Lately I have had a lot of people tell me I have inspired them. I am a former running hater who has officially turned into a runner - It's true...I have a black toenail. Last year I decided that I was going to run a half marathon and at the beginning of this year, I set my mind to it, started a training schedule and just a couple of weeks ago, I crossed that finish line. It was a great feeling. (And I am going to do it again!)
When the first person mentioned I inspired them to start, my first thought was, "What are you talking about?" I NEVER thought that doing this was going to have an affect on others, but I have to say that hearing those things is a greater feeling than crossing the finish line ever was. Because of a choice I made to push myself and try something new, now other people want to. It is a nice reminder to me that I want to live a life that God uses inspires others. Inspiration is such an important part of your life - how else would we challenge ourselves or grow? God calls us to many things that are for our own good, but they are also important for those around us.
I've started thinking of people that inspire me - the role models in my life. I had a few running through my mind: my high school cheerleading coach, Albert Pujols (well, I am still a little bitter about that situation), Audrey Hepburn, the sorority president when I was a freshman, some of the amazing young women I am blessed to have as friends, women who mentor me (even if they don't know they are), Carrie Underwood (I know when God decides to cross our paths we will be best friends) and of course my grandmothers, mom and dad. Because of all of these people (and plenty more that I probably haven't mentioned) something in my life has changed. Many of these people probably have no idea they had such an affect on me, just as I don't often realize the affect I have on others.
I have a new goal now, even though I am going to continue running. It is a personal thing that I want to do for myself, but who knows how God is going to use that for other people.
God - I pray that I will live my life the way that YOU want me to - that You will use my life to reach those around me to have a positive impact on them. Thank you for those you have put in my life to inspire me. Thank you for showing me their faith, the challenges, the lessons they taught me and the neverending encouragement to keep going. I thank you for the best role model and inspiration for us all, your son. I pray that above all others, we will look to him to inspire our lives. And it is in his name we pray - Amen.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
I Need to Read this Daily
Abby Larson, founder of Style Me Pretty on what advice she would give her 23 year old self...
"Breathe, my friend. You are not old, you are young. You are not a mess, you are normal. Extraordinary, perhaps. In the blink of an eye your life will change. And it will continue to change for decades to come. Enjoy it, embrace it…be grateful for the ride. You are not old, you are young. And faith will get you everywhere. Just you wait."
Monday, April 30, 2012
We're Back
Hi there! I apologize for my absence over the past month. Life took my by surprise and I honestly have been distracted by things, but the biggest one was work. Now that my busy season has slowed, I am looking forward to getting back into my swing of things.
The past few months have been a challenge for sure. I have learned a lot about myself, grown some, and seen so many areas to grow. I am also just so thankful for where God has me in life. Yes, there are some challenges. We all have our good days and bad, but when I sit back and look at it, I am just amazed at the work God is doing in my life and in those around me.
He has blessed me with a community of friends that are my family. I am learning what it means to break down walls - to truly share life with others. That is something that has always been scary for me. What if people don't like what they see behind those walls? One of the people closest to me once said that they like what they've seen since I stopped trying to hide behind things and that made sense, because that is how God made me. I wouldn't say I have completely broken them down, but I am on my way.
The biggest thing I have learned over the past couple of months is that I really need to work on trusting God. I have always had a strong faith in God, but I didn't realize how that didn't match up with me trusting Him. That may be confusing to some, so let me try to break it down. I believe that God is good. I have faith in His plan and that He knows what He is doing. But daily, I am not acting like I trust Him to come through for me. I expect the worse in some situations, don't believe He values me just as much as the next person, and think that I have to work hard to please Him. Yikes! I am happy to say that He has revealed these things to me and that I can rely on Him to help me displace those feelings.
I also just accomplished something I NEVER thought I would. I ran a half marathon. Well, ran most of it. My goal leading up to it was to run the entire race. The day came and it didn't happen. Surprisingly, I am not too disappointed with myself and I am ready to try again! More than anything, I will remember the journey it took to get me there. The faith that I had to have in myself to be able to do it, and actually taking action to train and push myself farther than I ever could. And I am not just talking physically. Running is pretty much paralleled to my spiritual life. I am looking forward to continuing to improve in both.
We are in an interesting session now - not the usual teaching and community, but I fully believe that God will use this time to work these things out of me and strengthen my relationship with him and those in my community.
