What You Do Matters

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(Hi all. Originally, this post was intended for a small group of younger mom friends I try to encourage and meet up with from time to time. But it got too long for a FB post so I thought I would make it a blog post instead and share it here. I hope you’ll forgive the less formal format 😉.)

Hi friends. How are you spending your weekend? Since I have a quiet house and some alone-time this weekend I am getting lots of reading done. (No hating please! There is a point to my sharing. 🙃)

If you are already cultivating a reading life (or just want to someday) you probably like seeing what others are reading. I wanted to show you my weekend book stack. A few chapters in each will get me through them all eventually. Some will take months, some a few weeks, one or two I’ll finish in a few days. I binge read half of Book Girl last weekend so I’m pretty sure I’ll finish that one. It’s hard to put down. 😍

Anyway, the reason I’m telling you this is because sometimes I come across something while I’m reading that makes me want to stop to call you all up individually and read the same words to you. That’s how I felt yesterday while reading Mission of Motherhood. I wanted to have you over, pour you a cup of tea, light a candle, feed you chocolate, and wave a magic wand to make all your kids be still and silent for half an hour while I point to the page and say, “Do you have any idea how much what you’re doing matters? I know you hear it from time to time, but do you truly believe it? Being a mother is the hardest best job there is. I’ve almost raised six so I truly do know how hard and best. My life’s verse makes that evident. ‘Do not become weary in doing good for in due season you will reap a harvest if you don’t give up’.” Gal. 6:9

With tears in my eyes I would gently take your face in my hands and tell you that what you do – all things little – absolutely matters! And us moms of olders? We need the same reminder, especially when none of what we’re doing seems to be getting through or making a difference anyway. (That’s another mom lie we believe.)

Oh my goodness though, what you’re doing is making a difference and it does matter! It matters to your kids, your future grandkids, and to your legacy you will one day leave your children and grandchildren. And it matters to God. Do you truly know how valuable you and your role are to His design for the family?

Motherhood? That was HIS design. No one values our role as mothers more than God does. The enemy has long since done what he could to make us fall for the lies of the world’s devalued version of motherhood.

When you’re so very worn out, putting one foot in front of the other, barely surviving at times, it is so easy to get lost in mommy-zombie-land and lose sight of the eternal importance of what you do and why you’re doing it.

At times we may think surely there must be more to life than wiping up one more mess, wiping one more snotty little nose or one more dirty little rear end, cooking another meal, washing one more dish, one more load of clothes, scrubbing the toilet. Again. It can all seem so monotonous and mundane!

But I think sometimes we forget what Jesus’ ministry here on earth looked like. He was continually meeting needs, cleaning up messes and the people who made them. He knew what we as moms feel, constantly being pulled in different directions, trying to meet a seemingly endless barrage of needs.

Being kind, benevolent Jesus, He looked at all those interruptions as opportunities to serve. He lived his life as a servant-leader, modeling for us what it looks like to constantly (and ultimately) lay down His life for others, serving them with a heart of love, tenderness, and grace.

As well as meeting needs and serving others, Jesus knew the blessing and encouragement of regularly spending time with those closest to him, sharing His heart and listening to theirs. He walked and talked with them, laughed and cried with them, shared meals with them, and spent time in their homes. Friendships were important to Jesus and He devoted time to nurturing those relationships.

He also placed top priority on finding a quiet place of solitude for the purpose of prayer and rest. When we read about Jesus’ life we see that He was very intentional about this. Compassionate Jesus, the ultimate need-meeter, knowing the importance of and His own need for prayer and rest, would slip away from the crowds and all the people demanding one more thing from Him, even from his close circle of friends, to seek the heart of His Father.

If Jesus felt the need for regular times of being alone with His Father, and placed such importance on prayer, rest, time in the Word, moments of refreshing, and time with friends why is it then that we think we can keep on going and keep on giving and pouring ourselves out without it? Jesus has Living Water to offer. We as moms must follow His example by daily nurturing our own souls with what fills us back up (I’m talking small here, like lighting a candle, buying a $5 bouquet at the grocery store, laughing at your kids – or yourself – more often, getting lost for a few minutes in a favorite home decor or cooking magazine, opening a curtain to take a glimpse of your favorite tree, flowers, or the sun peeking through a gray cloud, hiding in the laundry room to eat a cookie without sharing, taking a walk, starting a gratitude journal to write something you’re thankful for at the end of each day, playing your favorite music while making lunch; insert here whatever fills you or breathes life into you – do more of it), activities, things and people that fill our hearts to overflowing so that we will have something from which others can draw. No more running on empty! It’s not sustainable.

