by Elizabeth Trichel | Jun 10, 2021 | Life Advice, Testimonies
You know those people you can’t live without? The ones who push you toward Jesus daily. Who pick you up when you fall down. Maybe you’re still searching for those people. If that’s the case, then trust me when I say I was right there with you for years.
I struggled in the friend department. No, I didn’t do the sorority thing. I was never the kid with a bunch of neighborhood friends and I never took dance lessons where everyone seemed to meet their best friends. I grew up with two brothers, okay. There weren’t exactly any “sisterly bonds” in my household. No mani-pedi dates or late night talks. More like swinging open my bedroom door on a Saturday morning with the speaker blaring to wake me up and annoy me. While I love my brothers, I always had slight envy toward my friends with sisters. I mean, a built-in best friend? Heck yeah, I would have taken that when I seemed to have no close friends or was so wrapped up in drama with the friends I did have. But what I found is that I was looking for true friendship in all the wrong places.
I’ll put it the way scripture does..
“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33)
And quite frankly, my view of true friendship was a little off. I thought in order to have true friends I had to act “cool”, show up to parties, spill the latest gossip, just be the girl everyone likes. The friendships I had were surface level and stagnant, but the type of friendship I was yearning for dove far deeper than the surface. I prayed for Godly friends. Literally begged God for them. Which is quite ironic considering I wasn’t even living like the type of friend I wanted. I found myself crying while writing in my journal over and over these words: “I just want someone to really see me.” “If only someone could understand me.” Looking back, that sounds so dramatic. But I remember how real it felt in the moment. The loneliness. The hopelessness. Maybe you’re in that place today. Maybe you feel alone or completely hidden. Like you have no one to turn to and no one to listen. Well I have some good news for you, friend. You are not alone and you are not hidden. And you always have a friend. Scripture says so, and God’s Word doesn’t lie.
“The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.” (Psalm 34:15)
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7)
The character of Jesus is steadfast and His presence is not dependent on our obedience. Thank you, Lord. Because if that were the case, He would have left my world a long time ago. I once heard a pastor say he believes when we get to Heaven we’ll look back and be shocked to realize Jesus was there in the mundane moments just as He was in the life altering ones. It’s easy to acknowledge Him when we need Him most. When we’re desperate for Him. But what about the drive to work or the walk to class? When we’re pumping gas or in a coffee shop. Even in the little argument with your boyfriend. Each mundane moment connects to another and leads to the life altering ones. And Jesus is a part of it all.
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)
So, if God assures us that He’s in every moment, we just have to learn to prioritize His presence.
I used to take walks with Jesus. Just Him and me down my street. I’d take the time to tell Him about my day and He’d take the time to listen. Even if I tried, I couldn’t put into words how much the fruits from those walks meant to me. Joy, peace, love, gentleness. It was as if Jesus took every worry away for those moments in time and allowed me to fully experience what truly matters in life: Him. But somehow I let myself get out of that habit and sucked into the busyness of life and I’ll be the first to say it took a toll on my relationships. And while I’m still slowly getting back into the habit, man I see such a shift in my thoughts and perspective when I take them. There’s just something about understanding that God knows everything we plan on telling Him, but He’d walk with us all day just to hear it from His children. If you’ve never taken a walk with Jesus, I highly recommend it. You can thank me later 😉
Friends are great and mine are some of my greatest treasures, but we will never know a friend like Jesus. One who can flood us with peace and make sense of our mess, even when we often press our own self-destruct button.
Once I stopped searching for fulfillment at every dead end and wrong relationship, my world changed. My perspective changed. Everything changed.
My pastor always used to say, “If you want to see God work in your life, go do the last thing He told you to do.”
Before I completely surrendered to God, I remember hearing His voice so clearly that I would write it all down in my notes so I wouldn’t miss a thing. The Lord was so patient with me and I’ll never forget the peace that came over me when I finally said yes to Him. Along with that peace came fear and heartache. Thankfully, the other two came and went, but the peace never left.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that when I started truly living for Jesus and was obedient to do the last thing He asked me to do, it was only 2 weeks later that I met my best friend, Summer Otwell, who is like a sister to me. An answered prayer. And not too long after that, my two other best friends, Olivia Telano and Lydia Dozier, stepped into my life. It was during that time I learned the beauty of Godly friendships. The ones that are rooted far deeper than the surface. Here’s some scripture to sum up what I’ve found this kind of friendship to be:
“If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:10)
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12-13)
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14)
When we get our relationship right with the Lord, then we can experience our relationships here on Earth the way Jesus intended them to be. True friends tell you who you are instead of who you’re not. But at the same time, they’re not afraid to hold you accountable to be the person they know God created you to be. They’ll laugh with you on your good days and love you on your worst. They’re compassionate and forgiving. And they don’t let you forget what God says is true about you. Friends like these are hard to find and irreplaceable once you do. If you’re in the process of searching for Godly friendships, my advice to you is to be the friend you want to have and ask God to send them your way. Then be obedient to follow wherever He leads in your life.
