How To Weather The Seasonal Storms of Parenthood

The other day I woke up as mom to a beautiful, emotional, erratic tween girl, and a tenderhearted, curious, hilarious seven year old boy. They have each been living in my home since their births, but somehow, things have changed—and in a sneaky, overnight kind of way.

Just a few months ago, my husband and I were enjoying a very satisfying parental moment as we observed our children making good choices and treating people with love. The sails of our parenting vessel were at full mast and we were cruising along with the wind at our backs. I guess we were asleep when a storm blew in! All of a sudden, I found myself throwing sideways glances at my husband as if to telepathically communicate... [read more]

Read the rest of the article on Grace For Moms


 

Top 10 Things to Lose in 2015

                                                                                        Photo Courtesy of Andrew Lewin via Flickr

Check out my latest article on Single Matters this weekend! What have you got to lose?!

Every year about this time, most of us take stock of our physical well-being, or lack thereof. Right after Christmas and New Year celebrations, I feel extra motivation to shed a bit of bulge. But every January for the past few years, as I ponder the extent of the physical fitness reformation I’m willing to undertake, I get a glimpse of other things I’d really like to lose, too. As you cross the starting line for the New year, let this be the lap when you do some major letting go.

Here are the Top 10 Things I think we could all stand to lose in 2015:

10.  The phrase “Just sayin’”
I feel certain it has run its course. If you have already stated your opinion (usually a snarky one), then there’s no need to try to soften the blow by adding “just sayin’” to the end of it. Let’s all agree to release that phrase to years gone by, huh? You could always make yourself feel better by announcing “Epic fail!” several times an hour if you start going through withdrawals.

9.  American cheese
Let’s be honest: it’s not real cheese. Ditch it. Let me introduce you to aged cheddar, Emmentaler and Brie...(read more on Single Matters)

4 Tips for Managing Your Heart

                                           Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee at FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Hello, friends! I have an article on Single Matters today that delves into a very personal topic: the heart. God is so sweet to constantly pursue, heal, fill and restore my heart as I open it up to Him.  I hope you'll check out my thoughts on the matter and continue to read over at SingleMatters.com...



The way you pack a suitcase says a lot about you. Maybe you’re the “list” type with a 450-point checklist for your weekend excursion, down to the exact number of Q-Tips you think you will need for optimal hygiene. Or maybe you’re the “whatever” type who chucks in a little bit of this and a […]

Read the rest of the article on Single Matters

Prayer for the Persecuted

                                                                                           Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
 

Father in heaven, I ask you to have mercy on your children. Hide your little ones under the shadow of your wing and protect them with your mighty power. Stop the advance of evil against your people. Send your angel armies to push back the enemy and end this violent bloodshed. Let the justice of heaven build a wall around your people that the minions of hell cannot breach. You are never the initiator of war and violence, God, but your justice demands an answer. I pray for righteousness to prevail over injustice, for heaven’s glory to suffocate violence, for peace and freedom to be established on the earth in the name of Jesus Christ. Let Your Kingdom come, Lord, on earth as it is in heaven! Silence your enemies! Help your children! Use our prayers as fuel for your good and perfect will to be done. Please unleash your Holy Spirit to cover and fill those people being targeted, hurt and killed because of your name, Lord Jesus. Where words fail us, hear our groans for our brothers and sisters enduring such pain right now.

“May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.”
Psalm 68:1

“Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, ‘He won’t call me to account’? But you, God see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out. The Lord is King forever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.”
Psalm 10:12-18

Uncover Repeating Patterns

We are creatures of habit. We like predictability and regularity. We like to know what’s coming. Some of us might seem more adventurous than others or might like to live with a little spontaneity; but for the most part, the way we perceive and order our lives is by repetitions.

Sun up, sun down. Repeat
Wake up, go to work, come home, sleep. Repeat.
Work, work, work, work, work, weekend. Repeat.
Winter, spring, summer, fall. Repeat.

Games and recreational activities are built on patterns and cycles that repeat themselves. Music is formulated on a repeating scale using repeating patterns. Even in language, the way we learn is by patterns and repetitions!

My family just moved to Berlin, Germany a few months ago, and we are straining our ears to learn the language. I am amazed at how much more I can understand now than even just a few weeks ago. Now when I listen, I am beginning to recognize words, patterns of speech and regular form! It doesn’t sound like chaotic nonsense to my ear anymore! (At least, not as much chaotic nonsense …)

What about your life? Have you picked up on any repeating patterns?

 Click here to finish reading my article on SingleMatters.com.

Burn, Baby, Burn!

                                                     Image courtesy of arztsamui / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Light is a big deal.  

As a Christian, light is your identity. Jesus said it Himself in Matthew 5: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” When you opened your heart to Jesus, you became a sanctuary for THE Light, and the whole world can see it. The light of God’s glory has been deposited in you and dwells in you. That is truly amazing!

For years I lived my Christian life with the knowledge of this miraculous situation, but never understood the magnitude of it. Then one day I stumbled upon Isaiah 60 as I was flipping through the Bible. As I read the first couple of verses, I saw something new.

