Encouragement

Are you called to be Small?

May 11, 2012 By Jana Driggers Leave a Comment

image via alcomm | flickr creative commons

Friends, I’d like to ask you a question today: Why do you blog?

Not “why do people in general blog” or “why do you think you should blog”, but why do YOU, really?

Each of us started with something in mind when we first took that deep breath and nervously hit ‘publish‘. Was it merely a way to share photos of baby’s adorable toothless grin with faraway relatives? A love of words and stories that needed an outlet? The need to earn extra income to support your family? A desire to connect with others?

Whatever your reason, you made the commitment to put yourself out there, and that’s no small accomplishment. But somewhere along the way, it’s easy to get caught up in the game….

For the rest of this post head over to the Allume blog and join me as we discuss why we blog.

Filed Under: Bloom In Blogging, Community, Encouragement, Identity In Christ Tagged With: Allume, blogging, connecting, dreams, encouragement, small bloggers

Becoming A Mom That I Like

May 6, 2012 By Christina Gilliland 13 Comments

The anger swells. My heart sounds beating faster and faster. I unleash my “Mommy fury” on my 3 year old while spanking and marching her up to her room. Why? Because she bit her younger sister… and hard. If there is one thing I can’t stand it is when my daughters bite each other. I see the mark the other has left on the other and it hurts me so deeply but is it worth me blowing a gasket?

No. Never.

The day I decided to give into my flesh and get so angry with my daughter is a day I would like to forget. I was ashamed and humbled because it showed my utter lack of control. Where was the Fruit of the Spirit? Where was the wisdom that can only come from the Lord? Gone and tucked away in the deep crevices of my soul. Dusty, in fact, for they had not been used in awhile. I was becoming a mom that I didn’t like…a stressed, irritable, easily-flying-off-the-handle kind of mom and I didn’t like it. I also knew if people really knew what kind of mom I was becoming that they wouldn’t like me either.

So what was I going to do?

Well the first thing I had to discover was why I was becoming so stressed. In looking back on the week’s calendar of events, I saw how busy that week had been. I had been carting my 3 and 2 year old somewhere, by myself, almost every day. That is stressful. All the things we were going to were great things like playgroups and Mom events but the constant running was getting to me. I knew that as a woman just starting her second trimester of her new pregnancy with two emotional, active little girls I already needed to take care of, that I needed to slow down!

I needed to figure out where my “trigger points” were coming from. They were mostly stemming from my two daughters’ strong-willed behavior. I almost needed to expect them to be sassy and acting out so I could anticipate it and be ready for it instead of being surprised or taken off-guard. I react much better when I already have a plan of action.

I needed to start enjoying life as a mom again. As I write this, my worship pastor husband has been gone numerous evenings and will be gone more as Easter arrives. I know I need to think of fun activities for the girls and I that don’t require a lot of running inorder to keep all our spirits up. This doesn’t mean we will stay cooped up in our house all the time but it does mean I will be more “choosy” about what going out activities we will do.

My goal is at the end of every day, when I lie my head down on the pillow, that I will be pleased at what kind of mom I was that day. I want to be loving and not irritable. I want to be carefree and not rigid. I want to be God-honoring and not void of all thoughts of Him. I want my daughters to be filled with good thoughts and not thoughts of how they didn’t measure up that day.

I want to be a mom that I like.

What about you?

When you find yourselves as a mom stressed and yelling at your children, what helps you to refocus and recharge?

What are some other helpful ways you have become a mom that you actually like?

Filed Under: Encouragement, Forgiveness, Homemaking

pruning “if we just” statements

May 3, 2012 By Rachel Martin 12 Comments

You know what I am talking about.

It’s the if we just statements.

If we just did this, we tell ourselves.
If we just lost this.
If we just got up earlier.
If we just cleaned more.
If we just spent less money.
If we just couponed more.
If we just didn’t complain.
If we just worked harder.
If we just homeschooled.
If we just sent our kids to school.
If we just had a better schedule.
If we just volunteered more.
If we just read that book.
If we just did stuff like her.
If we just, if we just, if we just…

What are we doing?

