Stay weak my friends

I received a text from an ex- a week ago and when I consider how unhealthy our relationship was (for me), I 'threw-up in my mouth' (for a lack of a better expression) at the sight of the text. But I'd be remiss if I wasn't completely honest with the hidden desire I had to fight of responding to him. After all I had been dateless for some time and what's a little harmless flirting to gain the attention of a handsome (all be it, emotionally harmful) man, right?

That was my weakness surfacing. The story ended well. I didn't respond to the text, this time. I'd like to say I will never respond. I couldn't take credit for this minor, emotional victory.




That's a small example of a bigger war that rages in each of us. The battle between the flesh and Spirit. I have weaknesses that I fight all too often and although I've been walking with the Lord for some time, I can't say I'm strong in all areas of my life. But I can confess that I long to be strong with every part of my being. With each failed trial and test, I cry out to the Lord in repentance and continually place my trust in His power.

I sincerely believe,

"If the Son makes you free, then you are really and unquestionably free."  John 8:36 [Amp]


Watch this part of the Captain America movie:

"Falling on a grenade" means "the deliberate act of using ones body to cover a live grenade, absorbing the explosion and fragmentation in effort to save the lives of others..." It's considered a selfless act of sacrifice.

Since the Son of God "fell on a grenade" for us, (through the selfless act of deliberately giving his life and absorbing the effects of sin in effort to save the lives of others), we have the power to live lives free from the control of sin.

I look forward to this power, but all too often I try to be strong on my own.

You know, you've heard people say,

"You better get your life right"
"I will try to stop cursing, I promise"
"I'm giving up ________."

In this same way, I've vowed to 'never do [that] again...' over, and over, and...over! Despite my solemn yet sincere prayers, sometimes I find myself struggling with doing it anyways. So how do I quit mistreating my Lord? How do I flex my strength in the face of my weak moments?

Simple: I don't.

This quote, I also heard in the same Captain America movie was powerful:

"This is why you were chosen. Because the strong man who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows... compassion."

I believe there is a reason why God doesn't want us to 'be strong' (in the sense that we flex our own strength). Yet, He wants us to be aware of and exemplify a level of confidence in our weaknesses. Because a strong man has pride and doesn't respect the strength of God.

However, a weak man, knows the value of God's strength. He goes to God in his weakness and receives strength from Him. The strength that raised Jesus from the dead is the strength that He flexes, on our behalf.

But what's more? The last part of that quote stood out to me as well.

A weak man...knows compassion.

A friend of mine had a very real struggle some 15 years ago and used to share it with a group of my female friends, on occasion. I found myself dealing with that same struggle a few weeks ago. So inevitably, I sent her a message on Facebook and asked her how she dealt with that struggle. She replied with 3 simple verses. She encouraged me that if I practically focus on these verses, I would be able to face the struggle. So I did. She could have easily clowned me for such a trivial struggle, or even given me some lame advice to get me through the moment. But her own dependence on the Spirit in her time of weakness proved God's strength and gave her the compassion to share her 'secret' with me.

For these reasons, I look forward to the times when I will face my weaknesses. Not because I'm not sure whether I will overcome it or be overcome by it. I know my freedom is in Christ. He knows my desire is to please Him. I am confident that His strength is enough for me because I am in a process of sanctification. I may not win my next battle with my flesh, but I am able to win, because of Him. The joy is in the fact that someone else will identify the same weakness in themselves and ask me for advice. The compassion I can show that person, comes from my weakness.

Stay weak (and therefore strong) my friends!

Worth the wait: when you're tired of waiting on GOD

Have you ever prayed for something? Have years elapsed and you still have not seen your prayer answered?

Still waiting...?

Does it make you wonder whether you prayed the right thing? Or whether your prayer was vain? Or in vain for that matter?

Are you tempted to place a rush order on your request by fulfilling it yourself (but low key giving God credit for something you know you really accomplished)?

Don't trip, all of these are classic signs of weariness when waiting on God:
Doubting He heard our prayer
Wondering if some secret sin is blocking it
Wondering if He is good enough to provide it
Getting upset seeing other people get 'what they want'
Stepping out of His timing and will to get it for ourselves

Living in a society that's conditioned us to a drive-thru mentality, why shouldn't we rush God!?
When microwave dinners replace the greens that soak in the sink and the meat that is thawed and seasoned a day before it is cooked; why shouldn't we expect Gods answer to be revealed by the time the microwave alarm has sounded? When text message responses have a turn around of a matter of seconds, why can't God respond to our prayers in a similar fashion?

