Category / Encouragement
A Mother’s Day Confession
So…. I have a confession to make. In recent years I’ve not been much of a fan of Mother’s Day. You see, my beautiful Mother has been in Heaven several years now and my husband and I have no children. It’s not that we didn’t want kids – just never had any. Because of all that…. my typical take on Mother’s Day has been, “Please…. can we just get this OVER with. STOP already with the reminders of what I no longer have and what I’ll never be!!!”. But this year is different. I am actually looking forward to Mother’s Day. Let me tell you why….
God has been talking to me a lot lately about value and purpose – through my small group at church, through friends, through life circumstances – lots of different ways. And the main theme of His Father’s #HeartTalk to me has been that I am loved, valued, and have purpose not because of what I’ve done or haven’t done, who I’ve birthed… or haven’t birthed. But I am loved, valued, and have purpose because I am the lovingly designed masterpiece of the greatest Artist/Creator of all time – well, of all eternity, actually. And He created me to have just the right and needed impact in my place and space in the world. And that place and space may not look like what I envisioned it to be in my younger days (a house full of kids and running a mission hospital in some far away land) – but I am truly where I am now “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).
And, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the upcoming Sunday Worship Experience at my Amazing Church is based on that #BibleStory about #QueenEsther and themed #YouWereMadeForThis. So, if you’re in North Texas and have felt a little out of place and a lot out of sorts on Mother’s Day, please feel free to join me at Amazing Church. You’ll be in good company and no matter who you are and where you are on this life’s journey – YOU will be celebrated. Yes, Mom’s will be celebrated and babies will be dedicated but the celebration reaches much further than that. It will be a celebration of each of a #GoodGoodFather’s lovingly designed and #WellPurposed children.
So, this year, my level of dread around Mother’s Day has greatly diminished. I am looking forward to celebrating with my friends who have their Moms and their #PreciousChildren at their sides. But I am also looking forward to #CelebratingMe #JustAsIAm and the fact that I’m #SoVeryLoved by The Great I AM.
So….. Happy Mother’s Day to ALL!
What Are We Missing?
I dare you to take this quick little challenge on YouTube to see if you get the correct answer. Few do. But more than just A #BrainGame, this is a great illustration of how easy it is to lose focus when there are distractions everywhere.
It also illustrates a beautiful spiritual truth: Just because we don’t see God in the midst of our situation doesn’t mean He’s not there waiting to be found if we only shift our focus off our circumstances and on to Him.
Know that you don’t have to go it alone.
“I will never leave you or forsake you.” – God (The Bible, Hebrews 13:5)
Place of Safety
The Gift of Tears
God collects the tears of the hurting (see Psalm 56:8) and weeps with those who weep (see John 11:33-35). And nothing is quite as beautiful as when His people do the same….. very rare and completely counter-cultural in a society that avoids pain and idolizes comfort…. but beautiful. May we have our #FathersHeart toward the hurting. Sometimes it is OK to weep with them and be present in their pain rather than sing the same old #PressOnAndBeStrong song.
Your POWER is in Your REACTION
“What ________ (he, she, they, I) did ruined my day!” Nope. It doesn’t have to go like that! The reaction you CHOOSE can negate the negative impact and even turn things around to have a positive one.
Hope….
From MESS to Masterpiece (or, “From MESS to the Master’s Peace”)
Perhaps we think we deserve the mess we’re in because we helped make the mess. Perhaps we falsely believe we have to clean up the mess and THEN invite God into our situation. But the truth is, our Father God is longing to be near us in the midst of… whatever. But He is a gentleman will not enter our situations uninvited. But when we let Him into our mess, we will be amazed by the masterpiece that results.
#SimplyLoved
Let go of the lie of perfection.
Release the right to be right.
Simply rest in the fact that you are LOVED.
Never Too Late to Get Back On Track
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV
Ragamuffin Oasis: Finding Our Places to Just Be 