Seriously, friends, my sisters, what are we doing?

There is no ladder of motherhood success. There is no ultimate homemaker. No winner of the blogging world. No amazing wife of the year. And yet, we hold this if we just bar up high for ourselves and often cut ourselves short in what we did do.

What if we just learned to love ourselves the way the Lord sees us? Seriously. What if we worked, and we did our best, our very best, and went to bed at night feeling good about us? About our day? About our family? About what we did do?

What if we stopped asking ourselves if we just and instead defined our worth through the Lord?

We could spin and spin and spin telling ourselves if we just statements throughout our lives. We lose the real, the present, when we allow ourselves to sit in the if we just times of life. Instead of staying there — Do — Define priorities. More often then not you will discover that many of those if we just statements pull us from those that matter most. Our family. Our spouses. Our friends. We run ourselves ragged trying to keep every duck in a row, trying to keep the if we just statements at bay, and we go to bed exhausted thinking we’ll never measure up.

If we just…

Life is not meant to be lived with if we just statements defining us.

Figure out what matters most to you. Do your very best.

Sisters, again, do your very best. Wake up in the morning, dedicate your day to the Lord, move through your day, doing your best.

And do not not let if you just define you – prune that this spring.

Instead, let the Lord define you.

And that? That is beautiful.

Filed Under: Encouragement, Grace, Identity In Christ, Renewing The Mind, Sisterhood

Facing The Storms Of Life

May 1, 2012 By Cyndi Spivey 7 Comments

I have to tell you, I’m not crazy about spring storms.

We’ve already had several tornadoes throughout our state that have left a lot of devastation.

Springs storms are a part of life, but I believe we face other storms in life and it’s important we know that Jesus is in control.

Death, divorce, financial difficulties, family problems, health issues~~all of these can be devastating storms.

Mark 4:39 says, “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”

I’m reminded in this passage of scripture, that no matter what storms come our way, Jesus is in control.

As Christians, we are never promised a life free of storms.

But knowing we have Jesus to help us through them, makes all the difference!

Here are some important things to remember when storms come your way:

1. Storms are inevitable!

We all have them and we need to be prepared.

That’s why it’s so important for us to spend time in God’s word every day.

When the storms come, and they will come, we are already in the habit of seeking Him daily.

2. Storms are unpredictable.

One day everything can be sunny and perfect and the next day we have a crisis. So where do you turn?

3. Storms are impartial.

For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45

We all face them. None of us are exempt.

4. Storms build our strength.

I don’t know about you, but the times I have grown the closest to Christ are through the storms.

The storms in my life have changed me and reminded me how much I need Jesus.

5. We need to be in the boat with Jesus.

We know storms will come so the best place to be is with Him.

Maybe the boat doesn’t seem safe to us, but if Jesus is in the boat, that’s right where we need to be.

Okay, I don’t like storms, but I do know they are a part of this journey and I choose to face them with Jesus.

What storms are you facing today? We would be honored to pray for you.

Filed Under: Encouragement, Fear, Hope

No Condemnation

April 24, 2012 By Cherie Froelich 33 Comments

Do you have any of these in your bathroom cabinet? Something you need to take every day to stay healthy? Me too. I’ve had to be on the same medication now for over 16 years. I don’t anticipate that changing in my lifetime.

What ailment do you need to medicate? High blood pressure? Allergies? Heart problems? Blood thinner? Diabetes? HIV? Cancer?

With most sicknesses or diseases, we certainly never planned to have to be on medication for the rest of our lives. But knowing that it is what is best for our bodies, that is what we do.

My medication is for depression. I know my body can’t produce the necessary chemicals for me to stay healthy, so I depend on my medication to do that for me.

Did your thoughts just change when I told you what my medication was for?

