The Stomach Bug Put Things In Perspective

It was not my intention to go two and half weeks without blogging, but then life got in the way.

Life does that sometimes. Sometimes we’re forced to let go of our own plans—to “let go and let God,” as my best friend likes to say.

Last week, a nasty stomach bug knocked me down. On the first day that it hit, I could not do anything. I couldn’t read, I couldn’t journal, and I could hardly focus on TV. I could not eat, and I could not drink. I didn’t have the energy to even stand up. It was the most sick I’ve been in years.

Praise the Lord, this did not last too long. Four days later, I felt relatively normal again and was able to eat and drink mostly like usual.

I think in a way, God used the situation to tell me to slow down.

God wants our obedience, and I think at times He puts us in situations where the only choice we have is to listen to Him.

I was on the couch, barely able to move, and all I could do was think and pray.

I’m reading through the book of Exodus right now. Maybe it’s because I am journaling through it or maybe it’s because I’m discussing it within my discipleship group, but this is the first time the Old Testament is really clicking with me. I can actually see parallels between what happened thousands of years ago, what Jesus did for us in the New Testament, and what’s going on in my own life.

Take a look at a few of the passages in Exodus 12. I read a commentary to better understand this, and it helped me put the pieces together. The ten plagues over Egypt have ended, and the Lord instructs Moses and Aaron regarding Passover. He’s preparing them to help bring the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land:

“Here is how you must eat it: You must be dressed for travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in a hurry; it is the Lord’s Passover...

He summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and said, ‘Get up, leave my people, both you and the Israelites, and go, worship Yahweh as you have asked. Take even your flocks and your herds as you asked and leave, and also bless me.’...

The people baked the dough they had brought out of Egypt into unleavened loaves, since it had no yeast; for when they have been driven out of Egypt they could not delay and had not prepared any provisions for themselves.”

The Israelites had to eat the Passover meal in faith, trusting that God would in fact deliver them. They had to be dressed for travel and ready to walk in the deliverance that the Lord prepared for them right then and there. Later in Chapter 12, we see God tell Moses and Aaron to leave and worship Him. The people must leave in the middle of the night, with bread that has not baked, and with no preparation or provision for themselves. They had no choice but to do what God told them to do.

In the midst of my stomach bug, I had no choice but to stop and trust God. I had to rest. I had to be still. I had to take good care of myself. 

And I thought a lot about the Exodus story. As with the Israelites, the Lord wants our obedience. We obey because we know and love God. He has delivered me from the old self, from sin and death. He’s given me new, eternal life in Him. I’m called to trust in Him and walk in that truth every day. The same is true for you, friend. If you've turned from sin and given your life to Christ, you have been made anew. Do you believe that? Does it change your day-to-day life?

If I believed that 100 percent of the time, I would relinquish the control I try to tightly hold on my life. I’d hand the reigns over to God. 

Daily obedience and trust in God means I get to live a full, free life.

One of my favorite parts of Exodus is chapter 14 verses 13 and 14.

“But Moses said to the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation. He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet.’”

The Lord will fight for you. Be quiet, be still, let Him work.

The God who demanded obedience from the Israelites is the same God who asks that of us today. He’s the same God who paves the way when we trust Him. The same God who provides. When He puts us in situations where our only choice is to listen to Him, let’s stop resisting Him and do what He says.

In this season of my life, obedience looks like taking good care of my body. God's calling me to obey Him by eating well, resting and taking a break from exercise, and most of all, surrendering control to Him. Obedience changes my life and leads me closer to Him. 

Obedience is an act of worship.

So what if God simply wants us to be quiet? What does it look like for you to be quietly obedient to Him? How is He asking you to follow Him and walk in the new life He’s given you?

Pray that He will open your eyes. Pray for the wisdom and courage to do all He's asking of you. And then trust. You don't have to be afraid to obey. God has already gone before you and prepared the way. 

---

If you want to talk more about Jesus Christ and faith and what-the-heck-is-all-this-stuff, shoot me a message. I love meeting new people, whether virtually or in person, and gabbing about life. 

And if you'd like to know more of my story, you can read my testimony here.

Truly, He makes beautiful things.

Our Biggest Untapped Resource

What if I told you that I know of a place where you could find answers to your questions? You could receive encouragement for your struggles? You could find empowerment and equipping and hope for the days ahead?

Now what if I told you that place already exists.

Right here, right now.

It’s called the Bible. It’s the living, breathing, divine word of God, and we can look to it literally any time we want.

