In Her Shadow

Two sisters – Leah and Rachel. One is described as beautiful with a lovely figure. The other, well, she had "weak eyes." No one knows what that means for certain, but I’m sure it wasn’t a complement. Some suggest that her vision was so bad that she squinted to see. Others think she was cross-eyed. In either case, Leah was perceived as the “lesser” sister. One day, Jacob enters the lives of Leah and Rachel. He quickly falls in love with Rachel, and he vows to work seven years for Laban, their father, to earn her hand in marriage. The wedding day and honeymoon night come and go. With the morning light peaking into the tent, Jacob discovers that he had been deceived. He actually married Leah.

This was an intentional plot to marry off the oldest daughter first. Apparently, Laban thought the only way someone would marry Leah was by tricking him. Now, that’s a confidence builder!

Still determined, Jacob pledges to work an additional seven years for Laban to earn the right to marry Rachel. After all, she was the one he actually loved.

[H]is love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. – Genesis 29:30

Today, I want to speak to the “Leahs” of the world. The women who are not appreciated for the value that they bring. The women who spend their lives living in the shadow of another because they are perceived as lesser. Maybe you’ve been compared to your sister like Leah was. Or maybe, you have been overshadowed by your mother, aunt, friend or even a co-worker because they are more attractive, talented, or successful.

Ladies, you need to hear me. God wants to pull you out of the shadows. He wants you to see the greatness that He has deposited inside of you, yes you! It is time to break free from the stigma that has been placed upon you, and walk boldly into the light – His light.

Sadly, I’m not sure if Leah ever realized that, although she did not have Jacob’s favor, she had God’s favor. In fact, Rachel spent most of her life envying her sister, because unlike Leah, she wasn’t able to have children. It wasn’t until the end of Rachel’s life that she was able to conceive. And with that, she died giving birth to her second son. With God’s favor upon Leah, she bore six sons and one daughter for Jacob. One son, Judah, is part of the ancestry of Jesus. What a wonderful legacy!

God saw Leah’s value. But, she missed it. She spent her entire life feeling inferior to her sister.

“Leahs," your lives have significance! You need to stop feeling second-rate to the “Rachels” of the world. God has a purpose for your life. Boldly step out of the shadows, and into your destiny.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. – Psalm 139:13-15

Seventy Times Seven

Hurt. Offended. Betrayed. These three emotions can cause such havoc in your life and mental well-being. They consume your thought life, disrupting your concentration and your focus. They keep you up at night as you rehash and replay the very circumstance that brought the emotions in the first place.

And sadly, it is often the people in your life that are close to you that have the power to hurt you the most. What do you do when people you have confidence in let you down? How do you respond to betrayal? When your emotions feel abused, what should you do?

You forgive.

I don’t mean to oversimplify this act. I recognize how difficult it is to extend forgiveness to people who have wounded you. To make matters worse, many of you have been hurt over and over again by the same person. You might be thinking, “Jesus couldn’t possibly be suggesting that I need to keep extending forgiveness to the same person repeatedly.” Actually, He is.

I love the dialogue recorded between Peter and Jesus on this very subject:

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” – Matthew 18:21-22

Peter thinks he is being so spiritual. The rabbis taught that forgiveness should be extended only three times. Seven times was extra generous. Surely, Jesus would be impressed. But, Jesus quickly corrects Peter, explaining that forgiveness has no limitations. You see, seventy times seven doesn’t represent an actual number. Instead, it represents the unlimited times we need to extend forgiveness to those who hurt us.

Ladies, I know that this may seem impossible and slightly unfair. But, our Heavenly Father continually forgives us for our sins. We offend Him. We hurt Him. And, we certainly have had our moments of betrayal, choosing our ways over His. Yet, His forgiveness is unlimited and so should ours be.

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. – Mark 11:25

Big Girl Temper Tantrum

Have ever had a day when everything goes your way? You say the right thing, you do the right thing, and it seems like God's favor follows you wherever you go. Well, yesterday was not one of those days for me. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Don’t misunderstand, God’s protection and love are ever present in my life, but yesterday presented some testing that pushed me over the edge. I tried to remain full of faith, control myself from being offended, and hold my tongue. But the harder I tried, the faster this “Pollyanna” approach failed.

And, that’s when everything fell apart. That’s when this 39 year-old woman broke down in a full-blown temper tantrum before her Heavenly Father. It included tears and streaming mascara. It included bold statements questioning God’s plans, purposes, and path for my life and that of my family. I boldly suggested that He must have not been listening to my prayers because, if He was, I would not be having the day I was having. I even threw in extra stuff from the past just to make it more dramatic and prove my point.

Why am I sharing a very personal moment from my life with all of you? Because, as I emptied out all my frustrations, confusion, and hurt before the Lord, He was able to come in and fill me up with His perspective and peace.