“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” Is. 60:1-2

I heard the Holy Spirit call to me, “Arise! Shine out the Light of my presence, because that is your purpose! People all around you are groping blindly in the darkness and praying for someone to bring in a light. You ARE the light for them. Establish the light everywhere you go. Set up spiritual beacons and mark off territory for My kingdom with every step you take.”

That moment of revelation helped me to see the action part of the equation. I could understand that I was a light-filled being, but I had never understood that I could really do something about the darkness. I just imagined myself like a little candle, and wherever I walked I had a little circle of light around me. That preschool song is painting the wrong picture, folks! There’s nothing little about your light!

My view had been way too small for way too long. What God was showing me was how BIG His glory is—and that you and I can deposit His glory in physical locations on planet earth and set up outposts for His kingdom. As I allow myself to be filled with the Holy Spirit, fire and electricity and power can flow out of me in the spirit realm. When I am “on assignment”, I have the ability through the Spirit to end darkness where I am. The Holy Spirit can give me words to say, Scripture to proclaim, prayers to pray or whatever is needed at a particular moment—and through it, the darkness flees because the light of the glory of the Great I AM sits down in that spot.



Whoa.

He wants to do that same thing through you. Trade in your “candle” picture of yourself and let God show you what you really look like in the Spirit. You are a giant of light. What you say really matters. Where you are assigned is not an accident, and if you listen to the Spirit, you will have the opportunity to establish pillars of fire all over this planet and help bring an end to the darkness.

Lord, I hear You calling me to get up and shine! I want to shine out Your glory! Thank You for living in me and for resting the flame of Your Spirit upon me. Please fill me up to overflowing with Your presence, and let a pillar of fire rise up in me. I will listen to You—tell me when to speak, when to pray, when to be still and just stand. I want to see Your kingdom come on this earth as it is in heaven, so sign me up for Light duty! You are great and awesome, Lord. I am so humbled to be an ark of Your presence. Bless Your name, great King of all Kings!

38 Years of Wisdom. Or Something.

 Image courtesy of mrsiraphol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I'm celebrating my 38th birthday today! Actually, I'm taking my kids roller skating, but I TURN 38 today. Which got me reminiscing about life...and all its beauty. And all its ugly. And all of the in-betweens. And how much I love it. All of which led me to making a list of things as they came to mind...

So, from me to you, here are my best take-aways from the first 38 years of my life:

1.  Liquid eyeliner is clearly superior to any other kind.
2.  Sometimes you just need to eat donuts.
3.  Singing your heart out is therapeutic.
4.  You can do ANYTHING you put your mind to.
5.  Your tastes will probably change over time.
6.  Chiropractors are your friends.
7.  Downtime is as essential to your life as oxygen.
8.  Crying is soul-cleansing.
9.  Laughter is the best medicine.
10.  Rejection is part of living.
11.  Triumph is also part of living.
12.  Failure is not the end.
13.  Parenting is mostly hard work.
14.  Parenting is a brutally joyful experience.
15.  Marriage is mostly hard work.
16.  Marriage is a brutally joyful experience.
17.  Oneness with your spouse is deeply soul-satisfying and worth fighting for.
18.  Flexibility is one of the best character traits you can cultivate.
19.  Rising from the ashes of your life is always possible.
20.  ANYTHING is possible.
21.  Faith is empowering.
22.  Coffee is a gift from God.
23.  Flowers make you smile.
24.  Listening is a skill you should develop.
25.  People are treasures. Even the stinkers.
26.  Forgiving other people sets YOU free.
27.  Anyone can come to Jesus and be transformed.
28.  Changing people is not my job; loving people with a tenacious God-love IS my job.
29.  Understanding people is not a prerequisite for loving them.
30.  You learn how to lead by first learning how to follow.
31.  Having a positive attitude/outlook is entirely up to you; you are the only person responsible for your moods.
32.  Depression can't snuff you out unless you give it permission.
33.  One word from God is more powerful than a lifetime of believing Satan's lies.
34.  God still heals people.
35.  The Holy Spirit is still on the move and will empower you when you are open to Him.
36.  My view of God is still too small and one-dimensional.
37.  Your life is what you make it.
38.  A lifetime of pursuing God's heart is rich and full.

...and one to grow on:

39.  Every person can be matched to a Muppet. Just think about it.

Happy birthday to all you Januarians out there! It's gonna be a great year!

The Greater Than's

Something has been boiling in my soul for a while now, and I just have to write it out. With the type-first-think-later world of social media in the forefront of our modern existence, I have to dive into new depths of self-control as I peruse the ridiculous things people say. Apparently, making ridiculous statements is the new black.

What bothers me (eats me to the bone, actually) is the way people (usually people who call themselves Christians) discredit and verbally destroy evangelists, leaders, preachers and other prominent Christians. Bad-mouthing the way they dress, nit-picking every word they say (usually out of context), and spreading misinformation like wildfire. Number one target lately in my newsfeed has been Joel Osteen. People love to rip him apart in their virtual realities, and it chaps my figurative hide.

