A BACKYARD VISIT

For this post, I’d like to invite you out to my backyard. You see, I find a sense of serenity beyond my home’s back door. I must warn you, though. Once you’re out here, remove your rose-colored glasses or you might miss the purpose of your visit.

Let’s take a walk down the back steps. If you’re squeamish over the word “rickety,” keep in mind those once ten-towering steps have endured a growing boy’s bounding leaps, many a winters’ past and harsher athletic conditions. More than a few replacement screws have shored up its lean over the years. By the way, stay to the right on your way down!

For city proper, a 1/10 of an acre is pretty impressive, but be careful where you step. Ginger, our ferocious yard beast, marks her territory well around the lumpy terrain filled with dandelions and untamed buttercups. Though our son wields the pooper scooper as best he can, canine cleanup is not one of his top priorities.

The rest of the patchy landscape houses hostas in takeover mode, towering canna lilies stationed along the perimeter, a couple of peonies bushes emitting the sweetest aroma, wild honeysuckle entwined on a makeshift, rollup fence and overgrown, crooked mulberry trees hovering over a 2-story, catty-wompus tree fort long abandoned for teenage pursuits.

Chaotic? Why yes, but this backyard has become my place of perspective.

It reveals calmness in calamity. It breathes in and out peace that goes beyond all understanding. No pretense. No grand appearance. Actually, those stairs have carried my family’s burdens up and down like a prayer yoke or a shout of praise. My perennials return without judgment and lavish a fragrance that rivals the perfume poured out on our Savior’s feet. Those hostas and cannas surround the perimeter like angels extending a hedge of protection over all who enter.

This place of perspective even takes into consideration the mess in my yard. I love my puppy girl but much like walking through life, let’s just say, we are bound to encounter the stuff left behind. Maybe you or someone you know is experiencing this:

• When their child’s first priority is self-serving and serving God doesn’t come up on their radar.
• When their company lets them go long before they are ready to retire.
• When the plan to save for a rainy day did not include the tsunami season their family just endured.
• When “baby carriage” came before love and marriage for their 16 year old daughter.
• When the school of hard knocks is the only place their child frequents on a daily basis and the legal system now enforces the rules of conduct.
• When their adult son has fully given up on himself and his family.
• When a vice such as alcohol, sex or drugs entices more than God.
• When the lump in their breast requires much more than a simple biopsy.

What perspective can be gained from a backyard and life’s complications? Although comfort might seem like an illusion when the reality of crap is all over your proverbial backyard, God’s Word offers provision in Psalm 23:1-4 –

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

God gives us great pause to trust Him in the complications, in the encounters where we have no control. His provision and promise as our Shepherd exchanges our anxieties with reassurances, our disappointments with favorable reception, our dread with Christ-centered reliance and even our crap with His companionship. I might not understand why stuff happens, but I don’t have to go through it alone and neither do you.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my backyard. If you stepped in anything Ginger might have left behind, don’t worry. I have a hose. If it’s something else, let the Good Shepherd help you with that!

Blessings!

MORE THAN ACCOLADES

There is a time and place to receive accolades. I believe years of dutiful service, for example, deserve recognition. For me, any heroic act grand or small merits fanfare and a headline on the front page of the newspaper. Remember Baby Jessica some years back? Can you name her rescuers? I can’t, but I know with each passing year, there is not a day that goes by an extremely thankful Jessica gets to live out life because those ordinary people embarked on the extraordinary.


Here’s a profound scenario. What if “Joe or Jane Rescuer” placed more stock in the attention-seeking acts rather than their day-in-and-day-out, ordinary interactions? What if the public accolades motivated them more than the private or inner praise received from merely doing their job?

October 14, 1987 may have been a remarkable day for onlookers and for baby Jessica’s parents, but for the rescuers; I believe no fanfare or accolades were required to do whatever was right.

Every day, we hope to make a difference in the world around us. And in making a difference, especially in doing the day-in-and-day-out, ordinary, we are not always going to get an “atta-girl” or a wellspring of compliments. Frankly, living a life of purpose is more than earthly accolades. It’s about offering our lives up as “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1, 2). It’s being always on the ready to make someone’s ordinary, extraordinary… even if it goes unnoticed.


“Show God’s love in practical ways” became the driving force behind Steve Sjogren’s book, “Servant Evangelism” and it’s what should motivate our actions. This former founding pastor of the Vineyard Community Church of Cincinnati turned a God-inspired revelation into a revolution that transformed an entire mindset. By opening ourselves up to the day-in-and-day-out, ordinary interactions around us, we poise ourselves for God to use us in extraordinary ways. From a few servants I know:

• Because my dad served in the military, I love paying for a service person’s lunch. It doesn’t matter if it’s a family at McDonald’s or a couple at the local restaurant my husband and I frequent, they deserve more. I make no boast or some huge announcement about it. It’s not necessary. After all, they give up their lives to protect the lives of my family. The cost of a meal is a small sacrifice in comparison.
  
• I stopped off in the gift shop after I had my mammogram. I saw an elderly woman picking up a few snack items. I wasn’t in line, but came alongside the cashier and quietly asked her to ring up the woman’s purchase while she was preoccupied with looking for her wallet. By the time she found it, the clerk said, “Don’t worry, mother! It’s been paid.” I walked out there with a smile on my face.
  
