What you're going through...

It won't always be like this. It won't always be like this. It won't always be like this.

How ya doin'?

I'll tell you how you're doing.  You're doing great.  You're doing it.  Keep going, no one can stop you.  Stop worrying if you're good enough.


You're doing better than you know and you're stronger than you think.  Don't stop.  


Be proud of yourself and refuse to be moved.  See that foot down there?  Put it in front of the other.  Good job.  That in itself sometimes deserves a party.  I see you and I recognize that amazing little spark in you.  


Much love,
C

Tangled

I was watching Tangled with the kids and at the end I was thinking wow, this is such a great story.  And then I thought wait, no it's not, it's horrible. Kidnapping of an infant, years and years of yearning and life feeling unresolved for the parents, Repunzel knowing she was meant for more but unable to be free of the tower, etc.  We're only seeing it from the climax to when they're all happy.


That's the way it is with people, too.  Often times, we only hear their testimony and see them where they are:  after the struggle.  But, we forget there were years and years where they were yearning and in pain and addicted and alone and depressed and throwing up their food and cutting themselves and lying and cheating and abandoning others.  Deep breath.  And killing and loving too much and feeling numb and stripping and addicted to pornography and hating and passed out and trying too hard and losing their family and leading others down these paths.

I'm not saying their testimony isn't beautiful nonetheless, I'm saying the opposite. Don't forget: we can't just latch onto the happiness of the end of the testimony.  We need to hear it all.  Which is why it's important for us to SAY it all.  People are literally set free by the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11) .  Which means we all sort of need one.  It doesn't have to be dramatic or horrible or intense.   But for most people there is a piece of that in their lives.

So, I want to encourage you to GIVE your testimony.  It doesn't have to be in a church service, it may be over coffee or on Facebook, but give it!  I think if you don't, you may even be giving the impression to others that your life has always looked happy or together (and maybe it HAS so that's your testimony).  But after the testimony guess what?  You'll probably get another one.  More struggles will come and you'll keep overcoming, so you'll keep having amazing testimonies.  Some will be big, some will be small, but you'll have them.

It's your duty to give your story, show them the hard times and how God used them for your good (Romans 8:28).  Don't think that those parts of your life aren't important or that once you overcame them you lost your permission to address them.  Those times have a purpose.  Pastor Steve says "the purpose of purpose is people" so here ya go.  Let that purpose be for the people.  My former youth pastor, Pastor Jim told me, "your past is the best indication of your future ministry."  I've never forgotten that and it's come true over and over again in different ways.  So tell yourself your testimony and see how you might help others.

Wouldn't it be horrible if all of the pain we suffered was for no reason?  That it couldn't be used now for anything good? I'd have a hard time living with that.  So use it.

Much love,
C

Don't tell me to "just...let it go" or I'll puke

Today church was really intense.  During worship, Pastor Steve asked anyone to come forward who needed healing.   The emotional kind.  I never go up there, it's really hard for me, but I did it.  Actually, this was twice this month for two unrelated things.

Anyway, I was up there and thinking... ok, now what?   I was trying to let this thing go and honestly I wasn't even sure what it was exactly.  I went back to my seat and was aggravated.  Not with God or myself, just in my lack of knowledge of how to let this thing go.

I've let A LOT go in the past year and a half, but there are a couple areas of my life that I just can't seem to progress in.

So I get back to my seat and I wanted to stand up and yell "WAIT!  I don't get it.  Everyone seems to go up there and get better and get 'fixed' what am I missing?  How do I 'let things go' ????"

I know if I had yelled out, it would have been welcome, I just couldn't make myself do it.

But when Pastor Steve started preaching, he explained how to do it. I don't even know if he realized it.  It's too much to type out here, but he was talking about how we should focus on His majesty.  Really try to get it.  To behold it.  Focus on it.  LOVE IT!   How God made us to be the most satisfied when we are giving Him the most glory.

