Posts Tagged ‘encouragement’

Can I Do It?

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Ever feel like a misfit? God can still use you. Each of us carry our own baggage of something that fills us with doubt. I know for myself….I’ve felt many times like my usefulness to God was limited. Because of me, not anyone else. I think satan enjoys dangling that carrot of confusion in the face of Christians. Many never step out and live their faith best because of the weaknesses satan continuously brings to mind.

If you need a little encouragement….read on!

Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zachaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health and Timothy was timid!

Need more?

Noah got drunk, Zachaeus was short, Miriam was a gossip, Sarah was impatient, Jonah ran from God, Peter denied Christ and Lazarus was dead!

It really doesn’t matter what your shortcomings are….GOD STILL WANTS TO USE YOU!!

And me!

It’s January 25th and I’m already behind on some important (TO ME) goals that I had committed to. They’ve been hanging over me with a neon failure sign blinking brightly! I imagine I’m not the only one who does this, right? After reading that excerpt above from Pastor Rick Warren, I felt encouraged to get back up and try again! Maybe it will do the same for you!!

Pick up & start again. There is no flaw big enough to stop you!

You’re Just Right

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

Being a girl is hard. Raising a few, even harder. I’ve been a mom long enough to know that what I do and say to my girls affects them forever. Now, I’ll be the first to admit…I’ve messed up a time or two and hurt my kids but it’s not because I wanted to. I can only blame my flesh and foolishness for the mistakes I’ve made. Thankfully, I have a Redeemer that’s willing to pick me back up (stretch me into His likeness) and set me on track again.

Isn’t forgiveness one of the greatest gifts?

I do a lot of reading on parenting and relationships. I like to see how other people feel about the stuff I’m going through in my own life. I’ve been influenced by many great author’s (Dr. Dobson, Dannah Gresh, Vicki Courtney, Beth Moore, Kay Arthur etc) when it comes to parenting. I trust them and their proven advice. I know they have sought God first and then written from their heart for you and me.

Recently, I read an article about how we talk to little girls. It took me right back to my own “little girl” days with my girls. They were so cute and everywhere I went someone would comment on their physical beauty. At the time I didn’t really think about the lasting affects of it. But, I realize now that were programmed to be beautiful. It’s what the world is screaming, along with being smart or popular.

Is that the message I want for my girls? Or yours?

I’ve got a better idea. Let’s teach our girls they are worthy. Not because of their appearance or their performance but because Christ made them that way. They aren’t to be loved based on the way they look or act–they are loved because they are JUST RIGHT IN THE EYES OF GOD!

As I look at photograph’s of my girls and I think of them separately each as a person. I see beautiful & unique young women. Each of them shaped a little differently inside and out. Both of them, FEARFULLY & WONDERFULLY MADE by a loving God who knew just what He was doing when he made them. How can I as their mother embolden them to live knowing they are HIS and not the world’s? That what they do or how they look isn’t what defines them?

By telling them the truth.

“God loves YOU. There is nothing YOU can ever do to make Him love YOU more than He already does. There is nothing YOU can ever do to make Him love YOU less than He already does. He loves YOU perfectly. He loves YOU so much he wants to spend eternity with YOU. Who YOU are in Jesus is the only thing that matters; God loves YOU, He forgives YOU and has a wonderful plan for YOUR life, a plan to give YOU hope and a future. God loves YOU!”

Finding Inspiration

Saturday, July 30th, 2011

If you’re anything like me…..you love encouragement! Kind words push me forward. Just think about a time when you felt inspired to do great things. Didn’t it feel awesome? Being encouraged to do big things is how I’m feeling today.

I’m psyched!

I don’t want to lose my enthusiasm. If I sit on what I’ve discovered too long though…..I’ll leave it for good. That’s just how I am. Lame, huh?

I’ve had this one dream for so long, that I’d reached a point of believing maybe I had it all wrong. Now, I’m feeling pulled to give that old dream a shot. What will it hurt?

If I don’t TRY…..I’ll never know.