Devotionals – Page 30 – Oh Lord Help Us

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Layers: Allowing God to Expose and Peel Away Our Facade

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 15, 2018September 8, 2019

There’s nothing wrong with a nice motivational saying to encourage. However, in order to bloom, we must accept reality and allow God to loosen those layers within our sinful selves.

Bloom where you are planted…

It’s spring, and that phrase is everywhere. I have no idea who coined it, but it’s definitely making ripples throughout the whole of womanhood. It’s fun to think of ourselves as flowers. They are beautiful…they smell sweet. In fact, I make sure I have fresh flowers in my home, weekly.

It’s just so hard for me to believe that about myself. Which got me thinking… if I’m not a flower what am I?

I am seeing all these beauties blooming around me, and I’m over here just trying to not be a cabbage.

-Katie Braswell

Yes, a cabbage. Others are budding and spreading their petals, and I’m stubbornly tightening my layers. It’s a horrible habit, but I tend to self-deprecate. So, believing all those around me are beautiful blooming flowers and I’m being made into sauerkraut, isn’t far fetched.

“How in the heck is she going to arch sauerkraut and spirituality?”

It can be done…

Protection

I swear, this is probably the first time in history, someone searched the Bible for the word “cabbage”. Well, I did it so let me share my results…

I’m like someone who goes to the garden to pick cabbages and carrots and corn and returns empty-handed, finds nothing for soup or sandwich or salad.

Micah 7:2, MSG

Yep, I really had to dig for that one, but I read the whole chapter and I wasn’t surprised at all to find meaning and a point that will tie in. God is amazing like that. This chapter in Micah talks about not being able to find a decent person in sight. The world was full of evil and sin. Pretty sorrowful and depressing, if you ask me. Probably because the evil then, is the evil now. But, I feel like we’ve become more cunning at hiding our sin.

“Put this media filter on.”

“Don’t let that scratch too close to the core.”

“Look how lovely my life is.”

So… I’m a cabbage. I know what filters I put on. Most of us walk around with our dark green leaves on… hiding our sin, our wretched selves. Protecting ourselves from this reality: we all sin and need Jesus.

Layers

Try peeling a cabbage without ripping a leaf…just try. If you can do it, we need to talk.

I’m a cabbage. So. Many. Layers. When I allow others (including God) to start peeling them back, my leaves tear. I feel damaged, imperfect. Which sucks for a perfectionist. I like my dark leafed exterior. But, what do people do with those dark leaves when they buy cabbage? Oh right, they peel them off and pay for a beautiful light green bundle.

No one wants to pay for my dark green facade. No one wants to hang around a fake cabbage. The light green parts are easier to relate to. They show humanity, humility, imperfections. No one wants to spend time with someone who seems to have it all together. Yet, here I am, day in and out, protected by those dark leaves.

Loosening

Towards the middle of Micah 7, the tone changes. He accepts his own part in the sinful world. Full acceptance. Not hidden, but recorded forever in the Bible. Now, I say that’s the opposite of layered protection. When we start peeling back the layers and facades, it forces us to come face to face with our sin. To allow others to walk along side of us in support and love. It forces us to allow God to cover over all we have done…

You don’t nurse your anger and don’t stay angry long, for mercy is your specialty. That’s what you love most. And compassion is on its way to us. You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing. You’ll sink our sins to the bottom of the ocean.

Micah 7:19, MSG

God is THE creator. He created cabbages and He created me. However, He did not create me to be a cabbage. All those layers, whether dark or light green, He has asked and even invited me to allow Him to gently peel those away. Those layers of sin I like to hang on to, God loosens them with compassion and mercy. It’s His nature; who He is.

Those layers of sin I like to hang on to, God loosens them with compassion and mercy. It's His nature; who He is. Click To Tweet

Rooting

Micah held fast to hope, in the midst of a despairing world. He knew the prophecies and that God had a plan. Today we can rejoice for Micah…the prophecies came to fruition. We have the redeeming salvation of Jesus Christ. Our “leaves” were nailed to a cross.