Funny thing––I don't even listen to Joel Osteen on a regular basis. He's not one of the top voices of the day that I seek out for guidance and instruction in faith. But, I have heard him enough, read his writings enough and seen him on TV enough to hear his message: the message of salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17). The message of training your mind on what is noble and right and lovely (Philippians 4:8). The message of making a positive impact on your world (Matthew 5:16).

When you or I choose to bash a leader over things we perceive as errors, issues or problems, our words don't actually do anyone any good.  Have you ever been persuaded to reconsider your own convictions by being ridiculed? By having your lifestyle criticized? By the buzzing crowd of naysayers that follows you everywhere you go? It's just not an effective strategy, and it's basically wasted breath. Or keystrokes. Negative statements have never produced positive actions.

If a Christian person has such a serious problem with someone like Joel Osteen, why not just change the channel?  Why not pray for him and trust God to deal with his heart on things? If you are legitimately concerned over someone's teachings and fear that he or she is leading people astray, pray for them!  Pray for God to be glorified and the truth of the Bible to shine out clearly! If you really trust in God, don't you think He can handle the situation? As we gripe and complain based on our preferences and our theological positions, we're missing the whole point.

Over these past 30 years of getting to know God, He has been chiseling away at my rough edges, and I have come to a point where things are pretty simple: God loves people. As in LOOOOOOOVES people. Which has brought me to the realization that people are not my enemies.  My enemies are the "principalities, the powers, the rulers of the darkness of this age..." (Eph. 6:12).  People are God's great treasure, His pinnacle of creation, His children and His desired friends. He loves people!  All people! His love was so great that He went so far as to sacrifice His perfect, spotless Son on behalf of all people throughout all time. He wants every person to know Him and be known by Him. People are not the enemy.

People are the purpose. God wants His kids back in relationship with Him. Sin separated us from Him, but Jesus broke the power of sin and paid our debt once and for all. And now He gives every person the choice to accept His gift or not. He paid the way for our freedom and it's up to us to go on the trip or not.

But people are never the enemy. 

Sometimes Christians get too "churchified" and surrounded by religion that we forget about real people living real lives who don't feel welcomed into our circles. Or, we become so insulated in our church culture-of-choice that we adopt a self-righteous attitude and fall into the trap of legalism. We proceed to measure humanity against a list of acceptable behaviors; except everyone's "list" is different...and no one can actually measure up.

What's my point? People are treasure. People are valuable. I need to see them and think about them the way God does.

God has been softening my heart toward His kids. I don't pretend to understand them all, but there are buds of compassion and love for them blooming in my heart. They are not my enemies. You are not my enemy. The TV preacher I don't agree with is not my enemy. You are my brothers and sisters. You matter to God, and you should matter to me. I should treat you well––with kindness and love. I should not tear people down with my words when I don't agree with them.  I will do more harm than good by spewing my distaste or my accusations. Don't misunderstand––I don't agree with everyone. I actually don't agree with most, but love compels me to cover people and not hang them out to dry. Agreement is not a prerequisite for love. God loved you before you could ever choose Him, when you were in complete DIS-agreement with Him.

Very simply put, I have realized some "Greater Than" equations that help clarify how I should treat people. How I should treat you. Living by God's Kingdom ways instead of this world's broken ways is so much more effective! In my mind, I can envision a little, ugly thing called Judgment being swallowed up by a much bigger thing called Mercy.  I see the fires of Hate being extinguished by the waterfall of Love. It is only when we operate in these "Greater Than's" that we can nullify the plans of our true enemy:

                                                            Mercy > Judgment

                                                               Love > Hate

                                                  Compassion > Indifference

                                                             Grace > Law

                                                   Affirmation > Defamation

                                                    Acceptance > Exclusion

                                                             Belief > Doubt

                                                               Faith > Fear

                                                            Giving > Taking

                                                        Positivity > Negativity

                                             Encouragement > Discouragement

                                                  Self-Control > Anger

                                                        Humility > Pride

And there are more. Everything about God's Kingdom seems upside down from the way the world thinks...but He already told us that (Is. 55:8-9)!  It is imperative that we don't buy into this fallen system of thinking and expect it to bring us life. We need the mind of Christ and the daily filling of the Holy Spirit in order to operate in Kingdom ways (Rom. 8:5-6).

This topic has been heavy on my heart and I have more to say...but for now, I'll just end with this:

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

I Corinthians 13:3-10, MSG

 

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day weekend to all of my mama-peeps out there!  Please go check out my thoughts on the subject at Grace for Moms this weekend:

http://www.graceformoms.com/the-meaning-of-motherhood/

Blessings to you and yours!

Confessions of a Former Woman Hater

Yeah, I used to be a hater.

It must have had to do with some authoritarian woman teacher in my past…but however I got there, I HATED women with a passion.  (Strange, since I AM one, I know.)  I couldn’t stand the ways women would manipulate others to get what they wanted.  I detested when girls would “play dumb” to attract male attention.  And I absolutely abhorred large gatherings of women.  All the cackling and clique-iness happening under the billowing clouds of estrogen made me sick to my stomach.

