What's Your Word?

In Debbie Macomber's book, One Perfect Word, we learn to choose one word to be encouraged by throughout the year.  In order to grow in that one word, Macomber suggests that one study it deeply.

"When I find my word and begin to explore it, God takes me deep into that one word. Because I've kept journals nearly my entire life, I have been able to look back at them in the light of my word of the year and see how my life experiences dovetailed with my exploration of that year's word...When we choose one single word from His Word and spend a year with it, I've found that the Lord takes us by the hand and walks us through the year, teaching us about that word, about ourselves, and even more, about God Himself."

 

Macomber uses the start of a New Year to choose a new word.  She shared several words that she focused on over her many years of practicing this concept.  Those words are: Desire, Believe, Hunger, Trust, Brokenness, Prayer, Obedience, Seek, Balance, Wisdom, Surrender, Hope, Passion, Purpose.

 

Macomber also gives creative ways to keep that word as a forever reminder. "My friend has a large stone with her word of the year cut into it.  She uses it as a paperweight. She has another one she uses as a doorstop; she says, "I like to stumble over my word every now and then." Stones like these can be purchased online at www.inspirationstones.com and at other places." Another way to remember your words: "My friend gave me a silver charm bracelet with many of my words engraved on hand-tooled disks.  When I wear it, it is a reminder of the lessons I've learned over the years. Jesus said, "Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? (Mark 8:18). I don't want to forget all I've explored with the Lord. Tangible reminders, like my bracelet, become meaningful symbols of my walk with the Lord."

 

One Perfect Word is filled with encouragement and would be a great addition to any woman's library!

 

 

 

Be Encouraged!   



A Heart's Desire

                  Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land and enjoy safe
                                                               pasture.

                                                Take delight in the Lord,

                                   and he will give you the desires of your heart.

                                                Commit your way to the Lord;

                                                trust in him and he will do this:
                                                            Psalms 37:3-5

 

What are the desires of your heart?  Are they to live in a more prestigious zip code?  Are they to be in a higher tax bracket? Are they to be several dress sizes smaller?  Are your desires the will of God? Or are your desires the will of You?

 

Many find their desires conflicting with those of the Lord.  Because of this, we find ourselves frustrated.  Until we reevaluate our desires, discontent will rule our hearts. Instead of desiring material possessions or a more prestigious status, we should seek that which brings real goodness to us and to others.

May I share some of my desires?  I want my daughters to not only grow healthy, wise and obedient to the Lord, but to also raise their children in the same way.  I desire for my girls to marry a man who depends wholly on Christ; a husband who is gentle and patient, yet strong and confident.  I hope to grow to an old age with my husband; enjoying our commitment to one another.  I desire to live in close proximity to my future grandchildren where I can be a constant influence in their life. I desire more opportunities to do some traveling; not just destinations for touring, but also for serving. I would also love to pursue my hobbies more seriously. These examples are the top desires of my heart.

In the above verse, in order to receive the desires of your heart, you must do a few things.  The first one is to trust in the Lord. Easier said than done in many cases.  When you put your complete trust in the Creator of all things, "doing good," becomes less daunting. 

Let's look at an example.  Let's examine the life of a addict, particularly one that is a shopaholic. A shopaholic has an addiction to buying things, even if they are on sale! Over time, this person admits to having a problem. With a depleting bank account and an angry spouse, it is difficult to not see this addiction as a serious issue.  The shopaholic desires to give up the compulsion to shop.  She/he must do a few things.  First, she must trust God and believe that her worth is not in the things that she buys, but in who God has made her to be.  She must also trust that God will fill the void that shopping seems to fill. From there, she should refrain from shopping, whether it be online or at the nearest shopping center.  This is the "doing good" part in the verse. 

Doing good, is not easy.  Doing good takes a lot of energy in making the right choice, time and time again.  When it gets tough to do what is good, it is time to trust even more.  With determination and discipline, the desire to give up compulsive shopping will become a reality.  Hence, receiving the desire of heart.

The above verse shares with us many promises.  All we must do is, trust, do good, dwell, enjoy, take delight and commit....A small price to pay for a heart's many desires!

Love and Blessings,
Tina

 

Breathe

Do you ever feel that distractions are placed in your life on purpose?  I have been distracted, lately.  The distractions in my life have kept me from here (from blogging).  They have kept me from feeling the goodness of my Jesus. 

