But when he says it twice...

If you have never read or received a Proverbs 31 devotion in your email inbox, I would love to encourage you to sign up for them. It is a free service through the Proverbs 31 site, and it is a great way to always have a new devotion without worrying about keeping track of another book.

I received a devotion last week from Renee Swope called Failing Forward. It was the devotion I received on my birthday actually. It was wonderful and I really encourage you to follow the link above and check it out, but come back.

So, you're back and you read it, right?

Well, it was really timely for me when I read it. I felt encouraged by it, and considered it a good devotion and moved on. I thought about it off and on for the next few days, but wasn't making the connection that God was trying to show me.

Cut to Church today...

We had a really great message on being a lukewarm Christian. My pastor asked the question of who felt that God would find them to be lukewarm, something God would prefer to vomit from his mouth (Revelation 3:15-17).

This question completely broke me. I have only been putting in the motions lately in the ministry that I am called to. I have been phoning in my parenting because I am struggling to come to terms that I have to be a mom who works outside the home more hours than I want, and I am just too tired and frustrated about not getting to do all I WANT to do, that I haven't been giving my all to the things that I NEED to do. I also have not been honoring God in my friendships. I haven't been investing in them like I should and I have not been honest with them about what I am struggling with.

So, while I was making all these connections in my heart, one of our deacons came over to pray with me and my hubby. He had not one clue about what was going on in my heart, just that we raised our hand that we would like prayer. He prayed with us and he asked God to encourage us to fail forward.

huh?

Say what?

Did he seriously just say "fail forward"?

That is NOT a common phrase. I have never heard it before.

No, wait.

Yes I have.

In the devotion that kept running around in my head.

The one I got on my birthday.

CONNECT. THE. DOTS. GIRL.

If God says it to you once, you should pay attention.

If God whispers it to you again, in the prayer of a friend, girl, hit your knees and thank Him for loving you enough to keep saying what you need to hear.

God wanted me to know that he saw my struggles, and he saw the way through, but I had to keep going. I had failed and stopped. I hadn't failed forward. No pushing through, trusting God to work within my failures to complete his plan. His plan stopped when I did. He needed me to move forward so his plan for me could continue on.

If you are struggling with failures of any kind, please go back and re-read that devotion linked above, then hit your knees and KNOW that God can work it through to his glory, but you have to keep moving forward.

I am so glad I have a patient God, one who is willing to say it twice.

The Test and The Talisman ~ Teen Devotion

Part 1

The Test

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
~ 2 Corinthians 13:5

Test: a critical examination, observation, or evaluation, the procedure of submitting a statement to such conditions or operations as will lead to its proof or disproof or to its acceptance or rejection, a basis for evaluation, an ordeal or oath required as proof of conformity with a set of beliefs

Have you ever taken a critical examination of yourself? Not "let's list out all the things I like about me" but, "Do I truly believe what I say I believe?" It's a hard thing to look at. We all shy away from it. Who wants to find out that we have not only been lying to others, but to ourself as well?

Have you ever submitted a statement of faith to the conditions of your life to see if what you say you believe is proved or disproved in your life? We lie so well, that we can lie ourselves into thinking that we are doing pretty well. We've all done it. But if you take a statement and hold it up against your actions, what is the final conclusion? Proved, or disproved?

Have you ever been in a situation where your actions or words could either prove or disprove what you say you believe? What was the outcome?


Here are some questions that need honest answers:

Do my actions show that I trust God?
Do my actions show that I place God first in my life?
Do my actions show that I strive to follow Jesus' example?
Do I place more importance on God's opinion of me than I do the world's, and do my actions show it?
Am I willing to lose my friends, my status, my material goods, my GPA, my starting position on the team so that I can put God first?
Does my life line up with scripture?

Like it or not, you will be tested. If you don't do it, God will.

Choose to test your faith now. Figure it out. Turn from the things, attitudes and desires that will cause you to fail and start strengtening your faith by your actions. You can choose to believe that God is who he says he is, and can do what he says he can do and jump into life and live it radically for him. You can choose to follow Jesus and no matter the situation, have peace and joy knowing that God is with you. You can choose to praise God no matter what.

or...

