The Victorious Life

I started a new devotional this year that I received as a gift. It's a unique little book because the entries are written as if Jesus were speaking directly to you. And so far the words have been just what I've needed to hear.

I was getting discouraged around the holidays thinking about how I still struggle with the same issues. Yes, I've made progress, but I want the victory. So these words gave me much to think about: "You can achieve the victorious life through living in deep dependence on Me. People usually associate victory with success; not falling or stumbling, not making mistakes. But those who are successful in their own strength tend to go their own way, forgetting about Me. It is through problems and failure, weakness and neediness that you learn to rely on Me. - Jesus" (Taken from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young)

It reminds me of what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10. He pleaded with God to take his "thorn" away, but learned to accept that when he was weak he was able to be strengthened through God's power. It kept him humble and dependent. So this year I want to learn to boast about my weakness instead of getting discouraged, remembering that His grace is sufficient for me and His power is made perfect in my weakness.

Insecurity

It's been quite a while since I've taken the time to read a book, but thanks to my vacation I got to finish a really good one. I knew I had some issues, but I never realized before that they mainly stem from the same source...insecurity. In Beth Moore's book, So Long Insecurity, there were some struggles described that I've never had, and others that described me so well it was scary. If you are a woman, put this book on your must-read list.

I thought I would share a bit of insight that has been helpful to me. Beth writes "Any time insecurity hits, you can be sure that you are afraid of something. The question is, what?...You have to look beyond the obvious to see the wind driving the wave." What are we afraid of? Failure? Rejection? Being abandoned? I've been asking myself "If what I'm afraid of DOES happen, will it really matter?" Sometimes the answer is no. This happened to me just yesterday. I put in my Called to Belong CD hoping to do some practicing for the choir and I couldn't hear my part. We had just had practice the night before, but without a voice singing in my ear I was lost. Back comes the insecurity, making me want to drop the whole thing. I'm surrounded by members of our worship team who sing beautifully. I fear embarrassment. What if I am off pitch and no one says anything? What if I don't have the talent required? What if...? But then I thought, does it really matter? Will God be any less pleased? No. Will my friends think less of me? Not if they're my friends. If picking out harmony never comes easily to me, I will be ok. If I sing so badly that I get kicked off the choir, I will still be ok. I refuse to let my insecurity and fears keep me from giving this a try. Hebrews 10: 35-36 states "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised".

Sometimes our insecurities and fears are much more serious, such as losing a loved one. I've envisioned many more "What if..." scenarios than I can count. What Beth points out is that the real issue is in trusting God. Do we trust Him no matter what? If our worst fears are realized, do we still trust Him to walk with us through the valley and work all things together for our good? May it be said of you and I: [She] will have no fear of bad news; [her] heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. [Her] heart is secure, [she] will have no fear; in the end [she] will look in triumph on [her] foes - Psalm 112:7-8

My Princess Heart

It's no secret that women love fairy tales and romance. In Nicole Johnson's book, Keeping a Princess Heart, she identifies three elements that these tales stir up in a woman's soul...the desire to be known, the longing to be loved, and the yearning to see that all will be well. But the problem we run into, myself included, is when we expect these desires to be fully satisfied by men.

"Women put men under enormous pressure to be the prince. Most of the time we aren't even aware of how much we do it. Somewhere along the journey we stopped hoping that the prince would come and started hoping that the prince would come through. The hope of his physical presence changed into a demand for his emotional presence. Some of those expectations are normal and right. But if a woman doesn't yet know her own name, or if she thinks that the love she has (or doesn't have) is all the love there is, she might end up clutching the prince by the throat. Every woman seeks to get the love she needs from an earthly prince, but at some level it will not satisfy her - ever. The thirst for love in a woman's heart must be met first by a higher love, from a well that won't run dry. Unfortunately, an earthly prince just doesn't have enough water... So the princess must first look into the face of God's Son. She must trust her love from the Prince of heaven above the love of any earthly prince. Whether she is single, married, divorced with three children, or a young teenager entering the world of love, she must turn her gaze to meet his eyes before looking into the eyes of anyone else." - Nicole Johnson

I have a great husband, but he can't fulfill all my needs. I benefit from reminders, like this one, to keep my eyes focused on the only prince who can satisfy my princess heart.

