course, misplaced! Figures! :) Now that everyone around me knew I was INSECURE!!! :) Of course it's one of those Saturdays when you're just doing chores, running errands, and find absolutely NO need to dress in anything other than baggie sweatpants, your husbands oversized sweatshirt, hair thrown up in a big ole floppy bun on the very top of your head, no make-up, etc! :) So it's not like I felt like the most confident woman in the store as it was!! :) Where were my great big oversized, cover half my face sunglasses when I needed them?! Reaching to the top of my head where I usually "store" them, Ugh! left em on the dashboard in the vehicle! I was like, "God, this is so not even funny!" :)
So I go to the check-out! How embarrassing! The line seemed a mile long, it felt as if everyone was trying to read the cover of the book I was purchasing, so I flip it over so the ginormous letters spelling INSECURITY weren't showing on the front cover only to find the back cover reading the following:
"You're considering this book because you saw the word insecurity...and all your buried insecurities surfaced. You know you're insecure. So either you rushed to snatch the book up, not caring who saw, or you casually strolled over, hoping no one would see you as you slyly picked it up. You know you need help. (You're not alone.) Maybe you're okay for the most part...but there are those insecurities you could work on. Things could be better. You're wondering, Can I really say, "So long" to my insecurities? (Yes, you can.) Or maybe you're just curious. You're fine. You wonder what on earth there is for so many women to be insecure about. And has Beth Moore, of all people, struggled with insecurity? (Yes, she has.) Whoever you are, this book is for you, because you have it in you to be secure!!"
Ok, so there was absolutely NO WAY to put this book on the counter to pay for it without being mortified! No matter how I set it up there for the cashier to scan and bag, the front and back cover both had me busted! The only thing more embarrassing I can think of to hand her and have her bag in front of an entire line FULL of people is something like, "Help, I'm addicted to porn!" :) :) :)
Ok, in all seriousness, so, I survived the hardest part, or so I thought, purchasing the book. Then God calls me to announce to the world...."Soooooo, I'm insecure! Who wants to journey along with me to be secure?!" :) Well, come to think of it, it could be worse! I mean, He could call me to announce something like, "Help, I'm a Homeschooling Mother Of Four And I'm Addicted To Porn!" :) Now that would be embarrassing! Btw...I'm not addicted to porn!! :) It's just an illustration! Probably a bad one at that! Now don't go startin rumors! :) Just sayin... :)
So here's what my friend Beth Moore says in the front cover of her book, and so I relay to you:
Dear Friend,
We're insecure. You and me and every woman. (I, Jenn Fox will even add, it's not just women - men are insecure too)! Lately I've been realizing more and more that chronic insecurity is a cultural epidemic, but almost no one is talking about it! And it ticks me off (me too!)
We're insecure about everything from our looks to our worth as women, (and I would add, as men too) from our relationships to our futures, and everything in between. You name it, and we're probably insecure about it.
Let's be honest here. Insecurity makes us miserable. It cripples us. It makes fools of us. It makes us feel worthless. Insecurity has been a bad friend to us. The bottom line is that it's self-sabotage.
Girlfriend, (and I would add, guys), listen to me. Our insecurities are lying to us. It doesn't have to be this way. It's time to say, "So long!" to insecurity. How? First we have to understand it, and the good news is that insecurity is understandable. The even better news is that insecurity is curable.
It's time we girls (and guys) help each other out so we can be the best wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends that we can possibly be. (I, Jenn Fox would add to my guy readers - so you can be the best husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, and friends you can possibly be.) Let's have a chat, you and me, through these pages. I'd be honored if you'd join me on my quest for real, lasting, soul-deep security.
Beth (and Jenn)! :)
So for now, get your Paralegal on! Put your thinking cap on. Start reflecting, analyzing, jotting down, etc., some personal struggles. Could it be insecurity? How's that workin out for ya?! :) Then decide if you wanna join me next time as we delve into Chapter 1 together: "Mad Enough to Change!"
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Seeking Guidance
Dr. Charles Stanley - In Touch Ministries
Daily Devotional
March 19, 2012
Seeking Guidance
Psalm 25:4-5
When you're facing a decision, whether big or small, it is important to wait upon God for His direction and timing. And though it may sound paradoxical, there are three ways that we can take an active role in the process while we wait.
First, we should examine our heart, asking the Holy Spirit to expose any wrongs. If He brings something to light, it is important to take care of that sin immediately--by confessing, repenting, and doing whatever's needed to correct the situation. At times we push this task aside because the impending decision seems like our main concern. Yet we cannot hear from God or receive His full blessing until we deal with transgression.
Second, when seeking direction, we should listen patiently and attentively for the Lord to give the go-ahead. It can be difficult to wait, especially when emotions or logic lead us to favor one choice.
Third, the answer to our prayer at times requires our involvement. For instance, when people tell me they're out of work and trusting God to provide, I always want to know if they are actively looking for a job. Some are not; they are simply praying. We have responsibility not only to present God with requests and seek His guidance but also to be active in the process. Waiting on God is not an excuse to be lazy.
Prayer is a beautiful privilege that the heavenly Father gives to His children. He desires to lead us into a life of abundance. We should take an active part in seeking His will and listening for His voice. As we follow the Holy Spirit's guidance, we will experience all that the Lord has for us.
Daily Devotional
March 19, 2012
Seeking Guidance
Psalm 25:4-5
When you're facing a decision, whether big or small, it is important to wait upon God for His direction and timing. And though it may sound paradoxical, there are three ways that we can take an active role in the process while we wait.
First, we should examine our heart, asking the Holy Spirit to expose any wrongs. If He brings something to light, it is important to take care of that sin immediately--by confessing, repenting, and doing whatever's needed to correct the situation. At times we push this task aside because the impending decision seems like our main concern. Yet we cannot hear from God or receive His full blessing until we deal with transgression.
Second, when seeking direction, we should listen patiently and attentively for the Lord to give the go-ahead. It can be difficult to wait, especially when emotions or logic lead us to favor one choice.
Third, the answer to our prayer at times requires our involvement. For instance, when people tell me they're out of work and trusting God to provide, I always want to know if they are actively looking for a job. Some are not; they are simply praying. We have responsibility not only to present God with requests and seek His guidance but also to be active in the process. Waiting on God is not an excuse to be lazy.
Prayer is a beautiful privilege that the heavenly Father gives to His children. He desires to lead us into a life of abundance. We should take an active part in seeking His will and listening for His voice. As we follow the Holy Spirit's guidance, we will experience all that the Lord has for us.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Pulled Chicken BBQ, Cole Slaw, & Baked Beans
Doesn't that sound southern and yummy?!! :) Besides being southern (even for this northern girl) and yummy, it's an all around great meal for any wife or mother cooking for her family whether she is juggling doing so with a career, homeschooling (for all my homeschooling readers), or even stay at home moms that need to just get dinner out of the way in advance so you can tackle everything else on your list on any given day, including keeping up with those little ones all day long. I promise, you can throw this in in the morning and still have energy left for everything else you need to do today! Don't worry, single gals or even the guys, this one's easy as pie for you too, whether it be impressing someone special, sharing a meal with a friend, entertaining, or guys - impressing your wife by cooking for HER on occasion! :) And for my girlfriends who burn water attempting to boil it, (you know who you are, I won't mention any names) :) and teens learning your cooking skills, or the engaged or young bride needing to start with simple and work up to bigger skills, this one's for you!!
As always, don't worry, in order to be a Walking In Victory Recipe, you know it has to be easy on your wallet too, so it is! All you'll need is a package of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, a bottle of BBQ Sauce, a package of Sandwich Buns, a bag of Cole Slaw Mix, (you likely have the ingredients in your pantry to make the slaw once you have the mix), and a can of Baked Beans. I can get all of the above ingredients (now this is doing my grocery shopping at Walmart, shopping sales, using coupons when I have them, and buying store brands for the things that really don't make a difference in the end result), for about under $12 to feed my entire family!
Here's what you need and what you do:
Pulled Chicken BBQ Sandwiches:
*1 Pkg. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (you can get the 3 pk Purdue at Walmart for $5 & some change)
*1 Bottle of BBQ Sauce (I use whatever is on sale - you can spice it up to suit your taste by adding some brown sugar, honey, spices, etc.)
*1 Pkg. Sandwich Buns (Btw...did you know you can often get name brand bread products at the Dollar Tree??!! And I've talked to the store manager and it's just bread that the bread distributor brings at the end of the day that they had leftover from delivering to the local grocery stores)! Food for thought....shouldn't we all be good stewards of our resources and save where possible? :)
Literally, throw the Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast in the crock pot/slow cooker RAW (you don't even need to cook it in advance), pour the entire bottle of BBQ Sauce over it, cover and let it cook all day on low or 4 or so hours on high!! Go back every now and then and give it a stir, and when it looks tender and done, pull it apart with 2 forks and just continue letting it get tender and yummy in that sweet and savory BBQ Sauce.
Cole Slaw:
*1 Pkg. Tri-Color Cole Slaw mix (I buy the pre-packaged at Walmart - the Market Fresh Brand, it's above the Market Fresh Salad Mixes in the produce section and it's about $1.50 a bag)!
The remaining ingredients you'll probably have in your pantry and are:
*1 Cup Mayo
*2 Tbsp. Milk
*1 Tbsp. Vinegar
*1 Tbsp. Sugar (I usually add 2 b/c my family likes it sweet)
*Salt & Pepper to taste (to get that sweet and salty combo) Yum!
Mix it all together in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate. This is one that the longer it sits in the fridge, the better it will taste!
That's it! Serve when you're ready for dinner (which will be when you get home from work if you through it together that morning or when your hubbie walks in the door from work if you through it in even say at lunchtime). Serve the Pulled Chicken BBQ on Sandwich Rolls, top with Cole Slaw, or put on the side, spoon out a side of Baked Beans (I just buy the canned and doctor them up with brown sugar & whatever else I feel like), and...."That's What's For Dinner Tonight!!" :)
Walking In Victory Lunch Box idea:
Serves double duty as a Walking In Victory Lunch Box Idea too! We always have leftovers on this one which is great to warm up the next day for lunch. Impress your hubbie when he opens his lunch box and has a yummy southern reminder of what he comes home to at the end of each day. Just throw a bun in a baggie, put some of the Chicken BBQ in a storage container with a lid, spoon some Cole Slaw in another container with a lid, you know the drill...same thing for the beans... :) He can warm up the Chicken BBQ in the microwave, spoon it on his bun, top it w/his Slaw, and he will KNOW you are the bomb!! :) Just sayin.....
Walking In Victory In Marriage:
Extra nugget for thought: re-read the Little Sweet Things post and even throw in a sweet note reminding him your the bomb with it, and I'm just sayin.... Better yet, you could always ask him if you should turn the "Crock Pot" on for tonight while your at it!! If you don't get that I'm not talking about small kitchen appliances here, go back and read the Little Sweet Things Post!! :)
As always, don't worry, in order to be a Walking In Victory Recipe, you know it has to be easy on your wallet too, so it is! All you'll need is a package of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, a bottle of BBQ Sauce, a package of Sandwich Buns, a bag of Cole Slaw Mix, (you likely have the ingredients in your pantry to make the slaw once you have the mix), and a can of Baked Beans. I can get all of the above ingredients (now this is doing my grocery shopping at Walmart, shopping sales, using coupons when I have them, and buying store brands for the things that really don't make a difference in the end result), for about under $12 to feed my entire family!
Here's what you need and what you do:
Pulled Chicken BBQ Sandwiches:
*1 Pkg. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (you can get the 3 pk Purdue at Walmart for $5 & some change)
*1 Bottle of BBQ Sauce (I use whatever is on sale - you can spice it up to suit your taste by adding some brown sugar, honey, spices, etc.)
*1 Pkg. Sandwich Buns (Btw...did you know you can often get name brand bread products at the Dollar Tree??!! And I've talked to the store manager and it's just bread that the bread distributor brings at the end of the day that they had leftover from delivering to the local grocery stores)! Food for thought....shouldn't we all be good stewards of our resources and save where possible? :)
Literally, throw the Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast in the crock pot/slow cooker RAW (you don't even need to cook it in advance), pour the entire bottle of BBQ Sauce over it, cover and let it cook all day on low or 4 or so hours on high!! Go back every now and then and give it a stir, and when it looks tender and done, pull it apart with 2 forks and just continue letting it get tender and yummy in that sweet and savory BBQ Sauce.
Cole Slaw:
*1 Pkg. Tri-Color Cole Slaw mix (I buy the pre-packaged at Walmart - the Market Fresh Brand, it's above the Market Fresh Salad Mixes in the produce section and it's about $1.50 a bag)!
The remaining ingredients you'll probably have in your pantry and are:
*1 Cup Mayo
*2 Tbsp. Milk
*1 Tbsp. Vinegar
*1 Tbsp. Sugar (I usually add 2 b/c my family likes it sweet)
*Salt & Pepper to taste (to get that sweet and salty combo) Yum!
Mix it all together in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate. This is one that the longer it sits in the fridge, the better it will taste!
That's it! Serve when you're ready for dinner (which will be when you get home from work if you through it together that morning or when your hubbie walks in the door from work if you through it in even say at lunchtime). Serve the Pulled Chicken BBQ on Sandwich Rolls, top with Cole Slaw, or put on the side, spoon out a side of Baked Beans (I just buy the canned and doctor them up with brown sugar & whatever else I feel like), and...."That's What's For Dinner Tonight!!" :)
Walking In Victory Lunch Box idea:
Serves double duty as a Walking In Victory Lunch Box Idea too! We always have leftovers on this one which is great to warm up the next day for lunch. Impress your hubbie when he opens his lunch box and has a yummy southern reminder of what he comes home to at the end of each day. Just throw a bun in a baggie, put some of the Chicken BBQ in a storage container with a lid, spoon some Cole Slaw in another container with a lid, you know the drill...same thing for the beans... :) He can warm up the Chicken BBQ in the microwave, spoon it on his bun, top it w/his Slaw, and he will KNOW you are the bomb!! :) Just sayin.....
Walking In Victory In Marriage:
Extra nugget for thought: re-read the Little Sweet Things post and even throw in a sweet note reminding him your the bomb with it, and I'm just sayin.... Better yet, you could always ask him if you should turn the "Crock Pot" on for tonight while your at it!! If you don't get that I'm not talking about small kitchen appliances here, go back and read the Little Sweet Things Post!! :)
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Generation Church - Captive Heart
My Valentine's Day song dedication I felt very specifically led to for my readers today!
