by | Faith Lived Out
I’m taking a sabbatical from blogging for the next few weeks. While I’m gone, I’ve asked some of my favorite bloggers to stand in for me. This is a guest post by
Jennifer White. She is an Author, Speaker, and Encourager. Get her new ebook
Prayers Spoken, Lives Changed,
FREE here. Follow Jennifer on Twitter (
@jenniferowhite).
Every fourteen minutes someone decides life is not worth the pain and makes a tragic choice. In the last month my husband and I have been shocked by the news of two friends’ suicides. I am shaken by it.
The choice to commit suicide screams “Hopeless” like a neon sign flashing in the night.My mind scans the facts, the maybes and hears a faint whisper: “I could not find rest for my soul.”
What happened behind the scenes of this life?
Did their brain chemicals send sad signals? Were messages of rejection and failure the mind’s default playlist? Did the chemicals and messages cook into a thick stew of sadness?
Was death delivered as a sound solution by an evil accomplice? Did a familiar voice consistently whisper “failure” as a result of strategy meetings in the spiritual dark places? Were demons offering blankets of oppression designed to smother joy and hope? Did they smile knowing the ripple effects of their work?
Where was God? The all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God could have stopped this!
God was there. He was ready to resuscitate life where hope’s pulse grew faint. He knew where and when to speak the Truth to the soul unsure of its value and purpose. The good Shepherd never stops looking for His lost sheep. His sheep know His voice, hear Him call out and run to Him.
Did the hopeless know His voice? Were they able to hear Him above the voice of the one encouraging death? Can a severely depressed person find the energy to move toward God and away from evil?
When we see a wound in the soul of our communities, we must apply Christ as the cure. – Francis Frangipane
Remember the men who tore a hole in a roof to get a paralyzed friend in front of Jesus (Mark 2:1-12)? Faith in action moved a mountain in the life of someone unable to move. These friends pursued Jesus on His behalf. That is a defining picture of intercessory prayer.
You and I can lift up the hopeless into the presence of Jesus, the One who defeated death.
Every opposing force is rendered powerless, when the name of Jesus is on our lips. He is the Savior. He is the hope we all long to know. He is the only hope that survives.
In the presence of Jesus we find the fullness of joy (Ps 16:11). By the power of His Spirit, each of us can live with overwhelming hope (Rom 15:13). And we can help others do the same by praying for them.
A Simple Prayer from the Bible:
May the God of hope fill _____ with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit ______ may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13) It is in the all powerful name of Jesus, I pray. Amen
by | Faith Lived Out, Guest Posts
I’m taking a sabbatical from blogging for the next few weeks. While I’m gone, I’ve asked some of my favorite bloggers to stand in for me. This is a guest post by
Joyce Glass. is a writer, speaker, and lover of God’s word even more than chocolate! Her desire is to encourage you to walk closer to God. Follow Joyce on Twitter (
@joyce_glass).
Are you hungry? When is the last time you missed a meal? I miss very few! I may delay them, but I do not miss them. I love to eat, and my body does not like it when I do not eat!
Depending upon your age, you may remember the old commercial from the 80’s “Eat Your Wheaties” in the morning. Wheaties always had some super athlete on the box, and they wanted you to remember to start you day fueling your body.
As we begin a new year, many people make goals and plans to exercise and eat better to lose weight. We make plans for our business and finances.
The best plan we need to make is feeding our spiritual body.
When we feed our Spiritual body, we are better equipped to plan and keep our goals.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who seek in The Lord will lack no good thing.
~ Psalm 34:10 ~
Are you spiritually hungry for God? Do you look forward to studying God’s word, praying, and seeing where God wants to take you?
We have spiritual hunger signs like we have food hunger signs.
Spiritual Hunger Signs:
Cranky or Irritable
Stressed
Focused on what is wrong today
Angry
Fearful
Doubting the situation will ever change
We all have bad days, and life just goes awry. However, if our time with God is sporadic, then we are not getting the spiritual nutrition our body craves and needs. If we are spiritually undernourished, our perspective on life is skewed, and we do not have the physical and spiritual energy to handle life situations.
As we feed our spiritual life, we can “Taste and see The Lord is good . . .” (Psalm 34:8). When we feed on God’s word we “lack no good thing” (Psalm 34:10). When painful times come our way “His ears are attentive [to our] cry … He delivers them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17). May favorite verse in Psalm 34 is “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in Spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
Is your heart broken over your hurting marriage or a desire to be married, a wayward child, physical ailments, or financial struggles?
Our Loving God cares even when our hearts are broken. He cares about every little detail in our lives.
Read Psalm 34. As you feed on God’s word, open your heart to listen to His voice today. He has great news for you. You are His beloved child.
You and I need God to daily nourish our hearts and minds. This post is adapted from iNeed God ~ daily downloads for your heart due to release in February 2014.
You can learn more at http://iNeedGodbook.com/More. I am excited to share that every iNeed God Bible Study is going to support Esther’s House of Redemption, and you will be able to donate a Bible Study to an Esther’s House student. More details will be available on the website www.iNeedGodBook.com. I hope you will join me in supporting Sundi Jo’s ministry. She has a big heart to help hurting women, and I am thrilled to support her!
I hope you will join me in supporting Sundi Jo’s ministry. She has a big heart to help hurting women, and I am thrilled to support her!
by | Faith Lived Out
There’s some advice rolling around in the world that tells us not to sweat the small stuff. As a matter of fact, there’s even a book called Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and it’s all small stuff.
It’s all small stuff! Really? You know what Beth Moore says about that?
I’d like to stuff a sweaty sock in the mouth of the person who first said that.
