Tuesday, September 21, 2010

A few things you need to know about us ladies...

Something that I'm still working on is really believing. Hang with me here for a second. I mean really believing something that someone says. I hear, "You're awesome!", "You're doing a great job!", etc. The thing is...it takes a few times for me to actually take that in and hear it. Maybe it's a mental problem. Maybe it's a hearing problem. Maybe it's just being a girl.

Guys are kind of know for being clueless sometimes and don't pick up on "hints" that we might send their way. We're just as bad! We don't hear or see them loving us everyday! I can't stand stereotypes but this is something I've seen more than once. Why is it that as ladies we don't let it sink in that we are loved by the Creator of the universe?? He made all that we see & is all powerful and yet He loves us, through all of our faults, every day.

Maybe I'm not being clear. You are loved. You get that? Even if you don't feel like it. Even if your day started with stepping in dog poo, cleaning cereal out of little pig-tails, cranking up the radio over the screaming in the backseat, throwing your back out while trying to buy dog food, voicing your opinion when you should have kept your mouth shut and ended in slamming your own thumb in the car door. No matter what you did or are doing - you are loved right now.

I tend to be stand-off-ish of compliments and I'm not sure why. I'm just a little wary and it makes me wonder why someone would choose to say something like that. Do they want something? Are they trying to smooth-talk me? When I write this down, it sounds dumb & really paranoid. But it's true! I think that's why I struggle with this from God. I carry this over that He has no reason to say something nice about me or to me.

Yet, I'm learning each day that He does.

He's madly in love with me. He's madly in love with you.

He can't help it. You're wonderful, you're His child that He cares for more than you'll ever know.

Here's the best part - there's no way you can escape His love! You can't run far enough, mess up enough. On this, that's the difference between God and man. In life, I'll be too paranoid or whatever and not believe it when people say nice things to or about me, and I'll miss out on a great display of love being dropped in my lap. Maybe they'll give up. Decide it's not worth it to build someone up, only for them to shake their head & be suspicious. But God, He's not gonna give up. He'll continually tell you that you are beautiful, unlike any other, precious, and endlessly loved.

Maybe right now, go find a mirror and pick something that God is telling you - "You are beautiful, You are loved, You are forgiven, etc." Say it 5 times & let it sink in.

I hope this helps today. I hope you let it sink in that He loves you, with all your faults & insecurities. That's not going to make Him shy away like people would. He's constantly by your side, wanting to live life with you.


The song "Don't you know You're beautiful" is awesome from Seabird. Also, I heard this song this morning from Tenth Avenue North called "You are More" and it says:

But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade


In life, people seem surprised, "Don't you know? Don't you see what a difference you're making?" Sometimes the truth is, "No, I'm not seeing what you see."

The only way to change that is to look at ourselves through Christ. He sees beauty. He sees a hard worker. He sees his daughter, His beloved.

Sorry, there's nothing you can do to change His mind.


**Side note for the guys: Be patient with us. We need you. We need you not to give up on us. We need you to believe in us, and tell us that! We need you to confirm these things that God says about us. We don't have it all together ... I know, shocker. :)

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Because I said so!

I just came back from a week long vacation...with 3 girls...3 & under...!

Just in case you didn't know, 3 year olds have A LOT of questions! Sometimes it's a fun, enlightening experience. Other times it's embarrassing and makes me shake my head!

Sometimes when we tell her to do something, she'll say, "But why?"

She wants to understand our plans, motives, and reasons for everything. If she doesn't understand the logic of something she has a hard time accepting it. She loves us and truly wants to please us, but she wants to know why before she obeys.

She's usually obedient, once she's heard our reasons. Nonetheless, in response to her questioning I often want to use that infamous phrase: "Because I said so!"

I wonder if God ever wants to use that phrase with me?


God is infinitely more patient than I am, and He is abounding in grace and love. He can easily handle all my questions without exasperation. But I wonder if He wishes I would just simply trust and obey - just because He is God.

The scriptures say: "Do what your king commands; you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don't worryingly second-guess your orders or try to back out when the task is unpleasant. You're serving his pleasure, not yours. The king has the last word. Who dares say to him, 'What are you doing?' Carrying out orders won't hurt you a bit; the wise person obeys promptly and accurately" (Ecclesiastes 8:2-5, MSG).

I want to be that wise person.

So my goal today is not to question God but simply to trust and obey...even if I don't understand why, and even if it's hard to do. I will accept the way that I am made and the plans that He has set before me.

Yes, I know I can take all my questions to the Lord and He will lovingly sift through them, but today I want to obey His commands in swift, willing obedience - just because He said so.


"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands." 2 John 1:6a