Isaiah 40:31 holds the answer to this frustrating truth

"But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
    they walk and don’t lag behind."

We wait for things that we trust in. We wait for good food at expensive or popular restaurants. We wait for the doctor to come in the room, often sitting half dressed on a table for what seems like forever...to hear his report. We wait for those things we place confidence in. People will wait outside of a venue for the start of an event. We will wait for tickets to concerts and movies to be released. We may even wait for the release of goods such as tennis shoes.

Waiting is an unwrapped gift. It conceals the true thing that is preparing to be revealed...
...a renewal of strength!!

Remember those accusations we threw in Gods face? Those are our weary ways rearing their heads. God desires to give us a fresh breath of strength so we don't have to resort to those weary thoughts
and behaviors when we face future trials. God is worth waiting for because He can be trusted. The gifts and goods (His grace, peace, mercy, wisdom) are found in Him and He longs to reveal those things to and in us. Imagine yourself waiting outside of His dwelling place like those who wait outside of businesses for the release of the new Jordan's.

Imagine sitting at the dining table of His restaurant for what He's cooking up for you. Take in the aroma as you wait for the soul-full goodness of what He desires to serve you:
The strength in your heart to endure death of loved ones,
To face rejection on your job,
To take on numerous shut doors as you start your own business.
Strength of spirit to say no to temptation;
 To resist the very thing you've been enslaved to for years;
To hate indulging in things you once loved.

Isn't that worth the wait? Do you long for His strength? Aren't you tired of doubting, envying and prematurely making decisions from your own strength?

Whatever it is you're waiting on:
God to bless you and your spouse with the children you long for.
A mate to find you (women);
... or to find a woman who resembles what you've prayed for (men).
For a breakthrough in your finances to give, save and spend in a way that pleases God.
For your business to be successful.
For your lost loved ones to trust Christ as Savior.
For healing to take place in your body or that of someone you've prayed for.
To be vindicated in a situation where you've been walking in integrity yet under attack for it.

Wait...God is hiding with purpose...He is preparing to unleash His new line of strength that you will benefit greatly from. He knows He is worth the wait, do you? You will find yourself able to face things you once felt burdened by, with peace. You will find yourself able to say no to thing you once only said yes to. You will find yourself able to last a lot longer in the face of issues you once used to give up on. That's renewed strength! It's hidden in your waiting season!

Paper Cut Confessions

Few moments compare to those unexpected occurrences when you're hard at work (or play for that matter) and a simple miscalculated move results in an ugly paper cut. Have you ever been trying to complete a large mail order where you have to interact with several envelopes, and one of those suckers finds it's way in between the surface of your skin? Or you are busy opening up a ream of paper and in a hasty yet routine movement you're caught off guard by a swift opening in the small area of your finger skin? If you're anything like me you bellow out a cringing yell, only to realize it's just a small cut and you clutch the area of the cut and reduce your yell to a whimper.

Don't let the small injury fool you. You might not be able to file workers comp, but paper cuts are surprisingly painful and that pain serves as a reminder of its presence on your limb. It's a shallow cut and often doesn't produce much blood, but what we don't see is how our minute pain receptors that lie hidden beneath the skin's surface, have been irritated.

Several times today, my painful paper cut lay seemingly dormant on my finger. But more often than not, the natural movement of my finger and the routine jobs I performed brought the moment of injury back to my mind. What's more, I found myself being more careful when it came to my interactions with other paper products. As the day tarried, irritants such as chemicals and fibers from foreign objects found their way into my open wound because I chose not to take care of it.

In our walks with Christ, though we are Believers, we are not walking in perfection. We aren't expected to do so until we are freed from the presence of sin. But until then, we do have the ability within us to walk in freedom from the power and penalty of sin. This inner power to say "no" to ungodly things was deposited when we trusted Christ (and His resurrection power) as our Savior.

"Salvation is available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life." ~Titus 2:12

We activate this power by asking for the Spirits help in the face of temptation and consistently making this choice builds our strength in these weaker areas. Unfortunately, we don't often yield to this power. As a result, we sin (reject both Gods way and His blessings that come with obedience). What often follows is what's similar to a paper cut. We ignore the chance to humble ourselves and
admit our wrong to our loving Father, immediately. Instead, much like a paper cut, we let it sit and try to forget it's there. Although our wrong action, attitude, thoughts or words may seem insignificant and shallow to us, the sin that results is very real. Yet we treat it as if it's dormant.