It's Valentine's Day! The day of LOVE!! For some, special dates have been planned, cards, flowers, chocolates and jewelry have been given and received. What a blessing! Embrace it!
For others, maybe you're not feeling very "loved" today. Maybe this day serves as a reminder of a broken marriage, a broken relationship, a loss, a reflection on singleness and lonliness; For teens, a hope that one day you'll experience love when your night in shining armor rides to your balcony on a white horse; For the stay at home mom of young children, maybe you're going through the motions of all that needs to be done today, but feeling isolated, unappreciated, and exhausted; For the parent of a prodigal, guilting yourself with wondering if your child knows they're loved as they go about their wayward path; For the man who has experienced job loss during this difficult economy, perhaps you're feeling like a failure today, like you don't measure up in some way. I don't know, those were just a few specific illustrations I had.
Remember what I said recently about the little things. If you can't afford to go out and celebrate or send your wife a dozen roses at work, perhaps you're in a season of young children and either cannot afford or simply do not have child care for a date night, I think what matters is making that special someone feel special. Little things go a long way to accomplish that. Acts of service, meaning maybe just come alongside her (or him), in an act of service today such as help with dinner, help put the kids to bed, tell them to sit and relax and your gift is to take over the responsibilities at home tonight. Share a special dinner together after the kids go to bed or even dessert. A simple bubble bath, a handwritten note, etc. Speak THEIR love language.
For the broken marriage, it IS possibe to love the unlovely! Love is a choice, a decision. You can CHOOSE love even when you don't FEEL love. For those who have been deeply wounded in some way, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless thos who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you....do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even "sinners" love those who love them. In doing so you will heap burning coals on their heads." (Paraphrasing) That certainly doesn't mean our motivation should be an attitude of, "Oh, I want to heap burning coals on his head, I want him to suffer, so ok, I'll do what that says!" :) I think it means more that in doing so, loving even the unlovely, the spirit will bring conviction to their hearts. I have a beautiful visual I'll share with you soon but for the purpose of this specific post, I'll stick to my point. But someone please send me a message and remind me if I haven't shared it in the next few days! :)
For those loving a prodigal, I know where you are. Choose to LOVE the prodigal and hate the behavior. You can convey that you love them unconditionally, that your love for them isn't based on what they DO, but that you disapprove of their choices. Be available to them when a door opens and know when to let go when the door is shut. Your best weapon in this battle for their soul is fought on your knees. Stay on them until they bleed! That's love!! And let your prayers be declarations of faith over their lives and futures!
For those experiencing loss, oh how I know that pain as well friend. Can I challenge you to rejoice and celebrate the number of years you had with them today rather than grieve for the time lost.
For the lonely and broken hearted, I challenge you to play this song I have been led to for you. In fact the challenge is the same for ALL of you reading this, but specifically for the lonely or broken hearted regardless of what that looks like for you, get alone in a quiet place. Play this song and really digest the lyrics. Let all the brokeness go, and receive unconditional love and peace and joy that surpasses all human understanding. Maybe you don't even love YOURSELF! Is there anyone else out there who is their own biggest enemy? I think, no I KNOW, if you whole-heartedly embrace this song and can grasp that kind of love, you'll feel whole regardless of your deepest insecurities. And then of course what you need to do is go back and read my last post on the Battlefield of Your Mind and fight the battle of taking captive your thought life and become HIS "Captive Heart!" Be blessed by this song:
It's Valentine's Day! The day of LOVE!! For some, special dates have been planned, cards, flowers, chocolates and jewelry have been given and received. What a blessing! Embrace it!
For others, maybe you're not feeling very "loved" today. Maybe this day serves as a reminder of a broken marriage, a broken relationship, a loss, a reflection on singleness and lonliness; For teens, a hope that one day you'll experience love when your night in shining armor rides to your balcony on a white horse; For the stay at home mom of young children, maybe you're going through the motions of all that needs to be done today, but feeling isolated, unappreciated, and exhausted; For the parent of a prodigal, guilting yourself with wondering if your child knows they're loved as they go about their wayward path; For the man who has experienced job loss during this difficult economy, perhaps you're feeling like a failure today, like you don't measure up in some way. I don't know, those were just a few specific illustrations I had.
Remember what I said recently about the little things. If you can't afford to go out and celebrate or send your wife a dozen roses at work, perhaps you're in a season of young children and either cannot afford or simply do not have child care for a date night, I think what matters is making that special someone feel special. Little things go a long way to accomplish that. Acts of service, meaning maybe just come alongside her (or him), in an act of service today such as help with dinner, help put the kids to bed, tell them to sit and relax and your gift is to take over the responsibilities at home tonight. Share a special dinner together after the kids go to bed or even dessert. A simple bubble bath, a handwritten note, etc. Speak THEIR love language.
For the broken marriage, it IS possibe to love the unlovely! Love is a choice, a decision. You can CHOOSE love even when you don't FEEL love. For those who have been deeply wounded in some way, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless thos who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you....do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even "sinners" love those who love them. In doing so you will heap burning coals on their heads." (Paraphrasing) That certainly doesn't mean our motivation should be an attitude of, "Oh, I want to heap burning coals on his head, I want him to suffer, so ok, I'll do what that says!" :) I think it means more that in doing so, loving even the unlovely, the spirit will bring conviction to their hearts. I have a beautiful visual I'll share with you soon but for the purpose of this specific post, I'll stick to my point. But someone please send me a message and remind me if I haven't shared it in the next few days! :)
For those loving a prodigal, I know where you are. Choose to LOVE the prodigal and hate the behavior. You can convey that you love them unconditionally, that your love for them isn't based on what they DO, but that you disapprove of their choices. Be available to them when a door opens and know when to let go when the door is shut. Your best weapon in this battle for their soul is fought on your knees. Stay on them until they bleed! That's love!! And let your prayers be declarations of faith over their lives and futures!
For those experiencing loss, oh how I know that pain as well friend. Can I challenge you to rejoice and celebrate the number of years you had with them today rather than grieve for the time lost.
For the lonely and broken hearted, I challenge you to play this song I have been led to for you. In fact the challenge is the same for ALL of you reading this, but specifically for the lonely or broken hearted regardless of what that looks like for you, get alone in a quiet place. Play this song and really digest the lyrics. Let all the brokeness go, and receive unconditional love and peace and joy that surpasses all human understanding. Maybe you don't even love YOURSELF! Is there anyone else out there who is their own biggest enemy? I think, no I KNOW, if you whole-heartedly embrace this song and can grasp that kind of love, you'll feel whole regardless of your deepest insecurities. And then of course what you need to do is go back and read my last post on the Battlefield of Your Mind and fight the battle of taking captive your thought life and become HIS "Captive Heart!" Be blessed by this song:
Monday, February 13, 2012
Have You Lost Your Mind?
Have You Lost Your Mind?
What makes one relationship work and another fail? What keeps one couple on the same page, but puts another in completely different books? What makes one Christian succeed in their walk with God and another fail?
The answer is not, “Well, that’s just how life is.” The answer is not your flesh. The most detrimental obstacle that prevents you from having a happy life is your mind. Your mind is where the battle is either won or lost. Every stronghold you have is conceived in your mind. It is where every single sin you commit is birthed. It is where every relational struggle you deal with emerges. Your mind is ground zero for every self-inflicted problem you’ll have in life.
"Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:2-5
The Bible says a carnal mind is at war with God. The Bible says, “as a man thinketh, so is he.” The Bible says, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing (renovation) of your mind.” The Bible says that in order for people to get along, they must be of the same mind, toward one another. We have to be likeminded both with Christ, and our Christian brothers and sisters. How is that possible? How can we bring every thought to obedience? How can we win the war between God’s Word and our thought life?
Lose your mind.
I don’t mean how some of you have lost your minds long ago! I’m not saying you should walk around mindless. I mean lose your mind and let the mind of Christ take over! The same mind Christ had, Paul told us in God’s Word that that same mind can be in us!
How can you and your spouse have a happy marriage? Lose your mind and let the mind of Christ be in you. A husband and wife with minds like Christ would never think thoughts like, “I made a mistake,” or “I want to quit”. A couple with the mind of Christ would prefer one another over themselves, love each other with an unfailing love, be on the same page, think the best instead of believe the worst, esteem each other better than themselves, forgive each other instead of condemn each other, and—last but not least—have the marriage God intended for them to have! The reason more than half of Christian couples divorce is because they are living their lives with carnal minds instead of minds like Christ!
Do you have a hard time in your relationships? Do you have a hard time getting along with people? Getting along with family members? Lose your mind and get the mind of Christ! The answer to getting along with your husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister, friends, co-workers, or boss: prefer them over yourself, love them with an unfailing love, think the best instead of believe the worst, esteem them higher than yourself, care about their needs more than your own, forgive them instead of condemn them, and have the relationships God intended for you to have!
Obtaining the mind of Christ is the answer to all of your relational problems. By the way, it’s also the answer to your personal problems, as well! The reason you’re selfish is because you’re using your mind instead of Christ’s. The reason you possess hatred for another is because you’re using your mind instead of Christ’s mind—Jesus loved His enemies! The reason you live a life of sin is because you’re using your own mind. The mind of Christ never has a sinful thought!
Friend, the answer to your struggles is to stop thinking like you, and start thinking like Christ! Lose your mind and let the mind of Christ be in you! The Bible wouldn’t tell us to do something we don’t have the ability to do! We can have the mind of Christ—but it’s up to us to let His mind be in us!
Pastor G.Daniel 12:3
Friday, February 10, 2012
Fresh Herb Penne With Chicken & Tomatoes
This one's quick, easy, healthy, and won't blow your budget or your diet, but can pass for gourmet...so, yep, you guessed it...qualifies to be another recipe to help you Walk in Victory in your kitchen!
Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 15 min. Serves: 4 (if need more servings, double the recipe)
16 oz. (1 pkg.) Penne Rigate
4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. fresh chopped garlic*
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/3 Cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or cut into thin strips*
1 pkg. (10-12) ounces cooked chicken breast strips (can use pre-packaged, Rotisserie, or throw a boneless skinless breast under the broiler until cooked through)
1 & 1/2 Cups (6 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese
Salt and Cracked Black Pepper to taste
Cook and drain Penne Rigate according to package directions. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and basil; cook 2 minutes. Add chicken; simmer for 5 minutes. Toss with pasta and mozzarella cheese. Season to taste with salt and cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
*May substitute dry equivalents: 1/8 tsp. garlic powder; 1&1/2 tsp dry basil
That's what's for dinner tonight!!
Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 15 min. Serves: 4 (if need more servings, double the recipe)
16 oz. (1 pkg.) Penne Rigate
4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. fresh chopped garlic*
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/3 Cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or cut into thin strips*
1 pkg. (10-12) ounces cooked chicken breast strips (can use pre-packaged, Rotisserie, or throw a boneless skinless breast under the broiler until cooked through)
1 & 1/2 Cups (6 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese
Salt and Cracked Black Pepper to taste
Cook and drain Penne Rigate according to package directions. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and basil; cook 2 minutes. Add chicken; simmer for 5 minutes. Toss with pasta and mozzarella cheese. Season to taste with salt and cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
*May substitute dry equivalents: 1/8 tsp. garlic powder; 1&1/2 tsp dry basil
That's what's for dinner tonight!!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Job's Secret to Restoration: The Most Faithful Man and His Secret
Sometimes, it seems as though our trials will never end. Job went through more trials and tribulations than any of us can even imagine. Yet he went from the very worst possible circumstances to being restored with all of God’s blessings upon his life. Job went from sickness to health, poverty to wealth, loss to gain, and heartache to joy. How did that happen? How did Job go from utter misery to the blessings of God? What was Job’s secret? If you knew his secret, would you give it a shot?
Let’s first take a look at all that Job went through. If you don’t know the story of Job, he was a good man; in fact, God said there was nobody like him in the world. He was rich. He had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 donkeys, 500 yoke of oxen (which would be like 500 John Deere tractors today), and had ten healthy children. One day, someone stole his oxen and donkeys. A fire killed all his sheep. Then one of Job’s servants said, “All ten of your children have died.” But that wasn’t all—Job’s body was afflicted with boils from head to toe. As if that weren’t enough, his own wife looked at him and basically said, “You’re a pitiful wreck! Why don’t you just curse God and die?” Later, Job had three friends who came to see him before criticizing him and turning their backs on him. Through it all, Job stood the test and God consequently gave him twice as much as he had before! He got everything back and then some. Job lived happily ever after.
Now, what was it that delivered Job’s captivity? What was it that caused God to say, “Job, you’ve had enough”? Where was his turning point?
Many think God turned Job’s captivity because he had a good attitude through it all. Although we should have good attitudes—even through the storms of life—that’s not when God turned it around. We’ve been taught that because Job stood the test, didn’t complain, suffered graciously, didn’t sin, and trusted in God, God decided to bless him. But the Bible says,
"And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." Job 42:10
The word “friend” here doesn’t mean they were friends to him; it means he was a friend to them. These are the same three friends who criticized and condemned Job. One friend told Job that it was own fault that he was suffering; that he didn’t know God well enough. Another friend blamed his suffering on his being a “hypocrite.” Even though his friends put him down and hurt him, Job began to pray for his friends. This is when God turned his captivity and restored his blessings.
Truly grasping this verse changed my Christian walk forever, and it can change yours, too. It taught me not to harbor bitterness or animosity towards anyone. It reminded me that we should pray for those who despitefully use us. It reinforced the concept of blessing those who curse us and loving those who hate us.
I believe this verse is the reason I am one of the happiest people alive! It’s not just because I trust God, although I do. It’s not because I don’t complain during trials. I don’t believe it’s because I don’t quit when I’m tested. I truly believe the number one reason my life is blessed is because years ago, I decided to do what Job did and consistently pray for those who do me wrong.
If Christians will just learn to pray instead of criticize, love instead of hate, and forgive instead of have aught, God can transform their lives like never before. You will never have the blessings of God if you aren’t right with your fellow man. The only one you hurt by having the wrong heart condition toward another is yourself. If you, like Job, need God to set you free from your captivity, try doing what Job did.
Pastor GDaniel 12:3
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Sweet Treats and The Little Things That Go A Long Way!
I did this myself this morning and thought it would be nice to share with all of you! It's February! It's the month of LOVE!! :) Let's Walk In Victory this month in being creative and intentional in doing the "little things" to express love and affection to our kids, spouses, significant others, friends, family, etc. - you get the idea! :) I mean, doesn't it bring a smile to your face when someone does something "little" for YOU? Don't we ALL love a sweet surprise, no matter the size. It IS the thought that matters! So let's make it matter!