This is my hope: that we can root ourselves in the truth of God. Specifically, that last section of Micah chapter 7. I pray we can remember, God sees all our dark and light green leaves and wishes to throw them all in depths of the sea. I hope we can allow Him to peel away at us. Layer by layer, in order for our lives to bloom with HIS glory!

Scott Webb

forgiveness, grace, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry

Clean: Understanding Hurts and Extending Forgiveness

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 14, 2018September 8, 2019

When we understand the past of people who have hurt us, we are more capable to extend grace. We are able to wipe their slate clean with forgiveness.

When I was in grade school, I loved it when my teacher would choose me to wipe the chalkboard clean at the end of the day. There was something almost magical about that simple physical process. What had been a murky mess—rows of math tables, diagramed sentences, partial erasures, and a lingering cloud of dust—could be wiped completely clean. What remained was literally a new, clean slate for the next day’s instruction.

As believers, we can glean a simple yet profound message here: the Lord’s forgiveness is a complete work, with mercies that are new each day. In Isaiah we read:

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Isaiah 43:25, KJV

And in the Psalms we’re reminded of just how far away He casts ours sins:

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:12, KJV

An Ever-Present Need

Being a mom of two young kids has done wonders in teaching me about the need for mercy and forgiveness. From meltdowns, to accidents, to intentional misbehavior (and those are just on my end!), to sibling rivalry, and the list goes on… We have an ever-present need for grace, mercy, and forgiveness in our home. Many days I feel as if I’m working at a deficit in my parenting bank. But if I’m operating in the red, that is precisely the time to turn back to the blood of Jesus. To let His strength perfect me in my weakness; to allow His forgiveness to flood my soul; and to let Him father me as I mother my children.

Misuse of The Rod

It has been hard for me to wrap my head and heart around the notion that God is a loving dad who gently guides me and forgives me when I make mistakes. My slowness to internalize this truth stems from the lies I learned and the wounds I sustained when I was very young. I was raised in a strict, legalistic, and abusive home. Repentance and chastisement were heavily emphasized, but somehow forgiveness seemed to be forgotten. If it’s the Lord’s goodness that draws us to repentance (Rom. 2:4), it was my mom’s misuse of the rod that drove me further from her, and for many years, further from God.

I remember one day when I was probably four years old. I had dropped a jar of cream that shattered and spilled all over the kitchen floor. Positive parenting classes I’ve taken would likely recommend a patient response to this kind of scenario. Consider whether a task is age appropriate for the child; acknowledge when something is an accident; enlist the little one’s help to clean up the parts of the mess that are safe for her to tackle. Patience, mercy, kindness. A Christ-like response.

But my mom had torn a page from a different kind of book and claimed that it was from the Good Book. She began shouting at me; dragging me out to the dark mudroom where she would whip me repeatedly on my backside with a leather strap. She slammed the door behind her, leaving me alone, scared, and wounded in the dark.

Tiptoeing on Eggshells

This was the typical pattern. I would misbehave somehow or accidentally break or spill something, and the hammer would come down. Hard. I would be “disciplined”, which usually meant abused, and a silent treatment would ensue. The painful welts on my body or missed meals were nothing compared to the punishment inflicted by Mom’s cold shoulder of emotional isolation.

I would then have to tip toe on eggshells and placate my mom until her storm of anger passed. Rarely, if ever, was there a loving conversation about how my misbehavior could be changed or what a reasonable consequence would be if I committed the same offense in the future. Instead, I would be forced to say sorry and accept the blame for whatever had happened. I can’t ever remember a time in those early years when Mom asked me to forgive her for how she had treated me.

On Pins and Needles

My mom died nearly three years ago. I recall a conversation I had with her a few years before she died. In the past, she had told me that she was raised in an orphanage from age seven until she graduated high school. But she had never gone into detail about what she had suffered there.