However what's occurring is an irritation that is leading to an infection in our fellowship with The Lord. The Lord pleads with us to confess our sins to Him, regularly and often. He longs for the sweet fellowship that accompanies His forgiveness. Like a bandaid He desires to wrap us in the protection of His Promises to forgive us and cleanse us from unrighteous desires.

"If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]." ~1 John 1:9

Without washing the wound with the soap and water of confession, we are left vulnerable to Satans' convincing lies which end up festering into a swelling of our pride and calloused heart towards God.
The longer we go without taking care of our wound, the more susceptible it is to his foreign objects (lies) and further irritation (loss of fellowship).

"When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long." ~Psalm 32:3

My friend puts it this way, "Keep short accounts with God." What he means is at the moment the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, confess and repent immediately. Take comfort in knowing The Lord only convicts, He doesn't condemn. So if you feel guilt and shame, that's satans irritant, not Gods antibacterial ointment.

So rather than focusing hard on trying to be "good enough", let's just submit to follow Christ's
example in all things. Then when you do fall short (and a paper cut incurs), immediately run to your soap, water and ointment...He eagerly awaits to cleanse your wound and protect you with His bandaid of loving promises. Be encouraged!

The danger in teaching

Often times on the news you hear about the shootings that occur in schools and think about how dangerous it is sending your child off to school. Or you might hear about bullying that later led to a child hurting themselves fatally and it might occur to you that children are harsh in public schools. You may even see viral videos (more so in high schools) of teachers getting caught up in fights with students, hurt trying to break up a fight between students or witness a jaw-dropping teacher-student verbal disagreement. All of these cases, unfortunately characterize some of the dangers that lurk in this wonderful profession that many feel called to.

Education.

When I'm standing before a class of students, giving instructions and despite the fact that my class may have an above average management system operating, one very defiant student decides to go against the grain, well I must admit I get a little beside myself. At first, I'm calm...after all, raising my voice and matching anger for anger rarely (typically never) really gets the job done. Quite frankly, you've practically lost the battle because you've fallen right into the trap the student set for you. So, I generally go the silent, deadly route. I get extremely quiet, turn on "THE LOOK" (that I must encourage every educator to invest in) and softly ask a series of questions to bring the temperament of the student down without disrupting the flow of instruction.

If that doesn't work then it's on to phase II (and in most cases it does, but I have worked in some
rough areas, so while Phase I was alarming to the student it wasn't enough to seal the deal). Phase II consists of ignoring the behavior, politely engaging the class in a cooperative group activity while I go stand next to the unruly student and whisper for them to follow me to my headquarters. By this point the class knows it's goodbye "Mrs. Nelson"... And hello "Viola Swamp"!!

Phase III takes place in my headquarters where the student and I, through a variety of questions (and under less embarrassment) get to the meat of the reason they felt the need to step out of bounds. Generally it's nothing more than a lack of social skills and training on how to appropriately respond to something that didn't go the way they wanted. After this brief yet loving conversation, the student
ends up in tears and giving me a hug before returning to their desk and falling right back in line. My quota for writing a student up and/or sending them to the office was quite low because I kept a trust with my student and communication with my parents.

But the danger I see myself facing during phase II and III is often in who walks away changed. It might occur to you that the student has the change of heart and returns in good spirits and that's partly true, but its amazing what the Holy Spirit can do in a chastising moment like that.

Today, I had to remove a young lady from my small group because she came in with a stank attitude. That foul aroma had spread during the course of our small group time and before I allowed her to proceed in biting off the heads of those who were eagerly soaking up our lesson, I gently beckoned her into my chambers. But while digging for the root, (which happened to be something as simple as her unable to get breakfast before school...3hrs prior) I found myself looking at my own filth in a mirror. As I lovingly shared with her that it was understandable that she was hungry and things didn't go as she had planned this morning, I comforted her that I cared and all she had to do was pull me aside and ask for help. That she didn't need to carry an attitude on for the rest of the day and smite everyone in her path. No sooner than those words left my mouth, I was reminded of my own tendency to do the exact same thing (weekly)!

My voice began to crack as I saw tears well up in her eyes and knew mine weren't too far behind. She hugged me and we discussed some breakfast snack options. But inside, the Lord was reminding me that "...His yoke is easy and His burden is light" so rest could be found in Him when I'm willing to trust Him with my days details. The Holy Spirits conviction led to comfort as I realized this little girl wasn't experiencing anything different in the natural than I was in the spiritual.