Sisters, please hear me. Our christian world has developed some judgment about this issue and it has spread like wildfire, hurting those who need help in the worst way. I’ve heard countless stories of women who secretly take medication for depression, hiding from shame and judgment brought on by other people who look down on this condition.

If we don’t judge those who are medicating their bodies for other diseases like cancer, HIV, or diabetes why do we judge about depression? It has been proven over and over again that this is a chemical imbalance in the brain. Once damage has been done in this area of the brain, it can never repair itself to full health. Meaning, once someone has experienced depression, they will be vulnerable for the rest of their life.

Please understand me when I say that I completely understand that sometimes depression is linked to a faith issue. I know this to be true. But I also know that we don’t meet any other faith issue with judgment and condemnation…we meet it with encouragement and support, doing everything we can to help a sister in need.

Like any other medical condition, please encourage a friend to make a doctor appointment to get help with their depression. It can be deadly. When our minds are not functioning correctly, we can make poor decisions. Satan speaks in loud voices that seem frighteningly real. Pray, pray and pray some more for your friend, that God will carry her in her time of need, that her family will care for her and love her unconditionally, that her church family will embrace and care for her through it all.

Know the signs of depression:

you can’t sleep or you sleep too much
persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings
loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable
you can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult
you feel hopeless and helpless
you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try
you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating
you are much more irritable, short-tempered, or aggressive than usual
you’re consuming more alcohol than normal or engaging in other reckless behavior
you have thoughts that life is not worth living (Seek help immediately if this is the case)

Friends, I hope you can tell that this subject is near and dear to my heart. I’ve been in the deep pit of despair several times. My family and friends were of great support and comfort to me. If you are feeling any of these signs of depression, please seek help. There is no shame in this disease.

I’m walking proof, that through a small dose of medication every day (Thank you Lord), I can carry on with life, the abundant life, that Christ has promised.

Don’t miss out on it!

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Romans 8:1

Filed Under: Encouragement

Change and Acceptance

April 19, 2012 By Eryn Hall 11 Comments

I’m not who I was.

Eight years ago, my life was very different than the one I live today. If you knew me back then, you knew a girl who was selfish, immature, careless. Oh sure, I was nice and fun, I had friends and busied myself with stuff. But there was no purpose to my moments other than to do whatever pleased me. Even though I knew about God and gave my life to Him as a teenager, I wasn’t living my life for Him. I’d heard the story of Jesus, but my prayers were only sent up on an as-needed basis, and truthfully, it was more like begging.

And then, about 8 years ago, I opened myself to a relationship and fell in love with the Lord. I read all about Him, learned all about His ways. I determined in my heart to live in a way pleasing to Him. And my life changed. I was changed.

I looked the same on the outside, yet my behaviors were different. I was still a nice and fun girl, maybe nicer? And my fun became the good, careful, guilt-free kind. I thought about myself less and of others more. The closer I got to Jesus, the more I learned to know and express forgiveness, hope, grace, and unconditional love. I want to serve Him and I want people to get a glimpse of Jesus when they see me.

My life is very different now. Jesus is in every moment of every day. My prayer life is an ongoing dialog and I’m constantly praising Him. My life is different because it is tethered to Jesus Christ and God, now and forever.

There are some people in my life, though, that refuse to accept the changed me. They see me now, acting in a manner that seems foreign. Because they knew the old me, maybe they think I’m faking this new life. They hear me speaking the truth or praying God’s Word, and they shrug, thinking this “trend” I’ve caught on to will eventually pass and I’ll be back to the Eryn they knew. But, thank God, I’m not going back to who I was. I’ve been set free by God’s amazing grace.

And it’s hard to explain. This is the Eryn they knew, only now she lives with purpose. Now she has a light on the inside, a promise. Now she has a grasp on what this life is all about. It’s still me!

I can’t avoid my friends and loved ones who are waiting for me to change back. And I certainly can’t run in circles trying to prove my new self. All I can do is continue to live this life for God, be my new self confidently, and be an example to those around me. Even if the new me is not accepted by the people who knew me before, I know it’s okay to be changed.

