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…
by | Faith Lived Out
Since the government decided to shut down this week, my Facebook news feed has been blowing up with comments.
photo credit: hamilton city schools
I’ve heard how rotten our government is. America is a disgrace. Our leaders should get a grasp on what it feels like to starve. I’ve seen comments displayed full of soul language and hate.
And all these are just the ones I’ve read from “Christians”.
I don’t say this to shame anyone. I’m just as guilty.
But what if we stopped complaining and using Facebook as a pedestal to complain about our nation and actually starting praying for it?
Below is a prayer taken straight from the book, Prayers that Avail Much by Germaine Copeland. Let’s pray it together, shall we?
Father, in Jesus’ name, we give thanks for the United States and its government. WE hold up in prayer before You the men and women who are in positions of authority. We pray and intercede for the president, the representatives, the senators, the judges of our land, the policemen and the policewomen, as well as the governors and mayors, and for all those who are in authority over us in any way. We pray that the Spirit of the Lord rests upon them.
We believe that skillful and godly wisdom has entered into the heart of our president and knowledge is pleasant to him. Discretion watches over him; understanding keeps him and delivers him from the way of evil and from evil men.
Father, we ask that You compass the president about with men and women who make their hearts and ears attentive to godly counsel and do that which is right in Your sight. We believe You cause them to be men and women of integrity who are obedient concerning us that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. We pray that the upright shall dwell in our government – that men and women blameless and complete in Your sight, Father, shall remain in these positions of authority, but the wicked shall be cut off from our government and the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.
Your Word declares that “blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 33:12). We receive Your blessing. Father; You are our Refuge and Stronghold in times of trouble (high cost, destitution, and desperation). So we declare with our mouths that Your people dwell safely in this land, and we prosper abundantly. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus!
It is written in Your Word that the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord and that You turn it whichever way You desire. We believe the heart of our leader is in Your hand and that his decisions are divinely directed of the Lord.
We give thanks unto You that the good news of the Gospel is published in our land. The Word of the Lord prevails and grows mightily in the hearts and lives of the people. We give thanks for this land and the leaders You have given to us, in Jesus’ name.
Jesus is Lord over the United States. Amen.
Scripture References
1 Timothy 2:1-3
Proverbs 2:10-12, 21, 22
Psalm 33:12
Psalm 9:9
Deuteronomy 28:10,11
Romans 8:37 AMP
Proverbs 21:1
Acts 12:24
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
A guy in my small group asked me this question last night.
Is alcoholism a disease?
I honestly thought I would have a quick answer with a great explanation to fire back at him, but I had to sit and soak in the question for a moment. I’m still marinating in it, actually.
He asked me the question because he knows I come from a family filled with a past involving alcohol.
My father. His father. His grandfather. His siblings.
Alcohol has labeled one side of my family for decades.
I won’t pretend to know everything about alcoholism. But I will give you my opinion on it, and back it up scripturally.
When a person, whether Christian or not, battles an addiction to alcohol, or any addiction for that matter, they usually label themselves an alcoholic. They tend to stick with that label throughout the course of their lives.
But, I can’t agree with that, especially when Jesus comes into the picture.
You see, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that we are a new creation in Christ Jesus. He goes on to say,
The old has gone, the new is here!
So, that tells me that labeling ourselves with our struggle with addiction doesn’t line up with God’s Word.
Allow me to use food as an example.
I’ve struggled with using food as a coping mechanism all of my life. Though I’ve given my life to Christ, that struggle is still very real.
There are days I find myself running to it because I don’t want to deal with my emotions. There are moments I use overeating as an excuse to escape reality.
That does not, however, mean I will label myself as a food addict or call it a disease.
For me, I would call it an issue with my heart. It means something deeper is happening, and it’s causing me to make an immoral decision to turn to food rather than turn to God, who is the true source of my strength.
Proverbs 23:20-21 tells me in those moments that I am a glutton. I would believe that to be true. I’m not thinking about myself in that moment. I’m thinking about feeding my own desires.
I still don’t have a clear answer on whether or not alcholism is a disease, but I will say this:
I believe alcholism is a generational curse.
The Bible says that God visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Him, but shows mercy to thousands, to those who love Him and keep His commandments.
We live in a world where evil is prevalent. It’s overpowering. Satan is the prince of this world and darkness is his favorite color.
Why would he not try to destroy our lives with things such as alcohol, drugs, food, sex, pornography, etc?
We can’t focus on our addiction and believe we are a new creation in Christ at the same time.
It doesn’t work that way. It’s up to us to break that curse.
I am breaking the curse of sexual abuse in my family by sharing my redemption with the world. The stronghold of that shame no longer controls me and because of that decision generations behind me, and after, will be changed.
Not because of my own doing, but because of the power of God and Him using me as His tool.
He wants to use you, too.
I encourage you to stop labeling yourself with an addiction.
You are not an alcoholic. You are not a pornography addict. You are not a drug addict.
If you know Jesus Christ, then you are a new creation, and it’s time to step up and claim that title, not a title the world gives you! Allow God to use you right where you are, in the midst of your struggles.
What are your thoughts? Is alcoholism a disease? I’d really love to hear from you in the comments below…
