Category: Growing in Faith

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When things go wrong

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. NLT Romans 8:28

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. NLT 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

When the hubster and I moved to Kentucky, we arrived with no friends or family- certainly no one we knew well enough to babysit our then 5yo son. When Valentine’s Day rolled around, we decided to have a family “date.” My favorite guilty pleasure is White Castle. Oh those those tiny little cheeseburgers are so delicious! Fast food, I know, I know… They’re not organic wholesomeness. No crunchy mama awards there. Big deal. I don’t care what is in them. It’s an occasional treat. Once in a while. Really, only once (or twice) a year. Don’t judge me. I’ve seen you in line at McDonald’s. Anyway… Our big romantic date night ends up at White Castle with our little kid in tow.

Picture Valentine decor everywhere. Plastic roses, paper table clothes, heart confetti… every dollar store red or pink item was there. And then some! They presented Hershy’s kisses on the tray with our meal. Cheesy to the max! Times ten. Maybe a million. You get the idea. There I sat with my two favorite fellas (who really dont care for the food, by the way) and it was heaven. Absolute heaven! Ok, it was not a romantic, big deal date of the past but who can be sad with a cheeseburger in their mouth? Yum. My little boy enjoyed being my Valentine – and having fries and a Coke of course. Husbband is happy if I’m happy and I’m totally happy with those delicious little gut grenades. So everyone is happy, happy, happy.

We didn’t have a babysitter the next year either. White Castle for the win! What started as a make-do alternative has turned into an eleven year tradition for us. Hey, we even make reservations now. Classy. Yeah. Eleven years of celebrating love: family-style with mini-cheeseburgers. What’s the point of this story? Things don’t always work out the way we think they should. And that’s okay- IF WE LET IT BE OKAY. If we keep our attitudes and mouths right, the Lord can take ANY situation and turn it around for our good. Is the situation good? Probably not but God’s alternative can be so much better that we expected. It may just turn out to be the best thing ever. While this example is certainly a light-hearted one, the truth in it is the same. The Lord has turned every disaster into blessing for me over time. The key is to just roll with it, know the Lord loves you and trusting that he can AND WILL take care of you. No complaining and grumbling though . That’s not the faith stuff He works with. Trust, patience, praise, thanksgiving – thats the good stuff. The faith stuff. He can work with that and turn it toward your favor. You might just get a cheeseburger with it.

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Listening to God

Today I was reading from the book of Jeremiah (Ch. 26). Heavy stuff. I thought to myself, “geeze Louise why didn’t they ever just listen?” Then this little voice in the back of my head said, “why don’t you?” Yikes, then I had to think about it.

I noticed that God ALWAYS warns us before we get ourselves into trouble. He doesn’t withhold knowledge of His Will from us. In the Old Testament He gave the people prophets. Now under the New Testament & Covenant He has given us His Word in the Bible and He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). The Spirit of God ministers to us through the scriptures, through our own conscious, through our Church leaders, through our friends, even through our own children sometimes (don’t you just love those moments *cough, cough*). It seems the voice of God is everywhere IF we choose to listen.

How often are we too busy, too tired, too distracted, too “whatever” to notice that the Spirit of God is present to guide us?
How much frustration and hurt could be avoided if we took a moment to listen?
What would the day be like if we heeded His warning or followed His lead?
Where would it take us?
Who would benefit with us?
What if? What if instead of charging on ahead with my own words and deeds, I took a deep breath and listened to His voice? What if I paused long enough to receive His instruction?
What if I started right now? Today?
With just one deep breath…
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Expressing Emotions

Why is it that we need someone to tell us it is okay to feel? I’ve noticed over the years, especially in Christian circles, that we seem to think we have to be positive and smile ALL THE TIME. Now hold on there- I’m not advocating inflicting the world with a hateful attitude on a daily basis. I’m just saying it is time to be REAL.

Be HONEST.