You see, sometimes we hold our emotions in and walk around like everything is just fine when we really are hurting inside. We don’t want to appear faithless, and so we keep quoting scripture, we put a smile on our face, and we talk ourselves up. But sometimes, we just need to go to God and let it all out. He is not afraid of our questions, and He certainly is not mad at us for feeling helpless and confused.

I know that as a parent, I am moved with compassion for my children when they are hurt or need direction. I will do anything in my power to comfort them. I don’t like complaining or whining, but I am happy when my kids let me in on how they are feeling. And, so is God.

All throughout the Psalms, we see David and others crying out to the Lord for answers. We see them expressing their hurt and concerns openly and honestly to the Lord.

"How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?" – Psalm 13:1-2

Ladies, you don’t need to have it all together. You are not expected to. Be honest and invite God into the trying situations in your life. Lean on your Heavenly Father for strength, insight, and peace, and you will not be disappointed.

"O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge." – Psalm 62:8

Decision-Making Challenged

Where should I go to college? Should I take this new job? What school should I send my kids to? Should I make that purchase? What should I order for dinner? There are so many decisions to be made. My head spins just thinking about it. But, why do we stress over the decision-making process so much? I asked my decision-making-challenged friend this question, and I was surprised at her response. She said it isn’t that she is afraid of making a wrong decision, but rather she is afraid of missing out on the right decision.

How insightful! I think we can all relate to this concern on some level. We don’t just want good – we want the very best. No one wants to live a life of regret of what could have been. So, we stress . . . and obsess . . . and sometimes freak out when the pressure gets too much.

But, instead of relying on the natural, we can go to the Lord with all sorts of decisions we need to make, no matter how big or small. He has a perfect plan for our lives. These decisions that we make dictate whether or not we stay on His perfect path.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. – James 1:5

Fortunately for us, God is more than willing to provide guidance and direction. He is even interested in the small details. We just need to ask Him and listen to His reply. Are we always going to hear His audible voice? No. But, He will give us a gentle nudge or an inner peace, pointing us in the right direction.

We need to remember that our perspective is limited, only seeing the here and now. It is wonderful to know that God can see the whole picture and will instruct us accordingly to live the life that He has planned for us.

Ladies, stop spending so much time worrying about your decisions. Stop asking everyone you know what you should do. Good counsel is great, but the best counsel comes from above. You don’t need to be decision-making-challenged anymore!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6

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We hope that you will be able to join us for the "Taking Every Thought Captive" Conference on Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. We expect it to be a refreshing time for all women. Special Guest, Amy Carroll, from Proverbs 31 Ministries, will be speaking that day about her new book, "Breaking Up With Perfect." Tickets are $35. Go to eventbrite.com to get your ticket today.

For more information, go to http://www.womengetreal.org/event/taking-every-thought-captive-womens-conference/

"Taking Every Thought Captive" Women's Conference 2015

Ladies...who's getting excited? This year’s women’s conference: “Taking Every Thought Captive” is next  Saturday, September 19th, from 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. at The Cornerstone Church in Cheshire. If you have not purchased your tickets, do it today!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taking-every-thought-captive-womens-conference-tickets-18011883027?ref=estw

Women are constantly bombarded with thoughts of fear and anxiety. We try to measure up to the world’s standard of perfection, including having the perfect body and being the perfect wife, mother, and career woman. But, God calls us to a different standard, where we can live in peace, freedom, and contentment with who we are in Christ. Stop listening to the lies of the enemy. It’s time to Get Real!

We have an awesome day planned for you all, and we hope that you will be a part of it. Amy Carroll, from Proverbs 31 Ministries, will be joining us and will be talking about her new book titled, Breaking Up With Perfect. She will be sharing on how to move away from this unrealistic standard.

Other speakers and topics included in this women’s event are:

Jessica Landmon: Faith verses Fear

Shila Anderson: The Battle of the Scale

Rachel Axtmann: Wisdom for Wives

Worship will be led by Esteban Ramos. The cost is $35 per person. Lunch is included.

We hope that you will be able to join us! For more information, email jessica@womengetreal.org or go to:

http://www.womengetreal.org/event/taking-every-thought-captive-womens-conference/

I Thought . . . Wrong

Some of the most dangerous words in a Christian’s life are “I thought.”

I thought God would heal me at that healing service for everyone to see.

I thought God would restore my marriage by changing my husband's attitude.

I thought God would restore my finances by giving me this new job opportunity.

I thought that this was going to be the trial that God used to bring my child closer to Him.

We read about a man named Naaman in 2 Kings chapter 5 and his struggle with this very topic. Naaman was a well-respected commander in the army of the king of Aram. He was a great soldier, but was tragically stricken with leprosy. Naaman heard about this mighty prophet of God in Israel, Elisha, who could cure his disease.

