Hey Friend,
I was getting ready to go to lunch with a dear friend whom I've known for years and who cuts, colors and styles my hair. So, a baseball hat and sweats weren't going to cut it. Because she takes a long time with me, making me feel new and fresh and perky with the best style possible, I went to great lengths to get myself and my hair ready. Even the straight iron came out to polish off the look.
It made me think though...what do I do to present myself to God? He has taken great pains to create me and I confess that I often don't offer my best to Him. Thankfully He is more concerned about what's on the inside than what's on the outside.
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
Well, what about my heart. Let's take a little spiritual inventory starting with the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Ok...love(good), joy(not too bad), peace(gaining), patience(not too shabby), kindness(I think I'm kind.), goodness(I brought my friend flowers.), faithfulness(ok), gentleness(good) and self-control (Bingo!!!)
I am, as my mother would euphemistically say, well-rounded. Basically that means that I can't have cookies and other sweet carbs in the house because I have little to no self-control. My name is Bev Duncan (Hi Bev) and I am a Stress Eater. But, I have every rationale...the past few years have been the most stressful of my life. I take medication that contributes to weight gain. I have had major knee surgery and have been unable to exercise like I was accustomed to. I could go on and on, but I still have to face the truth that I am God's temple and how am I treating my body?
God would not have me go on a guilt trip because condemnation is not in His character and guilt is not meant to drag us down, but rather to turn us around. Even Jesus was tempted. He is compassionate.
So where do I go from here?? First, I need to realize that when I am weak, God is strong. I need to call on Him for help. The fruits of the Spirit are just that - gifts that the Holy Spirit gives us when we call on Him. It's the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that produces Christian virtues in the believer's will. It is not of our own doing.
I literally got on my knees and prayed for the self-control that I so desperately needed. God hears our prayers and for six weeks He has enabled me to have the self-control to not put unnecessary calories in my mouth. I've lost some weight and feel better, but I have a long way to go. I realized that the food I was putting in my mouth was not life giving, but was in fact life draining. Do I fail at times...you betcha. I'm not perfect. But, God continues to draw my mind into alignment with what He says about me:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I still have a long way to go, but I am on my way. I am reminded that it is not in my own power that I will succeed. Pray for me won't you and if you have similar struggles, know that I am praying for you...meanwhile, pass the celery.
Love,
Bev
ps. If you struggle with self-control in some area of your life, don't hesitate to call on professional help. God put those resources there to help us. You are not alone.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Run, Don't Walk
Hey Friend,
When my kids were little, I don't know how many times I shouted to them, "Walk, don't run!!" At the pool, in the house, through the mall, in church, at the airport, any place a civilized person would walk rather than run like a herd of wild horses, I could be heard shouting.
One place where I have encouraged my kids to run ( and where I run to ), is into the arms of our loving Heavenly Father. When the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you are worn and weary; when the battle rages all around you ( be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual ), where do you run to?
God lovingly beckons us to run to him. Why? Because God is an expert in fighting battles. My battle strategy, left to my own strength, resembles something akin to a blindfolded child swinging a stick at a pinata. Though I am working, and whacking and thrashing with all my might, I can't seem to land a single blow.
The Lord knows our struggles better than we do. That's why he says, "I will fight for you, you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:14)
Nothing compares to God's strength and nothing compares to His peaceful, calming embrace. Perhaps that is why He is referred to as our refuge so many times in the Bible.
I jokingly call my daughter, Nicole, "Polly Pinterest" because, unlike her mother, she actually does the crafts and ideas that she pins on Pinterest. She made me a beautiful piece of artwork with scripture in block letters set against a blue-purple palette that reads: "Under His wings you will find refuge." (Psalm 91:4). I have it hanging beside my bed. Actually if you back up a few verses it gives the picture more depth...
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." (Psalm 91:2-4)
Ahhh...can you feel the safety and comfort of his wings? When life overwhelms me, I picture myself tucked, protected, in my place of refuge.
Perhaps life is treating you well. Even on good days we need to get away from the world and "hide in the shadow of His wings." (Psalm 17:8)
The Bible tells us, however, that in this world we will have trouble. So, when life presses in on you and the storm rages around you; when the battle gets to be too much, there is one sure place you can turn.