The problem is that we don’t. I believe the Bible is truly our biggest untapped resource. We have this book that has been translated and passed down for thousands of years. Men were killed just so we could read the Bible in English. And now we can download it on our phones and computers in any language and any translation we want.

That is a miracle.

“The problem is not that we don’t have access to the Bible. It’s that we don’t access it.”

My pastor delivered those words during church this Sunday, and he is spot-on.

A great example is my own life. I’ve always had the Bible around. I grew up with bibles in my home. I was given different versions of bibles and devotionals over the years: My Personal Promise Bible, Jesus Calling, The Secret Power of Speaking God’s Word. I’d also read my fair share of Christian books and books that referenced the Bible. I liked to pick and choose verses, but I didn’t understand the full context. I didn’t have the full story.

When I went through a breakup, I read a million blog posts about it. When I felt lonely in the midst of singleness and friends moving away, I asked my girlfriends for encouragement. When I wanted to change jobs, I sought out books and Christian career experts.

But I had the best resource of all sitting in front of me untapped the whole time. These other things are not bad, but in light of the Bible, they simply cannot compare. They’re meant to be supplements to the one book that truly gives life—and we aren’t going to experience life without the Bible no matter how many books, podcasts, or blog posts we seek out.

The last year or two marks the first time I really began to read the Bible itself. I’ve almost read the full Bible, and my eyes have finally been opened to how important time in the Word really is.

Don’t let the Bible intimidate you or overwhelm you. This is the living and active word of God. It was made to be opened by you.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that he man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ”

— 2 Timothy 3:16-17

If you don’t know where to start, take it one step at a time. Try a plan like the F260 or She Reads Truth but don’t feel pressure to read the entire Bible in a year. While doing so is completely possible, trust me when I say it is so much better to read for understanding and application. Don’t try to race through it. Reading the Bible is something to be relished and enjoyed, not simply checked off a to-do list.

I used to treat it like a task, and honestly, I didn’t get much out of it. So take your time.

As John Piper says, “You are launching on a lifetime of Bible reading, on a lifetime of engaging with God in the Bible.”

Give yourself 20 minutes today to read. Even if you feel distracted or your mind drifts, God will use that time. He’s called you into a relationship with Him. Reading His word will help you get to know Him and talk to Him. It will change your life.

And when you’re ready, start memorizing Scripture. Arm yourself with His words to fight sin and temptation. Put on the full armor of God by knowing what He says about who you are and who He calls you to be!

“This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. ”

— Ephesians 6:12-17

God’s word is the sword of the Spirit, protecting us against any spiritual battle we fight. The more I think about that, the more amazed I am. I have the greatest weapon available to me at all times. You do, too, my friend. Wield it.

I’m new to the Scripture memory journey, but, my goodness, there is something so powerful about being able to know and speak truth when you’re feeling stuck or in the midst of a struggle. It’s equally as helpful when you’re experiencing blessings and gratitude, too. Yet another super awesome part about the Bible: It applies to all seasons of life in all places, at all times. The narrative remains the same.

I could talk all day about how much reading the Bible will impact your life. You don't need me to hear me talk about it, though. You need to read and experience it yourself.

So, go.

Dust off that Bible on the shelf.

Download the app.

Get started. Dig in and devour.

---

If you want to talk more about Jesus Christ and faith and what-the-heck-is-all-this-stuff, shoot me a message. I love meeting new people, whether virtually or in person, and gabbing about life. 

And if you'd like to know more of my story, you can read my testimony here.

Truly, He makes beautiful things.

A Word for 2017

New Year’s Resolutions.

That phrase seriously makes me cringe. When I hear it, I usually think of health or fitness-related goals that end up tossed to the wayside by March. I also think of the years I spent setting goals and pursuing them in search of perfection, rather than trusting The Lord or letting His will be done.

So last year I settled on a new tactic. Rather than set goals to somehow better myself, I adopted a different way to take on the new year. I chose a word that I held close and prayed about for twelve months.

That word was freedom.

I wrote about having freedom to not have my life completely figured out:

“... when I see how much God has moved and shaken my life in the last three years, I get excited. If He can do all that He has done in such sweet and unexpected ways during this time, I cannot wait to see all He will do in the next three years. I have freedom to not plan everything or have it all figured out.

I have freedom to trust Him, even when it is hard.

That's the sentiment I want to carry with me into the new year. I hope true freedom will permeate my life in 2016—freedom to know I am right where I am supposed to be.”

Well God totally showed up.