Love her tenacity and boldness. I would have to agree.
All stuff isn’t created equal.
My step-dad’s father is being transitioned into a nursing home as you read this. He can no longer walk on his own. Two weeks ago he left his home for the hospital, and today he’s facing the reality that he’ll never go back there.
I have a friend whose eating disorder is controlling her life right now and she sees no hope for tomorrow.
I have another friend whose family member attempted suicide last week.
It’s not all small stuff.
Moore says,
Worldly philosophy is forced to minimize difficulty because it has no real answers.
You and I know better than that. There is a lot of big stuff out there and there’s only one way to get through it: prayer.
We may not need to sweat the small stuff, but what about the ginormous boulders rolling toward us? You bet I’m going to sweat it. There’s a boulder rolling toward me!
But while I’m sweating I’m gonna pray!
It’s time to pray, friends. Time to “roll away the stone of prayerlessness” as Beth says. Time to pursue a deeper intimacy with the God who created you. It’s time to throw the ideals of this world aside and fix our eyes on the Prince of Peace. It’s the only way we’ll get through the big stuff.
What big stuff are you prayerfully overcoming right now? Share in the comments below…
by | Faith Lived Out
Ever heard of a gentleman’s club? I heard it in a song recently and it made my stomach ill.
Here’s the definition according to Webster’s Dictionary:
a nightclub for men that features scantily clad women dancers or stripteasers
Upon further research I learned the first gentleman’s club was established in London for upper class men. Doesn’t that just sound sophisticated and socially acceptable?
It makes my blood boil!
First of all, let’s call it a strip club, because that’s what it is. Second of all, the word gentleman belongs absolutely nowhere in the vicinity of a strip club.
The definition of gentleman is as follows:
a chivalrous, courteous, or honorable man.
There is absolutely nothing courteous, chivalrous, or honorable about a man walking into a bar to see women dance naked for him. So how about we stop calling it a gentleman’s club?
Allow me to be completely vulnerable for a moment.
I was 17 years old the first time I stepped into a strip club.
The images still haunt me today. I saw things no 17-year old girl should have ever seen. I also saw girls only a year older than me standing before these “gentleman” naked for their pleasure.
Looking back on it now, do you know what I see?
I see a woman standing on that stage who didn’t know who she was in Christ. I see a broken girl starving for affection and affirmation in her life. I see a smoke-filled building full of broken hearts, anger, pride, lust, and more.
I also see a man who, behind the dollar bills and gin on his breath, doesn’t know who he is in Christ. I see a man finding fulfillment in the world because God is not his source. I see a man using a broken woman to help him mask the pain of what’s really going on in life.
Then I see a 17-year old me, trying to fit into a “normal” world. Trying to cover my own pain. I too, didn’t know who I was in Christ.
The Gentleman’s club is a playground for Satan.
I’m calling it like it is and reminding myself that we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (See Ephesians 6:10).
I’m reminded the devil prowls around like a roaring lion ready to devour.
He steals the confidence from a woman who soon finds herself dancing around a stage naked, hundreds of eyes gazing at her nightly. He steals the courage from a husband who finds himself paying for a lap dance because he doesn’t feel secure enough to provide for his wife.
I pray for the eyes of every strip club owner to be opened. I pray they see that the devil is using them as a tool for his glory. I pray for the hearts and minds of every woman standing on that stage to be healed by the blood of Jesus. I pray for the eyes and hearts of those stepping foot inside to be entertained to be opened to see what is really happening around them.
I pray freedom for the captives. I pray for our legislation to open their eyes to the pain and suffering strip clubs and pornography are causing in the lives of so many, including children, teenagers, and adults. I pray for every door to be shut and locked.
Will you join me in prayer?
by | Faith Lived Out
Do you ever feel like you are not good enough? Ya, I’ve been there too.
Shame is not from God. I even got a tattoo to remind me that,
Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. – Psalm 34:5
I’d love for you to join myself, Jennifer White, author and blogger at Prayerfully Speaking, and Terilee Harrison, author of The Shameless Life: Recognize Your Shame and Overcome It, for a rockin’ online Facebook event, filled with encouragement and prayer.
Our goal is to help you release the “I’m not good enoughs” in your life that keeps you from being the women and men God meant you to be.
Join us right here at the Facebook Event Page anytime from 11:30a-1:30p CST, Monday, November 18th.
Do you have questions about shame? Have a testimony to share? Want to simply ask for prayer? Join us. We can’t wait to visit with you!
See you Monday right here!
by | Faith Lived Out
Are we really called to be aggressive in our lives? Absolutely!
I don’t mean the aggressive, “Get out of my way or else” type. I mean actively and passionately pursuing life. Confronting life head on.
Let’s face it – life is not easy and confrontation is necessary.
So, what does this aggression look like?
Joyce Meyer says in her book, Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits, it starts with your inner attitude.
If we have a quiet, confident inner attitude, we will never have any problem doing what we need to do. Confidence is not a feeling that we must work up and then go out into the world and move fast, talk loud, and often be obnoxious. It is a quiet and beautiful thing that begins in the heart and stands firm in its conviction that we are not alone and we are able. The attitude of the confident person is filled with cans, not cant’s. It is firm, steadfast, and strong in the Lord.
Need I say more?
Ok – maybe a little more.
Just a friendly reminder that we cannot have this confidence without being in God’s Word and continuously praying. But let’s remember that we are God’s children and we can approach Him with bold confidence. Confidence in what we are asking, and that He will provide.
Let’s refuse to live without confidence one more day. Let’s aggressively live in our God-given confidence and aggressively approach life together.
What’s one step you can take today to live more confidently? Leave a comment below…