Believing God

I have been enjoying Beth Moore's book Believing God. Lots of good stuff. Do you not only believe IN God, but believe what He says? (Or maybe the question is, do you even know what He says?) One issue that I've spent a lot of time pondering this year is miracles, especially healings. Why don't we see the amount of healings that were recorded in biblical times? Does God still work that way? If my prayers aren't answered, does that mean I didn't have enough faith? Chapters 5 and 6 is this book do a great job exploring these questions. Here are a few quotes that were helpful to me...

"A believer will see miracles, all right. Sometimes the greater miracle may be abundant life, redemption, ministry, and the exceeding harvest after a NO we felt we wouldn't survive. If you dare to believe and don't get your miracle, God has a greater one planned. Stay tuned. If what you desperately need or deeply desire is founded in the Word of God, don't let anyone tell you that God can't...or that He undoubtedly won't."

"We must cease to accept the visible as the possible and start believing what God says over what man sees"

"Sometimes God may prioritize performing a miracle on our hearts and minds over a miracle concerning our circumstances."

"I'm freed from what scares me, and many of you, most about getting out there and believing God. We're scared half to death that He won't come through for us, dignify us with a yes, and prove faithful. Or that we'll prove to be failures at having enough belief for Him to bless with a miracle. If I'm convinced that God really loves me and has certain priorities for me that may take precedence at times, then I am "safe" to walk by faith. I am freed to know that my God is huge and my God is able and that if I don't get what I asked, if I'll cooperate, I'll get something bigger. I'm going to believe Him to do anything His Word says He can. Then if He chooses not to, I don't have to assume: He doesn't like me, He doesn't answer my prayers like He does others', He hardly knows I'm alive, He can't do it, He's never willing to do it, I didn't have enough faith, I wavered for a split second, I have that sin in my past, I'm a failure, I've made a fool of myself. Instead, I get to know that a greater YES is in progress, and I can count on the bigger miracle."

May our prayer be that of the prophet Habakkuk, "Lord, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known." (3:2)

To Honor and Cherish

The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. I remember learning about it in school. Basically it says that what we believe about ourselves, which is shaped by the things others believe about us and how they act toward us, ends up coming true. For example, if a student's parents and teachers expect him to fail, he will begin to expect that as well, and due to lack of effort and belief in himself he will fail. The reverse can also be true. Our own expectations can have a tremendous effect on our behavior. While I've known of this theory, I'd never thought to apply it to marriage. But that's exactly what Gary Smalley does in his book I Promise. Here are a few excerpts from Chapter 2: The Power of Honor...

"When I choose to look at the inner value of my wife, I'm simply looking at her as God looks at me. And I'm so very glad He sees me as He does. I would cringe to think that my Creator sees only my weaknesses and judges me by my stumblings and bumblings. Instead, He sees my potential, my innate worth, complete with all the godlikeness that He instilled into me originally. Honor is so simple, really. All we need to do is look at each other as God looks at us."

"You can make the choice to look beneath the surface behavior of your mate and find the value inside. You decide in your heart, on your own, that you will treasure her; that you will honor him as valuable. You will look at all the plusses instead of the minuses. And it will work. Your emotions will fall in line and validate your choice because it is our nature to place our affections, desires, and enthusiasm on whatever we treasure highly. Our feelings always follow our beliefs and thoughts." As it says in Matthew 6:21, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"I want to tell you a story to remind you of a point I covered earlier - the result you can expect when you give honor to your mate.

There was a Polynesian island tradition that when a man wanted a bride, he had to give in payment to her parents something that he believed to be of equal value to what she was worth. Most men would give a pig, chicken, parrot, or some similar animal. For the most beautiful of all women, a man might even be willing to give one of his prized cows.

One woman in the village who had just reached marriageable age was considered to be a little more plain and ordinary than most. Yet every girl had a few suitors, and she was no exception. One of these young men offered her parents a rabbit, another a chicken, and another a goose. One suitor came along, however, and offered the girl's father ten of his finest cows. Everyone was stunned. Such a bride price was unheard of. All the other young men walked away in disgust. No woman is worth that!