Desperately in need of a miracle, Naaman traveled to the house of Elisha and received something different than he expected. Instead of Elisha putting on a spectacular display of healing, he didn’t even meet with Naaman. Elisha simply sent a messenger in his place with instructions for Naaman to go wash himself in the Jordan River sevens times. If he did this, Naaman’s flesh would be restored.

But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy”…So he turned and went off in a rage.

2 Kings 5:11-12

All too often, we allow our thoughts and ideas to interfere with God’s plans. We think we know what the best method is to answer our prayer request. Unfortunately, we can sometime miss God’s intervention simply because we expect it to look a certain way.

Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.  

2 Kings 5:13-14

If Naaman’s servant hadn’t encouraged him to obey these instructions, Naaman would have missed his miracle. How sad!

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.  

Proverbs 14:12

Ladies, I want you to reflect upon the situations in your life that you are praying over. Are you missing your breakthrough because you don’t like the way God is answering it? We need to stop fashioning God into how we think He should operate and trust that His ways are always best. God can accomplish His purposes through many methods. Stop limiting Him by your own thinking.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

Isaiah 55:8

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We hope that you will be able to join us for the "Taking Every Thought Captive" Conference on Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 a.m. - 3:oo p.m. We expect it to be a refreshing time for all women. Special Guest, Amy Carroll, from Proverbs 31 Ministries, will be speaking that day about her new book, "Breaking Up With Perfect." Tickets are $35. Go to eventbrite.com to get your ticket today.

For more information, go to http://www.womengetreal.org/event/taking-every-thought-captive-womens-conference/

While She's Waiting

I woke up this morning praying for a friend of mine who has been waiting on the Lord for a while over a situation in her life. After some time praying, I felt that breakthrough was coming soon and decided to send her a quick text to give her some encouragement while she’s waiting. This task seemed simple enough, but I really struggled with what I should write. You see, it is much easier to be the encourager than it is to be the one waiting. I’ve been in both seats and know this truth all too well. But this morning, I really wanted to reassure my friend of God’s promises, as she likely is growing weary. I wanted her to know that she wasn’t alone in this, and that I was standing in agreement with her over this situation. I wanted to let her know that God was in the midst of this battle, and she needs to just trust him completely.

This all sounds wonderful, except that words can seem empty, and possibly condescending. It is extremely difficult to be in the middle of a waiting period and not lose faith. But, this is precisely the kind of faith that God wants to generate in each of us. He wants faith that does not demand timetables. He wants faith that doesn’t focus on the impossibility of a situation. He wants faith that may seem crazy to everyone else. And, He wants faith that does not lose heart.

Ladies, I want to encourage each of you today with this truth – God has not forgotten you. He has not abandoned you in the midst of your battle. You are not alone in this. Although you can’t see it, your breakthrough is coming. Don’t lose faith!

So, my sweet friend, stop listening to the lies of discouragement telling you that it is never going to happen. Instead, take a moment today to marvel in God’s great love for you and His infinite power to do the miraculous.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We hope that you will be able to join us for the "Taking Every Thought Captive" Conference on Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 a.m. - 3:oo p.m. We expect it to be a refreshing time for all women. Special Guest, Amy Carroll, from Proverbs 31 Ministries, will be speaking that day about her new book, "Breaking Up With Perfect." Tickets are $35. Go to eventbrite.com to get your ticket today.

For more information, go to http://www.womengetreal.org/event/taking-every-thought-captive-womens-conference/

Back-to-School Grace

It’s that time of year again. It seemed like just yesterday we were celebrating the last day of school. Now, here I am shopping for back-to-school supplies. Sigh. Back-to-school shopping makes me so sad because it signals the end of summer, which is my favorite time of year. I love the warm weather and the carefree schedule. The only thing that makes this process somewhat bearable for me is finding great deals on back-to-school supplies and clothing.

In fact, just this week I was able to find an extraordinary deal on a graphing calculator for my son. But, when I got home and looked over my receipt, I realized that the store made an error and charged me too much. Ugh! Now I had to go back in for a price adjustment. Because that’s what I wanted to do with what was left with my summer, head back to the same store filled with desperate parents looking for deals on sticky notes.

I “mommied” up and headed back in. I wasn’t going to miss out on this deal. But to my utter surprise, the store manager was anything but nice to me. He was sarcastic, irritable, and downright rude. In complete shock, I left the store, and then immediately re-entered. There was no reason for him to treat me that way. And I was going to let him know that. I calmly, yes calmly, explained how his behavior was completely unacceptable.

Waiting for my apology, I instead received more rudeness. In fact, there was no apology at all, just him justifying his poor behavior. Since “I’m sorry” wasn’t coming out of his lips anytime soon, I decided to tell him that he lost my business for good, and that I would be shopping elsewhere in the future. I showed him!

