Thursdays in the Truth: 'Tis the Season

Seasons are my favorite!  I’m not talking about the two seasons we have here in Phoenix: Warm and Lake of Burning Fire Hot.  No, I like the good old four seasons of my youth; cold, kind of warm, hot, and kind of cool.  There are such wonderful things about each of the four seasons.  Different wardrobe, different vistas, different activities, different joys.  Because of that, you have to prepare for each season.  The wrong wardrobe could make your season rather uncomfortable.  Each season has the potential for its own special type of storm.  Kind of like life.  If I’m brutally honest, I don’t have the same love for all of the seasons in life.  (Great lead-in, right?)

This time last year, I knew a new season was on the horizon and I needed to batten down the hatches of my heart.  This storm threatened to rip my sweet, momma heart into shreds.  You see, my little baby girl who, in my mind was still two and telling me she loved me “this much”, was actually getting ready for her senior year of high school.  We were on a collision course with a time when we wouldn’t be able to tuck her in at night, or see her on the other side of the dinner table, or catch a glimpse of her as she raced out to get to school on time.  I stubbornly tried to dig my feet into the ground to keep time from continuing to pass.  It wasn’t pretty.  I spoke to a wise woman who shared that God has his own way of preparing your heart for this season.  She said that in his infinite wisdom, God makes teenagers “irritating” to the point where your heart is ready for them to venture out of the nest (possibly with a little shove for good measure).  I thought surely she didn’t love her child as much as I loved mine.  I’m just going to be honest.  The ever quoted verse, Proverbs 22:6 says “Train a child up in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”  That’s all fine and dandy on paper but in real life it is way harder than you can imagine.  At least that is what I thought then.

Fast forward to April of my daughter’s senior year.  By golly if God had not worked his same magic on my heart.  I was happy to help her plan her move to the dorms.  I already had plans for her room.  As in, I drew an HGTV-worthy floorplan.  I’m not proud.  But yeah, that happened. Today my heart is somewhere in between.  We are moving her into her dorm in less than two weeks. 

I searched the Bible for something, anything, that would help in this season.  It all came back down to prayer.  At some point we all have to hand our kids over to God and pray.  I prayed continually as Paul instructs urges us to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.  And you know what?  He has already answered some of those prayers.  I am so thankful that regardless of the season, God has my back.  After all, she’s His daughter first.

The following are some of the verses that I pray over my children (a little more fervently over my oldest as she becomes an adult):

Romans 12:2 (to stand out from the world)

1 Thessalonians 5:6 (to not be like everyone around them)

Colossians 2:6-7 (to continue to grow in Christ)

What verses do you pray over your children? Please leave yours in the comments below to share with everyone.

Thursdays in the Truth: I Can't Do This Alone

For those of you that know me, I have been regularly going to the gym for about a year now.  That is something I never expected to be doing.  Unfortunately, as we get older, our bodies require some maintenance that they didn’t necessarily need when we were 20!  Am I right, ladies? You know my pain.  The good news is that I have arguably the best workout buddy ever.  She pushes me when I feel lazy and has introduced me to parts of the gym that always intimidated me.  We’ve tried group fitness classes, we’ve used all manner of fancy machines, and have even copied crazy exercises we’ve seen others doing.  She’s the best!  Really!  Be jealous! Ok, don’t be jealous, that’s sinful.  Be motivated to find your own workout buddy and then just be awesome together.

The other day we were running on the treadmill.  Seriously, it is hotter than blue blazes outside and you will not catch me running out there in July!  Literally.  I’d be dead on the sidewalk and then my workout buddy would be all alone and I can’t do that to her.  I digress.  I had just gotten back from a lengthy vacation where I had not run as often as I should have.  She “suggested” we run 4 miles instead of our usual 3.  Admittedly I had gotten used to our 3 mile runs and they weren’t terribly challenging anymore.  But that was before I went on a 3 week vacation and forgot what running was.  I was sure I was going to die.  We started running and I found that I was doing great.  Then I hit the 2.75 mile mark and my body automatically started preparing to stop.  My workout buddy had gotten me here but I needed to do something to make it to our goal of 4 miles.  Just as I was about to putter out, the most perfectly motivating song came on my Spotify playlist.  I’m not going to name the song because if you listen to the lyrics it is a bit inappropriate but let’s just say it was a pretty popular one from an 80’s hair band.  All of a sudden, my tired legs were running and my head was bopping and if I could have danced and run at the same time, I would have.  It was amazing!  I probably didn’t look amazing but oh well!  Long story short, I hit our 4 mile goal, and with a darn good time to boot. 