The specific illustration I used this morning in packing everyone's lunches (which in and of itself is an act of love and I would even go out on a limb here and say an act of worship as we pursue our God given roles of mom's (and dad's), wives (and hubbies) with joy and thankfulness that we have the privilege of taking care of these important people in our lives - YOUR jobs matter! And I just feel led to quickly address the stay at home mom right here - your job IS a career, it matters, it's valuable, it's your 1st calling on earth, the most important job on earth, the hardest, yet most rewarding job on earth, it's a privilege, an act of worship as we make our families and homes our utmost priorities in life, and the absolute highest calling existent!
Sorry, got a little side-tracked there, however, as some people play the piano or an instrument beautifully, never having taken a single lesson, and play by what they describe as "playing by the spirit," this keyboard is my instrument (even though I do play the clarinet - and with all the lessons and years of dedication in concert band, marching band, pep band, etc., when you utilize the "instrument" God gave you, something beautiful comes forth and can be used to minister, so I would definitely describe my writing, as an instrument, "typing by the spirit," often putting my fingers to the keyboard having no idea what I am suppose to type, but as the spirit leads, I obey and LOVE when I hear the testimonies of how God was using that to speak encouragement to specific people)! :)
But back to the "Sweet Treats and Little Things That Go A Long Way:"
Ok, so you know those little candy hearts with the little sayings on them you can buy this time of year in the Valentine Candy isle? I selected a handful of specific hearts with messages I wanted to convey, and threw those in my kid's lunch boxes this morning! I would have thrown a handful in my hubbies too if he brought his lunch today, but he's coming home for lunch instead!! So maybe I'll put some on his plate when I make his lunch!! :)
Here are some other ideas I have used and I promise, they are tried and true so go ahead, steal em' and be intentional this month to tell someone you LOVE them!
*Write a message on their napkin in their lunch box!
*Marketing companies are onto me! :) They've made it easier...many pre-packaged snacks and treats actually come packaged with a space to write a little love note to your special someone! :) To do this in a budget friendly way, package your own treat in a baggie and write the note on the baggie in Sharpie Marker!
*I have fond memories of my mom doing this during the years she was a stay at home mom - almost daily, my brother's and I came home from school to a home-baked treat she had baked for us while we were in school for our after school snack! Believe it or not, kids do understand the value that mom actually thought of them today and baked a special treat just for them. Working moms: you can do this too - bake ahead - it can be something very simple - the packaged cookie dough that you just spoon out on the cookie sheet and pop in the oven! Make a batch of those over the weekend and store them in a sealed container or freezer and have them out for the kids when they get home or even with you in a special bag for them when you pick them up from child care! Be creative! It's the thought that counts! :)
*The weather has been unseasonably beautiful. How about picking them up in the car pool line or off the bus, or from day care and putting everything on the "to do list" to the side for one day, and saying, "Let's go to the park!" Even if just for 20 minutes, it will send a huge message that they are important!
*I'm guilty of this one - meaning I don't do it enough - but when I do, it seems to make a huge statement - and it takes INTENTIONAL effort to actually set aside the housework, laundry, to do lists, etc., but how about intentionally carve out 15 - 30 minutes (most of us don't have hours and hours but ALL of us can carve out a 15 minute chunk in our busy days) to sit along side them and build a creation with Lego's, color together in a coloring book, even put on that child-like hat and play Barbies or Match Box cars together with them! They LOVE it!! And I have found, especially in my homeschooling years when I was teaching the older kids, that when I was faithful to just carve out 15 minutes with the little ones and do something like this, they were much more happy and content to keep themselves occupied when I needed to focus on the older one's math lessons!
Wives (or for my hubbie readers) :)
*Leave a note on the bathroom mirror where they will get ready for the day (Wives: write it in red hot lipstick on the mirror where he'll shave if you really want to light his fire)!!!! :)
*Call later in the afternoon for no specific reason (like the usual afternoon call when you've reached your wits end of, "You better do something with these kids when you get home!!!!") just to say, "I was thinking about you and wanted to let you know I love you!"
*Bring him/or her, their cup of coffee in bed in the morning as they rise. My hubbie has made this habit something for me to look forward to (as I am NOT a morning person), for years!! I have learned to make it fun for him too, by boosting his ego with a, "Is this that handsome delivery guy bringing my morning cup of Joe?!" :) Or, "Wow, what did I do to get so lucky to have a handsome guy like you hand deliver my coffee to me?!" Flirt with him! He needs you to be flirtatious with him!
*Use technology to your advantage, if possible (just use discretion on work phones and computers because nothing is technically private - but that just means you need to be more creative by using code terms that only you and he/she know how to interpret)! :) For example, send a quick email, Facebook private message, or text that just says, "Thinking of you and I love you!" Or how about this? This is for you wives! Our husbands are bombarded by the opposite sex and images all day long. Make sure that it's YOU he can't wait to get home to! He NEEDS you to let him know you miss him, desire him, need him, etc. How about a message giving him something to look forward to when he gets home?! (Ugh, this is awkward, my parents are my followers!! Oh, well, they need this info too and if I'm going to serve marriages, I need to get over comfort zones!) ! :) Ok, so just sayin...just an illustration....that I've heard through friends, yeah, that's it, my friends have told me that THEY do this!!! :) How about a text, message, or phone call (again, with discretion), just to say something like, "Should I turn the crock pot on??!!!" Ok, you all know I'm not talking about small kitchen appliances here, right??!! :) Ok, if you really have no idea what I'm talking about, private message me for insight, or keep reading my marriage posts (which I'll probably focus on alot this month - program alert - I even have a Marriage Mentor Guest Commentator lined up for you as an extra special treat this month)! Call it your Valentine's gift from me to you! :) Ladies, I guarantee, he will NOT work late and will NOT be able to get home fast enough! He'll even be more than eager to help you put the kids to bed early!! :)
For that matter, wives, we're busy, we're stretched on all sides, especially those of us taking care of small children all day, or those of us trying to balance work with the responsibilities of home and family life. Bottom line is, we're TUCKERED OUT!! Guys it's not that we don't desire those intimate moments with you! We're just tired!! So ladies, you pretty much know how many days can pass before your hubbie is gonna start rubbing your back when you just get all tucked in under the covers! :) That's a sure sign right there! The ole', "You could use a massage," trick up the sleeve! :) So if you know it's likely "the night," ahead of time, :) he's pretty predictable, plan ahead. Keep the schedule simple that day, don't be super woman, not today anyway, save some energy and roll a few things over to tomorrow's "to do" list. Take a power nap if you are so lucky and that serves you (makes me more tired) but I know it's really helpful to some. Plan ahead by putting the kids to bed on time so it's not a late hour by the time you settle down for a long winter's nap. Keep dinner simple if you need to that night! Trust me ladies! Your man would much rather have PB&J for dinner and a wife who still has energy left for him, than a 3 course fancy dinner any day, hands down! Save the impressive 5 star, fine dining meal for the following night if you must! :)
*Feed the kids separate one night so that you and your lovie can have a candle-lit dinner for 2 while the kids do an activity in the living room, allowing you to focus on each other and adult conversation, rather than focusing on cutting everyone's meat, cleaning up the spilled milk, and referring the food fight! :)
*Put the kids to bed early or even on time, in their OWN beds, and have dinner with your lovie by the fireplace or even just on a blanket in the middle of the living room or even in the master bedroom. Be creative! Just keep things fresh, exciting, and everything but mundane and routine! Our spouses do NOT need another business partner! They need the love of their lives to make them feel special and important!
Ok, on that note, I think I've given you a good head start! Guys, flowers and chocolates STILL do the trick for the ladies!! After all, we're from Venus - YOU are from Mars! We need the EMOTIONAL connection, (and since you can't hear my tone, I'm saying that in that whiny and needy sorta voice)! :) You know the one - the one that whines, "You never taaaaalk to me, you never tell me how you feeeeeel, you don't show me enough affeeeeeeection!" YOU need the PHYSICAL connection!! :) :) :) K - no excuses - go Walk In Victory in Marriage and Parenting!!! :) Oh geez, there's gonna be a baby boom at Cover Hill about 9 months from now!!!! :) :) :)
The specific illustration I used this morning in packing everyone's lunches (which in and of itself is an act of love and I would even go out on a limb here and say an act of worship as we pursue our God given roles of mom's (and dad's), wives (and hubbies) with joy and thankfulness that we have the privilege of taking care of these important people in our lives - YOUR jobs matter! And I just feel led to quickly address the stay at home mom right here - your job IS a career, it matters, it's valuable, it's your 1st calling on earth, the most important job on earth, the hardest, yet most rewarding job on earth, it's a privilege, an act of worship as we make our families and homes our utmost priorities in life, and the absolute highest calling existent!
Sorry, got a little side-tracked there, however, as some people play the piano or an instrument beautifully, never having taken a single lesson, and play by what they describe as "playing by the spirit," this keyboard is my instrument (even though I do play the clarinet - and with all the lessons and years of dedication in concert band, marching band, pep band, etc., when you utilize the "instrument" God gave you, something beautiful comes forth and can be used to minister, so I would definitely describe my writing, as an instrument, "typing by the spirit," often putting my fingers to the keyboard having no idea what I am suppose to type, but as the spirit leads, I obey and LOVE when I hear the testimonies of how God was using that to speak encouragement to specific people)! :)
But back to the "Sweet Treats and Little Things That Go A Long Way:"
Ok, so you know those little candy hearts with the little sayings on them you can buy this time of year in the Valentine Candy isle? I selected a handful of specific hearts with messages I wanted to convey, and threw those in my kid's lunch boxes this morning! I would have thrown a handful in my hubbies too if he brought his lunch today, but he's coming home for lunch instead!! So maybe I'll put some on his plate when I make his lunch!! :)
Here are some other ideas I have used and I promise, they are tried and true so go ahead, steal em' and be intentional this month to tell someone you LOVE them!
*Write a message on their napkin in their lunch box!
*Marketing companies are onto me! :) They've made it easier...many pre-packaged snacks and treats actually come packaged with a space to write a little love note to your special someone! :) To do this in a budget friendly way, package your own treat in a baggie and write the note on the baggie in Sharpie Marker!
*I have fond memories of my mom doing this during the years she was a stay at home mom - almost daily, my brother's and I came home from school to a home-baked treat she had baked for us while we were in school for our after school snack! Believe it or not, kids do understand the value that mom actually thought of them today and baked a special treat just for them. Working moms: you can do this too - bake ahead - it can be something very simple - the packaged cookie dough that you just spoon out on the cookie sheet and pop in the oven! Make a batch of those over the weekend and store them in a sealed container or freezer and have them out for the kids when they get home or even with you in a special bag for them when you pick them up from child care! Be creative! It's the thought that counts! :)
*The weather has been unseasonably beautiful. How about picking them up in the car pool line or off the bus, or from day care and putting everything on the "to do list" to the side for one day, and saying, "Let's go to the park!" Even if just for 20 minutes, it will send a huge message that they are important!
*I'm guilty of this one - meaning I don't do it enough - but when I do, it seems to make a huge statement - and it takes INTENTIONAL effort to actually set aside the housework, laundry, to do lists, etc., but how about intentionally carve out 15 - 30 minutes (most of us don't have hours and hours but ALL of us can carve out a 15 minute chunk in our busy days) to sit along side them and build a creation with Lego's, color together in a coloring book, even put on that child-like hat and play Barbies or Match Box cars together with them! They LOVE it!! And I have found, especially in my homeschooling years when I was teaching the older kids, that when I was faithful to just carve out 15 minutes with the little ones and do something like this, they were much more happy and content to keep themselves occupied when I needed to focus on the older one's math lessons!
Wives (or for my hubbie readers) :)
*Leave a note on the bathroom mirror where they will get ready for the day (Wives: write it in red hot lipstick on the mirror where he'll shave if you really want to light his fire)!!!! :)
*Call later in the afternoon for no specific reason (like the usual afternoon call when you've reached your wits end of, "You better do something with these kids when you get home!!!!") just to say, "I was thinking about you and wanted to let you know I love you!"
*Bring him/or her, their cup of coffee in bed in the morning as they rise. My hubbie has made this habit something for me to look forward to (as I am NOT a morning person), for years!! I have learned to make it fun for him too, by boosting his ego with a, "Is this that handsome delivery guy bringing my morning cup of Joe?!" :) Or, "Wow, what did I do to get so lucky to have a handsome guy like you hand deliver my coffee to me?!" Flirt with him! He needs you to be flirtatious with him!
*Use technology to your advantage, if possible (just use discretion on work phones and computers because nothing is technically private - but that just means you need to be more creative by using code terms that only you and he/she know how to interpret)! :) For example, send a quick email, Facebook private message, or text that just says, "Thinking of you and I love you!" Or how about this? This is for you wives! Our husbands are bombarded by the opposite sex and images all day long. Make sure that it's YOU he can't wait to get home to! He NEEDS you to let him know you miss him, desire him, need him, etc. How about a message giving him something to look forward to when he gets home?! (Ugh, this is awkward, my parents are my followers!! Oh, well, they need this info too and if I'm going to serve marriages, I need to get over comfort zones!) ! :) Ok, so just sayin...just an illustration....that I've heard through friends, yeah, that's it, my friends have told me that THEY do this!!! :) How about a text, message, or phone call (again, with discretion), just to say something like, "Should I turn the crock pot on??!!!" Ok, you all know I'm not talking about small kitchen appliances here, right??!! :) Ok, if you really have no idea what I'm talking about, private message me for insight, or keep reading my marriage posts (which I'll probably focus on alot this month - program alert - I even have a Marriage Mentor Guest Commentator lined up for you as an extra special treat this month)! Call it your Valentine's gift from me to you! :) Ladies, I guarantee, he will NOT work late and will NOT be able to get home fast enough! He'll even be more than eager to help you put the kids to bed early!! :)
For that matter, wives, we're busy, we're stretched on all sides, especially those of us taking care of small children all day, or those of us trying to balance work with the responsibilities of home and family life. Bottom line is, we're TUCKERED OUT!! Guys it's not that we don't desire those intimate moments with you! We're just tired!! So ladies, you pretty much know how many days can pass before your hubbie is gonna start rubbing your back when you just get all tucked in under the covers! :) That's a sure sign right there! The ole', "You could use a massage," trick up the sleeve! :) So if you know it's likely "the night," ahead of time, :) he's pretty predictable, plan ahead. Keep the schedule simple that day, don't be super woman, not today anyway, save some energy and roll a few things over to tomorrow's "to do" list. Take a power nap if you are so lucky and that serves you (makes me more tired) but I know it's really helpful to some. Plan ahead by putting the kids to bed on time so it's not a late hour by the time you settle down for a long winter's nap. Keep dinner simple if you need to that night! Trust me ladies! Your man would much rather have PB&J for dinner and a wife who still has energy left for him, than a 3 course fancy dinner any day, hands down! Save the impressive 5 star, fine dining meal for the following night if you must! :)
*Feed the kids separate one night so that you and your lovie can have a candle-lit dinner for 2 while the kids do an activity in the living room, allowing you to focus on each other and adult conversation, rather than focusing on cutting everyone's meat, cleaning up the spilled milk, and referring the food fight! :)
*Put the kids to bed early or even on time, in their OWN beds, and have dinner with your lovie by the fireplace or even just on a blanket in the middle of the living room or even in the master bedroom. Be creative! Just keep things fresh, exciting, and everything but mundane and routine! Our spouses do NOT need another business partner! They need the love of their lives to make them feel special and important!