Finally, when God gives you those people, don’t let them go. And thank Him for them every day. You are so loved and God has not forgotten about you, friend. I’ll bet He’s preparing those friendships for you even in this moment!
Elizabeth is a writer for Team LO and is crazy about Jesus! She attends Louisiana Tech University and in her free time she loves spending time with friends, drinking coffee, and leading worship at her church in West Monroe, Louisiana.
Follow Elizabeth on Instagram @elizabethamercer
by Christine Caine | Jun 8, 2021 | Life Advice, Testimonies
by Claire Culwell | Jun 3, 2021 | Life Advice, Testimonies
by Rachel Walle | Jun 1, 2021 | Featured, Life Advice, Testimonies
by Emma Brownawell | Apr 29, 2021 | Life Advice, Testimonies |
Thinking back to being an athlete, one may assume I would be filled with moments of joy and memories of winning and pure laughter shared with my teammates. Yes, I certainly did have these moments, however, my initial thoughts when associating myself with being an athlete, makes my spirit ache. It aches because it reminds me of the times when the enemy did everything to come after my confidence and lead me to believe my weight somehow determined my worth and purpose.
I remember this one specific morning, like it was yesterday, between high school and training for college. Our team showed up to practice at 5:30 a.m. to be weighed, while yes, this is a very normal concept for higher level sports, it unfortunately has become the determining factor of “worth and value” within the rowing atmosphere. For this sport, the lighter you are, the better because once you hit a weight over 130 pounds, you no longer were in a place to race and almost seen as purposeless. I remember this one Monday reallyyyyy clearly, I stepped on the scale and our coach looked at me saying, “you can’t race tomorrow because your weight is over.” I walked outside and now remember being fed a lie from the enemy, “I was unworthy of a place on this team because of my weight.” To be really honest, I believed that lie for years. It took until graduation from college for me to take a step back from the competitive atmosphere and surround myself with truth. The thought hit me, how often do we do this in culture?
You don’t even have to be a part of a competitive sport for the enemy to try to convince you of your lack of worth. Beauty and purpose aren’t determined by your outer appearance or a number. What about the likes on Instagram? Have you ever posted a photo on Instagram and received more likes than usual, allowing yourself to then classify yourself or photo as “worthy” or on the other hand, didn’t get as many likes? Isn’t it funny how when we get less likes than normal or don’t hit a certain number, the enemy has a funny and dark way of convincing us that we aren’t pretty enough, gifted enough or worthy enough of likes or worldly acceptance? To be very honest, for the longest time, whenever I heard or saw the word “beauty”, I instantly would think of an individual’s exterior appearance which pushed me to believe that my worth was somehow wrapped up in how I presented myself to the world. The more beautiful a thing or person was, the more they seemed to be “loved and accepted”. But if we look around, determines society’s definition of beauty? We turn to magazines, advertisements, TV shows, and social media posts. These platforms can feed us the image of flawless women with the “perfect wardrobe and dreamy lifestyle”. How often we believe that once we achieve that, we will THEN be seen as beautiful.
Why is that? Why are we so focused on outer beauty as a culture? We hardly ever take the time to look at our inner beauty, our talents, gifts and purpose. Psalm 139 tells us that the Lord “formed our inner beings and knitted us together in our mothers’ womb.” This is no secret! He loved us, called us His, called a good work within and wrote our life story before we were even born and fully developed into our physical bodies. This has nothing to do with our physical appearance.
In fact, that same chapter says that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Oftentimes, we like to apply this to physical beauty, but it turns out that when translated in the Hebrew context fearfully means “with heart-felt interest and reverence,” and wonderfully means “to be set apart”. So, what this verse really tells us is that God made each one of us with deep intention, to be set apart to complete a good work only YOU can complete. The point of our existence isn’t to be liked, either by the world or a little button on Instagram nor to look a certain way or live a certain way chasing numbers. Why do you think it’s called Insta-gram? It gives you an instant gram, each “like” can be thought of as a hit of the comparison drug, as I call it. The more we scroll and like, the more we get addicted and keep coming back for more, only lowing our self-esteem each time we double tap. And just as physical beauty isn’t the focus of Psalm 139 neither should Instagram be in our lives. You’re already beautiful, you don’t need a large number of likes from people you don’t know to confirm that. I definitely have fallen short and found myself captured by this imitation of beauty. This image and promise of being or feeling beautiful has also been whispered to girls and women all over the world. The promises of the beauty industry have led us to chase a false type of beauty that leaves us feeling degraded and less than enough.