Meditate on these scriptures and let the sincerity of God's truth sink in:
"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed." (Psalm 9:9)
"How priceless is your unfailing love, Both high and low among men find
refuge in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 36:7)
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)
I keep an "Emergency Kit" of scriptures - scriptures that really speak to me especially in times of trouble and oppression. You can be sure that many of the psalmist's words are among them. I read them and I run...I mean RUN into the arms of the Father and I know that there, and only there, I will be safe in the shadow of His wings.
Love,
Bev
When my kids were little, I don't know how many times I shouted to them, "Walk, don't run!!" At the pool, in the house, through the mall, in church, at the airport, any place a civilized person would walk rather than run like a herd of wild horses, I could be heard shouting.
One place where I have encouraged my kids to run ( and where I run to ), is into the arms of our loving Heavenly Father. When the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you are worn and weary; when the battle rages all around you ( be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual ), where do you run to?
God lovingly beckons us to run to him. Why? Because God is an expert in fighting battles. My battle strategy, left to my own strength, resembles something akin to a blindfolded child swinging a stick at a pinata. Though I am working, and whacking and thrashing with all my might, I can't seem to land a single blow.
The Lord knows our struggles better than we do. That's why he says, "I will fight for you, you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:14)
Nothing compares to God's strength and nothing compares to His peaceful, calming embrace. Perhaps that is why He is referred to as our refuge so many times in the Bible.
I jokingly call my daughter, Nicole, "Polly Pinterest" because, unlike her mother, she actually does the crafts and ideas that she pins on Pinterest. She made me a beautiful piece of artwork with scripture in block letters set against a blue-purple palette that reads: "Under His wings you will find refuge." (Psalm 91:4). I have it hanging beside my bed. Actually if you back up a few verses it gives the picture more depth...
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." (Psalm 91:2-4)
Ahhh...can you feel the safety and comfort of his wings? When life overwhelms me, I picture myself tucked, protected, in my place of refuge.
Perhaps life is treating you well. Even on good days we need to get away from the world and "hide in the shadow of His wings." (Psalm 17:8)
The Bible tells us, however, that in this world we will have trouble. So, when life presses in on you and the storm rages around you; when the battle gets to be too much, there is one sure place you can turn.
Meditate on these scriptures and let the sincerity of God's truth sink in:
"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed." (Psalm 9:9)
"How priceless is your unfailing love, Both high and low among men find
refuge in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 36:7)
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)
I keep an "Emergency Kit" of scriptures - scriptures that really speak to me especially in times of trouble and oppression. You can be sure that many of the psalmist's words are among them. I read them and I run...I mean RUN into the arms of the Father and I know that there, and only there, I will be safe in the shadow of His wings.
Love,
Bev
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Identity Crisis - Who Am I Really?
Hey Friend,
This week I confess that I have had an identity crisis. My children are both grown so even though I will always be a "mom", I cannot identify myself as a stay-at-home mom. I'm not married so, at present, I am not a wife. I have been sidelined by extensive knee surgery that keeps me from working. Thus, I cannot call myself a teacher. I've had a bad cold and I have not been there as a friend or daughter. Zoe, my dog, looks at me wantingly for a walk that I can't even provide, so I am certainly not a good master this week. So, what am I?? Who am I??
Perhaps you wear many hats: mother, father, wife, husband, homemaker, employee, coach, chauffeur, referee, therapist, chief cook and bottle washer? But, what if all those roles were stripped away? What would you be? Who would you be?
I believe that God allows us these crises in order that we might examine, or re-examine who we truly are in Christ. If we could no longer do, strive or perform and had to just simply be, who would God say that we are? In my personal search for significance, I want to share some of the verses that spoke to me this week. Perhaps they will speak to you...God says:
"I love you." (John 3:16)
"You are my child." (John 1:12)
"You are my offspring." (Acts 17:28)
"You are fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14)
"You are not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book."
(Psalm 139:15-16)
"You are Christ's friend." (John 15:15)
"You are a joint heir with Christ." (Romans 8:17)
"You are my handiwork created in Christ Jesus for good works."