Ok, on that note, I think I've given you a good head start! Guys, flowers and chocolates STILL do the trick for the ladies!! After all, we're from Venus - YOU are from Mars! We need the EMOTIONAL connection, (and since you can't hear my tone, I'm saying that in that whiny and needy sorta voice)! :) You know the one - the one that whines, "You never taaaaalk to me, you never tell me how you feeeeeel, you don't show me enough affeeeeeeection!" YOU need the PHYSICAL connection!! :) :) :) K - no excuses - go Walk In Victory in Marriage and Parenting!!! :) Oh geez, there's gonna be a baby boom at Cover Hill about 9 months from now!!!! :) :) :)
Pasta Salad
If you're like me, I often "sweat the small stuff," at least when it comes to my kids. One thing I find myself often fretting about is the fact that they open a lunch box to a different variety of SANDWICH most days! So I'm always looking for creative ways to surprise them with something other than a different type of meat and cheese between two slices of bread (or on a good day, I'll even switch it up and use different types of breads and rolls and on a really good day, I'll create a special type of sandwich dressing other than the good ole' mayo and mustard)! :)
So here's one I thought of after seeing the picture on a box of pasta I recently purchased that doesn't need to be kept hot or be heated up and is just as easy to pack in a sandwich container as, well...a sandwich! :) And I think it's pretty kid friendly since most kids like pasta, pepperoni, and cheese. And it's pretty budget friendly too which makes this an all around Walking In Victory Lunch Box idea!!
Here's what you'll need:
*1 box of Garden Rotini (you can use any pasta, but this tri-color makes it fun for the kiddos)
*Balsamic Vinaigrette or Italian Dressing (maybe 1/2 of the bottle - I just squirt it til it looks like all is coated)
Then you can basically throw in whatever YOUR kids like from here, but here are some ideas:
*Pepperoni
*Cheese (whatever you have on hand - I like to cut Monterrey Jack into cubes, but have also used shredded Mozzarella - the white cheeses make for nice presentation - it's important, I'm serious! :)
*Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (sliced in 1/2 for the kiddos to prevent choking hazard - or for a cheaper route, chop up regular slicing tomatoes).
*Black Olives (I know, most kids don't like em' but mine LOVE em)! :)
*Green Peppers (Chopped) - (I leave this out for the kid version, although some kids like them - when I make this as a side dish for adults though, I include the peppers).
That's basically it! Boil and drain the pasta according to the package directions. If making last minute, rinse pasta with cold water and ice cubes when draining to chill. Add all the other ingredients and toss together! Easy as pie! Easy, as budget friendly, if not more so than the expense in deli meat and cheese, and nutritious (Pasta from the bread group, Pepperoni and Cheese - Meat Group, & Tomatoes & Green Peppers - Veggie Group). Throw it in a plastic storage container with a lid (make sure it's sealed tightly so the dressing doesn't leak in their lunchbox - I re-use those Hillshire Farm Deli Meat Plastic Glad Storage Containers - the clear containers with the red tops - save those!! Put em in the dishwasher after the meat is gone and save them for great storage containers that store easily since they all stack inside one another)! :) There's another Walking In Victory bonus idea! :)
So here's one I thought of after seeing the picture on a box of pasta I recently purchased that doesn't need to be kept hot or be heated up and is just as easy to pack in a sandwich container as, well...a sandwich! :) And I think it's pretty kid friendly since most kids like pasta, pepperoni, and cheese. And it's pretty budget friendly too which makes this an all around Walking In Victory Lunch Box idea!!
Here's what you'll need:
*1 box of Garden Rotini (you can use any pasta, but this tri-color makes it fun for the kiddos)
*Balsamic Vinaigrette or Italian Dressing (maybe 1/2 of the bottle - I just squirt it til it looks like all is coated)
Then you can basically throw in whatever YOUR kids like from here, but here are some ideas:
*Pepperoni
*Cheese (whatever you have on hand - I like to cut Monterrey Jack into cubes, but have also used shredded Mozzarella - the white cheeses make for nice presentation - it's important, I'm serious! :)
*Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (sliced in 1/2 for the kiddos to prevent choking hazard - or for a cheaper route, chop up regular slicing tomatoes).
*Black Olives (I know, most kids don't like em' but mine LOVE em)! :)
*Green Peppers (Chopped) - (I leave this out for the kid version, although some kids like them - when I make this as a side dish for adults though, I include the peppers).
That's basically it! Boil and drain the pasta according to the package directions. If making last minute, rinse pasta with cold water and ice cubes when draining to chill. Add all the other ingredients and toss together! Easy as pie! Easy, as budget friendly, if not more so than the expense in deli meat and cheese, and nutritious (Pasta from the bread group, Pepperoni and Cheese - Meat Group, & Tomatoes & Green Peppers - Veggie Group). Throw it in a plastic storage container with a lid (make sure it's sealed tightly so the dressing doesn't leak in their lunchbox - I re-use those Hillshire Farm Deli Meat Plastic Glad Storage Containers - the clear containers with the red tops - save those!! Put em in the dishwasher after the meat is gone and save them for great storage containers that store easily since they all stack inside one another)! :) There's another Walking In Victory bonus idea! :)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
30 Life Principles
Dr. Charles Stanley's 30 Life Principles:
1. Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives.
2. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
3. God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
4. The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
5. God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
6. You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.
7. The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.
8. Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time.
9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
10. If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.
11. God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him.
12. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God.
13. Listening to God is essential to walking with God.
14. God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
15. Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness.
16. Whatever you acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes.
17. We stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
18. As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.
19. Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose.
20. Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice.
21. Obedience always brings blessing.
22. To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit.
23. You can never outgive God.
24. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us.
25. God blesses us so that we might bless others.
26. Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
27. Prayer is life’s greatest time saver.
28. No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith.
29. We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops.
30. An eager anticipation of the Lord’s return keeps us living productively.
2. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
3. God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
4. The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
5. God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
6. You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.
7. The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.
8. Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time.
9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
10. If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.
11. God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him.
12. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God.
13. Listening to God is essential to walking with God.
14. God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
15. Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness.
16. Whatever you acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes.
17. We stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
18. As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.
19. Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose.
20. Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice.
21. Obedience always brings blessing.
22. To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit.
23. You can never outgive God.
24. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us.
25. God blesses us so that we might bless others.
26. Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
27. Prayer is life’s greatest time saver.
28. No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith.
29. We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops.
30. An eager anticipation of the Lord’s return keeps us living productively.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
He'll do, and He'll use, whatever He wants to....to tell us, "I love you!"
As I begin a day of checking off a "to do" list a mile long, and was just simply "minding my own business" tending to MY business, and just had music playing in the background to help me along, isn't He always faithful to call me to tend to HIS business! The song that I have posted on the blog below (Please click play on it and listen after reading this post), absolutely TORE me up when I heard it and went from singing along to a tune that was just really nice, to really digesting the words, and it occurred to me that my faithful, loving Father was speaking to me, as He knows that no matter how busy I am this week, my heart is breaking inside, and He knows why, and as much as I have on my to do list right now and as much as I would be far more comfortable keeping these secret places of my heart between Him and I, I have learned through my journey in life that when I listen and obey, He always is faithful to "give grace to the humble," and always uses it in a big way, so I don't know who this is for, but I know He does.
We'll get into more of the details on this particular topic of "Prodigals" in the very near future, but for the sake of time right now, what I believe I was specifically led to share with someone was this: a few days ago, I was called to make an extremely difficult decision and take a very specific action that anyone who is a parent or anyone just walking through anything with someone they care about can relate to, I'm sure.
In my son's darkest hour, when he literally is going through withdrawal from many substances, restrained behind bars, isolated from the outside world, self-alienated from everyone who cares about him as he one by one, self destructs each and every relationship in his life, even expressing a desire to end his very life, I had to do one of the most difficult things I have ever done - and I've done alot of difficult things - especially concerning this child. I had to take his last call for now, long enough to tell him I love him but that I can't help him anymore until he is ready, I had to let him know I wouldn't be there for our visit that night, I wouldn't be accepting his collect calls any longer, I wouldn't be depositing money in his canteen account for anything he may need there, and I had to hang up on him. I cannot even attempt to describe what this felt like. It was awful, absolutely awful, to say the least, I cried ALL DAY (and night for that matter), I was physically sick and it felt wrong on so many levels, yet I knew it was absolutely necessary and what I needed to do.
Sometimes in life, we need to do things that do not feel natural as a parent, that we absolutely HATE doing, in order to get out of the way and let God be the parent for a while - a theory I have come to apply for really the last 10 years of life with this particular child - this posture of constantly keeping him surrendered and letting God be in control of his life for a season while I am asked to surrender and get out of the way in a sense. Sometimes, even though we don't mean to, we feel like we're loving them or helping them, what we are in essence doing is enabling them. And even though I chose a while ago to stop enabling Zachary in many ways, I was still enabling him by the very nature of just being available to him and although each circumstance is different, in this particular instance, I was enabling him by simply giving him a comfortable place to fall and ultimately not allowing him to hit his "rock bottom." So long as I'm always there, loving and reassuring him, he will never come to that desperate place of needing the Lord - which is his ONLY hope!
So although, I knew there was the potential that I could be getting it wrong, I'm human, and a mistake in this matter could be tragic, I had to trust God, and trust that God wasn't going to let me down on this one and was going to honor my faith and obedience to the level of, "I entirely surrender this kid God, I'm trusting you to do all that needs to be done, protecting, sustaining, and holding his very life in your hands." And so I dedicate this song to my son Zachary, and even though he can't hear it, I declare the lyrics of Victory over his circumstances and his very life...
"Who knows, how He'll get ahold of us...
Get our attention, to prove He is enough...
He'll do, and He'll USE...
WHATEVER HE WANTS TO...
To tell us, I love you!"
For the parents of prodigals, (and I am convinced this is one of the toughest battles on earth), may we link arms in the battle for our children's very souls and Walk In Victory as we declare those lyrics over our children today!
We'll get into more of the details on this particular topic of "Prodigals" in the very near future, but for the sake of time right now, what I believe I was specifically led to share with someone was this: a few days ago, I was called to make an extremely difficult decision and take a very specific action that anyone who is a parent or anyone just walking through anything with someone they care about can relate to, I'm sure.
In my son's darkest hour, when he literally is going through withdrawal from many substances, restrained behind bars, isolated from the outside world, self-alienated from everyone who cares about him as he one by one, self destructs each and every relationship in his life, even expressing a desire to end his very life, I had to do one of the most difficult things I have ever done - and I've done alot of difficult things - especially concerning this child. I had to take his last call for now, long enough to tell him I love him but that I can't help him anymore until he is ready, I had to let him know I wouldn't be there for our visit that night, I wouldn't be accepting his collect calls any longer, I wouldn't be depositing money in his canteen account for anything he may need there, and I had to hang up on him. I cannot even attempt to describe what this felt like. It was awful, absolutely awful, to say the least, I cried ALL DAY (and night for that matter), I was physically sick and it felt wrong on so many levels, yet I knew it was absolutely necessary and what I needed to do.
Sometimes in life, we need to do things that do not feel natural as a parent, that we absolutely HATE doing, in order to get out of the way and let God be the parent for a while - a theory I have come to apply for really the last 10 years of life with this particular child - this posture of constantly keeping him surrendered and letting God be in control of his life for a season while I am asked to surrender and get out of the way in a sense. Sometimes, even though we don't mean to, we feel like we're loving them or helping them, what we are in essence doing is enabling them. And even though I chose a while ago to stop enabling Zachary in many ways, I was still enabling him by the very nature of just being available to him and although each circumstance is different, in this particular instance, I was enabling him by simply giving him a comfortable place to fall and ultimately not allowing him to hit his "rock bottom." So long as I'm always there, loving and reassuring him, he will never come to that desperate place of needing the Lord - which is his ONLY hope!
So although, I knew there was the potential that I could be getting it wrong, I'm human, and a mistake in this matter could be tragic, I had to trust God, and trust that God wasn't going to let me down on this one and was going to honor my faith and obedience to the level of, "I entirely surrender this kid God, I'm trusting you to do all that needs to be done, protecting, sustaining, and holding his very life in your hands." And so I dedicate this song to my son Zachary, and even though he can't hear it, I declare the lyrics of Victory over his circumstances and his very life...
"Who knows, how He'll get ahold of us...
Get our attention, to prove He is enough...
He'll do, and He'll USE...
WHATEVER HE WANTS TO...
To tell us, I love you!"
For the parents of prodigals, (and I am convinced this is one of the toughest battles on earth), may we link arms in the battle for our children's very souls and Walk In Victory as we declare those lyrics over our children today!
He'll do, and He'll use, whatever He wants to....to tell us, "I love you!"
As I begin a day of checking off a "to do" list a mile long, and was just simply "minding my own business" tending to MY business, and just had music playing in the background to help me along, isn't He always faithful to call me to tend to HIS business! The song that I have posted on the blog below (Please click play on it and listen after reading this post), absolutely TORE me up when I heard it and went from singing along to a tune that was just really nice, to really digesting the words, and it occurred to me that my faithful, loving Father was speaking to me, as He knows that no matter how busy I am this week, my heart is breaking inside, and He knows why, and as much as I have on my to do list right now and as much as I would be far more comfortable keeping these secret places of my heart between Him and I, I have learned through my journey in life that when I listen and obey, He always is faithful to "give grace to the humble," and always uses it in a big way, so I don't know who this is for, but I know He does.