So see, the danger in teaching others, is often starring your own short-comings face to face. But what's more compelling and life changing than having your own character refined as you teach life lessons to those in your path? There is grave (profound, weighty) danger in teaching because you risk learning a little about yourself and ultimately given the chance to demonstrate, by example, a growing maturity.

Save The Date

Wedding announcements have taken on a new face with the latest creative "Save the Date" cards. These cards have taken the photo industry to a new level and added spunk to the idea of sharing ones upcoming wedding date announcement with their loved ones.


The emphasis of a Save the Date card is on the date. It's intent is to give the receiver a focal point, a future date to anticipate and plan for. The hope is that the recipient will reserve that date on their personal calendar and plan any and all events in respect to that date (should that wed couple maintain any significant value to the receiver).

I'd like to submit that there is a special day every Believer should be looking forward to. As the Bride of Christ (AKA "The Church"...AKA a body of believers) we eagerly anticipate the day our Groom returns for us. We live in expectation of it! It's the day we meet our Maker, our Savior...our Lord, face to face. What I struggle with, however, is the miseducation of our 'people' in respect to this day. My heart is saddened by this tragic disparity between ones belief and hope.

What do I mean? We believe in the salvation of our souls. We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins. We believe that He rose from the grave to redeem us to God. We believe that we are SAVED! But we lack the hope that we will "make it in". There's a problem with this mentality because with it comes a couple of inferred statements:

1. A strike against God's character:

 

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see."

~1 Peter 1:3-5

 

To say one is 'saved' but unsure if they will "make it to heaven" or be raptured up is to really say that God is unable to completely save.

 

"But Jesus lives forever and continues to be a Priest so that no one else is needed.  He is able to save completely all who come to God through him. Since he will live forever, he will always be there to remind God that he has paid for their sins with his blood."

~Hebrews 7:20-25

 

 

2. One might be saying they aren't truly saved to begin with. The purpose of salvation is NOT merely to go to Heaven; although, that is a benefit of salvation. Originally, God desires to redeem His own children/creation to Himself. But the immediate implications of salvation are to help us live whole and healthy/prosperous lives through faith here on earth. Once someone is saved, no one and nothing (acts you can do) can change that status. Fellowship with God may be broken, but relationship doesn't change.

 

"The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand."

~John 10:27-30

 

3. When one makes the statement "I'm just trying to make it in..." they are implying that a promise God made is really contingent on their own works. If this were the case, again, Gods power isn't strong enough to complete what He started out doing. God never intended salvation to depend on us. There needed to be a perfect sacrifice made for us. God doesn't want us to "try" to get there...He wants us to understand that He has prepared that promise for us. Therefore we can't take any credit for arriving.

 

"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."

~Ephesians 2:8-9

 

Ultimately realize that the idea of salvation both begins and ends with God. He set up the plan and He fully intends to follow through (for those who really are saved). Which is why it's important to be sure of your salvation.

 

But if you are, then understand that you can be 100% sure that you will have eternal life.

 

"Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life."

~1 John 5:12-13

 

SAVE THE DATE of your eternal life! Its truly something to look forward to with great expectation!

 



Are dating websites a godly way to find a mate?

A friend asked me a question, one day: "Would you ever date using an online site?" Her question was not a foreign to me. This same question has been debated and discussed numerous times, particularly amongst Christian single circles. But why is this such a stirring question?

Is it wrong to use internet sites to find a mate? Is it unbiblical and therefore morally inappropriate? Does it somehow hinder the Believer from allowing God to be Sovereign? Does it indicate that a single doesn't trust God to find and send their mate?

Or...

Is it a means which God uses to draw people together? Can it be a culturally relevant tool that God sovereignly chooses to help people find each other? Does it even matter to God that His children use this method of connecting?

All of these are the debatable responses I've witnessed. I'm not here to defend one over the other; I am here to emphasize one concept that we as children of God must consider and be sensitive to.
That in seemingly gray issues like this, God is still a black and white God. What I mean is that even the smallest of details of life are important to Him. Nothing is too small, insignificant or too culturally removed for Him to be a part of. He desires to be welcomed into and sought in every decision we make.

James 1 says He will freely give wisdom to us, when we ask. Jeremiah 29:13 says we WILL surely find Him when we seek Him with our entire heart.