Before I left, I asked him for his name. The unsettled look on his face revealed he knew why I was asking. And he was right. I was going to report him to corporate.

Walking away feeling quite proud of myself, I heard a quiet voice whisper in my ear: “show him grace.” Really!?! I must have heard wrong. Not one ounce of me wanted to do that. He didn’t deserve grace. He was being a jerk. Then, I felt a big nudge and was reminded that none of us deserve grace. And still, Jesus sacrificed Himself for all of us.

At that moment, I was faced with a decision. I could have ignored the nudge, reported the manager, got him in trouble, and felt good about being vindicated. Or, I could extend grace to a person who was obviously having a bad day and just needed someone to be kind to him.

Opportunities like this sometimes present themselves in life. What are we going to do with them? Well, I chose to listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting and returned to him, this time with a different approach. I told him that I wanted to start all over again. I showed compassion and understanding. I recognized that he was having a tough day and told him I would pray for him instead of reporting him.

What did I get in return? A heartfelt thank you and an apology. And most importantly, I felt content in knowing that I was obedient to Christ.

Ladies, we are all recipients of God's grace, so give it freely and often.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We hope that you will be able to join us for the "Taking Every Thought Captive" Conference on Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 a.m. - 3:oo p.m. We expect it to be a refreshing time for all women. Special Guest, Amy Carroll, from Proverbs 31 Ministries, will be speaking that day about her new book, "Breaking Up With Perfect." Tickets are $35. Go to eventbrite.com to get your ticket today.

For more information, go to http://www.womengetreal.org/event/taking-every-thought-captive-womens-conference/

Get Your Shovel Out

I have lived in the country for most of my life. So you would think that by now I wouldn’t freak out every time I see a snake. But, I can’t help myself. Seeing their bodies slither on the ground or in the grass really elevates my heart rate. Now, please don’t feel bad for me. I am not some damsel in distress, incapable of protecting myself in the outdoors. When I see a snake, I don’t let fear cripple me. I quickly grab a shovel and send the snake to “meet Jesus.” But, every once in a while, a snake escapes too quickly, and I am unable to dispose of it properly. That is what happened to me just a couple of weeks ago.

This situation really leaves me uneasy. Snakes tend to stick around the same area. In fact, my son saw this same snake sunbathing on the patio a few days ago. This means that it will likely return again, but we don’t know exactly when. So now we wait, keeping the shovel close by.

Why am I sharing this story with all of you and alienating all my animal-loving readers? Simply to show you how silly it is to worry over something that might happen, especially when we have all the tools available to deal with it.

All too often in life, we allow the anticipation of something to get a hold over us. We dwell on it until it consumes us. We lose sight of our source of strength and allow anxiety to fill our hearts. The worst part about all this is that we fail to keep our spiritual tools close by. What tools are these?

The first tool we have is the word of God. We need to remember that the scriptures are as powerful in our mouth as they were in Jesus’ mouth. We can boldly speak these truths over any situation and trust that these words have power. We need not fear.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

Our second tool is staying connected to God. Praying during seasons of calm will prepare us for any storm that comes our way. Prayer time with Jesus cannot be replaced with anything else. He prepares us for the battle. So as we wait, we can wait in peace knowing that He is faithful.

Our last tool is to rely on fellow believers to stand in agreement with us. They help us fight the battles that come our way. There is power in agreement.

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. – Matthew 18:20

The devil, like a snake, will try to catch you off guard. He enjoys watching you worry about when he will appear next. Don’t allow anxiety to cripple you. Start preparing so that you may stop him in his path. Ladies, it’s time to get your shovel out!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We hope that you will be able to join us for the "Taking Every Thought Captive" Conference on Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 a.m. - 3:oo p.m. We expect it to be a refreshing time for all women. Special Guest, Amy Carroll, from Proverbs 31 Ministries, will be speaking that day about her new book, "Breaking Up With Perfect." Tickets are $30 if purchased before August 15th and $35 after that. Go to eventbrite.com to get your ticket today.

For more information, go to http://www.womengetreal.org/event/taking-every-thought-captive-womens-conference/

Overwhelmed and Stressed

Too often we go about our lives feeling overwhelmed and stressed. We lose sleep at night at the thought of the endless “to do” lists. There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish the things we need to get done. Sadly, when a woman is spread too thin, her attitude changes for the worse. Martha, depicted in Luke chapter 10, was a woman who experienced this first hand. Alone in the kitchen without any help, Martha is consumed with the details of all the preparations she needed to do. Entertaining is her gifting, but that day she was not just entertaining ordinary guests, she was hosting the Messiah. She wanted everything to be perfect for Him. But the stress of the details started to weigh on her.