• Before work, I head over to a local convenient store for a cup of ice. If I have it to give, I pay for a person’s fountain drink without them knowing. I usually get out the store without incident. Not this morning. The woman in front of me thought she had enough money; she didn’t. So she went back to her vehicle. I paid for my ice and then asked the clerk to add up the woman’s purchases. She didn’t understand my request. The more discreet I became, the more puzzled her face got. Finally, I just said, “Look, will you please add this up so I can pay for it!” By that time, the woman was back in line and the clerk was shocked I would do such a thing! With change and ice cup in hand, I tried to get to my car, but not before “Clerk Girl” spills the beans and the poor woman runs out the store feeling an obligation to do something. All I could say was, “Hey, it’s all good!”
  
• During the Memorial Day weekend, my church washes windshields. Sounds hokey until you realize they set up a canopy at the nearby interstate rest area to pass out bottled water, coffee, homemade cookies, doggie treats for the pets and car toys for the kids at the nearby interstate rest area. And they don’t ask for a dime. In fact, for the past 11 years, they decline any and all donations!
  
• Our next door neighbors have been living life in chaos. Home life has been anything but blissful for the mother. With five children (one diagnosed with severe autism) and an abusive marriage, they got hit with the worse news yet. Their 5-year old son was complaining of stomach pains was taken to the emergency room only to be diagnosed with cancer. The outside of their home resembled the shambles they’re going through behind closed doors. While at the hospital with their son during chemotherapy, my husband and I decided to pull out rakes, hedge trimmers and every garden tool we had to bring a bit of order back into their home. It was hard work, but it was worth it!

Every day we can make a difference in the world around us. Go out and change the world, but I must warn you. Your act of service given up to God is more than any earthly accolade.


Do you have an extraordinarily-ordinary “act of service” that resulted in little, if any accolades? Share it with us.



Embrace His Truth – Matthew 6:1-3


Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do – blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need; don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

BEAUTY IN A DRIVER'S LICENSE PICTURE

I love my driver’s license picture. Silly, huh? Most people consider their snapshot 90 degrees shy of a bona fide mug shot destined for America’s Most Wanted! Not me. I plan this baby out! Right down to flashing my pearly whites and wearing my Sunday best. And you know what’s so great about it? I get to do it again every four years!

Am I delusional? I may or may not be; but if I am, I have a good reason. You see, that license encapsulates a 4-year, self-worth image. Every time it gets pulled out, it places our hearts on display, whether we want it out there or not. We feel in the time it takes for the one holding our 2¼ by 3½ self, judgment gets passed. Think about it. An officer pulls us over for going a tad too fast and what’s the first thing they want from us? The bank teller or loan officer needs to verify our identity and what’s the one form of proof we have? Although they are only doing their jobs, we may unknowingly internalize the question, “What will they think of me?”


Take a look at your driver’s license picture. What do you think of the woman staring back into the window of your soul? Is she smiling or when the picture was snapped, did she chalk her look up as one of those “terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad days?"


Now, take another look at the picture and ask this question: “What do You think of me, not the picture, but me, God?” The One who created you and me in the beginning and found His handiwork to be “very good,” also declared,  “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you” (Song of Songs 4:7).


This truth allows me to love who He has made, to love who I am. I don’t have to dismiss, downplay, give pat excuses or wish I were in Australia like the aggravated book character, Alexander. Remember, He finds no flaws in you and me!


My license also makes people wonder why I smile and gives me the perfect opportunity to tell them why. I consider it my personal testimony card because someone’s bound to ask, “Great picture! What were you so happy about?”


From the inside out, God finds His creation beautiful...even if He has to remind you in a driver’s license picture. So love the you He has created!

Embrace His Truth – Psalm 139:13, 14

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I KNOW THAT FULL WELL (capitalized for emphasis).

ONE WORD...HOPE

What motivates you beyond the tough times and even the tougher obstacles? What stimulates your resolve even when life is anything but fair? What encourages you to dream on even when the hole from which you squint out measures an eternity away?

ONE WORD...HOPE

Hope's motivation does not give up in the tough times. Hope's resolve does not cower in unfairness. But hope, as we define it, can change as quickly as the tense of a sentence. Our now can turn into a once was by the hope we place in people, places and things. As people do not set out with intent to disappoint us, they will.

"A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. BUT the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love" (Psalm 33:17, 18).

ONE WORD...HOPE

Hope defines itself as a "strong and confident expectation." Jesus is that strong and confident expectation. Where his Word offers comfort, assurance, peace, and tools for dealing with life's obstacles, we become a part of life's greater design..."To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

You might not think going through tough stuff can be constituted as a part of a greater design. With so many stories out there, I stumbled across this beautiful mystery. May you find God's strong and confident expectation after viewing it. Blessings!

http://www.givingpraise.com/inspirational/orphan/

EASTER CONFESSION

I have a confession: I don't care as much for Christmas as I do for Easter. As a Christ follower, I am blessed by our Savior's birth, but it is his death and resurrection that defines my moment. It's the moment when you know that you know you will follow him, no matter what. There are some who remember it as the day they gave their hearts to Christ. I know it as much more. I was five years old when I gave him mine, but he captured my heart in a chain of events several years later...