Funny how so many other women I know have expressed similar feelings to my own.  What makes us hate our sisters so much?  It doesn’t really make sense, until you see what is behind the hatred.  Most women walking the planet right now have been hurt very badly by another woman.  Our mothers, our sisters, our teachers, pastors and friends have hurt us.  So most of us have resolved to avoid being hurt again…and have built up fortresses around our hearts.  “You shall not pass!” has been our standard response to any woman who dared knock at the castle gate.

I lived quite happily alone in my castle for a long time, just me and Jesus.  I didn’t need sisterhood.  I would smile and wave civilly from my window high above the masses, but never considered for a moment that I would ever let someone in.  Just me and Jesus.  Jesus and me.  I loved Jesus very much.  He was my everything and I was so satisfied with Him.

Well, somehow I found myself roped into playing guitar and leading worship for a small group of women from our church.  I loved worship and being in the flow of God’s presence, so I agreed to come to the group every week and “be a member” if it would allow me to lead in worship.  I thought I would go in and keep to myself, tolerate all the dumb woman-y stuff and just enjoy the worship part.  Week after week went by, and I began to soften a bit as I got to know the ladies in the group.  Some of them were very funny!  Some were deep in their walk with God.  But the thing that totally blind-sided me was the book Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge.  Our group was reading and discussing that book over the course of a semester, and I was kind of enjoying it.  It had some neat points and good stories.  But one day as I sat and read chapter 5, I felt tears roll down my cheeks and a fury rise up in my bones.  For the first time, I realized that it is Satan who hates women so much.  He has assaulted women since the dawn of time because they bear the beauty of God and because they give life.  That revelation rocked me to my core.  I felt the flip of a switch inside my heart and then everything changed.

Years before, my husband had a vision of me standing in front of thousands of women, ministering to them.  I actually laughed when he told me!  I could not imagine myself ever doing such a thing—I hated women, especially in large groups!  I dismissed his “prophetic vision” like it was no big deal.

Fast forward to the tears and fury moment of realization…and see me running down flights of stairs in my heart-castle.  I ran to my front gate, unbarred the door and flung it wide open.  My Jesus, who I loved so dearly, had finally gotten through to me:  my hatred of women had only aligned my heart with Satan’s agenda!  I wanted no part of that anymore!  At that moment, I resolved to be a lover of women, to shelter them from the assault on their lives and to stand with my sword drawn to defend them.  I pledged my life to storm into the darkness and bring as many women into the Light as I possibly could for the rest of my days.

I had to learn how to have real relationships with women again.  Since I had shut them out for so long, it was a little awkward at first.  But the more I surrendered myself to the Holy Spirit, the easier it became.  It was really just His love for women that I needed.  As I took baby steps in allowing women into my life and experiencing friendship, I began to notice strong, powerful women leaders.  In fact, there was one in particular who taught me how to love women in a way that could heal them.  I was entranced by the way she gave such grace and raised up the other women around her.  She was not self-seeking or prideful.  She genuinely loved other women and saw the best in them.  She loved me that way and called out giftings and destiny in me, and I have been eternally altered by her impact on my life.

Think you don’t need mothering?  Sisterhood?  Friendships?  You could probably make it through life without those if you tried.  But your life can be so full when you open yourself up to them.  Do you hate women because of something a woman has done to you in the past?  The enemy wants you to stay hurt and angry about it.  He wants you to stay barred in your castle and never come into meaningful contact with another woman as long as you live.  He wants to destroy you.  The castle you constructed for protection is really just a prison.  You’ll never see the fullness and vibrancy of the life God intends for you if you don’t open the door and go outside.

You don’t have to stay wounded, you know.  God can come in right now and heal that painful spot in your heart. 

Remember that vision my husband told me about?  The one I laughed at?  Well, since the storming of my own castle, I have actually begun stepping into that vision.  Satan wanted to keep me tucked neatly away, while God intended from the beginning that I speak into the lives of thousands of women.  You just never know what may be around the corner!  Don’t let the wounds from your past keep you from living out God’s amazing dreams for you! 

We, as women, need you.  You are valuable.  You are precious.  You are one-of-a-kind.  Is that a knock at your castle door?

                                                                         * * * * *

*The strong, loving woman I mentioned before has actually just written a book, and you need it.  It is available beginning April 15 at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and on iBooks (iTunes).  Get to know my dear friend and pastor, Jan Greenwood in her debut as an author: Women at War. She will guide you down the path to healthy, meaningful, life-giving relationships with other women.

**Want to experience healing in your heart in a large group setting?  Gateway Church’s Pink Impact conference for women is coming up!  You can still register for Conference A that begins on April 15!!!  www.pinkimpact.com

Trust

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”  Psalm 20:7 NIV

In the time when this verse was written, chariots and horses were the strength of the military.  Soldiers put their trust in the abilities of their horses and the construction of their chariots to carry them through battle and back out of it again.  The symbol of a soldier in his chariot was a symbol of strength and power.