God can bring HIS testing on your faith. Are you absolutely sure that your faith is strong enough to handle it? Will you make it out the other side? Will you have peace and joy to sustain you through whatever he brings? Don't think so. Know so. If you don't test your faith and prove it true, Satan will be more than happy to test your faith and prove it false.

Part 2


The Talisman

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. (One day) the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
~ Acts 19:13-16

Talisman: an object held to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune, something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects

In the above verses we see seven men using the name of Jesus to drive out evil spirits. Not only is the evil spirit not afraid, he actually beats them bloody, strips them of their clothes, and sends them running in fear into the streets.

Now, you may wonder, if they were casting out demons in the name of Jesus, how could they have been so beaten and humilitated? The answer is there.

(One day) the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" (verse 15)

They had lied to themselves, thinking that they were powerful in the name of Jesus, doing his work in their world. In actuality, they were professing to a faith that they didn't truly have. Because they lacked a true relationship with Jesus, they did not receive his power and protection. They were trying to use Jesus to work in their power, they were not working in his.

Too often in the world today, we want to use Jesus as a handy talisman. Call on his name to get us out of trouble or to bring us blessing and all without any work or struggle on our part. We don't want the discipline, the work or the study and commitment involved, we just want the magical result.

If we are using Jesus as a talisman, without any true faith, we will fail every test. Just as those seven men were sent beaten, bloody and terrified into the streets by satan, so will we be. Maybe not physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually we will be defeated if all Jesus is to us is a magic talisman.

Application steps:

1. Get Focused: Ask yourself the questions in part one above, then ask yourself, do I have true faith to get me though the test to come, or is Jesus a talisman in my life?

2. Get Purpose: You have to decide what you want in your life. Only you can decide if you have a true faith in God and the power of Christ. Do you want the power offered there, or do you want to try to make it through in your own power?

3. Get Wise: Test yourself against scripture. Do your actions line up with Christ's? Do you know Christ's teachings? Read the new testament and hold your life up against what you learn there.

4. Get over it: tests will come. We can prepare and be ready or we can hope for the best doing it on our own. Just remember, no matter what you believe or don't believe, the tests will come.

One to get you started:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Ephesians 6:10-13

The Invisible Woman

I have really been struggling with feeling insignifcant and unnoticed lately. I know God sees me, but in my human-ness, I want to feel seen by the people around me too.

If you have been struggling with this same feeling, this video is for you.

Happy TSMS Saturday.




For more inspiration, click on the link in my right hand column.

Happy Birthday to Me!

No Obligation ~ Teen Devotion

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
~ Romans 8:12-14

I really don't like these verses sometimes. OK, a lot of the time. It goes against what I want for myself. It takes away my reason for not trying to come out of the sinful habits and attitudes that I have.

I like being selfish. I like having an extra piece of cake. I like not having to restrain my natural response to people and situations and just let go with whatever I am feeling at the moment. I like spending money on things I don't really need instead of paying off debt or saving it. I like doing pretty much anything that will keep me from reading the Bible. I like doing things that will bring me glory from my friends and family, even if they have no eternal value.

We like to use the terms "too hard" or "I can't" but they are simply not true if we are children of God. If you have received Christ as your only hope of eternal life with God, and if you have truly given your life here for God to do with it as he pleases, then you have also received the Holy Spirit, which will guide you and give you all you will need to stand firm against your sinful desires, attitudes and actions. Ugh. We don't like that do we?

Romans 8:12 states that we have no obligation to do what our sinful nature urges us to do. Simply put, no matter what you struggle with or what sinful nature you have in your life, you have to change it. It doesn't say that you will easily give it up, get over it, and get on with your life. It says that you can't use "I can't" or "it's too hard". They simply aren't true. God equips you with all the power you need, all the instruction it will take, and his people to support you. But you have to actually WANT to change. Verse 14 uses the term "led by the Spirit of God".

You choose what will lead you. Your wants and desires, or the Spirit of God. Putting God first looks a little like this: I will choose to put others first instead of myself. I will choose to only have the food that God has provided as fuel for my body, not continue eating because it tastes good. I will choose to keep control of my tongue and my attitude, and immediately confess any harmful attitudes or thoughts to God, and then ask him to help me change the way I see others. I will choose to put my desire for that new flat screen, new phone, new computer, new outfit, vacation, night out, etc. aside and get rid of the debt that I have so that I can more fully and freely honor God with my finances. I will spend time in my Bible before I even think about putting in my ear buds, turning on the computer or TV, or cracking open the latest best-selling book. I will put more of my time and energy into glorifying God than glorifying myself.