To make matters worse, her sister Mary wasn’t helping at all. Mary wasn’t even in the kitchen. She was in the living room sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to Him speak, while Martha worked tirelessly. I can just hear Martha grumbling to herself in the kitchen: "Must be nice to just sit while someone else is doing all the work. We were supposed to be doing this together!"

Did the preparations need to get done? Yes. Was Martha the right person for the job? Absolutely. So why was she feeling so frustrated?

Her fault was that she grew "cumbered with much serving," so that she forgot him, and only remembered the service. – Charles Spurgeon

Instead of focusing on what Mary wasn’t doing, Martha should have been focusing on what Mary was doing right. You see, Mary didn’t want to miss this special moment with Jesus. She allowed the words of Jesus to fill her up and encourage her spirit. She was being refreshed and renewed by her Savior. Then, and only then, would she be ready to take on her “to do” list.

Ladies, we cannot possibly accomplish all the things we need to without spending time with Jesus first. Jesus doesn’t just want our service, He wants us to have a relationship with Him. He wants to be the source of our strength. He wants to pour into us so that we are equipped to take on anything that comes our way. But, we must allow him to fill us first.

Do you feel spread too thin? Is your attitude full of frustration and resentment? If yes, take a look at your time with Jesus. Is your time spent with Him just another check off your endless list, or is it quality time spent in the presence of the Lord. Jesus wants to fill you up and renew you. You just need to get out of the kitchen and head to the living room.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. – Revelations 3:20

Stop Being So Emotional

I typically am not an emotional person. But, something happened to me last week. I felt like I was reliving my middle school days all over again. I allowed my emotions to completely take control of me. I was over-sensitive, easily offended, and a bit irritable. Just ask my husband. Ladies, I am sure that I am not alone in this. We are emotional beings, which is a good thing if used properly. It helps us to show empathy, compassion, and remorse. However, when we let our emotions take the driver seat in our lives, we head down a dangerous path. When our emotions take control, how we feel and what we perceive becomes reality to us. This reality then becomes truth, and we react and make decisions based on this “perceived” truth. This is a scary thing because our emotions often lie to us.

Let me explain. Have you ever watched a movie where you have empathized so much with the main character that you begin to feel their grief or drama, as if it is your own? You exit the movie theater feeling shaken up or stricken with sadness. For the remainder of the day, you feel depressed, and it has nothing to do with your own reality. Those are fake emotions.

On the flip side, we may have a legitimate situation that irritates us. Instead of handing it over to God, we think about it, dwell on it, and let it consume us. If we don’t deal with it properly, watch out. Anyone who comes into our path better be on high alert.

The good news is that God gives us power over our emotions. We don’t have to be a slave to them. We have authority, in the name of Jesus, to command our emotions to come into alignment with Him. Feelings of self-pity, jealousy, pride, anger, inferiority, fear and depression are not from God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23

Why do we allow ourselves to repeatedly ride an emotional rollercoaster? Who wants to be a slave to how she feels? Instead, we want to be women who are led by the Spirit of truth. Listening to the Holy Spirit, and not simply reacting to our emotions, will give us clear perspective, a patient heart, and character like Christ. It’s time for us to stop being so emotional!

Stop and Feed the Roses

I don’t have a green thumb. In fact, I have tried to keep three different orchid plants alive with no success. The instructions said I simply had to add three ice cubes to the pot, once a week, and my plant would flourish. That sounded easy enough, so I thought. After the third plant died, I finally gave in and bought an artificial one. Surprisingly, for the past several years, I have generated some pretty spectacular roses during the summertime. With very little effort on my part, my plants have produced some beautiful blooms. That is, until this year. You see, Connecticut had an abundance of caterpillars this spring, and they ate all the leaves off my rose bushes. All that remained were wiry branches without a bit of green or a rosebud in sight. I kept pruning them, but nothing happened. I had no idea how to restore these plants.

After some “rose consultation,” I learned that the roses simply needed fertilizer. Apparently, my bushes were starving for nourishment. Who knew roses needed to be fed? Well, probably anyone with a green thumb. But, not me.

I may not have a green thumb, but I can clearly recognize when a plant is dying. At the same time, it is obvious when a Christian life is suffering too. In some ways, we are very much like those rose bushes. We often go through periods without any growth in our lives. Our branches are bare, and we feel like we are wilting away. We are hungry for the things of God, but we’ve allowed the busyness of life to rob us of our growth.

If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

So what is the solution? For the roses, a trip to Home Depot did the job. For Christians, it’s a little more involved. We need to be constantly filling ourselves with the Holy Spirit through dedicated prayer time. We need to open up our Bibles and meditate on the Word of God every day. And, we need to make sure we are being fed in church, even during these summer months. I know the summer vacation season is busy, but we can never take a vacation from God.