(Ephesians 2:10)
"You are my treasured possession." (Exodus 19:1)
"I have carved your name in the palm of my hand." (Isaiah 49:16)
"You are my temple." (I Cor. 3:16) ...and in me you are a new creation."
(2 Cor. 5:17)
"You are my lamb and I am your shepherd." (Psalm 23:1)
This is just a sampling of the many verses I found that speak to me being "a branch of the true vine".
One of my best friends reminded me of my own words to her..."We are not human doings; we are human beings." Perhaps I need to heed my own advice. It is not what I do that completes me, it is who I am in Christ that completes me and gives me my value and worth.
"I am complete in Christ." (Colossians 2:10)
My adequacy, your adequacy comes from God and God alone. (2 Cor. 3:5). He sent His son to die for you because you are far too precious to live without; not for what you do or have done, but simply because you ARE! He created you to live in loving relationship with Him and even if one or all of your roles falls short or is stripped away, know friend that your true identity is in God through Christ Jesus and that He loves you dearly!!
Live loved this week...
Love,
Bev
ps. Shout out for a big catalyst in me starting my blog: "You're Made for a God-Sized Dream" by Holley Gerth.
Leave a comment below...I'd love to hear from you...
This week I confess that I have had an identity crisis. My children are both grown so even though I will always be a "mom", I cannot identify myself as a stay-at-home mom. I'm not married so, at present, I am not a wife. I have been sidelined by extensive knee surgery that keeps me from working. Thus, I cannot call myself a teacher. I've had a bad cold and I have not been there as a friend or daughter. Zoe, my dog, looks at me wantingly for a walk that I can't even provide, so I am certainly not a good master this week. So, what am I?? Who am I??
Perhaps you wear many hats: mother, father, wife, husband, homemaker, employee, coach, chauffeur, referee, therapist, chief cook and bottle washer? But, what if all those roles were stripped away? What would you be? Who would you be?
I believe that God allows us these crises in order that we might examine, or re-examine who we truly are in Christ. If we could no longer do, strive or perform and had to just simply be, who would God say that we are? In my personal search for significance, I want to share some of the verses that spoke to me this week. Perhaps they will speak to you...God says:
"I love you." (John 3:16)
"You are my child." (John 1:12)
"You are my offspring." (Acts 17:28)
"You are fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14)
"You are not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book."
(Psalm 139:15-16)
"You are Christ's friend." (John 15:15)
"You are a joint heir with Christ." (Romans 8:17)
"You are my handiwork created in Christ Jesus for good works."
(Ephesians 2:10)
"You are my treasured possession." (Exodus 19:1)
"I have carved your name in the palm of my hand." (Isaiah 49:16)
"You are my temple." (I Cor. 3:16) ...and in me you are a new creation."
(2 Cor. 5:17)
"You are my lamb and I am your shepherd." (Psalm 23:1)
This is just a sampling of the many verses I found that speak to me being "a branch of the true vine".
One of my best friends reminded me of my own words to her..."We are not human doings; we are human beings." Perhaps I need to heed my own advice. It is not what I do that completes me, it is who I am in Christ that completes me and gives me my value and worth.
"I am complete in Christ." (Colossians 2:10)
My adequacy, your adequacy comes from God and God alone. (2 Cor. 3:5). He sent His son to die for you because you are far too precious to live without; not for what you do or have done, but simply because you ARE! He created you to live in loving relationship with Him and even if one or all of your roles falls short or is stripped away, know friend that your true identity is in God through Christ Jesus and that He loves you dearly!!
Live loved this week...
Love,
Bev
ps. Shout out for a big catalyst in me starting my blog: "You're Made for a God-Sized Dream" by Holley Gerth.
Leave a comment below...I'd love to hear from you...
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Guilt - Not So Special Delivery
Hey Friend,
I hear the familiar "Beep Beep". Zoe (my dog) slides to a screeching halt, scrunches up the rug and is barking at the front door. Yes, it's the UPS truck and ooohh it's a package for me. How fun! This time it is a good gift, but later on it dawns on me how freely I accept things not meant for me.
***************************************************************
UPS Driver: "Yep, 103. This is the address."