So as I leave this season of my life and enter another, I can do nothing but sit back in amazement and gratitude for God's work. The things that He has called me to so that I can mature and grow, the relationships He has brought in my life for encouragement and support, the challenges, the memories, I could go on for a while. (And I would be silly to not thank those of you who were by my side the whole time - the ones who had to deal with my crabbiness, anxiety, processing, etc. and who also shared in the victories, growth, and fun.)
I am so excited to see what He has in store for us in the coming months. I know He will continue to amaze me and show me His goodness through all things.
The past few months have been a challenge for sure. I have learned a lot about myself, grown some, and seen so many areas to grow. I am also just so thankful for where God has me in life. Yes, there are some challenges. We all have our good days and bad, but when I sit back and look at it, I am just amazed at the work God is doing in my life and in those around me.
He has blessed me with a community of friends that are my family. I am learning what it means to break down walls - to truly share life with others. That is something that has always been scary for me. What if people don't like what they see behind those walls? One of the people closest to me once said that they like what they've seen since I stopped trying to hide behind things and that made sense, because that is how God made me. I wouldn't say I have completely broken them down, but I am on my way.
The biggest thing I have learned over the past couple of months is that I really need to work on trusting God. I have always had a strong faith in God, but I didn't realize how that didn't match up with me trusting Him. That may be confusing to some, so let me try to break it down. I believe that God is good. I have faith in His plan and that He knows what He is doing. But daily, I am not acting like I trust Him to come through for me. I expect the worse in some situations, don't believe He values me just as much as the next person, and think that I have to work hard to please Him. Yikes! I am happy to say that He has revealed these things to me and that I can rely on Him to help me displace those feelings.
I also just accomplished something I NEVER thought I would. I ran a half marathon. Well, ran most of it. My goal leading up to it was to run the entire race. The day came and it didn't happen. Surprisingly, I am not too disappointed with myself and I am ready to try again! More than anything, I will remember the journey it took to get me there. The faith that I had to have in myself to be able to do it, and actually taking action to train and push myself farther than I ever could. And I am not just talking physically. Running is pretty much paralleled to my spiritual life. I am looking forward to continuing to improve in both.
We are in an interesting session now - not the usual teaching and community, but I fully believe that God will use this time to work these things out of me and strengthen my relationship with him and those in my community.
So as I leave this season of my life and enter another, I can do nothing but sit back in amazement and gratitude for God's work. The things that He has called me to so that I can mature and grow, the relationships He has brought in my life for encouragement and support, the challenges, the memories, I could go on for a while. (And I would be silly to not thank those of you who were by my side the whole time - the ones who had to deal with my crabbiness, anxiety, processing, etc. and who also shared in the victories, growth, and fun.)
I am so excited to see what He has in store for us in the coming months. I know He will continue to amaze me and show me His goodness through all things.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Overcoming the Enemy - He exists
David talks about the presence of the enemy in our lives. Look at the progression of creation. Genesis 1:27-31 - Man was created. Genesis 2:7 God breathed the breath of life. It was good. For some of us, this is where it stops. David gave us the analogy of living our lives on a beach vacation and not realizing that we are in the middle of a war. We are living in the middle of a spiritual war.
God sees our spirit as perfect. Our soul is the battle ground. We tend to place our identity in our soul and not our spirit. {So you can see how troubling this is and why the enemy wants to get in.}
So what are we fighting against? Check out Ephesians 6:12. David read us a passage from "The Final Quest" by Rick Joyner that also describes this.
Who is this Enemy?
Read Revelation 12:3-9 and Luke 4 (the temptations). The enemy has authority over the world. We first met shame in an act of disobedience and introduce the enemy (check out the fall in Genesis 3). He brings fear, accusation, guilt, etc. The enemy knows the big plan, and he knows us. He also has a plan for us.
Here are some verses to help better understand the enemy:
John 8: 43-45 (He is the Father of lies)
Revelation 10 (He is an Accuser)
Colossians 1:22
Believing these things is not how we were designed. So how do we fight?
We have 2 options: our own will, or the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-21)
Don't leave your guide (the Holy Spirit) behind. When the Holy Spirit guides your life, he gives you the opposite desires of the flesh. {I pray to be easy for the Spirit to lead.}
The enemy loves when we don't think he exists or that he is not against us. {So we need to recognize his presence in our lives and turn to the Spirit to overcome his evil tactics.}
Remember, we are in the middle of a battle, and we are the prize.