I was thinking maybe if I just do that, everything else will either cease to matter or be resolved.  If my focus is fully on Him, period, then I won't have to worry about letting these things go.  They'll just be gone.  Or they won't matter.  Or I just won't think of them.  In other words, stop focusing on how to let them go and start focusing on Him.

Immediately, my brain starts going "how do I do that?  How do I focus on His majesty?  What if I can't?" until I just hushed myself. I'm just going to do it.  I'm going to focus on Him.  Get lost in Him.   I'm thinking that everything else will fall into place.

When we first started going to Celebration, I came upon this book called "It's Not About Me" by Max Lucado.  I read it in one sitting.  It was what started this whole blogging adventure.  (Look for my first blogs and you'll see).   Here are some examples from the book that rocked my whole perspective.


"When God looks at the center of the universe, he doesn't look at you.  When heaven's stagehands direct the spotlight toward the star of the show, I need no sunglasses.  No light falls onto me.


Lesser orbs, that's us.  Appreciated.  Valued. Loved dearly.  But central?  Essential?  Pivotal?  Nope.  Sorry.   Contrary to the Ptolemy within us, the world does not revolve around us.  Our comfort is not God's priority.  If it is,something's gone awry.  If we are the marquee event, how do we explain flat-earth challenges like death, disease, slumping economies or rumbling earthquakes?  If God exists to please us, then shouldn't we always be pleased?"


"God does not exist to make a big deal out of us.  We exist to make a big deal out of him."


"Life makes sense when we accept our place.  The gift of pleasures, the purpose of problems--all for him. The God-centered life works.  And it rescues us from a life that doesn't.  


But how do we make the shift?  How can we be bumped off self-center?  Attend a seminar, howl at the moon, read a Lucado book?  None of these things.  We move from a me-focus to  God-focus by pondering him.  Witnessing him.  Following the counsel of the apostle Paul: 'Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' 2 Cor 3:18


Beholding him changes us.  Couldn't we use a change? Let's give it a go.  Who knows?  We might just discover our place in the universe."  

This book really took the pressure off me.  Lucado basically says all we're here to do is reflect God's glory to the world.  I am not the center of God's universe.  He is.  But, He is the center of mine.  It's what Pastor Steve was talking about today.  When you really get this, you go from being offended that He created you to not need you... to feeling pressure lift off your shoulders!  I have to be His mirror.

"We are his mirrors, you know.  Tools of heaven's heliography.   Reduce the human job description down to one phrase and this is it: Reflect God's glory. "-Lucado 




There's something big going down at Celebration.  Like perspective changing big and not just for the sake of having something new.  If you're looking for a home church, you should come check it out.  That's not the purpose of this blog, it's just burning inside of me and I want you to be a part of it.  

What do you need today?

If I am struggling and need forgiveness, I should give it.

If I need mercy, I should give it.

If I need grace, I should give it.

If I need money, I should give it.

If I yearn for love, I should give it.

If I need patience, I should show it.

If I need more clothes, I should give some away.

If I need good news, I should SHOUT GOOD NEWS TO THE WORLD!

The more I need something, the more I should give it to the world.  I reap what I sow.

Galatians 6:7 

A man reaps what he sows.

Because of this scripture, it makes sense that if you need something, you should give it out as much as you can.  If you plant the seed of patience (by showing it) in as many people as you can, this scripture tells us that a big, huge, beautiful patience plant will erupt from your land.  

Plant in faith.  You won't see the evidence of that seed immediately.  It needs to grow under the stress of the elements.  But have faith that because you planted it, amazing things will come at a later time.  

(Hmmmm... so don't lack patience in this practice.  A seed doesn't burst from the ground the moment you plant it, right?  The patience you want may take a little bit.  I'd tell you to be patient, but...)

p.s. On the other hand, if you don't want something (hate, racism, stolen from, death, forgiveness, freedom) don't give it out.