During her years at the orphanage, Mom found herself in the unfortunate position of being under the tutelage of a strict and abusive house mom named Ms. Hupp. Mom had harbored a deep fear of and hatred for this woman. She said Hupp would wake up all the girls before dawn, barking orders at them to get dressed, make their beds, straighten their belongings, and report for duty. Duty entailed meticulously hand scrubbing floors, washing walls, helping prepare meals, and various and sundry other tasks that she seemed to create just for the sake of keeping all the girls busy. Mom said Hupp’s constant scrutiny and criticism kept her on pins and needles.

Connecting the Dots

As she described Hupp’s mistreatment, I began to connect the dots to my own experience of how Mom had treated me when I was little. Young women sometimes joke that one day they will probably become their moms. Well, Mom had grown up and become like Hupp. Without her own mom in the picture, she had learned from the only mother figure she knew. As Mom spoke about her hard heart toward Hupp, I could identify with her anger, but in a way, my own heart was softening toward my mom. Mom told me how the Lord had helped her to finally forgive Ms. Hupp. She said He had let her see Hupp’s wounded heart so that she could forgive her. As I write this, I can say that I have forgiven my own “Hupp” too.

Wiping the Slate Clean

After many years, my mom asked me if I could ever forgive her for all the ways she had mistreated me. When I told her that I had already forgiven her, I could almost see a weight lift off her. For so many years, she had borne the heavy shame and regret of her abusive behavior. Her abuse drove my dad to divorce her and fight for full custody of me and my siblings. Her abuse made it impossible for us to return to live with her when my dad died. But the pain Mom inflicted also drove her to her knees, to sincerely repent to the Lord and seek His forgiveness.

Although she knew she had been forgiven, she still struggling with the shame of the hurt she had caused. Somehow, she still needed to hear that I had forgiven her. Although we can seek the Lord’s forgiveness, we also need to humble ourselves to ask forgiveness of the people we have wronged; and we need to extend forgiveness to those who have wronged us. When we do so, we are free to fully love and be loved.

And when you pray, make sure you forgive the faults of others so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you withhold forgiveness from others, your Father withholds forgiveness from you.

Matthew 6:14-15, TPT

Is there someone in your life whose slate you need to clean with your forgiveness? Is there someone whose forgiveness you need to seek?

Although we can seek the Lord’s forgiveness, we also need to humble ourselves to ask forgiveness of the people we have wronged; and we need to extend forgiveness to those who have wronged us. Click To Tweet

Keilidh Ewan

pace, life, grace, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry

Pace: Knowing When to Slow Down, and When to Speed Up

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 10, 2018January 13, 2019

Life is like a marathon, you have to keep a steady pace in order to finish strong. Going too fast? Too slow? Are you able to focus? Are you carrying an extra load, and need some grace?

This post was originally published August 2014

I love to run. Like, really, really, really love to run. I have been running marathons for a while now. Have completed 14 in 14 different states. Yep, I’m going for all 50 (by the time I’m 50). This year I have gotten into trail running, which is a blast and a whole new challenge. I also have completed a couple triathlons this year. A sprint, and then a half-ironman. But pretty much, I just put up with the swimming and cycling so that I can put my feet on the ground and run, run, run!

I have yet been tempted to complete an Ultra. I’m surprised that I haven’t considered it. I have a friend that is training for a 50 mile Ultra, and I think she’s nuts. Actually, I admire her greatly. I have considered, and plan to complete a series. Five marathons in five days. Sounds like fun, right?!?!?

So, like I said, I love to run. In fact, several years ago, I had the brilliant idea to blog about running. And then I realized that there wasn’t a whole lot to say about it. Every article would say, “I love running, I feel great!” Or, “I love running, my knee hurts!” Or, “I love running, I peed in the woods!”

