Those closest to me would definitely say I am a black girl trapped in a white girl's body. I say this with the utmost respect. There is nothing remotely racist about anything I am about to say. Truth be told, our African American sisters can do a whole lotta things better than us white girls. When it comes to keeping a rhythm, the average white girl just...how can I say this...struggles. Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved shaking my tail feather. Any time music came on, I started rockin' this booty from side to side. I'm telling y'all, something just takes over my body. I really can't stop it sometimes. And why should I?
Most days, I am doing the stay-at-home mom thing. Most days, I am wiping snotty noses, cleaning babies' bottoms, or organizing and reorganizing the, what seems to be, multiplying collection of toys we own in our home. Most days, I am a loyal wife, a Sunday School teacher, friend, sister, and daughter. But today? Today, I am letting my hair down. Today, I am letting the dirty clothes pile just a little bit higher. Today, I am letting the dust collect over my furniture just a little bit thicker. Today, I am putting on my dancing shoes and getting my groove on in the best way I know how. Below are the lyrics to the chorus from a newly released Christian rap song by an artist who lives in my area. I've also provided the link below to the entire song. Before you listen to the song, I want you to take a minute and just read the following lyrics to the chorus...
"If tha Lord is in tha building and ya really know ya feel Him, get 'em high! Get 'em high!
If ya feel him in ya soul, won't you step up on ya toes? Get 'em high! Get 'em high!
If ya love tha way ya feelin', won't ya try to touch tha ceilin'? Get 'em high! Get 'em high!
Can't nobody gonna do ya like the Lord. Go on praise God!!"
Sometimes, don't ya just need to get your praise on?! Sometimes, don't you just need to hush the sounds of life, turn up the volume on your favorite praise jam, and shake ya tail feather...ALL for the glory of the Lord?! That is me, today. Life is just hard, you know? And it ain't gettin' easier. So, why not stop? Stop what you're doing, click on the link below, turn the volume way up, and dance like nobody's watching. Life just isn't life if not spent in the presence of the Lord. What better way to do just that than dancing and worshiping Him?!
"Then Peter said, 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.' Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God." -Acts 3:6-8
Get up. Walk. Run. Jump up and praise God. Shout with joy. Dance before the Lord. Raise your hands and worship your King. Go on, friends! Get 'em high!! Get 'em high!!
Get 'Em High
Monday, April 27, 2015
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
I Hate Myself
What kind of "feeler" are you? Ok, I just lost all of my male readers with that question right there.
(That's ok. I think I just had one male reader anyway...Hi, husband!)
Seriously...
Do you feel deeply? Or do you kind of keep everything on the surface?
The reason I ask is because I am a deep feeler...like...real deep...way down low deep. Anyone?
And this can create a problem for me sometimes. Anyone?
If I get tickled...I laugh loudly. If I get sad...I cry intensely. If I get mad...well, you get the picture.
And I can really hate myself for feeling so much. Anyone?
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Ever wonder why we wrestle so much with unhappiness? Especially when it comes to ourselves? I've realized we will never truly be content while here on this planet because this place, this place we call Earth, is not our home. Our enemy, the Impostor I like to call him, spends a lot of time trying to convince us of our unhappiness, of our discontentment in ourselves so that we will waste our time being miserable here on this planet and miss...so that we will MISS (did you catch that?) our purpose, our reason for being created for such a time as this. He knows our time on Earth is temporary and he also knows this is not our home. He happens to know how the story ends. So if we will become distracted with unhappiness, discontentment, sadness, anger, fill in your blank here, he knows we will waste our time on this planet and ultimately walk away from our God-ordained purpose out of fear of rejection, insecurity, and/or unworthiness.
Because I feel everything...remember, I'm a deep "feeler," you can only imagine how much fun my Impostor tends to have with me. All day long I fight thoughts like...
Life can be lonely, too...so my enemy goes wild when it comes to friendship...
No one wants to be your friend. You'll never have friends. Who would want to be your friend? The friends you do have eventually will hurt you anyway. Trust no one.
Anyone?
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
You were made for greatness. You were not meant to be silent. You were not meant to cower in the corner or to resent your personality. God created you on purpose and with purpose. Stand up, head tall, and chin up. You are a child of God. Why would you let the enemy of God dictate your feelings and tell you who you are? Let the ONE who made you be the judge of that!
Rise up! You've got work to do!
...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
One day, we get to go home and into the arms of Jesus we'll be safe and perfect. Complete.
