Vacation!

Vacation, all I ever wanted.

Vacation, had to get away.

Vacation, Go-Gos, 1982

It's about time for my family to head out of town on vacation. I can't wait! We've got our bags packed, the house sitter is scheduled to take care of the dogs, and all is well. Sometimes it's hard to get away. Life is busy, and there is always something we could be doing, other than vacationing.

However, God himself implemented the very important task of resting. Resting doesn't seem like a task. It seems more of an anti-task. Yet, the Bible tells us on the 7th day, God rested. If the all-powerful creator of the Universe made it a point to rest, shouldn't we?

The Bible goes on to tell us that Jesus will provide us his rest, which is peace. If your soul is troubled, your faith in Jesus will give you the peace that passes human understanding.

I'm so thankful for my faith in God! He provides me peace. And I am so thankful for his example to take a physical rest too.

VACATION - here we come!

Which Disciple Are You?

Let your gentleness be evident to all. Phil 4:5

If you ask people to describe Chatty Kelly they might say fun, funny, loud, or bold...but I can't imagine anyone would say gentle.

This used to bother me. How can I call myself a Christian if I'm not gentle? Even the fruit of the spirit includes gentleness. Digging deeper into the scriptures, I find different translations of the same verses. The fruit of the spirit refers to humility, and the Philippians verse refers to your spirit in dealing with others.

But the best example I found is to look at the disciple Peter. Peter, the loud, outspoken, good intentioned though often wrong directed disciple. I am like Peter.

Peter, who jumped in front of Jesus and cut off the soldier's ear in the garden. How often to I run ahead of Jesus, and mess up his plans?

Peter, who after Jesus told him to feed his sheep asked referring to John, "What about him?" How often do I compare myself with others?

Peter, who loved the Lord with all his heart, yet sank in the water because of his lack of faith. How often does my lack of faith cause me to sink, even though I love Jesus?

I'm not gentle, but neither was Peter. And Jesus said to him, "On this rock I will build my church."

Look at the Bible today, and find the disciple that is like you. Then realize that Jesus loved them in spite of their human flaws, in spite of their mistakes, in spite of their sin. Then realize he feels the same way about you. Which disciple are you?

Hosta La Vista!

On the walk up to my front door grow 5 of the biggest, heartiest, most beautiful hostas you have ever seen. Every year anyone who comes to visit comments on them. They were show pieces. And my response to everyone who asked what I did to make them grow that way, was always truthfully, "nothing."



This year, without warning, the voles ate the roots of my beautiful plants. I noticed first they were browning at the tips of the leaves. I thought they needed water, but watering didn't do anything. Then as I touched leaves, I realized they could be pulled up without any roots attached. The voles had eaten the roots.



All of my beautiful plants have been destroyed. "Hosta" La Vista! I took them so much for granted, that I never even took a photo of them.



Sometimes we have other "show pieces" in our lives. Our marriage, our children, even our faith can look beautiful on the outside, but if we are doing "nothing" to maintain them, we can't expect them to stay healthy. Evil is waiting to burrow into the roots of our relationship destroying them.



Spend time with your loved ones telling them they are appreciated. Pray for them. Spend time with God praying and studying His word. Be vigilant looking for the one who comes to steal and destroy. When we appreciate those things dear to us, we worry less that they'll say "Hasta la vista." We can honor our relationships, pray for them, and watch them grow with the power of the Son.

Never Let Them See You Sweat

Put your game face on. Put your best foot forward. Never let them see you sweat. These phrases demonstrate our society's attitude toward showing vulnerability. In fact, showing weakness can be considered a sign of weakness.



Last week I blogged about my self-doubt. I, in fact, let you see me sweat. But something wonderful came from that. So many women told me how they could relate!



Even though our society says not to show weakness, I think that when we share our vulnerabilities in a safe place it allows other women to realize they are not alone or unusual in their thought process. When we show that we are not perfect, it allows those around us to safely be imperfect as well.



It's funny that the deodorant Secret, used the catch phrase "Never let them see you sweat." Because when we hide our weaknesses, not letting the world see us sweat, we are in fact keeping a secret.



2 Corin 11:30 states, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." Sharing our weaknesses, not keeping the secret, opens the way for us to experience the superabundant strength of God's grace.