I sat on the floor between my family's living and dining room watching the once-controversial, made-for-television movie, Jesus of Nazareth. At the time, there was a buzz over the possible graphic depiction of the crucifixion scene on national television. Quite unheard of then -- commonplace now. As I sat amidst the frivolity and mayhem of my family, I was transfixed over the destruction of my Sunday School tales. The reality of nail-pierced hands and feet revealed gaping holes where nails the size of railroad spikes were driven in his innocent flesh. His blood more than trickled from a neat and tidy cross. It wasted fully from a rugged, gnarly tree support.

"Why?" I wept quietly that night. I felt I had to ask in light of new evidence, new truth, new reality. If you had to confess, wouldn't you want to know why Jesus would endure such torture? My defining moment was being addressed. With each wrongful blow, he was setting things right between us and the Father. He came to conquer sin, not in birth, but in death and new life!

Christ's Easter confession...Isaiah 53:5, 6 - Be he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

ACCUSED OF BEING BORING...PART 1

I've been accused of a lot of things...


...Focused


...Detailed


...Honest


...Dedicated


...Defender of the underdog


...Fierce encourager


...Boring


I'll let that last one sink in for a moment. It had to for me. Initially, I did not take too kindly to the accusation nor to my accuser. He meant it as an insult and I took offense, but as I forced myself to listen quietly to the evidence ranting from our aggravated, teenage son, my attitude lessened. It took a minute to realize my being boring was an answer to a long-standing prayer.


Growing up, life was far from boring. Try chaotic, volatile, painful, confusing, unclear. In a word...dysfunctional. To function with any normalcy meant to retreat into a world where television and books filled in the landmines left by the violence and abuse. Though I survived my childhood feeling connected to and comforted by my surrogate circuits and disconnected to my family dysfunction, no channel or chapter prepared me for living the "real" life as a healthy, functioning adult.


Can you relate? The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew solved the mysteries. Mrs. Livingstone brought balance (and a hot meal) to little Eddie Corbett and his dad's courtship. Carol Brady knew how to raise a blended family and depend on Alice in the kitchen. Schoolhouse Rock taught us how much fun learning math, history, geography and grammar could be. And when times were rough, even Florida and James Evans knew how to put the good in "Good Times!" We believed them when they said, "Ain't we lucky we got 'em!" No matter your childhood chaos, I bet you prayed the same prayer:

God, help me see my life your way because

living my life like this is insane!

With time, God responded...

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!"

When my parenting tactics fell on deaf ears, I blamed the problem on my child's strong-willed nature. In my mounting frustration, I thought I followed the scripted leads from my childhood books and shows. I made several attempts at mommy-son bonding time...failed. I tried dozens of times to serve homemade treats on a platter of wisdom...bombed. I reasoned every angle imaginable with grand intentions of getting MY point across only to be met with, "whatever."

"WHATEVER! Oh no, you just did not dis me!

Who do you think you talkin' to!"

This time, God responded AGAIN...

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!" (Isaiah 43:18)

In that instant, I had become my past and there would be no commercial break in this well-placed tension. Sooner or later, real life catches up with us. And if we've lived it disconnected from our dysfunction, one day some thing or some one will come along and connect us to it. Will it be a rude awakening or an amazing revelation?

God, help me see my life your way because

living my life like this is insane!

Part 2 of Accused of Being Boring..."As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Psalm 27:17).

SWEET COLLISIONS & UPDATES

Proverbs 31:26...She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Things collide in such sweet ways:

I'm wearing my Proverbs 31 t-shirt with today's scripture.

I've been connecting with Shelly Cantrell, aspiring Life Coach, accomplished photographer, She Speaks sister and dear friend who is close to completing her first book on spiritual makeovers.

Women of Passionate Purpose (WPPi) Founder, Kathryn Bonner, sent my morning soaring with a screenr.com message on igniting our dreams. (If you're interested in more information or becoming a WPPi Chick, click.)

I just finished reading this month's P31 Magazine. The main article featured co-founders, Renee Swope and Lysa TerKeurst, sharing some of their real-life stories.

Another one of my dear She Speaks sisters, Danielle Jones, is living in surrender as she candidly speaks her heart on a YouTube video.

Finally, God capped off the morning with Rita Springer belting out my battle cry, "Over I Go!"

Speechless and yet, I hear the sweet whisper of our Savior...

"It is good, but there is much more in store. Remain transparent and I will take you out of your comfort zone."

If you have not figured it out by now, I don't believe in keeping anything God gives to myself. Thus, the reason for sharing in the sweet collisions of my day and including you in my updates on this the upcoming She Speaks conference via a video log (or vlog). It's my first attempt thanks to another She Speaks sister, Dana Pittman, I'm looking forward to meeting in July.

Many promising writers, speakers, bloggers, women's ministry leaders, and dreamers will convene on the Embassy Suites July 20-22 in Concord, NC to meet other "sisters" who "get them!" Some come faithfully with nothing more than a dream; others come confidently with a manuscript as offering. But we all come wanting to hone our God-given craft and encourage the 600+ women who are trusting God out of their comfort zones.