Remember, as you go about your day meeting the needs of your family you are tending what matters for eternity. God says in Matthew 25:40 that whatever we do for the least of these we do for Him.

Your children mean everything to Him. And so do you. You matter. What you do matters. Every little thing. Every single day. All of it. IM-POR-TANT. He sees, and He is blessed and glorified because of it.

Love & Prayers,

Becky

His Presence

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Have you been able to get alone with God for even a little while this crowded Christmas season? To take a step back from the activities, the decorations, and the presents to ponder anew HIS presence? 

I admit this time of year when I should be even more focused on the incarnate Christ, I am usually running myself ragged doing “all the things.” Are you, too, familiar with that seemingly ever-growing list? I love doing all of it: the planning, decorating, shopping, wrapping (okay, so I don’t love all of it), cooking, baking, on and on it goes. And most importantly, sacrificial and spiritual things too, you know, like baking cookies for neighbors, shopping for children who don’t have much at all in this world (not even a family), giving more to missions, buying chickens and goats for the poor in third world countries, attending the Christmas Eve service at church, etc. It’s all about giving because of Christ’s giving and it makes my heart soar to do it.  BUT without spending time in and dwelling on His presence, it all becomes merely something else to get checked off my ever growing to-do list and at the end of the day I’m left bone-weary and all emptied out.

So today I’m pondering His presence. Really, really mulling it over.

Jesus’ presence sets us free! Because of His sacrifice made in our place, his people no longer had to worry about which sacrifice to make, the bull or the doves or the lamb? Now, which kind of offering are we to make this time? Should it be a smoke offering, or burnt, or a grain, or a drink offering? Will he find me acceptable? Worthy? No more meaningless rituals to cleanse us from our sins. No more striving to earn His love or approval. No! His coming set us free. Free from trying to do and be good enough. His coming paid my sin debt and yours. Christmas made Easter possible.

“You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21                                                                                                                                            

THAT’S what I’m celebrating this season. Our freedom made possible because of His coming as flesh to dwell among us. 

His coming answered thousands of years of prayers and brought deliverance and freedom to a world groaning under the sheer weight of trying to make atonement for all their sin. I’m sure that on that first Christmas night in the stillness and hush that finally came after all the excitement, you could have heard a collective sigh of relief from a world that was at last set free. Their freedom and ours would be found in that humble baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger (Luke 2:12). The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory (John 1:14). 

The birth of The Messiah, our long-awaited Deliverer, Our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty King, Prince of Peace, Immanuel, God With Us fulfilled all God’s promises He had given throughout the ages.

Promises such as He loves us, He hears our cries, He gives us strength and comfort, His grace is all sufficient, He died for us and we are His.

Promises like Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” 

And Exodus 33:14, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”

So as I enjoy my family and all the food, fun, and festivities, and as I delight in all the kids opening their presents, I’ll be careful to be aware of and ever so grateful for His presence which truly is the best present of all. 

My prayer for you is that you are experiencing His presence due to having accepted God’s divine gift of love and deliverance for you through the birth, life, and death of His only Son, Jesus Christ. 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

May God continue to bless us all with His peace and may we be ever mindful that He IS with us and will never leave us. He is worthy to be praised! Hallelujah!

Merry Christmas! 

Love and blessings, 

Becky

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record has been cleared of guilt.” Psalm 32:1-2

Real Joy, Real Pain, Real Life, Real Jesus

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imageThose nights when you can’t sleep because to everyone else your life on the outside looks so perfect, when in reality you’re dying inside and you just don’t know into how many more pieces your heart can break or just how much more sorrow you can take before it. all. comes. crashing. down.
I’m tired of the Facebook façade. You know the one. Where all is sunshine and roses and smiles and laughter. I thank God there IS a lot of that! But life is not a series of either mountain top or valley experiences. It’s not one or the other. It’s more of a journey going along on parallel tracks made of joy and sorrow running side by side each other often at the same time. So, yes, we have a tremendous amount to be thankful for and joyful over, while at the same time we continue to be blasted with enough sorrow and pain to last us a lifetime.

Is that your story too? If so, I’m so sorry. We are told in Scripture that this world is not our home and that we will, as Jesus did and all who follow him do, experience suffering. But. Don’t you love the word “but” in Scripture? “But God… !” But if we know Him we are not without comfort. We are not without hope or strength.
We’re strong in the Lord. It’s in our weakness HE shows Himself strong. He carries us. HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT! Every single time.

