Have you signed up for Reflect? We are so excited about our women's event coming this Thursday evening at 7:00. We will be having dinner catered by Fancy That, a time of worship, and I will be sharing my story. The cost for this event is $10.00, and you can sign up online at www.journeychurch.tv, or by calling the church office. You don't want to miss it. See you on Thursday.

Who Is Your Hero?

I have a lot of confidence in my husband. When I have a problem, or even when my friends have problems, my immediate thought is, "David can take care of that." And, truth be told, he often can ... and does. But our current week of study (week eight) has me wondering if an over-confidence in man is translated into an under-confidence in God.

While there are many day-to-day inconveniences and yes, even problems, that can be dealt with without an over-spiritualization of the issue, there are also ongoing circumstances in our lives that we might be endlessly waiting for someone else to address rather than inviting The One to show up.

"God is jealous for our true enduring hero to be His own son. God wants Jesus to be our unrivaled champion. He answers my prayers to love Jesus above all else by allowing someone to disappoint me and prove insufficient for me. When I kick and scream about feeling let down, I simultaneously awaken to the miracle that I've come to appreciate Jesus more and more ... " (page 183)

How about you? Are you beginning to see that someone else's seemingly indifferent attitude or inability to help you is actually a call from Abba Father for you to rely on Jesus alone? We serve a now God. No matter what your circumstances or season -- even if your season is marked by waiting -- God has something for you to do ... something only you can do as you look to Him only. 

So, who is it? Who is your hero?

Family Resemblances

My brow is sweating.

This week of study has hit me close to home in more ways than one. The last person on earth I ever thought I would have anything in common with is Haman! I am cringing even now at the ways, even from the distances of time, circumstances and extremes, that my behaviors, thoughts or actions have shown themselves to be even remotely reminiscent of him. Just when I thought I was gaining some footing in the areas (notice the "s") of insecurity, along God brings this week of study to unwrap yet another tissue-thin layer of junk that needs to be stripped from me in order to let the purpose of the Lord fill that spot. If only that unwrapping didn't have to begin with a foot in my mouth, an inward eruption with an outward showing, or the public flying of my very own personal freak flag.


What would God's kingdom gain from a people who were only humiliated? What would be the reward of our existence if we were only repentant and never repaired? Discontent with selfishness and weary of ego, we finally become willing to lose ourselves to something greater. In doing so, we find Christ as we've never known Him and, there, pooled in the reflection of His eyes, startle to discover that a part of ourselves resembles Him. (Workbook, page 127)

Are you humiliated? God is the lifter of your head. Are you repentant but unrepaired? God is your healer and your restorer. When you look in the mirror, what do you see? I wonder if you know, if you really know, that when your Heavenly Father looks at you, He sees Jesus. You may tug at your eyes, check your profile from the side, or study the curve of your mouth searching for His mark, but once you step back, kneel down and look up instead of out, you will see you do have His walk, His voice, His power. It's there in your veins pulsing through in a never ending cycle of readiness ... just waiting to be tapped.

Just go ahead and look. I dare you to be startled.

P.S. I really wanted to title this "Hey, man, I'm like Haman!" but thought twice.

Steel Magnolias

As painful as the process may be, that which shatters our superficialality also shatters the fetters of our fragility and frees us to walk with dignity and might to our destinies. We are not the fragile flowers we've considered ourselves to be. We, like Esther, are the warrior prinicesses of God. (Page 90)

One of my all time favorite movies, and likely many of yours, is Steel Magnolias. The movie first came out when I was in college; to that point there had been very few events that "shattered the fetters of my fragility." Since then, though, I've come to know what that means. You probably have, too.

Did you know within you is a warrior princess? Do you know someone who has shown you what that looks like? Take a moment and encourage others ... and yourself ... by remembering how God has designed us to fight with dignity and power.

Happy Valentines

In honor of Valentines Day and our current series, here are a list of things I love about Clark...

1. I love the way he loves the Lord.
2. I love that I can always count on him.
3. I love that he is always reading and continuing to learn.
4. I love the way he has fun with our family.
5. I love that he tells me I Love You every time we get off of the phone with each other.
6. I love that he looks forward to our time together as much as I do.
7. I love that me and our kids are a priority in his life.
8. I love that he likes to be busy all the time.
9. I love that he will randomly want to go get dessert.
10. I love that he likes to shop.

