Generations of Facebook and Blogging

I listened to a little blip on K-Love today touting today’s teens as anxious, stressed, and self-centered. Seemingly this generation has more depression and anxiety issues than those of the past. We have indeed created an environment where it is all about me. We even have things like blogs, HA, and facebook, HAHA, that are pages dedicated completely to us (I laugh because I obviously have both of these)! When you look back at the generations before us, we never had a place just about us that was visible worldwide should we choose for it to be.

And although many of us would choose to post things on our blogs and facebook pages that we hope in some way will help others, and will help us connect to others, we cannot help but be affected by the fact that our thoughts can so easily be posted, visibly, to hundreds upon thousands of other people. We can’t help but hold our thoughts and ourselves as a little more important than they might have been had they not been “liked” or “commented” on by others.

The danger comes in when we start to base our self worth outside of who we are in Christ. Perhaps that is the difficulty facing this generation. When internal thoughts are posted so visibly and subjected to instantaneous feedback, it is very easy to begin to crave that feedback rather than living on the bread and water of life, Christ.

As blogging and writing becomes more and more of my identity, I am beginning to feel the pressure that having a life filled with social networking can put. I can’t deny that I like the feedback I get from a blog post or a wall post, and dare I say it, yes I will, sometimes I post things out of a selfish need for feedback on my writing rather than communicating what God would have to speak through me for that day. Sigh.

There is no easy path on the road to freedom. Once we are freed up from one area of bondage God seems to enlighten me towards another. Let me speak through you, hold your tongue on that, don’t post that yet I have something else to tell you He says, and sometimes I listen and sometimes I don’t. And I am praying that I will desire His approval alone, and stop craving the approval of man. However, how much harder must it be for teens? Raised in an environment where it’s all about me, that’s a scary place to be. Let’s pray today for all of us, that He is our bread and our water, and that the only thing we would crave would be more of HIM!!!!

Peace in Me

John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you might have peace in Me.” Peace in Me. Not peace in financial stability, not peace in love with another person, not peace in success or accomplishments, not peace in a new purse, but peace in Me. I’ve looked for peace in many places, and haven’t yet found its home. But there really is only one place we can find true comfort and everlasting peace.

Peace in Me.
And yet I say it again.
Peace in Me.
The words don’t seem enough.
Peace in Me.
Could this possibly be true?
Peace in Me.
My heart longs for you.
Peace in Me.
Could it finally be the answer?
Peace in Me.
To what I’ve longed for all these years.
Peace in Me.
Could I finally have found the love?
Peace in Me.
That I’ve searched for through the tears.
Peace in me.
Is love really everlasting?
Peace in Me.
Does it really speak the truth?
Peace in Me.
Could it be the home I’ve longed for?
Peace in me.
The home I’ve longed for is the truth.

Obedience

Why is it that we want so badly what is so not good? Wouldn’t life be more simple if we just craved what was good for us? Like broccoli and water and whole wheat bread. If we never wanted to watch that show that glorifies having sex with multiple partners, or if we never wanted to hang on to that person or thing that we know is hindering growth. What to do, what to do…?

Obedience. That is the word of the day, or maybe even should be the word of the year, or even my lifetime. Obedience. We all know that God only wants what is best for us, that he would withhold no thing that would bless us, but yet we seek what we know will not bless us. I often crave these things like some type of weird addiction.

Obedience, how do I get there? Maybe we could start by working on the trust issue. If we really believe that he wants what is best for us, would it be easier to obey? Maybe? So then our prayer becomes, help me overcome my unbelief. Help me to believe that you always have my best interest at heart, and then when I face the temptation I can walk away knowing that you have something better in mind.

In case you can’t tell, I have had a battle with this obedience thing this week. There is something in my life that served a purpose for a time, something I needed for the time. But, lately God has been telling me, “see I am doing a new thing”. But I am struggling to let go of the comfort of the old thing, so He can do the new thing. Fear is what it boils down to. I am asking, “God if I give this up, can I trust you to fill this need for me”. In my mind I know that I can, but wrapping my heart around that is a completely different thing. The heart is definitely deceitful above all else, so well, I guess then I need to ask God to take my heart. To help me overcome my unbelief, and help my heart to rest knowing He can meet the need, He can surpass the need. Is God enough for me? Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!!!!!

Just something from Beth Moore's Breaking Free...

Tonight I am reading, again, some of Beth Moore's book Breaking Free, which might I say is PHENOMENAL if you have never read it. The section I read tonight was powerful enough for me to want to share it with all of you. I hope it blesses your life as it is blessing mine in this moment.


Imagine going to heaven and standing by God as He lovingly shows you His plan for your life. It begins with the day you are born. Once you received Christ as Savior, every day that follows is outlined in red. You see footprints walking through each day of your life. On many of the days, two sets of footprints appear. You inquire: "Father, are those my footprints every day, and is the second set of prints when You joined me?"

He answers, "No, My precious Child. The consistent footprints are Mine. The second set of footprints are when you joined Me."

"Where were You going, Father?"

"To the destiny I planned for you, hoping you'd follow."

"But, Father, where are my footprints all those times?"

"Sometimes you went back to look at the old resentments and habits. Sometimes, you chose your own path. Other times, your footprints appear on a another person's calendar because you liked their plan better. Sometimes, you simply stopped because you would not let go of something you could not take with you"

"But, Father, we ended up OK even if I didn't walk with You every day, didn't we."

He holds you close and smiles, "Yes, Child we ended up OK. But, you see, OK was never what I had in mind for you."

We are so wise to learn to walk with God instead of begging Him to walk with us.

