by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
Ten months ago I met this bamboo plant for the first time. That very same day I met Leah. They both have an interesting story.
Let’s start with “Bamboo”. When the plant made it’s home on the breakfast table in the nook of the Table Rock Freedom Center, it was just an ordinary plant. It was a bit dry, needed some attention, but it had a lot of potential. It was setting in a perfect place for the sun to give it life.
Now there’s Leah. There was an emptiness about her, she needed some attention, but she had so much potential. She was sitting in the perfect place for the son to give her life.
Today I sit back in admiration, both at the flourishing bamboo plant and Leah. God has done a mighty work in both of them. There were days the leaves of the plant turned brown, but she offered it nourishment. There were days Leah wasn’t sure if she had the strength to endure anymore hardships, but through prayer and spiritual nourishment the branches of her trees continued to bloom.
When you walk into the kitchen, “Bamboo” is one the first things you see. It has gotten so tall in the last few months. It
brings so much color to the room.
When you walk into any room that Leah’s in, you see Jesus in her. You see a beautiful woman who is no longer tied to her addiction. You see life. You see colors. You see love.
The Bamboo plant symbolizes luck and success because of its ability to grow quickly, strength and resilience. I don’t know about the whole “luck” thing. We are creations in Christ Jesus, we don’t need luck. But I completely believe in its resilience and strength – not just in the plant, but in Leah as well.
It is my honor to call her friend. The last ten months of walking by her side and seeing the transformation of Jesus in her fills my heart with joy.
Never forget the potential God has created for you. It’s up to you to go out and get it!
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
Digging into Psalm 63:5-6
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4PHtl_8eK4]
by | Faith Lived Out
I can’t get these words out of my head, “There is too much God in this place.” I sat in conversation with a student recently who had frustration written all over her face. She was telling me how much she missed her children and her life. I tried encouraging her with the fact that in 12 months her children will have a real mother if she will just let God do the work. Then she made the above statement.
I haven’t been able to forget about it. I used to think like that. I remember several years ago watching one of my employees read his Bible during break. I shook my head in judgment wondering why he couldn’t find anything better to do than keep his nose in that book the whole time. How ridiculous was I? I didn’t hesitate to point out the “Bible Thumpers”. Today I am one and so proud of it!
My heart aches at the thought of this broken woman thinking there is too much God. There is NEVER enough! I wish I could play the tape back of my last twelve months and just show her where God is. I want to show her that without Him her life is nothing; without Him she won’t go anywhere. Without Him she can’t truly be a mother. Without Him she will never find happiness.
Once again I find myself grateful that I am no longer in that position. I am so thankful that I let Him in and stopped trying to fight what He was doing in my life. I pray and hope she holds on so she can embrace the same thing. I want her to stick it out so she can find true and complete wholeness. It’s out there – I promise!
by | Faith Lived Out
This past week’s teaching from Ted Cunningham at Woodland Hills Family Church was about faith, friends, and family out of 2 Timothy 1:1-7. He encouraged us to make stronger connections with the friends we have rather than going out and always looking for new ones. This was a great sermon for me because I found myself looking back at the changes in my life over the last few years.
Point #1 – Invest in a younger believer.
I remember writing in my journal about three years ago, asking God to send me a mentor. I need someone to walk along side me as a Christian. He certainly answered my prayers. Two years ago God put that more mature believer in my life. She invested time in our relationship. She invested love. She invested A LOT of patience. Many times in our walk over the last couple of years I have tried to push her away due to fear. But she never left. She kept pushing, even when I was ready to throw in the towel. She is the very one that first introduced me to 2 Timothy 1:7, which is a verse deeply embedded into my heart. I am so grateful for her investment.
Point #2 – Find Joy in a Friend, Not Circumstances
Ted asked a great question, “How do you measure a good friend?” His answer: “They want you to go higher in life than they do.” That struck a chord in me. I have struggled in the past, and more so recently with this very issue. I’m learning that it’s truly difficult to find “real” friends that want to watch you succeed, even if their success looks very different. I could have focused on how others have done that to me, but I chose to take a deeper look in me and figure out what I could change; how I could support my friends better. I want them all to know I am totally and completely for them.
Point #3 – Model Sincere Faith for Your Family
I have had the opportunity to watch this in the very woman who has invested in me as a younger believer. Her husband is her number one priority, next to her relationship with Christ. I must admit, I don’t always understand when she starts speaking marriage mumbo jumbo, but I tend to make mental notes in the back of my mind, reminding myself I’ll probably need this advice later when it’s my time for marriage. She fights for her family and it’s very inspiring.
Catch the sermon if you haven’t gotten a chance yet: Dear Son II:Part 1 – Faith, Friends & Family
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
I have experienced many things this past weekend – more than I’ll probably remember to put in this blog. Isn’t that awesome? When you have so many blessings in three days that you’re not sure if you’ll remember to write them all down?