Aren’t we all just broken vessels? And when we stop hiding the cracks and let our brokenness show, that’s when more of His light can seep out into the darkness around us, helping to illuminate someone else’s dark path they’re on.
I’m afraid what spills out of my brokenness a lot of times isn’t the light and love of Jesus. It’s fear, doubt, and the anger of heartbreak. But I pray that through all this, He’s changing me.
In my brokenness and failures, I want HIS light to shine and for this earthen vessel to be softened, yielded to His loving hands shaping me into His image, not mine, using me to further HIS kingdom and plan, not mine, and to ultimately pour out comfort to others and bring glory to Him. That is what I pray is the end result. That’s the goal, right?
It’s okay to say things aren’t perfect and to admit you’re hurting. I know friends who are. I know family members who are. I am.

How about you? Need prayer? I love to pray for people. I believe in it. I believe in the One Who hears our cry. My hope is in the Lord. Let’s pray for each other in the sweet, powerful, mighty name of JESUS believing that He hears, He cares, and He IS completing the good work He’s begun in us! Amen!

Love, blessings, and prayers to you.

Becky

Girl Talk

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Let’s face it, most of us women like to talk. The need to communicate and to feel heard is hard-wired into us by our Creator. I love few things more than catching up with a good friend over a cup of coffee or tea, listening to her heart and spilling mine. He made us for relationships.

While it’s true we do an awful lot of talking, perhaps even more importantly, we do a great deal of listening. So do our daughters. But what are we hearing? Coming at us from every source imaginable, daily competing for our attention are voices from friends, teachers, co-workers, church leaders, parents, boys/men, television, music, movies, magazines, books, and social media. Whew! That’s a lot of noise!

Whose voice are you hearing above the rest? Have you bought into the lies from the world which have told you who you are or aren’t, who or what you should or shouldn’t be since you were a young girl? Voices that tell you you don’t measure up? How have those lies affected the way you talk to yourself? You know… the things you say to yourself about yourself when you’re alone.

Things like, “I’m so stupid. I can’t ever do anything right. I’m too fat/thin. I hate myself. I’m ugly. I’ll never be able to do that. I wish I looked like her, had what she has, or could do what she can do. I’m such a failure. My life has no meaning. God could never use me.” The list can go on and on.

Maybe you say those things in your head or maybe you’ve said them out loud. Maybe even in front of your daughter. I know I have. Have you ever thought that your daughter will very likely grow up and form her own self-dialogue that will be very similar to what was modeled for her?

Are you instilling in her (and yourself) the desire to hear God’s voice concerning every topic she’s wrestling with, some of which she’ll continue to battle for many years? Are you teaching and modeling for her how to listen above the din for the voice of God, to hear the truth of who HE says she is from His Word? Whose voice are you hearing above the rest? Who do all of these voices tell you that you are? Who do you say you are?

Want to know what God, in His holy Word, has to say about you? If you are His child through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8), can you not hear His voice above the rest, speaking to your heart the truth of who you are in Him and because of Him? Listen to Him now…

You are the apple of My eye – Psalm 17:8

You have been bought with a price – 1 Cor. 6:20

You are My workmanship – Eph. 2:10

You are no longer a slave to sin, but are forgiven and free – Rom. 6:6,  1John 1:9

You are free from blemish – Col. 1:22

You are never forsaken – Hebrews 13:5

You are an overcomer – 1 John 5:4-5

You belong to Me – John 17:9

You are a conqueror – Rom. 8:37

You are a co-heir with Jesus Christ – Rom. 8:17

You are chosen by Me – 1 Pet. 2:9

You are made by Me – Psalm 100:3

You are royalty – Rom. 8:16-17

You are called by name – Isaiah 43:1

You are My child – John 1:12

You have been rescued – Col. 1:13

You have been made new – 2 Cor. 5:17

You are inscribed on the palm of My hand – Isaiah 49:16

You are precious in My sight – Isaiah 43:4

You are LOVED! – Isaiah 43:4

Now, the next time we get into a conversation with ourselves, let’s remember what God, the Creator of the universe, our heavenly Father, Jesus our blessed Redeemer, says about us… and then let’s believe Him, taking every untrue thought captive to the obedience of Christ, clarifying these truths for our daughters by our example, training them to hear His voice, His truth above the noise!