Ladies, some of you are starving and you don’t even recognize it. You’ve allowed the busyness of life to rob you of times of spiritual nourishment. Pay attention to the warning signs in your life. Time in the Word and prayer are the best fertilizer you can apply. Don’t let another day pass. It is time to stop and feed the roses.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither--whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 1:3

You Are Enough

Do you ever feel like you don’t measure up? Do you compare yourself to others and feel like you fall short? Are you hurt by what people think about you, or, worse yet, what you think about yourself? Maybe you have a past that you are not proud of. Or, you have been mistreated and told you would never amount to anything. Do you have a trail of failures and have now decided that you aren’t even going to try anymore? If this is you, keep reading. All too often, we limit ourselves by our shortcomings, allowing these insecurities to hold us back from our God-called destiny. Instead of doing what God has called us to do, we shy away, thinking we aren’t qualified. We think we are not smart enough, not talented enough, not young enough, or even not righteous enough. It’s time to silence these lies. You are enough because Christ is enough. And, if He has called you, He will equip you to do any task, big or small.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13

Let’s take a look at the life of Rahab. Her introduction in the Bible immediately begins with a label. She is not just Rahab, she is “the prostitute named Rahab.” But, Rahab faced a monumental decision in her life when she was offered a role to help God’s chosen people. She could have let the sin in her life cripple her and cause her to miss a life-changing opportunity. Instead, in a moment of faith, she recognized that if God thought she was valuable, then she must be. Her obedience to God not only helped the Israelites seize Jericho, but it saved her entire family.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. – Hebrews 11:6

Faith helped Rahab make a bold choice, which changed her life and her legacy. You see, all throughout the book of Joshua, Rahab was referred to as “the prostitute.” But this woman, who didn’t let the shame of her past hold her back, is later listed in the lineage of Christ in Matthew and written about in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews. Rahab didn’t let a label rob her of her legacy, and neither should you.

Ladies, you need to hear me today. God is looking for women who have enough faith to see past their insecurities and labels. God has called each of us for a specific purpose. You may feel unqualified or unworthy, but you are enough because Christ is enough. You just need to have enough faith to believe it. Now tell those lies enough is enough and walk boldly into your calling!

Big Waves and Strong Undertows

Did you know that the Pacific Ocean is known for big waves and strong undertows? Well, I learned that first hand on vacation when I was twelve. My family and I were having a good time in the ocean when the tide quickly changed. The big waves turned into huge waves, and the undertow got increasingly stronger. I vividly remember looking out at the ocean only to see an enormous wall of water coming our way. Noticing the fear on my face and realizing he wasn’t close enough to help me, my father calmly instructed, “don’t panic, just dive through it before it breaks on you.”

Well, I panicked! And, I didn’t dive through the wave like he said. I froze with fear and allowed the wave to pick me up and slam me face-first against the sand and shells. I was completely disoriented, not knowing which way was up or down. If that weren’t bad enough, the undertow quickly pulled me back, and I got caught in another vicious wave cycle.

With some help from my family, I was eventually able to fight the undertow and run back to the beach. I’d like to say I was cool and collected, but I was anything but that. I was covered in sand from head to toe and had scrapes all over my body. In fact, I had so much sand in my bathing suit that I could have made a sandcastle from it. Completely shaken up by the whole ordeal, I refused to even go near the water to rinse off.

Interestingly, even though I looked like I had just escaped a shark attack, my family looked unscathed. They went through the same waves I did, yet they weathered them effortlessly. Why? They didn’t panic. They listened to my father’s instructions and dove through the waves with confidence.

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” – Isaiah 43:1-2

Ladies, the tides of life sometimes change on us and generate some pretty big waves. Our Heavenly Father tells us not to panic or fear. If we listen to His direction during these tumultuous moments, we too can come out unscathed. When we trust in our own strength or let fear paralyze us, we can easily be tossed around and pulled out to sea. Our trust needs to be in Him.

I don’t know what wave you are facing in your life, but I am confident that the Lord will guide you through it with His loving care. He is a compassionate father who wants to protect you from harm. Don’t get intimidated by the size of the wave. Remember, with God, there is no wave too big or undertow too strong!

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” – Psalm 91:14-15

Woman On A Mission

She had enough. She couldn't live like this anymore. She was tired and out of options. It had been twelve long years. But that day, that one significant day, she decided that she was done carrying around the disgrace and shame of her disease. That day, there was something different about her. Something changed inside of her. Although Jewish laws prohibited her from going into public areas because she was “unclean,” she boldly left her sick bed. She didn’t care. She was on a mission. She was off to find the Messiah everyone was talking about. She knew if she only could get close enough, if she could just grab the corner of His garment, that she would be healed.

