Living The Redeemed Life™

August 31, 2021August 31, 2021

Warfare vs. Authority – What are You Walking In?

Note: This blog entry is being written in Summer 2021. It was started, re-written, and modified a couple of times as the impact of the 2020 pandemic wore on. Though my faith was tested by my personal life experiences, I am glad to say ‘God kept me’ as I journeyed through. The question in the title of this blog has new meaning on the other side of Covid-19 2020 confirming that, although things may have changed, God, and His promises, stayed the same.

A Shift Has Occurred

We all can admit, this past year has been a tough one. It seemed as if everything we knew took a shift. A shift that impacted how we looked at any plans going forward. This included our livelihoods, finances, religious practices, and even our health. What was going on? Would things get back to normal? The year 2020 seemed to create more questions than answers about the trajectory of the future and as the year wore on, many, even those of faith, felt anxious. It highlighted the question we all face when challenges come our way – when the foundations of our lives shift – what foundation do you stand on? Do you fight the battle in fear or authority? Let’s take a closer look.

Spiritual Warfare or the Authority of the Holy Spirit

For Christians everywhere, the topic of spiritual warfare is one that is mentioned in many Sunday sermons, Sunday School, Bible studies, and Discipleship training. The Bible tells us that it is real and something we should expect as Jesus leads us as our Savior. It is like the anxiety you feel when hearing of a scary movie that you haven’t seen yet but already have a funny feeling in your stomach as you sit down to watch it.

We believe warfare exists, but how to fight this fight is still a little murky. Why? Because the force behind it is invisible. Yes, it may manifest physically but that unknown is real and unpredictable. That is what 2020 felt like for me. I consider myself on the ‘seasoned side’ of faith, but the enormity of the pandemic left me with that butterfly feeling deep within. For much of the year, I felt like I was in an ongoing defense posture trying to keep the other team out of the end zone.

The reality of what I was feeling though came to light in the Fall of the year as my daughter was faced with the continuation of virtual school and the inability to play sports. The heaviness of the year, the closeness the family had to experience as the walls seemingly were closing in, and the inability to plan outdoor activities and visits with family took their toll. That was when God spoke to me about choices.

Choices – Warfare or Authority

During this season I also had trouble sleeping at night, so I decided to make the most of the time by seeking God’s voice in the middle of everything I was feeling. I would ask God ‘how should I respond?’ and ‘How can I support my family as they faced their own uncertainties?’ They looked to me (because I am a Minister) but I could only look to the Lord because I was in my feelings too. God would send me to His Word and remind me that yes, spiritual warfare is real and invisible (even if physically expressed) as the familiar verse,

Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) says:

^“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

But God also reminded me that the authority within me as His child was real too.

Matthew 10:1 (ESV) says:

^“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”

In this verse, Jesus reminds the disciples of what they can do in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit. It is also a reminder to us of the power and authority we have as believers in Christ. Authority is real, and it can take over and shift us from a posture of defense to offense mode. This is the choice we are faced with every day – we can fight on our power when challenges come our way or, let the Power of the Holy Spirit fight on our behalf.

God Wants to Fight for You

The reality of spiritual warfare can seem scary to us but that is not the intent as we see in Matthew 10:1 when Jesus gave the disciples the same authority He relied upon in the Holy Spirit. An authority to stand – and not be afraid of the unseen spiritual bumps in the night.

1 Corinthians 2:12 reminds us –

¹²What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

And ultimately, as we journey through the growth of our faith, the Bible reminds us that God is always ahead of us, no matter what we are feeling.

Exodus 14:14 (NIV) says –

¹⁴The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

We can only ‘be still’ if we know a greater Power is handling ‘our business’. This is comforting and prompts me to trust God deeper, get out of my head, and move as He directs me.

This is the point where Authority eclipses Warfare.