All pits should have a built in trampoline!!! Weeee!

It seems to me that a lot of people in and around my life are hurting right now, or maybe it is just that God is forcing me into a place where I am able to look outside of my own trials and have compassion and love for others. So weather it is that more people are struggling, or I am just noticing it more, regardless, I am hurting for them.

I have been quick to say with my lips that the hurt I have experienced is there so that I will have empathy for others and be able to help others. But, how often have these words passed through my mouth and never penetrated the depths of my heart. It was more a phrase I would say to get others to leave me alone and not delve any further into my pain. By putting on a happy face and saying, oh everything happens for a reason, they would leave me alone. But, I didn’t really believe it. Until now. I can see outside of my pain enough now to know that it’s not all about me. To realize that the things I go through aren’t all about me, that maybe God is training this selfish stubborn bull-headed mess of girl to follow Him so that I might someday lead others to the same amazing grace that saved me and saves me again day after day.

The depths of the pit, the depths of depression, are deep. And dark. And lonely. And if you are there, it’s only for a season and don’t let Satan convince you otherwise. The sun will rise again. Bu for me personally, I think it might do me some good to place a trampoline at the bottom of my pit so that every time I fall in, it launches me back out with a giggle! LOL! And the trampoline is God’s grace and the joy that can only be found in knowing his grace IS enough. He does have a purpose even for those of us pit dwellers, who have preferred for years only to stare at the cold dark walls of ourselves. Through him we are risen from the dead, so don’t let Satan bury you alive! Put up a fight!

Ephesians 3:20 Now all glory to God who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Jesus, He is not a one hit wonder or a McDonald’s drive through, although I have had to learn these things the hard way.

Oftentimes I find myself “needing” something. Something I want right now, and if he could just fix it right now, then I would be happy. Oftentimes I find myself praying for something genuinely worth praying for in a moment of passionate emotion and then never praying for it again. And then I get up off my knees and think, well that didn’t work. And stubbornly crossing my arms, thinking and mumbling to myself “God doesn’t care, he never answers my prayers, even when I ask for something biblical, He is yet to answer”. Then I never pray for it again, I give God one lightning bolt shot to send down whatever it is I think that I need, and then am too lazy to ever ask for it again. It is almost as if I view him as a McDonald’s drive through, and I can just pull up and order some peace, fulfillment, purpose, love, and self-acceptance-immediately drive to the window and have it handed to me neatly packaged in some kind of to-go wrapper and go on about my day. Wouldn’t that be nice? But, well, I am thinking that is not quite the way it works.

I tell God how desperately I long to be filled up and joyful with Him and Him alone, needing and longing for nothing more, and then I just sit back and expect him to just hit me with his best shot and I will never long for anything else again! When reality is, he hears those prayers, but he tells me to seek Him with all my heart, and when I do I will find Him. To cast down all idols, to tear down the high places, to walk away from everything and walk straight towards Him, and I will find Him. Joy and fulfillment, a sense of self-worth, release from captivity, cannot be ordered in a drive-thru. These are gifts that God can and will give us, but we can’t be lazy. We can’t foolishly ask for them once and expect them to fall from the sky. We must persevere, and pray for what we long for daily, and do the work He asks of us. Salvation is free, thank you Lord for that, but giving up ourselves to fully live in Him, that will cost us our pride. We might have to give up our idols, tear down the high places, and put all that energy into knowing Him. The gifts he gives really are free, but often we must move ourselves aside, starve our flesh, and make room to accept them.

The blessings he gives are for all eternity, they are not one hit wonders that wham us on the head, end of story. The blessings He gives, are much greater than a cheeseburger from McDonald’s that satisfies for one meal, but then leaves us starving again for the next. The blessings he gives are eternal. “And now, it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, so that it will continue forever before you. For when you grant a blessing, O Lord, it is an eternal blessing!” 1 Chronicles 17:27

Thank you Lord that you feed me real lasting food, not an unhealthy dose of grease from a drive through, even when that might be what I crave, you know what I need. Help me to patient, help me to persevere, help me to cast down the high places so that I may worship you and you alone. Help me not to view waiting as abandonment, because I know that you never abandon me, but sometimes I am not ready and sometimes eternal blessings take time-but they last forever. In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen.

Put on your princess dress :)

I woke up in the middle of the night last night with my sweet adorable little girl snuggled up next to me. She was so cute, and it made me laugh that she was sleeping exactly like I was, curled up on her side, one leg in the covers one leg out, arms tucked in, just like her mama. For a moment, I thought, you know, in some ways we all are just bigger versions of the little girls that we once were. Of course, we have matured, at least I hope I don’t still have the maturity level of a 5 year old, LOL, although there are times I think my husband might disagree ! But seriously, regardless of the growth that has occurred spiritually, mentally, and physically, somewhere deep down, we are all still that same little girl. And I often wonder if this isn’t more of how Jesus sees us. When he looks at us, I don’t think he sees all the calluses and wrinkles and brokenness. Because, in his eyes we are healed, forgiven, embraced, loved, just beautiful little girls longing for the love of their Dad. He said, “Let the children come to me” and “The Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”. So maybe today, we could try to come to Jesus as a little girl. A little girl with nothing to hide, a little girl who is not too smart to listen to her Daddy’s wisdom, a little girl who longs just to be held and told that she is beautiful, a little girl whose tears have no shame but fall innocently to the ground. Today, let’s find some peace and rest in the arms of our Father, and then let’s dance and spin in circles till we get dizzy in our princess dresses, knowing that He loves us always, that you are his beautiful little girl, and nothing can ever ever take that away.