It’s okay to be changed. I am accepted by Jesus.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

“God chose us to belong to Christ before the world was created. He chose us to be holy and without blame in his eyes. He loved us. So he decided long ago to adopt us as his children. He did it because of what Jesus Christ has done. It pleased God to do it. All those things bring praise to his glorious grace. God freely gave us his grace because of the One he loves.”

Ephesians 1:1-6 NIRV

image source

Filed Under: Encouragement, Freedom In Christ, Grace, Identity In Christ, Salvation

When You’ve Run Dry

April 11, 2012 By Ashlie Oestreich 36 Comments

Sometimes, it’s all I can do just to show up.

My days are often packed to the brim, even if half of it is just the lists and expectations inside my head to do it all.

I glance around the table, and there is that awkward half-second where I’m not sure where to sit, or where I’d feel the most welcome. I’m not sure why, because I’ve known these girls for what seems like a long time, and shouldn’t we all be able to let down our hair and feel comfy without an introduction?

But, it’s been a while. Too long.

Our fingers wrap around steaming mugs, and we trade stories. The air is light, but really – I want to go deep. I don’t always know how to get there, but my soul craves it. Not just a rundown of the latest sale or the best recipe. No, I’m empty, tired, and worn thin. I’ve been pouring out much longer than my meager supply gives, and I’m bone dry. My heart feels the drought, and I pray for rain.

I’ve both looked forward to and dreaded this all day because I know how much I need it, it makes me cry to feel the loneliness in a crowd. And yet I dread it because it scares me to death. I don’t want to disappoint, and I don’t to leave disappointed. I want to reach out to others, and I need a hand to grasp mine, too – but somehow reaching that short distance across the table becomes miles long and my heart doesn’t have the strength. It’s just easier to sit back, and be comfy in my shell. To smile, nod, laugh at all the right times, and say, “I’m good, how about you?”

The coffee shop ambience envelopes us. We talk about church, and showing God’s love to the needy. Ideas for outreach and missionary trips. Good stuff, really and truly, because those things are important.

There is a lull in the conversation, and the echo of hearts beating dry and thirsty becomes loud. We all know it. We’ve seen it in each other’s eyes, but our insecurities hold us back from joining hands. Somehow in our Christian walk we’ve been fooled into thinking that showing weakness or emotion equates lack of faith and immaturity.

She swallows hard, takes a deep breath, and speaks soft and brave,

“You know, I love all of you, and I know you love me, but do we really know each other? Do we know what’s going on? Do we know how we hurt? We’re sitting here talking about how to love one another and help those in need. Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m just as needy as anyone we might hope to reach out to.”

Thud. The walls begin to fall fast.

Tension releases, shoulders sag instead of feigning strength, and breath catches.

Another girl shares, open and raw. Hearts soften and hands reach across the table. Eyes become wet and burdens are spread from weary shoulders, lightening the load for all.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2

I’m convicted and I see my pride that has stood in the way of connecting. I so wanted to have it together, but in doing so I’d nearly fallen apart. I need them, His agents of grace and love like rain. He weaves our hearts together through the baring of souls, and it’s breathtaking. My eyes blur with tears, too, and He is there in our midst, pouring His love into us by His Spirit working through one another. It’s beautiful, and I drink it in. Right there, in midst of overhead music, the distant whir of the espresso machine and soft chatter…the burdens lift, the rain pours down, and we are filled.

I love that my friend was brave enough to step out, humble herself, and break through the walls of pride that keep us silent. I’m sure it blessed her to share, but it blessed the rest of us more to share in her struggle.

Because, after all, how are we to bear one another’s burdens – to pour out and receive His love into dried hearts – if all we talk about is the weather?

I don’t want to just talk about the rain.

I want to dance in it, splash in it, drink it in, and be filled.

Are you lonely or dry and feeling the need for His rain? Your soul is welcome here…how can we pray for you?