September 23, 2020September 23, 2020

As You Social Distance – Don’t Distance Socially

Don’t Distance, Socially

Friends – this entry is being written in the eighth month of the Covid-19 pandemic where we are being told to ‘social distance’. It is also during a time of political anxiety due to the upcoming elections and racial unrest that is creating divisions throughout our nation. It is being written during a time where there are hybrid models in place guiding everything from how we shop, to how our children are being taught. There are also ongoing safety concerns limiting how we socialize and even worship. While inconvenient, these precautions are intended to help us avoid the impacts of catching or spreading this insidious virus wherever possible. Unfortunately, it also creates an underlying risk of a subtle isolation as part of the new ways of engaging.

In recent months we have seen protests, protests of the protests, hurricanes, economic swings, and much more. I must admit, I am weary. I am weary from Covid-19, weary from the challenges of keeping my child engaged during these quarantine months, and weary from recent events that have pinnacled into an apprehension of allowing my family to step outside for anything. As we are being urged to ‘socially distance’ to stay safe, I have to admit, I miss the engagement and interaction of the pre-Covid19 days. I am a hugger by nature, so it feels awkward to wave or air-bump elbows. I am getting used to it, but I feel some days like a disconnected soul looking for another soul to connect to.

And this brings me to my topic today – as we social distance to stay safe, let’s be mindful not to ‘socially distance’ from each other.

Love Neighbor and Yourself

Friends – as tensions escalate due to experiences relating to race and injustice, I am just as weary. I am old enough to remember times in my upbringing when I have been called names by departing residents as the complexion of the neighborhood changed in the 1970s. Over the years, as my faith grew, my heart opened to a greater empathy for all because that is what the Bible says to do. I was fortunate to have a mother who, despite racial injustice in her own life, taught me to love unconditionally. She would always say “Let love prevail” and so, that is what I learned to do. While all relationships are not so genial, this has kept peace in my soul in all of my interactions over the years. To this day I am grateful for her lessons and I have gained some awesome relationships as a result.

But today, I am weary. I feel like these recent months, also during a medical pandemic, have served well to beat the emotional life out of me. Almost like running a marathon on a hot day with little water, I want to finish well but my energy is getting low. That is when I am reminded of one of my favorite passages in the Bible in Mark 12:30-31 (New International Version) –

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.

Let’s Connect

As life tries to widen the areas that connect us all, make every effort to not become distant in the core areas that bring us together. In our humanity, we need each other – and that is what God intended when He said to ‘love your neighbor’. But don’t miss a critical component of this edict and that is we must love our neighbor as ourselves. This requires self-love that expands beyond the individual being. The love of ‘self’ begins when we see how much God loves us. We matter to Him! When the dots of this love connection all play out, we are all better in the end. That sets the stage for a peace that is directly tied to our social relationships.

So again, as you ‘social distance’, please don’t distance socially. Let us stay connected, in Jesus’ Name!

April 20, 2020September 28, 2020

The Red Sea Didn’t Move – God Did

Move Red Sea, Move

Why am I thinking about Moses and the Red Sea? Maybe it’s because the movie, The Ten Commandments, just made its annual Easter appearance on television. Maybe it’s because current events are reminding me strongly of that scene where Moses and the newly freed Israelites, while being pursued by Pharaoh and his army, suddenly found themselves on a cliff overlooking a vicious body of water with nowhere to go. You see, as this blog is being written, we are in the sixth week of self-isolation in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some reason, this week feels like a Red Sea scenario, where the pandemic has no intention of showing those of us, caught up in the pandemic’s fray, favor.

The novel Coronavirus has impacted every continent in this world. As of today, it has claimed approximately 166K lives amid almost 2.4M reported cases worldwide. These numbers, along with smaller, more detailed numbers for our local communities, have become an ongoing byline to every news program or headline being broadcast. Sadly, during this week six there appears to be no way out as we dangle on that cliff, waiting for something to make it end today.

