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I Am Redeemed

I Am Redeemed

This past September, my sister and I hopped on a plane to Boston to meet a guy she had been talking to for months leading up to this point. He had tickets to a Kenny Chesney concert and my parents sure weren’t letting my nineteen-year-old sister travel alone to meet some guy she met on Instagram (laughing emoji here), so off we went!

From the second we landed in Boston to the time we boarded our 5 AM flight headed back to Nashville, I had never seen anyone take care of anyone the way that he took care of us. US. I was included in that. LOL. Can I get a heyyy from all the third wheels out there?? “Heyyy!” Just kidding, it wasn’t a third wheel situation at all. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t know him and like it was nothing, he took care of me, too. His brother also happened to be in town that weekend, so we all hung out, had the best time at the concert, danced around, and played games, ‘cause what better way to end a night than a classic game of act it out?

I watched and listened those few days as we all got to know each other better. The way he talked about God, his family, his life… I couldn’t believe it. He was great. They both were, really.

I laid my head on that pillow in their apartment in little town, Massachusetts and felt shame cover me like the blanket I was laying under. God had healed my heart of the hurts I’d felt in the past. He’d made me new, I knew I was forgiven, and His love had made me whole, but I had never felt shame before. Not like this, anyways.

I’ve always been one to know who and whose I am and when it comes to obvious attacks of the enemy, well, the enemy can just go back to where he came from. Shame was new to me though. I’d never felt this before and because it was new to me, I didn’t even know what it was or how to fight it off. I found myself laying in that dark room (don’t we know that dark rooms need light and light brings truth, and truth, freedom) entertaining thoughts about myself that were simply not true. I found myself making agreements to things like, these are good guys, they would never like a ‘you’. Like a ‘me’ had something wrong with it.

I know it sounds silly and saying it out loud really makes it sound silly, but I’ve had sex before and in that moment, for the very first time, I felt ‘less than’ because of it. I felt unworthy of a good man and unworthy of love. Like the fact that I’m not a virgin anymore takes away my value. I found myself believing the lie that a good Godly man was for my sister, but not for me. And isn’t that such a trick of the enemy to tell you what God has for someone else, He doesn’t have for you. El Shaddai. God of MORE than enough.

S-E-X was a dirty word that was meant for marriage. Don’t have it. Why? No one told me and I certainly didn’t ask. All I knew about sex was not to have it. I think in the “don’t have sex till you’re married” talks, we miss the heart of the God. It’s an avoided subject because it’s uncomfortable. Parents don’t always have the answers and kids are afraid to ask. Afraid to ask who they should be asking, anyways. (Your friends in the locker room and at slumber parties are not the people you should be asking/talking about sex with, unless what they have to say lines up with what God has to say about it). The why matters. It’s the very reason to wait.

What I wish 17, 19, 22-year-old me knew, was that no good thing does He withhold. God doesn’t say to wait for marriage because He’s mean or thinks it’s a fun game of survival of the fittest. It’s not punishment, it’s protection. God designed sex, it’s a great thing inside of marriage, but outside of marriage, it’s detrimental to our souls. It creates a playground in our minds and hearts for the enemy to wreak havoc. It gives him a foothold. It steals from us. What was meant to bring life, literally and figuratively, outside of the confinement of marriage, brings death. Death to our hearts, death to our spirits, death to our hopes and death to our expectations.

So here I am, a girl who’s had sex when it “meant nothing” and also when I thought I was in love and it “didn’t feel wrong” and I’m telling you, ohhh my heart, don’t do it… don’t miss God’s heart for you in it. It eventually all comes back around. The hurt comes back around and this hurt is a hurt we were never intended to feel. We were never meant to walk in a room and our hearts drop down to our stomachs because of a soul-tie we were never supposed to have. God has better for us than that.

We have to trust the heart of the Father but in order to trust His heart, we must first know His heart. God’s heart is always always always for us. In every aspect of our lives, especially when it comes to relationships, His heart for us is best. He knows who we need, what we need, and when we need it.

When you entertain and make agreements with lies of the enemy, you hear things like you’re not good enough, not worthy enough, dirty, and used. But when you invite Jesus into the dark, when you invite in truth, when you turn the light on, you hear His loving thoughts towards you. You are covered by the blood of Jesus. You are fully known and deeply loved by Love himself. Not only did Jesus die for our sins, but he died for our shame, too. And because Jesus took my shame, when I feel it being thrown on top of me, my fight back, my declaration is this — That is not who I am.

Because who we are is not defined by what we’ve done, but what Jesus did. It is finished. I am free, I am righteous, and because of Jesus, I am right with God.

