Month: June 2013

Gospel Truth

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Today happens to be my father’s birthday. I have the paper that states he is my father and he has a paper that states today is his birthday, but how can we believe any of that? They are just pieces of paper that someone wrote out because it was their job to do so. Was the person who signed my father’s birth certificate present at the exact moment of his birth? And how is the person who signed my birth certificate certain that he was really my father? Where they present at the time of my conception? I have no doubt who my father is, but does a birth certificate make it gospel? No. In order for it to be, I have to accept this man as my father.

The word gospel is defined as “something accepted or promoted as infallible truth” (Merriam-Webster). The fact that a piece of paper states that Ceferino Rosa is my father may make it true. How much he loves me and how his heart is still burdened to care for his baby girl may even prove it to be infallible; but when I finally accepted and promoted him as my father is what made it gospel.

In the same fashion, not only do we have to believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on a cross, rose on the third, and the reason why He would choose to do such a thing; but also He knew what He was doing and who He was doing it for. That good and bad, He was with us the day of each of our births, He will be there the day we will die and is with us every day in between. Once we choose to accept and promote that as infallible is when we will know the Gospel Truth!

100 MPH

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I am not the kind of person who is used to doing a lot at a time. I do like to keep busy, but the busyness is often kept to a manageable pace. However, manageable pace is not how I would describe this season in my life. For example, it is almost 1 a.m. and I am wide awake. My brain seems to be going at a 100 mph lately figuring what I have done and what still needs to be done.

Aside from my continuing education on patience, time management has also been added to this curriculum. Currently, I am working a part-time job, a “part-time” part-time job, taking 2 college courses, in the town’s production of Music Man and preparing to lead a Surrendering the Secret (STS) training study in a few weeks. There is hardly any time to slow down, but everything still needs to get done and everything needs to be done with intention, not haphazardly.

It seems like a lot and it may be, but how I  have chosen to look at it is the Lord is blessing me with opportunities to grow. Each individual task speaks to me in its own unique way. My jobs speak to the head household in me. The college courses are leading to the career in nursing I have always wanted. The Music Man production speaks to the theater lover in me. While finally, beginning to lead STS again draws me back to the calling on my heart. And all of these combined, are helping me grow as a successful, well-rounded,  woman.

Success and being well-rounded have always been a desire of mine.  There was a time I wished to be on a path to something greater than I could imagine for myself; and today the Lord is reminding that coveted road is a road I have been on all along. Where I have been has prepared for me this season and this current season is preparing for what is to come. Yet, I am also reminded that even though things might be going 100 mph,  I need to stop, gas up and rest often so the joy of the trip is not lost by the rush to get to the destination.

No Longer Naive

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I was once told by an African-American friend that I was naive. We were having a conversation of the racism that still exists and how I seemed completely ignorant to its modern day occurrence. That conversation was about 10 years ago and I am realizing how true his description of me was. However, fortunately (or possibly unfortunately), my naivety is growing less and less by the day.

I was born and raised in the north in Boston; from there I moved to Florida, which is only the South by geographical location. Now living in Thomasville, Alabama (say it with a southern drawl), I am well aware, often too aware, of the racial divide that still exists today. By no means am I saying this is the only place with a racial divide, but this is my only current point of reference. There are 2 funeral homes; one for the whites and one for the blacks. The churches are also divided by race. No, it is not to say that there is never any overlap considering Jake and I are members of a “white church”, but for the most part, races keep to themselves in this town.

When Jake started school, the kids teased him because they did not know what he was. Considering the kids are mostly either white or black, someone of Jake’s complexion was foreign to them. Jake was called Indian, Asian, even Mexican. He was quite frustrated at the beginning, but the teasing has since subsided…I hope.

It shocks and truly irritates me when someone is described by their race. Obviously, those are descriptive words and are often used only as descriptive words, but instead of the saying “the black women working in the nursery”, could it just be “the women or ladies working in the nursery”? Or the “white” male cop. We can describe people with something other than race. Why does it matter what their race is? I know it is insignificant to most people, but when I haven’t been exposed to such conversation, the constant use makes me…ok, I will say it, irate!

