Tag Archives: Live Out Loud

Be Bold and Brave

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This, is love.

I mentor a lot of women… A lot! Some days I am overwhelmed by the complexity and struggles that women face. From jail ministry, where women have committed unexplainable and despicable crimes. To women who are finding their way as they struggle hopelessly through heavy and challenging circumstances they are navigating.

Yesterday I met with a woman who is living in a messy marriage in the aftermath of her affair. Both parties contributing to the downward cycle after having experimented with polygamy, drugs and witchcraft.

Today, I will be meeting with two girls who are incarcerated. One of them is merely a child. I honestly don’t know what she’s incarcerated for, but she is being held in the mental health unit. As I speak with her, between her random rants, I wonder if she even has the ability to comprehend the truth and revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The majority of the women I meet with are starving for truth and someone brave and bold enough to not only tell them, but explain why it’s truth. They’ve been to psychologists who prescribe medications for anxiety or read self-help books that promise that losing weight, exercise, healthy diet, meditation and mindfulness are the keys to happiness, but never point them to the true source of help and hope.

When I lament on this page about the brokenness of this world it is because I have a front row seat to it. It used to weigh me down, but now it invigorates me that God is using me – inadequate, incompetent, insignificant me – to be bold and brave enough to show them that Jesus loves them so much that he was willing to die for them.

If you’re struggling in a mess of your own (and who isn’t?) I urge you to pick up your Bible and read it today. I always start in the book of John for people who don’t know where to start. Jesus talks the most in the book of John so you get his teaching spoken word for word. It also tells you how to get to heaven, gives incredible examples that models how Jesus lived and you’ll find the life giving truth found in John 3. Everyone should memorize John 3:16.

Thanks for reading this long post. My heart is for all of us navigating the messy stuff of this life to be bold and brave enough to put our trust in Christ and Christ alone.

The Goodness of God’s Testing

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We can find God. He’s everywhere!

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Yet, Job wonders where he is. I love Job and his “humanness”. Who hasn’t wanted to find God to sit down and have a talk with him. We would ask questions like, “Why God…?”

Job also gives us the answer, “When he tests me, I will come out as pure gold.”

Hang in there. Keep the faith. Trust God even when you cannot understand what he is doing or why he is doing it. You will come through it as pure gold… refined, magnificent, invaluable, and shining brighter.

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 22

Posted in Daily Devotions: Chapter by Chapter by

Rules, rules, rules! I remember singing that out to my parents when they would remind me how to be a “good girl.” Rules, rules, rules!

Now that I have daughters of my own, I enforce the rules of our home and of course my girls give me the hip clinching, head tilting, “Maom!”

So I respond with, “I will not apologize for loving you.”

They are trying to tell me that they don’t need rules and that they’ll be fine, While I’m trying to tell them that the rules exist to protect us and I love them, don’t want them to get hurt and I want to make sure they have a moral compass to discern right vs. wrong.

God is continuing to give us rules beyond the Ten Commandments. Granted it is Mosaic law, but it is God’s none the less. I think He is doing the same thing that I try to do when I make the rules, rules, rules. He loves me and doesn’t want to see me get hurt and wants to make sure I have a moral compass to discern right vs. wrong. When I am wronged, He wants to make sure I handle my debts in a God-like manner.

As a teenager, I would have told you rules are bad. As a mother, I tell you rules are good. A criminal would say rules are bad, while a victim would say rules are good. It’s all in perspective and am thankful for a loving God who gives us protection.

Are You Special?

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True King

The school year started just a few short weeks ago and I heard a teacher tell a story about her new 5th grade class. She gave her students an introduction sheet to start the year with some typical “Getting to Know You” questions. The last two questions on the sheet were, “What is something that you expect of me as your teacher?” And, “What is the one thing you would like me to know about you?”

For the first question one boy writes two words, “Be Awesome.”

“Wow!” She said, “I hope I can live up to your expectations.” Being inquisitive she prompted him to answer the next question, “So what is it that you want me to know about you?”

He looked up at her with his big brown eyes, half croaked smile and said very matter-of-fact, “You already know!”

“I do?!” Reacting with a surprised glare and curious tone.

“Yes.” He said, “I’m special!”