For months after that trip, my sister and I would receive group texts from this friend of ours with nothing but words of truth and encouragement. How when he sees us or thinks of us, pure hearts and souls come to mind. That nothing we do or say makes him think this way, but the way Jesus radiates from us.

For a good while, I thought he was just throwing my name in the message line because I was the sister, but time after time, I heard Holy Spirit whisper to my heart, this is how I see you. What this person doesn’t know, and may not ever know, is the weight that his words carried, how they touched my heart, how they led me to His. Those texts sent calling out the good, calling out the gold inside of me, whether I believed it at the time or not, brought healing to my heart and restored my soul. I believe God used this experience, those texts, this friendship, to show me and remind me how HE sees me. He doesn’t see me the way that I see me. He doesn’t love me the way that I see fit or worthy of love. He sees me as His own. He loves me as His own. He gave His own for me, and even still, He would do it all over again.

When I thought, “You’re just saying this because you don’t know who I really am, you don’t know what I’ve done,” I heard God assure my heart. This is how I’ve always seen you, this is who you are.

A year and a half later, sitting on my bedroom floor with tears streaming down my face, Jesus healed my heart again. God showed me this picture of Jesus holding a cup of my tears. All the tears shed over all the hurt that came along with not trusting and doing what I thought I wanted. Taking the cup, Jesus poured them over my heart. And for the very first time, the salt didn’t sting.

Let him touch you. Even in–especially in– the places that hurt. The places that feel dark and covered in shame. The ones that leave you paralyzed feeling everything but the truth.

Jesus’s blood, it covers us. Pure. Holy. Righteous. Loved. Worthy. Treasured. Forgiven. Redeemed.

He sees you. He’s always seen you. He loves you, always has and always will. No more and no less. Let the light in, friends.

He is your redemptive story.

I had to learn it the hard way. I didn’t know the “why” and now I do…  My prayer in sharing this, even if it’s just for one of you, is that you don’t have to learn it the hard way. And if you’re like me and you’ve crossed a line you wish you hadn’t, that you leave this page feeling so loved, so forgiven, so worthy, so redeemed.

I hope my story leads you to the Father’s heart for you. That He meets you where you’re at and speaks right to yours. Father I thank you. I thank you for your goodness. I thank you that you use it ALL and turn it into good. I thank you that even when we mess up and turn from your ways and do things our own, that you don’t change. You don’t withhold, you stay the same, your love remains.

Thank you for picking up all of the pieces of this broken heart and redeeming them. For bringing them–bringing me–to yourself. Thank you for the freedom that following You brings.

In all of this, in Him, what I’ve lost is restored.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

Sarah Tucker is the owner of Imago Dei in Franklin, TN, where the heart behind the shop is to point people back to Jesus and serve as a reminder to everyone who visits that they are made in the image of God. She loves drinking coffee, long country drives, and spending time with her friends and family!

Follow Sarah on Instagram @sarahatucker

You’re In the Right Lane

You’re In the Right Lane

Growing up, I really wanted to be athletic. I wanted to have a “thing.” You know? Something I was great at, but it seemed like everything I tried to make my “thing” was NOT my “thing” at all. I tried softball, cheerleading, basketball, break dancing (let it slide), cross country, tennis, discus, and track. Now, I wasn’t great at any of these. In fact, I was terrible at most of them. Except one, actually. Even though I was bad (and I mean really bad), in the moment, I genuinely thought that I was great. I had this strange confidence thing going that, if I saw someone do something awesome, allowed me to think to myself, I can do that too, maybe even better. What I finally figured out was that wasn’t confidence talking, that was delusion.

Confidence is defined as: the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; a firm trust. Delusion is defined as: a belief or altered reality that is persistently held despite evidence or agreement to the contrary. I’m telling you guys, I persistently believed I could do exactly what I saw other people do and despite All evidence to the contrary, I thought I could do it and not get hurt.  I remember one track meet in particular.

I had decided that I was going to win. Now, here’s the picture. I ran a slow mile, even at my best, and I managed to spend most of track practice throwing the discus so I didn’t have to run. I was really only on the team so I could say I was on the team. But this one track meet, ohhh…I was going to win, so I had a new plan. I was going to run smarter, not harder. My strategy was to cut to the first lane really fast. If I could get out in the first lane before anyone else, surely I would win the race. On the day of the race, I lined up with a lot of confidence in my new plan. The gun sounded and off we went. I headed for the first lane as planned, but I was not as fast as my mind thought I was going to be. I was in everyone’s (those who could actually run faster) way. They trampled me. Down I went. With bleeding knees, I ended that mile race in LAST PLACE. It’s safe to say I had NO business trying to run in that lane.