There is never a time when the excuse of "I can't" or "it's too hard" is acceptable. If we were truthful with ourself and with God, we would simply say, " I don't want to" or "I don't care". Just be careful, because in verse 13 we are very clearly told that if we live by the sinful dictates in our life, we will die. Just so you fully understand, that isn't just talking about physical death. The things we choose, the attitudes we have, what we glorify and what we put first in our lives tells us clearly if we have a true and living relationship with God. Praying a prayer as a safety net to keep us out of hell is not a relationship with God. Matthew 7:16-23 tells us that just calling on the Lord will not save us. It is only when we truly give our life to him, repent, and turn from pursuing the things of this world by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us can we be sure of our standing with Him.

Application steps:

1. Get Focused: You are not under obligation to live by your sinful nature. Spend some time in focused prayer, asking God to show you if you are choosing to live by it, or by his dictates, and if so, in what areas.

2. Get Purpose: Do you truly want a relationship with God that is active and living? Repent of the things in your life that you have not allowed God access to, or which you have chosen over him. Choose to repent and follow Jesus.

3. Get Wise: Get in the Bible every day. Just because you want to change doesn't mean it will come easily. You need to be putting God's word in your thoughts and in your heart every day. Ask someone that demonstrates a dedicated life with God to hold you accountable. CHOOSE to put God first.

4. Get over it: We will always struggle with putting God first. The world is full of things that seem more fun, make us feel good, and makes us happy. But only for awhile. Those short moments of selfishness are not worth the eternity without God that they lead to. No matter how good it feels, if it isn't putting God first, don't choose it!

One to get you started:

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

~ Matthew 7:16-23

TSMS Saturday

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!





For more great songs follow the link to TSMS Saturday in my right hand column.

Made from scratch

a three-word phrase divided into thirds and then expounded upon. . .


MADE FROM SCRATCH

MADE: Made by hand. I love to make things by hand. My scrapbooks that I spend waaaay too much money on. Casseroles. the environment of my home. bows for Abby. Decorations for my front door. It's the little touches that I make myself that make my house my home. I put my heart into the things I make and take great joy in providing for my family through my creativity. Sure, most of the stuff I make is flawed in some way, and it almost never turns out like I envision it, but the meaning and my desire to create for those I love is in every single thing. If I can find that much meaning in the things that these little flawed hands can make, how much more overwhelming is the amount of love that was poured into our home by God? His hands are perfect, and he creates nothing with flaws. It is perfect in his eyes. I like to look around my little section of the earth, what I call home, and see all the little special touches that God places there for me.

FROM: Seeing "Where it came from". When Abby gets a little stubborn, I know where that came from (ya, it's me :). Watching the way that Kevin moves and his physical gestures and habits, I know where they came from (his dad). My love of planting, and then killing said plants, that came from my mom. I get my sense of humor from my dad. I have my mom's hands. Kevin has his dad's build. Abby has my curly hair. There is a sense of continuing on when I see something of me or Bob in our kids, but there is a huge sense of comfort when I see something of my parents in me. When my mom passed away I felt like I lost a huge part of myself, but finding little bits and pieces of myself that came from my mom helps me to stay connected to her.

SCRATCH: One of the worst scratches that I have ever experienced was when my cat was sleeping peacefully on my chest with his paws and head resting on my shoulder (yes, he is a HUGE baby). My hubby came in and slammed the door and scared the tar out of said cat. He dug his claws into my shoulder and launched himself off of me, leaving huge cat-scratch welts on my shoulders and stomach (those were from the blast-off of his hind legs). Those scratches and welts burned and itched for a loooong time. I still remember it clearly and that was about a year ago.

If you would like to participate in Thursday Threesome, head over to Wild Olive Shoot.

It's really fun!

Making fairy gardens

I have seen fairy gardens for several years now, but have never had the time or funds to make the one I wanted.

My friend April sent me the link to a blog that had the idea to make container fairy gardens. I wish I had saved the link because I do not remember who it was. I would like to link you to her so that you can see what she did. My gardens don't have furniture yet. I am still on the lookout for some super cute patio furniture for one, and hopefully some Adirondack chairs for the other.