Wow. Could pride and arrogance already be attributes of this young man’s heart or could it be possible that he has a loving family and strong support system around him that has shaped him with love and confidence? I am going to guest that it is the latter of these.

Can you say that you are special?

I cringe at the thought. After all, who am I? I’m not special. I didn’t set a world record or climb Mount Everest, earn an Olympic medal, invent a product that revolutionized the world or rescue people from a concentration camp, slavery, injury, or a burning building. I have never even come close. Yet, God says I’m special according to John 1:12, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” That’s pretty special if you ask me.

God has a special place in his heart for kids.  And he said in Matthew 18:24, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” The innocence of a child can teach us so much.

May this message give you the confidence that you are special because God chose us and sacrificed his Son, Jesus, to make sure we know just how special we are.

Someone With Integrity… FINALLY!

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Integrity

If you “Like” the Godly Girlfriend Page on Facebook you are aware that I post a chapter a day from the bible. Today we studied Genesis 42 and if you are not following, this is your invitation to join us.

Historically I have been a new testament girl. I value the lessons that Jesus and his disciples modeled for us and the hope that we have in the resurrected Christ; while the old testament seemed, well, old. I know that the entire Word is inspired by God so I decided it was time to expand my horizons. Boy am I glad I did!

What a roller-coaster! From the fall of Adam & Eve to the hope of Noah, from the disbelief and jealously of Abraham, Sarah, Lot, Isaac, Jacob, Rachel, Rebekah to the intermarriage of maidservants and concubines, prostitution and betrayal. My old testament icons have quickly proven to be ‘human’ – sinful and all. I was really beginning to believe that God must be more of a forgiving God than I had ever imaged or credited to Him, because these guys make my life look heavenly in comparison. I am totally being facetious – I still reduce myself to the lowest of these – if anything, they give me even more hope than I ever thought or deserve.

And in the midst of everyone’s messes, God introduces Joseph. Thank God for Joseph! There are so many lessons and great life applications Joseph’s life models. I feel the need to point out just one main thing… What a breath of fresh air! Joseph is a beautiful example to us and he stands out as the “star of the book of Genesis”. He hasn’t deceived his way to the top; he hasn’t lied, cheated, murdered, or manipulated anyone to gain his position. If anything, he was mistreated, abused, falsely accused, left for dead, forgotten, and shunned. Not a Godly resume, but truly a God story personified through a Godly man!

I am very endeared to Joseph as a result. As much as I had heard his story many times before, in the context of the entire old testament, how exciting it is to find a man whose life stands apart. Could that be our story?  Joseph gives us hope that it’s not us, it’s God who will be glorified through our lives – good times and bad. What an impact a life of integrity makes and how rare it is to find. Let’s make that our story and remember, whatever life brings us, remain faithful – God knows the outcomes.

“Just Do It”

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obey

1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”

It’s more than the motto of Nike, it’s God’s message to us in Genesis chapter 19. When God talks to us, we’re supposed to respond… NOW!

I just finished reading Genesis 19 and my heart is heavy. I see so many similarities between the lifestyle of Sodom and Gomorrah and that of the world today. I even see some resemblance of Lot’s heart and mine. Lot professes to be a Christian and yet he is so absorbed in the things of the world that he blends right in. In Lot’s case, he was ineffective in winning people over for Christ because he was perceived by the people as, “one of the boys.” I’m quite sure one of the lessons God has for me in this is that he doesn’t call me (Christians) to ‘blend in.’

So the angels of the Lord who visited Lot warned him that he must flee from the city and not look back. He hesitated. Let me quote that out of the bible, verse 16 says, “When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them.” How many times to we see that God wants us to respond to Him and we procrastinate? I have my hand raised right now. I admit that I do. Perhaps partial disobedience on my part, but sometimes it simply does take God to grab me and nudge me to get moving. I get comfortable where I’m at. I’m sure Lot and his family were comfortable too.

What I hear ringing in my ears as I write to you in reflection of this story is the song I learned as a kid, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”  I guess my learning’s of today are to trust God, don’t hesitate to do it, don’t look back to what I am running from, and leave the outcomes up to God.

