by Sadie Robertson Huff | Apr 13, 2018 | Life Advice, Testimonies |
When a scary thought first works its way into your brain, you have a choice. You can camp out on that thought in your mind, like my Two-Mama says not to do. Or you can deal with it right away to keep it from becoming bigger and scarier than it already is.
I’ll guarantee you, if you camp out on a fearful thought long enough, the next thing you know you’ll have another fearful thought, then another, then another. And before you know it, you’ll have a first-class ticket on the crazy train. I’m going to tell you what the crazy train is later in this chapter, but to help set it up, I first want to mention something that makes the crazy train possible. It’s an old acronym for fear: False Evidence Appearing Real. You can read about it in the next section.
HERE’S A QUESTION:
How do you respond physically to fear? Wouldn’t it be nice if that didn’t happen anymore?
HERE’S A CHALLENGE:
Probably the very best Bible verse there is about the mind is Philippians 4:8: “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (nlt). My challenge to you right now is to memorize this verse. Then whenever you have a fearful thought, remember these words and ask yourself, “Does this thought fall into one of these categories?” If the answer is no, stop thinking it and think about something that does.
HERE’S SOME ENCOURAGEMENT:
You don’t have to be afraid. You can stop fear where it starts—in your mind. HERE’S HOW YOU CAN PRAY: God, help me to take captive every thought in my mind that is not of You and silence the whispers of the enemy in my ears. I choose to fill my mind with thoughts that are pleasing to You.
This is an excerpt from Sadie’s new book, Live Fearless! Order today!
by Lindsey Nelson | Apr 9, 2018 | Relationships, Testimonies |
I tried to be the hero for a day
But all my super powers failed to save
So I turned in my ego and my cape
I was made to fly, but not this way
You’re my hero
You’re the only One
Who is strong enough
You’re my hero
You always pick me up
Before I self destruct
These words penned by Bethel Music Artist, Steffany Gretzinger, in her new album Blackout have been absolutely owning me. This song, Save Me, in particular has been on REPEAT. Seriously, girl… how did you get in my head like that? #spiritanimal
What I love so much about this song, is how incredibly gut level honest it is. You see, we have a chronic illness in the Body of Christ and it’s called “faker-itis”. This condition is diagnosed as the following: one who suffers from constant pretending to be okay when they are not, striving to prove oneself to others, God, or to themselves—mild to severe cases of perfectionism, negative self talk, and all symptoms related to the above. Side affects of every medication outside of Jesus, may lead to restlessness, self hatred, offense, bitterness, and a guaranteed case of exhaustion. (insert with soft music and birds chirping in the spring sun.)
After living so long with this illness, I was definitely suffering from all the above. Topped with a pretty red bow of chronic fatigue. Now hear me, from the outer world, most people would never guess that this was going on, because this condition does not bring alarm to one another until we hit rock bottom. Burnout. And the process of getting to that point is not pretty in the least. Maybe for you it’s not that extreme, but you know that you are not living in the peace, order, or consistency you so desperately long for. Well sister, I have one word for you, and you’re not going to like it…but it’s a massive key that we are missing in this puzzle piece and it’s this: VULNERABILITY.
Yep, the dreaded word that we as women especially have marked off the list. But until you realize that the Savior of your soul that already sees all, just wants for you to finally give Him those hurting places, the strength that your mind, body, soul, and spirit so desperately need will not come in its fullness.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
We operate at our very best and strongest disposition when we are operating from a place of rest, but I cannot tell you of how many days off I have had and went to work the next day still feeling tired. Rest has two facets, physical and spiritual. You cannot have one without the other. But in a world that glorifies busy, both are usually highly neglected. Yet, we have Jesus telling us to come to Him and He gives us not a longer to-do list, but REST. His yoke is easy. His burden is light, but most of us translate easy and light to lazy. Yet we’ve never been so tired. Let’s stop the glorification of busy! We will accomplish so much more for His Kingdom if we operate from rest.
Where we are missing it, is that Jesus is saying, come to me, learn from me, I’m gentle and humble so you don’t have to put on the fake face— I will give you rest in exchange and teach you. But, so many of us just take that as a prayer, reading some scripture, done. No, sister. He’s so much more personal than that. Because if you’re honest with yourself, you have way more needs to be met than a quick prayer and reading a few scriptures. He wants to commune with you. He wants to show you His character and show you that there is more to who He is, and He’s just waiting for you to put down the fake strength, be vulnerable, and tell Him about the real burdens your carrying.
He’s not appalled, offended, or disappointed by this, He’s ASKING for you to do this. He can show you truth to every lie and give you a strength that is birthed from a daily vulnerable interaction with Him who gives you rest like no other. Not sure where to start? Here are a few pointers to help you kick off a journey of healing, rest, and strength.
