Living Honestly

What does it mean to live your life honestly? As a recovering people-pleaser, this is what it means to me:

*It is okay to have cruddy days and say so when people ask how I am doing--the plastic,painted-on smile is not healthy

*It is honorable to share my struggles with others -- so they can help and pray for me, and so I can in turn encourage people who are where I have been in the past

*God wants me to be transparent -- how can I be a good witness to His power if I don't show others how far He has carried me?

*That being honest DOES NOT mean I have the right to be a complainer or Debbie Downer

*I can pour out my heart to God and He listens

*That my friendships are deeper because they know the real me- good and bad

*My husband appreciates me being real and loves me for it

* I can be honest in a loving way

*The best way I can model honesty for my children is to live it every day

*Being real is allowing God to work through me--- asking Him to wash away the dull residue that accumulates on me and allow His glory to shine through me.

* I am free to be who God created me to be because of Jesus- Hallelujah!


These lyrics from "Free to Be Me" by Francesca Batestelli really hit home the freedom we have in Christ:

"I've got a couple dents in my fender, gotta couple rips on my jeans. Try to put the pieces together, but perfection is my enemy. On my own I'm so clumsy, but on your shoulders I can see, I'm free to be me."

The Lord says in 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."



And finally, since I am being entirely transparent to you, my blogging friends......I have to end on a light note...






I am currently composing this post wearing my daughter's hot pink Snuggie, which I vowed I would NEVER EVER own, and I have never been more cozy in my life!!!

How's that for some honesty!!! I am free to be my Snuggie-wearing self! No shame for me! Not one bit!

My Desire

I've spent the past few weeks truly seeking out God every day. Some days, it is so hard to "feel" a connection or "feel" Him working. Tonight as I was working on my homework for our women's Bible study, I was listening to Jeremy Camp. My favorite song came on, My Desire. I want to share the lyrics with you all because it is my heart right now. I encourage you to listen to it if you've never heard it before.

My Desire

by: Jeremy Camp

You want to be real

You want to be empty inside

You want to be someone

laying down your pride

You want to be someone someday

Then lay it all down before the King

You want to be whole

You want to have purpose inside

You want to have virtue

and purify your mind

You want to be set free today

then lay it all down before the King

Chorus:

This is my desire

This is my return

This is my desire

to be used by you

You want to be real

You want to be emptied inside

And I know my heart

is to feel you near

And I know my life

It's to do your will

It's to do your will

(Chorus)

All my life I have seen

where you've taken me

Beyond all I have hoped

and there's more left unseen

There's not much I can do

to repay all you'vedone

so I give my hands to use

(Chorus)

Precious Jesus, it is my desire to be used BY you, FOR you, in whatever way YOU choose for me. Lord, continue to mold me and make me into the woman you want me to be. It is truly my heart's desire. Amen

Hello, is anybody out there?

There have been times in my life when I have found myself feeling totally alone. I think that occasionally we get that feeling because God is teaching us to rely more closely on him or to learn a certain lesson about how our relationship with Christ should look. There have been seasons in my life where my social circle needed a good sifting. God and I needed to get rid of all the negative distractions that kept me from Him.

So then why did I bring this up you ask? Well Shannon and I were talking today about the fact that we really have no idea who is reading this blog everyday/week/month.

And we are dying to know!!!

It's really not any other reason than that. I know that all the writers of this blog want this to be a community women....women who are searching and seeking just the same everyday to see the continued power and blessings of our one and only Savior. We want this blog to be a blessing to Christ and to the community of believers and seekers alike who need to work together to build each other up. I don't want anyone want to be in a place where they are not connected.

SO, with that all being said I would like to ask if those of you who are reading this blog to make a comment and let us know who you are. If you are not able to make a comment please send us an email theglowministry@gmail.com. Tell us a little about who you are, where you are from. We can't wait to get to know you all a little bit better. We dream about this blog being a way for all of us to communicate in a way that honors the God we serve.

Fall is HERE!

It's HERE. I don't think we can deny it any longer. Fall is here friends. The cold weather, wind, leaves changing and falling! I love fall. I love the colors, wearing sweaters, and all things pumpkin. I love having a hot drink in my hands and the fact that fall means CHRISTMAS is coming! (and just wait till I tell you how much I love Christmas!)

