Hoping to Gain by Defining Beauty

I began a new bible study this week; and in an effort to help me process what I read, I want to write down my thoughts after each chapter. If you're interested in learning more about the study, click this link

or watch some videos at this link.

I was excited to start this study, hoping to gain some biblical insight and understand what His Word says about the body...then I read the first chapter's discussion questions. My mind swirled and my heart sank. I was going to have to dig deep, truly soul search, if I wanted to gain and glean. The hardest part of growing is the pruning; the clipping back of our beliefs & experiences, so we flourish in Truth and into the beautiful creation He intended.

The most difficult questions for me are the last two of chapter one:

How would you define beauty?

What do you hope to gain through this study?

Define Beauty 

Hmm...do I give the Christianese answer, or the world's viewpoint answer? I turned to my daughter and her friend, and asked them. They are fourteen, and regularly inundated with the obsession of chasing beauty. Their responses were a little surprising, and encouraging:  

Confident

Truthful

Helpful

I have so much to learn! They are looking beyond the surface, and deep into the hearts of the people they admire. 

Hoping to Gain

Not until I prayed about this question, did I realize I still had body image issues. I honestly thought for the most part I had dealt with the history of living life in this flesh He fashioned specifically for me. As I shared with my group what I hoped to gain from this study, tears from deep down bubbled up to the surface...and I'm not a crier by nature. 

My hope is to once-and-for-all truly believe in the depths of my soul that I am who the I AM says I am. I want to KNOW - without any doubt - that all those verses I quote to my children and sisters and friends are intended for me, too. 

Psalm 139:14

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

Job 10:10-12

You guided my conception
    and formed me in the womb.
11 You clothed me with skin and flesh,
    and you knit my bones and sinews together.
12 You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love.
    My life was preserved by your care.

Genesis 1:26-27

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” 

So God created human beings in his own image.
    In the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

So today, I begin earnest prayer. As I seek the Truth of beauty, I seek His transformation of my perceptions on this subject and a willing heart prepared to accept what He shows me in this journey. May my desires for the perfect body, instead match His desires for me to glorify Him with the body I've been given. It's time to move and grow. 

How do you define beauty?

Does the way you view your body

inhibit your walk with God?

The Journey to Steady

Click image to link up to FMF "Steady"

To participate in Five Minute Friday, all you have to do is write for five minutes on the word of the week, post your words on your own blog, and link up the post here.  This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Today's prompt:  STEADY

People often ask me how I manage the life I've been given. There is so much I don't share on this blog. You, reader, only get to see the glimmer I allow you to view. Today, I'll share just a little bit more personal than I usually do. I know I won't be able to go in depth because of time allowances, but here is a glimpse...

BEGIN...

Almost a decade ago, my dearest declined in health which forced a retirement from his career twenty-five years before he planned. It shifted the axis of our world, throwing our entire family off-kilter while we figured out our new life. 

We were a self-reliant couple. One of the qualities that first drew me to him was his quiet, inner strength. He worked hard, played hard, and I just knew he was the one God intended for me to spend with my days on this earth. 

I'm just as independent as my best friend, my love, my husband. We typically didn't turn to others when something went awry. We figured it out and went about fixing or doing what needed done. 

When life as we knew it came to a halt, we were thrown into a stunning new scenario. Life's dreams were ceased. Career pursuits halted, and honestly, we had no idea where we were going or what we were to be doing. 

And that has become the biggest blessing in our lives. 

Because these self-reliant, independent creatures we were suddenly had nowhere to turn ...except to our God. We learned to truly rely on Him. He is where we could draw strength. He is our might. He is the Source.

When the storms of life toss us, instead of flailing our arms helplessly about, we choose to lift them up, knowing He will be there to grab hold. He is our STEADY.

...STOP

We are forever grateful for the journey He's given us. 

We praise Him for showing us how to rely on Him.