Blessings, Becky

*I realize these truths are just as important for our boys to know as well as our girls, but since typically, more girls struggle with issues of self-worth as related to the things that constantly bombard them through the media, I directed this post toward moms and daughters. But, of course, please, encourage your boys/men of their high value in and because of Christ, according to His never-changing Word!

This Hard Place

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Isaiah 43:1-3, 10-13

In what hard place do you find yourself right now?

Are you in a difficult work environment? Perhaps you have no work.  You may be under great financial strain.

Some are miles from friends and family, feeling isolated and alone. Do you find yourself in a too-small house, overrun with toddlers and laundry and more demands than you can ever meet? Or maybe your home that was once filled with laughter and activity is now too quiet, too empty.

Many are experiencing overwhelming sorrow over the loss of a child, spouse, parent, or friend. Others are feeling a deep sadness from being in a loveless, cold marriage, feeling lonelier than they ever have. Maybe you are a parent paralyzed by fear and grief over a teen or young adult child who is engaging in self-destructive behavior while running hard and fast away from you and God.

If you are living through any of these circumstances, chances are great that you are struggling with questions you know may never be answered this side of heaven. If you are a follower of Christ, you do have a loving heavenly Father to whom you can pour out your heart. He doesn’t shy away from our tough questions, but He wants us to ask “what” and “how” along with our “why.” Ask what He wants to do in and through you in the midst of this circumstance. How does He want to use this in your life? How does He want to use you?

He has purposes for you that He established before the formation of the world. He’s growing you and shaping your character. He’s preparing you. Take a deep breath. Take heart. Take God at His word. His promises are true. His love for you is everlasting.

God does not promise to answer all of our questions, but He does promise to bring meaning to our pain and suffering.

(1 Peter 4:12; 2 Corinthians 1:4; Isaiah 53:3; Philippians 3:10; Romans 5:3; Romans 8:17, 18, 28)

God is in control. He loves you. He IS working in and through your circumstances.

His Word tells you…

Your God who created you, who formed you, who tells you not to fear has redeemed you. He has summoned you by name and you are His.

When you pass through the waters, He will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.

He is the Lord, your God. The holy One of Israel, your Savior. He gives your enemies for your ransom and in your stead.

You are precious and honored in His sight. You are loved. You are His witness, His servant whom He has chosen, that you may know Him and remain steadfast in Him. Know that He is. There were no gods before Him and there will be no gods after Him.

Besides Him, there is no Savior. It is He who has declared the future and has saved the nation (His people) in times of danger. He has shown that He is God. You are His witness and He is your God. No one can deliver out of His hand. He acts and no one can reverse it.

See Him in all of His power and might. He is asking you to let go of your fears and trust Him. Trust who He is and who you are in Him. Trust that He is accomplishing the plans and purposes He has had for you since the beginning of time.

No matter what you’re going through, He is with you. He loves you. Remember, what He calls you to (by name!), He will walk you through. He is right by your side.

Won’t you let go of your fears and trust Him? Rest in Him. Take a deep breath. Take heart and take Him at His word.

Know that He is working!

Blessings, Becky

“This hard place in which you perhaps find yourself is the very place in which
God is giving you opportunity to look only to Him, to spend time in prayer, and
to learn long-suffering, gentleness, meekness – in short, to learn the depths of the love that Christ Himself has poured out on all of us.”  

~  Elisabeth Elliot

 

Timing is Everything

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Acts 1:1-11

Jesus appeared to His disciples over a period of forty days between His resurrection and ascension. He ministered to them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God.

He told them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the gift His Father had promised… the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The apostles asked Him if He was going to restore the Kingdom of Israel at this time. In verse 7,  Jesus tells them it is not for them to know the times and dates the Father has set by His own authority!

He told them they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit when He comes on them and they were to be His witnesses until He comes again.

Great reminder for me or for anyone waiting on the Lord’s answer or waiting for Him to move in a particular situation.

He has the timing all worked out by His own authority. When He’s ready to let us in on it, He will.

Until then, we are to continue to live and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and to let others see Him living through us.

Remain faithful!

Blessings, Becky

A Happy Fix

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We cannot secure happiness on our own. The words “happy” and “secure” probably should not even be in the same sentence. Typically, happiness is based on circumstances which are anything but secure. Instead, we should look to our relationship with Christ as the foundation for true and lasting joy.

Read Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Verses 10 and 11 speak to the futility of chasing after everything we think will make us happy:

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

I have certainly been guilty of “chasing the wind.” It’s as if the state of being happy is this elusive prize we think we can attain.