(That's ok. I think I just had one male reader anyway...Hi, husband!)
Seriously...
Do you feel deeply? Or do you kind of keep everything on the surface?
The reason I ask is because I am a deep feeler...like...real deep...way down low deep. Anyone?
And this can create a problem for me sometimes. Anyone?
If I get tickled...I laugh loudly. If I get sad...I cry intensely. If I get mad...well, you get the picture.
And I can really hate myself for feeling so much. Anyone?
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:13-14
Ever wonder why we wrestle so much with unhappiness? Especially when it comes to ourselves? I've realized we will never truly be content while here on this planet because this place, this place we call Earth, is not our home. Our enemy, the Impostor I like to call him, spends a lot of time trying to convince us of our unhappiness, of our discontentment in ourselves so that we will waste our time being miserable here on this planet and miss...so that we will MISS (did you catch that?) our purpose, our reason for being created for such a time as this. He knows our time on Earth is temporary and he also knows this is not our home. He happens to know how the story ends. So if we will become distracted with unhappiness, discontentment, sadness, anger, fill in your blank here, he knows we will waste our time on this planet and ultimately walk away from our God-ordained purpose out of fear of rejection, insecurity, and/or unworthiness.
Because I feel everything...remember, I'm a deep "feeler," you can only imagine how much fun my Impostor tends to have with me. All day long I fight thoughts like...
You'll never be effective. You're too loud, you're too bossy, you're too dumb, you're too southern, you're too ugly, you're NOT sweet-natured.
Life can be lonely, too...so my enemy goes wild when it comes to friendship...
No one wants to be your friend. You'll never have friends. Who would want to be your friend? The friends you do have eventually will hurt you anyway. Trust no one.
Anyone?
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10
You were made for greatness. You were not meant to be silent. You were not meant to cower in the corner or to resent your personality. God created you on purpose and with purpose. Stand up, head tall, and chin up. You are a child of God. Why would you let the enemy of God dictate your feelings and tell you who you are? Let the ONE who made you be the judge of that!
Rise up! You've got work to do!
...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6
One day, we get to go home and into the arms of Jesus we'll be safe and perfect. Complete.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Our Deepest Pain, God's Greatest Tool
When I was a little girl, only 10-years-old,
my father was pastoring the 4th largest Baptist church in the state
of Louisiana. We had just moved to New
Orleans and not long after my father had taken the pulpit at his new church, my
world completely changed as I knew it. Because
of a combination of some poor choices made by the adults in my life, and some
very personal things taking place between my mother and father, my church life
and family life became a total wreck and source of devastation.
As all of this was unraveling in
our lives, I was still attending school at the church where my father pastored. Unfortunately, some of the most hateful
people in my life have been the very people I have sat next to on Sunday
mornings. As I played in the courtyard at
recess during my 5th grade year, someone had strategically placed a
very hateful note near my lunchbox, so that when I sat down to eat my lunch
that day, I would read how much they hated my father and how he didn’t deserve
to be in the position he was in as a pastor.
While the feelings of the
person who left that note near my lunchbox that day may or may not have been justified, for a child to be caught in the
crossfire, to have to pay for the consequences of the decisions of her father
is not fair. It is not right. But it happens every day. You see?
As adults, we sometimes don’t consider that our poor decisions will
affect those around us. But they
do. And the affects can last a lifetime.
For me that painful moment as a 10-year-old
girl, marked the beginning of a very long, and painful at times, journey with
the Lord. But it also marked the
beginning of what I now see was the road to my purpose in this life - my
destiny, my ministry, the reason for which my God created me. See?
Only our God can use our deepest hurt and our most shame-filled moments
for good and for His glory.
Are you at a place, yet, where you can see that God can AND wants to use the good AND the bad in your life? I do not believe that He wills painful things to happen to His children, but I DO believe He can use them to create us into something beautiful. That is just who He is.
"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
-Ephesians 3:20 (ESV)
Monday, February 16, 2015
Quit Playing It Safe
There are lots of things I am terrible at doing. Like baking, for instance. Or cleaning.
Oh, and math. I’m terrible at
math. But some things like writing and
organizing, I’m not too shabby at doing.
Oh, and talking - I’m great at gab - especially when it comes to
mindless things. But you get me going on
something I am passionate about?!
Not too many people I know say, “When I grow up I want to
talk about sex.” Honestly, that is not
what I said either. But as things would
turn out, that is exactly what I am doing with my life. And I could not be more excited, more
thrilled, and more in love with my job than I am in this moment right now.
