by | Faith Lived Out, Guest Posts
I’ve tried this online dating thing off and on for the last few years. Match, eHarmony, Christian Mingle, you name it.
Last year a 4-½-month relationship came out of it. But after three days of prayer and fasting, I knew without a doubt he was not the man God wanted me to be with. If he had his way, we would’ve been married on our third date.
But you see, he loved me more than Jesus, and as Sweet Brown says, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”
Honestly, I don’t think it was me he loved. He loved the idea of being married. He loved the thought of calling someone his wife. Not that there’s anything wrong with desiring to be married, but when that wish trumps your desire to make your relationship with God a priority, then something doesn’t match up.
I’m writing over at Single Matters Magazine today. Join me as I discuss my online dating experience and give you some tips on what to watch out for. Oh.. and I’m currently accepting applications for a husband, but let’s at least play a round of mini golf first. Tune in here…
by | Faith Lived Out, Health & Wellness
God has taken me on a new course in this season of my life. It’s a season I pray never ends.
I am walking in surrenderance to Him with everything I have. That includes my body and my desire to use food as an escape. Oh how I’ve longed to be here, and I’m so thrilled He and I are working together to remove barriers that keep my focus off of Him.
I can’t continue taking the next right step without Him, and that involves prayer. A lot of prayer.
I want to share with you a prayer I received from Kimberly Taylor at Take Back Your Temple. I hope it takes you to a deeper place with a God who loves you more than you could ever imagine.
Lord, Your Word says that the renewing of my mind transforms me. Help me to be diligent in meditating upon Your Word every day, knowing that I am growing just as a seed planted into the ground. Because others have gotten healthier through Your Word and Your power, then the same can happen for me!
Even though I face challenges, there is nothing that is too hard for You. You know everything I am going through and You give me grace to deal with it.
You are the same God who parted the Red Sea, brought new life to barren wombs, helped people defeat enemies, restored sight to blinded eyes, made the lame walk, and raised people from the dead. I know it is a small thing for You to help me with this weight problem. You are omnipotent God. Your power is greater than any situation I face.
Today, I ask You to help me with any areas of unbelief. If there are any areas of blindness or self-deception within me that are preventing me from seeing the deliverance in front of me, then reveal it to me.
Lord, restore my hope so that I may move forward. You are faithful and I trust You each and every day as you walk with me through the change process. Amen.
How is God encouraging you to pray through your health struggles? Share with me.
by | Faith Lived Out
God has been taken out of schools. He’s been removed from court rooms. The list goes on…
But what if God’s still alive and well today?
He is!
Sarah Young, an unknown missionary took her prayer time and put in on paper for the world to read. Based on Scriptural context, Young put the words of Jesus into a devotional called Jesus Calling.
Okay, people do that all the time. What’s the big deal?
Sarah Young doesn’t have a platform. She’s not on social media. She doesn’t blog. Yet she’s a best-selling author. Since the release of Jesus Calling in 2004, more than 10 million copies of this devotional have been put into the hands of readers.
As a writer today, building a platform is key. We’re told by the experts to be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blogging, Tumbling, Pinning, and the list goes on. If we want to be successful, we have to be present everywhere.
I’m not arguing with that, to a point, but here’s what’s amazing.
When God wants something done He will make it happen. (Tweet That)
The evidence of that? A missionary with a heart to serve God writes a book that has sold more copies than Fifty Shades of Grey.
That my friends, is living proof that God’s not dead!
Don’t let your fear of not being “big enough” keep you from doing something God has called you to do. I’m not in any way telling you to sit back and wait for God to make things happen. He calls us to be active.
I write this as a reminder that God is still in control. He’s still sovereign. He’s still amazing. He’s touching the lives of millions with His words through a ten-year old devotional that started out as personal prayers for a servant of God.
I’m going through Jesus Calling myself this year, and I must say, it has rocked my world. I recommend it for every soul. It will change you.
This I promise.
by | Faith Lived Out
Who is your neighbor? The crazy cat lady? The guy who mows the yard in his underwear? (Does that only happen to me?)
When I first read Mark 12:31 and it told me to love my neighbor, I just assumed those words literally meant I just had to love the cat lady and the half naked guy. I was wrong.
I’m not simply required to love those within 500 feet of me. I’m required to love everyone.
Everyone is our neighbor.
