What can we be?

Currently, I am serving with my MOPS group at my church.

Love the mission of MOPS and that it is very evangelistic and outreach-oriented to moms. I love that it is seasonal...in that it is relevant to the crazy season of motherhood to preschoolers.

It amazes me that women (with children checked into kid care) sitting at a table with food, conversation, and a craft find the refreshment and encouragement they need to carry on with their weeks ahead.

As with most 'church' functions, I feel that there is that lingering pressure to show up, 'all together' and smile and nod, and say the most positive things we can think of.

Yes, we need to be hopeful about life, and as leaders, we are reminders that hope is found in Christ. But sometimes, we can find ourselves in an overwhelming situation, hopeless day, or just a dumpy, depressed week.....or season.

Consider what MOPS stands for: Mothers Of PreSchoolers!

Think there's not a major influx of hormonal emotions walking in the door? We've got fertile women, pregnant women, pms-ing women, post-partum women walking in the door. We are all one of the above, right? So honestly, is it a realistic expectation to believe all women who head into those meetings and play dates will all be thrilled about their life on that particular day?

(Just some perspective....)

So this morning, as I look at my list of Table Leaders whom I am working with. I have their name and what is on my heart to being praying for them about written down on a notecard. Some work, others have husbands still growing in the Lord. Some are pregnant, and others with a whirlwind going on in their lives. Long story short: They all need prayer.

Now, by no means is that a bad thing. I need prayer. Daily. Hourly. Really.

Which brought me to a question I journaled to the Lord today:

WHAT DO I NEED TO BE TO THEM?

This is the only way I know how to serve the Lord: ASK GOD HOW.

In the scope of ministry, there are always lists of things to do for the 'position/role'....but God knows each and every one of our lives and He knows what we each need....He knows what those in your group need. So....ask Him: What do I need to be to them?

After asking the Lord, "what do I need to be to them?"
These words were on my heart: AN EXAMPLE.

Now, the comical thing is our 'theme/title' of MOPS this year is....are you ready?
A BEAUTIFUL MESS!!!!

I laughed with God. And then I wrote down in my journal 'an example'...and then I looked over at my MOPS binder saw the theme logo:.

I was so relieved.

I am a great example
of a mess!!!!! 
 

God picked the right person for the job!

Interestingly enough, last night I was chatting with my husband and he asked me something to the effect of:  WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE OPEN UP TO YOU?

My response: They do?
His reply: Yea, people tell you all kinds of stuff.

I thought for a moment and came up with a couple of potential reasons why I have friends and even strangers open up to me:

1. I don't judge. (I know my own past and present.)
2. I'm transparent. (I share my past and present.) 

Maybe I share 'too much' according to others (those who don't share anything). But I have found that in ministry especially, I cannot let others think for one second I have it all together! Cause 1) I don't. and 2) I want to remain approachable.

Have you met those leaders who live the façade, as though they got a great life, great marriage, and great kids. They always look great, feel great, and have a great future!!!! Yea, I've met them...not really ever approached them or gotten to really know them. And then I've been greatly 'confused' when they failed....or should I say, made a mistake....But then not really disappointed because they are human....which I think they forgot.

My point is that I will continually share that I am a mess. My life is less than perfect. My marriage is less than perfect. My personality has many flaws. My kids are less than perfect. I am an imperfect wife and mom...an imperfect woman....Yet a beautiful mess!!!

And that's okay. I am okay with all this 'inadequacy' because I serve a PERFECT GOD!

I have the Spirit of God dwelling in me. The beauty of being a mess is that when beauty and anything good comes out of me...it is directly from the Lord Jesus Christ!

And that to me is the ultimate experience: TO BE USED BY GOD.

So what can we be?

• We can be used by God.
• We can be transparent.
• We can be real.
• We can be US.
• You can be YOU.

 

We can be examples of people

who are living this thing called LIFE,

completely dependent on God!!!!!

 

 

I often remind people to not think too highly of me because I will surely disappoint them. I am human, in need of a Savior - DAILY! If anything good comes out of me, it is surely because I know that I am nothing apart from Christ (John 15:5). Yet I show up daily to His feet for the grace and mercy to be all that He calls me to be...as a mom, wife, friend, daughter, woman of God, and 'table leader coordinator' for MOPS.

 

So with that, I hope that you're encouraged that God will use you because you are willing. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to 'perform' for those watching.

 

Although, do your best to be a disciple of Christ and show up to get filled with His Spirit so that you can do all that you have to do in HIS STRENGTH!

 

God bless and have a great week!

 



"But I feel so far from God...."

Feel far from God? This may be part of your solution:

 

R e p e n t a n c e.

A word that has continually came to mind the last few weeks, and has come up in conversation a few times as well.

Repent. What does this mean?

 

“Repentance (metanoia, 'change of mind') involves a turning with contrition from sin to God; the repentant sinner is in the proper condition to accept the divine forgiveness." (from www.blueletterbible.org.)

Personally, I don’t think we hear this often enough. Perhaps, many speaking themselves lack a repentant heart, and so how can you pass on a practice that you do NOT do? Perhaps we don’t hear this in sermons because the word itself and what it means makes people squirm in their seat.

Although, my candid commentary is that ‘those who are squirming must have some things to repent of’.

I personally would like to know: why aren’t we hearing this message taught or shared more often?

• Do you realize that John the Baptist’s message was of repentance? (Matthew 3:1-3)
• The 12 disciples set out and peached that men should repent. (Mark 6:12)
• Jesus Himself, directed people to repent. (Matthew 4:17)

(I encourage you to do a word search on it with your concordance.)

With that much emphasis by key men in the Bible, it’s apparent that it’s essential to our spiritual walks. Right?