I remember hearing someone once say, “You cannot amputate
your history from your destiny.” It made
zero sense at the time. But as I sit
today, in this moment and realize what God has brought me through, that statement
makes perfect sense.
Recently, God called me to start a ministry with the purpose
of helping people find freedom from sexual sin.
Specifically, God has asked me to help men and women find freedom that
only comes from the redemptive power found in Jesus Christ when they surrender
their lives to Him. Surrender means
letting go of those things that have them, all of us, by the throat – lust, pornography,
adultery, divorce, addiction, abuse, bad habits, prostitution, promiscuity, SIN. Initially, I felt very overwhelmed by the
call, by the task. I still do at
times. But then I remembered exactly
what my God has brought me through and redeemed me from.
No, I cannot amputate my history from my destiny. BUT…
My history and my future, and therefore my destiny, share
the same root – Jesus Christ.
God has a calling on your life, as well. And it is beyond your wildest dreams. No, I never could have imagined being in this
place for such a time as this. The
journey has been long and painful. But
so far, it has been worth it all. The
risk IS great. The cost IS high. And wouldn’t it? And shouldn’t it? After all, Christ gave His life for me and
for you. Shouldn’t there be some cost,
some risk for following Him?
Over the weekend, while America watched 50 Shades of Grey,
21 men lost their lives for the cause of
Christ at the hands of ISIS. While men
and women (yes, CHRISTIAN men and women) paid for and viewed pornography, Jesus
welcomed (stood in their honor, I bet) 21 brave men as they entered
Heaven.
YES, the cost is high.
The risk is great. The choice is
hard. But the reward is GREAT. His Glory – our reward.
You have a calling.
You have a God-authored,
Jesus-ordained calling on your life.
Don't play it safe. Our world has enough Christian people playing it safe. Jesus is so worth the risk.
Now, go fulfill your beautiful purpose.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Let's Talk About Sex! Introducing Freedom13 Ministries...
It was the summer of 2008 when I was sitting among a small group of women participating in a Bible study on the power of prayer. I felt the tug at my heart. I felt the whisper in my ear. My response was quick and sharp. "No, LORD. Not me."
I knew in that moment that he was going to prepare me for something big, something beyond my wildest dreams, something at the end of it all, I could look back on it and say, "Only you God could pull off something like that." Since that summer in 2008, I knew God was going to use our time together to prepare me, train me, and grow me into the woman he created me to be for such a time as this. The journey would not be without challenges, hurts and heartbreaks, but it would be worth them all. Because when we surrender our lives to Christ and his cause, he makes life worth living.
Ya know? Only the God I serve can take our most painful moments and turn them into glorious opportunities of servanthood. Only the God I serve can take our most shameful moments and turn them into liberating opportunities of ministry. And only the God I serve can take our most sinful moments and turn them into righteous opportunities of proclamation. Months ago the Lord started piecing together the vision for Freedom13 Ministries. The burden for this ministry came after seeing and hearing about the struggle most young people face as they try and navigate their way through a sex-saturated world. My passion for this ministry only grew as I watched young women hide behind their shame of virginity, pornography addiction and poor relationship choices.
As an American Christian, I must face the reality and ask myself, "How have I contributed to this?" Having grown up in the church I know sex was not something taught on regularly. I just know I was told to not have it until I was married. Could it be as American Christians we have somehow, unintentionally taught our Christian children to be ashamed and scared of sex and to be ashamed and scared of their virginity? And could it also be that we have completely failed them as the Body of Christ in preparing our Christian children on how to live in a sex-saturated world?!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
The purpose of Freedom13 Ministries is to serve men and women of all ages who long to be set free from sexual sin. It is easy to walk through life not realizing we are enslaved to sin that is keeping us from experiencing God's full potential for our lives. Freedom13 Ministries educates, equips, and empowers men and women through the message of hope, redemption, salvation, restoration, healing, and accountability found in the Bible. Additionally, Freedom13 Ministries provides support for healthy relationships, children (young to adult) effected by divorce and adultery, abstinence: God’s design for sex, and virginity (second chance virginity).
Why the number 13? Freedom13 Ministries believes in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:13 says, "For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." I believe in and proclaim the saving and miraculous power of Jesus Christ. In my darkest moments, Jesus has been there for me. That's just who he is. I don’t believe in luck or magic. I believe in Jesus and blessings.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
1. I need your prayers. This ministry cannot survive without prayer. Consider being one of our prayer partners.
2. I need volunteers. Specifically, I need individuals willing to be accountability partners for those struggling with specific areas of sin.