- At the beginning of your day, give yourself some uninterrupted time to sit, put on some worship music if you want, and focus your attention on Jesus. Don’t go into prayer, repentance, or even journaling. I mentally will sometimes take every aspect of my life and hand it over to Jesus, and just tell Him that I give it to Him, until there is nothing left of me to hand Him and I’m just a daughter boldly and humbly approaching Him with no agenda but to sit in His presence. Don’t feel anything? No goosebumps? No worries. God is bigger than your emotions. In this moment, it’s not about what He can give you, but that we are willing to just empty ourselves and wait on Him.
- Journal out every thought, feeling, and emotion to Him. Then ask Him to give you ears to hear His voice, to silence your voice and any others, and ask Him what He thinks about what you have just poured out to Him.
- Write out your struggles. Sometimes I will list them one by one. And underneath each struggle, I ask Him to tell me what He thinks about this struggle. What is the lie I’m believing? Repent for the lie and then ask Him to tell you the truth. Write it down!
- Take care of yourself. Self care is NOT selfish. Take a nap, go for a hike alone, get a sitter and go get dinner with your girlfriends, buy a cute top, take a bubble bath, get your nails done, sleep in, eat healthier, give yourself time to work out once a week and build from there, start a hobby you’ve always wanted to try. Do something that brings LIFE to you. Binge watching Netflix does not leave you rested, it just checks you out mentally so you can escape what your reality currently is. (Yes, I did say that!)
The Lord is so kind and patient. But fakeritis won’t get you far with Him, yourself or anyone else for that matter. Let the walls down and give yourself permission to say, “I’m not okay.” “I have this need.” “I’m hurting.” “I am struggling with this.” to the One who holds the keys to your freedom.
by Live Original | Apr 4, 2018 | Life Advice, Testimonies |
One of my favorite people in the Bible is David. I think he was actually convinced that God was with him. That’s huge. Did it keep David from making mistakes? Nope. Despite David’s sins, he was called a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). And I think he was one of the most willing people in the whole Bible—willing to follow God, to worship with all his heart, to lead a nation, to humbly repent when he sinned, to receive God’s forgiveness and go on. He was willing in so many ways.
When Samuel the prophet went to the town of Bethlehem to anoint David as the future king of Israel, he didn’t know yet exactly who would be king. So he went to the home of Jesse because God told him that He had chosen one of Jesse’s sons for the job (1 Samuel 16:1). When Samuel asked Jesse to let him see his sons, Jesse did everything he could do to avoid mentioning David. David was just the shepherd boy, so maybe Jesse thought there was no way he could ever be king.
Pause right here and think about this: before David was King David, before he was warrior David, before he was champion David, before he was musician and psalmist David, he was shepherd-boy David. Before that, he was David, son of Jesse, living in Bethlehem. All his life, from its very ordinary beginnings, David let God lead, and he walked forward with no agenda. That’s why God was able to do through him what only God can do.
Life wasn’t always easy for David. I’ll write about his encounter with the giant, Goliath, in another chapter, but here let me just say that he had to fight a lot of enemies. He did this, of course, as Israel’s king, but he also did it on a personal level when Saul (the previous king) wanted to kill him (1 Samuel 19). In 2 Samuel 22, toward the end of David’s life, he wrote a song to the Lord as he remembered how God delivered him from “all his enemies and from the hand of Saul” (v. 1). He said, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation” (vv. 2–3). See how personal these words are? They are the words of someone who really knows God and has a deep, personal relationship with Him.
Later in this chapter, David writes, “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters” (v. 17). You know what that tells us, in the con- text of the rest of his story? Two things: (1) David could depend on God to deliver him because he was coming from a place of already being delivered. The reason he had already been delivered was that he had already fallen in love with who God is. Whenhe cried to God, it was inthe context of a relationship, not merely to save his life. And (2) you can takethis as a promise: God willpull you from the depths ofthe ocean, whatever your ocean is. If it’s feeling left out, not knowing what your future will bring, struggling with some kind of temptation, or something else, God is able to reach down and bring you out. He will bring you back to the top.
This is an excerpt from Sadie’s new book, Live Fearless! Order your copy here
by Ashlynne Bell | Mar 29, 2018 | Life Advice |
I’ve been attempting for months now to somehow put into words what the last few years have been like—what it has felt like watching loved ones walk through valleys where the shadow of death is staring them in the face, or being thrown into treacherous waters so deep that they do not know how they’ll make it to the other side…oh, and living in desert places so dry that the heartbeat of their passion feels as though it’s on life support. I’ve sat in rooms where the sound of brokenness has felt like arrows of fire producing a battle sound unlike anything I have ever heard. I’ve listened to the cry of the wounded, and wondered where God was when the beating took place.
He is I AM.
