Capturing Lies

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.2 Corinthians 10:5

Are you ever plagued by self doubt?  You know that little voice in your head that says, "you can't do it," "no one cares," or "why did you do that?"   I hear that little voice.  It puts me down and makes me feel bad about myself, causing me to feel like a failure.  Instead of the truth, perhaps "You shouldn't have yelled at your husband," it says, "You are a horrible wife."  And I used to believe it.


But then a friend shared that her little voice tells her she is a bad mom, and fat.  I couldn't help but laugh because I have that little voice too.  And that's when I realized that the devil couldn't even come up with a new lie. He whispers the same old lies to many of us.  This woman is neither fat, nor a bad mom...and neither am I.  And that is when I began to realize that I needed to start taking my thoughts captive.


When the voice says, "You are a horrible wife," I respond, "No, I am a good wife who had a bad moment." And then I ask my husband and God for forgiveness, and they give it.  When the voice says, "you are fat," I respond, "No, I may not be fit, but I am not fat.  As a matter of fact, according to the CDC stats for 2008,  34% of the population is overweight and another 34% is obese.  Because I am neither, I am smaller than 68% of the population.  Fat? Ha!"


When I argue with the voice, with the thoughts, with the lies, they stop.  They can't fight the voice of truth.


What lies are you believing today?  Take every thought captive, and speak the truth to it.  God loves you, forgives you, redeemed you. Listen to the voice of truth, the one that says you are dearly loved.

Love Notes

Last Friday I went out of town for the women's retreat where I spoke. But before I left, I did what I always do when I go away overnight. I left my family love notes.

Whenever I need to travel overnight, I get an old eye pencil I keep just for this use, and I write notes on their mirrors. For my girls, I write something I love about them, a term of endearment I call them, an area I want them to work on, and "I love you." I might say, "I love you ladybug, you are special and kind, Be compassionate." I include hearts and drawings (perhaps of a ladybug, etc.) I also leave a love note for my husband on his bathroom mirror.

The purposes of my notes are many. I want them to remember me and think about me when I'm not with them. I want them to know of my love for them. I want them to have guidance, even in my absence.

As I was sharing this with a woman at the retreat, it occurred to me that the Bible is just like God's love note to us. He wrote it so we would think of him while we are not with him (in heaven). He wrote it so we would know of his love for us. He wanted us to have guidance, even in his absense.

My family views these love notes in a special way, and leave them up on the mirrors for long periods of time even after I'm home. Because they love me as much as I love them.

Do we love God that much?

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. Deut 11:18-21