I don’t have a chariot or a horse…but I know what it means to put my trust in THINGS.  I don’t mean a basic level of trust, as in trusting this chair will hold me without breaking.  I mean trusting someone (or something) with my well-being.  With my life.  In my heart of hearts, I want to trust God.  I say that I trust Him and I pray that I trust Him, but sometimes the evidence proves that I have put my confidence elsewhere.  What evidence?  When I look into my pantry and see plenty of cans and boxes and bags of food, I feel secure.  But on a day when I look in the pantry and see only a few undesirable items left on the shelves….and then realize it will be a LONG time until we get a paycheck from a client, I feel the fear sneak in.  Without meaning to, I can rest my sense of security on how full my pantry is.

Another body of evidence:  My husband has been a freelance photographer for most of our married life, so we haven’t been tenured members of the “regular” paycheck club.  Things have leveled off as God has blessed him and he has become more established in his career.  But there have been times—months even—when we didn’t get paid.  Those times reveal to me how much I actually rely on my husband’s job and money in our bank account to make me feel okay.

In the meager times when I don’t have much in my hands, I am so much more aware of how I need God.  I need Him in my life just so I can breathe.  I need Him desperately as my Savior.  I need Him to infiltrate every avenue of my life, inward and outward.  I believe this journey I am on is by His design, simply from the sweetness of His heart.  It is on this journey that I can see how He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.  I realize that in this process of needing Him and being made to lie down and receive, He restores my soul.

My soul wants to trust in things that are physical and tangible, but I must realign it.  I must constantly refocus my soul-sights on God, who is the Creator and Sustainer.  He alone can provide for all my needs.  No job is secure, no amount of money is certain, and some days, we run low on groceries.  But God never fails. He is TRUSTworthy.  Sometimes, the easiest way to see His faithfulness is to come to the end of your own provisions.

Are you there?  Do you need to realign your soul to come under the covering of the Sustainer? 

Lord, You are the Source and the Sustainer.  I thank You for seeing me and knowing my situation very intimately.  I invite You to come fill up my emptiness with Your goodness.  I am giving You all my nothingness and asking You to pour out Your provision and blessings in my life.  Cover me, Lord.  Thank You for Your word that goes before me and for Your protection all around me!  I proclaim to my future that You are Lord and You will sustain me! I WILL trust in Your name, Lord God!   In Jesus’ name, Amen.

5 Things We Can ALL Do This Year

I'm a little slow at welcoming this new year, 2013.  I think the holidays bowled me over and it just took me longer to recover than normal, or something.  But last night, I finally caught the fire in my belly for a new season.  A fresh start.  A bigger push in the right direction.

A few days ago, I jokingly tossed out some "resolutions" via Facebook and Twitter  - some of which are actual goals....some just for laughs.  (switch to liquid eyeliner, get my CHL - that's a real one, replace my fears with faith, etc....)  But something clicked in my brain and ignited my heart as I worshipped with my church family this weekend.  My weariness was consumed by a passion to make a difference, to love people fiercely, to follow after Jesus Christ with all my strength.  I was reminded of my earlier manifesto, and a good reminder it was.  But I have to keep moving with the Spirit, even from good thing to good thing, better thing to better thing...glory to glory.  There is motion involved.  MOVE.  Get up and go!  (I love that our God is immoveable, yet always on the move.  Go think about that for a while...)

So, I think there are 5 things that we can ALL do this year - "resolutions", if you will -  to make 2013 one for the record books:

1.  Move forward.

Turn your face toward the front, and take steps in that direction.  Don't let the vortex of your past failures, regrets or traumas keep you standing still, or even suck you back into the past.  That chapter is complete, and you are no longer in that part of your story.  Write a new paragraph and keep it moving forward.  Introduce new ideas, new characters and new places.  Dream big dreams and start walking toward them!

2.  Choose joy.

Life is going to kick you in the gut, that's the simple, honest truth.  There is no way to avoid pain and loss as a human being.  BUT, you have a choice to make, friend.  You can leave your thoughts and attitudes to their default settings of negativity, depression and doom, or you can choose to grab on to the joy God promises.  He's not just tossing out a metaphor and hoping to trick you with a fraudulent feeling of ooey-gooeyness in your heart.  He is the fountain of joy, and when you invite Him into your life, you can choose to ride on the waves of Spirit-joy even in the middle of the most difficult trials.  It takes an act of your will - a conscious choice; but it really can be done.  There is a higher plane of existence in Jesus.  That's where I'm living this year.

3.  Gravitate to the truth.

Because I trust Jesus, I believe His word.  And He tells me that He IS the way, the truth and the life.  I can attest to all these things in my life as He has proved Himself over and over and over.  He really is truth.  When all opinions have been aired, blogs have been updated and news outlets have reported, the only bottom line I'm looking for is what God says on the matter.  It's a good thing He's still speaking and that He leads us when we listen!  Each one of us is built with a God-receiver and we can all hear God's voice.  Even if you have not yet opened your heart to Jesus, you can still hear God.  Listen for Him and learn from Him.  Respond to Him.  He is truth.