But It’s Hard, Lord

And so, I think about Moses. I am pretty sure he was being yelled at, questioned, and cursed (because the Bible says so) by the very people for which he had just facilitated freedom. In these days of selfies, Moses probably would have been hit in the back of the head with sheep dung if he turned his back on this angry crowd to take a picture, or worse, pushed into the roiling waves of the Red Sea. It is also during these times that I wonder about all the ‘wonderment’ in the Bible and why the story of the Red Sea is so endearing. I think it’s a reminder to us that God came through during an impossible time. A time that truly was the difference between life and death.

God Knows

God could have only come through for the Israelites if He was mindful of the imminent need. He wasn’t off toiling with something elsewhere He could have missed their cries. God was very aware of their need and was present in the moment (read Exodus 14). Likewise, when we cry out to Him, God is a very present help already aware of the need (Psalm 46:1).

This COVID-19 season is a tough one. Tough because all the endings are not happy ones. Many are dying and there is no logic as to why some survive. The Red Sea is still being the vicious body of water that it always was, and it seems God is not willing to move it so we can get on with the rest of our lives. Inherently, I believe, that is the point. When we look at scripture, time and time again, we see God doesn’t necessarily remove the situation; He moves in the situation. Yes, we see lepers healed and sight restored in the Bible, but these miracles usually happen when the person is already dangling on that cliff crying out for an intervention. The ‘red sea’ is still there, looming in the background hoping to swallow up the person’s hopes and dreams – and then we also see, God is still there.

We are reminded that, just like Moses and the Israelites, God does not necessarily move our ‘Red Sea Situations’ out of the way. Instead, He moves in them. God moves in ways that give us a better understanding of His love and His power. Much like Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross, He didn’t make the cross go away. The movement came, through Jesus’ death; and that movement continues to today in lives again and again.

Give Your ‘Red Sea’ to the Lord

As this pandemic continues to make moves across this nation and this world remember, God is still moving in ‘Red Sea Situations’. God is moving in your situation. He is a very present help in times of trouble. God is our refuge and, more importantly, God knows your circumstances and what you are going through. Keep seeking God’s face and keep your faith. Like Moses, wave your staff (e.g. through prayer) and let God move in your life. God’s movement always has a plan (Proverbs 19:21) that can overcome any circumstance and is backed by a love that is greater than anything we could imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

#LivingTheRedeemedLife

October 18, 2019September 28, 2020

When Life Hits Hard, Get It Together!

God Guides the Crossroads of Life
Photo by Zane Lee on Unsplash

Coming Apart At The Seams

There are times in life where we can hear God telling us to ‘Get it Together’! Much like the perpetual slap on each cheek or being picked up by the scruff of the neck when we get overly anxious, God must, at times, step in to stop us in our tracks – before we head over the figurative cliff just ahead.

The momentary detour may protect us from that path we are most familiar with that seems to lead to the same old outcome. There can also be detours to make us reflect on a path that we are terrified to take because it is unfamiliar or unknown to us. Whatever it is, if you are a believer, God is constantly trying to get your attention to remind you of your purpose and His plan in your life; to help you ‘get it together’. God manages everything and will help you manage the issues of life.

God Holds Everything Together

In the Bible, there is a reminder in Colossians 1:17 that says –

“He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.“

The verses preceding this verse provide a more detailed context but verse 17 is something we should keep in the forefront of our minds – the fact that Jesus is our Sovereign Lord and knows everything we are going through. When we feel our lives are spiraling out of control, He is aware and knows how to get it back together. How? Because “in Him, all things hold together.”

On Safe Ground

So, when you feel the pressure to conform, give in, fight or get frustrated remember your faith. Your faith, along with the voice of the Holy Spirit, will guide you to peace and understanding. You never walk alone, and you never walk without a guide or directions to ‘get it together’ – if you have Jesus Christ as your Savior. There’s also peace in knowing that God works in ways that don’t make sense to others anyway. Again, God holds everything together and will help you manage the issues of life.