I think, in so many ways, freedom did permeate my life in 2016. I felt free from things I’d previously been enslaved to—free from the yokes of perfection and approval. Free from my own control. In 2017, I’ll continue to pray for freedom and restoration. I can now truthfully say full freedom rests in Him alone.

Praying and thinking about freedom as much as I did helped bring it to light in my life.

A move to Nashville! A communications and ministry job! A relationship founded in Christ! The words we use to make requests to God have power. And that’s why I’ve spent the past week journaling about my word for 2017.

To help me do so, I’ve been following along with Lara Casey’s goal-setting series on her blog. Girlfriend is amazing. I recently discovered her blog and ministry, and I am so very encouraged by the way she lives out her faith through her work. It turns out she, too, believes in picking a word for the year ahead. She talks a lot about living on purpose rather than chasing perfect. That idea could not resonate more with me.

Armed with Lara's advice, I’ve looked at the challenges from this past year, as well as the blessings and the lessons I’ve learned. Where do I hope to be in the year ahead? How do I want to grow? What do I need to say yes to—and what to do I need to say no to?

Lara suggests looking for themes in the midst of all this journaling. Jot down some possible words of the year and take time to pray about the word God has actually laid on your heart.

I did just that, and I kept seeing themes of growth and depth. Nature was a common thread. Stillness, quiet, and peacefulness were all on the page.

Yet none of those words seemed quite right. I knew God would impress the right word upon my heart.

It only took a few days. I wrote down a few prayers earlier this week, and the word flowed out.

“God, I pray for depth this year. Fewer commitments, fewer things, and greater focus on you. Help me to grow deep rather than wide. You will guide me. I pray I listen and obey. Strengthen my relationship because we’re both going deeper with you. Help me to do good work at my job and on my blog because I am growing deeper in you. Let all I do be an outpouring of that depth; let it continually point back to you. I pray for deeper health, healing, courage, and freedom. Let the roots grow deep, Lord.

Rooted in you, watered daily with Scripture and prayer so that I may grow and blossom. Rooted in you, Father.”

Rooted.

That’s my word. My goal and focus for 2017. I want all that I do to be rooted in Him.

A seed is planted, and its roots slowly settle in. With water, sunlight, and proper care, the roots will grow deep. The seed will spring up into a plant and grow stronger, blossoming and flourishing in the way it was created to be all along.

Like a plant, when we’re rooted in Christ and live for Him, we, too, will grow stronger and flourish into who He has designed us to be.

“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.”

— Colossians 2:6-7

My biggest desire for this year ahead is to stand firmly rooted in Him and to walk with Him. Growing deeply in Jesus is the first step; everything else follows suit. We can hope and dream, trusting that our Father is in control, leading us no matter what, and working all things for our ultimate good. We are blessed to live from victory of Christ rather than live for victory of our own.

As I went back to work this week, “rooted” was on my mind. It suddenly became obvious that this word came from the Lord. We as a church are going through a “Growing Up Challenge” together, learning spiritual disciplines for daily life and how to be a disciple. We even use study books called Growing Up, Firmly Planted, and Foundations. Everything points back to “rooted.” It's come full circle. 

Living out my word of the year in daily life in 2017 will take a lot of prayer. “Rooted” means saying yes to stillness, quiet, and rest. To time alone with Christ. To stepping out of my comfort zone trusting Him and knowing my foundation cannot be shaken. To gratitude, to generosity, to service. “Rooted” means saying no to comparison and selfishness. No to busyness and hustle, and definitely no to doubt and distrust. Over and over and over again.

No matter what changes occur over the next 12 months, my identity is rooted in God. My roots are unshakeable. I pray they grow deeper and stronger than I ever thought possible. I pray they remind me of exactly who I am and whose I am. 

I believe God will use "rooted" within me this year, even if in the smallest and most unexpected of ways. I'm challenging you to set your own word for 2017. Send me an email or reply in the comments below. Share it with your friends. Pray about it and offer it up to Jesus. And together, let's watch as He shows up yet again.

---

If you want to talk more about Jesus Christ and faith and what-the-heck-is-all-this-stuff, shoot me a message. I love meeting new people, whether virtually or in person, and gabbing about life. 

And if you'd like to know more of my story, you can read my testimony here.

Truly, He makes beautiful things.

God Is Up To Something

Guys. It feels like forever since I’ve written. In reality, it’s been twenty-four days—and in blog terms, that’s an eternity. My goal for 2017 is to write to you weekly. This blog has been a blessing and helped me connect with so many of you who I otherwise would not have. I love hearing your stories, answering your questions, and hopefully giving you some encouragement as you continue about your life exactly where you are. This space is part of my ministry, one I pray God grows and uses in the days, weeks, and months to come. His plan is bigger than I can comprehend, and I’m excited to be even a small part of it.