My desire to be good at something, to put my confidence in something, to have a “thing” is a desire that many struggle with. There are people of all ages who work daily to find their “thing”. Some stay distraught and worried about it for years.  Sadly, many are desperate for it, but a “something” will never quite do what we think it will do. No job, no boyfriend, no goal weight, no “thing,” NOTHING, will satisfy. Because true confidence can never be found in a something; it can only be found in someone.

The One, The Rock, The Redeemer, The Provider, The Promise Keeper, The Faithful One, The Good Shepherd, The Trustworthy King, The True Light—God. Your identity can only be found in being the person God says you are. Confidence is found in God’s plan for you; anything else it a delusion.  Confidence isn’t based on what you bring to the table, it’s based on what you never could bring to the table. When we realize who our confidence is found in, we stop searching for the right things in the wrong places. We stop competing. We stop strategizing. We stop trying to cut in front of others. We stop running in lanes where our feet were never meant to go.

But we live in a world that doesn’t know this.

We live in a world that thinks we’re all in competition.

Yes, we live in a world that lacks true confidence so it thrives on comparison and competition. But, here’s the deal, when God’s children compete with each other, nobody wins. God doesn’t just have the best at His fingertips, He is the best. When people don’t know the one who is the best, they constantly search for the “next” best thing. They run from lane to lane, tripping on others and confused. They often hurt themselves and others in their effort to run in a place or space that wasn’t designed for them. That’s when we hurt the heart of God. God’s heart is for you to love who you are, not strive to be someone else.

Let me reinforce this point…there is no competition in Jesus Christ. You are designed to run your own race; you don’t need to cut lanes; you are in the right lane; you are in the perfect lane for you. God has placed you exactly where you need to be. “Her” lane is not “your” lane; “her” thing is not “your” thing. God knows what you need, and He knows what you want. He sets the perfect pace. Just follow Him. He’s never too early; He never shows up late. God’s timing is the right timing.

It’s not wrong to strive to be good at track or softball or singing or whatever, but be sure it’s what God designed you to do. Don’t try to run in someone else’s lane and don’t compare yourself to someone else’s life. Don’t look at that job, that relationship, that car, that social status, that friendship, that family and say, “why not me?”  Lay it down and ask God for true confidence that comes from knowing God and who you are in Him. He hears your voice, He leans down to listen. He loves you so very much. Watch Jesus. Watch your race. Stay in your lane. Just do what God tells you to do.

God has so got you. Even though the world confuses delusion with confidence, you don’t have to. God is your confidence. God is your “thing.” He gives you identity.

You are His. And that, my friends, is everything.

Gracie Tucker is the owner of The Milkshake Bar opening June, 2019, and also works alongside her sister at Imago Dei in Franklin, TN! She loves spending time outdoors, traveling, hanging out with her friends and family, and is also known to make a mean milkshake.

Follow Gracie on Instagram @hannahgracetucker

Beauty Resurrected

Beauty Resurrected

I woke up to the sound of snickering and laughter coming from the other side of the bedroom door. My head was spinning, body trembling, and heart pounding. I closed my eyes again and tried to convince myself it was just a really bad dream. This kind of thing doesn’t happen to girls like me…

And what kind of girl would that be? Let me give you some context. A girl who just gets dressed up for a night of fun… who doesn’t think twice about trying to look beautiful to go to a party…girls who value who they are on the inside and out…

But, sadly, it did happen. And it happens more often than you might imagine–to beautiful girls who, like me, who are trying to be the best they can be.

Beautiful girls. How does the word beauty play into my story? Let’s take a step back. What is the definition of beauty? Personally, when I think of beauty, I imagine snapshots of creation. Sunrises that paint the morning into existence, sunsets of neon colors, northern lights twinkling in a sky full of constellations, white sands that stretch on for miles, bright blue Caribbean waters, mountains that unabashedly reach for the heavens, the list is limitless. But in pragmatic terms, beauty is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit.” It goes on to include these words “especially: a beautiful woman.”

That last part, did you catch it?  Why do you suppose the dictionary includes a woman under the definition of beautiful?  There’s no doubt the snapshots of creation exalt my spirit, but Eve was undoubtedly the crowning jewel of all creation.  Ladies, we are God’s pièce de résistance (masterpiece). What a gift we’ve been given!