In this season, I’ve often had questions for the God of healing when sickness and disease rushed in like a flood. I’ve stood back with my own inner struggles while carrying the fatherless through rejection and abandonment. I’ve questioned theology and misunderstood the very words of truth that were written to bring understanding and life. I’ve asked the Lord for answers and looked up, only to stare into the eyes of another breathtaking opposition.
He is I AM.
As I sit here and try to pen words on paper, that somehow reflect what this road has produced, I’m overwhelmed. There are no formulas or magic solutions to seeing your pain through to the other side…and I wish these words were coming to you from a sunny beach resort with my family members seated beside me—healed, whole and restored. I wish there was laughter and a few witty jokes behind these words, but sometimes you walk through a fire that blazes a trail within your innermost being, and until you’ve reached the other side, you press, you push and you position your whole self to know that He is the I AM who always was, who always is and who always is to come.
He is I AM.
This month, the Live Original team was asked to write on the word BELIEVE. Who is this King of Glory to me? Do I believe He is who He says He is? Can I see His face through the eye of the storm? Can I find rest beneath the scars that bore my freedom?
Do I believe HIM?
As I sat this morning asking the Lord what to say, I felt so strongly that there will be those reading this who are facing the greatest giants of their life. It might be a giant of fear, cancer, rejection, sin, unhealthy relationships, or any number of other things. I cannot give you the answer key. I cannot tell you that the roadmap to something awesome won’t take you through detours you never saw coming. You might be standing in a place of what feels like no return. You might be experiencing the strings of your heart being pulled, twisted and knotted in two…but I believe it’s those strings that will one day create a melody so delightful and beautiful, that others will come to know Him when they hear it.
You see, it’s our pain that, when surrendered, ushers forth a fragrance of worship that Heaven goes wild for. I, too, might still be standing in the center of the battlefield. I might still be watching family members fight for their lives, but one thing I know to be true—He is the I AM of my every moment, and my heart will proclaim the goodness of the Lord, regardless of what the pain might feel like. My spirit will release a roar of wonder at His Name that is above every name. His presence is unlike any other. His face outshines the brightest suns, and His eyes burn with a blazing fire for His children.
He is THE I AM.
I pray that as you read this today, you realize that you are never alone. I pray you are encouraged knowing there are others walking through fiery furnaces of trial and heartbreak. Be encouraged that there is a place like Live Original where you can come and read words from women who seek God first in all things. Most importantly, I pray you understand that the I AM of all creation loves you, is for you, and wants to be with you.
Lastly, I hope the next post I write is all rainbows and butterflies, but for today, I had no other place to take you but this place where I sit…seeking, waiting, hopefully watching for the I AM to turn the page and reveal what was always beyond the veil.
He would say to you today, “I am that I am.”
by Brittany Mullins | Mar 23, 2018 | Life Advice, Testimonies |
I’m so thankful for the good memories I have from my childhood. Waking up on Sunday morning to the aroma of Mom making “Big Breakfast” (pancakes and bacon), my sister and I playing outside with our friends after school until the street lights came on, and braiding my Barbie’s hair next to my Mom, while she styled her clients hair in her at-home salon.
Unfortunately, the broken memories are just as vivid. I grew up with an alcoholic Father, and all of the family dysfunction that spawned from his behavior. I was forced to learn forgiveness at a very young age, but the daily, “I’m sorry” was nothing more than a verbal Band-Aid with no authenticity.
As I grew older, I developed a failure complex from the constant criticism that crippled me any time I “missed the mark”. For 27 years, I would draw boundaries and then regress. After all, he was the only father I had. It was a vicious cycle with no light at the end of the tunnel.
A child trauma expert at Vanderbilt University said that it’s not unusual for children to crave attention and love from abusive parents. This explains my endless pursuit for reconciliation and redemption in my relationship with my father. I truly believed it would happen, so I would put up with almost anything, tricking myself into thinking we were building a relationship.
The plans I had for my father and my relationship came to a sudden halt when he unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack the morning of February 2, 2015. I carried unbearable weight in the months that followed, thinking about all of the things we never got to say to each other. I believed whole-heartedly that redemption was on the horizon. I thought he would turn his life around and bring healing for all the pain he caused my family.
Negative experiences, opinions, and influences can blur our vision and change the way we see the world. These blinders become the enemy’s greatest tool against us, because they keep us from seeking God’s perfect plan for our lives. Instead, we pursue anything that can numb the pain from the past.
It took a long time to come to terms with the fact that God had a different plan. As hard as it was to believe, I realized that believing equals trust, and this was the ultimate test of my faith in trusting God.
Do we truly believe that God can use our brokenness for His glory? Whether we believe it or not, the answer is YES, and it’s spelled out for us all throughout scripture.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
No matter what life throws our way, we must believe that Our God is sovereign—that he knows the desires of our hearts, and that His plan for our lives is perfect beyond our understanding.