#LivingTheRedeemedLife

September 11, 2019September 11, 2019

The Shadow of Trauma

The Shadow of Trauma

We all live in the shadow of trauma. This is the residue of trauma that is related to our own or other people’s traumatic experiences. Recently, I was browsing on Instagram and saw a quote by the recording artist Rashaan Patterson that made me think about the impact of generational experiences, specifically traumatic ones, and how they affect our lives. The post said, “Stop mistaking shared trauma as compatibility.” This statement stopped me for a moment. It made me wish someone told me this advice when I was younger, especially when I was dating.

This quote made me realize the pain of traumatic experiences such as loss, grief, disappointment, abuse and how we are impacted by ours and other peoples traumas. Trauma is everywhere. The term ‘trauma’ itself is, at times, overlooked because we tend to associate it with only tragic and devastating events. While this can be true, and I definitely don’t want to take away from anyone’s experience – I feel that we many times don’t address our own ‘traumas’ because they aren’t as dramatic as we envision trauma to be.

Please note: The following is not meant to discourage you from seeking professional help. One of the most important lessons I learned as I began my healing journey came via a wonderful counselor (who was also Christian) that helped me gain perspective on why I did some of the things I did – repeatedly. I learned my responses were my coping mechanism but they also, many times, made the situation worse.

Trauma By Proximity

For example, I grew up with a father who was an alcoholic. I speak about this in my book “What Just Happened? Living the Redeemed Life When All Hell Breaks Loose” (found at www.amazon.com). My father’s alcoholism left a mark on me that I probably didn’t recognize until I was older. He was mean some days, loving on other days and disconnected the rest of the time. His disconnection made me work extra hard to ‘prove’ my loyalty or love in the various relationships I had along the path to adulthood – even when they did not necessarily deserve that kind of commitment.

It was only after my own various failed relationships and many prayers (and counseling) that I gained a deeper understanding that his drinking was related to his very tragic upbringing and this was how he coped. He experienced loss, through death and separation, at a very young age. He grew up in abject conditions from being in a ‘coal miner family’. My father had to become an adult when many kids were experiencing the joys of teenage exploration and he found himself on his own by eighteen years old. That was when he joined the military. Drinking was my fathers only escape and he continued to drink for most of the rest of his life. I only knew the ‘trauma of his trauma’ and he probably only knew the trauma of his parent’s trauma. It has been an ongoing cycle for this branch of the family tree.

What I have learned about this ‘trauma by association experience’ is – sometimes the impacts are passed on generationally, and sometimes we are unwilling victims due to proximity. We adjust so easily to each other’s trauma that when we find traumas in common, we feel we’ve found our bestie, soul mate and friend. We’ve even come up with names for how we respond to trauma, e.g. triggers, but that often sounds like a deflection because we recognize it exists, but we don’t really address it in a way to heal the pain. That was the case for me. I recognized I had triggers but it took a long time before I finally asked God for the wisdom to truly heal. It was that realization that began my journey for peace within.

God’s Healing Power

What does God say about all of this? His number one goal for us is a ‘peace that surpasses all understanding’ and to not carry our traumas around like a big piece of luggage on wheels. God does not want us to lose sight that He is the one who can ultimately lighten the impact of our traumas to the point they are just faint memories in the rear-view mirror of life. I believe that is why Paul said in 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you.”

God knew we would go through stuff in life. And some of it is so hard that it leaves the indelible stain of trauma. Satans number one goal is to use these experiences to stop us and keep us from our purpose.

John 12:40 is a scripture that reminds us of the healing God offers. It says-

“The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts— so that their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them.”

Trauma has such a powerful effect that it can ‘blind us’ and ‘harden our hearts’ such that we can’t even turn outside of ourselves to get healing. Stop right now and seek God. Cry out to Him if you need to because He is a loving Father that is always listening. God says to take His yoke, to give Him your hurts and pains, and to let Him deal with and heal the traumas of life. God can transform your traumas into a brick in the foundation that catapults you into healing, purpose, and greatness. Let go and let God take that burden. Remember, Jesus came to not only give you life but life more abundantly.