We'll get into more of the details on this particular topic of "Prodigals" in the very near future, but for the sake of time right now, what I believe I was specifically led to share with someone was this: a few days ago, I was called to make an extremely difficult decision and take a very specific action that anyone who is a parent or anyone just walking through anything with someone they care about can relate to, I'm sure.
In my son's darkest hour, when he literally is going through withdrawal from many substances, restrained behind bars, isolated from the outside world, self-alienated from everyone who cares about him as he one by one, self destructs each and every relationship in his life, even expressing a desire to end his very life, I had to do one of the most difficult things I have ever done - and I've done alot of difficult things - especially concerning this child. I had to take his last call for now, long enough to tell him I love him but that I can't help him anymore until he is ready, I had to let him know I wouldn't be there for our visit that night, I wouldn't be accepting his collect calls any longer, I wouldn't be depositing money in his canteen account for anything he may need there, and I had to hang up on him. I cannot even attempt to describe what this felt like. It was awful, absolutely awful, to say the least, I cried ALL DAY (and night for that matter), I was physically sick and it felt wrong on so many levels, yet I knew it was absolutely necessary and what I needed to do.
Sometimes in life, we need to do things that do not feel natural as a parent, that we absolutely HATE doing, in order to get out of the way and let God be the parent for a while - a theory I have come to apply for really the last 10 years of life with this particular child - this posture of constantly keeping him surrendered and letting God be in control of his life for a season while I am asked to surrender and get out of the way in a sense. Sometimes, even though we don't mean to, we feel like we're loving them or helping them, what we are in essence doing is enabling them. And even though I chose a while ago to stop enabling Zachary in many ways, I was still enabling him by the very nature of just being available to him and although each circumstance is different, in this particular instance, I was enabling him by simply giving him a comfortable place to fall and ultimately not allowing him to hit his "rock bottom." So long as I'm always there, loving and reassuring him, he will never come to that desperate place of needing the Lord - which is his ONLY hope!
So although, I knew there was the potential that I could be getting it wrong, I'm human, and a mistake in this matter could be tragic, I had to trust God, and trust that God wasn't going to let me down on this one and was going to honor my faith and obedience to the level of, "I entirely surrender this kid God, I'm trusting you to do all that needs to be done, protecting, sustaining, and holding his very life in your hands." And so I dedicate this song to my son Zachary, and even though he can't hear it, I declare the lyrics of Victory over his circumstances and his very life...
"Who knows, how He'll get ahold of us...
Get our attention, to prove He is enough...
He'll do, and He'll USE...
WHATEVER HE WANTS TO...
To tell us, I love you!"
For the parents of prodigals, (and I am convinced this is one of the toughest battles on earth), may we link arms in the battle for our children's very souls and Walk In Victory as we declare those lyrics over our children today!
We'll get into more of the details on this particular topic of "Prodigals" in the very near future, but for the sake of time right now, what I believe I was specifically led to share with someone was this: a few days ago, I was called to make an extremely difficult decision and take a very specific action that anyone who is a parent or anyone just walking through anything with someone they care about can relate to, I'm sure.
In my son's darkest hour, when he literally is going through withdrawal from many substances, restrained behind bars, isolated from the outside world, self-alienated from everyone who cares about him as he one by one, self destructs each and every relationship in his life, even expressing a desire to end his very life, I had to do one of the most difficult things I have ever done - and I've done alot of difficult things - especially concerning this child. I had to take his last call for now, long enough to tell him I love him but that I can't help him anymore until he is ready, I had to let him know I wouldn't be there for our visit that night, I wouldn't be accepting his collect calls any longer, I wouldn't be depositing money in his canteen account for anything he may need there, and I had to hang up on him. I cannot even attempt to describe what this felt like. It was awful, absolutely awful, to say the least, I cried ALL DAY (and night for that matter), I was physically sick and it felt wrong on so many levels, yet I knew it was absolutely necessary and what I needed to do.
Sometimes in life, we need to do things that do not feel natural as a parent, that we absolutely HATE doing, in order to get out of the way and let God be the parent for a while - a theory I have come to apply for really the last 10 years of life with this particular child - this posture of constantly keeping him surrendered and letting God be in control of his life for a season while I am asked to surrender and get out of the way in a sense. Sometimes, even though we don't mean to, we feel like we're loving them or helping them, what we are in essence doing is enabling them. And even though I chose a while ago to stop enabling Zachary in many ways, I was still enabling him by the very nature of just being available to him and although each circumstance is different, in this particular instance, I was enabling him by simply giving him a comfortable place to fall and ultimately not allowing him to hit his "rock bottom." So long as I'm always there, loving and reassuring him, he will never come to that desperate place of needing the Lord - which is his ONLY hope!
So although, I knew there was the potential that I could be getting it wrong, I'm human, and a mistake in this matter could be tragic, I had to trust God, and trust that God wasn't going to let me down on this one and was going to honor my faith and obedience to the level of, "I entirely surrender this kid God, I'm trusting you to do all that needs to be done, protecting, sustaining, and holding his very life in your hands." And so I dedicate this song to my son Zachary, and even though he can't hear it, I declare the lyrics of Victory over his circumstances and his very life...
"Who knows, how He'll get ahold of us...
Get our attention, to prove He is enough...
He'll do, and He'll USE...
WHATEVER HE WANTS TO...
To tell us, I love you!"
For the parents of prodigals, (and I am convinced this is one of the toughest battles on earth), may we link arms in the battle for our children's very souls and Walk In Victory as we declare those lyrics over our children today!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Healing Is In Your Hands
Well, as the month of resolutions escapes me as I attempt to get a website up and running, I figured for now I would go with what I already have up and running which is this blog, however stay tuned for some changes, (Hopefully)! :) For now, as always, Walk In Victory right here.
I feel like I've been led to this song for you this month. Let's listen to it often (in fact, I would recommend clicking the play button and having it playing in the background as you read some of my posts this month)! Proclaim the lyrics over your circumstances as we focus on a month of "Making Over Our Lives - From Defeat to Victory!"
I feel like I've been led to this song for you this month. Let's listen to it often (in fact, I would recommend clicking the play button and having it playing in the background as you read some of my posts this month)! Proclaim the lyrics over your circumstances as we focus on a month of "Making Over Our Lives - From Defeat to Victory!"
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Do I Need Church, and if so where, why, and breaking out of comfort zones
Oh how I love church visiting, let me count the ways - just kidding! I mean, don't get me wrong, the perks, free guest gifts, visitor receptions, complimentary cups of Joe and bagel at each new Welcome Center is all very appealing, however, I actually loathe the whole ordeal when either due to relocation or those changes of seasons in life when God begins to stir up the place where you just grew comfortable and calls you to a new thing for His purposes! However, you know, as I look back on a stroll down memory lane at the story of my life and progression of my relationship with the Lord over 20+ years now, each time He moves, in turn MOVING me (often very literally), I end up later with the advantage of hindsight looking back at the journey as a time of deepening in my own personal relationship, committment, pursuit, etc., with Him, and it ALWAYS ends up fulfilling a vision for His ultimate purposes way beyond me.
So let's participate in a moment of Monday morning quarterback if you will and take a stroll down memory lane at the progression and journey of my life, let's say, oh, just over the past several years. For those of you who personally know my stories, we only have to look at the last several years to compile an entire book of adventures! :) Ok, here we go, let's just do an overview of this part because I cannot wait to move on to the point, which by the way, is not MY spiritual progression and journey!
So in a nutshell, in 2003 God leads us to be part of a growing, thriving ministry of churches where relationships were a key part of that journey during a season of life when God knew exactly what He was doing - growing us "academically" in the Word with solid teaching, helping us break out of comfort zones in meaningful worship, and in His loving Sovereignty placing relationships in our lives at just the right time when we were going through one of the most difficult trials of our life, fighting for custody, visitation, and any relationship whatsoever with my son Zachary, who had just been wrongly ripped from my arms at the tender age of 9 years old and was entirely being unjustly and fully alienated from our lives. Without those relationships with those that to this day are dear to us, in a very special and significant way, coming alongside us, supporting, praying, caring, holding fundraisers for the cause of restoring our family as we neared a 6 digit figure in legal expenses, I honestly cannot imagine how we would have survived some of those darkest moments. They came on the days I grieved so badly that I could not lift my head or be motivated out of bed as I longed for a child who I wasn't allowed to even hear his voice for 22 long months at one point (8 years altogether), to comfort me, pray for me, and as I think back right now in this very moment and sorta chuckle, on a few occassions, they even just sat there and let me scream at them (including an occassional bleep here and a bleep there) all of my frustrations with why the Lord would allow this suffering. They held my arms up in worship (very literally) on the days when I didn't "feel" like worshipping, they cared for my younger children on the days where I literally couldn't stop crying long enough to pull it together to care for them, they brought meals, cleaned my home, homeschooled my children, allowing them to eventually attend a Christian school owned by one of them for free or whatever we could afford as the Lord laid it on their heart, you name it, they would even ride along with me on a 2+ hour excursion to Richmond from Virginia Beach when I was on the brink of losing my mind to just sit in the parking lot at my son's school and watch him come out of the school at dismissal just so I could get a glance of him, only to drive all the way 2+ hours back, sometimes ending up in another state with me on the way home because in my despair I had missed my exit! :) They didn't complain. They just continued to love me and laugh with me and cry with me, encourage me, mentor me, etc.
That brings us to 2006, Harry lost his job, coincidentally in working side jobs to continue coming up with the extorbatant legal expenses, and "breaching" his "contract" for his position that stated he could not work a second job and that led us to a job, yep, you guessed it, fate wins, right back to Richmond, 7 miles from my son!! We sort of transferred to a sister church within that same ministry we were part of for about a year, and really developed some wonderful relationships there that served a very specific purpose during that season of our lives, but for whatever reason, the Lord stirred us and led us to something new. It was time to grow in other areas of our spiritual journeys and it was an extremely difficult decision. It's difficult to leave a body who has done nothing wrong to you and have only tried to help you but because they understood how God calls some to move and plants others, they released us sadly yet full of faith and excitement for what God had next for us. Hence, to the place we called our church home for 2 years. The Lord specifically impressed on my heart the 2nd time we visited there that we were there for a season of healing. And I didn't know what that meant at that point and time, however I later came to understand it and I believe it was accomplished and we were provided with just the right relationships that we needed during that season of Zachary re-entering our home, unfortunately as a very troubled teenager, down a very wrong path of self destruction, as he had learned to cope with the pain of being seperated from his mother all those years through all the wrong methods. During that extremely difficult season on an entirely different level from anything we had ever experienced, we were surrounded with the exact relationships we needed who were comfortable coming alongside us through some EXTREMELY "UGLY" days and nights.
Due to the economic recession, Harry was downsized from his company and after 4-5 months of job searching, we were clearly being led to a job that would lead us to the DC/MD metropolitan area. Although we enjoyed living in that area and all that it had to offer, and experienced some wonderful experiences there, it came with some new difficulties through my husband's new employer and the direct negative impact that had on our marriage and family. I've talked about this previously in other posts. However, again through the church we were involved in there, we learned to serve, our giftings were discovered, and ministries were developed.
And that brings us to this point. THANK GOD my husband finally was terminated from a company that it was clear it would NEVER work out with, due to the fact that in order to excel in a career with that company, Harry would need to compromise in some non-negotiable areas that had potential not only to destroy our marriage and family, but his very own spiritual journey. As a quick sidenote, I think I would be remiss if I didn't make this point right here - do not be misled, NONE of us, no matter where we are in our spiritual journeys, are EVER IMMUNE from being led astray or being inticed by the world, especially when it is being intentionally used as a deadly weapon to attack and conquer your very soul from all sides! For what is it worth if you gain the whole world, yet loose your soul?
So here we are a few months later, back to where we started our journey. Does that mean we were wrong to go to MD since it was only for a year and we seemingly went in one big circle? Absolutely not!! We absolutely HAD to go on that journey for a year. It was essential at that time in our lives for lots of reasons, safety of our family in an extremely volitle situation that existed at the time being reason #1, sin issues needing to be attacked head on being another vital issue, learning to be content and more importantly being content in a simpler way of life, another very valuable lesson, learning to lean on one another in our marriage and family during a year when we were very isolated from deep relationships, growing in our giftings, etc. I could make a list a mile long. Our journeys are never wasted lessons!
But we want to be careful in returning to be discerning about where the Lord has us. Are we to pick right back up in life where we left off a little over a year ago? Is the Lord doing a new thing? Where do we belong here? What does this new season look like? All the questions it is absolutely wise to consider, pray about and discern in each new season of life and all of those in between. Of course it's COMFORTABLE to just pick up where we left off - especially relationally! But is that the Lord's will? I'm not so sure. I know that there's a stirring in not only my heart, but more importantly in the heart of my husband and leader that unite us on that front. That's a big red flag! And I certainly know that our life in Richmond now, looks much different than what it looked like a year ago, demographically, relationally, the ages, stages, and seasons of our children, one we'll look at more specifically in a moment because it's part of the point I'm attempting to make in my long winded way of doing things! :) You love it - you know you do!! :) Everything, right down to the TYPE of company my husband is working for (a minority contractor - a christian company - christian company and construction industry? Now there's a real hum-dinger! :) The manner in which we are chosing to educate our children in this season, launching this very ministry, you name it, most everything in our lives as we knew it, looks different. So why should we be surprised that church would look different?! I mean, I've tried my best to reason with God on this one - "you know God, there's so much change in our lives right now, can't we just leave church alone for now?!" :)
I don't know if I'm gonna get my way on this one! I mean, if it was my husband I was negotiating with, I'd totally have this battle in the bag! :) But with God, I don't always get MY WAY, however I DO ALWAYS get THE BEST WAY!! So, here I am minding my own business, planning to put away Christmas decorations and get our home back in order from Christmas and company yesterday, with plans to visit the first church on our list the next day, and a lightbulb turns on in my husband's head, "Hey let's try The ROC tonight!" HUH???!!! Pause, shock factor, what??!! Let me feel your head, you MUST have a fever!! :) Just kidding! I actually have visited the center in the past for an entirely different purpose. One of the 150+ ministries The ROC offers are dicipleship homes for all different sorts of circumstances, one of such circumstances being for young men EXACTLY like my son, who are on a very destructive path in life, hence the precise reason upon a recommendation from our Pastor at the time, Zach and I attended a service one evening about a year ago to attend an intake appointment with a Pastor at the end of the service, however Zach was unwilling to make the committment to enter the program on any level.