After you've listened to my vlog, would you consider financially supporting not only me but other women who could be held back from attending because of a dollar sign?

Scholarship donations can be mailed to...

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

(memo: Doris Cush -or- "Scholarship Fund")

Blessings until next time!

A MOMENT TO SELAH

Psalm 62:8 - Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. "Selah"

These past few days have been trying, let me tell you. The absurdity alone would either make you laugh or cry. Grocery shopping without a wallet. A self-imposed, writing deadline that ended in an exercise in painful self acceptance. Mini roller coaster rides on the Teen Testosterone Express. A lesson on not owning the feelings of others I didn't quite get in Marriage 101. (Thank You, God for the aha! moment on that one - smile) Selah. Selah? Yes, Selah!

Selah simply gives us a moment to "pause and calmly think about that." Much like a balance, Selah weighs in the value of God's word to the crazy, haphazard, nutsy, klutzy, hurly-burly of life. Selah gives me the much-needed perspective I need to clear my head. My grocery excursion could have taken me to the boiling point, but "Selah!" God had given me peace beyond my comprehension. The writing deadline? Selah. I needed to study to show myself approved and, honey, I was no where near ready to tackle the assignment God had NOT given His stamp of approval (a double OUCH and some time asking for forgiveness on that one).

Have you had a telling, few days? Remember, there is no condemnation and you can always, always take a moment to "Selah."

NEWS UPDATE: SHE SPEAKS CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

We interrupt my irregularly-scheduled blog to bring you this fabulous news from Proverbs 31 Ministries!


The "She Speaks 2012 Conference" registration is up and ready! For all you aspiring writers, speakers, bloggers, women's ministry leaders...heck (oops!) women with a voice, here's an opportunity to learn from and connect with other women who "get you!"


Click the link above and read what I can only testify as a life-changing experience for anyone who's trusting God to "walk by faith and not by sight!" You will not regret it. I did four years ago (and every year since) and I hope you will too so I can meet you in Concord, North Carolina.


Blessings and now back to my passion of Embracing God's Truth. Thanks for journeying with me!

IN THE WAITING...THE (FINAL) ACCESSORIES

Ladies, I want to be very sensitive here because not every reader can boast a fairytale past. Some daughters have dreamed of glamour sessions with their mom where bobbles dangled from earlobes and frilly things hung from necklines. Giggles emerged from floppy hats and oversized heels as the little girl parades down an imaginary runway to the pattern of a drunkard’s path quilt. Adorned to the nines and lookin’ mighty fine, this daughter radiates beauty.

At first glance, she may appear undersized in her mother’s accessories, but imagine if you will, the grand purpose behind the imagery – she has much to become. To grow into the depth, the height, the measure of her true self turns that glamorous fairytale into reality. Her past does not adorn her with objects labeled "victim," "reject," "throwaway," "worthless." In the waiting, this becoming daughter of God grows from her past and chooses to accessorize herself in His truth.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:12-14).
 

It took awhile to write this final installment, because I knew God wanted to “accessorize” us in priceless treasures, not worthless junk. But how do you say that? How do you convince someone to believe not necessarily in themselves, but in what God sees in and through them? Concepts like leading a horse to water or feeding a person a fish teaches only so much before it borders the line of being just another cliché. God didn’t create us as horses and we’re hungry and thirsty for more than water and fish, aren’t we?

Life “in the waiting” is all about wearing the right gear (designer label WisdomWear, but you know it as the “whole armor of God”). It’s about wearing the beauty of God’s truth in our countenance and allowing it to radiate in and through us much like that anticipated bride. And in the waiting, we have a counselor who teaches us how to live well, act right, love fully, pray continually, forgive quickly, give freely, and well, you get the picture.

I can see myself coming back to this theme down the road. Be encouraged. I know I am. Because in the waiting (and it bears repeating, though I know I ended my last posting with the same passage)…

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6) 

IN THE WAITING...GETTING FITTED

For a bride, the right dress makes the occasion special. Stunning comes to mind as she desires for her flawless, flowing outfit to capture her groomsman lover’s heart on that big day. So making sure it fits requires constant trips to the seamstress, but more on that in a minute.

In the last entry, we suited up with the whole armor of God – belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet covered in the readiness of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Doesn’t sound like the perfect betrothal garment you typically see sporting down the aisle, right? If I had to visualize the look, olive-drab, army fatigues come to mind, not a soft chiffon or satin gown.

Well, consider those pieces WisdomWear, the spiritual undergarments, if you will. Before we chose to give our hearts to Christ, sin dressed us and if you remember life before a Savior, sin covered nothing. The Lover of our souls offered us a proposal of eternal life and a “garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…” (Isaiah 61:3).

With the accepted proposal, the fitting process replaces a sin-drenched, tattered frock for a garment of purity. For some of us, that process teeters on exhilaration and anxiety. Excited over the change in wardrobe; daunted by our past wardrobe malfunctions:

“How can you love a sinner like me?”

“I’m so prone to messing things up, Lord. Are You sure You want me?”