God sees our spirit as perfect. Our soul is the battle ground. We tend to place our identity in our soul and not our spirit. {So you can see how troubling this is and why the enemy wants to get in.}
So what are we fighting against? Check out Ephesians 6:12. David read us a passage from "The Final Quest" by Rick Joyner that also describes this.
Who is this Enemy?
Read Revelation 12:3-9 and Luke 4 (the temptations). The enemy has authority over the world. We first met shame in an act of disobedience and introduce the enemy (check out the fall in Genesis 3). He brings fear, accusation, guilt, etc. The enemy knows the big plan, and he knows us. He also has a plan for us.
Here are some verses to help better understand the enemy:
John 8: 43-45 (He is the Father of lies)
Revelation 10 (He is an Accuser)
Colossians 1:22
Believing these things is not how we were designed. So how do we fight?
We have 2 options: our own will, or the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-21)
Don't leave your guide (the Holy Spirit) behind. When the Holy Spirit guides your life, he gives you the opposite desires of the flesh. {I pray to be easy for the Spirit to lead.}
The enemy loves when we don't think he exists or that he is not against us. {So we need to recognize his presence in our lives and turn to the Spirit to overcome his evil tactics.}
Remember, we are in the middle of a battle, and we are the prize.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Humilty Week 3
This week Justin explained that when we have shame, we hide. We blame God or other people. Check out Genesis 3:7-13 to see how Adam and Eve hide after they try to be like God.
When we have pride, that leads to shame, which leads to hiding and then blame.
How do you know if you have a shame issue? Are you hiding from anything? Do you use your gifts to hide? We all have strategies to hide and then blame others. We need to constantly remember how broken we are.
Here are some things to help with humility:
1. Say, "I'm sorry." (Leave it at that, you don't need to justify.)
2. "Your idea is better." (It is OK to not always have the best ideas.)
3. Submit to a mentor and do what they say. (1 Peter 1:5-10)
4. Live with someone so you don't get stuck in your own ways. (We've been taught to share since pre-school, but we can forget that easily.)
5. Practice communion regularly to remember that we are fallen. This is something we forget every day. (And Jesus knew we would forget..."Do this in remembrance...")
Another nice little reminder of this is 1 John 1:5-10. We are all fallen. We all live in sin.
Look at Genesis 2:25. Humility is when we can be vulnerable and feel no shame. We can have true intimacy with God and in out other relationships. {I don't know about you, but I want that!}
If this gets frustrating, remember we can't change ourselves. We have to simply turn to God (Psalm 147:1-6).
When we have pride, that leads to shame, which leads to hiding and then blame.
How do you know if you have a shame issue? Are you hiding from anything? Do you use your gifts to hide? We all have strategies to hide and then blame others. We need to constantly remember how broken we are.
Here are some things to help with humility:
1. Say, "I'm sorry." (Leave it at that, you don't need to justify.)
2. "Your idea is better." (It is OK to not always have the best ideas.)
3. Submit to a mentor and do what they say. (1 Peter 1:5-10)
4. Live with someone so you don't get stuck in your own ways. (We've been taught to share since pre-school, but we can forget that easily.)
5. Practice communion regularly to remember that we are fallen. This is something we forget every day. (And Jesus knew we would forget..."Do this in remembrance...")
Another nice little reminder of this is 1 John 1:5-10. We are all fallen. We all live in sin.
Look at Genesis 2:25. Humility is when we can be vulnerable and feel no shame. We can have true intimacy with God and in out other relationships. {I don't know about you, but I want that!}
If this gets frustrating, remember we can't change ourselves. We have to simply turn to God (Psalm 147:1-6).
Friday, February 17, 2012
Humility - Don't "Play God"
Where does insecurity/arrogance come from? Read Genesis 3.
In Genesis 2:15-17 we see this setting up. An important point is that the tree is the knowledge of good and evil (sneak peak: that is what we want!)
In Genesis 3:1-3 we see how we are tempted by Satan. What was their sin here? They wanted to be like God - the can't trust God. This is OUR story.
Our biggest sin is to be like God.
"I didn't trust God in my loneliness, so I (insert something you do to feel in control) to have power like God." Anything we use for power is our biggest sin - it is the root sin.
How do we try to be like God? One of the ways we do this is in codependent relationships. How many relationships do you receive more than you give? If you don't really receive, you are in control of that relationship.You can use serving to be in a power position, to be in control like God. Why are you never vulnerable? You have power by not sharing things.