The Need for Approval

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? 
Or am I trying to please man?
If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10

Let me just start out by saying, 'This is not a soapbox rant.' ツ 

I've been feeling this pull for a few days now. A pull to unplug from the quick-connect of social media for a while. While I dearly love Twitter (and now Instagram!), there's this need deep inside my heart to step away from all the tweets, retweets, likes, and hearts. 

After reading Galatians 1 this week, verse 10 leapt off the page. Now, I know I'm taking the verse a bit out of context to apply it to my situation (Paul is talking about his preaching the Gospel); however, hear me out. 

I like all the likes and hearts. I enjoy seeing how many people my posts reach. I truly love to encourage others by sharing my thoughts on His Word. But lately, I've had to stop and ask myself...

Am I doing this my glory or for His?

And that's where the need to step away and post less frequently applies to me. The change came about when I acquired one of those 'smart' phones. Social media was within reach whenever I wanted to look...and I've been looking too much. My nose has been glued to that little screen at times...and I don't like that. I like to experience life as it happens. I want to experience life as it happens. 

So, I deliberately removed all those fun little apps, and turned my phone back into its intended purpose...to connect with my teens and family and friends via text or (gasp!) a voice call. 

It's only been a few days, but I already feel so much better. My heart doesn't feel the need to see who liked what. I am more focused in my Quiet Time. Instead of reading and subconsciously thinking, "Now, which part of that verse/quote should I share?" I am intentionally centralizing my thoughts to, "Father, what are you speaking to me?"

While I'm not giving up on social media all together, I plan on you seeing me less frequently. I'm looking forward to going down this path He has set...though I won't be sharing much about it. ツ Relying on Him to show me the way. 

How does social media
affect your day-to-day life?

A Simple, yet Transforming Gift this Season

I originally posted this idea in 2014, on my former blog, Seams Inspired.

I've been thinking about many friends who could use a little love in their lives, 

so thought I'd share it again here just in case you need a quick gift this Christmas Season.

Two Dollars, Two Hours, Transform a Life

This idea has been pressing my heart for a few months.

It all started late last summer when I met a precious teen girl. She'd give bits and snippets about her life to me, her vivacious zeal drawing me in and causing remembrances of my youth when anything seemed possible. You remember those moments of wanting to emerge from the group? To stand out from the crowd and show the world you're a unique individual.

It's hard to be different

when you want to be accepted by your peers.

Her story is not mine to share, so I won't go into the details. I only know from the moment I met her, I felt compelled to pour love onto her and into her heart. She needs to know how beautiful she is, how unconditionally loved she is, how her uniqueness is celebrated by Him. 

I'm almost ashamed to admit how long I've been hearing Him telling me to do this. It's been months. I finally took the time to act on His prompt.

This project won't take much money or much time to complete, yet its heart effects will last a lifetime.

Pretty Container & Colorful Index Cards
$1 each from Dollar Tree

With the help of Biblegateway, I searched for Bible verses that had 'LORD says' in them. There are hundreds. While many won't apply because they are used by the prophets and seem woeful, there are more than enough for this project. 

Next I searched 'LOVE' followed by 'GRACE'. In under 2 hours, my intentions of having a month's worth of bible 'He Loves Me' verses was fulfilled. Actually, I was enjoying the process so much, I lost count while writing, and ended up with over 40 cards. 

Each card is handwritten with one verse and a catch. To make it truly personal, the person's name is inserted into the verse. Sometimes I think we forget the Bible is one giant Love Note written to each of us individually. For this reason, I believe it's incredibly important to personalize the verses as well as write them by hand. I know typing them up might seem quicker or easier, but taking the time...under 2 hours...to write by hand exemplifies you care.

~ Love Always, God

And something I didn't expect happened along the way of creating this little love basket of notes. 

As I wrote out cards,
I had my own heart-transforming connection with Him. 

I realized again His love, His grace, His peace; and THAT my friends, is priceless.

This Season, how will you show

others they are loved?

If you'd like to create your own version of the LOVE ALWAYS cards,

here's a little FREE PDF 'cheat sheet' you can download:

 Love Always, God

Patience and a Tub of Cool Whip

Image Source

Has anyone ever told you we shouldn't pray for patience? Well, yeah, I forgot that today as I was shopping for groceries.