From Cleopatra to Joan of Arc, men have crossed the seas and fought many a war for a beautiful woman. There is undoubtedly a mighty power in the beauty a woman holds that can cause a man to cross seas and fight wars. But, there is a flip side to this. Usher in a fallen world, and with that fall came a thirst for power over and possession of beautiful things. An incredible gift so easily twisted, distorted, idolized, and stripped apart from God’s holy intentions. What God intended for good, man can use for evil.

The depth and danger of such ungodliness came crashing into my own little world my sophomore year of college. I was best described as a conservatively-bred, partially-sheltered, naïve-in-the-collegiate-athletic culture, far-from-her-roots, nineteen-year-old.  Being young and naïve surely helped fuel the elation I felt upon being invited to a joint birthday party for a teammate and her guy-friend at a high-rise penthouse in my new home and among my new friends in Miami. I couldn’t wait to get all dolled up to join in on the fun. As I stepped out for an expectant evening, I felt what Eve and millions of women for centuries have felt–beautiful.

But beauty turned to ashes that night in the blink of a mascara-smeared eye.  I awoke to the realization that I had been gang raped by four party goers; one of them was the birthday boy himself. I was crushed. I grieved what was stolen from me. I wanted nothing more than to hide from the world. I convinced myself this “gift” of being a woman was actually a curse and I was so angry with God. I strayed away from my Heavenly Father and from my true self. I built a wall in my heart so high and I pushed away anyone and everyone that came too close. I went numb.

“What makes you vulnerable, makes you beautiful.” – Brené Brown

Ladies, sometimes it feels safer to simply hide who you are–a beautiful woman made by God–because with womanly beauty also comes vulnerability. And vulnerability means “being open to attack or damage; being capable of physical or emotional damage.” I did NOT like that feeling.

But, then something else happened. I was sporadically attending a church down near my college and on one of the Sundays I attended, the sermon was centered on 1 Corinthians 12:9-10.

“But He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Lightbulb. And gut-check.

I was trying so hard to rely on my own strength and to come up with my own answers as to why this happened to be. I tried to be tough. And, with that, I had all but lost who God made me to be. Sure, on the exterior I still looked the part, and in front of close friends and family I acted the part as well, but my light inside had been snuffed out. That day, at church, I tapped out. It was time to stop relying on my own strength and trust in the one who made me. The one who calls me beautiful and the one who knows what power I have in His name and in His image.

Matthew 11: 28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

My soul needed rest. Once I laid my hurt and anger at His feet, I felt like my own feet began to float. I died to myself that day; and like a phoenix I rose from those ashes. That, my friends, is a beautiful thing. I felt the spark in my soul begin to rekindle. I felt capable of moving forward and being the beautiful, but humble; strong, but empathetic; fiery, but sweet woman the God of the Universe intended for me to be. And no man can ever take that away. I realized that evil exists, but God is greater. Flip! Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many peopleshould be kept alive, as they are today.”

Yes, history has shown us that there is power in physical beauty. It has also shown us that many have used that power in the wrong way. With great power comes great responsibility. The Bible makes it clear that true beauty is more than physical beauty. Your beauty is not solely defined by your outward appearance. When I chose to become emotionally numb, distant, and turn the lights off, I lost the true power that comes with beauty. My ability to nurture, love, comfort, empathize, guide and encourage those around me disappeared. Here’s a hard truth: it is possible to look beautiful on the outside while being the opposite on the inside. I am here to urge you to resist the cocoon! Don’t hide away and deprive those that need you to be your best self of your gifts and talents.

Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

Embrace that you are a beautiful woman, inside and out, created by a loving father. Know what power you hold and use it for good. When you rest in the comfort of the Lord Almighty, when you run to your Heavenly Father and choose to be all that He intended for you, you are a force to be reckoned with and no enemy shall prevail against you. You will change more lives than you could have ever imagined. When we long for a life without difficulties remember this, Oak trees are made strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made beautiful under pressure.

My story has a redemptive ending that only the God of the Universe could have scripted. Shortly after I was convicted that bunkering down wasn’t what God desired for me, I met the man who would become my husband, Zach. God knew exactly what kind of man I needed. Zach came into my life with a sledge hammer in one hand and tender touch in the other. He tore down the wall I had built around me. This August will be our fourth anniversary and we have two beautiful little girls.

As Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” My story is woven into the grand narrative of our savior and because I surrendered the hurt and heartache to Him, I am free and fully able to guide others to the grace and peace that can be found nowhere else. Let your light shine, be beautiful inside and out, know the power you have and use it constructively to lift others up. Remember, you are God’s masterpiece! And God doesn’t make mistakes.

