I've ceased to move forward. I'm trying to figure out how to get going again. God is faithful.
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14
It's time to be still so God can heal me and free me of the chains that keep me from moving forward.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Beautiful...because He made me so.
Right now I'm teaching a confirmation class just for the girls. This past Sunday we talked about some self-image things.
I brought in some teen girl magazines and fashion magazines. I let them flip through them and asked the girls to pick out who the most beautiful person in that magazine was. Once they picked the person I asked them to say why they picked that person. Then I had them make a list on their paper starting with this prompt: "If I were as beautiful as this person I would have to change..."
The reactions from the girls were priceless. "What??" "You want us to do what?!?" "This really makes me feel bad." So on and so forth.
After a few minutes, I asked them to share what was on their list. Almost everyone shared something. Things like weight, acne, different hair, nose, ears, teeth...you name it...it was on the list. As we all faced our demons (quite literally, when you think about it), it was a huge reality of how much of an impact these things have on how we feel about ourselves. Everyone felt heavy.
Then we watched this video:
It was incredible to watch them as they watched it. You watch this woman be completely transformed and once she looks beautiful already, they go in and manipulate her facial features on the computer. Then that is what is being put on billboards. How sick! That is what our young women and girls are comparing themselves to! It's not even real..but that's what we think we have to be. How sad.
So we went back to our list. I told them how we think that we have to be just as beautiful as these models, as people on TV, as people on billboards, but it's not real. I led them in ripping up their papers.
I kind of got on my soapbox at this point. I mean, how often do young girls let a magazine tell them who they are instead of opening Scripture? How many more times to we open a magazine or a self-help book to figure out what we need to be instead of looking in God's Word? Satan fills the media with sneaky messages that enter our minds and tell us that being who God created us to be isn't enough. We have to be more than that. Well, guess what satan, you're WRONG!
We went into Scripture and looked through some of my favorite passages about who God says we are.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me. Psalm 18:19
I told those girls (and I know it doesn't sink in after hearing it once...especially when they are bombarded with the opposite messages) that they are a masterpiece of God. We see the awesome works that He has done and He claims us as the crown of creation! He delights in us! I asked them if they knew what that meant and they really didn't have much of an idea. I explained to them that just looking at or being our presence brings utter joy to our Lord. When He looks at you, He honestly can't help but smile. He just soaks you in...He delights in you. He created you as His wonderful masterpiece. I encouraged them to memorize these verses so that when the world and satan tried to get in their head and convince them otherwise, they could say to that person or to that voice in their head: "ya know what?? Bugger off! I'm fearfully and wonderfully made and you have nothing on me!"
I pray for the day that those girls believe that to be true.
I remember always being told when I was growing up that "beauty is on the inside." Yeah...so are blood and cells and that doesn't really get you attention you desire and, to some extent, need. Beauty does come from the heart, but it shines outward. I remember thinking that my dad would tell me that all of the time because I wasn't pretty. It ultimately made me feel worse about myself and I still feel that way when he says that. I want to know that I'm beautiful because that's a gift that God has given to women. He made me to be beautiful, inside and out, and claiming that Truth is what shines. If you're just building up the outside, it's a mask with emptiness at the core. Beauty is meant to be delighted in. I'm saddened that girls are so bombarded with unhealthy messages about who they have to be and don't truly believe that being a Daughter of the King is where their beauty truly lies.
I contemplate this as I sit on my couch...lamenting over wearing my bathing suit and trying to fight off the urge to have a bowl of ice cream. We're all fighting that battle. Good thing God's word is living and active; sharper than any double edged sword. (Hebrews 4:12)
I'm going to go listen to Bethany Dillon's song, Beautiful.
I brought in some teen girl magazines and fashion magazines. I let them flip through them and asked the girls to pick out who the most beautiful person in that magazine was. Once they picked the person I asked them to say why they picked that person. Then I had them make a list on their paper starting with this prompt: "If I were as beautiful as this person I would have to change..."
The reactions from the girls were priceless. "What??" "You want us to do what?!?" "This really makes me feel bad." So on and so forth.
After a few minutes, I asked them to share what was on their list. Almost everyone shared something. Things like weight, acne, different hair, nose, ears, teeth...you name it...it was on the list. As we all faced our demons (quite literally, when you think about it), it was a huge reality of how much of an impact these things have on how we feel about ourselves. Everyone felt heavy.
Then we watched this video:
It was incredible to watch them as they watched it. You watch this woman be completely transformed and once she looks beautiful already, they go in and manipulate her facial features on the computer. Then that is what is being put on billboards. How sick! That is what our young women and girls are comparing themselves to! It's not even real..but that's what we think we have to be. How sad.
So we went back to our list. I told them how we think that we have to be just as beautiful as these models, as people on TV, as people on billboards, but it's not real. I led them in ripping up their papers.