Women tell me their struggles and then hurry to apologize. “I’m so sorry. Its been a little rough. I know I have so much to be grateful for. I shouldn’t feel this way. There are so many others suffering worse than I am…” I have heard you say this. I’ve said it too.

Why?

Christian women hear so many teachings against being ruled by their emotions. We’re taught that emotions can be destructive, they can lead us away from the truth, and they can destroy our faith. While these teachings are indeed true, we loose sight of another truth.

God FEELS.

Our great and almighty GOD, Creator of the universe, Lord above all, has and expresses emotion. He created us in HIS image. Would He give us emotions and then condemn us for feeling them? Of course not! It’s okay to feel what you feel. It’s okay to appropriately express what you feel.

And you know what?

You may just set another sister free. Your honest expression of emotion coupled with your prayer and confessions of faith may just loose someone else from their bondage of misguided “perfection.”  Think about it. We women are always looking and comparing ourselves and our lives to others. Unfortunately, most often we are comparing ourselves to unrealistic images of perfection. The enemy lies to us: “she never feels that way…you are weak…God is so disappointed in you…” We swallow those ugly lies hook, line, and sinker.

What if what other women saw in you was real?

What if your honesty encouraged another sister to seek help for her depression? What if it set an example for your children on how to appropriately express their own emotions? What if someone in your social group was inspired to lay down her burden of a perfect image and get real too? What if your story could change the world?

You are not supposed to be perfect.

 
Go ahead, feel what you feel. Name what you feel. Share what you feel if you need to share. Pray about what you feel.  And then…
          Release it.
 

Angry Face
Angry Face


                                        

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Gratitude When Seasons Change

Fall is my favorite season. It always has been. As a native Mississippian, autumn signals a nearing end to sweltering hot temperatures and oppressive humidity. In autumn the temperatures cool, the colors warm, and life seems to slow down a bit. It’s a natural time for me to pause and reflect on changing seasons.

I seem to be settling in to this new season of my life.  Kentucky has been good to us. Adjusting to a new location and a whole new way of life hasn’t always been easy. Change is good, though. It keeps us fresh. 
   Stimulated. 
      Challenged. 
          Curious. 
              Aware.
We left behind close family, good friends, and a more refined way of life.
We made new friends.
We found new adventures.
We embraced a new way of life.
We’ve found peace.
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Patience Pays

Somehow I knew when I married this man of mine that life was going to get… adventurous. Complicated, crazy, wild- those words come to mind too but adventurous is so much nicer.
We’ve been living in beautiful Kentucky now for a year. It is time to put down some roots, sooooooo…

We’ve pulled the RV out to a farm! Now I have to confess: this photo is not MY farm. It’s a lovely local barn. I have a thing for barns. My farm is still “cooking,” so to speak.  We have to develop a road, build a barn, purchase livestock and equipment. My son and I are going to be very busy trying to get a good start before cold winter sets in.
Patience has paid off, my dear friends. We have a beautiful site in which to live, kind neighbors, and a grand adventure ahead of us. This year has taught me so many things. I’ve learned to do a lot more with a lot less. I’ve learned that patience is more of endurance than it is “putting up with.” I’ve especially learned that love indeed NEVER fails.

 

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A Little Homesick

I need to get this off my chest.  You’ll be my sounding board, won’t you? I miss writing. I miss having the time to process all my ideas. I miss being able to finish a project. I miss my sewing machine. I miss bubble baths. I REALLY miss bubble baths. BAD.  Real bad. Wait… give me a second, I might just cry over the whole bubble bath thing…

Ok, I’m better. Where was I? Missing things: my family, my old home, my friends… Moving from Mississippi to Kentucky has been a great opportunity for my family.  My husband’s job is tons less stressful. We see him so much more now. Big plus! He has regular hours which is a huge blessing for us. South Eastern KY is so beautiful! Our town is clean, friendly, slower-paced- lovely in every way. Even though we are temporarily living in our RV (shower only, no tub) God has given us a special grace to deal with the close quarters for the past nine months. There’s been a learning curve that’s for sure but on the whole, life has been just charming.  

