Archive for the ‘Random’ Category

I heard a great message yesterday from a pastor at HillSong church, in Austrailia.  He asked a great question that I think many of us need to realize for ourselves:

Which Side of Need Are You On?

He explained that there are two sides to Need:

Needy and Needed

Are you a needy person. Do you live your life with the attitude of “what can people do for me?”

Are you a needed person. Do you live your life with the attitude of “What can I do for others?”

As mature Christ-followers it’s time we see ourselves as people who are needed. We are ministers first and foremost, no matter what organization pays our salaries. We are here to be used of God to meet the needs of others.

Which Side of Need Are You On?

Sometimes, my husband tells me I’m stubborn. I, of course, argue my case, not backing down for anything…. which just goes to show that of course he’s right. I am stubborn, but admitting it would be a kind of surrender. One I’m not quite ready to give.

Stubbornness, for a woman can either be her friend or her enemy. Our stubbornness is that rebellious streak hardwired into each of us as a daughter of Eve. Sometimes it gives us the ability to face and conquer the issues of life as they come. But it is also that same rebellion that can get us into trouble if we don’t know how to use it to our advantage.

How do we use rebellion to our advantage? How can we put the power of stubbornness to work in our lives to bring about a positive outcome? It’s all in what we choose to rebel against.

• Instead of rebelling against obedience to God, rebel against sin.
• Instead of rebelling against your husband, rebel against the desire to always be right
• Instead of resisting change, rebel against mediocrity
• Instead of allowing life to just happen, rebel against laziness

Rebel against that which is against you. Harness the power of your stubbornness and use to bring about positive outcomes in your life.

What do you need to rebel against?

Lately I’ve found myself in the same conversation with many different people. Some have confessed to sin, others admit depression, some want to give it all up. My question in each of these conversations has been the same:

“How is your time with God?”

The answers varied but most landed on: Non-existent. As they were relaying their pains and doubts to me the answer was evident. They had been spending more time flexing their flesh than their spirit. What does that mean, exactly? I’ve always seen it like this:

Our flesh and our spirit are at war within us. They battle for control and inevitably one will win. Which one wins, however, is completely up to us.

Think of your flesh and your spirit like two muscles. Which one do you flex more? Are you giving in to your flesh more, therefore making it stronger? Or are you feeding, working, and flexing your spirit muscle, making it the dominate of the two?

I know for me, I haven’t been feeding my spirit as I should. I can tell a big difference in my attitude and outlook on life when my spirit is starved. It’s not that I’m intentionally starving my spirit,–no one ever does. But by being unintentional I have inevitably allowed my flesh to become stronger.

What about you? Which muscle do you flex more? What ways do you think we can starve the flesh while feeding the spirit?

Sometimes it’s necessary to encourage yourself. I need to encourage myself today, and perhaps you needed it to.

“I don’t feel beautiful today…” I am enthralled with your beauty… Honor Me with it! (Prov. 11:45)

“Can I really face another week?” I will be with you, every step of the way. (Joshua 3:7)

“I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle.” I will fight for you. (Deut. 1:30)

“I feel distant from God.” Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you. (James 4:8)

“I am a mess.” I will take you by the hand… (Isaiah 42:6)

“I’m a failure.” You are more than a conqueror in My Name. (Romans 8:37)

“I don’t know where I am going.” Live by faith, not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7)

“I don’t know how this is going to work.” I will make all things work. (Romans 8:28)

Sometimes it’s important to be reminded of truth. Don’t let today go by without reminding yourself that God is in control. Hope you are encouraged today.

Check out our set up video for Big SWITCH 2010. It’s a Valentines Day theme! It all starts tomorrow at 7pm. Come on out and be a part!

Sorry for the delay in posts over the last couple days. I’ve been sick, sick! A snot factory has taken up residence in my nostrils and it’s producing more than my body knows what to do with! I have no voice, (which some might say is a blessing in disguise!) Our big event for SWITCH is this Wednesday, so I’m praying I feel better very soon! Thanks for your prayers!

In the mean time, since my brain is not working correctly instead of writing a post, I’d like to show you what my amazing husband (of six months, yesterday) got me for Valentines Day. He couldn’t wait until the actual day, since he’s just like a little kid when it comes to gifts! Check it out!

Check out our very first video:

No one wants to admit they are a people-pleaser. The hyphenated word brings such negative connotations, like having nobackbone, not thinking for yourself, or being a doormat, allowing everyone to walk over you.  But I’m a pretty opinionated person, I think for myself quite well, and don’t bend over and let others walk on me–but I realized I was still trying to please people.

I realized I was living in this state of mind after reading this familiar verse: Gal. 1:10 “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

I had read this verse a hundred times. It’s even underlined in my Bible. Every time I would read it, I would think, “Oh, yeah, those people who try to please others… they have no idea!” and then one day I realized… I’m “those people.”

I think the reason I tend to be a people-pleaser is because my personality type is one that says “people are the priority.” I’m passionate about meeting people, connecting people, watching people figure out who they are, that sometimes I try to control situations where people are present. (which is often in my line of work.) Whether it be a life group I lead, the adult leaders at SWITCH, someone I’m mentoring/counseling–I want so badly for people to be pleased with whatever situation they are in, that inevitably, I become a people-pleaser. The pressure of pleasing people was like spinning hundreds of plates and not letting one of them fall. Why did I feel like I was responsible?

But recently, I realized a simple truth: Making sure people are pleased is not my job!