One of my absolute favorite quotes sums it up so well:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

-Marianne Williamson

Andi lives in the Panhandle of Florida with her husband and two girls Maison and Blake-leigh. Being the wife of an active duty Pararescueman (AKA Guardian Angel) comes with its unique set of challenges, but one thing for certain is that life is never boring. She currently works as a Personal Trainer and has made it her mission to remind women whose they are and why they were created to thrive, not merely survive. She uses her testimony to positively impact others and coach them to reach their God-given potential both physically and spiritually.

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You Are So Bright

You Are So Bright

It has been said that humans are made of the same stuff as the stars. I remember being 16 and staring into that nightly infinite expanse, willing them to come closer, to teach me something about the meaning of life, about who we are and why we’re here. As it was, sixteen-year-old me was preoccupied with trying on selves, jokes, clothes, thoughts, emotions, places, experiences, always looking for a steady and sure version of herself to show up in one of the many episodic reinventions. She was sure that through some process of elimination she would maybe know who she wasn’t, in order to get closer to who she—maybe—was.

 

16 returned often to her sarcasm, her guard up to protect how open and innocent she really felt. The gloomy sarcasm felt like a protective circle around her optimism and excitement. Perhaps she kept it shielded because of how porous, how affected she truly was. Both moved and unshaken, vaporous and frozen. Melancholy, head in the clouds, face to the sun, the romance of being rained-on embraced, try it all on, there she was. Judgements, questions, methods, markers. Tastes, trends, groups, beliefs. She needed to find out for herself, with only as much experimentation as her religion would allow. Uncomfortable in her own body, wondering when the day would come that she would finally feel present in it. Hoping that she could enjoy being alive inside of herself before death delivered her spirit to the wild.

 

I wish to gather her up in my arms now with unflinching eye contact in a calming welcome home vibe, absent of shame. I want to offer her absolution, to see her absorb and marvel at her state of being. She is a creature of light, she just doesn’t know it yet. A beauty all her own, like the sun beaming through broken windows of an abandoned industrial building. She will one day find out that she is, in fact, made of warmth and goodness. She will eventually recognize her intrinsic luminescence, but for now, the uncertain searching look in her eye as we make eye contact is enough. She has things to teach me, just as much as I have the compassion to give her.

 

She wonders if a life without regret is possible, an odd thing for a 16-year-old to think about, and I wonder if I can bottle the bright innocence she exudes and burn it like incense. She wonders if she looks okay, tugs at her shirt a bit, and I do the same. We are one and the same, staring at mirror images of ourselves. The difference between her body and mine is that mine has more stories to tell. More weight to it. I can feel these journeys stored up; the emotions that are still in play. She has her shoulders back, looking life square in the face. I have to remind myself to straighten up and lift my head. The truth of the matter is that we both wonder if we’re enough. Enough of what, I don’t know. I look at her—body, soul, spirit—and wonder how her mind could have ever thought such a thing. She is perfect. New. Alive. An awkward lively human with a pixie haircut.

 

We stare into space for a bit. Two soul sisters, myself and I, kindred spirits, strengthening each other with solidarity. Our resolve feels ageless and timeless. I can almost feel a grandmother version of ourselves is hovering over both of us. We will find our essence. We will. She will. I will.

 

We all wonder what it feels like to be original. Perhaps part of it looks like seeing into the past and sitting with the many ages of my own self in order to love each one and celebrate each of them as they grow. Today it’s 16 and I. Maybe my practice is to embrace the many test phases of Amanda Lindsey Cook and really listen to what all of those experiences have to say to me, to heal me.

 

Part of me is sad it took me over 30 years to begin to fall in love with the very person who needed to try those personas on, but that’s just the regret talking—whatever regret is. Part of me is sad that I was thinking about such things and wondering if I was enough at the perfect age of 16. Part of me is wondering if it’s just all par for the course and that, in the end, what we face begins to heal us and what we fear actually begins to free us. What if all of it matters and what if being an original has less to do with trying to “be” and more with letting ourselves become? Perhaps all of the attempts and tries are part of the reinvention that is necessary to embrace our truest self– all ages, all personas, all quests of the soul and body included. So here we all are—all of the “me’s” and all of the “you’s” perfectly original right where we are – whether we see our stars yet or not.

 

I propose this. That we become more gentle with our many years of discovery and personality development, especially while attempting to meet the demands of our immediate surroundings. That we spend more time looking at the stars and less at Instagram presentations. That we fall deeply and blissfully more in love with being alive, with whatever age we are and all the ages that led us to this one. That we dance more, through our kitchens, on the street on the way to work, and especially whenever we feel thoughts and questions making cases and calculating worthiness and regrets in our rational minds. Shake off those dusty thoughts and shine.

 

You are ever so so so so bright.