There are several things that are wonderful about Thomasville and, again, this is not the only town that has a racial divide. Yes, I am well aware of the soap box I am currently on and how I may seem like I am bashing Thomasville, which I am not. Jake and I have been blessed to be welcomed as we have been and have no doubt this is where the Lord has us for the time being. There are several people whose intentions are great and their hearts are even greater, and simply only lack exposure to other cultures.

As the town of Nineveh (in the Bible; Jonah) did not know they were doing wrong, neither do some of the people here. I am far from being a prophet of God or anything of the sort, but I pray as Jonah was used to bring the message of repentance to Nineveh, God would use me. Also I am praying bitterness and resentment does not fill my heart as it did in Jonah’s. After all, that would be me conforming instead of transforming.

Fingernails

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For as long as I can remember, I have had a bad and disgusting habit of biting my fingernails. The past few years I would bite them so much, I would often make my fingers bleed. My trigger was stress; instead of binge eating, I would binge bite.

When I was in Florida, I would always have acrylics on to allow my nails to grow. I figured if they were already long, I wouldn’t bite them when the acrylic nails were removed. I tried that theory many times and every time it failed. I tried several other remedies to  resolve this bad habit, but nothing seemed to work.

All that being said, I have not bitten my nails since March of this year and my nails are long and strong. They are gorgeous and I am so proud of how they look. I can’t pinpoint to what the remedy was or even if there is one. I do know that my stress levels the past few months have been high enough to make me bite other’s people’s fingernails, but when I look at how beautiful my nails look, I lose the desire to. I, honestly, don’t have a secret to why I am not biting nails anymore, but I do know that without God’s help and the daily reminder of what I do have (long, natural nails, no painful or bloody fingers), I will be able to enjoy my nails for a long time.

I guess like any bad habit or addiction (for lack of a better term), it is a matter of deciding everyday whether or not you will fall into temptation. I am not saying that biting my nails is equivalent to a drug, alcohol or sexual addiction, but if such a big God would help me with such a menial request as to not bite my nails without me even asking, I believe He would do the same, if not more, for someone who does ask.

Standing Strong

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An email I got from my best friend, Ana. Definitely thought-provoking and encouraging!

Yesterday during my devotional I was reading about our “battle” and the equipment God gave us in order to fight effectively and successfully; the  whole armor of God.  And as I started to break down the verses, I felt so inspired to share about our battle and how God, our Commander-in-Chief, has graciously and fashionably adorned us to fight.  So, I decided to share.  By sharing, I am also enforcing the Scripture in my head.  Hope you are blessed as I was.

Ephesians 6:10-20

Part 1: The Battle – “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual  hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (v. 12)

The enemy has a strategy; evil spirits and powers placed in different stations on this earth and around it.  Some think that this verse can explain the 4 different levels of hierarchy in the enemy’s strategy for this battle of good and evil.  Principalities being the highest under the enemy himself. It is them against us; the devil and the fallen, against The Lord and the heavenly hosts. Their weapons are to blind us, confuse us, mislead and lie to us, weaken us, to make us lose our stand, our ground, to shake us, ultimately take our eyes and faith off of God and onto them;  causing us to stumble, become taken, and die in this battle. They are well-organized in order to cause the most confusion and chaos.BUT, God has given us what we need in order to fight back successfully!!!  The full Armour of God!