I don't know about you, but going to the grocery is the least of my favorite weekly tasks. I have three teenagers, two of them boys, who are bottomless pits. We can quickly go through some food!

The shopping went easily enough. I scanned my list, dropped items into my cart, and ticked off tally-marks to stay within budget. (Sidenote:  I only take cash with me to the grocery. It's a fantastic way to keep Oreos out of the cart!) 

I was finished fairly fast with all the aisles, and came upon a long line with only one cashier. Inwardly sighing, I resolved to simply wait with patience.  I'm working on living out this verse, Ephesians 4:2 and have trouble remembering and following it! 

After a few minutes, another cashier opened her station and motioned over the next-in-line customer. She pushed her cart, brimming with groceries, to form the new line. Slowly, one-at-a-time, she pulls each item from the cart onto the conveyor. At this point, I'm having an inner-discussion going something like this: 

"Deep breath, Larri. You're not in any hurry today. 

You have nowhere to go except home to unload these groceries.

You're not on a deadline.

Maybe this lady is just enjoying being out and about around people." 

followed up with:

"Lord, please help me keep my patience in check."

God must have had His ear right ready to hear that prayer. In the next moment, as I have forced a pleasant look upon my face, the lady turns her focus past the next-in-line, and eyeballs me. She shouts in a very thick drawl, "Could you grab me some Cool Whip?"

I was a bit taken aback, mostly because I was still praying for patience.

I managed to squeak, "Beg pardon?"

She smiled and persisted, "You know...Cool Whip. The frozen whipped cream in the tub?" 

The cashier sort of had a look of horror on her face at the audacity. Pointing, she meekly said to me, "It's just over there next to the ice cream."

Finally, my brain engaged with the rest of me, and I said, "Sure! Be right back."

I scurried back to the frozen section, pulled out a tub of Cool Whip, and handed it up the line. The lady hollered back, "Thanks, hon!"

And I just laughed all the way home, thanking God for the giggle.

I prayed for patience...and He gave me a right nice test of it. 

How has your patience been tested this week?

How did you respond in that moment?

The Gospel of Your Life

John 20:30-31

KJV:  And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

NLT:  The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe[a] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

The following post is from Pastor John Patterson's "Thought of the Day from God's Word," and is used with his permission. The emphasis on certain sentences are mine, because they stood out to me. After reading it, I have found myself dwelling on the questions he poses, especially the last one. I thought you might enjoy pondering it, too. 

Have you ever considered why the gospels written?  What was the intent of the human author?  Why did he include the information he shared?  

Many people have gone to school and have learned that each of the gospel writers presented Jesus differently.  Matthew presented Jesus as the King.  Mark showed Jesus as the Servant of God.  Luke portrayed Jesus as the Son of Man, while John revealed Jesus as the Son of God.  While all these descriptions and portrayals of Jesus are accurate that does not answer the opening question:  why were the gospels written?

In the passage above, John answers that question for his readers.  In reality he answers the question posed earlier.  Notice verse 31 again.  John writes,

 "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name."

John wrote his gospel so that men and women might come to believe (trust, have faith in) Jesus the Messiah, who was none other that the Son of God, and that they might come to have life (eternal, spiritual, true, in essence the life which God always wanted them to have).  This was John's purpose in writing his gospel (good news) and it is God's purpose for His Word. 

This is also the reason we share Jesus with others. 

Not to get another notch on our spiritual belts.  Not to get slapped on the back by other people, but simply to see people come to know Jesus as their Savior and for them to gain eternal life.

Those who are God's children are writing a gospel.

 They do so by how they live their lives.  So the question before each of us today is this, how is your gospel writing coming along?  What is the purpose behind your writing?  Are you sharing Jesus?  Is your desire for them to know God and have eternal life?  The answer you give should help you to know how you should proceed in the days ahead!  

What does the writing of your life say about Jesus?

One Soul Away

Did you ever stop & ponder this... 