Driver's Helper: "Say, Joe, I'm gonna need help with this one."
Driver: "Whatcha got?"
Helper: "It's a giant box marked 'GUILT' going to a Bev Duncan. Who's going
to want this?"
Driver: "It's ok; she accepts a big box of it on a regular basis..."
****************************************************************
I have to admit that guilt is one of my signature struggles. Sometimes it's the annoying "woulda, coulda, shouldas" - I would have signed up for that committee (guilt). I could have been a better friend today (guilt). I should have been a better mom (guilt). Guilt will pop up when we least expect it.
Sometimes I feel like somehow God is disappointed in me and I get this pervading sense of guilt that I should have done/been better. This is "false" guilt and Satan is at work trying to make me feel badly about myself. He comes to lie, seek and to destroy. Actual "true" guilt is something concrete that we can point our finger to and say this was wrong. Label it what it is...SIN. Sin is sin, but even if it's a really big sin, there is still wonderful news found in 1 John 1:9:
"If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." NO SIN IS TOO BIG FOR GOD'S FORGIVENESS!!
There is also a difference between Conviction and Condemnation. Conviction is the Holy Spirit gently guiding us to see the sin in our lives and pointing us in the direction of repentance and redemption. Condemnation, on the other hand, is harsh. It says you're guilty and there's no way out. But, again there is great news found in Romans 8:1:
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
If you claim Christ as your Savior, there is no condemnation...none, zippo, zilch, nada. Think of it as the Guilt exchange. We give God our guilt and He gives us His Grace.
Guilt>Grace: The price has been paid. The cross is our receipt!
Someone once said that GRACE stands for God's Redemption At Christ's Expense. It's true - God sent His Son so that we might be redeemed from our sins. Why?? Because God is Love. He loves us...HE LOVES YOU !!!
"No one is beyond his grace. No situation, anywhere on earth, is too hard for God." (J. Cymbala)
I know I've gone on at length about Guilt and ultimate Grace, but as Easter approaches, this is something I really want you to fully embrace. God loves YOU so much that He would have sent His son to die for you if you were the only person on this planet. Wow - now THAT is Love!
So when the UPS truck wants to stop at your door or my door with a package that is not meant for us, let's wave him on by. I will if you will...
Love,
Bev
ps. A great reminder of our freedom in Christ is found in the lyrics of "I Am Free to Live For You" popularized by the Newsboys. Google it and check it out.
I hear the familiar "Beep Beep". Zoe (my dog) slides to a screeching halt, scrunches up the rug and is barking at the front door. Yes, it's the UPS truck and ooohh it's a package for me. How fun! This time it is a good gift, but later on it dawns on me how freely I accept things not meant for me.
***************************************************************
UPS Driver: "Yep, 103. This is the address."
Driver's Helper: "Say, Joe, I'm gonna need help with this one."
Driver: "Whatcha got?"
Helper: "It's a giant box marked 'GUILT' going to a Bev Duncan. Who's going
to want this?"
Driver: "It's ok; she accepts a big box of it on a regular basis..."
****************************************************************
I have to admit that guilt is one of my signature struggles. Sometimes it's the annoying "woulda, coulda, shouldas" - I would have signed up for that committee (guilt). I could have been a better friend today (guilt). I should have been a better mom (guilt). Guilt will pop up when we least expect it.
Sometimes I feel like somehow God is disappointed in me and I get this pervading sense of guilt that I should have done/been better. This is "false" guilt and Satan is at work trying to make me feel badly about myself. He comes to lie, seek and to destroy. Actual "true" guilt is something concrete that we can point our finger to and say this was wrong. Label it what it is...SIN. Sin is sin, but even if it's a really big sin, there is still wonderful news found in 1 John 1:9:
"If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." NO SIN IS TOO BIG FOR GOD'S FORGIVENESS!!
There is also a difference between Conviction and Condemnation. Conviction is the Holy Spirit gently guiding us to see the sin in our lives and pointing us in the direction of repentance and redemption. Condemnation, on the other hand, is harsh. It says you're guilty and there's no way out. But, again there is great news found in Romans 8:1:
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
If you claim Christ as your Savior, there is no condemnation...none, zippo, zilch, nada. Think of it as the Guilt exchange. We give God our guilt and He gives us His Grace.