Keeping the pace…

There is one thing though, that helps me in a lot of life situations. The main life lesson from running. I realized that life is like running a marathon and keeping the appropriate pace.

Too fast

“Am I going too fast, will I get burned out?” How many times in life are we doing too much. Too many commitments, too many pressures. We’re gasping for air and getting a cramp in our side. We have to learn to limit ourselves, know where our limits are, and how to say NO!

Too slow

“Am I reserving too much, could I go faster?” This occurs less often, for sure. But there are runners that are so afraid of burning out before that 26th mile marker that they reserve too much. They finish the marathon and feel disappointed because they have too much energy left. They could have done more and they know it. Could we do more in life? Are we just taking the easy path, too afraid of the pain that may come from pushing ourselves?

Focus

In running a marathon, you have to focus on the present. If you think at mile 5 about the fact that you have 21 more to go, you are going to panic and feel overwhelmed. Is the pace you are going strong? Should you slow down? Speed up? As in life, this comes with experience.

Grace

And then, sometimes we have to run with a baby jogger. There are seasons in life when we have to push/carry a load. And at those times, we shouldn’t expect ourselves to continue at the pace we normally do. We need to give ourselves a break, and extend grace to ourselves.

Your turn…

What is your pace like? Are you able to carry on with endurance?

Todd Diemer

prayer, giver, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, Women, ministry

Giver: Surprising Answers to Our Secret Heart Prayers

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 9, 2018June 28, 2019

God is the giver Who gives what we don’t even know we need. He knows the depths of our hearts and answers the secret prayers within us, surprising us with His blessings.

I want to share with you my first prayer I wrote a little over a year ago when I started writing my prayers down with some regularity.

Dear God,

Thank you for Your messages in my life. You are moving mountains and have held my hand, comforted, and carried me. Thank you seems less… insincere. Your mighty works are awesome and great to be praised. Continue to help me accept the next challenge You are asking me to accept. I love to write and I keep feeling a pull from You to tell a story. Please guide my pen, words, and desires so that the story I tell is pleasing to You. Let me keep You as my truth and light. Bless my beautiful children. Guide them to find Your will in this season of their lives.

Love,
me

Answered prayer…

About six months later I mentioned in our church small group that I was feeling God pulling me to share my love and experiences. Rachael implored me to share what that meant exactly. I really didn’t want to say more, so I hemmed and hawed. Used some big words that meant nothing. She took my hands in hers and she said, “I need to hear the words. What is in you heart?”

“I want to write.”

“I’m going to share an opportunity. You can join in, or go a different way and I will be your biggest cheerleader…”

Can you imagine? I am tearing up thinking of it now. God answered a prayer, guided me on a path, and brought me an awesome new friend.

In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16:9, NIV

Unknown prayer…

I have felt so free and my spirit has been opened in ways I didn’t know could happen. Writing and sharing it with others has brought so, so much to my life. I have connected to my friends and family, my co-workers and small group members in deeper ways. People ask me to pray WITH them now. I think that has been the biggest privilege God has created for me. I still feel a little self conscious when I do, but that is more of wanting to find the right words.

A verse that has been helping me be more comfortable praying out loud with people is, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7, ESV)

When this verse showed up on my Facebook timeline back in January, I wrote this prayer:

Dear God,

Thank you for your answers to prayers, Thank you for guidance and direction, Thank you for opening my heart and ears. Miracles surround us. Thank you!

Love,
me

Surprise prayer…

All this has lead to several talks with you, lovely readers, who have brought so much hope and inspiration to my life. You have shared words that have buoyed me. Comments that boosted me when the dark side of depression has tried to wheel its way into my life. I have felt love and connection when parts of my story have resonated with you. And I have reconnected with friends and family that I had resigned myself to losing.