I kind of got on my soapbox at this point. I mean, how often do young girls let a magazine tell them who they are instead of opening Scripture? How many more times to we open a magazine or a self-help book to figure out what we need to be instead of looking in God's Word? Satan fills the media with sneaky messages that enter our minds and tell us that being who God created us to be isn't enough. We have to be more than that. Well, guess what satan, you're WRONG!
We went into Scripture and looked through some of my favorite passages about who God says we are.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me. Psalm 18:19
I told those girls (and I know it doesn't sink in after hearing it once...especially when they are bombarded with the opposite messages) that they are a masterpiece of God. We see the awesome works that He has done and He claims us as the crown of creation! He delights in us! I asked them if they knew what that meant and they really didn't have much of an idea. I explained to them that just looking at or being our presence brings utter joy to our Lord. When He looks at you, He honestly can't help but smile. He just soaks you in...He delights in you. He created you as His wonderful masterpiece. I encouraged them to memorize these verses so that when the world and satan tried to get in their head and convince them otherwise, they could say to that person or to that voice in their head: "ya know what?? Bugger off! I'm fearfully and wonderfully made and you have nothing on me!"
I pray for the day that those girls believe that to be true.
I remember always being told when I was growing up that "beauty is on the inside." Yeah...so are blood and cells and that doesn't really get you attention you desire and, to some extent, need. Beauty does come from the heart, but it shines outward. I remember thinking that my dad would tell me that all of the time because I wasn't pretty. It ultimately made me feel worse about myself and I still feel that way when he says that. I want to know that I'm beautiful because that's a gift that God has given to women. He made me to be beautiful, inside and out, and claiming that Truth is what shines. If you're just building up the outside, it's a mask with emptiness at the core. Beauty is meant to be delighted in. I'm saddened that girls are so bombarded with unhealthy messages about who they have to be and don't truly believe that being a Daughter of the King is where their beauty truly lies.
I contemplate this as I sit on my couch...lamenting over wearing my bathing suit and trying to fight off the urge to have a bowl of ice cream. We're all fighting that battle. Good thing God's word is living and active; sharper than any double edged sword. (Hebrews 4:12)
I'm going to go listen to Bethany Dillon's song, Beautiful.
Monday, March 2, 2009
a TV and a sundae on a Monday...
Today was really cool. It was a great change of pace.
I slept extremely late. Josiah came over and we had lunch. Then we ventured off to Sun Lakes. A woman there wanted to give me her TV and so we went to go pick it up from her place.
She lives in an assisted living facility that was sweet! It was like a fancy hotel for people to live in. We got the TV and had to roll it on a cart, bring the car around, and load it up. Darlene chatted with us and told us stories the whole time. She had just moved in and didn't need this TV anymore. Mine has a green corner so the staff at church thought I should get it.
We got the TV loaded up and the cart rolled across the parking lot. Darlene got a kick out of that--thankfully it didn't hit any cars. Then she treated us to a trip to the "ice cream shoppe." :) She was great to chat with and told us that ice cream was one of her favorite things. That's why she was getting "fat and sassy." :) Who wouldn't love a lady who said that?? Josiah and I had a lovely chat with her and then we headed to the church. We recruited Pastor David to come and help move the TV into my apartment. There are stairs. So now I have a schnazzy, big TV and my old one is sitting on the floor...not sure where that's going. It's the rental company's, so it has to stick around somewhere.
The rest of the afternoon was spent getting some errands done, paying bills, and reading by the pool. My kids were texting me like crazy, too. Good thing I like them. :)
It's been awesome to see how much this conference this past weekend has really torn down walls with some of them. It's exciting. God's working so hugely!
Tonight I had a good dinner and watched the Bachelor. I wasn't a faithful follower of the show this season, but I caught the first episode and the last couple. It was pretty messed up. It's only proof of how imperfect our love is on this side of eternity. It's so telling of our culture. It's no wonder that marriage in our culture isn't sacred anymore. It's just like Melissa said on the show: "you chose me, but you're not willing to fight for me...to see if things can work." This is our culture's view on marriage--outside and inside of the Church. A new friend shared with me this week a great insight. He said that people often preach so strongly against homosexuality because the church needs to preserve the sanctity of marriage. Okay....agreed....but..... Let's take a gander at marriage. 50% of marriages fail. Guess what, folks? That statistic for Christian couples is the same. Inside the church, the percentage of failed marriages is just as high. So...how are we preserving the sanctity of marriage in our own families? We don't want to talk about marriage and relationship issues. We don't want to fight for them. My friend suggested that we first take a look at this situation with our marriages in the church and redeeming that sanctity before we go out and about protecting the sanctity in everyone else's realm. He said "let's work on us for awhile." I think he is very wise.
The Shack...hopefully some broad thoughts on it tomorrow. Josiah has my book right and I'd like to quote some things...so we'll see.
I slept extremely late. Josiah came over and we had lunch. Then we ventured off to Sun Lakes. A woman there wanted to give me her TV and so we went to go pick it up from her place.