“Maybe under different circumstances I’d be happy. Possibly with different people around me I’d be happy. I would be happy if I had a better job or a nicer house. Perhaps if I buy more things or give more stuff away then I’d be happy.”

The list of things we believe will make us happy can go on and on. But I have learned that the only genuine source of lasting joy in my life is my covenant with the Lord. He never changes. His Word is true. He always, always keeps His promises. His presence is the only truly stable, completely satisfying thing in my life.

So rather than pursuing temporary happiness by “building my kingdom just to watch it fade away,” I must instead press in to my relationship with HIM every time I need a “happy fix!”

Blessings, Becky

Psalm 68:3   But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

Psalm 84:1-12  ~ v. 10 – Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

1 Timothy 6:6-7     6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

“Yes, Lord!”

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Read  Matthew 1:18-25.   This remarkable passage speaks volumes about Mary and Joseph’s love for and commitment to God and each other.

Not to mention trust! Their level of trust in their situation being from the Lord is amazing. It certainly wasn’t their plan and dream for their future life together.

Can you imagine the chaos had either one of them thrown up their hands, ranted and raved, and ultimately rejected God’s sovereign plan for their lives?

Isn’t that our first reaction sometimes to our plans not going our way? At first, anyway? I know it has been my experience to react that way.

I usually settle down, stop fighting it and eventually give up my plan for His, but how much better it would be if I learn to take a deep breath in and breathe out the words, “Yes, Lord!” His plan is always better than mine anyway!

In this short account of the conception of our Lord Jesus Christ, we see in v. 19  that Joseph had his mind made up about how to handle this unexpected situation. He had made his decision.

But once the Lord had let His will in the matter be known to Joseph (vv. 20-21), there was no arguing on Joseph’s part. There was no offering up of numerous excuses as to why he simply could not do what the Lord was asking Him to do. “But, God, what will my friends and family think? Will I lose my standing in the community? How will this affect my business? God, are you sure Mary didn’t … ? Lord, do you know what you’re asking me to do?”

No! There was none of that. Joseph believed God! He and Mary both knew their God could be trusted and that He had a plan far greater than either of them could imagine. They faced making the decision to obey or not obey God in the midst of their confusion. Thankfully, they yielded their hearts, their hopes, their expectations, their plans; yes, their very lives to His and said, “Yes, Lord!”

Think of the eternal things that happened because of their obedience!  May our prayer be like Mary’s (Luke 1:38), “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

Blessings, Becky

Press On!

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Sitting here with a heart so full of emotions. Emotions past, present, and even future.

Struggling. Struggling to see and hear clearly. See the path the Lord has for me. Hear His voice.

Struggling to surrender. Surrender those emotions from the past. Past decisions. Past pain and suffering. My pain and my children’s. Even my sweet husband’s.

Surrender the fears and unknowns regarding decisions that need to be made in the near future. Surrender the consequences of disobedience and yes, even obedience.

Depressed, over-worked dad. Exhausted, angry mom. Stressed, frustrated kids. Mixed-up priorities. Good things crowding out best things. Time to make some changes, but I’m struggling.

Struggling to surrender feelings of pride, fear, control, inadequacy – all of which paralyze me and cause me to procrastinate at best or refuse to move forward at worst.

Stuck somewhere in between,  I get stagnant. When I imagine stagnant water I picture water that is dark, murky. Water from which no light is being reflected. Water that is motionless. It has remained still with no life moving around inside it which has, over time, caused a film to cover it.

A film like the one that covers my eyes, clouding my vision, preventing me from seeing all God has for me. For a while, I lose sight of what I know to be true about Him from His Word. I become temporarily blinded to the truth that He is working behind the scenes, in and through my circumstances to accomplish His will and to conform me to the image of Christ! He does have a plan!

By not staying focused on that truth I will develop a pattern of reacting with resentment to the interruptions and inconveniences in my life instead of responding to them as opportunities. Opportunities for Him to grow me, teach me, draw me closer to Himself, bless me, bless others, accomplish His will and plan… not mine.

I stop looking at certain people and situations in my life as blessings and gifts. I miss the big picture, failing to see them as tools in the hands of God to chisel me into His likeness. Through my distorted vision I can, instead, view them as instruments of Satan sent to torture me and cause me all manner of grief! This outlook blurs my perspective and robs my joy.

