The Four-Letter Word Behind this Video

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Quite awhile ago, I was encouraged to do something called Vlogging. This was explained to me as really very simple. You just turn your blog into a video and make it available for all to see. “No big deal. It’s all the rage right now. You’ll love it.” So I eventually caved and decided to give it a try.

I wrote out what I wanted to say, picked out what I was going to wear and called in a favor. I met the music pastor at our church who agreed to do the filming and editing. Little did he know what he was in for when he agreed to help!

I’m in front of people a lot. I have been for many years. Sure, I get a little nervous before singing or speaking but it’s the good kind of nervous. You know, the kind that reminds me it’s not in my strength but God’s that I can even utter a sound. What I didn’t know was that speaking to a camera is a bit different. It’s actually a lot different.

To save some face, I’m not going to admit how long I stood in front of the camera completely unable to say a word. I’m not even sure I can fully explain the experience but I can tell you it was driven by one nasty little four-letter word…

FEAR

Of what, you might ask? Apparently all kinds of things and believe me I had plenty of time to consider them all while I stood there…speechless…staring at a blinking light.  It really all boiled down to one thing.

ACCEPTANCE

What if you don’t like me? It’s one thing to hide behind my computer, but what if you see me and think I’m goofy? What if you hear me speak and think I have the most annoying voice you’ve ever heard? What if…what if…what if…?

This whole experience got me thinking a lot about this thing called fear and I’ve realized something. Fear is not of God. In fact, His Word tells us that He did not give us a spirit of fear.

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
(American King James Version)

According to this, I have been given a spirit of love and power and a sound mind! I don’t know about you, but I can certainly use that reminder especially when the enemy sneaks in and tries to convince me otherwise. When he can talk me into taking my focus off God and putting it on myself he can begin to whisper the lies…

You’re not enough
No one will ever take you seriously
Why would anyone listen to anything you have to say

But in Christ, I have been given a sound mind. That means I can claim the truths of God and believe them…

I am chosen by God
I am accepted by God
I am loved by God
I am who I am because of Him 

If you struggle with this four-letter word, I want to encourage you to take captive of your thoughts, stop them before they gain momentum by replacing them with Truth. Remember who you are in Christ. You can also watch this video as a reminder that God is bigger than our biggest hangups!

Welcome! (Just click this link)

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It’s Monday…

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It’s Monday.  Easter is officially over.  Kids are back to school.  Adults are back at work.  Routines are reestablished.

We’ve returned to our daily schedule of schoolwork, laundry, housecleaning, cooking, writing, blah, blah blah.  We focused so hard this weekend on Christ and His amazing sacrifice and even more amazing resurrection that Monday seemed to arrive unwanted and bring with it a big helping of letdown.  I know that routine is good.  It’s necessary.  Consistency is a thing to be cherished, but the break from that was nice.  The focus on remembering how much God loves us was like a much needed breath of fresh air.

It’s funny how we tend to leave the church building and go about our daily lives forgetting the things we just raised our hands over.  We worship Him for His life-giving Word.  We sing His praises for saving the wretches like us.

Then Monday comes and we seem to forget to live a life that reflects those truths we proclaimed.  The Easter story wasn’t meant to be celebrated one day a year.  It was meant to be lived.  Every moment of every day we are to live a resurrected life.  Through the good times and the bad, we are to live a life that reflects the living God.

Probably not too tough if your Monday brought with it all things good, but what if it didn’t?  What if your Monday brought with it unexpected news that rocked your world?  What if your Monday brought with it illness, debt, relationship issues, fear?  How can you live a resurrected life when life is doing its best to keep you in the grave?

Like this…the same power that raised Christ from the grave lives in you!

“And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.” Romans 8:11

Think about that for a sec.  Can you even begin to comprehend what that means?  As a child of God, the Spirit is alive in you.  The same Spirit that raised a dead man.  RAISED A DEAD MAN.  That’s power.  And it’s available to all who believe.

All the Easter eggs have been found (or will be the next time you mow the yard), all the chocolate has been consumed, and homes all across America are enjoying egg salad and will be for weeks to come.  And it’s Monday.  But you can face it.  You have resurrection power!

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The Wall

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I just returned home from a fabulous trip to the beach.  It was warm, sunny, and beachy.  These are a few of my favorite things.  About a mile down the beach from where we stayed there is a wall.  Legend has it that if you walk to the wall and touch it, you will return.  Needless to say, we not only touched the wall, we sat on it…and laid down on it…and made it a point to walk back and repeat the previous steps just about every day.

Sea Wall at Crescent Beach, Siesta Key, Florida

You can’t really tell from this picture, but there is a house that rests atop this wall.  There is a small, rickety looking fence that surrounds the home.  One day as we approached the wall I realized that this home is really afforded no protection from the waters that surround it.  If a big enough storm arose, the house would be virtually defenseless from its violent repercussions.

I sometimes feel that way, myself.  Life goes along fairly smoothly, a couple of waves may get a little high, but nothing I can’t handle.  I can hang on until the tide goes out.  But then the wind starts to blow.  The waves seem to gain momentum with a ferocity that catches me unawares.  The small fence I’ve built to protect myself from attacks is offering little to no shelter.

The enemy is good that way.  He likes us to think we’re unprotected, powerless against the arrows he shoots our way.  You know the ones…  I’m not good enough.  I can never be loved.  It’s my fault my marriage is over.  It’s my fault we don’t make more money… The lies that tell us we’re on our own, walking through life without hope or peace.

This wall on the beach does serve a purpose, though.  It’s been there for years, keeping the house from falling.  It’s the support.  The foundation.  The protection from the daily waves that crash against it.

Isaiah 26:1-4 says, “…We have a strong city. God’s saving power surrounds it like walls and towers.
Open its gates so that those who do what is right can enter. They are the people who remain faithful to God. Lord, you will give perfect peace to anyone who commits himself to be faithful to you. That’s because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever. The Lord is the Rock. The Lord will keep us safe forever.”

When the waves threaten to overtake you, fall into the arms of The One who gives perfect peace.  The Rock. His saving power is the greatest, most powerful wall you’ll ever need.

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