Still, there’s a nagging little longing for the people back home. A nagging for closet space. A nagging for my jacuzzi tub. A nagging for time to myself. I remind myself that these things will come.  Our house in MS will sell.  We will find the perfect spot here to build.  My folks will visit next month. One day my boy will be grown and I will have too much time and long for the days when he demanded all my time and attention.

How complex God has made us with the ability to feel and balance so many emotions! Gratitude for the many blessings here counter-balance the homesick blues there. We attend an awesome Church.  I’ve settled into a MOPS group.  We have made so many dear friends in a short time. Ah yes, life is good…

Still, I really want a bubble bath.

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My Life Verse

image
The Lord settles me in my home and makes me to be 
a JOYFUL mother of children.
Praise to the Lord!
(Psalms 113:9)
This has been my mantra for the past several years. I cannot even count the number of times I have recited it. I used to confess it before I even met my husband in a faith-goal sort of way. After we were married and conception became a challenge I clung to this verse as desperate promise. Now I say it as a thankful prayer and reminder- especially on the tough mommy days.
Do you have a life verse? Do you use scripture to keep you focused? Please share!
 
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Jesus Love me This I Know…

Do you know that God loves you? I mean, really, really, really loves you.  It’s a given for most Christians, right? The whole John 3:16 thing- EVERYone knows it.  Even non-believers at football games know it. It’s probably the most memorized verse in the whole Bible. It’s the foundation of every believer’s salvation. But you know what? I’ve walked this earth for 43 years and I’m just now beginning to understand that God loves ME- me, as an individual. Sounds a little weird, huh?Heart Rocks by LN

Heart Rocks by LN

I knew God loved me in the sense of John 3:16. I knew he loved me as a part of this world He created, a part of all mankind, as a part of His Church. I always felt though like He loved me because He HAD to, as a parental obligation. I figured He probably didn’t like me very much. I thought He had to be perpetually disappointed in me because of past stupid decisions, common mistakes, a sassy attitude, and multiple failures.  He couldn’t possibly LIKE me. He knows everything. He knows my heart. He knows my secrets. He knows I don’t measure up. How could He possibly like me?


Now you might think that this is crazy. It is. It is TOTALLY crazy. That’s what happens after years of comparing myself to others, after years of self-imposed condemnation, years of listening to the lies of the enemy. Know what’s even crazier? What that kind of thinking leads to: a life of trying to be worthy of salvation. It’s the complete antithesis of grace and mercy! It is a never ending striving to obtain the unobtainable. It’s a life void of the very peace and joy that Christ died to give us. The life His resurrection promises is ours.

His forgiveness, mercy and grace mean that He loves ME- and YOU just the way we are. Do you love your children? Of course! We love them even when they are not, gasp, perfect. He loves us, knowing we will never, ever be perfect.  When we are at our very worst, He loves us.
               

For the past year, God has been showing me and teaching me at virtually every turn that HE loves me. Yes, even me.  It is such a relief to know that I can stop trying to earn His affection! This revelation has birthed an even greater love that I have in my heart for others. What freedom! What joy! What true gospel- good news!

Have you ever struggled with false guilt? Do you compare yourself to other Godly women? Have you ever felt unworthy of His love? Well just stop it right now! I mean right now.  Want to learn more? Need encouragement? Check out these resources:
                
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What To Do When You’re Hanging On

Today as I write this, I am sitting at Starbucks enjoying a latte and a kid-free morning thanks to the Mothers Day Out program at the First Baptist Church.  Big deal, right? Well…it is for me. TOTALLY new experience. I feel so hip and cool: writing, sipping coffee, grooving to Muddy Waters. (Thank you, Starbucks for making this Mississippi girl feel right at home with the blues. Someone must have told you I was coming.)

