Be still

There's a lady at my church that gives the same testimony almost every Bible study.  Here's her testimony:

I am blessed.
I have a beautiful life.
I've met many beautiful people.

That's it.  There's no elaborate testimony.  I don't know her. I don't know her backstory, what God's specifically done in her life, or how she's an overcomer through Christ Jesus.  Although, I am sure all those things are true.

For this special lady, who is in her eighties, testimony is simple: I am blessed.

It got me thinking.  My last blog post reached 400+ views.  It was the largest audience so far.  I didn't write for a bit afterward because I thought that I couldn't beat that, that I had nothing wise to say that hadn't been already said in multiple blogs, articles, and books already.

Here's the thing.  I don't have to.  I don't have to compare myself to my past self.  You don't have to compare yourself to your past self.  This precious lady didn't testify of her past.  She simply told of what she was experiencing with God in the present: I am blessed.  I have a beautiful life. I've met many beautiful people.

That's it.  That's enough.  Revelation 22:18 says that we can't add anything to the Word of God anyway.  What is done through Christ is more than enough.

I don't have to top myself.  I don't have to live in yesterday's blessing.

Today, God is enough.
Today, I will be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).
Today, I am blessed.
Today, I have a beautiful life.
Today, I can say that I've met many beautiful people.

The same thing applies to your life too, regardless of your backstory.  Don't compare your today to your yesterday.  Don't compare your today to anyone else's today.  I once thought that testimony had to come from heartache and disaster.  That's not true.  Whether you've had the best life or struggled to understand God's love because of what He allowed in your life, what was done on the cross is enough for you.  Jesus is enough.  God is enough.  Today.

Today, you are blessed.
Today, you have a beautiful life...a life given through Christ Jesus.
Today, you have met many beautiful people. Yes, even those people who have hurt you, try your patience, and you think God, why?

Today, be still and know that He is God.

Be my guest

 I'm going to see the remake of Disney's Beauty and the Beast today.  The original is my all-time favorite Disney movie, so I've been looking forward to this day.

I've been told not to not see it.

I've been told to boycott Disney because of a hidden agenda.

I don't have to mention what that agenda is, because we already know.

Here's my understanding of what I need to do.  I'm not suppose to take my family to see this movie so that my children won't realize a particular sin, and won't see a particular sin as common.

Don't get me wrong. I've had convictions of multiple television shows for multiple sins, and I've stopped watching them.  Sin is common!  It's been like that since the fall of Man.  We all seem to think that things are worse now, but the Bible says that there's nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).  It further says, "what has been will be again, what has been done will be done again".y

Don't get me wrong.  I shelter my children.  It's just a parent thing.  I do realize that my children may be naive in some areas.  That's okay.  You heard that right!  It's okay if I let some things go over my children's head.  It's okay if I don't explain sin in detail.

That's the way I was taught.  Granted I was considered a "good girl", a "goody-goody" and I was (and still am) naive, but I rarely remember my parents sitting down with me to give me a list of what not to do.  "Don't do that." "Don't wear that." "Don't go there."  Sin wasn't explained to me.  Here's what was.

Jesus, yes, that life-giving savior Jesus.  My parents didn't have to introduce sin to me, that had already happened when I was born.  Psalm 51:5 says, "I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me". My parents introduced me to Christ.  I was raised in church and introduced to Jesus, as a person and a Savior.  Through His convictions, I knew right from wrong.  My parents were not there to slap my hand when I erred.  They were there for all my life milestones, including many spiritual experiences with our Heavenly Father and His sweet spirit.

I was told by relative that I was only a Christian because that was the way we were raised.  No, I'm a Christian because I've had experiences with God!

 I'm told to boycott one movie because of one sin.  Be our guest.  Be my guest.

I'm not going to do that.  I spent years being the judgmental Christian, and it didn't do me any favors. I didn't gain anything from it; I lost friends.  More importantly, I didn't win anyone for Christ.

Luke 6 speaks of taking care of our own sins, not our neighbors.  Interestingly enough, right before that (same chapter), it speaks of not judging and loving our enemies.  Love everyone, not just those who love you.