I wonder how many times she talked herself out of going. But, not this time. She was desperate. She was convinced of what she needed to do, and she pressed toward Jesus with every bit of strength and faith she had left in her.

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."

– Luke 8:47-48

Do you need healing? Have you run out of options? Have you grown tired and weary? Don’t lose hope. Jesus has the last word regarding your sickness. I don't care what the doctors say. I don't care what other people who have the same illness say. Jesus has the last word.

Today, determine to say that enough is enough. Choose to let faith rise inside. Don't let anyone or anything stop you. Draw near to Jesus like never before. The closer you get to Jesus, the closer your healing is. Be that woman on a mission!

By his wounds you have been healed.

– 1 Peter 2:24

Amazing Grace

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me,

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see.”

Grace. We sing about it. We talk about it all the time. But, what exactly is this grace that Christians speak of? Simply put, grace is God’s favor extended to mankind because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice at the cross.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. – Ephesian 2:8-9

We all struggle with sin. Sin separates us from God. The only way to be reconciled with God is to accept His gift of salvation. It is a payment for our sins, once and for all. This is grace. We can’t earn it. We can’t buy. It’s a free gift from above, and it is found in Christ alone! With that said, I have noticed a disturbing trend when it comes to people’s attitudes regarding grace. 

They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. – Jude 1:4

God’s grace is amazing, but we cannot go about willfully sinning and believe that grace will cover it. The forgiveness of our sins is a beautiful demonstration of God’s love towards us. If we truly love Him, as He loves us, we would be motivated to turn away from sin. Instead, many use grace as a “get out of jail free” card, excusing sinful choices. Please don’t misunderstand – we will constantly struggle with sin in our lives. But, a heart that is truly sold out to Christ will consciously make a decision to turn away from sin, rather than justify or make excuses for it.

Ladies, take a moment to examine your life and see if there are areas where you are rationalizing sinful behavior. If you discover any, seek God’s forgiveness and make a conscious decision today to turn away from that behavior. His grace is amazing, but it is not a license to sin!

No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. – 1 John 3:6

Stay Off the Rooftop

Today is a bittersweet day. My six foot two baby is about to graduate from middle school. Today he embarks on a new chapter in his life – one where I need to take a “small” step back and let him develop into the man that God is calling him to be. High school is a different world, full of different challenges and different temptations. As a mother, I need to trust that the years of prayer and instruction have prepared him for this next phase of his life. I would be foolish and naïve to think that taking a stand for Christ during high school is easy. To the contrary, it will be filled with daily decisions where he will need to make a choice whether to stand firm in his beliefs or compromise. So, real life begins.

The best advice I can give to him as a mother is to position himself well. What I mean is that he needs to know his purpose and make sure that he doesn’t abandon it. You see, people often fall into a pattern of sin because they find themselves in a situation that they shouldn’t be in the first place. Let’s take a look at the life of David. David was a strong leader, full of faith, and devoted fully to his heavenly father. But David fell into temptation and a series of sinful behavior because he abandoned his purpose and was not where he should have been.

It was spring, and all the kings were off at war. David should have been with those other kings. But, instead, he chose to send Joab in his place. While staying behind, he got restless and bored, and he found himself on the rooftop of the palace. From there, he saw Bathsheba bathing, in all her beauty, and he sent for her, slept with her, got her pregnant, and then killed her husband. David abandoned the purpose that God charged him with, and he ended up falling into sin with some serious consequences.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. – Proverbs 4:26-27

All too often, we find ourselves in the midst of sin and scratch our heads wondering just how we got there. It doesn’t happen by accident. It involves a series of decisions that position us for failure, rather than success, often stemming from boredom. Like David, one poor choice leads to another and to another and to another. That is why it is crucial to position yourself well from the beginning to avoid these temptations.

With that said, we need to surround ourselves with people who share the same ideas. I guarantee that you will eventually fail at pursuing righteousness if you surround yourself with people who aren’t likeminded in purpose.

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. – Matthew 26:41

Our prayer should be one that asks God to help us stay away from people, places, and situations that will tempt us. We should be committed to His purpose for our lives. If you find yourself in a rooftop situation, get off of there as quickly as possible and return to doing the things that God has called you to do.

Are We There Yet?

As I have confessed in previous blogs, I am a planner. So it was a complete shock to my husband and kids when I suggested blowing off perfectly good airline tickets to instead embark on a road trip. We were hours away from flying home from Florida when I suggested this spontaneous detour. My husband’s grandfather lives in Alabama, so it seemed like a perfect time to visit with him. From there, we would drive back home to Connecticut in our rental car. Although my kids thought their mother had temporarily lost it, they were genuinely excited that we were extending our vacation with an extra adventure. But, after several hours in the car, the all too familiar “are we there yet?” started to resound from the backseat. To be completely honest, it started to come from the front seat too.