The film that covers my heart is tougher than the one that covers my eyes. It’s thicker, acting as a double-sided barrier. It keeps feelings I don’t want to feel from penetrating the few soft spots remaining in my heart, while at the same time, prevents certain emotions that I have carefully kept buried, and the memories attached to them, from rising to the surface.

When I am stagnant, the light within me, which is Jesus, is not being reflected as brightly as it could be. All the while I allow people, circumstances, and emotions to immobilize me. I shut down. Meanwhile, there is no life stirring around inside my heart, moving me forward.

No movement inside or out equals no life. No joy.

But wait! His living inside me is my joy. I must protect and nurture this joy. From it comes my strength to move! Doesn’t it take strength to move? His Word says the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). So by delighting and abiding in Him every day, I’ll have strength. The strength I need to press on, “forgetting what is behind and straining toward to what is ahead.”

Are frustrations, fears, and feelings hindering you from moving forward today? Saturate your mind in the living Word of God so your heart will know that paralyzing circumstances and emotions will come and go. Feelings are not to be trusted. Only the Word of God is sure, steadfast, unchanging, life-giving!

There is life moving inside the Word! Jesus is there. (He is the Word.) It is alive. It will move you!

Blessings,

Becky

Philippians 3:13-14 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The Great Cover-Up

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I love that God, in His Word, allows us to see some of the great men and women of the faith with all of their immaturity and imperfections laid bare. The Bible is full of incomplete, limited people. Broken people with rough edges and faulty thinking. People just like you and me. It’s true! Think of a favorite Bible character then ask yourself what endears them to you, why do you like their story? For me, it’s because I can relate to them. I venture to say you can, too. We are a lot like them, so their stories of redemption, rescue, victory, healing and restoration give us hope for our situation.

By being transparent, these men and women encourage us, strengthen our faith, and build our confidence in our God Who keeps His many wonderful promises to His people. Their stories enlarge our capacity to believe that He CAN, He DOES, and He WILL use inadequate people like you and me to spur others on when they have lost heart and their burden has become too heavy for them to carry alone.

Most of us feel inclined to cover up blemishes, don’t we? We use products on our bodies to cover up wrinkles, dark circles, discolored teeth, hair that’s turning gray, cellulite. You name it, we try to hide it. Me? I would buy concealer by the gallon and bathe in it if I thought it would do any good. I’ve jokingly told my family they will never know when my hair starts to gray, because I don’t plan on allowing it to go without color long enough to ever see it happen! People who tan say it makes them look slimmer. Tanning, concealer, veneer, dye, whatever the method, we try to cover a multitude of imperfection.

In our house, there has been a lot of covering up going on lately. We are putting down new tile and carpet on the floors. Walls that we didn’t realize were so dingy are suddenly bright and new with fresh coats of paint. Dings and scars are filled in and hidden… unless you look closely.

Trying to camouflage flaws we don’t particularly want showing on our body or things we don’t like about our home is really just a matter of preference or taste.  The process requires a lot of work and can really be tiring, but we figure the pay-off is worth it.  Hiding the condition of our hearts and lives is quite a different matter. To do so can be exhausting and the pay-off isn’t so great. We earn no dividends from putting up a front for our family, friends, or within our church walls or our circles of influence. We will come across to others as not able to relate, non-approachable, artificial.

I am not saying that we should spill out all of our past and present heartaches, failures, messes, trials, and those of our children to everyone we meet! But we need to be sensitive to times He may be leading us to share with other hurting people how He brought us through those things. People who are hurting, struggling and walking through a dark time are in need of the comfort which we ourselves have received (2 Cor. 1:3-5 ). They need hope. They need a little light for the path they’re on. They need to see God’s light shining through our broken places. And they will if we let the Lord turn our mess into a message.

The Bible calls us earthen vessels, clay pots (2 Cor. 4:7). Over time, due to daily wear and tear, clay pots will crack. So will we. What happens when you hold a cracked pot up to a source of light? The light shines through the cracks! As believers, Jesus is our source of Light.

He uses our transparency to shine His light into the darkness others are experiencing. 

So while God is continually filling in our hollow spaces, healing our breaks, binding up our still-fresh gaping wounds, and giving us beauty for ashes (Is. 61:3 ), we need to allow others to see that because of Christ in us  joy, life, and hope can and do co-exist with pain, tears, and trials (2 Cor. 4:10). 

You are a work in progress and you can be “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

Do others see Jesus’ life at work in you (2 Cor. 4:11-12)?

May we always be ready to give someone a reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15 ).

Hope and blessings to you,                                                                                                                         Becky