4.  Soften your heart.

I have felt more up-in-arms over the past few months than I have in a long time.  Politics, human rights, taxes, welfare, tragedies, injustice, hatred....our world is running amok, in case you hadn't noticed.  If I am not careful, I get caught in the trap of thinking in generalizations, missing the individual story, the precious person.  I must intentionally soften my heart and not let it harden from the outside.  I must keep it soft from the inside out.  And when I have trouble doing that on my own, I run to God who promises to "give a heart of flesh for a heart of stone."  (Ezekiel 36:26)  Each of us would do well to soften up a bit.  The key to a soft heart is humility - realizing that you are spiritually bankrupt without Jesus, and that only His transforming work in your life gives you a place to stand.  Realizing that you are a cherished daughter (or son) of God...and that every other person alive right now is one, too.  Some of them know it and some don't yet, but they are cherished by God nonetheless.  Political affiliation, opinions and life choices aside, each person is a treasure.  My only appropriate response to people is one of a softened heart.  I don't have to agree with everyone or condone every choice, but I will soften my heart and reach out across differences and grievances with love.

5.  Recognize a bigger story.

Your life is not just about you.  It never was.  If you can recognize there is something larger at work than yourself and your plans, then you begin to get a glimpse of the Kingdom of heaven.  God's Kingdom is not just somewhere up there in the sky...  it is carried inside you and me.  We can actually make His Kingdom bigger by how we live our lives.  We can establish His presence and His work in every place we go - if we walk with the Spirit.  There is a much bigger story, and therein lies the greatest adventure a heart could ever know.


Now that all the hooplah of the holidays is behind us, let's do something with this new year!  Be intentional about your days and don't just let them pass you by.  Make the most of your voice, your influence and your choices, because you matter.

Happy 2013!!!

Hear from one of my favorites...

Hey, friends!  One of my favorite teachers is on Destiny in Bloom this week talking about depression.  I experienced two major bouts with depression in my life, and I know that most women (and lots of men, too) are dealing with it right now.  Please hop over and read his posts this week!  You don't have to stay where you are - there is a way out of the choke-hold!

Depression: Part 1 on Destiny In Bloom

I'm over at Destiny in Bloom again today...

Hey friends!  Please cruise by Destiny in Bloom and check out my latest offering!

http://destinyinbloom.com/operative-agent-x/

Blessings,
Crista

I Stay Amazed

This picture was taken last night.  A GORGEOUS double rainbow over my church, Gateway Church in Southlake, TX.  God was showing off...

Last night, my family decided to attend Gateway's Habitation service - a once-a-month Sunday night gathering where we spend extended time in worship, express our love and praise to God in freedom, and hear powerful, activating teaching from the Word.  We have been to several of these services and have loved all of them.  We always walk away recharged and with a fresh revelation of God's presence in our lives.

But last night was CRAZY!  We had the usual, amazing time of worship and music; we could have been done after that first 30+ minutes because we were so satisfied with His presence!  But, OHMYGOODNESS, we were just getting started.  The elder who was teaching had a couple of short points about love/giving, and then he announced, "God is throwing a surprise party tonight!"

He went on to explain that God throws parties a little differently than we do:  He seeks out the people with needs and blesses them.  He lavishes His love on them with no thought of repayment on their part.  He gives because He loves.

Luke 14:12-14

So, he told us, "Tonight, the Body (of Christ) is going to bless the Body."  He asked us to pray and hear God whether tonight we were to receive, or we had something to give.  All 2500 of us prayed.  The room was electrified.  He asked those in the room who had a need greater than $2000 to stand up, so I looked over at Tim...he looked at me with raised eyebrows, and we hooked arms and stood up.  The lead pastor then explained what was about to happen.  The other elders and some deacons were down at the front with baskets full of money, and another basket by their feet for people to give money.  He told us who were standing to come get in lines and share our need with the elders and deacons, and they would trust the Holy Spirit to lead them in how best to meet that need:  fully, over and above, partially, etc.   Tim and I got in line with many, many others and waited.  But, before we ever moved one step forward to tell our story, we were bombarded with people who put cash and checks in our hands.  Some we knew very well, others were only acquaintances.  It didn't matter.  We were experiencing the Acts Church.  As we stood in the line, we added up $995 that people had put in our hands!

None of those people had any idea what we needed...but they gave out of their hearts to bless us.  What they didn't know is that we have needed a replacement car for Tim for a very, very long time.  He has been driving the Little Honda That Could....but it just can't anymore.  It's coming up on 300,000 miles, and among other issues, has been wrecked multiple times, overheats if you look at it wrong, guzzles about 4 quarts of oil a week...and most recently, will not pass inspection without significant, costly repairs.  So, my daughter and I have been conspiring in prayer about it.  I have been filling up the bowls in heaven with my request for God to provide a car for Tim...and Claire has been joining me in that prayer when I put her in bed at night.  We have been thinking about how to get enough money together to buy a $1500-$2500 car that could just get us through.  And when Steve Dulin started talking about loving/giving/blessing, I felt the Lord confirm in my gut that we would be walking out that night with the car issue covered.