The first leg of the trip wasn’t so bad. It was short. We were comfortable. However, after the first stop in Alabama, the trip started to drag on, and we began to get a little impatient.

Interestingly, I find myself on a little “road trip” of my own right now. I’ve been waiting on the Lord for almost a year for a specific situation in my life. I have complete confidence that the Lord will fulfill His promises to me, but I too am getting a little impatient. Lately, I find myself asking God, “are we there yet?” Today is one of those days.

With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. – 2 Peter 3:8-9

Although the Lord’s timetable is slower than I would like, I have come to recognize that the Christian life is made up of a lot of “road trips.” All too often, our sole focus is to get to the destination rather than growing during the journey. Not to sound cliché, but the journey is as valuable as the destination.

Yes, the journey may be filled with moments of pain, disappointment, and uncertainty, but God allows us to go through it with a purpose in mind. You see, during these moments of waiting, God is calling us to draw closer to Him like never before. It’s during these times that we learn to trust the Lord in a new, deeper way. We must trust Him even if the journey we are on doesn’t seem fair or beneficial.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. – Proverbs 3:5

If you are on one these trips, ask yourself these questions. Why did God put me on this path? What area of my life is He trying to stretch or grow? Who else can I bless along this journey? Do I trust Him completely even though I can’t see the final destination?

Ladies, it is important to make sure that we take our foot off the gas from time to time and stare out the window for a few minutes to truly see what God has in mind for us. Once you start to see His purpose, you may actually begin to enjoy the ride.

Chasing Crowns

The year was 1986. It was July. I was 10. My family and I were on vacation in Miami staying at the Fontainebleau Hotel. It was hot and humid, but the ocean water was so warm. During our stay, the hotel was hosting a national beauty pageant for preteens. Girls from all across the country were strolling about the hotel, dressed in fancy dresses, and decked out in make-up with their hair meticulously styled. To be honest, there was a piece of me that wanted to be one of them. They looked so beautiful and glamorous. But, the rest of me couldn’t imagine missing out on that warm ocean water and spectacular pool. The girls were constantly in competition mode. They were never able to just act like kids for fear that one of the judges would be sharing an elevator with them or watching them in the hotel lobby. Why would these girls put themselves through all this? Simple – they were chasing after a crown.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. – 1 Corinthians 9:25

To some, beauty pageants seem ridiculous. Who would undergo all that work for a silly piece of metal adorned with some crystals? Although, I must confess, I do love the bling. But, it is more than that. The crown represents something bigger. A crown signifies importance and significance. A crown sets you apart from the rest and deems you special.

We all want to feel important and significant. And we all want to feel special. We may not be chasing literal crowns, but if we were truthful, we would confess that we all chase after our own version of this. We set goals before us desperately searching for validation and honor. We all want to be set apart.

Ladies, we need to keep our eyes on a bigger crown – a crown that will not fade away. A crown that is given to those who faithfully run the race, who turn away from every selfish desire, and who help bring people to Christ Jesus. This is a crown that is definitely worth chasing after.

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. – 2 Timothy 4:8

Such A Time As This

She was beautiful, young, and of Jewish decent, but living in exile in a foreign land. Both her mother and father had died when she was young. Fortunately, her kind-hearted cousin took her in and raised her as his own. Esther’s life may have seemed hopeless up to this point, but God had a plan for her life. King Xerxes was looking for a Queen. After a year of preparation, Esther was presented to the King, and he found favor with her. To most, being crowned Queen might appear as the redeeming moment of her life. But, it was just the beginning. God had an even greater purpose for her.

There was a plot to annihilate all the Jewish people, both young and old. Esther’s bold faith and Godly wisdom helped her orchestrate a masterful plan that not only saved her race, but punished the perpetrator. She acted without fear or hesitation. Esther was secure in the purposes God had designed for her.

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” – Esther 4:14,16

I love Esther’s confidence. She was completely obedient to what God called her to do. She put her life in jeopardy knowing that she was placed in that position for that moment in time. What a truly remarkable woman she was. She walked boldly into her destiny.

I know many of you are feeling empty and without purpose. You are not certain what you are to do with your life or why you are even here. You continually chase after self-defined goals in an effort to feel complete. Unfortunately, this leaves you feeling more depressed than before.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. – Psalm 139:16

You see, God has a plan for each of us. And that plan is different from everyone else’s. Only you can fulfill the task the God has for you. Sadly, we often strive for conformity and the status quo, rather than being original and becoming the woman God has called us to be. Just like Esther, each of us is on this earth, at this moment in history, to fulfill our destiny for His glory.

I know I am here for one reason – to fulfill the purpose that God has planned for me in advance. If I do my part, then I truly am a success. I may not be called to save my entire race, but I know with absolute assurance that I am here on this earth for such a time as this!