The ROC stands for Richmond Outreach Center, however it is a full blown ministry offering from what I can gather in my analytical brain and research, 150+ different ministries all over the city and beyond! Due to the fact that a large percentage of this ministry's congregation attends the Spanish service on Sunday mornings (La Roca), regular "Sunday Morning Church" is held on Saturday nights and is called, "6 O'Clock ROC!"
5:30 pm, Saturday, 1/7/12, we are directed into the parking lot by Richmond Police due to the mass volume of traffic flowing into that parking lot on Saturday nights! That alone prepared my heart for something amazing! We exit our vehicle, and as I begin to nag at my husband in fear and anxiety, however with an underlying peace that we were exactly where we were suppose to be on this Saturday night, with fear based questions, did you lock the doors, do you have the keys, should I bring my purse, ok you hold this child's hand and I'll hold this child's hand and whatever you do, do not loose grip of the child's hand that has been assigned to you, and I began to "warn" him that I had visited there once and although I personally LOVED what I experienced there, that it was definitely a different way of doing church than what he has been accustomed to and typical Harry, that just excited him even more! We park and begin to walk toward the church, a.k.a. what they call "The Big House!" Don't you just LOVE it??!!
As we're walking through this ginormous parking lot busting at the seams with more cars than I can begin to calculate, we begin to see Whatsoever Kids Buses pulling in! These buses are retired school buses, manned by a men's ministry, "Soulwinning Soilders" that take these buses into the most poverty and crime stricken neighborhoods of Richmond, where drugs, gangs, guns, prostitution, you name it, run rampant, for the purpose of transporting hurting and eager for someone to show them the love of Christ children from toddlers to teens to and from what they call at The ROC, Saturday School (I guess since it's on Saturday rather than the traditional Sunday School)! I was absolutely torn up before I even entered the building in overwhelmedness as I witnessed bus after bus completely FULL, not ONE EMPTY SEAT with kids being transported to church! The ROC Ministry Members were actively engaging these kids, loving on them, playing games with them, making them laugh, preaching truth to them, it was an amazing sight to see! From what I read in further research later, they actually send these children home each night with a bagged lunch!
We pass a police officer at the doors for security, and are greeted by more Soulwinning Soldiers in leather jackets than we could possibly acknowledge! What was this joy in the faces and demeanors of these people we were noticing as we entered the building. This definitely was a "different" type of church service and a "different" type of congregation! Ok, we've entered The Big House, now where do we go? Well, there's a Welcome Center straight ahead, let's start there. Wow! That was a phenomenal welcome center experience. Let's keep going. Eeeks, that's right, I have to leave my kids in Saturday church with all the other kids coming in on buses for Saturday church. Oops, didn't think about that. Well, actually I did, it was a major concern I had, which was precisely the reason my husband had already done his homework prior to and reassured me he had absolutely NO concerns in leaving HIS daughters too in the care of these people. Ok, then, well, I guess I'm suppose to trust in my husband's leading so, give mommy a kiss, it looks like you're going to have a great time here, it looks like your teachers are hugging and loving on the other kids and the kids look like they are full of joy being here, security seems to be well attended to, you're gonna have a story, do a craft, sing some songs, have a snack, and I'll be back in an hour but if you need me, tell your teacher and they will put your number really big on the screen in Big Church and I'll come right back for you! :)
Off to the Big House Auditorium we go. Looks more like a sporting arena! No church pews here! Just stadium type seating and a full house at that - I'm guessing probably a couple thousand people, easily! We go to find some seats and being the ADHD people we are, we have to get up pretty close. Next big impression, an entire row of chairs was marked off as "Reserved for Diciples of Christ," (I think that's what the signs said). I don't exactly remember the wordage, but what I do remember was that these seast were reserved and occupied by a group of African American teenage to young adult men. 3 of them stood up as they noticed we were looking for a seat and took the reserved signs off and gave up their seats for us - they insisted! Wow!
Who's Joe cool coming on stage in sunglasses at 6:00 at night?! Oh, that's Pastor Geronimo (or as they call him, Pastor G!! :) Don't worry, that was just to show us the video of the church New Year's Eve party held the week prior - he took off his shades as he preached the Word later! :)
Oh boy, time to worship!! Ok, now who's Ms. Rock Star with the American Idol voice leading worship?! That's Pastor G's wife??!! Hmmm, this song sounds familiar, wait a minute, isn't this a Beatles song??!! But I KNOW those are NOT Beatles lyrics!! :) Wow! The Roc, ROCKS!! Harry nudges me and says with a chuckle, "hey, check out the choir and can you imagine being on THAT worship team (knowing that I LOVE worship and usually serve on the worship team)! Now whatever would make him think that I would fit in??!! :) Ok, so I have been known to enjoy gettin my worship on - guess you could even call me a little charasmatic!! :) Ok, ok, you're right, I'd totally be gettin my funk on with that choir, in fact, can I go up there right now? They look like they are having so much fun!! :)
This church really knows how to celebrate! Maybe they have MUCH to celebrate!! Maybe that's the joy unspeakable I've heard of! Now it's time to get serious, a slow song...every hair on my body (and I'm a brunette - VERY HAIRY!!) is raised and the Holy Spirit is in The Big House!! Look at these teen boys next to me worshipping and taking solace in the Lord, arms around one another united as a brotherhood, a network of support for one another! I'm guessing by a few clues I picked up on that I'm aware of only due to my research in attempting to get my own son in the program, that they were likely gang members or otherwise on a very destructive path and entered a Dicipleship Home and look at them now! The one sitting next to me asks me, "Are you new here? Really? Welcome! How do you like it so far? Well, it sure is great to have you with us tonight. I hope you'll come back!" This precious conversation took place just before he caused me to burst into tears yet again, not because he did anything wrong to me. It's just that as he participated in the offering, I noticed out of the corner of my intrigue with this young man that he had placed what was likely a huge sacrifice to him, probably the only dollar bill he had in the offering bag. Whew! Absolutely unbelievable!! I'm changed and we haven't even gotten to the message yet! Maybe that's why it says, "Changing Lives and Making Life Changers" on the sign!!
A few testimonies shared...ok, ok does anyone have a BOX of tissues and/or suggestions on just HOW it is that I am gonna pull it together?? Oh my goodness, I'm a total mess!! :) I mean, that baby on stage right now should not be here! But he is! Look at him! He was scheduled to be aborted! But for the Lord using a Dicipleship Home that took in his unwed, teenage, mother and provided a safe haven for her throughout her pregnancy and now Pastor G recently performed the marriage ceremony in this church for her and that man up there and they are on fire for the Lord and that baby is being raised in a wonderful christian, loving home!! Hey, I warned you, you would need an entire BOX of tissue!! :)
Time for Pastor G's message! Wow, this guy has a unique gifting and is being used of the Lord! Alter call...officially and entirely...BLOWN AWAY!! I look up at my husband, who in his big stature has a quivering lower lip as literally MASSES of every age, race, and socio-economic status flock the alters for prayer!! No more beautiful and breath-taking a scene for the believer than to witness lives being touched, healed, and transformed!
We are invited to a new-comers reception. First let me get my children. I've been totally broke out in hives from anxiety since I dropped them off. I am totally not even kidding! :) In fact, that is my biggest challenge in running as fast as I can TO be part of what this church is doing. How kind of my loving father who knows just how I am fearfully and wonderfully made and knows the fears I have with my children and the past wounds and scars that I carry that contribute to how tight my grip is on their very lives to have me met in the children's wing by a Soulwinning Soilder assigned as one of the many security volunteers for that particular hallway who asks my child's name and informs me that he has Lola Grace's security card because I left it where I had registered her and he knew it would be very difficult for me to pick her up with out it and he remembered who I was (of the hundreds of people he greeted and directed) and re-assured me of how important the children are to The Roc and just how seriously they HAVE to take security there due to the nature of their very ministry. Wow, sir, you have no idea just how timely and important this conversation was to me and exactly what I needed to feel comfortable here. That was my ONLY concern and it had been put to death!
New-comer's reception - wow, totally overwhelming the literature I can pick up here! There is every possible thing available to me here and to anyone that we could possibly ever need to walk in victory in this journey called life and lead others to do the same! Parenting classes, Bible 101 classes, teen topical classes, marriage ministry, breaking free ministry for those struggling with addicition, homeless ministry, food pantry, breaking generational curses class (sign me up for that one), prison ministry (wait, prison visitation ministry?) Here we go....first time I've published this news...sign...MY SON...up for that one!!
Yep, it's not a typo...it's transparency...and it's real...and it's relevant to someone...for the past 4 weeks, I have been taking calls and visiting MY SON behind bars obviously due to a bad choice made on his part and consequences thereof. You may be shocked! A white, christian, middle class, professional, college educated family, pursuing ministry visiting not someone else's child through a church prison ministry, but their very own child behind bars??!! I'm not shocked at all! In fact, I totally saw it coming not only recently with the path he was on, but predicted it 10 years ago as I pleaded with a corrupt judicial system and family fulfilling selfish desires and ambitions, that this was exactly Zachary's future should what was happening continue. The Lord's has been preparing me for many years for precisely this moment, and it's far from complete. I still believe, and I pray to God I am wrong on this, that the future is bleak and far uglier yet to come, however I KNOW, that I know, that I know, there is a beautiful story being written with an amazing and powerful testimony that will change lives and I don't believe any of this is coincidence - in fact, I can almost sit back and see the steps being ordered just perfectly according to the father's sovereign plan!
Fast forward to Sunday morning. Do you still wanna visit that "other" church on our list? Sure, why not? Well to be fair, after our experience last night, ANYTHING would have fallen short of what WE are being led to in this particular season. I want to make sure that I stress that point. It's not for everyone, I'm certainly NOT advocating for any particular church or ministry, it's just something we're praying about and discerning, certainly not having made any decisions just yet about where are being led for a specific purpose. My intention is not to offend anyone or degrade any church or class of people in any way whatsoever! Please hear my heart on this...my intention is to convey what the Lord has placed a burden on my heart for, so much so that I barely exited the church doors this morning before I told my husband, "I HAVE to go home right away and blog!!" This experience just soooo goes along with the theme of what my very own eyes are being opened to in this particular season.
Let me see if I can adequately describe my well, I'll be honest with you, frustration in church this morning. Again, not intended to offend, but intended to help us all to Walk In Victory in this area. Hmmm...ugh...ok, so, I'm certainly not here to church bash, so let's just say, this was a Pentecostal church we visited. Ok, so for those of us that have no idea what that means, not always, but in general, what does it mean exactly to be pentecostal? Well, it's what I guess I have been much of my life. Let's skip past the statements of faith and core beliefs for the purposes of this post and move onto this...ok, you are suppose to be Pentecostal...you're suppose to be "Holy Rollers," "Jesus Freaks!" Where's the Holy and where's the rollin? I mean in the church I grew up in, 80 year old women did cartwheels for Jesus down the isles and if you were real blessed, you'd be slain in the spirit after a particular 80 year old came over and bopped you on the head in the name of Jesus!! :) I certainly didn't see any "Jesus Freaks" as the DC Talk song goes! Nope, they were all at The Roc last night!! :) Just kidding! Actually I know quite a few Jesus Freaks at quite a few churches I've been privleged to be part of on a Sunday morning.
Just sayin....just an observation, an impression, ugh...ok, God you can stop this anytime now...what?! You're not gonna?! You're totally gonna make me say it aren't you?! Why me Lord? I mean you totally know I'm completely comfortable keeping to myself, staying in the safe haven of my home, minding my own beeswax, not bothering anyone, just being an average housewife, barely keeping my head above water in that alone each day. I mean, can't I share a recipe or somethin??!! :) No??!! How bout a funny story? You know you have a sense of humor God...how bout a quick joke, cut right to the chase...ok, so this guy walks in this bar... Ugh! Don't you know I'm a peacemaker? I don't ruffle feathers! I know some people who are totally comfortable ruffling feathers...would you like me to pass along this message to them??!! :)
Well, I tried everything and the Big Guy upstairs isn't lettin me off the hook so fine, I'll just say it, so here goes, alright, alright already...fine...so, it was just another typical white, upper middle class, pretty, country club church!! There are you happy?! I said it! I hope you're totally happy with yourself now that I am totally gonna loose all my white middle class friends and probably have to go into seclusion or something! No better yet, I'll probably become the face on someone's voo doo doll as they jab needles in all my body parts and curse me! Like seriously, don't I have enough problems right now??!! Like I really needed to stir up this mess! :) Boy I bet that devil's havin one heck of a par-tay right about now knowing this very moment is the beginning of my demise!! :)
Ok, enough joking, seriously, here's the application part of this loooong (but sooo worth the read) blog... :) Friends, I'm totally guilty of being that person! And the truth of the matter, what I believe the Lord would want us to open our eyes to, is that the very people he loves, desires to be in intimate relationship with, the very people he was beaten and died for are those that will NEVER feel comfortable walking into our white, middle class, country club churches! Let's face it, the truth of the matter and we're ALL guilty, is as the Casting Crowns song describes, that if that homeless man walked into our pretty churches, we'd be afraid he'd get dirt on the carpet, if that gang member who has tried everything else and nothing has worked decided to walk through the doors of the church across the street because he's tried everything else, maybe this church thing has the answers he needs, and hey, you know what, if they don't, he's truly tried everything to numb the pain and all that's left is to go home and hold a gun to his head...what if that guy walked through the doors? What would YOU do? We'd all likely go pick up our children from the nursery asap!
I guess now, that my very own child, could quite possibly be that exact person, my eyes have been opened. So do we need church, and if so where and why? The answer to the first part of that question is a resounding, YES!! It's absolutely vital to our souls and our spiritual journeys! Life is hard! We certainly can't go it alone! We HAVE to surround ourselves with positive influences and like minded people. We have to continually be educated and reminded by hearing the Word and applying it to our lives to truly walk in victory. We MUST take our hands out of our pockets and be awestruck in wonder and worship whole heartedly before the living God! This is God we're worshipping people! Shameful what this God has accomplished in my life, on my behalf, in my sin and selfishness, none of which I have ever deserved, to think about where I would be without Him, an unwed, teenage mom, from a family of generational curses and alcoholism, and in the face of tragic circumstances should be an un-college educated, unmarried, drug addicted alcoholic, poverty stricken with children in foster care and a criminal record, a statistic, with no hope, and reflect on how I too have approached the throne of worship, like seriously, I should be ashamed of myself! But there is no condemnation in Christ, therefore I do not have to be ashamed, but shame on me if I'm aware of it now and remain unchanged, comfortable, prideful, angry that I didn't get my own way about something, as if I should be spared of anything let alone trial or suffering.