Part 2: The Weapons – “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you might be able withstand on the evil day and having done all to stand.” (v.13)

  1. The Belt of Truth: Gird (To encircle with a belt or band. b. To fasten or secure (clothing, for example) with a belt …) your waist with truth.   A belt helps keep your pants up; but it is also an accessory, displaying the outfit.  Truth should be our accessory.  It is what keeps us covered.  It prevents gaps on the rest of our armor.  Displaying it separates us from the rest of the world. It shows who we are Children of God. Display truth like a nice expensive belt.
  2. Breastplate of Righteousness:  The breastplate protects our bodies from trauma and death.  It covers our core and major organs. Righteousness protects us from being banged up by the enemy, preventing serious blows from to our most vulnerable parts.  A hard covering, protecting our faith, our major organ in the spiritual sense.  Saved by Grace through faith, our salvation!
  3. Shod your feet with Preparation of the Gospel of Peace:  (Shod: past tense and a past participle of shoe.)  We are to over our feet, prepare to walk in peace and spread peace everywhere we go.  Let peace be the way we approach things. It is also another accessory for our armor.  A public display of the difference between evil and good, Christian and non-Christian; The Lord and Satan.
  4. Shield of Faith: The shield protects us from all darts and weapons being thrown at us.  It absorbs the impact instead of absorbing it ourselves. Faith is similar in fashion. Faith in the Lord and His Son, Jesus Christ, makes the darts of the enemy less harmful. In a sense they bounce off, causing us to not be afflicted or to recover more quickly. It makes us impenetrable,  difficult to afflict.  It can also be a weapon, to bash the enemy in the face with!
  5. Helmet of Salvation: Helmets are head-gear that keep us safe in potentially hazardous environments. Helmets keep us safe from trauma and death.  They protect our head and our brain, where our thoughts and the control of bodily functions occur. It is also another accessory.  Beautifully displaying the brilliance of God’s salvation.  A sign to others that I am ready for battle!
  6. Sword of the Spirit:  The weapon of choice –  The Holy Spirit!  Through the spirit, God’s work can be transferred to our physical.  It is sharp and dangerous to the enemy; cutting into his plans and schemes.  If used correctly, after much practice and preparation (prayer), it can be a definite weapon of destruction of evil.
  7. Prayer: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” (v.18) The combination of prayer and the Sword of the Spirit are critical techniques in our fight. The only way to improve on our technique is to practice it over and over and over.  Let us pray without ceasing; praying for each other, praying for godly things, and for God’s will in our lives. May we remain watchful of our surroundings, and diligent in praying for all of our fellow soldiers who are fighting the very same battle; the battle of our lives.

Hope you have been blessed by what God has revealed to me. Let us pick up armor and stand strong!

One Word

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“Hi.”

Hello.

“Are You there?”

Always.

“Can You hear me?”

Certainly.

“I feel so alone.”

Never.

“Can You see me?”

Beautiful.

“Do You love me?”

Abundantly.

I feel so lost…”

Found.

“Broken.”

Mended.

“Confused.”

Reassured.

“Empty.”

Filled.

“Guilty.”

Pardoned.

“Thank You.”

Absolutely.

No Picking and Choosing

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If we choose to follow Christ, we choose to believe that His Word, the Bible, is the Truth; all of it, not parts. I do not care what the world or the government, or my own flesh, for that matter, has to say about the sanctity of human of life, I care and believe what the Word of God says!

The World’s View

The Biblical View
SEX is a physical and emotional desire to be fulfilled by consensual union.
 SEX is the physical, emotional, and spiritual union of a married couple (Genesis 2:24-25).
 PREGNANCY begins with attachment of an embryo to the uterine wall (implantation). If desirable, pregnancy is good. If undesirable pregnancy is a problem, and it is the woman’s right to choose whether or not the product of conception will be allowed to remain in the uterus or be terminated by abortion.
 PREGNANCY begins with the union of egg and sperm (fertilization). God “opens the womb” and is in control of the timing and continuation of a pregnancy, whether it is planned by the parents or not (Genesis 29:31, 30:1-2, 22-23; Psalm 119:73, 139:13-16). An unplanned pregnancy may be a crisis to the parents, but it can and should be dealt with in a way that honors the sanctity of human life.
 CHILDREN should be wanted or planned. If not, they are a burden.
 CHILDREN are a blessing from the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:4, 11; Psalm 127:3-5; Isaiah 40:11).

*chart from Intimacy Before Impact (c) 2007