We stood in line crying, completely overwhelmed at what was happening.  Then our sweet friends--who were actually sitting next to us in the service--came and found us in line.  The wife told us that they really wanted to give, but hadn't come with money or checkbook...  They asked us what we needed, so we told them about the car situation and showed them the wad of cash that was a huge chunk of provision.  Her husband said, "Well, we would like to add _____ thousand dollars to that."  I truly did not hear what he said, and I was still totally overwhelmed, so I asked, "WHATTTT DID YOU SAY????"  He chuckled and said, "Two thousand dollars."

I think the tears came shooting out of my eyes in horizontal streams.  We were crying and snotting and laughing...still in the line.  It was a crazy, surreal, precious, humbling, wonderful night.  We hugged them and thanked them and blessed them....and then said, "I guess we can leave the line and go sit down now!"

We didn't even make it halfway to the front of the line to the elders, but God met us in line where we were.  He hugged us, brushed our faces with His hands and answered our prayers.  We are in awe!!!

******

Cool thing?  This isn't the first time, and it probably won't be the last.  God has come through for us time and time again!  We have been in some difficult financial situations over the past 11 years of our marriage, and God has made a way through the fire every time.  We have learned so much about surrendering "our" money to God - it's all His anyway - and letting Him lead us and show us how to use it.

The widow of Zarephath needed oil and meal to feed herself and her son, and God miraculously provided an unending supply in her jars.  For some reason, we need help with cars.  And God has provided for us every time.  My parents loaned us one of their cars for 10 months, dear friends of ours donated a car to us once, other friends have come to help Tim repair a previous vehicle and bring it back to life.  And we have seen Him provide in other crazy ways, too!  One time I received a FedEx envelope that had $3000 cash in it from an anonymous donor.  WHAT?!  That money covered our missed mortgage payments and stopped foreclosure proceedings!  Another time, a friend wanted to bless us with some furniture when we moved into our first home.  Still another time, Tim was out of work, and my grandmother "just happened" to receive an extra large check from an oil holding that had not produced that much in ages.  She gave it all to us - and it covered our bills!

God is faithful.  GOD. IS. FAITHFUL.  He demonstrated it to us inside the sanctuary at Gateway Church last night, and He sealed it with a rainbow for everyone to see.

*Side note:  we also received some encouraging prophetic words that made faith rise in our hearts - a friend came and put her ring on my finger and told me that it was God's visual reminder to me of the authority He has given to us - that whatever mountain stands in our way, we command it to move, and it will move.  Another dear friend came over to us and said God wanted her to give us her wallet - the one she had carried as a missionary in Mexico - to symbolize God's blessing on us. That whether the wallet was full or empty, we would not live under a spirit of lack.  We will lack no good thing.  She prayed heaven down on us.

God sees your needs.  But He waits for you to ask.  I don't totally know why He does it that way, but I think it has something to do with humbling yourself and pushing your pride away.  He always lifts up the humble.  When I have lain humbly before Him, He has always come to my aid.  ALWAYS!

What do you need?  Tell God about it.  Ask Him to provide for you, and keep asking.  Be on the watch for how He is coming to meet your needs!

Lord, I pray for all my friends reading this today.  I ask you to come to their rescue and pour out your provision on their lives, their families and their finances.  Meet them in their need and show your goodness.  You are GOOD, God!  Thank you for demonstrating your goodness and faithfulness to your children!!!  Amen!!!



(Thanks to Ryan Boles for the pic...that I borrowed from Facebook...)

Check out Grace For Moms Today!

Hey friends!  I have a post over at Grace For Moms today....about grace!  Click here to check it out and leave your thoughts!

Blessings,
Crista

Before You Lose It...

Hey, crazy lady!  Yeah, you - the mom with a kid on your hip, food stuck to your pants and total chaos going on around you.  I have something important to tell you, so listen up.  Are you listening?

You're a great mom.

Your kids are so blessed to have you as their mommy.

They can't thank you or appreciate all that you do for them, but you are loved and appreciated today.

I don't know about you, but I find myself up against my breaking-point way too often.  Kids have a way of getting under your skin and dancing on your last nerve...and dancing, and dancing, and dancing...  (Side note: maybe I shouldn't be shelling out all this extra $$$ for dance classes?)

In those moments when you're just about to blow up, stop for a moment and allow yourself to simmer down.  Call out to the Lord to help you and He certainly will!  Five steps to "getting it back" when you think you're about to lose it:

1. Stop.  Don't keep driving up the ramp of insanity.  Just stop where you are.

2. Breathe in, breathe out.  Repeat many times until you feel the emotion subside.

3. Refocus your mind on the big picture, not the irritating behavior.  The Bible says it like this:  "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."  Col. 3:2 (NLT)

4.  Speak life to your kiddos when you correct them.  Don't let hellfire and brimstone be the point of your discipline - instead, point out the wrong or annoying behavior, apply any consequences, and find a way to end the correction with life-giving words.  (i.e. encouragement, praise, a pep talk/rally cry)

5.  Ask the Holy Spirit to parent your children.  He will help you and give you supernatural ideas, words and wisdom for each situation when you invite Him into it.