My one concern about fall is that as exciting as it is now... things outside go from brilliant red and orange to brown and grey. What is fun and exciting will soon become dreary and drab. Fall will fade into winter in the blink of an eye. And before I know it I'll be dreaming of green grass and daffodils and tulips.

Isn't it interesting that life goes in cycles like the seasons? We have great beautiful times that we love and then we go through a season of change and things look dark and bleak and we are longing for a spring time of our souls.

I'm hoping and believing that this year I'll work on appreciating each and every day. Last night some dear friends and I shared about asking God to show us his blessings each day. I think that my friend was right. If we ask for him to show us that means we'll have to be looking. If we practice this now in the season that is fun and exciting and new then in the winter times, the dark times it will be easier to seek out what God is doing in our lives.

I'm thinking of you all tonight. Praying for each of you. We are all in different seasons but I'm praying that you will find God's blessings wherever you are!

The Pink Sparrow

Hi blogging friends! Hope you had a fabulous weekend.... even though the weather was kind of yucky. Today was beautiful though! I love fall!!

Anyways, I just wanted to share with you a new blog that my sister started just a few days ago (my other sister and I are contributors as well.) It a blog dedicated to sharing great recipes and home decorating ideas. It all started because the three of us sisters are always asking each other for the food recipes we bring to family gatherings, and all three of us are in stages of painting rooms in our houses, so we also share paint colors! Jenn brought up the idea of starting a blog to share these ideas with each other and with family and friends as well!

Check out http://www.thepinksparrow.blogspot.com/ Lori posted a recipe today, and we hope to share with you lots of fun ideas for around the house as well. Happy blogging! I will have a more inspirational post for you next week!!!

Kristi

Knee Deep

I have been spending a lot of time today thinking about what I would post. I like it much better when a post just comes pouring out of my fingertips...but today, it's not so easy. And maybe it's selfish but today I just need your prayers. I have spent the last 10 months of my life running from a situation and God has brought it right back and set it before me. I can hear Him saying "let's deal with this and move on."

But I can't get myself there

I know that it's time, it was time a long while ago, but I am afraid that what I have to do to move passed this seems impossible to my human head and heart. I am being called by my creator to love my enemies and it's an uncomfortable place for me. I have gone from standing on the shore line to about knees in and God is calling me to dive in the rest of the way.

But I can't get myself there

God,

I need you. I know what you are asking me to do and I know it's time but I can't get myself there. Will you come take my hand and walk with me. I know you will and that you have already met me here and I need you to be my guide the rest of the way. Honestly, I am scared and humanly I don't want to love my foe...but if it's your desire for my life and it will please you I am ready to try, I think. Pour your perfect love into my imperfect heart and help me to get there. To love with your love and to please your heart; it's my soul's desire. Ahmen

On My Knees

Ok, we are in the middle of our Stepping Up Bible study. For those of you doing it, how is it going getting "down"? I wanted to share with you a bit of how my journey is going.

A few times, before starting the study, I would get on my bed, get myself all arranged and then realized I didn't do it. I contemplated just skipping that step but then Beth's words would come back to me "you'll need to get down before you can go up". So on the floor I would go.

Sometimes, it's just a few minutes. Sometimes it's longer. Last week on a especially stressful day, I just breathed my prayers to Him. "Lord, I have this and this and this today... and this... and this... and I need you for it all" On a few days I had some strong burdens for a couple of good friends and I spent time talking to God about their needs.

What am I finding about this specified time on my knees? I am learning that it's making me VERY aware of how much I need him every day. I wake up in the mornings, and breathe out a prayer to Him. My worship in church is richer- a true prayer for Him. My willingness to take my burdens and hurts to him is so much more.

All in all. I love it. I want to incorporate it into my EVERY day prayer life, not just for this study. I'm also using my little photo album again. When I find a verse that speaks to me I'm writing it down on an index card and then putting it into a small photo album where I can flip to it when I need it.

This last week it was this verse for me:

You hem me in-behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me Ps. 139:5

Someone in our class shared this verse two weeks ago (thanks B!) and it was great, but when we got to it in our study this last week- it hit me. When someone is hurting, sad... what do we do when we have no words to comfort? We just touch them-a hug or a hand on their shoulder. Envisioning the Maker of ALL putting his hand upon me brought me to tears. It was a great time of healing for me. He IS with us friends. Walking this journey with us every day.

So... on my knees and in His word. That's where I am right now. What about you?