The new suitor was thought to be foolish and extravagant. But he knew what he was doing. Knowing the value her suitor had placed on her, this Polynesian plain Jane began to hold her head higher as she strolled through the villages. She, after all, was now the famous "ten-cow woman". She paid more attention to her speech, her dress, and her way of conducting herself. She became more confident and elegant. Her facial expressions became kind and gentle, her body movements graceful and elegant, her voice soft and caring. In short, she became what she believed her worth to be..."

1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to encourage each other and build each other up. By honoring our spouses and those around us, we have the power to help them become the men and women they were created to be.

90 Minutes in Heaven

I just finished reading a book by Don Piper, 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life. I'm pretty skeptical when it comes to these topics, but it sparked my interest. Here's a few things I took from his story...

1. God is still in the business of doing miracles. This man was in a terrible car accident and pronounced to have died instantly. He had no pulse. The emergency personnel were in no rush to even get him out of the car. 90 minutes later, after a pastor prayed for him (yes, the pastor felt led to pray for a dead man), he revived.

2. Could this be a glimpse of heaven? Don remembers going to heaven during the time he was dead. His account is pretty cool to read. He describes complete joy and peace..."I wasn't conscious of anything I'd left behind and felt no regrets about leaving family or possessions. It was as if God had removed anything negative or worrisome from my consciousness, and I could only rejoice at being together with these wonderful people. They looked exactly as I once knew them - although they were more radiant and joyful than they'd ever been on earth". Won't that be amazing?

3. His experience was used to touch many lives. Even though he lived, Don had a very difficult and painful recovery. I skimmed through some of the details, but read enough to understand his ordeal. He wondered why he had lived and longed to return to heaven. But he realized that God had a plan. In the book he shares many stories of ways he was able to encourage others...both through his memories of heaven and through his painful recovery. We may at times wonder why bad things happen to us, and these accounts demonstrate that when we stop looking at ourselves in self-pity, our eyes can be opened to the ways God can use our experiences to help others.

I like the way the book was concluded, and will close this post with Don's words:

"I find comfort in a story recorded in John's Gospel. A man born blind meets Jesus and is healed. After that, he runs around praising God, but his healing is an embarrassment to the religious leaders who have been trying to turn the people against Jesus. They interrogate the formerly blind man, trying to force him to admit that Jesus is a sinner (that is, a fraud). The man wisely says "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (John 9:25)

In the same way, some may not believe my account; they may think it was some kind of wish fulfillment during a point of severe trauma. I don't have to defend my experience. I know what happened to me. For those of us whose faith is in the reality of heaven, no amount of evidence is necessary. I know what I experienced. I believe God gave me a hint of what eternity in heaven will be like...

I am here, I am alive, and it's because God's purposes have not yet been fulfilled in my life. When God is finished with me, I'll return to the place I yearn to be. I have made my final reservations for heaven and I'm going back someday - permanently. Prayerfully, I'll see you there too."

When Life Slows You Down

I have recently been re-reading through my favorite book series...The Mark of the Lion by Francine Rivers. The 3 books are a work of Christian historical fiction. While the story is fictional, the books are historically and biblically accurate. Anyhow, each time I read them I get ministered to and inspired. Today I wanted to share with you one of my eye openers.

In the story there is a woman who has 2 grown children, both of whom are far from the Lord. She is a Christian and devotes herself to serving the needs of the poor. One tragic day she has a stroke that takes away her independence. She can no longer walk, talk, or care for herself. But her mind is still sharp. The physicians even go so far as to suggest that the family put her out of her misery. After all, what possible use can someone be as an invalid? But the author seems to suggest that God may have a purpose behind this woman's condition. What possible reason would God have for taking a healthy woman who was devoted to serving Him and allow her to live in such a state? I honestly hadn't a clue. But the woman found her purpose...to pray unceasingly for her unsaved children. God had to make her slow down from her busyness so she would devote herself to prayer. The story doesn't end there...but you'll have to read to get the rest :)

So it got me thinking about all the ways God can slow us down....illness, injury, traffic, waiting rooms, sleepless nights. I don't like these inconveniences that keep me from doing what I want to be doing. But what if during these times we just say "OK God, I'm here. What do you want me to pray about?" We can transform those boring, frustrating moments into something useful and powerful for the Kingdom of God. I would never claim to be a prayer warrior of any sorts, but lately God has been laying things on my heart to pray for. There are people and issues that burden me in such a way that I can get emotional while praying for them...which is so foreign to me that I know it must be God at work. And the peace that follows is pretty cool too.