 
He reiterates His love, and though our groomsman lover must leave us for a season to make preparations, His Word comforts us in the waiting…

"...Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..." (Isaiah 1:18).

He understands our angst in the wait. That’s why I believe our betrothed appointed a Sanctified (fancy word for “set apart”) Seamstress, to shoulder the responsibility of fitting us for the perfect day until He returns. We know Him formally as the Holy Spirit and in the waiting…

"...the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26).

The Holy Spirit has a vested interest in our fitting as well and welcomes His role wholeheartedly. He gently reminds us when issuing instructions. He lovingly reprimands us when there is a need to dispense correction. He also tenderly offers comfort when we confess our shortcomings. He measures, tapers, cuts away, sizes and resizes the spiritual gusset in the ill-fitting areas of our lives until truth can be adorned from this…

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

Next step…Defining a few accessories

IN THE WAITING...BEAUTIFUL BRIDE

With your whole armor in place, can I say, “dahling, you look mahvalous!” (poor Billy Crystal character impersonation, I know). In the waiting, consider this time akin to the preparation for your wedding ceremony. A million to do’s make a bride’s list prior to the big day. And whether you have experienced this type of occasion first hand or not, you can certainly imagine its importance.

Can’t have a wedding ceremony without the groomsman lover, right? And in the waiting, the one who courts your soul woos and whispers sweetly these words…


“How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves” (Song of Songs 1:15).


Let that sink in. Yet from heaven’s great throne, this call and answer emerges from the recesses of your heart: “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!” “But, I’m unattractive.” “YOU ARE PRICELESS!” “But, I’m worthless.” “YOU ARE LOVELY!” “But, I’m unlovable.” “YOU ARE WORTHY!” “But, I’m useless.” “YOU ARE PRECIOUS!” “But, I’m of no value.” “YOU ARE TO ME!” Can you hear the reverberation of lies? How they entwine within the trail of truth you have long wanted to escape. The past is past; nothing can change it; but if you are thinking can you ever replace the tattered clothes of the past for pure, sacred garments, a captivated groomsman lover knows better.


He says you can...through repentance. And it is in this waiting period eyes open to the depths your betrothed has gone through to ransom you to Himself. He fashioned a rugged cross into a banqueting table, a bloodied shroud into a robe of white, a lost and hopeless past into a bright and promising future. His sacrificial act of love fulfilled these words of life abandoned brides to-be have waited to hear...


“But now, this is what the LORD says – he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 46:1).

You are His! Beautiful… priceless… worthy! And everything He says about you is 100% accurate! “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).


Next step: Getting fitted...


Photo taken by Pamela Velez - 1iStudios en Theos



IN THE WAITING...WEARING THE RIGHT GEAR

I believe outfits should fit the occasion. A coat, gloves and boots…proper gear for winter weather. A beach towel, bathing suit, rubber swim cap, earplugs and goggles…my ideal pool ensemble. Protective neck, shoulder, back and tushy padding? Worn to practice front flips in the back yard on an old mattress, of course. Held on by duct tape, that one stumped me until the visual screamed modern-day, spiritual battle gear. In the waiting…

What my child will do with duct tape!

 “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11).


God does not expect us to tackle the tough stuff ill equipped any more than a parent should send their child off to school wearing shorts and a hoodie during a blizzard. If you are one of those children unwilling to observe the sage advice of moms everywhere, heed the Word from the Great Physician...


“The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice” (Proverbs 12:15).


Simply, skip the Kleenex and prescriptions. Listen to your mother!


Okay, back to my original point.



Wearing the right gear protects us from seen and unseen elements. Sunscreen blocks sensitive skin from damaging rays. Shoes or sandals buffers our feet from sharp objects. And, dare I say, a diaper more than comes in handy on a baby during incontinent moments. Mommies, do I hear an AMEN!



So if wearing the right stuff protects, where is the harm in sporting minimal coverage or not wearing the right gear? The harm lies festered in what we leave exposed. Though the sun’s purpose is to shine, it is no respecter of scantily clad, body parts. Those parts will blister and deeply burn. A sandy beach or unkempt boardwalk may invite your bare feet for a long stroll, but broken glass, seashell chards or jagged pine splinters will deeply embed themselves in uncovered toes and heels. The right gear protects you from the dangers you do not see. From a spiritual standpoint, we learn in the waiting…



“…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” (Ephesians 6:12).


Puts an interesting twist on the whole “dress for success” concept, does it not? In my struggles through life, I had my share of spiritual “fashion failures.” I believed I controlled my own destiny. I believed I could live life my way. I believed that if I did all the right things and stayed out of trouble, only good things would follow. I wore the whole ensemble marked with a sinner’s price tag. Rags cut from the fabric of lost dreams, abusive lovers and shameful choices. My sinfulness exposed my garments for what they truly were – tattered, torn and unfit for a King’s daughter to wear.


Have you ever own or worn frayed rags you once thought covered well? If so, do you still hang onto those threadbare items? Are they stored somewhere in your heart’s closet out of guilt, remorse, regret or unforgiveness? You know it did not cover much on you then. Why believe it will cover much of anything on you now. In the waiting, we get to trade in the spirit of heaviness for a garment of praise. Fully covered, fully adorned, none exposed. Learn to…


“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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:13-18).