So while it's true that I have weaknesses, flaws, struggles and doubts, I also have a God who loves me anyway and raises me beyond what little I can do and be, to what He wants me to do and be. So do you. Together let's focus on who we are in Christ. For he said, "My power is made perfect in weakness."



When I am weak, then I am strong.*





*2 Corin 12:9,10

Good-bye Self Doubt!

Those who know me may see a woman filled with self confidence...but behind that mask is a scared kid full of self doubt. That little voice that whispers, "You're nothing. Why would anyone care about what you have to share. They won't like you." The thing that surprises me every time, however, is how God ministers to my doubt with His perfect timing!

After much encouragement from friends I submitted my first article, sure it wasn't good enough, but with a tiny glimmer of hope that maybe my friends were right. Maybe I was an okay writer. It was accepted for publication. God knew if it had been rejected, I would have never submitted another thing, but buoyed by that success, I continued writing for publication. Good-bye self-doubt.

In 2009, after a writers conference I decided to stop writing for a while. I wrote this post, explaining that I was tired of rejections, and felt like there were so many better writers. But the day before I posted it, I got an contract for a piece that the editor had already rejected! It had already been rejected! But God...he knew I wasn't going to keep writing, so he encouraged me that my writing is His plan. Good-bye self doubt.

Yesterday was a self doubt day for my speaking. While my She Speaks conference was excellent, all those self doubts came back. There are better speakers, I don't want to risk rejection, why did I agree to do a women's retreat?!?! And so yesterday, I told a friend that I might stop speaking after I do the women's retreat in October. Self doubt.

My mouth said, "I don't want to speak again." My heart said, "Why would anyone want to listen to me? I have nothing to share. What if they don't like me? I can't do it."

And this morning, in my email inbox was a request to speak at a women's event. No self-promotion or seeking on my part, just God whispering to my heart, "You have something to say, I believe in you. Share My Word." Good-bye self doubt.

Why doubts are plaguing you today? Why not turn them over to God. He can turn your self doubt into God confidence! Then you too can say, "Good-bye Self Doubt!"

I am the LORD your God. I am holding your hand, so don't be afraid. I am here to help you. Isaiah 41:13 (CEV)

Sticky Messages

Several folks have asked me to elaborate on "sticky messages," which I posted last week was my favorite topic at She Speaks. I wasn't sure if I could, because each page of our manual clearly states it is COPY PROTECTED material, and belongs to P31.

But YAY for us, because the woman who taught the class, Lysa TerKeurst is blogging about it today and tomorrow. So head on over there and read what a sticky message is and how to appy it to your speaking.

http://lysaterkeurst.com/2011/08/sticky-messages/

Being Small for Jesus

Have you ever thought "I want to be BIG for Jesus!" I must admit, I have! I want to write books, and speak to conferences and be BIG for Jesus. But what if Jesus is calling me to be small?

At the recent conference I attended, they put on a great skit. The woman in the skit received a gift from Jesus, a mini-coke. She loved her gift, until she saw her friend had received a 12 oz coke. She begged Jesus to also have the 12 oz coke. "But I picked your gift especially for you, because I love you." Jesus told her. She still wanted the 12 oz coke. Then another friend came by with a 20 oz coke. Now she was really mad at Jesus!

At that point Jesus gave her a 12 oz coke, "just like you asked me for, because I love you." But now the 12 oz wasn't enough, and again she was discontent. And the look on her face when the woman with 2 liter coke came on stage? Priceless!

What if God is calling me to be a mini-coke? What if my blog, and my devotional additions to compilation books are what he is calling me for? What if speaking to 50 ladies is all he wants from me?

In the parable of the sower, Jesus tells about the seeds that fall on the fertile soil. "But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matt 13:23)

Notice that all the good soil did not produce the same crops. While all the seeds were on good soil, some groups produced a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown. What if God is only calling me to a crop yield of 30?

Can I be happy with that? Can I be content? Am I willing to be small for Jesus, if that is what he is calling me to do?

What is Jesus calling you to be? And even if it small, or you willing to do it? We must, if we are to ever find contentment. So I keep spreading the seeds, as he has called me to do. And the crop, well I won't know that until it grows. But may I praise him for it, no matter what the bounty is.