So what will you do the next time life slows YOU down?

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dying to Self

Shannon Ethridge has written yet another book that speaks right to me. She makes me feel so exposed! But I guess that's a good thing. Here's some food for thought...

"No matter what we have done, God is determined to reveal the fault lines running deep within our character so that we will allow Him to strengthen those faults and restore our relationship with Him. Our fault lines are the most vulnerable points that Satan will continue to target. He uses our favorite flavors of sin to attract us into taking a detour off the path of righteousness and to distract us from living the life we truly desire to live."

Jesus says in Mark 8:34-45 "If any of you wants to be my follower...you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life."

"Do you want to live as the spotless bride of Christ? If so, consider the main thing that Jesus said is required - putting aside our selfish ambition and following Him. What might this look like? Whenever we are tempted to do anything that would pose a threat to our righteousness and bring disappointment to our Bridegroom's heart, we do whatever it takes to resist the temptation and remain pure."

"Remember how I willingly died for you, (insert your name here). Now willingly obey Me and die to yourself. Don't go play in the mud. Remain pure and white for me."

I'm trying, Lord. I'm trying.

Boy Meets Girl

You may be wondering why I'm reading a book about courtship since I'm married. Yes, that stage is behind me...Thank God. Well, there has been a single young lady coming to me for relationship advice. Thinking back to my single years, I could tell her what NOT to do. I have learned from plenty of mistakes. But I was lacking in wisdom on how to tell her to do it the right way! So I bought her this book, Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris, to guide her and I decided to read it as well.

I would highly recommend this book to any singles out there wanting to pursue a relationship in a God-honoring way. I wish I would have read it. Joshua Harris talks about the idea of courtship...purposeful romance. Some of his ideas seem old-fashioned. I read it thinking "Are there really people out there that can maintain this level of purity?" Our culture is bombarded with images of immorality so often that it has become the accepted way to enter a relationship. But just because it is accepted doesn't make it right. Young people today need to know that they have a choice...there is a better way.

The updated version of this book also has a section in the back with "8 Great Courtship Conversations" that are neat date ideas for couples who want to get to know each other on a deeper level.

Desperate Housewives

I just got through the first chapter in Every Woman's Marriage by Shannon Ethridge. She blows my mind. I read Every Woman's Battle last year and was transformed by it, and now this book is starting out the same way. Almost as if she can read my mind...kinda creepy. Anyway, this is a huge lesson I've been learning over the past 6 months and have never put into words. I'll let you hear it from Shannon...

"He doesn't meet my emotional needs...I felt like I was nothing more than a maid, cook, nanny, and occasional outlet for sexual tension, positions for which I was sadly underpaid...I was constantly badgering him for not initiating romance anymore, for being too laid back...I was weary of having to hint around for my emotional needs to be met"

Sound familiar to anyone else? Now here is the lesson to be learned:

"In hindsight, I realize that my unhappiness wasn't about what my husband was or wasn't doing; rather it was about how I felt about myself. I needed him to affirm me, to make me feel beautiful, and to convince me that I was desirable, because I didn't know how to feel any of these things on my own...If we fail to acknowledge the need to work on our own issues, we believe that our relational problems must be our husband's fault...we may not stop to consider that we might play a part in our own dance of discontentment."

I am married to a wonderful man and could not ask for a better husband. However, I can't expect him to fill needs that only God can fill. I may wish he would try a little harder..lol...but I'm letting him off the hook. As Shannon says..."At some point we have to put on our big-girl panties and go through the work of resolving our own issues, remedying our own insecurities, and becoming happy with ourselves before we can truly be happy in marriage." I can tell you from experience that this is true. May God reveal to you any issues that you need to lay at His feet.