Guilt>Grace: The price has been paid. The cross is our receipt!
Someone once said that GRACE stands for God's Redemption At Christ's Expense. It's true - God sent His Son so that we might be redeemed from our sins. Why?? Because God is Love. He loves us...HE LOVES YOU !!!
"No one is beyond his grace. No situation, anywhere on earth, is too hard for God." (J. Cymbala)
I know I've gone on at length about Guilt and ultimate Grace, but as Easter approaches, this is something I really want you to fully embrace. God loves YOU so much that He would have sent His son to die for you if you were the only person on this planet. Wow - now THAT is Love!
So when the UPS truck wants to stop at your door or my door with a package that is not meant for us, let's wave him on by. I will if you will...
Love,
Bev
ps. A great reminder of our freedom in Christ is found in the lyrics of "I Am Free to Live For You" popularized by the Newsboys. Google it and check it out.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Zipline
Hey Friend,
When friends come over to my house, I jokingly tell them to sign in with their initials in the dust on my coffee table. I may not be the world's tidiest housekeeper, but I can cook! The other day I was actually dusting and I stopped to gaze at a gorgeous framed picture from my family's wonderful trip to a piece of paradise in Kauai.
What an imaginative playground God has given us. My daughter and I snorkeled close enough to reach out and touch the huge, graceful sea turtles and were amazed at the coral reef teeming with colorful fish only God could have dreamt up. How you could see all that and not say there is a God, I don't know?
In a brave moment, I decided to be daring and go ziplining through the rain forest canopy. The first joke was that they gave me a helmet to wear that wouldn't do diddly if I fell hundreds of feet to my certain death below. I was harnessed in with a matrix of belts and buckles. Then came the best part...I was hooked up with a single cable to this other zipline cable that would take me whizzing (perhaps literally) over the "Jurassic Park" landscape below.
I looked at that one wire that was going to get me from here to there and I thought, how many times in my life have I felt as if I were just barely hanging on by a thread; by a single wire?? When despair and trials hit, that one line seemed tenuous at best. But...
That line is our life line. It is God's hand reaching down and grabbing hold of us. Even when we can't hold onto Him, He holds onto us. Thankfully, God's hand is strong and mighty.
"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and who says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:13)
"You are always with me; you hold me by my right hand..." (Psalm 73:23)
The promise of God's presence limits how far down you can go!!
God also provides a safety net below with his loving arms. I call that net I AM WITH YOU. Though I may dip down God promises:
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." (Isaiah 43:2)
When I realize that God is with me, my perspective changes. I have confidence in that one line, my life line, holding me. I know He will hold me and never leave nor forsake me.
And so....I let go... zipping through the trees with the sun on my face, I know He is with me.
Love,
Bev
ps. If you are holding on by a single thread right now, know that I am praying for you! You matter! Feel free to confidentially contact me if you have a specific prayer request: bevduncan103@yahoo.com
When friends come over to my house, I jokingly tell them to sign in with their initials in the dust on my coffee table. I may not be the world's tidiest housekeeper, but I can cook! The other day I was actually dusting and I stopped to gaze at a gorgeous framed picture from my family's wonderful trip to a piece of paradise in Kauai.
What an imaginative playground God has given us. My daughter and I snorkeled close enough to reach out and touch the huge, graceful sea turtles and were amazed at the coral reef teeming with colorful fish only God could have dreamt up. How you could see all that and not say there is a God, I don't know?
In a brave moment, I decided to be daring and go ziplining through the rain forest canopy. The first joke was that they gave me a helmet to wear that wouldn't do diddly if I fell hundreds of feet to my certain death below. I was harnessed in with a matrix of belts and buckles. Then came the best part...I was hooked up with a single cable to this other zipline cable that would take me whizzing (perhaps literally) over the "Jurassic Park" landscape below.
I looked at that one wire that was going to get me from here to there and I thought, how many times in my life have I felt as if I were just barely hanging on by a thread; by a single wire?? When despair and trials hit, that one line seemed tenuous at best. But...