BLACK FRIDAY'S ULTIMATE PURCHASE

Up until now, the concept of Black Friday repulsed me. The impulse to spend hard-earned money and waste well-deserved rest time for the sake of cinching the best deals before Christmas was nothing short of insanity. If I knew the marketer who came up with this inferno idea, I would have hung him (or her) on a tree next to Judas Iscariot! Community got swapped out for commercialism; gratitude for greed. I wondered, “How high a price were we willing to pay for stuff with a limited shelf life?”

During our Thanksgiving Eve service, as I wept in my piety over the lost souls of man, the thought of another Black Friday loomed over two millennia. A lone shopper took His place in line for the ultimate purchase: Sins past, present and future. This purchase came at a premium no previous, earthly sacrifices could satisfy. Yet the lone shopper willingly took His place in line for the ultimate purchase. To Him, His sacrifice was worth the price. To Him, His sinless, yet gruesome death was worth sin’s gruesome exchange.

On that first Black Friday, the lone shopper paid the price at Golgotha on a rough and rustic timber between two sinners. But after the long exchange, the lone shopper emerged with the ultimate purchase: The keys of death, hell and the grave! No bartering for souls. No bait-n-switch for salvation. No bargain for Susie, Sally, Sarah or Sandy (or anyone else, for that matter)!

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16, 17 – NLT).

Although I still don’t agree with the concept of Black Friday, who am I to judge the beauty of the ultimate purchase from the lone shopper on that first Black Friday over 2000 years ago!  To this, I repent and offer instead of criticism, Christ's ultimate purchase of eternal life.

I pray you and yours enjoy this holiday season immensely! Allow the “Lone Shopper” (aka Jesus) to be the real reason for the season!

WHAT MORE CAN YOU SAY?

Proverbs 21:23 – He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

We can’t help it. It’s in our nature to contribute more than our 2¢ to a conversation. Whether kibitzing over whom in the family makes the best tuna noodle casserole or coffee klatching over who deserves to preside in the White House, we have strong opinions and we believe they’re worth a listen. But in the heat of exchange, the price of words can cause dissension, strife and division, if we’re not careful.

Over the years, even heart-to-hearts with my own siblings proved costly. Due to the recent death of my father coupled with tending to my mother’s life-threatening illness, I’ve experienced more than a few harsh words being exchanged in the name of love. And I’m ashamed to admit to being a squeamish participant in one or two of those heated discussions. Did I say something I shouldn’t have said? Sadly, yes. It’s so easy to give in to our human tendency to “speak our mind.” But in the words of elders everywhere, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

(Picture from turnhimintoabetterdad.com/blog)

That’s why the sage advice found throughout Proverbs is worth its weight in gold. Solomon and others knew the power this muscle called the tongue contained. From a small spark to an out-of-control forest fire, an uncontrolled tongue can wreck havoc. But “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue” (Proverbs 17:27, 28).

In adversity, great wisdom lies in giving God full rein over our tongues. We learn to walk away when our contribution to the conversation will only escalate the situation. We are taught to find a way to redirect negative comments up to God silently in prayer. And if stepping away from the “fire” is not an immediate option, we can propose a cooling-off period to extinguish the potential flames smoldering on our tongues (again, something I should have done recently with one of my siblings).

By giving God rein, our creeping bitterness soon abates and a budding desire for sweet words slowly abounds from our lips. And with God what emerges from the depths of our being is less discord and more harmony, less disagreements and more empathy, less criticism and more praise. ”My lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous” (Psalm 119:171, 172). And with that depth of wisdom and understanding, what more can you say?
Full Embrace

1. Recall a recent experience where you spoke your mind. Did it cause discourse between you and the other person?
2. Have you ever had problems controlling your tongue?
3. Recall a recent experience where you used wisdom to hold your tongue. Explain what happened in the process.

An Encouraging Word – Dear God, with the same tongue that formulates words of adoration and praise, refrain it from devising words of dissension and criticism. In adversity, teach me Your decrees. Let not my tongue rein over my body, heart, soul and mind. If the words I say bring no edification to You or to the body of Christ, like a flame to a wick, snuff it out before it sets the relationship ablaze. AMEN!

A PLACE TO REST

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. – Psalm 91:1

What part of your home exudes tranquility? Is it the peace and serenity of your bedroom with its matching shams, bed skirt and comforter? Or do you find your sanctuary amidst the infused glow of scented candles and soft music from your safe haven of a bathroom. I tend to vacillate between my “Chick Cave” of a basement and my eclectically-covered back porch. It may not be as fanciful as a House Beautiful magazine spread, but when I need a mental break from the chaos, it’s where I go to “rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” We all need a place to rest, a place to lay aside life’s burdens. But where do you go when tranquil space is not an option?

God understands the way the world turns. On meager fare, not everyone gets the luxury of a “Calgon-take-me-away” bathtub experience or a lavish weekend getaway. Because after the tub drains or the weekend is over, we only have a fragrance that wears off after a few hours and a memory that soon fades. So when the world’s problems turn on us, He is the ultimate, peaceful refuge who offers a place of protection. He is the perfect dwelling place harboring us in an imperfect world. He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

To dwell in the shelter of the Most High is to find the ultimate place of rest and no bedroom, bathroom, basement or back porch will ever compare!