Facing Your Giants

Ok. Time for another book review. I just got done reading Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado. The chapters are short, so I used it as a devotional (there are also study questions in the back). The book is cool because it chronicles the life of David and relates the lessons he learned to our lives and culture today. Max writes in a way that brings Scripture to life and makes it easier to understand.

Here are some thoughts from the last chapter...

How do you face the giants in your life? By facing God first.

Focus on giants, you stumble. Focus on God, your giants tumble.

5 Stones to Take Into Battle

1. Stone of the Past - Remember what God has already done for you. He is faithful.

2. Stone of Prayer - "[God] will keep in perfect peace all who trust in [Him], whose thoughts are fixed on [Him]" - Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

3. Stone of Priority - Your battle is God's opportunity to show His power.

4. Stone of Passion - David ran, not away from, but toward his giant. Take action.

5. Stone of Persistence - Never give up.

Instructions Included

Almost every product we buy comes with instructions. Why? The creator of the product wants us to know how to put it together, how to use it, and how to take care of it. But do we always read these instructions? Not in my house. Either we're too busy, or we like the excitement and challenge of trying to figure it out on our own. But we've all run across things that are just too complex for our minds to figure out, or we want to save time and make sure we do it right the first time. We need guidance from someone with more knowledge. We need to consult the creator.

I believe that everything created has a purpose...including you and me. We were made for something. Wouldn't it be nice to be born with a set of instructions telling us exactly what that was and how we should go about it? God has given us the Bible to show us the way he works and give us guidance in how to live life to the fullest. Sometimes we're too busy to read it. Sometimes we try to figure things out on our own. But how much precious time and heartache would we save if we learned to do it right the first time? I am so thankful that I began seeking His wisdom at an early age, and I know I have a ton more to learn...both from His word and the experiences of others.

"Come, let's climb God's Mountain, go to the House of the God of Jacob. He'll show us the way he works, so we can live the way we're made" - Isaiah 2:3 (msg)

*An insightful book on this topic is The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.

Sacred Parenting

"If it was going to be easy to raise kids, it never would have started with something called labor" - Anonymous

I read this book a few years ago...probably the best parenting book I've read so far. Since I've got more parenting experience under my belt, I decided it was time to read it again! What makes this book unique is that instead of being a "how-to" book, it turns the tables and demonstrates how God uses our kids to change us and shape our souls. The message is "that the process of parenting is one of the most spiritually formative journeys a man and a woman can ever undertake...We cannot be the same people we once were; we will be forever changed, eternally altered."

Parenting teaches us:

• To value character and service over comfort
• To deal with guilt
• To listen to God
• To embrace God's joy
• To confront cowardice and build courage
• To handle anger
• To look beyond glamour and into glory
• Patience, long-suffering, and perseverance
• What really matters in life
• To improve our character
• To sacrifice
• To handle control and fear by leading us to trust and hope

Here is a tiny bit of wisdom from Chapter 1: "A God-centered parent acts out of reverence for God. Regardless of how my children treat me, I know that God wills that I move toward my children, to get engaged in their lives, to offer biblical correction and loving support. It doesn't matter how they respond to me as much as it matters what God has called me to do."

The Shack

I love fiction that is biblically based. I had heard a lot about a book called The Shack the past couple of months and just got it from the library. I had it finished in 2 days! The basic story is about a man who suffers a tremendous loss and then goes to "the shack" for a weekend to meet with God and find healing for his soul. The author presents the story in a very unique way that is very thought provoking. It left me longing for a more intimate relationship with my God. No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, I would recommend this book.

This is one of the many things that really spoke to me. Imagine this is God speaking to you..."I don't wonder what you will do or what choices you will make. I already know. Let's say, for example, I am trying to teach you how not to hide inside of lies...And let's say that I know it will take you 47 situations and events before you will actually hear me - that is, before you will hear clearly enough to agree with me and change. So when you don't hear me the first time, I'm not frustrated or disappointed, I'm thrilled. Only 46 more times to go!" (Young)

I've never looked at it that way before! So cool.