I’m not in control of their reactions. I can’t sway them one way or the other. If someone doesn’t like the way things are going it’s not my fault–nor should I take it personally, thinking “if I had just done more I could have made them like things”… (All of this makes sense to me in my brain… sorry if you don’t understand, but getting it out is good therapy.)

Realizing this truth has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. I would say I probably enjoy my job more because I’ve learned how to just be myself and not worry about trying to control others. I would say I’m becoming more of who I really am, unhindered by the the pressure of trying to please everyone. I’ve been freed, and life on the other side of people-pleasing is pleasantly care-free.

Thanks for letting me talk that out. I feel better now. What about you? Do you find yourself trying to please people? Share your thoughts.

One of my most treasured Valentines Day memories was a couple years ago when I was still single. Being single, and also a hopeless romantic, made every Valentines Day the most dreaded of holidays. Except for the year my dad purchased three roses for each of his daughters and wrote a simple note: “These roses represent the three ties that keep us together: You, Me and Jesus.” I’ll never forget that as long as I live.

Many of my siblings and friends often ask me for creative ideas for dates and memories. Always believing in collecting experiences over possessions I’ve come across some really fun things to do. Here is a brief list of things to do on Valentines Day whether you are single, dating or married.

Single:

• Get a group of single girl friends together. Dress up in evening gowns and treat yourself to an expensive restaurant. You’re worth it!
• Have a Champagne and Chocolate sleep over at your place. Make the center of discussion what your standards are in a man.
• Get a mixed group of single girls and guys together and play games: Poker, Guitar Hero “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.”

Dating:

• Go to Barnes&Noble and give each other 30 minutes to pick out the top three books that describe who you are. Meet back at the cafe, order a drink, and share with each other why you chose those books.
• Create for your man or woman a scavenger hunt, with clever clues that lead him/her to meaningful places that carry fond memories, until finally landing at the restaurant of your choice for a nice dinner.
• Ask an older, admired married couple to go to dinner with you. Have them share their love story, how they met, married and what they’ve experienced so far.
• Make a documentary video of your date, capturing all the important/funny aspects. Take the camera and computer to Star Bucks, upload the video and relive the entire night again. (With lots of laughs!)

Married:

• Cook a nice candle-lit steak dinner at home… in your nighty. (Make sure dinner is almost done cooking before your husband sees you… you won’t get very far after that–with dinner anyway!
• Make reservations to a local bed and breakfast. Pack an overnight bag, secure a babysitter, and surprise your husband/wife with a weekend away.
• Ladies, for a great gift idea: secure a photographer a couple weeks before Valentines Day to take Boudoir photos of you. Your husband will go crazy!
• Get a group of your married friends together and play Dirty Cupid--$10-$15 “date” gift played just like Dirty Santa!
• Try a Sample Platter Date: Get all dressed up, go to your four favorite restaurants, at the first one order an appetizer, second one a meal, third one, another meal, last place order your dessert. Take it all back to the house and have a pic-nick on the living room floor! Then, whatever else you’d like to do on the living room floor!
• Ditch the flannel nightgown. Surprise your husband with some new lingerie!
• After dinner, turn the lights down low, turn up the fire, put on some music and dance in your living room.

Have any other creative Valentines day ideas? What about Valentines Day memories? Share them in the comments.

Now the truth has been revealed. Encouragement is a woman’s #1 weapon. This weapon is so powerful and brings such effect on those we use it on.

I don’t want to leave this conversation without first reminding ourselves that encouragement is not just giving out complements. It’s not just making someone feel good about themselves. To think of encouragement in those terms would demean this powerful gift. When you encourage, you may have to challenge, speak firmly, point out faults, or push someone in a direction that may be uncomfortable.

When we encourage, we are not focusing on ourselves, but other people. This causes others to want to be around us, because they know any time spent with you will be encouraging, uplifting, challenging and joyful. When you become a woman of encouragement, you become a woman of charisma, possessing the power to influence anyone you might encounter.

For some of us this ability to encourage comes naturally, for others we may have to work at it. Wherever you find yourself in your journey to becoming a woman of encouragement, allow me to cause courage in you. There is nothing more powerful than the encouraging words of a woman. Remember, you have the ability, the duty, to cause courage in those around you. You have been given this awesome calling as a women. Let’s not let it go to waste.

Who do you need to encourage today? It may be you, your husband, your children a friend or family member… do not let today go by without speaking a word of encouragement.

Okay, let’s admit it. Maybe we don’t have “enemies” like what you think of when you hear the word (I don’t know maybe some of you do!) but we definately have people we:

• don’t get along with
• don’t understand 
• don’t like
• People who intimidate us
• People who drive us crazy

I’ve learned that when I run into people like this the best way to deal with them is through the lense of encouragement. Instead of acting on what our flesh would like to do (strangle them, scream at them, trip them and act like nothing happened) we need to realize they are human beings just like us, created in the image of God. They deserve our love and respect just like anyone else.

Here’s an example: Think of someone you would love to meet. Perhaps its a celebrity. The President of the United States. Perhaps it’s Jesus himself, in the flesh! What would you do if they walked into your work, or home and asked for something to drink? Would you snicker at them? Talk about them behind their back? Trip them and act like nothing happened? NO! Hopefully, you would bend over backwards to serve this high profile individual. If that’s the way you would treat one group of people it’s also the way you should treat the people you do not like. God Himself tells us to “show no favoritism.” (James 2)

The weapon of encouragement can and should be used for this group of people as well. Yes, it might be a little more difficult, but the results of weilding the weapon of encouragment bring harmony to those hard to deal with relationships.

What do you do when dealing with “enemies”?