As I meditated on the word itself, and realized it was THE theme to these men of God’s message I understand that REPENTANCE is what the initial step to SPIRITUAL FREEDOM!

Think about the things that have you in bondage, where you are not free. What do you need to repent of?

Let’s be honest, people these days have an addiction to their phones. It’s ridiculous. Look up from your phone and watch people driving, grocery shopping, even out to dinner with loved ones: PEOPLE ON THEIR PHONES – EVERYWHERE!!!! The biblical term for this is ‘idolatry’. Anything that you are obsessed with, that robs your time and attention from work, your family, and taking care of yourself is IDOLATRY.

Facebook can be idolatrous to some. That’s just speaking to one area. Consider t.v., social media altogether....YIKES!

There are the other addictions that people have been caught up in for ages: alcoholism, chronic shopping, drug use, and workoholism. What else? There are the X-rated addictions that so many are captive to as well.

What about the things that have us in bondage that are internal? Hate, anger, rage toward people. Lack of forgiveness, lack of mercy, laziness, gossipy-judgmentalness.

 

What about lack of trust in God? Anger toward God? Been blaming God for the bad in your life?

These things – these mindsets – these thoughts

should be repented of.

We could sit down and examine our lives all day, putting our relationships under a microscope and scrutinize our feelings and attitudes towards those people and find some thoughts or actions that we need to repent of. Really. Think about how you feel toward God? Your spouse? Your in-laws? Your siblings? Your parents? Your kids? Your boss? Your teacher? Your____fill in the blank_______.

Need to repent of some thoughts, attitudes, and actions? Yea, me too.

I am often reflecting over how I feel toward people. The Spirit is willing to love unconditionally, but the flesh is weak to carry that out!

But folks, the first step toward spiritual growth and a close walk with the Lord is REPENTANCE. It really truly is.

You know that moment you ‘feel’ far from God? Stop and look at your life, your mouth, your heart. Find that things that you need to repent of and ask God to change you! He created you. He can certainly change you. But you have got to first partner with Him and admit where you are far from Him, where you are blowing it, where you have sin in your life and heart. You have to be honest with yourself and Him.

The encouraging thing is that God is longing for you to repent of these things so that you stop avoiding Him. Think about it. When you are caught up in that sinful thinking or behavior, are you feeling close to God? No way. You are NOT acknowledging Him thinking that if you act like He’s not there….He won’t see what you are doing….right? Wrong.

 You’re lack of acknowledgement of God doesn’t impact His attention on you. He is Omni-present. He is always there. Your lack of acknowledgement of God only makes you feel like He doesn’t see you. It serves you.

Moreover, when you acknowledge God, your thoughts and actions that don’t line up with the Word of God will weigh heavy on your heart….and THAT my friend is what you need to repent of. Right there, on the spot, as soon as you feel the conviction!

Is this making sense? Repentance is the bridge back into God’s presence. In God’s presence is where the anointing awaits you, the answers to some prayers, and the peace that surpasses all understanding.

So, what do you need to repent of today? What do you need to agree with God about? What are the things robbing your life, your family, your job of? What can you take to God and leave with Him to take and change?

Folks, we’re not hearing God because our hearing is clouded with the noise of the sins and the world in our lives. Let’s repent now…and daily! And let’s keep our lives free of the bondages that rob us of the freedom in Christ!

"Jennifer, how do you do your devotional time?"

I was asked this, this week and here was my response to that question.

I sit down with my pen, my prayer journal and Bible. I begin
writing in my journal what is on my heart....usually with a 'Good morning Lord, thank you for pulling me out of bed'...and then I write down the woes, concerns, or grateful words that are on my heart....I share with Him, exactly what is on my heart.

I often ask him to forgive me for _______fill in the blank______, whatever sin that is apparent to me, ie: struggles w/ people in general, unreasonable people, disagreements with my husband, or lack of patience with my kids...I confess the sins in my life...and then usually engage in asking God 'why is this still a struggle for me STILL?'....'what can I do to stop...show me Lord....what I am I NOT doing that this is still a struggle?'

And depending on what it is, I'll sometimes turn to my concordance and look up a word and study all the verses about it, for example: anger....there's a lot of good ones on that. It's my way of correcting my attitude toward people by putting the truth of how God sees anger. And I'll sit and think about what is in me that is making me deviate from fulfilling what God calls me to do.

Either in that morning devo time, He may show me....or over the next day or two...but I am constantly talking to the Lord...in the car on my way somewhere...I always have my worship playing. Seldomly, am on the phone in the car...I'm usually singing along with the kids, talking to the kids...praying with the kids. Keeping my mind focused on the Lord outside of just my devo time keeps me sensitive to Him speaking to me throughout the day.

I am constantly open to God correcting me. Showing me where I am not walking in the spirit, where I am walking in the flesh: anger, fear, discouragement, etc.

The word says that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens. I know this is truth, the truth. So when I come to something that I respond: "I can't...." I sit and contemplate on why I believe I can't...and then I'll look up scripture that disagrees with that feeling.

Our feelings are products of our limited perspective and circumstances. I aim to make decisions and live according to the truth of the Word of God...and when my feelings don't line up with the Word, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me decipher my feelings...what is at the root. Then, when I figure it out by God's help, I really ask God to rip it out of me..."Prune this ____fill in the blank_____ out of me, please God. Remove anything that sits in opposition with the Word of God out of me!"

Daily I am reflecting on where my life is lining up with the Word and where it is not.

I call it: LIVING THE DEVOTIONAL LIFE.

....and I am humble to recognize where I am failing...yet I am confident in my identity in Christ that I can overcome the struggles in my life!!!! I really believe what God says about me more than what I think or others say about me.

God is my Creator...and God doesn't make junk!!!!!