Can we stand against that? To fully stand up to these false images and speak true beauty over our lives?
TRUE BEAUTY IS… knowing from where your worth comes. Knowing we are made, known, and loved by our Maker. It’s believing you were called to live a life of love and holiness. The result? We achieve beauty. True beauty will point us back to the original source – our Creator – and lead to the development of a beautiful heart and soul.
With this said, I want to be very sensitive toward the real struggles with self-esteem and body image, I have been there too, and you aren’t alone. However, despite the standards that society has set for us, God is still and always will be the greatest artist and sculptor. When He made our physical bodies, His work was detailed and intentionally crafted for a good thing within because when He was done, He called it very good. I am also not saying that we shouldn’t take care of our physical bodies because we have been given the gift to move and function with such purpose, but so often we get caught in the trap of comparison about our outward appearance or on a number vs someone else’s. We forget our true reason and purpose for existence – to partner with God to bring Heaven down to earth, to the hands and feet of Jesus, to share the good news.
I’ll ask you the same question God whispered to me last year? “If you try to be like them and they try to be like someone else and so on, guess how many gaps you are leaving in My plan and purpose for creation?”
So, if you walk away from this post with only one thing, I pray you believe that your purpose isn’t based on your appearance or number, but rather that you believe you are worthy of every wonder and blessing you have been provided because you were BORN ENOUGH, ARE ENOUGH AND ALWAYS WILL BE ENOUGH! xx
“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
Want more from Emma Brownawell? Follow her on Instagram @e_brownawell
AND be sure to catch her as an ambassador inside our app, LO sister!
by Gabby Rousse Gregory | Apr 27, 2021 | Life Advice, Testimonies
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)
How often do we find ourselves searching for joy in the wrong places? Throughout growing up, I have fallen short many of times by doing this exact thing – being dependent on what the world says joy is versus choosing God’s joy. Whether that be searching for joy in how well my life may be going currently, financial stability, social media presence, being in a relationship or married, hoping every single person likes/approves of me…I have been there, sister!
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)
We are consumed in a culture right now where the world dictates if you are HAPPY, that is all that matters in life! Whatever makes you get to that place of being content in who you are and what you want to do, do it. That is almost the “trend” that is being spoken on, and that mindset is so very misleading. John 16:33 states,
“I have told you these things, so that IN ME you may have peace. In this world, you WILL have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
We see here in John 16 that we will face times of tribulation, trouble, and suffering. But take heart, we have a Savior!
I feel as though people correlate the words happiness and joy together. Almost like we put them in the same category, but oh wow.., how polar opposite these actually are sister! Let’s break down the two words together: Happiness and Joy.
One definition of happiness is “Conditioned by and dependent upon what is ‘happening to me.’” This relates back to feelings of if people are treating you well, if things in life are going good, then I’m happy! This happiness is externally triggered, fleeting, and is based on emotions. This happiness flees in times of suffering.
Now, when we look towards the definition of joy and what defines it we have, “a quality of living that is not constrained by circumstances.” This joy is consistent/lasting. It is not dependent on Earthly circumstances. It meets our deepest needs. It is the peaceful assurance that God is in control of my life. This joy strengthens in times of suffering.
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)
People. I have looked to people and have placed expectations on other to make me feel happy, seen, heard and appreciated. Possessions. I have allowed possessions to bring me a sense of joy in my life such as buying new shoes/clothes, makeup, a house, car, makeup, etc. Finances. I have let earthly money stress me out at times! You know what these all have in common? They will never be enough. When we choose to receive God’s joy, we are choosing nourishment for our soul to grow closer to Him. God is so gracious. He is always working for your good, sister. His peace is a promise, and his joy is readily available.
So, sweet sister, let us pursue God’s joy over Earthly happiness! I want to leave you with this scripture from Romans 15:13,
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
You are loved!
Gabby Rousse Gregory is a lover of Jesus, people, her hubby, and coffee! Gabby’s prayer is to help others grow into the woman that God has uniquely created them to be through fashion & faith?
Follow Gabby on Instagram @gabbyrousse
Claire Culwell is an author, host of the “Called To Be Bold” podcast, and international speaker, represented by the Ambassador Speakers Bureau. She has been featured on Fox News, Focus on the Family, and in many other news outlets. She lives with her husband and their four children in Austin, Texas, where she serves on the communications and public policy committee for the Texas Alliance For Life.
“Nothing is never nothing. It’s always something.”