So, that's what I'm doing.  You see I'm a sinner, and to quote a song we do in REFIT®, "I love me".
We are all sinners.  I'm not going to focus on love the person, hate the sin.  I don't have to say that I hate your sin because you already know what I believe (at least I hope that people do, based on my actions). I don't have to say that I hate your sin, because I'm over here trying to take care of my own sin.  I'm just going to love sinners.  I'm just going to love people. Period.

Oh, and I'm going to see Beauty and the Beast....with my children....and my parents.

Remembering March 2nd

For teachers everywhere, March 2nd is a celebration.  It's the birthday of Dr. Seuss and we celebrate with books and activities celebrating the author that encouraged so many to love reading.

However, for my newfound hometown (it's my husband's hometown and birthplace), it is a day of mournfulness, a day that many will never forget.  It is the anniversary of a devastating tornado that according to news that day "wiped us off the map". I don't even want to call it an anniversary, because to me, anniversaries should be celebrated.

So, it's okay to remember.  But, it's also okay to let the past stay in the past.  For those mourning today, you don't have to let what happened five years ago claim your victory today.

You see, although I wasn't in the path of the storm, I remember too.

I remember hearing that town is destroyed, that people are stuck under buildings (part of that wasn't true).

I remember not seeing or knowing where my mother in law was for hours.

I remember my husband, a volunteer firefighter, going out in the middle of the warning, once he heard the news.  He knew we were safe and had to help others.

I remember seeing my husband's boss in the middle of the night that night, with a cut-up face because he had been helping clear town so emergency vehicles could get through.  I remember the look in his face, one of hopeless, as he talked of the destruction.

I remember crying and being upset over people who complained of the mundane, when others had lost so much.

I remember building our house sooner than we had originally planned, because we had a new perspective on things.

I remember this became our anthem.

But, five years later, these are not the things I focus on.  You see, the town rebuilt and is stronger now more than ever.  Buildings were rebuilt.  But, the bible speaks more about  us--our bodies, souls, and spirits--more than it does about buildings.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 talks about our bodies being our temples, where God resides.  Let's work on rebuilding that.  Here's a few things from the Bible that can help us with rebuilding and up-keeping our temple:

We are built on the foundation of  Jesus Christ.  He, himself, is our cornerstone.  We are built together so that God may indwell in us. (Ephesians 2:19-22)  HE IS OUR FOUNDATION!

When we hear His word and listen to it, it is like building our house on a rock.  He is the rock. (Matthew 7:22-27).

We find further evidence of our foundation in song lyrics:

"on Christ the Solid Rock, I stand.  All other ground is sinking sand."  ("My Home is Built on Nothing Less", Edward Mote)

I go to the Rock

Where do I go when there's nobody else to turn to?

Who do I talk to when nobody wants to listen?

Who do I lean on when there's no foundation stable?

I go to the Rock, I know He's able, I go to the Rock

I go to the Rock of my salvation

I go to the stone that the builders rejected

I run to the mountain and the mountain stands by me

When the Earth all around me is sinking sand

On Christ, the solid rock I stand

When I need a shelter, when I need a friend,

I go to the Rock

Where do I go when the storms of life are threatening?

Who do I turn to when those winds of sorrow blow?

Is there a refuge in the time of tribulation?

I go to the Rock, I know He's able, I go to the Rock

So, as we remember March 2nd, let's turn our focus to our Cornerstone.  I propose a new anthem:

Do you not know the Cornerstone, Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?  It's simple. You can talk to God just like you would talk to anyone.  Pray this prayer of salvation, if you feel led to do so.

Father God,

Thank you for sending your Son to die on a cross for my sins.  I know that I am a sinner and have done things wrong.  I know that I can never undo things or be worthy on my own.  But, I know that Jesus died for me, that is blood can wash away my sins.  I ask Jesus to live inside my heart today.  I accept Him as my Lord and Savior. I promise to do my best to live for Him each and every day.  I thank you for it! I praise you for it!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Did you just pray that prayer?  Did something resonate with you in this message today? Would you like to share your memories of March 2nd?  We would love to hear from  you in the comments below!