Full Embrace

1. Where do you go when tranquil space is not an option?
2. What have you taken to God to find rest for your weary soul?

An Encouraging Word – Oh Lord Almighty, we need you. Be our place of rest when we’re weary. Be our shelter when we’re burdened by life’s hardships. We come to You. You draw us into Your comforting shadow. Thank You for a place to rest. Thank You for Your great peace. AMEN.

WEEDS: A MODERN-DAY PARABLE

I had a notion this summer to plant a vegetable garden. Now before you gardening aficionados pass out from the photo, here me out. Remember, I’m no green thumb, but a modern-day parable emerged from that experience.

 

Set with honorable intentions, I was determined to produce something good from the ground. And just plain tired of the high cost of this, that and the other, I wanted my family to reap the benefits of fresh, healthy, and yes, inexpensive vegetables. I bought the seeds (10 packets of various varieties). I read the instructions (thoroughly). I prepared the ground (okay, my husband turned over the soil, but I made the mounds and poked the holes!). I planted the seeds…all by myself!

 

Quite proud of my accomplishment, I didn’t factor in what may have been obvious to the trained gardener…WEEDS! I know a dandelion when I see one, but there were just as many varieties of weeds as were the seeds I planted. My initial thought could have been, “Give up. There are too many of them out there and I can’t tell the difference between a radish leaf and ragweed!”

 

Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference, but a deeper nourishment was growing in my resolve. I got excited when I uncovered cucumbers sprouting under prickly leaves and stalks. I enjoyed a wonderful long-distance connection with my mom after picking turnip greens (I had to get her secret on how to cook them to tender perfection). And I proudly shared my beautiful, leafy lettuce mix with my boss and co-workers who reaped the benefits.

 

I didn’t much care for the weeds, but they taught me to appreciate what good still remains in a fallen world. It’s true. From major metropolises to small-town Americana, our own borders are overgrown with domestic violence, drug trafficking, murders, rapes, pornography and every variety of sin you can imagine. But sprouting amid the weeds are caring souls making a difference in the gardens where they’ve been planted. They’re uncovering the potential growing amongst life’s thistles. They’re rejoicing over the U-turns of the last, the least, the lost. They’re proudly sharing their faith, their hope, their testimony with any and every one willing to listen.

 

Listen to what Jesus says about the Parable of the Weeds found in Matthew 13:24-30a…

 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest’.”

 

You see, it’s easier to say, “I give up!” because quite frankly, garden variety weeds are a nuisance. But in the harvest field designed by the Creator of the universe, things that grow and thrive alongside modern-day weeds are beautiful!

 

 

Full Embrace

1. What are some “weeds” you have personally encountered lately?
2. What seeds (i.e., gifts, talents, abilities) do you believe God has planted in you?
3. Name 2-3 specific instances where you have been a nourishment to someone?

 

An Encouraging Word – Dear Lord, We thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit planted firm within our hearts. May we be a nourishment to those we encounter. And when the sins of the world sprout up attempting to choke life from the harvest You’ve planted, remind us to always choose to produce good fruit which satisfies a hungry soul. AMEN.

 

OBSESSION'S MISSION

Obsession has a mission with nothing to do with fragrance. Obsession fixates without rhyme or reason. Its preoccupation leaves all else wandering for its place to be known. Once the object of one’s affection captivates the mind, nothing shy of divine intervention can break its intoxicating spell. Obsession has no conscience, has no friends and has no prejudices. Truly, obsession’s mission…to bring irreparable damage to God’s sons and daughters.

To prove a point with a bit of amusing flair, even our canine beauty, Ginger, has her own obsession. We call it “the Light of Zorgon!” (a reference to the “Men In Black” movie). You may know it as a harmless laser light pen. Her obsession…to capture and destroy “the Light of Zorgon!” She’ll nip away at the rugs, run into the furniture, bite her paws. She doesn’t care what it takes or what happens to her in the quest. She must capture what cannot be. We know, sadly to our sadistic amusement, this mysterious light will always elude her.

Life’s vices have a way of pointing a laser light at our obsessions. Whether we’re preoccupied with the “oh, that’s nothing” infractions or the “oh dear Lord!” entrapments, we’ll stop at nothing to gain ultimate satisfaction. Sadly, the object of our obsession finds great pleasure in promising what it cannot deliver. The chase: elusive and fleeting. The result: emptiness and dissatisfaction. I once felt I could never measure up. No matter how hard I tried, that “Light of Zorgon” called perfectionism toyed with my sanity. I looked like a tangled marionette before I finally came to my senses and fell to my knees in surrender.


God’s not elusive. He points us to truth. And no matter how far gone we may feel in our obsession, He encourages us with this…

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you may stand up under it. – I Corinthians 10:13

Full Embrace 

1. What has been an obsession or vice for you?
2. What have you done to escape its grasp? Has it worked for you?
3. What escape has God provided for you in your obsession or vice? Has this worked out for you?