Right before I wrote my story about my grandmother and grandfather, I saw the verse, Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV). As I reflected on this, I prayed:

Dear God,

Surprise me with ways I can influence others in Your light. I feel you talking to me, but there is so much, I’m not sure what is me and what is You. Help me to discern the difference. Let the Holy Spirit speak to me and let my heart hear.

Love,
me

Heart prayer…

A few days after that post, I had the most amazing conversation with my brother. We connected in a way that we haven’t since we both became grown ups. Life becomes busy, families grow, distance, both literal and figurative, pushed us apart. No, we never fought. We see each other a few times a year. Have been on vacation together a few times, but never spent time sharing what was on our hearts. God is so good; He gives us what we didn’t even know we need.

God is so good; He gives us what we don't even know we need. Click To Tweet

God is amazing. If you let Him speak to you, your life will become fuller. Mine is far from perfect, but the ugly parts are so much more bearable and the good parts are so much more glorious. Talk to Him. Listen to Him. Allow Him in. You will be so glad you did.

Sammie Vasquez

training, battle, faithful, Oh Lord Help Us, ministry, Christian, women

Training: Being Equipped for Battle Through Daily Faithfulness

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 8, 2018September 8, 2019

We cannot wait for the big battles of life to learn to fight. We need daily training. God will prepare us for battle in the day to day faithful small acts of doing life.

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.”

1 Samuel 17:38, ESV

David is a character in scripture that is deeply familiar to most. Who hasn’t heard of the big giant Goliath and the small shepherd boy David rounding off in the field between the Philistines and the Israelites? Goliath came out and stood on the battle field day after day shouting out at the Israelites to send someone to fight against him. “Choose a man and have him come down to me,” he would bellow. And the whole camp was “dismayed and terrified.” Until David came. He wasn’t really there to fight. In fact, he was on an errand. His father needed him to take supplies to his brothers and find out news. David was the youngest and spent his day tending sheep.

He shows up and hears Goliath ranting at the camp and he is not dismayed. He is insulted. But, have you ever noticed who David is defending? “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David is concerned for the glory of his God. He hears Goliath and his first thoughts are not for his safety, his comfort, or his family. He is thinking about his God. When Saul dismisses David as just a boy, David reminds him of what he has been doing. “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them…The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine.“

And David does. He takes a stone and he slings one straight into Goliath’s forehead. He kills him and cuts his head off. And this is the best part: This is exactly what David has been doing for years tending the sheep; slinging stones and stopping enemies. Saul originally tries to get David to wear a suit of armor. He thinks he is a boy and needs defenses like the rest of the camp. But, the armor wasn’t going to be effective. It was too big and David could barely move.

Stones and slings were what he was familiar with. He had trained with those stones, using them many times before. He had struck down other adversaries. Goliath wasn’t his first kill. And to be honest, he had a lot more death to come in his future. But, here in this moment facing what was his first “real” battle, David used what he knew and what he had been practicing. He didn’t wait to learn to sling a stone in the midst of battle.

Training

Have you considered what made David ready for battle? It was only what he had been already doing. He had been tending sheep and killing enemies. He had been in training all that time. Fighting little enemies in preparation for the bigger ones.

My battles are going to look a lot different than David’s. But, I cannot wait for the big battles to come to learn to fight. While my battles may look different than David’s, they will be in essence, the same. They will require I engage the enemy. They will be for the honor and glory of my King. And they will require that I draw on the resources that are already stored in my spiritual well. God is faithfully equipping me for battle and I am a part of that equipping.

God is faithfully equipping me for battle... Click To Tweet

I am in His word (the sword) and I am meeting with Him, learning to listen to His quiet voice. I am doing my life with God in the middle of it when there are no battles raging; when the water is calm or calmer. I can look at the days ahead and know that God is preparing me. He is not expecting me to get my act together. In fact, He is getting my act together. He is and will prepare me for the battle in the day to day faithful small acts of doing my life. He has begun a good work in me and He will be faithful to complete it. I can rest in that and I can rest in Him.