Let The Healing Begin

Let the healing begin, now. Let God know you are hurting and want to give it all to Him. You can pray to God right now to lead you and guide you. He can make the rest of your life the best it can be, in Jesus Name!

A good resource to consult is New Life Ministries (www.newlife.com) which offers various resources and a network of counselors to assist you in beginning the journey. You can also leave a prayer request with me on the Details page and I will pray with and for you. Don’t hesitate…healing begins today.

May 3, 2019May 3, 2019

God in the ‘Tenderizing’ Seasons

Oops, I Did It Again

Sometimes, when I look back over my life, I realize how many times God has had to save me. As much as I hate to admit it, many times He has had to save me from myself! My Savior has had to save me, too many times, from doing things I know I shouldn’t be doing. That’s when God’s Holy Hand, reaching in to intervene, reminds me of the process used to get meat to a state where it is chewable and tasty. In the normal process of meat preparation, a good marinade should be all that is needed to make it palatable. But sometimes, when the meat is a little tough, you need a meat tenderizer to soften it up. God can be like a tenderizer at certain points in our lives when we need some ‘softening’.

Now, I believe God prefers to marinate us with His Word and Spirit. That is what I call the ‘spice route’, where He uses the salt of His Word and the fragrance of His Spirit to get our attention. However, there are those times God needs to be that tool, you know, the one that looks much like a hammer. That tool is a pretty harsh tool and it is used to ‘pound out’ the resistant areas of our lives to bring in the taste and tenderness.

Time to Tenderize

There are times in life where we are like the reference in Acts 7:51 where God looks at us like a “stiff-necked people.” That is when we resist the direction of the Holy Spirit to ‘do right’ and follow our own feelings and desires. That begins what I call the ‘tenderization season’ in our living where God steps in and creates a level of interference to get us back on track. It can be momentary, where the correction is only for an instant (like the marinade) or it can last longer if the actions warrant it. The hardest response is when the tenderization comes by way of the ‘hammer’ – think Jonah, when he disobeyed God’s direction because he wasn’t ‘feeling it’ (Jonah 1:1-3). Or the Israelites so many times throughout the Bible when they refused to follow God’s way.

Remember, when God’s refining fire comes into your life, it is much easier to BEAR if it comes via the light touch of God’s ‘marinade’ vs. the blunt force (and prickly points) of a tenderizing hammer. God loves us enough to give us the free will to choose His Will. He also loves us enough to use discipline to help us recognize that His course is the best course. Tenderization is discipline. I believe this allows us to understand the ramifications of our choices and not blame Him when our decisions are not aligned with His.

Tenderization is Discipline

His Word reminds us that He is always available to save us from ourselves. The door is never closed to make a ‘hard turn’ to get out of the trouble we have created and make to choice to choose Him. Think about the prodigal son, whose choices led him to a place where even pigs lived better than he did (Luke 15:13-16). Once he ‘got it’ he ran back home to the loving arms of a waiting father. That is how God is with us. However, one thing I have learned in my own faith walk, God will not continue to give you rope after life-saving rope without some ‘tenderization’. This is part of the loving discipline of a loving God who wants us to experience the best things in life.

So…Our humanity will sometimes create tenderizing seasons in life.

It is better to avoid the hammer by marinating in God’s Word, spending time in prayer to listen to His voice and following His directions. If you find yourself on the wrong end of God’s discipline, don’t ignore Him (like Jonah), follow Him. And always remember, God loves you and only wants the best for you.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

#LivingTheRedeemedLife

February 26, 2019February 26, 2019

Walk It Like You Talk It

Walk it like you talk it or, more personally, walk it like I talk it. That is the lesson I must keep in mind as I walk through this life and as I tell others about Jesus. The importance of this edict stays on my mind constantly, but it hasn’t always been there. I had to learn that people are always watching how I respond to events in life as God matures my faith and I have to be intentional in thinking about my responses.