You can do it, mama!  You're awesome!

The 5 S's Every Babymama Should Know

I was a psycho first-time mom.  And I had a very fussy, colicky baby girl.  I tried everything I knew to appease her, but nothing worked like "The Five S's" from Dr. Harvey Karp's book Happiest Baby On The Block.  If you have an infant, then you NEED these mommy weapons in your arsenal:

1.  Swaddling - infants don't have enough control to manage their flailing limbs, and when they are flailing, they are afraid.  Keep baby swaddled when it's time to sleep and time to be calm.  Need a tutorial?  Click here.

2.  Side/stomach position - babies don't like being on their backs!  A baby will feel much more secure when you position him on his side or stomach.  Although I personally was fine with my babies sleeping on their tummies (once they could move their heads around pretty well), you don't have to do that if it makes you feel uncomfortable.  The best time to use the side/stomach position as a soothing element is when baby is in your arms.  The book actually goes into great detail and was such a help to me.

3.  Shushing - your sweet baby spent a VERY long time inside your womb where it was NOISY!  Your baby was comforted by the sounds of mommy all around her - and now, those same sounds will still soothe her.  What a baby heard in your womb is like static-y white noise (from blood rushing, organs functioning, amniotic fluid sloshing her around).  So, making a shhhhhh sound with your mouth is actually a soothing sound to baby's ears.

4.  Swinging - your infant was accustomed to the swaying motion of your body for 40(ish) weeks, so being still is very disturbing to him.  Swinging him in your arms will feel familiar and soothing to him.

5.  Sucking - this is such an intrinsic thing - and it helps trigger the calming reflex.  Why do you think pacifiers were invented?!  Don't be afraid to let your baby suck on a paci - if you skip the paci, they will just want to suck on YOU all the time.  Some babies find their thumbs or other fingers to suck on very early, while others never do.  You can decide how best to train your own child, but just know that sucking is a NEED for infants.


Now....when you start combining some of these S's....you start to enter the realm of Baby Whisperer.  I remember the first time I was able to calm my baby girl out of a full-blown screamfest using several of the S's at the same time.  I felt like I had just climbed Mt. Everest!  Next time your baby is stuck in fuss-mode, whip out two or three of these miraculous S's and see what happens!

I'm at Destiny In Bloom today!!

Hey friends!  Check out my article over at Destiny in Bloom today!

http://destinyinbloom.com/your-marriage-is-worth-it/

Manifesto

It's late at night, nothing good on TV, so I thought I might do a little writing.  "You know," I said to myself, "what the world really needs is another good manifesto."  Sounded like a good idea at the time.

So, it got me thinking...what would my own personal manifesto be about?  This is what I came up with.

This is my manifesto:

I am God's cherished daughter.  No one can convince me otherwise.  I have been placed on this planet at this distinct point in history to carry the light of God like no other person on earth ever has before.  I am saved by God's grace and washed by the blood of Jesus, so I am free from the curse of sin and shame.  I am free to stand up to my full height and be who I really am.  I bear the resemblance of my heavenly Father and I represent Him to everyone I meet.  I am fierce.  I am fearless.  I am gentle and gracious.  I am full of the Holy Spirit and He lives and moves in me to make me more than I am on my own.

I have a design, a purpose and a mission.  I will use all of my breath to bring honor and glory to my God.  I will praise Him in the midst of fiery trials.  I will counter worry and anxiety with thankfulness.  I will deflect the enemy's lies with the words of life the Spirit has planted in the good soil of my heart.  I will do great things!  I will make an impact, an imprint on this generation.  I will take back ground from the enemy and claim it for God's Kingdom - even if by force.  I will pray until I have no words, no groans, no breath.  I will bring together the hands of those in darkness with the Hand of Light itself.

Naysayers can take a seat.  I have no time for negativity.  I have no room for all the reasons why I can't accomplish something.  I am filling my round table with visionaries, cheerleaders, wise elders and faith-filled God-followers.  I will reach my goals and accomplish what is in my heart.  Even if everyone else tells me it is impossible, I know that NOTHING is impossible with God.

Life is too fleeting to waste today.  Planning is important, but it must come to a timely end so the doing can begin.  I jump toward beginning.  Walking with the Spirit, I will lead the way for others to follow.  I will be the catalyst, the guinea pig, the first to jump.  I am not ashamed of the Gospel, and I will make myself completely comfortable being a "fool" for the advancement of God's Kingdom - one precious life at a time.

The unchangeable, unshakeable God is alive in me!  I will not be swayed by the currents of my culture or the lies whispered in the dark.  God's love is coursing through my veins and it drives me to embrace people where they are, no matter who they are.



This is my manifesto.  You can use it, too...but I'm curious if you already have one of your own.  Do you???


Blessings,
Crista