The best part of my gardens? I had an amazing helper. Check out the pictures below!

I let her decide what flowers went in

(by the ones that she dumped into the containers!)

I LOVE THIS PICTURE!

I was so proud of her. She just stuck her hand in the potting soil bag and went to town putting the soil in the containers by the handful.

How cute is this little gardener?

My mom would have absolutely LOVED this idea as well as seeing that her daughter and granddaughter are carrying on her love of plants, as well as her silly and whimsical side.

May I have some discipline please? ~ Teen Devotion

"Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law" Psalm 94:12

"Welcome to Burger King where you can have it your way! May I take your order please?"

We like to have it our way don't we? Everything customized to bring us the greatest pleasure and joy. It's human nature. We consider ourselves, our wants and our desires first. But just because it's human nature doesn't mean that it's right. We become so accustomed to getting things our way that we will ignore and reject anything that doesn't fit in with our desires and comfort.

When's the last time you opened your Bible and said, "Can I have some discipline please?" or "God, test my faith by shaking the foundations of all I believe." How about, "I don't feel that I am being tried enough in my walk, please help me look for ways that I will be persecuted for my faith in you." Or, one I struggle with, "I am not content where I am. Please leave me here until I find my peace in you alone."

We want the Bible to give us the hope that Jesus promised and we will search for and believe every scripture that promises it to us. That is, when we bother to open our Bible. Mostly we just live on the belief that if it makes us happy and brings us joy, God wants it for us.

The thing is, when we pick and choose what we believe in the Bible, when we reject the discipline and testing and only accept the promises for hope, peace and joy, we are actually taking away God's ability to give us those things.

Hope comes in the knowing that no matter what we face, God is there, and that we have an eternal life, free from the pain and heartache in this world, awaiting us.

Peace comes in the strength we receive from God. in the knowing of his word. In the following of his commands.

Joy comes in the aftermath of a battle fought and won on the spiritual battleground.

What is so unique about the above three statements? Each is based on testing and discipline that we recieve from God.

Without the discipline of God, we will not make it through the testing that we WILL face. If we don't make it through the testing, we will never know the hope, peace and joy that comes from a life lived in Jesus.

The testing will come. The thing you need to ask yourself is this: Is the faith that I am trying to custom order, this fast food faith, be enough to get me through?


Application steps:

1. Get Focused: Are you customizing your time in the Bible so that you don't have to be convicted or uncomfortable by what you read? If your time in the Bible never makes you uncomfortable, convicted, or even embarassed by your attitudes, words or actions, change the things you are looking for. We all sin, stumble and just plain mess up.

2. Get Purpose: Seek out ways for God to grow you through discipline and direction. What are some things that you feel are keeping you from being truly dependant and growing with God? Ask God to help you get those things out of your life.

3. Get Wise: Get in the Bible every day. Don't look only for things that make you feel good about yourself. Ask God to grow you, change you, and prepare you through his word. There is an endless opportunity for you to be refined in your walk when you read the Bible. Make it your habit, every day.

4. Get over it: The world is focused on self-esteem. What does that mean? It means you and people making you feel happy. Get over it. Self-esteem doesn't matter. How you are esteemed in God eyes is all that counts. Your happiness and joy can only be true and lasting if it is found in Christ alone.


One to get you started:

"He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor."

Proverbs 15:32-33

Marvelous Light

This is one of my all time favorite songs. I love to sing it...I love to lift my hands and spin around to this... literally. I love to see the light that I have found. The marvelous light.

Ya know.. these lyrics couldn't get any better.

I have asked several people to make sure this song is played at my funeral. Ya, not traditional, but if you have every met me, read anything I have written, or listened to the music I love, well, you know I am not traditional. And you know what, when my funeral comes, I will be running into marvelous light...to the life that I have found. My life eternal with Jesus, and I want everyone to praise that.

So ya, I want this song played at my funeral. I don't care if it's next month or when I am 89. (Wouldn't this just be the coolest song ever to play at a 89 year old's funeral)?

BUT! Until that time comes, I am gonna sing this song as a great celebration of the life I have found here. That I have NOW. Join me!



Head on over to Then Sings My Soul Saturday by clicking the button in my right hand column. There are tons of great songs to be found!