That line is our life line. It is God's hand reaching down and grabbing hold of us. Even when we can't hold onto Him, He holds onto us. Thankfully, God's hand is strong and mighty.
"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and who says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:13)
"You are always with me; you hold me by my right hand..." (Psalm 73:23)
The promise of God's presence limits how far down you can go!!
God also provides a safety net below with his loving arms. I call that net I AM WITH YOU. Though I may dip down God promises:
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." (Isaiah 43:2)
When I realize that God is with me, my perspective changes. I have confidence in that one line, my life line, holding me. I know He will hold me and never leave nor forsake me.
And so....I let go... zipping through the trees with the sun on my face, I know He is with me.
Love,
Bev
ps. If you are holding on by a single thread right now, know that I am praying for you! You matter! Feel free to confidentially contact me if you have a specific prayer request: bevduncan103@yahoo.com
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Behind Every Door There's a Story
Hey Friend,
Are you like me? When you take a walk around your neighborhood, do you look at the houses...ooh I like that one? Or do you sometimes look at the yard and if it is well manicured you surmise that those people must really have their act together?? I do. I don't mean to, but I do. I come to conclusions based upon what the outside of their house looks like.
But, behind every manicured lawn; behind every door there is a story. Perhaps behind the door with the nice wreath is a son who has been in rehab for the third time. Behind that red door is a marriage that is barely hanging on. The green door is home to a family with an autistic child. What stories lie behind the other doors?? An alcoholic? A mother out of work? Pornography addiction? Mental illness? Abuse? The list could go on and on.
So why do we hide behind our pristine lawns? Why do we wear masks? Why do we say "fine" when someone asks us how we are? I think if we were honest with ourselves it would be because we are afraid that if someone knew us...I mean really KNEW us, just as we are, we wouldn't be accepted. Secular society doesn't help either. It promotes image management. Have you ever received one of those nauseating Christmas letters in which everyone's life sounds like a fairytale? It begs the question....What if we were REAL??
What if we followed Jesus' example and accepted people just as they are? The second commandment (which means it's really important) is to "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Do I make it comfortable for others to be really REAL around me? Do I make myself REAL to them? Am I willing to drop the mask and risk being transparent? I think that's what God would have us do.
He speaks very clearly to how we can love others as we love ourselves...
"A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34)
"A friend loveth at ALL (emphasis mine) times." (Proverbs 17:17)
"Carry each others burdens..." (Galatians 6:2)
In order to carry each others burdens, we need to be real first. My friend Cathy and I share a special bond because we dared to be real. We both shared that we deal with anxiety and depression. Neither of us looked with judgment upon the other and it has helped both of us tremendously get through the trials, and celebrate the joys of life.
I'll end this post with the lyrics of a song by Christian recording artist Mandisa. The title of the song is "What If We Were Real":
We keep trying to make it look so nice.
And we keep hiding what's going on inside,
But what if I share my brokenness?
What if you share how you feel?
And what if we weren't afraid of this crazy mess,
What if were real?
What's behind your door? What if you dared to share your brokenness? What if we were real?...
Love,
Bev
What brings us true JOY?? Putting J-Jesus first; O- Others second and Y-Yourself last. Simple equation but it works.
Are you like me? When you take a walk around your neighborhood, do you look at the houses...ooh I like that one? Or do you sometimes look at the yard and if it is well manicured you surmise that those people must really have their act together?? I do. I don't mean to, but I do. I come to conclusions based upon what the outside of their house looks like.
But, behind every manicured lawn; behind every door there is a story. Perhaps behind the door with the nice wreath is a son who has been in rehab for the third time. Behind that red door is a marriage that is barely hanging on. The green door is home to a family with an autistic child. What stories lie behind the other doors?? An alcoholic? A mother out of work? Pornography addiction? Mental illness? Abuse? The list could go on and on.
So why do we hide behind our pristine lawns? Why do we wear masks? Why do we say "fine" when someone asks us how we are? I think if we were honest with ourselves it would be because we are afraid that if someone knew us...I mean really KNEW us, just as we are, we wouldn't be accepted. Secular society doesn't help either. It promotes image management. Have you ever received one of those nauseating Christmas letters in which everyone's life sounds like a fairytale? It begs the question....What if we were REAL??