Button, Pushed

I recently had an experience where I found myself in a disagreement with another person. Not just any person but one who was also a Christian, like me. Nothing unusual, we all get into differences of opinion, but for some reason this disagreement spiraled way out of the context of what we were in conflict about. Their response hit me in my emotional core which made me want to reply far more aggressively than I probably needed to. The other person sensed this and put up their defenses and the next thing I knew, we were facing an all-out argument. Why and how did this happen? As Christians, we should know better right? Well, the other person was my husband who is the one person that can push all my emotional hot buttons. And boy, he did at that moment.

Take a Breath

Thankfully, the outcome was not what it could have been. If it had happened at an earlier time in my life this would have resulted in some hurt feelings. That was during the early days of my walk with Christ. It has taken some time, but controlling my emotions was the first thing God had to deal with in my soul. I grew up in a family where letting the other person know what was on your mind was the norm vs. the exception so I had to learn to respond differently. Thank God, He didn’t give up on me and realistically, I am still learning, one day at a time.

Colossians 2:8 says –

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces^[^a^] of this world rather than on Christ.”

When you read this scripture, it speaks to the importance of knowing the truth of God’s Word, so we don’t fall victim to false interpretations embedded in human traditions. I take this one a bit further because I believe our responses to the ‘things of life’ are also related to our interpretation of what God says is appropriate. Just because everyone is doing it or it is legal, doesn’t make it right. We must ‘walk it like we talk it’ as God’s Ambassadors on earth. In my case, responding in anger would have only made the situation worse and the Bible is very clear that we should be “slow to anger” (James 1:19).

Let Your Light Shine

We need to ‘walk it like we talk it’ because people are always watching. The enemy will use others, especially those close to you, to get you to be an example that is opposite of what God is telling you to be. That is why we need to understand the importance of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5) and relying on the Holy Spirit to direct our paths (John 14:26). Additionally, spiritual warfare is real and determined to make you stumble. Our responses can not only make us stumble but can also be an obstacle to another person’s faith walk. Think about it – who wants to be around a bunch of angry, impatient, abusive people? That’s why we need to understand how God wants us to live and respond to life’s experiences. Don’t worry if you are reading this and feel “oh, oh, I have not been responding appropriately.” Thankfully God’s grace and mercy can pick us up, dust us off and give us another chance to make it right.

Get into the Bible, pray and be in relationship with God. The Holy Spirit will tell you how to walk, where to walk and even when to walk away. And the reality of it all, God promised us He would fight our battles for us, so let God respond for you (Exodus 14:14).

December 12, 2018December 18, 2018

God Kept Me

God Kept Me

That is my testimony. God kept me. Just like the song lyrics say, God kept me. Through the valleys and uncertainties, God has kept me. The experiences of my life’s journey remind me of how God’s cover stays with us always. God kept me, and He keeps you too.

Looking in the Rearview

It has been one year since I published my book, “What Just Happened? Living the Redeemed Life, When All Hell Breaks Loose.” An eventful year filled with testimonies from others who were touched by my story and the busyness that comes from taking that initial step of going from personal privacy to transparency on a more public level. It has been a year where I have had to face my fears as well as my strengths and weakness. I’ve had to break down personal barriers to my esteem and identity because it is not easy putting your story ‘out there’. I realize that my life has been crazy and wondrous all at the same time. I also got more connected to the gifts God has poured into me as I put that ‘social butterfly’ tendency I’ve always had (that sometimes annoys my husband) to work. Who knew that my chattiness was really a gift to be used? I didn’t know but God did. It was also a time where I saw God open doors that could only have been opened because of the experiences I had gone through. This year only added to the ‘awe’ I already knew about our awesome God!