She lives in an assisted living facility that was sweet! It was like a fancy hotel for people to live in. We got the TV and had to roll it on a cart, bring the car around, and load it up. Darlene chatted with us and told us stories the whole time. She had just moved in and didn't need this TV anymore. Mine has a green corner so the staff at church thought I should get it.
We got the TV loaded up and the cart rolled across the parking lot. Darlene got a kick out of that--thankfully it didn't hit any cars. Then she treated us to a trip to the "ice cream shoppe." :) She was great to chat with and told us that ice cream was one of her favorite things. That's why she was getting "fat and sassy." :) Who wouldn't love a lady who said that?? Josiah and I had a lovely chat with her and then we headed to the church. We recruited Pastor David to come and help move the TV into my apartment. There are stairs. So now I have a schnazzy, big TV and my old one is sitting on the floor...not sure where that's going. It's the rental company's, so it has to stick around somewhere.
The rest of the afternoon was spent getting some errands done, paying bills, and reading by the pool. My kids were texting me like crazy, too. Good thing I like them. :)
It's been awesome to see how much this conference this past weekend has really torn down walls with some of them. It's exciting. God's working so hugely!
Tonight I had a good dinner and watched the Bachelor. I wasn't a faithful follower of the show this season, but I caught the first episode and the last couple. It was pretty messed up. It's only proof of how imperfect our love is on this side of eternity. It's so telling of our culture. It's no wonder that marriage in our culture isn't sacred anymore. It's just like Melissa said on the show: "you chose me, but you're not willing to fight for me...to see if things can work." This is our culture's view on marriage--outside and inside of the Church. A new friend shared with me this week a great insight. He said that people often preach so strongly against homosexuality because the church needs to preserve the sanctity of marriage. Okay....agreed....but..... Let's take a gander at marriage. 50% of marriages fail. Guess what, folks? That statistic for Christian couples is the same. Inside the church, the percentage of failed marriages is just as high. So...how are we preserving the sanctity of marriage in our own families? We don't want to talk about marriage and relationship issues. We don't want to fight for them. My friend suggested that we first take a look at this situation with our marriages in the church and redeeming that sanctity before we go out and about protecting the sanctity in everyone else's realm. He said "let's work on us for awhile." I think he is very wise.
The Shack...hopefully some broad thoughts on it tomorrow. Josiah has my book right and I'd like to quote some things...so we'll see.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
I'm simply standing in awe of who God is.
My battery is withering as I type and my power cord is at church, so I'll write this as quickly as I can.
The conference this weekend put on by Dare2Share was really awesome. I didn't know how much really sunk in with kids, but I could tell tonight that it really stuck with some of them. Some had major breakthroughs in their faith. Some are having walls being taken apart.
They learned all about the work of satan that is around them and how his lies are spoken to us all the time. Then they were trained on putting on the full armor of God. I love that one of the key things emphasized was that the Word of God is their sword. Tonight they already started memorizing Scripture. They're really going strong for sharing faith with their friends and "shredding the gnar" as they said at the conference. "Shredding the gnar" is a surfer term that means "go big or go home." They brought that term into what it means to share the Gospel. We go big with it or we go home. Share the Gospel at all times! The kids were digging it. Sometimes I think that kids just need to be empowered to do something and then given a high hurdle to jump and they totally did. I was in awe of how they went asking for can food yesterday in a neighborhood and then asked to pray for the people and start conversations about Christ. Now, this isn't my prefered style of evangelism, mind you, but to see kids confident enough in their Lord to share Him with strangers was phenomenal. :)
Please pray for our youth. They're being attacked by satan with so much vengence. But they learned tonight that "the thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full!" (John 10:10)
Battery is about to die....day off is tomorrow. This caffeine thing has been pretty rough this weekend, fyi. But I'm staying strong.
The conference this weekend put on by Dare2Share was really awesome. I didn't know how much really sunk in with kids, but I could tell tonight that it really stuck with some of them. Some had major breakthroughs in their faith. Some are having walls being taken apart.
They learned all about the work of satan that is around them and how his lies are spoken to us all the time. Then they were trained on putting on the full armor of God. I love that one of the key things emphasized was that the Word of God is their sword. Tonight they already started memorizing Scripture. They're really going strong for sharing faith with their friends and "shredding the gnar" as they said at the conference. "Shredding the gnar" is a surfer term that means "go big or go home." They brought that term into what it means to share the Gospel. We go big with it or we go home. Share the Gospel at all times! The kids were digging it. Sometimes I think that kids just need to be empowered to do something and then given a high hurdle to jump and they totally did. I was in awe of how they went asking for can food yesterday in a neighborhood and then asked to pray for the people and start conversations about Christ. Now, this isn't my prefered style of evangelism, mind you, but to see kids confident enough in their Lord to share Him with strangers was phenomenal. :)
Please pray for our youth. They're being attacked by satan with so much vengence. But they learned tonight that "the thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full!" (John 10:10)
Battery is about to die....day off is tomorrow. This caffeine thing has been pretty rough this weekend, fyi. But I'm staying strong.
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