We're just one soul away from His return

We're awaiting that pre-ordained moment for the last name to be written into the Book of Life...when someone recognizes the need for a Savior, acknowledges they are a sinner, and calls upon His Name for salvation. 

If that's all it takes ...

WHY are we not sharing Him with others?

Go be the hands and feet of Jesus today.

Shine Light in the Darkness

Matthew 5:16

Give Undeserved Grace & Mercy

Ephesians 4:32

Praise Him Out Loud

Psalm 66:8

Say It Again

I don't usually go willy-nilly through my Bible, though today as I opened the Good Book, the pages flipped open to Ezekiel 28. Before I continued to my intended daily reading, my eyes caught these words:

In the pride of your heart...but you are a man and not a god...

Well, I just couldn't stop there! I had to keep reading. Although this particular prophecy was intended for the King of Tyre, and the  I know I can see myself described in those words. 

Pride...man, that will get me every single time. It's so easy to get puffed up, especially on social media. All those thumbs-up, hearts, retweets, and 'likes' can make a heart swell, can't they? Those moments of pride, or self-centeredness, are when we rely on ourselves instead of relying on God. We put 'me' in front of 'He,' and then life gets muddled. 

As I kept reading, I noticed God is repeating these words:

Then they will know...

that I AM the LORD

that I AM the SOVEREIGN LORD

that I AM the LORD THEIR GOD

He says it over and over, again and again. When He repeats words and phrases, that's our signal to really pay attention. All His words are important, though His repeated words are meant to make us take notice. 

It occurred to me, there are so many...a world of people who choose not to know Him now. They won't know Him until prophecy is fulfilled. They won't know Him until it is too late. How sad that day will be for them. 

To wait to know the I AM...the LORD...the SOVEREIGN LORD...the LORD THEIR GOD...

                  oh, please don't wait to know Him.

Even if you say you don't believe in God, or you believe in another deity, and especially if you are unsure of a higher being; open a Bible and find out Who He is. Prove to yourself your convictions of no God are true. Affirm your beliefs in your deity. Be assured in truly knowing there is or isn't a higher being. 

What is the harm in finding out for yourself? There is nothing to lose in reading a Bible. In fact, if you open your heart to the idea, I venture you will gain indescribable peace in knowing Him. 

What are you reading today?

Check out the sidebar for a few links to help you easily discover I AM.

Then You Will Know

I read the book of Joel this morning. 

Have you ever read it?

I've read it before; however, the prophetic words have never resonated with me as they did today. The world is in such turmoil right now, and a big change feels...palpable is the best I can describe it. For me, Joel's words confirm what my spirit feels. As I read, here's what stood out to me...

Chapter 1

"...listen, all you who live in the land..."

"Tell it to your children..."

"A nation has invaded my land, powerful and without number..."

"Despair...you vine growers...because the harvest of the field is destroyed."

"Surely the joy of mankind is withered away."

"...cry out to the LORD."

Chapter 2

"Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm..."

"...the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand..."

"The LORD thunders at the head of His army..."

"...and mighty are those who obey His command."

"...RETURN TO ME with ALL YOUR HEART..."

"Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice..."

"...you will praise the name of the LORD your God..."

"...never again will my people be shamed..."

"And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved..."

Chapter 3

"For the day of the LORD is near..."

"The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine..."

"But the LORD will be a refuge for His people..."

"Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion..."

I don't really have anything to add. 

Some will read this, and think, "What a nutter she is!" 

Others will read it and might search for answers. You might read this and wonder for yourself what I'm writing about. If you don't believe in Him, I encourage you to pick up a Bible and read it cover to cover.

Ask the hard questions while you read it.

Prove my belief misguided, and your thinking is what is true.

I look forward to hearing about your discovery, no matter what you find.

As for me, today I choose Him.

What will your choice be?

Who Do You Say I Am?

Then He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Created using Tagul.
This and more Bible Verse WordArt can be found here.

Even though it's written in plain terminology, in black and white, exposed on the paper in the easiest words to understand, there are many who still do not know who Jesus really is. 