Finding My Way

This new season didn’t just begin in the last year, it really started three years ago with the transition of a career I had always known and my mother’s illness and ultimate death. As I mentioned in my book, when these events happened, I lost my foundation. I not only lost my income but my identity as I knew it (at least in my mind). Things changed so drastically for me that the coping skills I have used my entire life didn’t work for me. I prayed and cried so much that they became my daily norm. That is where the lyrics to the song “I Almost Let Go” by Kurt Carr & the Kurt Carr Singers came into play:

I almost let go
I felt like I couldn’t take life anymore
My problems had me bound
Depression weighed me down

But God held me close
So I wouldn’t let go
God’s mercy kept me
So I wouldn’t let go

Way – Found

The Lord’s presence in my life sustained me and pulled me up in my grief. His mercy allowed me to recognize I still had breath and could take a small step each day. The book was the culmination of the journaling I did to heal through the process. Only God could take that season of my life and turn it into something that I could speak about as a blessing! As I look back on how God loved me through my loss I realize – it had to happen the way it happened. God needed to give me the understanding I now have for the new places He is taking me in my career, ministry, and life. Just like salvation, life comes from death. Gain comes from loss. Lessons come from pain and healing eventually comes from hurt. God kept me, and He keeps you too.

That is Living the RedeemedLife. You are not alone, and God really has a plan and purpose for your life, through all of the ups and the downs.

You are Redeemed, Restored and Rejoiced!

November 23, 2018

The Ups and Downs of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day signals the beginning of the frenzy of the holiday season. For some, it is a reminder of the wonderful birth of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ. And for others, it is the beginning of the shopping season (and discounts) leading up to Christmas. For many, it is both! It is during this time, I am reminded of the many things I have to be thankful for. There are the obvious things like my family and my health. As I age though, these things are taking on new meanings and shapes but I am still thankful. Most days, just to be able to wake up and embrace the newness of the day is something I cherish.

The Value of My Alabaster Box

I actually started writing this blog before Thanksgiving but the emotion of the week took over. This year, I have to admit, I am struggling. I wasn’t struggling to be thankful, no, God has blessed and kept me. For some reason this year I am reminded of that delicate balance of how blessings can also have that distinction of being fulfilling and painstaking at the same time. See, for me (and many others) the Thanksgiving season is a stark reminder of those things that have passed on in life. It is a reminder of the now empty chair that used to be occupied by a loved one.

Tough Times…At Times

This is now the third Thanksgiving where all of the family’s parents (mine and my in-laws) are absent. Though we have grown accustomed to this new existence it is still a void that we busily ignore while cooking and hustling through the festivities. The week of Thanksgiving is especially hard for me because it is also the week my mother’s health took a turn for the worse and she never recovered. My mother loved the fellowship of Thanksgiving; the grocery shopping, the cooking, the crowded kitchen, she loved it! It was her lack of wanting to participate in the planning three years ago that signaled something was very wrong. She went into hospice care right after that holiday and went on to Glory shortly afterward.

I recognize this holiday season can be tough for so many of us. Though gratitude is at the core of our hearts, some of our memories have a tinge of pain connected due to loss, grief, and change. I think about the song by CeCe Winans where she sings about people not knowing the pain behind the oil in her alabaster box. I cry when I hear that song because I truly can empathize.

Hope Still Lies Ahead

It is also during these times when I also realize there is nothing in this world that God is not aware of or understands. It is during these times I cry out to Him because I trust He knows what is in my heart. When I feel the void of my mothers presence, like when I am looking for her oyster dressing recipe, He says “I know My child, I hear your tears.” It is during this time He also reminds me that she is fine with Him and it is alright to feel sad because He knows the love we had for each other. God knew what He was doing when He allowed her to have me and the feelings of grief when she passed away. He knows about the bond of mother and daughter. He knows about the grief and the emptiness we feel when family, friends, and sometimes even things, are no longer with us. God created everything and He understands. We are not alone.

