Reflection...

This has been a particularly busy week as I am deep in rehearsals preparing for Chosen (my church’s women’s conference).  I love my church, I love Chosen, and I really love singing worship music so it’s been a fun week as well.  Every year, Chosen has a theme and this year the theme is Chosen Treasure. This weekend, the women who are blessed enough to be able to attend Chosen will hear again and again they are a treasure to God. I’m so excited!  I decided to blog about something that goes along with the idea that we are indeed chosen as a precious treasure to the heart of our Father. 

Often times I get my inspiration from something I’ve heard in one of my women’s ministry meetings or from someone’s testimony.  Other times, I get it from a line in a movie or even a facebook status.  This one came from devotion time with my daughter, Lexi.   Every night, we take time to read from a little devotional she has and then we all pray together as a family.  This particular evening, the devotional posed the question:

  “Do you like what you see when you look in the mirror?”

I read that question aloud and Lexi without hesitation looked up at me with a sweet little grin and nodded her head, “yes”.  That moment struck me instantly.  First of all because I loved how she responded and I decided then and there that I never want her to lose that feeling.  I want her to always be happy with what she sees when she looks in the mirror both physically and in her countenance.  I pray that when she sees her own reflection, the light in her eyes that dances with joy and love and kindness would give her the confidence in who God made her to be so that she will always be pleased with who she is and what she sees in herself.  I also pray that the Lord would help me to encourage and cultivate that in her.

After that initial and immediate feeling came upon me, I started to think about it more broadly.  I thought about how many of us can truly say we are happy with or like what we see when we look in the mirror.  I know for myself there have been many, many times when I have been displeased not only with my physical appearance but my countenance as well.  I think it is safe to assume I am not alone in that…which is why I decided to write about it.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how important it is to like what we see when we look in the mirror.  How much more powerful would we be if we truly were happy with who we are inside and out?  Imagine the power we would have if we really grasped who God says we are! Imagine the power we would have if we really understood we were fearfully and wonderfully made! Imagine the power we would have if we really, really knew we were made in the very image of God! He doesn’t make mistakes.  We were made exactly how He wanted us to be made.  We are a priceless treasure to His heart. There is power in confidence…confidence in knowing our God is working in us to do His good will and pleasure.  Insecurity, self-doubt, self-loathing, and feelings of worthlessness or unworthiness hold so many of us back from walking confidently in our God-given purposes.  How differently would we live our lives if we let go of all of that?

When the devotion time was over, I asked Lexi why she thought she was beautiful and she thought for a moment and replied, “Because I look like you, Mommy”.  Of course that made me smile from ear to ear but then I looked at it more deeply.  We are the very image of Christ and He is beautiful!  We are beautiful because we look like Him! Talk about an epiphany! Beauty is so much more…so, so much more than our outward appearance.  The most beautiful woman in the world or the most handsome man could instantly lose his or her attractiveness if they are mean or treat people badly.  The outward appearance will only get them so far.  But if we reflect the very image of Christ, the love of Jesus, the joy that is our strength…how beautiful is that? 

I, for one, have decided to be like my little girl…to look in the mirror and choose to be happy with what I see.  Shouldn’t we all? The Word says that we are the light of the world!  If that light is so hidden behind insecurities and self-doubt, how can we share it?  If the light is gone, what darkened it or hid it?  Release whatever it is or whoever it is to God and allow healing and restoration to take place…not only for your sake but for the glory of God and for the fulfilling of His purpose for you on this earth that affects those He puts in your path.  His light penetrates all darkness! Look in the mirror and see that light of joy, peace, love, faith, redemption, grace, and mercy and then go out and spread it all around!  Rejoice in your reflection…it is the beautiful image of God’s great workmanship.

Be blessed and until next time…remember…you are a chosen treasure to the heart of God!  You just need to believe it so you can live it!

 

Much love and many blessings,

Nancy

Where is the love?