Do you call Him Messiah? Or is He just a figure from history to you? Is He the Son of God to you, or is He simply a good example of how we should all treat one another? Have you examined His life by reading about Him in a bible?

To me, He is Jesus - Eternal Life Giver, Light of My Heart, Redeemer, Savior, Worthy of all my Praise. Though I also know He is my Friend, I'm still working on that relationship. It's hard for me to view Him as such. 

My heart knows what my head can't grasp. 

As my daughter once told me when she was about 5 or 6  years old, explaining salvation:  "You don't gotta understand it, Momma. You just gotta believe it."

Who do you say He is?

Happy Wednesday!

Forgiven - A Haiku and A Dream

When I really dwell upon the crucifixion of Jesus, it is difficult to process...because I become completely overwhelmed by the thought of His enduring pain. All my sin, heaped upon His body in such a bloody manner: 

Flesh torn into and ripped open by whips,

thorns driven deep into His tender head, 

hands and feet gruesomely driven into by iron spikes

a chest spear-punctured 

Because I chose to sin, even in the tiniest of ways.

Because I could not follow the commands of God.

Because I needed a Savior.

I am simply overwhelmed.

I wanted to share with you, this dream I've had a few times over the past five or so years.

I am standing in the presence of Jesus. He is dressed in a white robe. We are just chatting about inconsequential things when I realize His hands are a bloody mess. They are gory, as I can see shreds of skin, intricate bone, sinewy inner parts. I am horrified, yet quizzical. Why does He have these wounds? He takes my hand, allows me to touch the pierced, gaping flesh, and then looks at me with a gentle, loving smile upon His face and says,

"That was for you."

It's then that I awaken. I'm always humbled to have this dream. I feel as though He visits me in dream as a gentle reminder to keep looking to Him, keep pointing others to Him. 

That precious moment when He chose to die for me,

I am ever-grateful. 

What are your thoughts on Good Friday?

Justice For All

I'm studying Exodus 23:1-4, 6-9 this week, the Laws of Justice and Mercy. These are the rules handed down from God to Moses, who in turn decreed them to the Israelites. People seem to get hung up on all the rules instead of looking at the big picture of what the Old Testament really is.

I believe the books of the Old Testament is an account of God in His great love showing His people exactly how much they need Him. There is no earthly, man-made way to follow all the rules He gave. 

You cannot rely on yourself. 

You must rely on Him.

You NEED a Savior.

Okay. I got a little sidetracked...but I needed to be write it. :) Back to Exodus 23...

The Seat of Thought and Desire

So I'm studying Psalm 46 for a Sunday school lesson. It's probably a familiar psalm to you, or at least you've heard the beginning and end verses:

Verse 1

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble

Verse 10

Be still, and know that I AM God

Those are some comforting verses. He's where we can run when trouble surrounds us. He tells us to quiet down & not worry. Don't we know? He's God. He's got this. 

But the verse that jumped out at me (again...love it when God reveals to me!) is verse five.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; 

God shall help her, and that right early

In the midst -- קֶרֶב qereb -- pronounced:  keh'·rev 

For Psalm 46, qereb implies inside of the body, the heart, the mind, as the seat of thought and desire

But wait! There's more! 

In the Midst

As I was reading this morning, the phrase "in the midst" leapt off the page at me. I did a quick search, and found it was used over 300 times in the Bible (1499 GNV).

"In the midst" means in the middle, or centered.

• From the beginning, God was in the midst.

Genesis 2:9 ~ ...the tree of life in the midst of the garden...

• During His time on earth, Jesus told us He was in the midst:

Matthew 18:20 ~ For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, 

there am I in the midst of them.

• And at His crucifixion, He was in the midst:

Matthew 27:38 ~ ...here were two thieves crucified with Him, 

one on the right hand, and another on the left...

When all the chaos of this world is swirling around me, and I'm caught up in it,

I only need to be still...take a breath...cry out to Him.

In the raging moments...He will quiet my spirit...

He is in the center...in the middle of my storms...

I can always find Him...

In The Midst