  
Encouraging Word – Dear Lord, our obsessions have left us dissatisfied and empty. We cry out “Help!” Remind us of Your faithfulness. Help us accept Your way out and not fall into the elusive trap of carving out a niche of our own. AMEN.

You LOVE me!

Like any ordinary morning, you wake up, give God a quick, “luv Ya!” and you’re off to the races. But every morning isn’t ordinary and God will capture your attention, believe me. There will come a time when you will wake up and the magnitude of life will consume you, overpower you. Not to destroy, but to encourage. Not to depress, but to uplift and to cause your spirit to soar beyond the impossible. And that “luv Ya!” won’t cut it.

Struck without words, you listen. Faint at first, you lay aside the false pretense to only regard thunderous homilies from heaven. The peaceful presence of His presence leaves you breathless. You mutter something, but find it inadequate. The tendency swells within you. Become what you think…inadequate, worthless. You strain to know, to become what He thinks. The voice grows stronger drawing your undivided attention. “This is my beloved in whom I am WELL pleased.” The affirmations drown out the tendencies. He pronounces clearly His truths over you. “I Am your refuge and strength. I created you fearfully, wonderfully. I will never leave you nor forsake you. I Am the One who heals your diseases. I Am the One who dries your tears. I Am your hope and your future. I will uphold you with My righteous, right hand. I love you.” Then, all subsides.

“You love me?” The question looms over our past, our scars, our loneliness, our brokenness, our emptiness. Our ordinary morning becomes more than ordinary. And as the beauty of His Words overshadow our typical “luv Ya” morning, we move from navel gazing to the heart-amazing realization of who truly loves who. He loves you alright! Are you ready to get this day off to an extraordinary start?

Full Embrace

1. When was the last time you woke up to an ordinary morning?
2. What event or set of circumstances caused your prayers to become ordinary?
3. What affirmations have God pronounced over you lately? Write them down.

Encouraging Word - Dear Lord, We wake up daily to earthly realizations and everyday it wears away at Your pronouncements over us. Send Your reminders in and through creation. Lead us not into the temptation of turning a day in which You have made into anything but extraordinary. You love us and as Your beloved children, You find great pleasure in making that love available, accessible, free. AMEN.

STEP OF FAITH

Dear Embrace His Truth Readers: Much like Paul's letters to the churches in Ephesus, Corinth and Galatia, I extend greetings in our precious Savior's name. The One who keeps us all from falling, I stand ready to honor His calling and I remain humbled by your faithfulness to read this blog.

Consider this letter one a friend would express to a companion in the faith. As God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, He knew in advance our destinies. If to teach, write, sing, speak, pray, give or serve, our Lord formed such giftings through the image of His Son...before foundations settled and the earth evolved. My encouragement to you...step out in faith!

I shall do the same and have been drawn to do so for quite some time. Each step, like being splashed by the waves in the ocean, overwhelms me with excitement and succumbs me with a bit of fear of the unknown. And now that I find myself more than waist deep in my passion to write and speak, God challenged me with two mandates from this year's She Speaks conference.

First, FIND MY VOICE -- I can either remain splattered all over the pages of my various passions or focused on the object of His affection. Finding our voice in Him alone defines me, defines you. Our voice embodies not only our words, but our actions, convictions and yes, passions. When asked, "what do you love?' or conversely, "what do you loathe?" our voice reaches beyond the diaphram and warmly embraces its role in the body of Christ. To find our voice is to find Christ in the center of ourselves. Its imprint unique to who He has created me to be. So as my voice grows stronger through prayers and posts, I encourage you to journey along with me. Find your voice...embrace your role in the body of Christ.

Second, LET GOD CHISEL A LEGACY -- In her keynote address to 650, God-ordained writers, speakers, and womens' ministry leaders, Proverbs 31 Ministries' founder, Lysa Terkeurst, set the high bar. "Let God Chisel!" What lies trapped in the granite of complacency, the sin of comparison, the fear of failure, the muck and mire of worthlessness is this fearfully and wonderfully made individual God has called out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

In the midst of the chiseling, Lysa posed this question: "What 3 things do you want to be known for?" I took notice. No one ever asked me that question before and certainly not in the context of such a painful proposition. I had to be willing to let God chisel away at areas in which He received no glory to be ultimately known for 3 things which would bring Him glory.

Bring Him glory any way He sees fit...that's my sole desire. As God chisels away to form my legacy, I sense this legacy inhabiting my voice. Though Passionate Encourager is the first to emerge from the good work He has begun, I believe He is truly faithful to bring the rest of this legacy to completion. Allow the tools of a gentle carpenter's Son to chisel a legacy within you. 

In the coming weeks, I anticipate Him chiseling away at what I once held dear...this blog, my style of writing, my approach to ministry and prayer, my views on risk taking, my willingness to be obedient to the call of Christ. The One Wish post unveils but the start of the Master's workmanship. I will be soliciting stories from those passionate about encouraging women facing the tough stuff and I am working on redefining my tagline. In fact, email me your initial thoughts and comments on what I've come up with so far (it's not "chiseled" in stone yet)...

Perspective - Encouragement - Peace

Applying God's Truth To Your Past...

Embracing God's Truth For Your Future!

Blessings!

Doris