Turn to God’s Word

It is during times like this I believe we have to turn to His voice in the Bible to get the strength to get through. If the holiday season is a bit tough for you – the following are points to remember to help you along:

Rejoice in all things, pray continually and be forever grateful. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
For everything, there is a season so trouble doesn’t last forever. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
God promised He will give us the strength to get through the things we face. God didn’t say life would be easy but He did say He would never leave us. (Isaiah 41:10, 1 Peter 5:10)
God can take the most heartwrenching situations and use them for good. (Romans 8:28)
God says our sacrifice of Thanksgiving is what He desires and when we call on Him, He is the one who will deliver us. (Psalm 50:13-15)

My friends, for those memories, your grief, that unwanted life change and that need that seems to be continually unfilled – God says to bring it all to Him. He understands and can carry you through. Give it to Him, with thanksgiving.

#LivingTheRedeemedLife

October 4, 2018October 4, 2018

Love Your Neighbor, Love Yourself

It Starts With Love

Love Your Neighbor. It is the simple direction Jesus left with us when questioned about which commandment was the greatest (Mark 12:28-31). He answered, “Love your neighbor”. Your neighbor could be living on either side of your home or working in the office next door. Your neighbor could also be occupying the bedroom next to yours in the same house. The Bible didn’t say ‘change your neighbor’ or ‘judge your neighbor’, it just said to love your neighbor. During the divided times we appear to be living in across this world it makes me wonder – why is it so hard to love our neighbor? To make it personal, why is it so hard for me to love my neighbor? I think it all boils down to the other simple concept laid out in this scripture…if you are going to love your neighbor you must also love yourself.

The scripture says in verses 30-31:

³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[^b^] ³¹The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[^c^] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Love Me Too?

Interestingly, when I read this verse I have this visual of a triangle with God, me and my neighbor at each point. This triad is one that is continually cycling. God loves me, then I love my neighbor, then my neighbor loves (or learns of) God. Then God loves my neighbor, then they love me and then I love God. It is a continuous process that blesses all and gives God the Glory. It seems though, the hardest part of this verse is the ‘loving yourself’ part. I truly believe it is hard to love our neighbor genuinely because we must first learn to genuinely love ourselves. See, we have an intimate view of our flaws, fears, and shortcomings. We know what is in or secrets closet. We know what we have been through. With all that we know, who could love us? Without conditions too?

Receive God’s Love

Thankfully, God loves us beyond what we see. He always sees our potential and purpose. God wants you to know you were created with perfection in mind (Song of Solomon 4:7). You were fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Sometimes it is easier to serve and love our neighbors because it makes us feel better about ourselves. In other words, our kindness provides a justification to love ourselves which isn’t quite how I believe God wants us to perceive our existence. Our love for our neighbor is an extension of our love for ourselves and our love for ourselves is an extension of God’s love for us. Also, it shows our understanding of the beautiful creation we are because God made us. God loves us, flaws and all. Looking back at that triangle again, it the perfect foundation to demonstrate the righteousness of God with each point interacting with each other – respectfully, lovingly and with compassion.

How do we get to ‘loving’ ourselves? Love God with all your heart and soul. Let God love you back. Receive His unconditional love. God doesn’t love us because of ourselves, God loves us in spite of ourselves with no boundaries.

That is how we love our neighbors. Can you imagine what this world would be like if we operated this way? It leaves me breathless to think of what that state would look like. So, until then, I’m going to start where God has me – in my home, my neighborhood, my workplace and my church.

And, by the way, also start with loving you! Start where God has you – but first look up and thank God for creating beauty and perfection in you – then, pass it on.

This is the foundation of Living the Redeemed Life. God has already prepared the path for your purpose in this world with his redeeming love. Walk in it, love and don’t look back!

#LivingTheRedeemedLife