by | Life Application
Don’t you love that when God begins to change our hearts, old habits and behaviors start to dissappear? You celebrate and rejoice that the old things in you that weren’t so appealing have vanished. But then… one day that old you peeks around the corner for a minute and takes you by surprise.
Joyce Meyer recently said something that fit this well: “That old man dies and we think we got him buried, but we still drag him around in a coffin just in case we need him.”
Do we ever really get rid of the old us, or do we just bury it until we think we need him? The other day the old me popped up and frankly, I didn’t like it. I opened the wooden box, let the old man out and bam! When all was said and done, I was not impressed. As a matter of fact, I felt like a fool.
A few days later I was processing with a friend and she told me that “I hadn’t made for a nice SJ.” Those words I could handle, but when she told me I had lost my gentleness, I stopped in my tracks. My heart hurt. Working to be gentle has been a struggle throughout my life, and to know that I failed at doing so saddened me. It saddened me because my lack of gentleness hurt others.
Honestly, grace and mercy are not my strongpoints. I am a rough around the edges kinda gal, but God has turned me into a teddy bear. However, when the old man came out of the coffin, the teddy bear was gone. I’m not okay with that. I’m not okay with letting the “old man” creep up. Her words brought me back to the reality that I’m a work in progress – a constant work in progress. We all are.
But, as Joyce says, “I’m not where I need to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be.”
Have you experienced the old man coming back?
by | Life Application
Wouldn’t you agree?
I recently visited a newly built apartment complex in Branson, and was excited to take a tour. However, my excitement quickly went away.
As my mom and I walked into the lobby of the office, we stood waiting to be greeted while the young lady behind the desk glanced up quickly, then looked back at the people sitting in her office and continued to talk. Red Mark #1.
We sat on the couches waiting, and waiting some more. After the individuals left, surely you would assume we would be greeted. I am learning to never assume. From across the lobby as the Property Manager sat in her office and we sat in the hall, she shouted, “Can I help you?” She didn’t get up out of her chair; we went to her. Red Mark #2.
After my mother gave me the “calm down” look we toured the model. Impressed with the layout and all the ammenities that went along with it, I was still turned off by the initial greeting from none other than the person hired to manage and market these newly designed apartments. If I’m going to pay you almost $1000, would it kill you to greet me with a smile? Just curious.
Does customer service exist anymore?
by | Life Application
So, I want to tell you about a new ministry launching soon. It’s called LeadHer. The name itself catches your attention eh?
Here’s the mission: to encourage, educate, equip, and exemplify biblical leadership for women so they can have a stronger impact within their spheres of influence.
What’s exciting about this new ministry, which officially launches in May, is that there are some amazing Godly women involved, a few I happen to have the privilege of walking with in my faith.
Here are just a few:
Christi Love, the Executive Director/CEO of LeadHer, and time management expert. Christie was a guest on the Living Truth Radio Show, where she shared her time management expertise with us.
Jennifer White, who serves on the marketing team for a Christian publishing company, comes on board as a speaker and writer. I’m thrilled beyond words how God will use her to impact the lives of others. She is a picture of God’s grace to all who meet her. I recently blogged about God’s love shining through her here.
Lyn Smith, Bible teacher, speaker, writer, and co-host of our Living Truth show, will be speaking and writing about God’s truth as well. It’s gonna be exciting!
The list doesn’t stop there. Visit the LeadHer Facebook page for more information and updates on what’s happening in this unique ministry.
by | Life Application
So, in case you missed it, I spent the month of February doing an experiment. I vowed to wake up every morning and say out loud, “Something great is gonna happen today!” Not only that, but it was the first thing I posted to Twitter and Facebook everyday. I give credit to Joyce Meyer for inspiring me to do so.
As I have been struggling through some health issues, I decided I could keep that from getting me down, and I could still expect great things to happen, regardless of my situation. So, I journaled my experience. For the record, I didn’t plan on the experiment being in the shortest month of the year, but that’s how it happened.
- 2/1 – Received a text message from a friend that read, “You know I love you and believe in you.”
- 2/2 – Had a heart to heart discussion with my pastor, which led to an amazing feeling of safety.
- 2/3 – Spent time with the girls from the Table Rock Freedom Center and wrote another chapter in my book.
- 2/4 – Had coffee with a friend and spent two hours talking about God’s grace and amazing love.
- 2/5 – Spoke God’s bold truth to a family member – part of God’s radical faith. Hugged and laughed with a friend I hadn’t been able to do that with in a long time.
- 2/6 – Allowed myself to be very vulnerable and open regarding my past.
- 2/7 – As I was sick in bed, my mom rubbed my feet and painted my toenails.
- 2/8 – Got a great care package in the mail from a supporter and saw black in my checkbook.
- 2/9 – Received prayer and calls from friends to check on me. Had an intimate day with Jesus. And a friend commented that she was loving my book.
- 2/10 – I had a complete night’s sleep. This, my friends, is a big deal!
- 2/11 – Had an amazing lunch with a friend where we were both open and vulnerable. I also received a text message that morning from a friend that confirmed God’s love for me. I blogged about it here.
- 2/12 – Spent the afternoon with my writing team and put the finishing touches on my book proposal.
- 2/13 – Listened to an amazing sermon from Shannon O’ Dell at Brand New Church. Amazing! I blogged about it here too.