Let me begin with some of the distractions I have been overcome with.  For one, this world scares me.  I read or see what is happening in our world and find myself having multiple panic attacks!  What is the world going to look like when my children are raising children of their own?

I don't want everyone to think like me; that is the beauty of individuality.  We each have the freedom to think.  THAT IS AMAZING!  We get to think! I can seriously stop right there and just ponder that thought.

Sometimes, though, thinking can back you into a darkness of fear.  I fear the health of my children and my husband.  I fear their safety.  I fear the future. I fear whether or not my loved ones will spend eternity with Jesus. And the list goes on.

If I allowed it, I could worry every day.  I used to think it was just a "mama thing".  Oddly, I found comfort in knowing that other mothers worried about the same things!  It felt normal. But one day I found my heart pounding a bit more after fretting about the human race.  No, this is not normal.  I see Christians being attacked from all sides and I CAN'T BREATHE!  Why do they hate us?!  Why do they laugh at us, yet everyone else is okay??  Breathe, just breathe.  But I can't breathe, it feels like my air is being cut off!  Breathe, just breathe.  BUT THEY DON'T LIKE US!

Then I read this: The battle belongs to God, not you. 

The tears spill over.  And then.....I breathe.

Our God is a big God.  He can handle the hate.  Let me repeat that because it is truly profound....He can handle the hate.

God called us to love and to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  That is exactly what I want to do and who I want to be!  I can't worry about who likes me and who doesn't; there's no time for that.

Distractions will come.  Worry will come.  Let God, and just.....Breathe.

The Benefit of Encouragement

After being sick for three weeks, I finally cracked a book open.  It turns out that the very first thing I read, I just have to share!  The following excerpt is from The Power of a Positive Mom, by Karol Ladd.

A number of years ago, a junior high teacher from Minnesota wrote a letter to "Dear Abby," telling the story of a remarkable life lesson she learned from her students.  She began by describing a difficult day in her math class when the kids were particularly cranky with one another and discouraged about the lesson.  Frustrated, the teacher told the class to put away their math books and place one sheet of blank paper on their desks.  She then instructed them to list the names of their classmates along the left hand side of the page and to write next to each name the nicest thing they could think of to say about each person.  The impromptu exercise helped, because as the students turned in their assignments, the teacher noticed everyone was a little more relaxed and at ease. 

Over that weekend, the teacher took the time to write each student's name on a blank page and painstakingly copied the kind thoughts that were expressed about each of the kids.  On Monday morning, she handed the students their lists.  The room was abuzz with whispers and comments such as "Wow, really?" "I didn't know anyone liked me that much!" "I never knew that meant anything to anyone."  Then the assignment was put away, and class continued, with the students feeling better about themselves and one another.

Years later, the math teacher attended the untimely funeral of one of her students who was killed while serving his country in Vietnam.  After the service, the parents of this brave young man approached the teacher and said, "We want to show you something Mark was carrying when he was killed."  The father pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his wallet, and as he unfolded it, the teacher recognized her handwriting.  It was the paper from that long-ago assignment containing all the nice things the young man's classmates had said about him! The parents thanked the teacher, saying that their son had always treasured the encouraging words.

Other former students standing nearby spoke up.  One smiled sheepishly, saying he kept his list of compliments in his top desk drawer at home.  Another said his sheet had been placed in his wedding album.  A third person pulled out his wallet and proudly displayed his folded page as if it were a prized possession. Overwhelmed, the teacher sat down and cried, realizing the full value of that impromptu assignment and the power of encouraging words.

Abby responded to the teacher's letter in her column with a quote from George Herbert: "Good words are worth much and cost little."

There is no greater investment we can make in the lives of our children than giving them generous doses of encouraging words.  It costs us so little in time and effort, but the rewards are priceless.  When our young people are reminded of their God-given value, they receive deposits of confidence, security, and well-being in their emotional bank accounts.  They begin building on their strengths, knowing they have something to contribute to this world.  On the other hand, when our children have nothing positive to believe about themselves, their emotional back accounts can become bankrupt-overdrawn by the negative comments and disappointments that occur every day in the world around them.

I too, am a firm believer in encouraging others, especially our children.  I hope this excerpt gives you encouragement to encourage your loved ones a lot more than you already do! 

Quote

 

 

"There will always be things we want to see happen in our lives, but we can learn to enjoy where we are, on the way to where we are going."