That got me thinking.  It’s really easy to just coast along with what is comfortable in my walk with God.  How often do I challenge myself?  And how do I keep myself motivated when the going get’s tough?

I have found that just like having a workout buddy, I have faith buddies.  (Yes I totally just made up that word!)  These are women I can count on to hold me accountable.  We talk.  We live life together.  They pray with me and for me.  Likewise, I help keep them accountable.  I’ve made it a point to make sure my faith buddies aren’t going to accept some cruddy excuse.  They will call me out when I am being lazy.  I’ve also connected myself in small groups where I can study, learn, and love with other women from different walks of life.  This was God’s design as we see in Hebrews 10:24 (And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…) and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.). 

Just like music motivates me to keep going at the gym, a good verse can keep my eyes on the Lord.  My life verse seems to change as the seasons of my life change.  I would bet you have either a verse or a song that was adapted from a verse that seems to really hit you deep in the most hurting places of your heart.  One verse that always seems to change my bad attitude is Psalm 118:24 (This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.).  Funny enough, I can never just recite the verse.  I have to sing it!  Sometimes I’m in the mood for an upbeat booty-shaking “Christian” song like God’s Great Dance Floor by Chris Tomlin.  Seriously, I can’t listen and not shake by booty.  Other times I need to listen to a song that pulls from deep within my soul, like Oceans by Hillsong United.  One of my all-time favorites is the old hymn JesusPaid it All.  When I listen to these songs I am sure to have that stirring in my soul.  Perhaps this is one of my spiritual pathways.  I certainly don’t have everything figured out but at least I now know myself well enough to seek these songs out when I need to motivate myself.

We were not meant to stand still and never grow.   How do you motivate yourself?  Who is your God-given faith buddy?  Who counts you as a faith buddy?  What songs or verses stand out to you?

Thursday's in the Truth: Fan or Follower

I am currently reading a book called Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman.  It is a really good read and has really got me thinking.  The premise behind the book is whether you are a Fan or a Follower of Christ.  If we are honest, the majority of the people that walk through the door of the church each weekend are a Fan and not a Follower.  Sure, we love Jesus.  We might even think this is a great place and our family is involved, we might even serve or give here and there, but what happens when we leave this place each weekend?  Is there a difference between who we are on Sunday and who we are at work or home?  Do the shows we watch, the movies we see, the places we go on a Friday night, the conversations we have with people or the way we talk represent Christ? 

Jesus is very clear about lukewarm Christians.  In Revelations 3:15-16 it says,  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  God is not interested in someone who comes to church on Sunday, serves and then leaves only to fall back into their old ways.  He wants your whole heart, not just part of it. 

Kyle Idleman asks four questions that will help you to objectively show where you fall.  Take some time and really consider each of these.  Get a journal or piece of paper and honestly answer where your heart is.

1.  For what do you sacrifice your money?  In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money.  Take a look at your bank statement.  Where does your money go?  Very quickly you will see what is important to you.  Does it go to fill your life with more stuff?  Do you use it to make you happy?  Do you use your money to keep up with everyone else?  Do you use your money to help out others?  Do you give back to God what is rightfully His?

2.  When you’re hurt, where do you go for comfort?  When trials come (and they will), what is the first thing you do?  Do you run to a family member or friend?  Do you run to the kitchen to eat some food?  Do you give up and take a nap?  Do you talk to God?  Where do you take comfort?

3.  What disappoints or frustrates you the most?  “When we feel overwhelmed with disappointment it often reveals something that has become too important.”  What are your trigger points?  Does your favorite sports team losing frustrate you?  Do your kids acting out disappoint and frustrate you?   Does your family member choosing to walk away from Christ frustrate and disappoint you?

4.  What is it that really gets you excited?  The things that really excite us often times end up pointing to things that really compete with Jesus.  Are sports exciting to you?  Is working out exciting to you?  Is spending time with family and friends exciting to you?  Is sharing God’s word exciting to you?