So, what's the verdict then, Kim? Is it right or is it wrong? Well that's the unique thing about
wisdom. God is able to give one person the wisdom to make a choice that is fitting, wise and purposeful for their life. All of this, while issuing (different) wisdom for another person that is unique to their life and the glory He desires to extract from it. What's the common thread? That the wisdom He disperses, though different and specific, is shaped for God to gain glory from that persons life. There is no cookie cutter way to remain within the will of God. His perfect will is designed to protect us from our flesh's natural ability to self-destruct. His permissive will allows us freedom to operate in ways that give us opportunity to seek Him for guidance. He is Lord, but He desires for us to choose His Lordship by seeking Him in issues like this.

My preference isn't to use online devices. I also don't care for guys hollering at me in random public places, therefore I'm not inclined to give them my number when they do. Not for religious purposes, it's just that I choose to believe God will and can place me in the right circles with mutual believing friends and places to cross paths with amazing godly men. I also trust He will give me the wisdom to discern their intentions and accept their pursuit. He's proven to do so in the past and though I'm not bound to my preference, it's the method within which I choose to trust God at this point in my life.

I've also witnessed a few friends who have found and pursued their mate using social media and are walking in godly relationship with their mate. I've not yet put myself on a dating website to be found, but it doesn't mean that my choice is more or less godly than my friend who does.

Romans 14 (entire chapter) speaks well of this concept. My favorite part and the culminating message is in the final verses of the chapter, "Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing 
something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about [whether or not you should eat something], you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning." 

What did YOU get for Christmas?

It's no secret that Christmas time is the season known for purchasing, wrapping and temporarily concealing desirable gifts for those whom you love! You may have picked up on subtle clues all year long by listening to things your loved one wants or needs. Or maybe you blatantly sent out a message (or just asked verbally) the intended receiver what it was they wanted for Christmas. However the approach, after finding out their "list", you eagerly searched and shopped until you found the perfect gift.


And after purchasing it and taking it home, you figured out the best way to wrap it and with sneaky intentions, conceal it until the day it was to be unraveled. But the best part was (and is...if you're anything like me) watching in anticipation as your loved one opens their gift. For there's nothing quite like the look on their face and the expression they exude as  the wrapping paper reveals what they needed and/or wanted. The embrace they cover you with and the thanks they express as they celebrate the reception of their gift.




I must confess, of all the white elephant parties, office parties, family and friends gatherings I attend each year, this part makes me most giddy (second only to wrapping the gift- I am quite obsessed with gift wrapping)! A friend called me a day after Christmas and asked "what did you get for Christmas!?" I chuckled because I felt like a kid being asked that same question, yet I had no logical reply for her. My only reply was, "I didn't ask for anything. I didn't want anything. I only wanted to give gifts..."

"So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." ~Matthew 7:11 NLT

A few days after this conversation was had, the Lord reminded me how much His desire to give "good gifts" to His children exceeds His desire to receive anything from us. God loves giving gifts to us. He goes to great lengths to hand-craft our gifts, takes great precision in making sure it's specially designed to our need, waits in anticipation for His perfect timing to reveal them to us (at just the right time) and beams at the reaction (glory) that comes when that perfect gift is revealed.

Does He want our worship? YES!
Does He want our lives? YES!
But what's more? He desires to GIVE...

...as evident in:

• His gift of Jesus to us
• His (free) gift of salvation (which is a result of accepting His Son)
• His gift of love (which is evident in giving of His Son)
• His gift of forgiveness and grace
• His gift of peace, joy and blessings in abudance!

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life..." 2 Peter 1:3a NLT

My family's dog sits behind this cage (which is really a 'rigged "cage" by way of a Baby Gate); but if you look closely all she has to do is push the cage and it will come falling down, freeing her when she whines to be set free (ooooh that'll preach). In short, everything she wants is at her disposal. For those of us who are Believers, we have much more (EVERYTHING, Peter says) given to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. It's all, already at our disposal! Freely given.



So Tis the season for giving. Not just that God gave His Son...which is where we take our "giving of gifts from". But the fact that God would much rather give. His very nature IS giving. Let that sink in when you feel that He seems to be simply overseeing things and people being "taken" from your life. Marinate on His giving nature when you seem to be losing one thing after another. Celebrate His giving Spirit when all you can think about is what you DON'T HAVE YET or what you desire in 2015. I'm not preaching the prosperity theory nor promoting you to beg for all that you want and need. I'm simply saying reflect on God's nature...His giving nature--so that you don't slip into thinking He's NOT for you...when in fact He really is (and has always been). The true joy of this season (and namely every season of your life) comes from detailing what He already has done/given to you thus far!

Merry Christmas!! xoxo