My prayer for my readers, followers, and friends is that we may stand united in obedience to God, believe God, and trust God in all over our circumstances.

There Is No Party in Hell – It’s HELL!

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Genesis 8:6-8

“After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.” (NIV)

The time when Noah sends out the raven and the dove signifying he old nature (sin) and the new nature (saved). In chapter 7 when God brought the animals he brought clean and unclean; I never made that connection in the past. It is convicting to know that I have both natures within me and know I bounce between the two. Unintentionally of course, so that’s why I’m in God’s Word daily. To put on my armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) and prepare – to the best of my ability – for the battles I will face each day.

I once heard it said that the devil works overtime on the believer because if someone is not a believer, he already has them right where he wants them. In other words, I have a target on my back and when I walk out my door in the next 15 minutes he’s on the prowl to make me fall, discourage me, trip me up, and knock me down. Isn’t that an unsettling thought? I hope that motivates you to crack open your bible and put on your armor. It’s a war zone out there.

As I read Genesis chapter 8, I can’t help but grieve those who were destroyed in the flood. It is mentioned that the water receded so the mountain tops appeared. MOUNTAIN TOPS! That is a lot of water, that is a lot of deaths.

I understand it – I see why God did it, but I do think that as believers, we should be unsettled about it. I just can’t chalk it off as a victory for Noah and not take into account how many lives were lost because they chose death over life. Then I think about how many people I have in my life that don’t have a relationship with the Lord. Especially those who outright reject Him and look forward to the “party in hell and have fun getting there.” There is no party in hell – it’s HELL!

Pray with me:
Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for your word and the biblical examples you have given us. Not only to model after, but to learn from. I pray that you would guide me today in my words, thoughts, actions, and deeds. Father I especially pray for those who are living for and loving this world. Use me to speak truth, be Your light and share with them your generous love and eternal assurance. I pray for my friends and family, the people I love most, that they would receive your gift of eternal life.  Please give them a hunger to know you and if not me, place people in their path who will tell them your truths. In Jesus Name, AMEN.

My Inquistive Mind

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Genesis 7:1

The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. (NIV)

I can still picture it. A boat with a bunch of cute little animals smiling, decorated in every pastel shade, with a rainbow. (Can’t forget the rainbow.) From my Sunday school classes and vacation bible school at the small Covenant Church in Marinette, Wisconsin, to the nursery I designed for our first daughter – Noah’s ark was among one of my favorite “stories” of the bible. Fast forward to today and I read the story of Noah in an entirely new way.

One of the first things that I am fascinated by is that God chose Noah and his family because they were found righteous. It’s hard for me to fathom that from the Garden of Eden until Noah lived to the ripe (young) age of 600, that sin dominated the earth. Can you imagine what it would have been like to be Noah? At least I get to plug into a bible study, call a girlfriend, listen to a “Focus on the Family” Podcast, or dial in to my favorite Christian artists on Christian Radio. Noah had to be one awesome spiritual leader for his family for all of them to have been found righteous with God. Way to go Noah!

I guess my take away from Genesis chapter 7 is that no matter how bad the world gets and how God keeps getting pushed out of our courtrooms, schools and public buildings, we have a much greater opportunity to remain connected, reminded, reassured, and confident in our relationship with God. We are so blessed.

 

God’s Deliverance From the Judgment

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Genesis 6:9 “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.”

Noah walked with God, “By faith.”

Yesterday I began listening to the audio book “Approval Addiction” by Joyce Meyer. It really hit home. One of the quotes from the book is, “Are you worshiping God or are you worshiping your sin?”

CRAZY! I’m guilty. I have been reading God’s word to condemn myself of all the ways I fall short rather than accepting his grace, mercy, and love; by recognizing who HE is. Instead, I bury my head in grief over what a pathetic Christian I am and muddle in my misery. Right where the devil wants me!  That blasted devil doesn’t want me rejoicing in a righteous God. He wants me to feel sorry for myself. He wants me to be a defeated lost soul who buys into the hopelessness of this world.

Today, I read the story of Noah in Genesis 6 and I praise God that I am of the seed of Abel and Noah and I am chosen. Undeservingly mind you, but still chosen.

Let’s not let the devil rob us of our victory over death or fall victim to the lies.