What if we followed Jesus' example and accepted people just as they are? The second commandment (which means it's really important) is to "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Do I make it comfortable for others to be really REAL around me? Do I make myself REAL to them? Am I willing to drop the mask and risk being transparent? I think that's what God would have us do.
He speaks very clearly to how we can love others as we love ourselves...
"A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34)
"A friend loveth at ALL (emphasis mine) times." (Proverbs 17:17)
"Carry each others burdens..." (Galatians 6:2)
In order to carry each others burdens, we need to be real first. My friend Cathy and I share a special bond because we dared to be real. We both shared that we deal with anxiety and depression. Neither of us looked with judgment upon the other and it has helped both of us tremendously get through the trials, and celebrate the joys of life.
I'll end this post with the lyrics of a song by Christian recording artist Mandisa. The title of the song is "What If We Were Real":
We keep trying to make it look so nice.
And we keep hiding what's going on inside,
But what if I share my brokenness?
What if you share how you feel?
And what if we weren't afraid of this crazy mess,
What if were real?
What's behind your door? What if you dared to share your brokenness? What if we were real?...
Love,
Bev
What brings us true JOY?? Putting J-Jesus first; O- Others second and Y-Yourself last. Simple equation but it works.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
When You Feel Like Screaming
Hey Friend,
Yesterday I felt like screaming. Why? Because it's been four months since I've been able to take my dog or just take myself on a long walk. Knee surgery, meant to help in the long run, has rendered me unable to walk more than a block or two without disabling pain.
With beautiful weather here in the south, I watch as dogs and people walk happily past my yard. Ugh!!! I want to scream, but some people think that Christians should handle pain or disappointment with stoic, silent reservation...find joy in our suffering. Okay...I know...but still I want to scream.
Think about it...God gave us lungs to scream in joy or in pain. He gave us tear ducts from which to shed tears. Think further. What do lots of babies do upon entering this world? They scream and cry. Why? Because they've just been pushed and pulled into a place they really don't like. It's new and harsh and uncomfortable here. They are protesting!
But, ahhhh to be placed in mother's arms.
"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you." (John 14:18)
I am reminded by a friend to take my recuperation one day at a time. (Truth I sometimes don't want to hear.)
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet..." (Psalm 119:105)
God lights our path one step at a time. He may not show us miles ahead, but just enough to put one foot in front of the other.
Yesterday really stunk, big time! But, today is a little better. Rarely is the journey progressively upward each and every day.
God promises that "His mercies are new every morning..." (Lamentations 3:23)
Want to scream? Then scream. I'll scream with you...then know that God is bigger than all of this. He's got this. Better yet - He's got you!
Great is His faithfulness one day at a time.
Love,
Bev
Yesterday I felt like screaming. Why? Because it's been four months since I've been able to take my dog or just take myself on a long walk. Knee surgery, meant to help in the long run, has rendered me unable to walk more than a block or two without disabling pain.
With beautiful weather here in the south, I watch as dogs and people walk happily past my yard. Ugh!!! I want to scream, but some people think that Christians should handle pain or disappointment with stoic, silent reservation...find joy in our suffering. Okay...I know...but still I want to scream.
Think about it...God gave us lungs to scream in joy or in pain. He gave us tear ducts from which to shed tears. Think further. What do lots of babies do upon entering this world? They scream and cry. Why? Because they've just been pushed and pulled into a place they really don't like. It's new and harsh and uncomfortable here. They are protesting!
But, ahhhh to be placed in mother's arms.
"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you." (John 14:18)
I am reminded by a friend to take my recuperation one day at a time. (Truth I sometimes don't want to hear.)
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet..." (Psalm 119:105)
God lights our path one step at a time. He may not show us miles ahead, but just enough to put one foot in front of the other.
Yesterday really stunk, big time! But, today is a little better. Rarely is the journey progressively upward each and every day.
God promises that "His mercies are new every morning..." (Lamentations 3:23)
Want to scream? Then scream. I'll scream with you...then know that God is bigger than all of this. He's got this. Better yet - He's got you!
Great is His faithfulness one day at a time.
Love,
Bev
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