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Matthew 6:21

So are you a Fan or a Follower?  Does the person you represent on the weekend reflect the person you are the rest of the week?  Are you so consumed with your life that you miss God? 

If you are a Fan, what steps do you need to take to become a follower?

Thursdays in the Truth: People Pleasing

People Pleasing

This is an easy topic for me to write on because I am so guilty of it.  I come from a long line of people pleasers, and I have inherited the gene for sure!

I want to please people. I want people to like me. I say yes, when many times I want to say no.

 

Why do I even care if people like me? Why do I care if I disappoint someone?

I was reading through a devotional the other day on this very topic. Lysa Terkeurst has a great devotional called What Happens When Women Say Yes to God.

In Chapter 27, titled, "I'm Going to Disappoint Someone", she shares 1 Thessalonians 2:4:

" 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts."

She also shares a thought for the day: "Real love pursues authenticity rather than chasing acceptance."

Woah. This digs into my heart, deep.  Especially that chasing acceptance part. Why am I spending my time and efforts pleasing others when the only opinion that matters is God's? 

Sure, we are charged to love God and love people. Loving people means helping people and doing good. But loving God comes first. He's the one we will spend eternity with!

Lysa says, "Today, let's make peace with the fact that we're going to disappoint some people as we seek to please God."

This people pleasing girl is going to start thinking about what I say yes to. Lysa suggests even coming up with a predetermined response for saying no, as it can often ease the pressure when responding to others.

Here's mine: "I'd love to say YES right now, but I need some time to think and pray about it."

Is this something you struggle with? Maybe take some time today and ask God to help you determine when to say yes or say no.

-Andi

Thursday's in the Truth: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - Translating the Trinity

 

 

 

It has always intrigued me to dig deeper into the meaning behind many scripture references to “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” What are the writers trying to convey to us? Why would God use this initial trinity as a reference to Himself? Throughout scriptures, we are exposed to many different types of literary motifs. I believe this is one of them. Everything has significance, and were inscribed for a reason. I asked myself, what is so special about this particular trinity? Is God allowing us a glimpse of insight long before Christ would ever walk on Earth? As we will come to know later  in the New Testament, this wouldn’t be the only trinity we would grow accustomed to studying.

As I prayed about this, I found myself meditating on two particular scriptures. First, I thought about the words written to us describing the encounter Moses had with God via the burning bush. In Exodus 3:6, God identifies Himself to Moses by the following; Then he said, “ I am the God of your ancestors-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he hid his face in his hands because he was afraid to look at God.

 I couldn’t help but to wonder why wouldn’t God place the emphasis solely on Abraham? After all, Isaac and Jacob would have ceased to exist if it wasn’t for this patriarchal figure. God promised Abraham he would become a father of a great nation in Genesis 12:1-3. So why the repeated correlation to all three men?

It wasn’t revealed to me until I came across a passage written by Luke in Acts 12:13. Peter is preaching at Solomon’s temple in Israel and goes on to say to the people before him “ For it is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of all our ancestors who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. The same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him.” Understand, these two scriptures were written over 1,500 years apart from each other. That’s not by chance. The more I researched, the more I prayed, I started to unravel a possible meaning behind this message.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were three distinct leaders of The Old Testament, yet, they possessed very different personalities and life experiences. Abraham was considered righteous by God and his faith was remarkable. Talk about a pioneer, he was the poster child! Isaac was called to be faithful and content in his circumstances as they were passed down to him. In doing so, God honored the covenant He had with his father Abraham. Jacob on the other hand, experienced more heart ache than the other two combined and struggled with continuous conflict in his life.  

You see, God works in our lives uniquely. He didn’t just give us one style of leadership to model, He gave us many. The scriptures are full of triumph through diversity. People that God chose to complete His work. Sure, they had their up’s and down’s, their doubts, their fears etc; but they knew despite these things God was going to be glorified through them.
 
I pray that each of you finds the encouragement you seek through the lives of those recorded in scripture who have gone before you. Your Christian pilgrimage is important to God. Rest assured that nothing you face is a first time for God. After all, if the Bible was filled only with the accounts of His "perfect" children, where would that leave us? I want to challenge you to make the commitment to be in the Word each and every day. He won’t let you down! And just wait, you may be surprised as to who it is you most identify with. What are you waiting for?

~Stef