- 2/14 – Had an amazing talk with my step-dad. God showed up and spoke Scripture through me I wasn’t even aware I knew.
- 2/15 – Received some great words of encouragement and refused to feel discouraged because it was my dad’s birthday.
- 2/16 – Had an amazing show with Shelley Hendrix, realizing I am not on God’s B-list.
- 2/17 – Received an unexpected check in the mail from a family member.
- 2/18 – Got to surprise Caleb for his 10th birthday.
- 2/19 – Made an open confession to a friend.
- 2/20 – Had the opportunity to share my testimony at a church.
- 2/21 – Spent the day with God learning to overcome.
- 2/22 – I didn’t have to take a nap today!
- 2/23 – Spent over four hours on my Algebra homework, but I finally walked away with an understanding. I reminded myself that I am not enough, but He is.
- 2/24 – Actually helped someone with their Algebra homework. That’s only from God folks.
- 2/25 – Each woman at the Table Rock Freedom Center prayed over my book proposal before putting it in the mail.
- 2/26 – Stayed in God’s peace despite not feeling well.
- 2/27 – Comforted by an amazing nurse in the emergency room with a great story. I blogged about it yesterday here.
- 2/28 – Was comforted by my sweet, caring mother during a rough day of doctor’s appointments.
Here’s what I learned: despite the fact that different tests and trials come, that doesn’t mean we can’t see the good that comes from them. I had some rough days in the month of February, but something GREAT still happened. This convinces me that we have the opportunity to find the good in every situation. Wouldn’t you agree?
Tell me something great that is happening in your life today.
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
A couple weeks ago I spent my Sunday afternoon in the emergency room. It wasn’t my funnest moment, but I certainly saw God in it.
My nurse, let’s call him, Isaiah, was a pretty incredible guy. I immediately looked at him and knew there was a story behind the man. He had burn scars all over both arms. We began chatting as he hooked me up to this and that, and he began to tell his story.
There was an earthquake and the building he was in exploded. His body was immediately burned. He died.
“Then,” he said, “I saw the white light. I heard the most beautiful wind. I heard the waves crashing on the shore. I heard peace. Then I heard God say, ‘Isaiah, it’s not time for you yet.’ Then I woke up.”
Wow! He spoke with a gentle, soft voice as he told the story. You could see the peace in his eyes as he recaptured the event in his mind.
Then he explained that sometimes he has to ask God why in the world He brought him back to earth, especially as this world gets more crazy everyday.
I said outloud before thinking, “Wow! That’s a tease. You almost get to heaven, and then He sends you back. Bummer.”
Before leaving the room to get supplies, he stopped, turned around and asked, “Can I pray with you?” Duh! Like I would say no. The man talked to God once. Please feel free to pray over me. I accept. He did. It was amazing. He didn’t care who was looking, who was in the room, or what other people walking by thought of him. He followed God’s call and prayed with a sick patient. That is boldness in my book.
Have you been teased by God or know someone who has?
by | Life Application
I was having lunch with a friend the other day and we were talking about small towns. I am from a small town, population approximately 1200. We don’t have a stop light, but we do have a flashing yellow light. One of the biggest things to ever hit my hometown was the opening of Subway.
As a small child I always dreamed of something bigger. I knew there was bigger world out there and someday I would find it. However, many people in my path tried to squelch those dreams. “You’re gonna stay here forever like the rest of us,” some would say. “Stop dreaming and get a job.” “Come back to reality Sundi Jo.”
Though many people tried to put the fire of my dreams out, deep inside that flame never completely went out. As chidlren, my friends and I would sit around and talk about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wanted to be famous, or a vetenarian, depending on the day. Some of my friends wanted to be teachers. Some of them simply said they wanted to be a wife and a mom. I thought that was the craziest thing ever!
As we got older, we still talked about our dreams. We would lounge around in our pajamas at a slumber party and talk about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wanted to be a writer. Some still wanted to teach. And some still just wanted to be a wife.
Where would we live? I wanted to be as far away from my hometown as possible. When others would say they wanted to buy a house and
settle there, my lip would curl and so many questions would come to my mind. Why? Why would anyone want to stay? “There’s bigger things out there,” I would proclaim. One particular friend always said, “I don’t want bigger things. Being here with my family is what I want.” For years I never understood.
Here I sit, ten years after graduation, writing. I’m still pursuing my dreams, and the road has been rough in doing so, mainly because I kept trying to do it myself without God’s help. Those friends who had the same dreams I did ten years ago are fulfilling theirs as well. They still live in my hometown. They are wives. They are mothers.
I realized recently that I too had squelched their dreams, just like those who had told me to stop dreaming outside of my hometown. What is dreaming big? It doesn’t have to be living in some high-rise in the city, writing a best-selling novel, and having sushi for dinner. It doesn’t have to be as the CEO of some multi-million dollar company. It doesn’t have to be graduating with a Master’s degree. Big dreams can be simple, such as being the best mother and wife you can be.
I am guilty of trying to blow out their flames, just as those who tried to blow mine out. C-o-n-v-i-c-t-e-d!
Dream Big! No matter what that dream is.
What is your BIG dream?
Don’t you love that when God begins to change our hearts, old habits and behaviors start to dissappear? You celebrate and rejoice that the old things in you that weren’t so appealing have vanished. But then… one day that old you peeks around the corner for a minute and takes you by surprise.