What's holding you back? If you're feeling butterflies in your tummy right now and you're breathing real fast, you KNOW this is for YOU!! :) So really, no matter what church you go to and for those of you who don't, why aren't you? Why are you holding back? Too busy? You work hard all week and should be allowed to enjoy your weekends? You may not be able to do some of the things you're doing anymore? What if you gained something far more valuable? Are those things TRULY satisfying your life and making you whole and complete? Are you afraid? Do you have too much pride? Have you been hurt? Maybe you've been hurt BY the church?! Maybe that's because you've gone to the "wrong" church. Believe it or not, all churches are not created equal. Believe it or not, all churches do not necessarily preach the truth. And maybe it's not that you were at the wrong church but maybe it's more that the church is made up of people, and people are human, and humans are not perfect and therefore, the "perfect" church does not exist. Maybe you have grown to depend TOO much on those people and regardless of where you find them, church included, PEOPLE will ALWAYS fail you and that is exactly why you need the Lord! He NEVER fails. He will never leave or forsake you. His mercies are new for YOU each and every morning.
Pray that the Lord will lead you to exactly where He would have you. There are LOTS of phenomenal churches and ministries doing amazing things! One size does not fit all and sometimes the size fits for a season and then we outgrow it and we are stretched out of our comfort zones and that's a good thing! Parents - get your kids in church! It's vital! I'm here to tell you on this side of a very wayward child that even WITH the church, it's the hardest job on earth. You cannot do it alone! And I was aware but not truly aware of just how bad it is out there until recently releasing all of my children to the public school system that even in our "country club" schools, our children are faced with tremendous attacks, temptations, and challenges every single day! They absolutely need the Lord's help and so do you in raising them. And take it from me personally, even then, there are no guarantees. We cannot "save" our children! Only the Lord can do that! We are called to do everything we can possibly do and then you trust Him to do the rest and his Word promises this: train your child up in the way of the Lord for when he grows old he WILL NOT depart from it. It doesn't say, there's a 50/50 chance, it says he will not depart. A promise I personally, especially as I visit the child I once carried in my womb behind a glass window. I can't physically touch him, hug him, I can barely break through the anger and hatred he holds each time I see him enough to get through to him. Only the Lord can do what needs to be done for Zachary and he truly needs an absolute miracle. There are conversations, in fact, most conversations, well really ALL conversations with him that would cause ANY mother to walk away completely emotionally and spiritually exhausted and out of hope. But that's just the thing, thank God, THANK GOD, I have hope because without it, without standing on hope and trust and God's promises, I truly could not survive times like these in my life. To be honest, I don't know HOW people face the daily challenges and trials in this life without Him!
It's because I FULLY and UNCONDITIONALLY TRUST THE LORD that I have hope and it's how He uses stories like the following that encourage me daily that I can STILL TRUST HIM!! If you want to be encouraged and blessed, take the time to click on the links on the following 2 blog postings for testimonies of hope! Then go hug and kiss your children. Tell them you love them. I can tell you from experience that God forbid should you ever have to go 8 years without being able to do so, you'll wish you did; if you ever want to but there's shatter proof glass and bars preventing you from doing so, you'll wish you had done it more often; and God, oh God, please spare us, should you ever have to do it for eternity like my parents do everyday, you'd give everything on earth to do so one more time....
So let's participate in a moment of Monday morning quarterback if you will and take a stroll down memory lane at the progression and journey of my life, let's say, oh, just over the past several years. For those of you who personally know my stories, we only have to look at the last several years to compile an entire book of adventures! :) Ok, here we go, let's just do an overview of this part because I cannot wait to move on to the point, which by the way, is not MY spiritual progression and journey!
So in a nutshell, in 2003 God leads us to be part of a growing, thriving ministry of churches where relationships were a key part of that journey during a season of life when God knew exactly what He was doing - growing us "academically" in the Word with solid teaching, helping us break out of comfort zones in meaningful worship, and in His loving Sovereignty placing relationships in our lives at just the right time when we were going through one of the most difficult trials of our life, fighting for custody, visitation, and any relationship whatsoever with my son Zachary, who had just been wrongly ripped from my arms at the tender age of 9 years old and was entirely being unjustly and fully alienated from our lives. Without those relationships with those that to this day are dear to us, in a very special and significant way, coming alongside us, supporting, praying, caring, holding fundraisers for the cause of restoring our family as we neared a 6 digit figure in legal expenses, I honestly cannot imagine how we would have survived some of those darkest moments. They came on the days I grieved so badly that I could not lift my head or be motivated out of bed as I longed for a child who I wasn't allowed to even hear his voice for 22 long months at one point (8 years altogether), to comfort me, pray for me, and as I think back right now in this very moment and sorta chuckle, on a few occassions, they even just sat there and let me scream at them (including an occassional bleep here and a bleep there) all of my frustrations with why the Lord would allow this suffering. They held my arms up in worship (very literally) on the days when I didn't "feel" like worshipping, they cared for my younger children on the days where I literally couldn't stop crying long enough to pull it together to care for them, they brought meals, cleaned my home, homeschooled my children, allowing them to eventually attend a Christian school owned by one of them for free or whatever we could afford as the Lord laid it on their heart, you name it, they would even ride along with me on a 2+ hour excursion to Richmond from Virginia Beach when I was on the brink of losing my mind to just sit in the parking lot at my son's school and watch him come out of the school at dismissal just so I could get a glance of him, only to drive all the way 2+ hours back, sometimes ending up in another state with me on the way home because in my despair I had missed my exit! :) They didn't complain. They just continued to love me and laugh with me and cry with me, encourage me, mentor me, etc.
That brings us to 2006, Harry lost his job, coincidentally in working side jobs to continue coming up with the extorbatant legal expenses, and "breaching" his "contract" for his position that stated he could not work a second job and that led us to a job, yep, you guessed it, fate wins, right back to Richmond, 7 miles from my son!! We sort of transferred to a sister church within that same ministry we were part of for about a year, and really developed some wonderful relationships there that served a very specific purpose during that season of our lives, but for whatever reason, the Lord stirred us and led us to something new. It was time to grow in other areas of our spiritual journeys and it was an extremely difficult decision. It's difficult to leave a body who has done nothing wrong to you and have only tried to help you but because they understood how God calls some to move and plants others, they released us sadly yet full of faith and excitement for what God had next for us. Hence, to the place we called our church home for 2 years. The Lord specifically impressed on my heart the 2nd time we visited there that we were there for a season of healing. And I didn't know what that meant at that point and time, however I later came to understand it and I believe it was accomplished and we were provided with just the right relationships that we needed during that season of Zachary re-entering our home, unfortunately as a very troubled teenager, down a very wrong path of self destruction, as he had learned to cope with the pain of being seperated from his mother all those years through all the wrong methods. During that extremely difficult season on an entirely different level from anything we had ever experienced, we were surrounded with the exact relationships we needed who were comfortable coming alongside us through some EXTREMELY "UGLY" days and nights.
Due to the economic recession, Harry was downsized from his company and after 4-5 months of job searching, we were clearly being led to a job that would lead us to the DC/MD metropolitan area. Although we enjoyed living in that area and all that it had to offer, and experienced some wonderful experiences there, it came with some new difficulties through my husband's new employer and the direct negative impact that had on our marriage and family. I've talked about this previously in other posts. However, again through the church we were involved in there, we learned to serve, our giftings were discovered, and ministries were developed.
And that brings us to this point. THANK GOD my husband finally was terminated from a company that it was clear it would NEVER work out with, due to the fact that in order to excel in a career with that company, Harry would need to compromise in some non-negotiable areas that had potential not only to destroy our marriage and family, but his very own spiritual journey. As a quick sidenote, I think I would be remiss if I didn't make this point right here - do not be misled, NONE of us, no matter where we are in our spiritual journeys, are EVER IMMUNE from being led astray or being inticed by the world, especially when it is being intentionally used as a deadly weapon to attack and conquer your very soul from all sides! For what is it worth if you gain the whole world, yet loose your soul?
So here we are a few months later, back to where we started our journey. Does that mean we were wrong to go to MD since it was only for a year and we seemingly went in one big circle? Absolutely not!! We absolutely HAD to go on that journey for a year. It was essential at that time in our lives for lots of reasons, safety of our family in an extremely volitle situation that existed at the time being reason #1, sin issues needing to be attacked head on being another vital issue, learning to be content and more importantly being content in a simpler way of life, another very valuable lesson, learning to lean on one another in our marriage and family during a year when we were very isolated from deep relationships, growing in our giftings, etc. I could make a list a mile long. Our journeys are never wasted lessons!
But we want to be careful in returning to be discerning about where the Lord has us. Are we to pick right back up in life where we left off a little over a year ago? Is the Lord doing a new thing? Where do we belong here? What does this new season look like? All the questions it is absolutely wise to consider, pray about and discern in each new season of life and all of those in between. Of course it's COMFORTABLE to just pick up where we left off - especially relationally! But is that the Lord's will? I'm not so sure. I know that there's a stirring in not only my heart, but more importantly in the heart of my husband and leader that unite us on that front. That's a big red flag! And I certainly know that our life in Richmond now, looks much different than what it looked like a year ago, demographically, relationally, the ages, stages, and seasons of our children, one we'll look at more specifically in a moment because it's part of the point I'm attempting to make in my long winded way of doing things! :) You love it - you know you do!! :) Everything, right down to the TYPE of company my husband is working for (a minority contractor - a christian company - christian company and construction industry? Now there's a real hum-dinger! :) The manner in which we are chosing to educate our children in this season, launching this very ministry, you name it, most everything in our lives as we knew it, looks different. So why should we be surprised that church would look different?! I mean, I've tried my best to reason with God on this one - "you know God, there's so much change in our lives right now, can't we just leave church alone for now?!" :)
I don't know if I'm gonna get my way on this one! I mean, if it was my husband I was negotiating with, I'd totally have this battle in the bag! :) But with God, I don't always get MY WAY, however I DO ALWAYS get THE BEST WAY!! So, here I am minding my own business, planning to put away Christmas decorations and get our home back in order from Christmas and company yesterday, with plans to visit the first church on our list the next day, and a lightbulb turns on in my husband's head, "Hey let's try The ROC tonight!" HUH???!!! Pause, shock factor, what??!! Let me feel your head, you MUST have a fever!! :) Just kidding! I actually have visited the center in the past for an entirely different purpose. One of the 150+ ministries The ROC offers are dicipleship homes for all different sorts of circumstances, one of such circumstances being for young men EXACTLY like my son, who are on a very destructive path in life, hence the precise reason upon a recommendation from our Pastor at the time, Zach and I attended a service one evening about a year ago to attend an intake appointment with a Pastor at the end of the service, however Zach was unwilling to make the committment to enter the program on any level.
The ROC stands for Richmond Outreach Center, however it is a full blown ministry offering from what I can gather in my analytical brain and research, 150+ different ministries all over the city and beyond! Due to the fact that a large percentage of this ministry's congregation attends the Spanish service on Sunday mornings (La Roca), regular "Sunday Morning Church" is held on Saturday nights and is called, "6 O'Clock ROC!"
5:30 pm, Saturday, 1/7/12, we are directed into the parking lot by Richmond Police due to the mass volume of traffic flowing into that parking lot on Saturday nights! That alone prepared my heart for something amazing! We exit our vehicle, and as I begin to nag at my husband in fear and anxiety, however with an underlying peace that we were exactly where we were suppose to be on this Saturday night, with fear based questions, did you lock the doors, do you have the keys, should I bring my purse, ok you hold this child's hand and I'll hold this child's hand and whatever you do, do not loose grip of the child's hand that has been assigned to you, and I began to "warn" him that I had visited there once and although I personally LOVED what I experienced there, that it was definitely a different way of doing church than what he has been accustomed to and typical Harry, that just excited him even more! We park and begin to walk toward the church, a.k.a. what they call "The Big House!" Don't you just LOVE it??!!
As we're walking through this ginormous parking lot busting at the seams with more cars than I can begin to calculate, we begin to see Whatsoever Kids Buses pulling in! These buses are retired school buses, manned by a men's ministry, "Soulwinning Soilders" that take these buses into the most poverty and crime stricken neighborhoods of Richmond, where drugs, gangs, guns, prostitution, you name it, run rampant, for the purpose of transporting hurting and eager for someone to show them the love of Christ children from toddlers to teens to and from what they call at The ROC, Saturday School (I guess since it's on Saturday rather than the traditional Sunday School)! I was absolutely torn up before I even entered the building in overwhelmedness as I witnessed bus after bus completely FULL, not ONE EMPTY SEAT with kids being transported to church! The ROC Ministry Members were actively engaging these kids, loving on them, playing games with them, making them laugh, preaching truth to them, it was an amazing sight to see! From what I read in further research later, they actually send these children home each night with a bagged lunch!
We pass a police officer at the doors for security, and are greeted by more Soulwinning Soldiers in leather jackets than we could possibly acknowledge! What was this joy in the faces and demeanors of these people we were noticing as we entered the building. This definitely was a "different" type of church service and a "different" type of congregation! Ok, we've entered The Big House, now where do we go? Well, there's a Welcome Center straight ahead, let's start there. Wow! That was a phenomenal welcome center experience. Let's keep going. Eeeks, that's right, I have to leave my kids in Saturday church with all the other kids coming in on buses for Saturday church. Oops, didn't think about that. Well, actually I did, it was a major concern I had, which was precisely the reason my husband had already done his homework prior to and reassured me he had absolutely NO concerns in leaving HIS daughters too in the care of these people. Ok, then, well, I guess I'm suppose to trust in my husband's leading so, give mommy a kiss, it looks like you're going to have a great time here, it looks like your teachers are hugging and loving on the other kids and the kids look like they are full of joy being here, security seems to be well attended to, you're gonna have a story, do a craft, sing some songs, have a snack, and I'll be back in an hour but if you need me, tell your teacher and they will put your number really big on the screen in Big Church and I'll come right back for you! :)
Off to the Big House Auditorium we go. Looks more like a sporting arena! No church pews here! Just stadium type seating and a full house at that - I'm guessing probably a couple thousand people, easily! We go to find some seats and being the ADHD people we are, we have to get up pretty close. Next big impression, an entire row of chairs was marked off as "Reserved for Diciples of Christ," (I think that's what the signs said). I don't exactly remember the wordage, but what I do remember was that these seast were reserved and occupied by a group of African American teenage to young adult men. 3 of them stood up as they noticed we were looking for a seat and took the reserved signs off and gave up their seats for us - they insisted! Wow!