3. I need financial supporters. We are a non-profit organization and are trusting the Lord to provide donors in order to pay for brand new expenses.
Brent and I are so excited about this new journey. Thank you for your prayer and support. We can't wait to see how the Lord uses Freedom13 Ministries. Where He is, there is FREEDOM!
We are on Facebook. Like us...Freedom13 Ministries.
I knew in that moment that he was going to prepare me for something big, something beyond my wildest dreams, something at the end of it all, I could look back on it and say, "Only you God could pull off something like that." Since that summer in 2008, I knew God was going to use our time together to prepare me, train me, and grow me into the woman he created me to be for such a time as this. The journey would not be without challenges, hurts and heartbreaks, but it would be worth them all. Because when we surrender our lives to Christ and his cause, he makes life worth living.
Ya know? Only the God I serve can take our most painful moments and turn them into glorious opportunities of servanthood. Only the God I serve can take our most shameful moments and turn them into liberating opportunities of ministry. And only the God I serve can take our most sinful moments and turn them into righteous opportunities of proclamation. Months ago the Lord started piecing together the vision for Freedom13 Ministries. The burden for this ministry came after seeing and hearing about the struggle most young people face as they try and navigate their way through a sex-saturated world. My passion for this ministry only grew as I watched young women hide behind their shame of virginity, pornography addiction and poor relationship choices.
As an American Christian, I must face the reality and ask myself, "How have I contributed to this?" Having grown up in the church I know sex was not something taught on regularly. I just know I was told to not have it until I was married. Could it be as American Christians we have somehow, unintentionally taught our Christian children to be ashamed and scared of sex and to be ashamed and scared of their virginity? And could it also be that we have completely failed them as the Body of Christ in preparing our Christian children on how to live in a sex-saturated world?!
The mission of Freedom13 Ministries is to educate men and women of all ages on God’s
design for sex and the importance of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Freedom13 Ministries strives to be on the
pro-active side of crisis pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases,
and men and women’s overall spiritual and emotional health. Freedom13 Ministries also believes that Jesus
forgives all sins and can restore anyone’s past no matter how dark or
ugly. It is our hope to empower men and
women of all ages with the redemptive Gospel message found in the Bible.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
The purpose of Freedom13 Ministries is to serve men and women of all ages who long to be set free from sexual sin. It is easy to walk through life not realizing we are enslaved to sin that is keeping us from experiencing God's full potential for our lives. Freedom13 Ministries educates, equips, and empowers men and women through the message of hope, redemption, salvation, restoration, healing, and accountability found in the Bible. Additionally, Freedom13 Ministries provides support for healthy relationships, children (young to adult) effected by divorce and adultery, abstinence: God’s design for sex, and virginity (second chance virginity).
Why the number 13? Freedom13 Ministries believes in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:13 says, "For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." I believe in and proclaim the saving and miraculous power of Jesus Christ. In my darkest moments, Jesus has been there for me. That's just who he is. I don’t believe in luck or magic. I believe in Jesus and blessings.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
1. I need your prayers. This ministry cannot survive without prayer. Consider being one of our prayer partners.
2. I need volunteers. Specifically, I need individuals willing to be accountability partners for those struggling with specific areas of sin.
3. I need financial supporters. We are a non-profit organization and are trusting the Lord to provide donors in order to pay for brand new expenses.
Brent and I are so excited about this new journey. Thank you for your prayer and support. We can't wait to see how the Lord uses Freedom13 Ministries. Where He is, there is FREEDOM!
We are on Facebook. Like us...Freedom13 Ministries.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Heaven Came Down
Last Friday, Heaven came down and glory filled my soul. A friend and I were able to worship with a group of women going through the recovery process at a local Christian drug and alcohol rehab facility. My purpose in going was to share with them a message I felt the Lord had given me. I was able to do that; we had a tremendous time. But what those women did for me...how they blessed my heart...will forever have an impact on my life.
Before it was my time to speak, the lady in charge announced that we would worship first. She asked my friend and me if that was OK. I assured her it was. She then said to the group of women, "Ladies, let us get ready to worship." In doing so, the lights faded and every woman turned around to face the wall and closed her eyes. What happened next has to be like something straight out of the streets of Heaven.