—Cecelia Ahern, The Book of Tomorrow
“Chris, drop anchor,” Nick shouted to me from the stern of our little boat in the Aegean Sea. We were vacationing for a few days in Santorini, Greece—my favorite place on earth. (Yes, the same place where I’ve daydreamed about opening a little café.) It was fun to be out on the water and to reminisce about our honeymoon more than two decades before in this same paradise. Just like back then, Nick had rented a boat so we could explore the island and its coves.
Both Nick and I love boating. I especially love the beauty of gliding across the water, watching the sunset, and feeling the salt air on my face. Nick likes more high-octane adventure, and he never minds getting so far out that we encounter shipping lanes where our boat feels like the size of a life raft next to massive cargo ships. (Of course, those kinds of trips just cause me to pray more.)
Today, he just wanted to fish, which meant I could relax. As we left the marina, we headed in search of our favorite small cay and its secluded little lagoon. It was the perfect place to drop anchor.
Whenever we go boating, Nick often fishes while I close my eyes and soak up the sun. Don’t get me wrong; I love to fish too . . . as long as I don’t have to touch the fish. The truth is, I like the thought of fishing more than actually fishing, so I suppose you can say sunbathing is my preferred sport.
As Nick set up his gear and cast his line, I went to the bow of the boat and dropped the anchor. Then I stretched out to rest and nap. It was the perfect kind of day. Just the two of us and lots of sun and sea.
I must have dozed off longer than I thought, because when I awoke, the mild breeze had turned into a biting wind. The heat of the sun on my skin had turned into a damp chill, and the boat was rocking way too much for our shallow cove. As I opened my eyes and sat up, I looked around to find us far from where I’d fallen asleep.
How did we get here?
Nick was stowing his gear. “Chris, did you drop the anchor like I told you?”
“Yes, of course,” I answered him. (I always do my best to be a great first mate!)
“But did you set it? The current has taken us really far out.”
“Did I what? What are you talking about? You asked me to drop the anchor, and I did. You didn’t say to do anything else,” I said in defense of my expert seamanship.
“Chris, if you don’t ensure the anchor is attached to the ocean floor, then we aren’t really anchored.”
Well, no one told me that part of the equation.
Holding on to the side of the boat, with the waves looming larger and larger, I estimated that we’d drifted more than a mile out to sea—right into the shipping lanes, and this time it wasn’t for adventure. Apparently, Nick had taken a break from fishing to nap as well—and neither of us had noticed that we were drifting into dangerous waters, far away from the security of our calm little cove. I looked beyond the nearby ominous ships and saw a storm brewing in the distance, working its way toward us. We’d have to outrun it for sure. None of this was what I had imagined for our day.
As I held on, Nick began to navigate our little boat back in the direction of land. Fighting the current and the waves, he tacked back and forth through the choppy seas and against the fierce wind. I grew nauseated as the boat ran straight up a wave only to fall on top of the next—one right after the other. My knuckles grew white as I gripped the rail tighter and tighter trying to stay put on the seat.
Nick stayed with it. He’s always been an expert captain, so I knew we’d make it back somehow, but the journey was nothing less than arduous. It took us so long to reach port that when we idled into the marina, the sun had set and the docks were almost deserted. As we secured the boat in a slip and climbed out, it seemed every muscle in my body that had tensed for hours was letting go all at once. Wobbling toward the car with just a few streetlights and the moon to guide us, I reflected on all we’d just been through—and what had caused it.
Nick had positioned us correctly, facing into the breeze, when he asked me to drop anchor—something he usually managed that I never paid much attention to. If I had just dropped it, held on to the rope, and then given it a good tug as we floated away from it, we would have been secured. The water was so clear, I probably could have seen it take hold if I’d been watching it, but I didn’t fully understand the connection between dropping the anchor and anchoring: a dropped anchor gives the appearance of stability, while a set anchor actually grants stability. Only the latter keeps you safe. The other lets you drift into danger, wherever the current is flowing. It will lead you somewhere, anywhere—most likely where you do not want to go. What I learned on the water that day was even more critical than I realized. More relevant than I had ever understood.
It is so easy to drift.
All you have to do is nothing.
Christine Caine is an activist, speaker, and author living in Southern California. Along with her husband, Nick, she is the founder of A21, a global anti-human trafficking organization, and Propel Women, an organization dedicated to celebrating every woman’s passion, purpose, and potential. She regularly speaks in conferences, churches, colleges, and international gatherings. She is the author of several books, including her latest book, “How Did I Get Here? Finding Your Way Back to God When Everything is Pulling You Away.” A frequent guest on television programs and podcasts, she also hosts her own television program as well as a podcast, both titled Equip & Empower with Christine Caine. When she’s not traveling, speaking, or writing, she can be found hiking mountain trails, running on the beach, or laughing with her daughters, Catherine and Sophia.