Who's Joe cool coming on stage in sunglasses at 6:00 at night?! Oh, that's Pastor Geronimo (or as they call him, Pastor G!! :) Don't worry, that was just to show us the video of the church New Year's Eve party held the week prior - he took off his shades as he preached the Word later! :)
Oh boy, time to worship!! Ok, now who's Ms. Rock Star with the American Idol voice leading worship?! That's Pastor G's wife??!! Hmmm, this song sounds familiar, wait a minute, isn't this a Beatles song??!! But I KNOW those are NOT Beatles lyrics!! :) Wow! The Roc, ROCKS!! Harry nudges me and says with a chuckle, "hey, check out the choir and can you imagine being on THAT worship team (knowing that I LOVE worship and usually serve on the worship team)! Now whatever would make him think that I would fit in??!! :) Ok, so I have been known to enjoy gettin my worship on - guess you could even call me a little charasmatic!! :) Ok, ok, you're right, I'd totally be gettin my funk on with that choir, in fact, can I go up there right now? They look like they are having so much fun!! :)
This church really knows how to celebrate! Maybe they have MUCH to celebrate!! Maybe that's the joy unspeakable I've heard of! Now it's time to get serious, a slow song...every hair on my body (and I'm a brunette - VERY HAIRY!!) is raised and the Holy Spirit is in The Big House!! Look at these teen boys next to me worshipping and taking solace in the Lord, arms around one another united as a brotherhood, a network of support for one another! I'm guessing by a few clues I picked up on that I'm aware of only due to my research in attempting to get my own son in the program, that they were likely gang members or otherwise on a very destructive path and entered a Dicipleship Home and look at them now! The one sitting next to me asks me, "Are you new here? Really? Welcome! How do you like it so far? Well, it sure is great to have you with us tonight. I hope you'll come back!" This precious conversation took place just before he caused me to burst into tears yet again, not because he did anything wrong to me. It's just that as he participated in the offering, I noticed out of the corner of my intrigue with this young man that he had placed what was likely a huge sacrifice to him, probably the only dollar bill he had in the offering bag. Whew! Absolutely unbelievable!! I'm changed and we haven't even gotten to the message yet! Maybe that's why it says, "Changing Lives and Making Life Changers" on the sign!!
A few testimonies shared...ok, ok does anyone have a BOX of tissues and/or suggestions on just HOW it is that I am gonna pull it together?? Oh my goodness, I'm a total mess!! :) I mean, that baby on stage right now should not be here! But he is! Look at him! He was scheduled to be aborted! But for the Lord using a Dicipleship Home that took in his unwed, teenage, mother and provided a safe haven for her throughout her pregnancy and now Pastor G recently performed the marriage ceremony in this church for her and that man up there and they are on fire for the Lord and that baby is being raised in a wonderful christian, loving home!! Hey, I warned you, you would need an entire BOX of tissue!! :)
Time for Pastor G's message! Wow, this guy has a unique gifting and is being used of the Lord! Alter call...officially and entirely...BLOWN AWAY!! I look up at my husband, who in his big stature has a quivering lower lip as literally MASSES of every age, race, and socio-economic status flock the alters for prayer!! No more beautiful and breath-taking a scene for the believer than to witness lives being touched, healed, and transformed!
We are invited to a new-comers reception. First let me get my children. I've been totally broke out in hives from anxiety since I dropped them off. I am totally not even kidding! :) In fact, that is my biggest challenge in running as fast as I can TO be part of what this church is doing. How kind of my loving father who knows just how I am fearfully and wonderfully made and knows the fears I have with my children and the past wounds and scars that I carry that contribute to how tight my grip is on their very lives to have me met in the children's wing by a Soulwinning Soilder assigned as one of the many security volunteers for that particular hallway who asks my child's name and informs me that he has Lola Grace's security card because I left it where I had registered her and he knew it would be very difficult for me to pick her up with out it and he remembered who I was (of the hundreds of people he greeted and directed) and re-assured me of how important the children are to The Roc and just how seriously they HAVE to take security there due to the nature of their very ministry. Wow, sir, you have no idea just how timely and important this conversation was to me and exactly what I needed to feel comfortable here. That was my ONLY concern and it had been put to death!
New-comer's reception - wow, totally overwhelming the literature I can pick up here! There is every possible thing available to me here and to anyone that we could possibly ever need to walk in victory in this journey called life and lead others to do the same! Parenting classes, Bible 101 classes, teen topical classes, marriage ministry, breaking free ministry for those struggling with addicition, homeless ministry, food pantry, breaking generational curses class (sign me up for that one), prison ministry (wait, prison visitation ministry?) Here we go....first time I've published this news...sign...MY SON...up for that one!!
Yep, it's not a typo...it's transparency...and it's real...and it's relevant to someone...for the past 4 weeks, I have been taking calls and visiting MY SON behind bars obviously due to a bad choice made on his part and consequences thereof. You may be shocked! A white, christian, middle class, professional, college educated family, pursuing ministry visiting not someone else's child through a church prison ministry, but their very own child behind bars??!! I'm not shocked at all! In fact, I totally saw it coming not only recently with the path he was on, but predicted it 10 years ago as I pleaded with a corrupt judicial system and family fulfilling selfish desires and ambitions, that this was exactly Zachary's future should what was happening continue. The Lord's has been preparing me for many years for precisely this moment, and it's far from complete. I still believe, and I pray to God I am wrong on this, that the future is bleak and far uglier yet to come, however I KNOW, that I know, that I know, there is a beautiful story being written with an amazing and powerful testimony that will change lives and I don't believe any of this is coincidence - in fact, I can almost sit back and see the steps being ordered just perfectly according to the father's sovereign plan!
Fast forward to Sunday morning. Do you still wanna visit that "other" church on our list? Sure, why not? Well to be fair, after our experience last night, ANYTHING would have fallen short of what WE are being led to in this particular season. I want to make sure that I stress that point. It's not for everyone, I'm certainly NOT advocating for any particular church or ministry, it's just something we're praying about and discerning, certainly not having made any decisions just yet about where are being led for a specific purpose. My intention is not to offend anyone or degrade any church or class of people in any way whatsoever! Please hear my heart on this...my intention is to convey what the Lord has placed a burden on my heart for, so much so that I barely exited the church doors this morning before I told my husband, "I HAVE to go home right away and blog!!" This experience just soooo goes along with the theme of what my very own eyes are being opened to in this particular season.
Let me see if I can adequately describe my well, I'll be honest with you, frustration in church this morning. Again, not intended to offend, but intended to help us all to Walk In Victory in this area. Hmmm...ugh...ok, so, I'm certainly not here to church bash, so let's just say, this was a Pentecostal church we visited. Ok, so for those of us that have no idea what that means, not always, but in general, what does it mean exactly to be pentecostal? Well, it's what I guess I have been much of my life. Let's skip past the statements of faith and core beliefs for the purposes of this post and move onto this...ok, you are suppose to be Pentecostal...you're suppose to be "Holy Rollers," "Jesus Freaks!" Where's the Holy and where's the rollin? I mean in the church I grew up in, 80 year old women did cartwheels for Jesus down the isles and if you were real blessed, you'd be slain in the spirit after a particular 80 year old came over and bopped you on the head in the name of Jesus!! :) I certainly didn't see any "Jesus Freaks" as the DC Talk song goes! Nope, they were all at The Roc last night!! :) Just kidding! Actually I know quite a few Jesus Freaks at quite a few churches I've been privleged to be part of on a Sunday morning.
Just sayin....just an observation, an impression, ugh...ok, God you can stop this anytime now...what?! You're not gonna?! You're totally gonna make me say it aren't you?! Why me Lord? I mean you totally know I'm completely comfortable keeping to myself, staying in the safe haven of my home, minding my own beeswax, not bothering anyone, just being an average housewife, barely keeping my head above water in that alone each day. I mean, can't I share a recipe or somethin??!! :) No??!! How bout a funny story? You know you have a sense of humor God...how bout a quick joke, cut right to the chase...ok, so this guy walks in this bar... Ugh! Don't you know I'm a peacemaker? I don't ruffle feathers! I know some people who are totally comfortable ruffling feathers...would you like me to pass along this message to them??!! :)
Well, I tried everything and the Big Guy upstairs isn't lettin me off the hook so fine, I'll just say it, so here goes, alright, alright already...fine...so, it was just another typical white, upper middle class, pretty, country club church!! There are you happy?! I said it! I hope you're totally happy with yourself now that I am totally gonna loose all my white middle class friends and probably have to go into seclusion or something! No better yet, I'll probably become the face on someone's voo doo doll as they jab needles in all my body parts and curse me! Like seriously, don't I have enough problems right now??!! Like I really needed to stir up this mess! :) Boy I bet that devil's havin one heck of a par-tay right about now knowing this very moment is the beginning of my demise!! :)
Ok, enough joking, seriously, here's the application part of this loooong (but sooo worth the read) blog... :) Friends, I'm totally guilty of being that person! And the truth of the matter, what I believe the Lord would want us to open our eyes to, is that the very people he loves, desires to be in intimate relationship with, the very people he was beaten and died for are those that will NEVER feel comfortable walking into our white, middle class, country club churches! Let's face it, the truth of the matter and we're ALL guilty, is as the Casting Crowns song describes, that if that homeless man walked into our pretty churches, we'd be afraid he'd get dirt on the carpet, if that gang member who has tried everything else and nothing has worked decided to walk through the doors of the church across the street because he's tried everything else, maybe this church thing has the answers he needs, and hey, you know what, if they don't, he's truly tried everything to numb the pain and all that's left is to go home and hold a gun to his head...what if that guy walked through the doors? What would YOU do? We'd all likely go pick up our children from the nursery asap!
I guess now, that my very own child, could quite possibly be that exact person, my eyes have been opened. So do we need church, and if so where and why? The answer to the first part of that question is a resounding, YES!! It's absolutely vital to our souls and our spiritual journeys! Life is hard! We certainly can't go it alone! We HAVE to surround ourselves with positive influences and like minded people. We have to continually be educated and reminded by hearing the Word and applying it to our lives to truly walk in victory. We MUST take our hands out of our pockets and be awestruck in wonder and worship whole heartedly before the living God! This is God we're worshipping people! Shameful what this God has accomplished in my life, on my behalf, in my sin and selfishness, none of which I have ever deserved, to think about where I would be without Him, an unwed, teenage mom, from a family of generational curses and alcoholism, and in the face of tragic circumstances should be an un-college educated, unmarried, drug addicted alcoholic, poverty stricken with children in foster care and a criminal record, a statistic, with no hope, and reflect on how I too have approached the throne of worship, like seriously, I should be ashamed of myself! But there is no condemnation in Christ, therefore I do not have to be ashamed, but shame on me if I'm aware of it now and remain unchanged, comfortable, prideful, angry that I didn't get my own way about something, as if I should be spared of anything let alone trial or suffering.
What's holding you back? If you're feeling butterflies in your tummy right now and you're breathing real fast, you KNOW this is for YOU!! :) So really, no matter what church you go to and for those of you who don't, why aren't you? Why are you holding back? Too busy? You work hard all week and should be allowed to enjoy your weekends? You may not be able to do some of the things you're doing anymore? What if you gained something far more valuable? Are those things TRULY satisfying your life and making you whole and complete? Are you afraid? Do you have too much pride? Have you been hurt? Maybe you've been hurt BY the church?! Maybe that's because you've gone to the "wrong" church. Believe it or not, all churches are not created equal. Believe it or not, all churches do not necessarily preach the truth. And maybe it's not that you were at the wrong church but maybe it's more that the church is made up of people, and people are human, and humans are not perfect and therefore, the "perfect" church does not exist. Maybe you have grown to depend TOO much on those people and regardless of where you find them, church included, PEOPLE will ALWAYS fail you and that is exactly why you need the Lord! He NEVER fails. He will never leave or forsake you. His mercies are new for YOU each and every morning.
Pray that the Lord will lead you to exactly where He would have you. There are LOTS of phenomenal churches and ministries doing amazing things! One size does not fit all and sometimes the size fits for a season and then we outgrow it and we are stretched out of our comfort zones and that's a good thing! Parents - get your kids in church! It's vital! I'm here to tell you on this side of a very wayward child that even WITH the church, it's the hardest job on earth. You cannot do it alone! And I was aware but not truly aware of just how bad it is out there until recently releasing all of my children to the public school system that even in our "country club" schools, our children are faced with tremendous attacks, temptations, and challenges every single day! They absolutely need the Lord's help and so do you in raising them. And take it from me personally, even then, there are no guarantees. We cannot "save" our children! Only the Lord can do that! We are called to do everything we can possibly do and then you trust Him to do the rest and his Word promises this: train your child up in the way of the Lord for when he grows old he WILL NOT depart from it. It doesn't say, there's a 50/50 chance, it says he will not depart. A promise I personally, especially as I visit the child I once carried in my womb behind a glass window. I can't physically touch him, hug him, I can barely break through the anger and hatred he holds each time I see him enough to get through to him. Only the Lord can do what needs to be done for Zachary and he truly needs an absolute miracle. There are conversations, in fact, most conversations, well really ALL conversations with him that would cause ANY mother to walk away completely emotionally and spiritually exhausted and out of hope. But that's just the thing, thank God, THANK GOD, I have hope because without it, without standing on hope and trust and God's promises, I truly could not survive times like these in my life. To be honest, I don't know HOW people face the daily challenges and trials in this life without Him!
It's because I FULLY and UNCONDITIONALLY TRUST THE LORD that I have hope and it's how He uses stories like the following that encourage me daily that I can STILL TRUST HIM!! If you want to be encouraged and blessed, take the time to click on the links on the following 2 blog postings for testimonies of hope! Then go hug and kiss your children. Tell them you love them. I can tell you from experience that God forbid should you ever have to go 8 years without being able to do so, you'll wish you did; if you ever want to but there's shatter proof glass and bars preventing you from doing so, you'll wish you had done it more often; and God, oh God, please spare us, should you ever have to do it for eternity like my parents do everyday, you'd give everything on earth to do so one more time....
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