That means the difficult, different, or dangerous people in our lives. Yeah, we have to love them. I mean, I guess we don’t have to, but Jesus said this commandment was as equally as important as number one, which is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. So it makes sense that we would desire to want to love our neighbors as much as we love the God who created us.
Honestly, there are days I don’t feel like loving people, especially those I don’t understand. I’m often convinced the world would be a better place if people would think like me. I’ll tell you this. If they did, Algebra, cottage cheese, and high heels wouldn’t exist.
What does loving my neighbor look like?
First, let’s look at what the word love means. To love includes affection, tenderness, compassion, warmth. So, maybe don’t go buy the cat lady some food to feed her flock and enable her to adopt five more, but drop by her house and offer her your friendship.
You most likely want to bring the guy on the lawn mower a shirt. Instead, bring him a sandwich and a glass of lemonade. You may just get your own lawn mowed out of the deal, just sayin’.
What if we passed out bottled water at the gay pride parade instead of holding up picket signs?
Don’t think you can only love your neighbor if you agree on everything.
Again, I’d assume not watch you eat cottage cheese, but it doesn’t mean I won’t take you out to lunch. If you’re a Republican, take a Democrat out to lunch. I promise the place won’t burn down if a Catholic has coffee with a Baptist.
If you’re a Christian, hang out with those who aren’t. They put their pants on the same way as you do.
Jesus met a woman at a well once who barely had enough fingers to count the number of men he had been with. He didn’t run from her. He offered her love. She was different and difficult. And according to the rules, He wasn’t even supposed to be seen talking to a woman, much less a Samaritan woman. She was dangerous and He embraced her anyway. (See John 4)
Who have you embraced lately? Are you loving your “safe” neighbors, or embracing the difficult, different, and dangerous?
Go and be different. You won’t regret it.
by | Faith Lived Out
My response to the Grammy’s controversial mass ceremonies performed on stage may be delayed, but my heart needed prayerful time to respond. It’s actually not my response to the event I’m writing about today, it’s the response to a fellow brother in Christ that I feel led to confront.
I woke up to read this response to to the event with a sad heart.
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!”
(Isaiah 5:20–21)
Flaunting sin before a Holy God.
First of all, allow me to say I respect the writer of these words. I believe he loves God and has a desire to see no one be separated from God. However, I am disturbed by the judgment I read in his words.
(more…)
by | Faith Lived Out
We’ve come along way since the 50’s and 60’s, where the words “sexual abuse” and “molestation” were unheard of. Or have we?
- photo credit: nicholas kristof
It’s still a taboo subject? Do we talk about it? Should we write about? Is it really that big of a problem?
Yes to all of the above.
Sexual abuse must be talked about.
I couldn’t be more proud of Dylan Farrow, who courageously spoke out on her own sexual abuse from her father. The fact that she’s been given a platform to speak the truth about her devastating past tells me we’re making progress in realizing just how big of a problem sexual abuse is.
Farrow says in her recent interview with the New York Times,
For as long as I could remember, my father had been doing things to me that I didn’t like.
Oh.. Did I mention her dad was a famous, well-respected celebrity who was never charged with the humiliating theft of his daughter’s innocence?
What if more people talked about sexual abuse?
I’m not saying everyone has to give details. Not everyone has to oust their perpetrator. I respect those who do and don’t. But we need to remember the problem is real. It’s happening whether we talk about it or not.
Farrow was accused of lying by many close to her. But her father? The man who took her into a closet and sexually molested her? He was praised, and still is, at awards shows, in magazines, and more. He still walks around “innocently”, but his daughter can’t get her innonence back.
But even when our innocence is stolen, Jesus can restore.
He promises to wash us white as snow. He will comfort the broken hearted. He will set the captives free. Instead of the ashes left by those who burned us, He will give us a crown of beauty. He will rebuild the ancient ruins stolen by the darkened souls that laid hands on us.
You don’t have to live marked by sexual abuse.
These are the words from Mary DeMuth in her new book, Not Marked. You may know Mary as a speaker and author. But she’s also a survivor of sexual abuse. Not only is she a survivor. She’s a conquerer!
And because sexual abuse needs to be talked about, Mary has done just that – writing a controversial book a traditional publisher wouldn’t even have the courage to take on.
Why? Because it’s controversial. It’s uncomfortable.
It’s necessary!
I admire Dylan Farrow for the tenacity to be honest about her victimization. And I pray she trades her ashes in for a crown of beauty. I pray she allows the ancient ruins to be built.
If you are a victim of sexual abuse, I pray the same for you.