 

Amanda Cook is a songwriter and worship leader at Bethel Church and with Bethel Music. Originally from Winnipeg, Canada, Amanda has a dynamic history as a worship leader and songwriter that began at a young age. She has been a part of the Bethel Music family since 2010 and currently ministers throughout the United States and internationally. Amanda’s worship wraps words and pictures around what it is like to live honestly and passionately connected to God, discovering greater fullness and wonder in every season with Him.

Fear of Letting People Down

Fear of Letting People Down

We’ve had the most incredible responses from last week’s episode of the “WHOA That’s Good” podcast with Elisabeth Hasselbeck! The wisdom shared in this conversation is one that deserves pen to paper!

 

We are bringing ALL the gold for you on the blog today.

 

For those of you who don’t know Elisabeth, she is a former cohost on The View, a contestant on the TV show Survivor, and author of her brand, new book, Point of View.

 

Sadie referred to her as “Tinkerbell in human form.” She simply carries so much joy.

 

Elisabeth is asked the question Sadie asks all of her guests, “What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?”

 

Elisabeth shared about the relationship she had with her dad. At a young age, she was self-diagnosed with FOLPD, aka “Fear of Letting People Down.” Her father knew this about Elisabeth and often encouraged her with this truth: “I see you. I know you. Go show them.”

 

This gave her a baseline understanding of how God saw her. It also served as a reminder that she is to show God’s love reflecting off of her.

 

God tells us, “I see you. I know you. Go show them.”

 

WHOA That’s Good!

 

Another strong woman, Maria Goff, was mentioned in the episode. One of Elisabeth’s favorite pieces of advice came from her: “Sometimes when you’re looking for an answer to a prayer you’ve prayed, God sends a friend.”

 

There’s a beautiful connection.

 

Elisabeth looked back and saw God’s provision and protection over her through the people He has sent into her life. What a sweet picture of God’s love through community!

 

Elisabeth encouraged Sadie to be a mentor in her own life. She profoundly said, “Don’t always look up. You can look over and to the generations around you.”

 

WHOA That’s Good!

 

In her new book, Point of View, Elisabeth shares about her experience on the TV show, Survivor.

 

Elisabeth described it as being life changing, but goes on to say it was heart changing as well.

 

She knew she needed the word of God in her life, but something surprising on the TV show let her know how much she needed it. Roger Bingham, one of her fellow Survivor players, ended up being a good friend who taught Elisabeth how to fish and build a fire. But, the most important thing he taught her was it would be her faith that would see her though the tough days of Survivor.

 

While Elisabeth brought a headdress as her survival item, Roger brought his bible. She says, “His survival item, in a time where we had no shelter, gave him a shelter.”

 

In her book, Elisabeth says, “Our alliance with one another was built on our alliance on God.” Elisabeth knows God sent Rodger to show her the importance of getting into God’s word and using it to shelter her and protect her.

 

WHOA That’s Good!

 

The show was one of the first times that Elisabeth really depended on the words of God to get her through the day. This began a hunger for the Word in a new way.

 

This continued to carry her through her seasons on The View. It was a completely different scenario, but the survival guide was the same.

 

The Word is the best kind of survival guide. It always delivers the best point of view. Reading God’s word in the morning is a crucial survival step.

 

“Read the good news before the hard news,” said Elisabeth.

 

During another season on Fox and Friends, Elisabeth would wake up at 2:30 in the morning so she could read her bible before her day would begin. She knew she needed to be grounded in God’s truth before the news of the day flooded her mind.

 

In a world that is flooding us with really tough news, we need to be grounded in what God says about us and what He says about this world. Elisabeth did an amazing job pointing us to this truth.

 

WHOA That’s Good!

 

Sadie and Elisabeth talked about a “joyful busy” and how to keep an attitude of optimism in the Lord’s work knowing that His promises are true.

 

Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

 

Paul also says in Galatians 6:9, “Don’t grow weary in doing good.”

 

We can keep a joyfully busy spirit when we understand that “obedience sometimes looks like waiting.” God can always see what we cannot see and what we think is “waiting,” God is calling character building. When we trust that God follows through, we can persevere in the waiting.

 

Elisabeth went on to talk about relationships. She explained what it looked like to love her co-host, Whoopie Goldberg, while hosting The View. Elisabeth explains that, “We don’t think the same, but we love the same.”

 

What a challenging thought.

 

“How did you live that out and look past the differences?” Sadie asked.

 

Elisabeth said the answer is “looking at others through the lens of love.” When it comes to relationships, she says it this way in her book, “…we decided that being right with each other would require being a little more wrong. Wrong enough to give someone the right of way.”