I am bursting with stories to tell you and lessons to share. I’ve let the blog take a back seat throughout November, instead focusing on being present in my new job, new church, and new home. I’ve focused on relationships here, and I’ve focused on my relationship with the Lord. In doing so, 

He keeps putting the word “restore” on my heart.

Restore (v.) — to give back or return. To put or bring back into existence or use. To repair or renovate so as to return to its original condition. Synonyms: recreate, refresh, revitalize, revive, renew.

I have been hearing “restore” over and over again. It started as a whisper and then this week grew louder and louder. I took that as a signal that it was time to write y’all a new blog post.

I’m in a season of restoration, and God is sweetly showing me what this looks like in various areas of my life.

As many of you already know, I’m a big proponent of counseling. I met with a Christian counselor regularly in New York City for the past three years and really believe everyone could benefit from a good counselor. Saying goodbye to my counselor when I moved brought me to tears. She had been with me through so much: moves, job changes, love, heartache. She counseled me as I decided to publicly affirm my faith in Christ through baptism. She watched and supported as I launched this blog. She’s been there through every up and down; my relationship with the Lord and my character as a woman of God grew under her. He had His hand on our counseling relationship, blessing it from the very start. I experienced tremendous healing from my eating disorder, anxiety, depression. And I became a true woman of the Lord.

As soon as I accepted the call to Nashville, I started looking for a counselor in the area. Through praying and consulting with those who know my story, I felt that a nutrition counselor was the best route to go. Finding one was at first an arduous process. It seemed as though I kept hitting dead ends. I actually broke down in tears one day over it.

My doubt and frustration was short-lived, though. A friend recommended her nutritionist here, and the rest is history. We’ve met twice so far; I know she’s part of the reason God has me here in Tennessee. She’s a nutritionist, a counselor, and a Christian. She knows what’s up. She just gets it. And she believes she can help guide me to full freedom, healing, and restoration from any remaining chains of the eating disorder that almost killed me eight years ago.

She used the word “restoration” on day one. That’s her goal for me. Restoration to the full woman of God I was created to be. Fearfully and wonderfully made. Knit together before birth with a name written in the stars. It’s a restoration both physical and spiritual. It’s a process I am excited about and believe God is equipping me to walk through.

In Acts 3, Peter heals a lame beggar. He speaks to all who watch him do so, reminding them this is possible through faith in Jesus Christ, whom God raised from the dead. He goes on,

“And now, brothers, I know that you did it in ignorance, just as your leaders also did. But what God predicted through the mouth of all the prophets—that His Messiah would suffer—He has fulfilled in this way. Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, who has been appointed for you as the Messiah. Heaven must welcome Him until the times of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about by the mouth of His holy prophets from the beginning."

The Bible tells us we can expect a restoration of all things. Over and over again, we see that God is making all things new! This doesn't only apply to our physical bodies; it applies to our entire lives. He will create a new heaven and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind (Isaiah 65:17). I began researching this theme in the Word and found such hope in the fact that He is renewing everything. Truly everything.

I was thinking a lot about the idea of restoration, and the next thing I know, I find out my church is doing a Christmas series called All Things New. Yes, really.

Shortly after that, a different friend of mine mentions Isaiah 43:19 during a completely unrelated conversation.

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

— Isaiah 43:19

I never told her “restore” was on my heart, yet here she was talking to me about a passage on renewing, reviving, and restoring.

God is up to something.

I want to tell you: Wherever you are in this very moment, know that God is doing a new thing. If you are reading this with a broken and lonely heart because the one you love doesn’t reciprocate, take comfort in the fact that God is doing a new thing. If you are wondering how you’ll make it through the holidays this year, remember that He is making a way in the wilderness. If you are questioning whether God will give you some relief from your chronic illness, know that He is bringing about the restoration of all things.  

I’m not sure when or how He will restore. I do think it’s something He’s actively doing and will fulfill in the ultimate sense when we reach His kingdom.

Yet on this Earth, He will not leave us hanging. He who made you will not forget you. Do not be afraid.

Restoration is coming, and it is beautiful beyond our wildest dreams.

---

If you want to talk more about Jesus Christ and faith and what-the-heck-is-all-this-stuff, shoot me a message. I love meeting new people, whether virtually or in person, and gabbing about life. 

And if you'd like to know more of my story, you can read my testimony here.

Truly, He makes beautiful things.