The music began. The heavenly voice came across the speakers in the room. It was not a live vocal. The CD track was clear...
I EXALT THEE! I EXALT THEE! I EXALT THEE, OH LORD!
For my friend and me, the awkwardness lasted for a second, maybe. As soon as the voices of those precious women went up, the world outside fell off of us both. I could hear one woman across the room weeping. Another one near by calling out the name of Jesus. I reached to grab my friend's hand so that I would not fall over. The Spirit of God was upon us and His presence was overwhelming. My friend fell to her knees. It was too much. She needed to submit herself before the Lord. Tears were streaming down my face.
I prayed, "Lord God, how is it that you've chosen me to speak before these women? I don't deserve this. Lord, they are crying out for you. Do you hear them, Lord? They are so desperate for you. Listen to them, Father. They love you so much."
The music played on...
HOLY SPIRIT, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE. COME FLOOD THIS PLACE AND FILL THE ATMOSPHERE. YOUR GLORY,GOD, IS WHAT OUR HEARTS LONG FOR...TO BE OVERCOME BY YOUR PRESENCE, LORD.
And overcome we were. We did not have to ask for His presence. He was already there. And then I realized what made me love these women so much. No, I do not have a past with drugs or alcohol addiction. But I can relate to total despair. I can relate to someone getting to a place where they have nothing left but to call out for Jesus. And that is where these dear women were. They understood and they do understand...Jesus is the game changer. Jesus is life changing. My friend and I not only watched as these women went from broken to Oaks of Righteousness, but we had front-row access. Sometimes, God shows out like that.
The worship time ended. The teaching time came and went. We laughed and cried. And then to top it all off, we went out worshipping one last time. The song of choice...
THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS...TO BREAK EVERY CHAIN, BREAK EVERY CHAIN, BREAK EVERY CHAIN.
And that is so true, my friends. Jesus is still so much into breaking every chain in our lives. That is probably my most favorite thing about the Guy. Heaven sure enough came down last Friday night - an experience I will never forget. I couldn't wait to share it. To God be all the glory!
Linds
Before it was my time to speak, the lady in charge announced that we would worship first. She asked my friend and me if that was OK. I assured her it was. She then said to the group of women, "Ladies, let us get ready to worship." In doing so, the lights faded and every woman turned around to face the wall and closed her eyes. What happened next has to be like something straight out of the streets of Heaven.
The music began. The heavenly voice came across the speakers in the room. It was not a live vocal. The CD track was clear...
I EXALT THEE! I EXALT THEE! I EXALT THEE, OH LORD!
For my friend and me, the awkwardness lasted for a second, maybe. As soon as the voices of those precious women went up, the world outside fell off of us both. I could hear one woman across the room weeping. Another one near by calling out the name of Jesus. I reached to grab my friend's hand so that I would not fall over. The Spirit of God was upon us and His presence was overwhelming. My friend fell to her knees. It was too much. She needed to submit herself before the Lord. Tears were streaming down my face.
I prayed, "Lord God, how is it that you've chosen me to speak before these women? I don't deserve this. Lord, they are crying out for you. Do you hear them, Lord? They are so desperate for you. Listen to them, Father. They love you so much."
The music played on...
HOLY SPIRIT, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE. COME FLOOD THIS PLACE AND FILL THE ATMOSPHERE. YOUR GLORY,GOD, IS WHAT OUR HEARTS LONG FOR...TO BE OVERCOME BY YOUR PRESENCE, LORD.
And overcome we were. We did not have to ask for His presence. He was already there. And then I realized what made me love these women so much. No, I do not have a past with drugs or alcohol addiction. But I can relate to total despair. I can relate to someone getting to a place where they have nothing left but to call out for Jesus. And that is where these dear women were. They understood and they do understand...Jesus is the game changer. Jesus is life changing. My friend and I not only watched as these women went from broken to Oaks of Righteousness, but we had front-row access. Sometimes, God shows out like that.
The worship time ended. The teaching time came and went. We laughed and cried. And then to top it all off, we went out worshipping one last time. The song of choice...
THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS...TO BREAK EVERY CHAIN, BREAK EVERY CHAIN, BREAK EVERY CHAIN.
And that is so true, my friends. Jesus is still so much into breaking every chain in our lives. That is probably my most favorite thing about the Guy. Heaven sure enough came down last Friday night - an experience I will never forget. I couldn't wait to share it. To God be all the glory!
Linds
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