 

God delights in the way we love, not in the way we are right. Trying to always be right is exhausting and never a good way to develop meaningful relationships.

 

We don’t want to be so “right” in our relationships, that we are “wrong” (in our behavior) with the people we love.

 

WHOA, That’s Good!

 

What we stand for as believers is important, but not more important than the God we stand under together. This is God’s “ask” of us. This is what we’re fighting for. To simply surrender to God’s will.

 

Truth is, we are never going to always get this right. Elisabeth relates surrender and forgiveness in this process of love in relationships.

 

For a long time, “Forgiveness math” for Elisabeth looked like this:

 

Forgiveness from me= you saying you’re sorry.

 

The problem with the “equation” is that this is a long way from the example we have in God. God did not, does not, wait for us to say “I’m sorry” before he forgave/forgives our sins. Instead, He poured/pours out grace on us while we were still in our sin.

 

He forgave first.

He loved first.

 

Therefore, to live like Christ, our forgiveness cannot wait on an apology. We have to offer forgiveness immediately and leave the rest up to Him.

 

God delights in unity, and His math is SO much better.

 

WHOA That’s Good!

 

One more thought from Elisabeth or you today: “Paint the Pineapple.”

 

Elisabeth tells the story of painting a pineapple. One day she was in her garage with her children when she challenged herself to do something she hadn’t done in a long time and that was painting and her subject would be a pineapple. Eight hours later, a very large pink pineapple was done. It served to remind her to not get stuck in one version of herself. There was more to her and for her to do.

 

We so often deny the version of ourselves that we were created to be. You might be confused about who you are, wondering which version of you is really you. Be like Elisabeth and challenge yourself. Branch out and try something new. Or perhaps go back and do something you did years ago, but you haven’t done it in a while.

 

Start again. Walk back in to who God made you to be. What is your pineapple moment?

 

And don’t worry if no one loves your pineapple. Do it for you! If it’s you doing what you love to do, God will delight in that.

 

God always delights in YOU.

 

I hope you hear that today, friends.

 

We have been so blessed by this podcast, and we hope you are too!

 

If you want to listen to Sadie and Elisabeth’s conversation from the podcast, click here to listen!

Faith In Action

Faith In Action

“I just wish life could just be easier….and more comfortable.”

This was the first thought that came to my mind when I found myself stirring early one morning. You know how sometimes there are those thoughts that greet you just as you are waking? They are the subconscious thoughts that immediately hit you before you have time to self edit, or push them away with your phone or the busyness of life.

This just wasn’t any morning. This morning came on the heels of the night before where things didn’t go according to the plan–or really to OUR plan.

Rewind a bit. My husband and I had felt called to really step out in risk and to trust God in a way that was really bold for us–far beyond ourselves and our own capabilities. Months were spent planning with a team of people crafting how this vision would take flight. It was risky and was putting us into new realms of faith and trust like never before. After months of investing so much of ourselves into this idea, we were ready to take the big leap ONLY to find that there were challenges.

(But of course!! What call of God isn’t met with opposition and challenges?)

This much I know! I know we have an enemy with a host of minions that have only one job to do—and that is to undermine the beauty and glory of Jesus’ life unfolding on this earth through the lives of those who love Him. They don’t have laundry to fold or errands to run. One mission—death and destruction.

John 10:10 

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Even with me knowing this scripture in my head, the waves of uncertainty, fear, and doubt started to wash over my heart.

Did we miss it? Did we not hear correctly? Was this a mistake?

 There was only one solution. Food. What misery can’t be solved with a good cup of coffee and burying my face in a plate of hash browns?

Chris and I went to grab breakfast and as we were re-hashing the events, our conversation took a neat twist: The book of Hebrews.

I asked Chris to remind me why the book of Hebrews is called the faith chapter. He recounted how Hebrews Chapter 11 is called the Faith Hall of Fame. This specific chapter has a run down of rock stars from the Old Testament—remarkable men and women whose stories exhibit outstanding accounts of faith.

By faith, Enoch…..

By faith, Noah…..

By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

He obeyed and went even though he did not know where he was going.

Tears filled my eyes and my heart swelled. THIS WAS the woman I wanted to be.

I want to be a woman filled with faith, who steps out boldly, and STILL TRUSTS even in the face of uncertainty and opposition. This was my truest self, rising to the occasion over the pack of lies I had given myself over to the night before.

Oh, those all-consuming lies! They just feel so TRUE in the moment when things aren’t going according to the “plan”. It’s so incredibly easy to give way to those accusations and lies based on how our circumstances feel in the moment. Have you ever heard these before?