Take Valentines as an opportunity to share some things with your spouse. While this is a good time to remember, we should continually lift each other up and communicate what we love about each other. Now it is your turn tell us one thing that you love about your spouse.

Tic Tock

This week of study has circled an area of our life and our faith like a prize fighter circles his opponent.

Time.

Depending on the current circumstances of your life, time may seem to be your greatest gift or your greatest frustration. It so often is planted within our life in an either-or fashion. Either we are impatiently waiting or we are stunned at its quick passage. We either actively work to affect it or we feel imprisoned by its power. It is either behind us or before us ... but we so rarely see it as right with us.

Where are you with this issue of time? Are you anticipating time ahead or stuck in times past? Is time the only bridge between you and ... ?

Psalm 31:15 says, "My times are in your hands." No matter where you fall on the spectrum of time, let this truth sink deep within your spirit to bring a freedom to live for God right now.

Chic Chat Rescheduled

We've made adjustments to our study schedule this spring to reflect our unplanned "Snow Day." Our Bunco day has been moved to Thursday, Feb. 26 so that we can keep on track with the study and finish as originally planned. There is an unannouned event in the works for the end of April, so STAY TUNED...

It's Tough Being a Woman: Red Book Snapshots

Our snow day has left me with a little extra time this week to read through some of the Red Book entries from our first session. Throughout week two of our study, there was much emphasis on how beauty is sometimes one of the toughest things about being one of us. Echoing that sentiment are some of your following entries from the Red Book:

• ...have to wear make-up and do your hair everyday!
• looking good
• the pressure of always keeping appearances up
• changing body as I grow older
• getting ready each day! make-up, hair, clothes, accessories, shoes, etc.

What say you? Do you think beauty, or at least the pressure to be beautiful, is one of the tougher things about being a woman? How has your concept of beauty changed as you have "grown up" in life and/or in Christ?

Snow Days

This quote is from one of my favorite books and is a very accurate description (I think!) of snow days:

From “The Shack” by William P. Young
“There is something joyful about storms that interrupt routine. Snow or freezing rain suddenly releases you from expectations, performance demands, and the tyranny of appointments and schedules. And unlike illness, it is largely a corporate rather than individual experience. One can almost hear a unified sigh rise from the nearby city and surrounding countryside where Nature has intervened to give respite to the weary humans slogging it out within her purview. All those affected this way are united by a mutual excuse, and the heart is suddenly and unexpectedly a little giddy. There will be no apologies needed for not showing up to some commitment or other. Everyone understands and shares in this singular justification, and the sudden alleviation of the pressure to produce makes the heart merry.”

Beauty in the Masses

I spent some time this morning during my study thinking about how we as women are so often the harshest critics of other women. I recalled with not just a little stab of emotion the way I felt when I went through Rush at Kansas State University back in 1988. I remember the knot in the pit of my stomach when I realized just how precise some of the comparisons were when they were drawn by the rushees on the rushers.

I was raised with 6 brothers in a small rural town in Southwest Kansas. Clinique counters were not close. I had spent precious little time thinking about how I looked, especially in comparison to other girls my age. Once thrust into the University life with the integration of all types of young ladies from all types of backgrounds, I found myself studying others with an artist's intensity, only to turn the study to myself with both curiosity and the beginning of a new longing to be different than I was.

I turn 40 this year, and I do feel God beginning a deep work to shed my insecurities. As I shared in my discussion group this past week, it is time to realize and rock the fact that I am always going to be 5'2"!

How about you? Do you remember the time when your awareness of yourself in the pool of the masses began to take shape? How have you dealt with your own insecurities? If you have found a place of confidence, what advice would you give your fellow Sisters?

Last Night

I enjoyed so much getting to be at the evening study last night... What a great turnout!!!! I am so excited that all of you are setting out on this Journey with us. The purpose of this blog is to continue the discussion from our time together... So, let me know what you thought, what excites you, what are you praying to learn...

Great Morning

Wow!!!! What a great morning. I am so excited to see all that God is going to teach all of us through this study. I hope that you are as excited as I am. I have been reading your "It's tough being a women" papers, some of the responses have cracked me up. I was sitting in my car by myself in the carpool line laughing out loud. I hope nobody was watching....
I loved Beth's line this morning "You seek Him, and God's will is going to find you." So, seek Him this week. Be diligent in studying His word, and spending time with Him.