It’s funny, listening to blues music when everything in my body screams “happy, happy, happy!” Metaphorically speaking, I’m finally enjoying some warm sunshine after a long, very cold rain. You know how sometimes you feel like you are hanging on by a thread? For a long time? You get weary. You get gloomy. You’re tempted to give up hope. Everything gets a little gray. I just left that place, so I know how you feel.

I’m so glad that I didn’t give in to those feelings. Yeah, some days I switched to auto-pilot… Plastered on the smile anyway. You know the drill. After a long time, though it begins to feel like it will never get better. For my family it was a series of tough-break circumstances. Maybe in your case it’s an illness, job loss, divorce, or crisis of another sort. I don’t know what the event is but I do know that nothing last forever. Cliche’ but true. Sometimes it just takes a while. What do you do in the mean time? I’ll share what helped me:

  • Press in to scripture. Let God comfort you. Let Him guide you. Let Him love you through it.
  • Lean in to trusted friends. It’s okay to let others see you in your not so perfect state.
  • Smile anyway. I read in a medical magazine that smiling and laughing can improve a blue mood
  • Take a gratitude inventory. Really count your blessings. Be mindful in your everyday moments
  • Reach out to someone else needing help. Practice hospitality, sharing, and encouraging others
  • Objectively evaluate your circumstance. Change what you can and pray through the rest.
Don’t give up – just hang on a little longer!

Sometimes things get a little worse it seems before they get better. It did for us. God rewards the faithful, though, so keep on. I am pleased to say that the series of troubles is over for the moment. My family is enjoying a reprieve from spiritual and physical battles. My husband has accepted a career change that included a relocation to Kentucky.

Everything seems so new and fresh (and 15 degrees cooler). We have been blessed with a small town in the mountains full of friendly people. Autumn is bringing crisp air, changing colors, and a whole new beginning for us. I’ll post more about our adventure in getting here later.

Right now, I want to pray for you. “Father, I want to lift up this reader to you. You know what they are going through and you know exactly what they need. Bless them with, strength, direction, and endurance. Let them experience Your presence and fullness of joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen”

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Feeling…crunchy? When You Have A Bad Day

Do you ever have days when you feel like this?

You know, the kind of day that overwhelms you. One that makes you feel attacked. Consumed. Crunched on. Maybe it’s a week, a month or even a season. Do you ever feel like circumstances are chewing you up and spitting you out?

I’ve been going through one of those seasons lately. It seems like stress and challenges are coming from every direction. Some days my husband and I look at each other with the “how much more can we possibly take?” look. While this is season is not yet over, I have learned a few things going through this difficult time.

  • Some things are just plain out of my control. Can’t fix it, can’t eliminate it, can’t do squat about it. I can; however, PRAY. I can pray for grace to accept it, mercy to deal with my frustrations, peace to let go of trying to control it, strength to endure it, and patience until it gets better.
  • Complaining only makes it worse. Sure its good to vent every now and then but getting stuck in an ungrateful, grumbling attitude is what got the Hebrew children stuck in the wilderness for forty years. I do not want to get stuck here! I want to move on to better times. I have to purpose my speech and my attitude to be one that God can bless.
  • It won’t last forever. Circumstances always change. Life never stands still. I will get through it. One step in front of the other and one day at a time, I will move through this season on to the next.  
  • Take care of myself in the meantime. Eat nutritiously. Get adequate sleep. Read uplifting spiritual material. Limit negative influences (TV, gossip, etc.) when possible. I must treat my body and mind well if I expect it to carry me through seasons of trial. 
  • Lighten up. Laugh. Be silly. Count my blessings. Appreciate the love and beauty in each moment. Sometimes I just have to get out of my head and into the present moment. I can enjoy life even when it is trying. I just have to look and try a little harder in the difficult days.  
How do you cope with difficult times? What are some of the ways you keep yourself from sinking into despair? Do you laugh in the face of adversity or do you grit your teeth and bear it? Share with me. Lets grow together.