My amazing best friend Jammie gifted me with tickets to the Joyce Meyer Love Life ’10 Conference in St. Louis for my birthday. I expected to have a good time, but God went beyond my expectations. The Devil tried to play and he FAILED.
On the four hour road trip to St. Louis from Branson I had the opportunity to enjoy laughter and great conversation with a friend who at a point in our lives wondered if our friendship would survive. There was authentic, genuine, forgiving love in that car. I was reminded of how great God’s grace was and how blessed I am to have her in my life.
We arrived at the conference to learn that others from my hometown were there. What could have been awkward for me, God turned into wholeness and peace in my soul. The wife of one of the men who sexually abused me was sitting next to me. I could have made two choices: don’t make eye contact and avoid conversation, or embrace her and let her see Jesus in me. I chose the latter. I stood in the Edward Jones Dome with 17,000 women listening to Darlene Zschech praise God with her amazing voice and tears streamed down my face as I felt freedom – true freedom. At that moment I realized I was no longer tied down to my past.
Not only that, but the first night of the conference 2,143 women stood up and gave their lives to Christ. That’s more than the population of my hometown of 1200! I was seriously lucky enough to witness that. Joyce Meyer Ministries gave away a new van, a $20,000 home renovation, makeovers, gift cards, and more. Words cannot describe what I was blessed enough to experience. You must go next year and see for yourself.
Joyce brought conviction to me as she asked, “If you can’t overcome a piece of pie, how will you overcome the devil?” John Maxwell had me wondering if I should have worn a Depends. Natalie Grant brought me to a deeper level of praise than I had experienced in a long time. Dr. Caroline Leaf reminded me that I am in control of my brain.
A man standing on the street reminded me just how cruel the world could be. As he began speaking to me and Jammie, he couldn’t stop stuttering. Then he stopped and said, “Please don’t laugh at me.” No one was laughing. We had the privilege of praying with him and embracing him. As I walked back into the air conditioned hotel room he was still standing in the street. Oh how lucky I have it!
God has shown me lavish love lately. I haven’t deserved it, yet He’s given it to me anyway. Every good and perfect gift I got this weekend was made possible by my Father in Heaven, whom I am so grateful to know.
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
So, as an intern at Table Rock Freedom Center I still have the privilege of receiving weekly sessions with the director, who by the way, is one cool chick.
Each week I sit down and talk about what I worked on the past week and what I want to improve on for the upcoming week. Last week’s topic was my priorities. I explained to Kim that I wasn’t sure if God was coming first. When I’m trying to process things out, instead of talking about them one on one, I write them out, then we discuss what I have written.
So, here’s some questions she asked me to answer:
- If you’re putting God first in your life what does that look like?
- Are you doing what is necessary to put Him first?
- If so, what would He say?
I have reflected on this over the last week and here’s the conclusion I have come to:
I don’t always put God first in my life, but I’m trying. Everyday I mess up, but everyday I grow one step closer to Him. I have been beating myself up lately thinking I wasn’t doing things the right way in the way I should seek a relationship with Him. But I think I’ve been looking at it the wrong way. How I seek God isn’t how everyone else does.
I try to start every morning off with Him, whether that’s reading the Bible, journaling, or simply praying. Some mornings I wake up with the intention to read His Word, journal and pray. But I find myself cozying up to the pillows, praying to Him for people, places, and things as I drift back and forth into consciousness between the snooze button. Guess what? That’s okay. It’s okay!
Step One For Me: Stop being so hard on myself.
What does the necessary in question two look like? There’s not a handbook. What’s necessary for me is to go to Him with EVERYTHING. Necessary is making sure I talk to him everyday, whether that’s in the shower, driving to class, playing the guitar, or simply playing a game of Sorry with friends. I talk to him all the time – that is necessary for me. What’s necessary for me is not spending a disciplined one hour every morning diligently praying, although I love it when He calls me to do so.
Step Two: I don’t have to be like everyone else.
What would God say?
I love you Sundi Jo. I love you with an everlasting love. You are not perfect, therefore you need me. Apart from me, you can do nothing. I will give you the strength you need for ALL things. Continue to trust me. Continue to talk to me, even when you’re mad – even when you aren’t making sense. I can make sense of everything you think. Fix your thoughts on me. Don’t give up. Continue to follow in obedience. Take one step at a time. Take one day at a time. I am sanctifying you. I love you when you’re happy, mad, sad, angry and overjoyed. Watch your pride and do everything possible to stay humble. Stay in my Word. Don’t try to make sense of it all at once – I will give you what you need when you need it. Did I mention I love you?
Ten months ago I met this bamboo plant for the first time. That very same day I met Leah. They both have an interesting story.
brings so much color to the room.