ITZIAR LORENZO

near, pain, grace, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry, encouragement, spiritual growth

Near: Showing, and Being Shown Grace Through Pain

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 7, 2018September 8, 2019

Experiencing pain is part of life. Hopefully it produces growth. Regardless of what gets us into uncomfortable or agonizing situations, our Father is always near to us showing us grace.

Riding a skateboard isn’t like riding a bike. You can’t jump on a board and grind your way through the neighborhood if you haven’t ridden in months. It takes core balance and a strong center of gravity, both horizontal and vertical. A lot of continued practice is necessary to hold your own on a board and become an aggressive skater. Or to use the skater term: shred. Bombing a hill is even more intense than that.

My 10-year-old son, has a pretty gnarly skateboard. My husband, Sean, got it for him right after we moved to Northern Virginia at the beginning of 2016. Last week, he tried something brave. Historically he has started at our driveway and allowed the board to pick up speed as he glides down the slight grade of our street. But yesterday he went three houses up to the top of the hill. About 35 to 40 yards down he zoomed past our house. He saw Sean watching from our yard and yelled, I’m going too fast! I’m terrified I’m gonna crash! Sean started walking toward him.

Soon after, the wheels started to shimmy. In his fear, he didn’t remember to crouch or heel brake; he just stood straight barreling down the hill. Inevitably, he crashed and rolled about 20 feet. Sean got to him. He asked, “Can you stand up?” The response, “No.” So Sean picked him up. They made the walk back to the house, my son unavoidably smiling because Sean said: That was epic. I guess you know your new limit.

At this point I walked outside and my girls told me he had crashed. I asked if it was bad and they said, “Dad’s with him.” When I saw the blood, I went back inside, grabbed first aid supplies, and took over.

Pain and Grace…

For Sean, caring for our son in that moment meant letting him be in pain, but holding him through that pain. He said, “Crying doesn’t make you weak; it just means you feel. They aren’t synonymous with one another. Pain is real; consequences can sometimes be overwhelming, but our Father stays. So will I.”

As a mother, I knew he would be okay. In God’s mercy, there were no broken bones, and his helmet had protected from a head wound or concussion. I didn’t want to fuss over him, but he was in a lot of pain. Tending to his wounds with soft cloths and oils felt like the natural nurturing thing to do.

Both approaches were good and right. Now, we haven’t always responded the way we did last week. Sean used to approach injuries with practicality. If they weren’t dying and didn’t need stitches, they’d feel better soon enough. But he was never harsh or uncaring. I, on the other hand, took the path of reassurance and hands-on treatment. Whatever they needed to feel or express in the moment was okay while I communicated the pain wouldn’t last forever. Discomfort in others equals discomfort for me. I needed to fix them and make them happy ASAP. I feel like Sean and I balanced each other out, even if we didn’t see eye to eye with the other’s methodology.

That’s why my son’s most recent crash was different. Sean took on a role of nurturing and attentiveness. I still cleaned up the wounds, but it wasn’t because of a felt need for tranquility. It had more to do with the fact that we were on our way out the door and I didn’t want blood dripping down his arms and legs at a restaurant. There was no question he would be okay. And I knew his father had cared well for him.

Near…

Experiencing pain is never fun whether self-inflicted or not. But last week’s event reminded Sean and me that every moment of brokenness is an opportunity to show or encounter grace. Testing boundaries is part of life. Hopefully it produces growth. Regardless of what gets us into uncomfortable or agonizing situations, our Father is always near to us.

Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.

Deuteronomy 31:6, MSG

Every moment of brokenness is an opportunity to show or encounter grace. Click To Tweet

Maarten Deckers

We may feel broken, but God… has redeemed.

service, useful, servant, Oh Lord Help Us, ministry, Christian, women, encouragement

Useful: Foundations for Effective Serving

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 1, 2018September 11, 2019

It is important for all of us to feel useful; to feel as though we have a purpose. Understanding and accepting the foundations of effectiveness, creates confidence in serving God.

Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 Timothy 2:21-22, NIV

I believe we all have this innate desire to feel useful; to feel like we have a purpose. We all want our lives to account for something. Even more, Christians feel this pull. Our example of this is modeled after a servant. Jesus is the perfect example of usefulness to the Kingdom of God. So, if He is who we should look toward, what’s our hang up?

Wrong Side Of Useful

My love language is acts of service. It’s how I show love, and also how I receive love. Unfortunately, when someone more or less tells me they have no need for my services…I feel worthless, useless, undesirable. I become fearful that I may not be doing what God is calling.

When I put my ambition in the opinions and wishes of others, I lose sight of my true purpose: serving God. When I feel inadequate because of other humans, I smack God right in the face. Absolutely, feeling rejection is awful. However, if I am truly discerning the Spirit and obeying His promptings, I should feel confident that I am being useful towards God’s will, paying no mind to the reception of others.

Serving the Kingdom

Don’t get me wrong, I have not mastered that mindset. Actually, on the contrary. The running lesson in my life is to overcome the need for approval from others. I’m slowly accepting the only opinion that truly matters is God’s. Serving Him by serving others is easy for me. However, the part where I care too much about how I’m being perceived, is hard to let go of.

In order to be useful to those around us, we have to know what they require, desire, and need from us. The same is true in our usefulness in serving God. Yes, He can use any and all situations for His glory. But, if the true desire of our hearts is to be effective for the Kingdom, we must work to stay rooted in the elements of spiritual usefulness.

If the true desire of our hearts is to be effective for the Kingdom, we must work to stay rooted in the elements of spiritual usefulness. Click To Tweet

Biblical Foundations

The Bible is the VERY best tool we have. It helps us align our lives with the commandments of God. We can daily compare our actions with the words of God. So, based on the Bible, these are the foundations I have found helpful for knowing I’m on the right track…

Knowing I Am Loved

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8, NIV

Seeking God’s Plans

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Psalm 119:105, NIV

Listening For God’s Voice

My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:27, TLB

Accepting I Am God’s Creation

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10, ESV

Knowing I Am Not Alone

‘You’re my servant, serving on my side. I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’ Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.

Isaiah 41:10, MSG

Realizing My Weaknesses

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.

2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV

Obeying God

Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1 John 2:4-6, ESV

Having Confidence in Him

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Psalm 62:1-2, NIV

Application

Every calling is unique, but the ultimate purpose of all Believers is to serve God. Accepting and learning these foundations, is giving me an abundance of confidence in the mission God has placed on my life. Whenever I doubt, I meditate on the specific principle that needs work. Writing these scriptures down and diving deeper into their meaning, is helping me to focus on my God ordained purpose, not the purposes of the world.

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Conqueror: Using Our Super Powers, and Living Victorious

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 30, 2018January 13, 2019

Scripture tells us that we are victorious. But what, exactly, have we been a conqueror over? If we were really victorious, why do we feel weary, and defeated? How do we fight?

I’m a bit of a brawler. I am little, but in some situations I act like I am 6 foot 4, and 250 pounds. Typically, I blame this on my mother. She was the same way. Getting my dad into fights, being kicked out of places. She blamed it on being Irish and high blood pressure.

When I feel passionate about something, mainly my family and my friends, I am completely devoted. And there better not be anyone messing with them. My mama bear instincts come out strong for all those I care about. I’ll fight, and deal with the consequences later if I need to.

I’m not one to cower. I know who the real enemy is, and I know how to fight. This is why the other day I found myself “prayer boxing”. Yep, I was spouting scripture while throwing punches. Jab, jab, hook.

We have superpowers…

With Jesus in our heart, we have superpowers. We have HIS power.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33, NIV

Since it is not us who have the superpower, our best way to fight is to call upon the Lord to do the fighting. Our job is to stand firm. Standing firm requires being rooted in scripture and knowing who God is.