You can’t trust God.

God won’t come through for you.

You are alone.

You aren’t enough.

The list goes on and on.

These lies take us all to one place: unbelief. And unbelief suffocates a faith-filled life. It just cuts you off at the knees making you incapable of taking another step. And, that’s by design. That’s exactly how the enemy robs God of His glory on display in and through our lives! He certainly can’t go after God because he already lost that battle, so he goes after what is most precious to Him:

His beloved. You and me. His image bearers.

And He’s looking for you to do one thing: AGREE with his lies.

“Ah, that’s right. I’m not safe. I’m not enough. God can’t be trusted. I’m not worthy of God coming through for me.”  And, on and on the lies go.

Get this–the lies from the enemy, in and of themselves, are ineffective, but once we buy into the lie and make an agreement with them—GAME ON.

Once we make an agreement, the lie takes hold and that sends us down our old familiar trails of fear, resignation, anxiety, depression, isolation, and self-hatred. The ball is in his court now. We miss out on living true to who God made us to be. And even more costly, we miss out on simply enjoying Jesus—loving him and living with eyes of wonder and a heart full of trust.

So back to the Hebrews convo we had over hash browns. Jesus saved me from myself by reminding me of who I wanted to be. He also kindly showed me there was a litany of agreements I had made giving those lies the power the enemy wants them to have. Those lies needed to be renounced in order for me to find freedom. After doing so, I was able to see clearly again. I was able to journal His words of assurance–how He saw me, and what His interpretation was on our reality. It was so freeing!

It is in renouncing the lies and breaking the agreements that the enemy loses his hold. We are then freed to receive the healing word or truth Jesus wants to bring: His perspective and His truth on our reality!

James 4:7 

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

So that’s my story, what about your story? What is the risk that God is calling you to these days? How is He asking you to step out and follow Him?

His whispers could be beckoning you to step and follow your God-given dreams and  desires with your calling.

He could be asking you to trust Him with a specific relationship where He is prompting you to own your voice and share some honest words with a good friend, husband, or boyfriend.

He could be asking you to step out in faith and define boundaries in your physical relationship with your boyfriend.

Perhaps, after failure or disappointment, to dream and believe again feels too painful, and yet Jesus is calling you to give Him another chance.

If none of those feel true to your story, then what faith-filled risk is He inviting you to?

This could be an opportunity to pray now and invite Him to speak to your heart about what He DOES have for you. And, in addition, ask Him to expose any agreements standing in the way of you stepping out with Him.

You could pray something along these lines :

Jesus, will you give me a new vision to see my life through your eyes? Will you speak to me and bring your perspective on my reality? I trust you Holy Spirit to guide me in this time of prayer.

1) Risk: Father, what is a risk that you want me to take?

(Pause, and let Him speak to you, and impress upon your heart what He has for you).

2) Agreements: With this step of faith you are calling me to, are there any lies I am believing? Can you show me any agreements I have made?

(Agreements about ourselves tend to be an “I statement” as they attack our identity. I am not enough. I am not loved.)

And, what have I been believing about your heart, Father, that is keeping me from stepping out and taking risks?

(I can’t trust God. God’s heart isn’t good. I’m not worthy of God’s love. Etc.)

To find freedom, renounce the lies in Jesus name. With Jesus’ authority we have His power to command the lies away.

Pray quietly out loud over the lies He revealed.

“In the name of Jesus I reject the lie _____, and I send it to Jesus for judgement.”

 3) Truth: Now for the fun part. Ask Him to bring His healing word or truth to your heart. His healing words always bring affirmation and illumination for our path. He might want to impress upon your heart a scripture verse, a vision, a word, a memory. Whatever He does bring, ask Him for the significance. He knows more than anyone what you most need to hear. He is the Good Shepherd and we are His sheep who listen and respond to the Shepherds voice (John 10:3-4).

Jesus, will you speak to me of your love for me by giving me a word or an impression? Would you speak to me about the journey ahead?

(I often find journaling really helps me capture what He impresses on my heart.)

After you have taken His truth to heart, put pen to paper and write your very own name into an “In faith sentence….”  as if it were to appear the Faith Hall of Fame. May this be a reminder that you too have the opportunity to carry on the legacy of faith in action!

Lauren Tomlin loves to share with women the freedom she has found in her own life through prayer. She enjoys meeting with women and praying for their restoration and inner healing. She and her husband, Chris live in Franklin,Tennesee with their two little girls who are often seen in the creek wearing full fledged princess attire. For more information on agreements, or any fantastic resources on prayer visit www.ransomedheart.com.

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