Kind Words

 



In Holley Gerth's book, You Were Made For a God-Sized Dream, she states so perfectly, "Kind words are becoming an endangered species. A friend who will rejoice in your successes as much as her own is a treasure indeed.  A woman who will say, "Yes, with God you can do this" is a beautiful and hard-to-find wonder."

The very last part of that quote is who I want to be, "a beautiful and hard-to-find wonder."  It used to be difficult for me to compliment people.  I was much younger and life was a big competition.  It didn't matter who it was, a friend, a co-worker or even a family member, I wasn't going to dish out any compliments.  Mostly because I knew that person wanted them.  And after all, no one was sending compliments my way!  I know that sounds terrible, judge me if you will, but I know from experience, I am not the only one who practiced this sad and pitiful existence.  That was until I met a wonderful and beautiful friend, Sara. 

Sara was the first woman I met that poured out compliments.  For the first time, I met someone who wasn't afraid or low in self-esteem to share words like, "You're looking pretty, today" or "That is a good color on you" or "You are a great mama."  I remember one day in particular, I was over at her house while she was hosting a family gathering.  I was in the house doing, what, I have no idea, but when I walked out into the garage all heads turned my way, she said, "They were saying that your daughter was a cutie and I told them, 'wait until you see her mama.'" Now don't get me wrong, it was a very nice compliment and one that I remember to this day, but I was left embarrassed.  Do you know why?  I was feeling very insecure that day. I felt ten pounds heavier than usual and didn't feel comfortable in my clothes.  I debated on whether or not I would be going to her house in the first place.  And in that moment all eyes were on me! Something I was hoping to avoid.  But it was that one compliment that settled me down and helped me get over a bit of social anxiety.  Those few words took a bit of my insecurities away, if only for a day. 

It took some time, but I began to practice the art of complementing.  I no longer find it difficult to say, "You look so pretty today, your face is glowing" or "You are a great cook, you could so open a restaurant or bakery."  Guess what happened when I started complementing?  I walked away BEAMING.  I didn't receive the compliment, but I found enough confidence in myself to allow someone to feel special....and it felt exhilarating! It felt exhilarating because I knew my words gave a boost of exhilaration to the one receiving the compliment.  The best part...it only took a few words! 

So why is it so hard for many of us?  Maybe we need to examine who we are in Christ and trust that we, too, are very special, whether anyone acknowledges it or not. When we start believing our worth in Christ, we automatically feel confident in our own skin allowing us to dish out kind words more freely. 

Daughters of Christ, lets pour out kind words, you just never know who may be needing them! 

Gracious words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  Proverbs 16:24

Love

If you read Dilapidated Insides, you know of how God spoke to my heart about fostering and growing in the fruit of the Spirit.  The other day, something so beautiful and almost breathtaking was revealed to me.  I have two wonderful daughters.  I have a fifteen-year-old and a six-year-old.  My girls are sweet girls.  But like most humans, they have their moments when they are not so sweet.  As a mom, I always hope for and want the best for them.  Whether it be good relationships with friends, a soccer goal or a part in the school play, I'm in constant hope for them.  One particular day, I was praying for my eldest daughter.  She was about to start a new school year and there were so many things that I needed to pray for.  As I'm praying and hoping for a promising year for my daughter, this little voice in my head argued, "Even though she doesn't always deserve it." It was only a few seconds when the Lord spoke quietly to my heart: You don't always deserve my blessings, but I still bless you, because I love you.

My eyes spilled over quickly. Truth, whether it's spoken gently or harshly, pierces certain nerves.  I am very blessed.  I am very much loved.  And I don't deserve it.  The tears ran as I realized just how much he loves.  Not only did he confirm how much he loves me, even when I have my rotten moments, but how much he loves and looks beyond my daughters rotten moments, too. He's going to bless her, even though she doesn't deserve it.  He's going to bless me, even though I don't deserve it.  He's going to bless you, even though you don't deserve it.

I thought about the many times when my children wanted this or that.  I agreed they could have this particular thing based on condition.  When they failed at earning their "prize," many times I would concede anyway.  We sometimes do that as parents.  We love our children so much and if we can put a smile on their face, we do what we can to make that happen.  In some ways, God is like that...eager to put a smile on our face.

We don't have to be perfect to earn God's love and blessings.  If it's in His power, and it is, He's going to do it.  He does it because He loves. 

God  IS  love. 1 John 4:8