We can't be Christ-like (humble) if we want to be like God.
Genesis 3:7 - We feel ashamed. There is a difference between guilt and shame. Guilt is conviction from God. Shame is from ourself. We think, "I am bad, I hate myself." Shame is the root issue.
We need to find the middle point of feeling shame and trying to be like God. What is that middle point? We have to remember that we are both fallen and loved. Jesus says do this in remembrance of me - he knew we would forget this.
In Genesis 2:15-17 we see this setting up. An important point is that the tree is the knowledge of good and evil (sneak peak: that is what we want!)
In Genesis 3:1-3 we see how we are tempted by Satan. What was their sin here? They wanted to be like God - the can't trust God. This is OUR story.
Our biggest sin is to be like God.
"I didn't trust God in my loneliness, so I (insert something you do to feel in control) to have power like God." Anything we use for power is our biggest sin - it is the root sin.
How do we try to be like God? One of the ways we do this is in codependent relationships. How many relationships do you receive more than you give? If you don't really receive, you are in control of that relationship.You can use serving to be in a power position, to be in control like God. Why are you never vulnerable? You have power by not sharing things.
We can't be Christ-like (humble) if we want to be like God.
Genesis 3:7 - We feel ashamed. There is a difference between guilt and shame. Guilt is conviction from God. Shame is from ourself. We think, "I am bad, I hate myself." Shame is the root issue.
We need to find the middle point of feeling shame and trying to be like God. What is that middle point? We have to remember that we are both fallen and loved. Jesus says do this in remembrance of me - he knew we would forget this.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Getting LOW
This week was our first night talking about Humility. (Yikes! What a big topic!!!)
To learn about humility, you have to first learn about pride. We want to repent of pride - it leads to every other vice! Pride can be subtle and deceptive.
There are two areas of pride: we either feel arrogant or insecure.
What does arrogance look like? Cockiness, defensiveness, rejecting others, protecting yourself, competition, comparison... The core belief of arrogance is that my worth rests in being better than someone else.
What does insecurity look like? Shame, self pity, assuming rejection, proving yourself, competition, comparison...The core belief of insecurity is the my worth rests in what others think and my identity in God is not good enough.
Both arrogance and insecurity seek to find identity through comparison. The only difference is how you are measuring up. The both say that my identity as a child of God is not enough (and neither is yours).
What is God's response?
Check out 1 Peter 5:5 - This is how God rescues us (he comes to oppose us). Read on...1 Peter 5:6-9
We have some options:
1. We can acknowledge there is an enemy and humble ourselves.
2. We can welcome God's correction. I know I want to be conformed to the image of Christ, so being corrected is for my good!
Humility is...
How can we practice? Soak in God's story. Your core beliefs matter. For arrogance? We have to believe deeply that we are fallen. We can regularly reflect on our own brokenness. For insecurity? We have to believe deeply that we are loved. (And so is everyone around you.) And that is something we just get to receive.
To learn about humility, you have to first learn about pride. We want to repent of pride - it leads to every other vice! Pride can be subtle and deceptive.
There are two areas of pride: we either feel arrogant or insecure.
What does arrogance look like? Cockiness, defensiveness, rejecting others, protecting yourself, competition, comparison... The core belief of arrogance is that my worth rests in being better than someone else.
What does insecurity look like? Shame, self pity, assuming rejection, proving yourself, competition, comparison...The core belief of insecurity is the my worth rests in what others think and my identity in God is not good enough.
Both arrogance and insecurity seek to find identity through comparison. The only difference is how you are measuring up. The both say that my identity as a child of God is not enough (and neither is yours).
What is God's response?
Check out 1 Peter 5:5 - This is how God rescues us (he comes to oppose us). Read on...1 Peter 5:6-9
We have some options:
1. We can acknowledge there is an enemy and humble ourselves.
2. We can welcome God's correction. I know I want to be conformed to the image of Christ, so being corrected is for my good!
Humility is...
- NOT a state you can achieve. It is a practice.
- NOT the opposite of self-esteem.
- NOT thinking less of yourself.
How can we practice? Soak in God's story. Your core beliefs matter. For arrogance? We have to believe deeply that we are fallen. We can regularly reflect on our own brokenness. For insecurity? We have to believe deeply that we are loved. (And so is everyone around you.) And that is something we just get to receive.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)