I almost didn’t post a blog today because I couldn’t decide what I wanted to post.  I try to always post something that truly resonates with me and therefore may make an impact with some of you.  I figure, if it made a positive difference in my life, perhaps it’ll make a positive difference in someone else’s so I share it. Today, I just couldn’t think of anything I really, really wanted to post.  I realize that those of you who read my blog take time out of your day to do so and I truly value that.  I feel obligated to post the best of what I have to give and trust it’ll speak to those it relates to. Therefore, when I couldn’t feel passionate about posting anything in particular…I almost didn’t post at all.  The husband encouraged me to post and his exact words were “Whatever you post will be epic.” Haha! He’s so sweet and really believes in me which makes me love him all the more…even when he uses words like “epic”. ;-) Anyway, I regrouped and sat still for a moment and then it hit me...Love! I know what you must be thinking…I’ve already posted blogs about love and you’re right, I have.  But this time, I’m just going to rant…I’m not going to my dictionary.com app or to 1 Corinthians 13.  I’m just going to speak from my heart.  So bear with me if you will as I do just that.

There’s a song on the radio right now by Casting Crowns titled, “Jesus, Friend of Sinners” that has been playing a lot lately.  The lyrics to the song are very powerful and I want to share the chorus here:

“Oh Jesus, friend of sinners…Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers.  Let our hearts be led by mercy, help us reach with open hearts and open doors. Oh, Jesus friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours.” 

This next line really stuck out to me and is what inspired me to write this blog:

“Nobody knows what we’re for only what we’re against when we judge the wounded.  What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like you did?”

It’s so easy to love people that believe like us, look like us, sound like us…but what about those that don’t?  How do we show the love of Jesus if we’re not willing to stop picking at the speck we think we see in someone else’s eye and remove the giant two by four in ours?  This song made me ask myself these questions.  Love is patient and kind…are we? Okay, I lied…I am going back to 1 Corinthians 13 after all.  Ha! In verse 5 the Amplified version reads like this, “It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly.  Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way…” God’s love lives in us! This is how we should love…EVERYONE.   It isn’t easy but it’s really simple.  Just love.  It’s already in us…we just have to let it out.  That’s great news! We don’t have to try to love or strive to love…we just have to allow God to love people through us.  People don’t feel loved if they feel judged or looked down upon.  People don’t feel loved if they feel inferior or belittled.  None of us feels loved in those circumstances. 

The Bible says that God so loved the world…not just some of us…not just a few of us…not just the righteous or religious or clean.  No.  God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only Son, that WHOEVER (not just the righteous or religious or clean, not a particular denomination, not even just church people) believes in Him will have everlasting life!  Who are we to determine who is worthy of that kind of love? I know I am not.  I need His grace and mercy and unfailing love as much as or more than anyone else so I am determined to tap into that love inside me and pay it forward.  I have asked the Lord to forgive me for being judgmental or self-righteous if I have been towards anyone.  I don’t want that in me. I want to overflow with love so that anyone (and I do mean anyone) I come into contact with will feel that love in one way or another. 

Like I said earlier…it isn’t easy.  Sometimes I’m not going to feel like it.  Some people will rub me the wrong way.  Some will hurt me.  Some will disappoint me.  Others, I won’t agree with on anything. But Jesus said the best way we can show we love Him is by loving each other.  His love lives in me, I just need to share it and not hog it all for myself.  By sharing it, it’ll actually increase in me! And you! God is just awesome like that!  And when I do slack, not if…when…that’s when His mercy covers me.  That’s when I drink in His grace and move forward knowing He knows my heart is to do His will…knowing He loves me and that makes me love Him all the more. And knowing I will do better next time because His strength is made perfect in my weakness.  So I won’t beat myself up for having a bad day or bad moment.  His grace is sufficient for me.  His love covers a multitude of sins. God IS love!

I hope this motivated someone, encouraged someone, and/or inspired someone.  I know this post was a little more rambling than my others but I was truly typing out my heart as it flowed from me. I suppose the greatest notion of love is that it is What and Who God is. Knowing Him means knowing love in its purest form. 

Where is the love?  It’s in us! Let’s let it flow!!

 

Until next time…much love and many blessings,

Nancy