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

James 4:7, ESV

Victorious…

…we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 8:37, ESV

I’m not saying with these powers we won’t suffer. Actually, I guarantee that we will. I love that verse in Romans, stating I am a conqueror. It makes me feel strong, and powerful. It is not, though, the full story. The first part of that verse says, “in all these things”. And what are these things that we are conquerors over? According to verse 35, in the New Living Translation, it is: trouble, calamity, persecution, hunger, destitution, danger, death.

The superpower doesn’t mean that we are immune from attack. It does, however, allow us to overcome in spite of the suffering. In spite of our world crumbling around us, we stand with a joy and a peace that makes no sense. We can do this because nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7, ESV

Our victory is not over hardship; it is over evil, and sin. Our battles are raging, but we are guaranteed victory.

For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 5:4-5, NLT

When we are weary…

There are times though that we become weary. The battle is unrelenting. Our defenses are low. We are tempted to give up and give in. The Lord knows this, and we are not condemned for this. Please don’t hear me saying that we are wrong or weak if we are weary. Conviction, maybe, but that comes from the Lord. Guilt, and shame, do not!

In these moments, we need the help and support of others. It’s time to call in for back up. When we can no longer stand and fight, bring in reinforcements, people who will take up the fight for you. We are to carry one another’s burden (Galatians 6:2). Know who you can call upon, and being vulnerable, ask for help.

When we can no longer stand and fight, bring in reinforcements, people who will take up the fight for you. Click To Tweet

Your battle…

What battle are you fighting? Do you need someone to stand with you? The ladies at Oh Lord Help Us are willing to stand with you in battle. If you would like prayer, please reach out.

Lucas Silva Pinheiro Santos

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Remembered: Being Comforted and Held by the God Who Sees

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 29, 2018September 8, 2019

We are told to take care of our heart, because that is where the enemy will attack. In these attacks, we may not be able to trust our feelings, but we can trust the God who sees. We are remembered and cared for.

Soon, my son, Evan, and I will get on a plane and fly to Philadelphia. There we will meet with a transplant team that will discuss the possibility of a bone marrow transplant. To say I am beside myself does not seem to give justice to the feelings I have. This is not our first difficult decision where Evan is concerned. He has had something health related going on since birth and we have been faced with tough choices all along the way, but this feels different.

When I share this possibility with people – friends and strangers – they all look at me in wonder. Concerned. Worried. They, just like me, know the gravity of this. It’s not a broken arm. Evan has a broken immune system and its over activity is working havoc all over his body. His joints, his muscles, his pancreas, his colon, and my heart.

The attack of the heart …

Do you ever wonder why we are told over and over to take care with our heart. To know that our heart is deceitful. To take our thoughts captive. And to guard our heart. Because that is where the enemy strikes. He strikes at my heart and that is, at its very essence, my thoughts.

And where does the enemy want my thoughts to linger? Oh that’s easy. God, but not the good stuff. It’s not thoughts like: God will supply and God will show up. It’s thoughts like: how dare God and why would he, and where is he? Just like Hagar. Do you remember her?

So [Hagar] called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.

Genesis 16:13, ESV

Scripture tells us that Sarai gave Hagar to Abraham as a means to bear an heir. But it all went horribly wrong. Sarai became jealous of Hagar. The scripture says dealt harshly with her and Hagar ran off. And in the midst of all this mess, the angel of the Lord came and gave Hagar a command and a promise. And Hagar knew she was remembered. She knew she had dealt with the God who sees.

The feelings that lie…

Often, I tell my children that my feelings lie. I tell them that to remind them and to remind me. I have choices with what I do with my fear and how I view my feelings. As a believer, I have a hope. It is founded in the cross and resurrection of Jesus and in the very character and nature of God. He never changes and he is always the same yesterday today and forever. Satan’s objective is to cause me to doubt that good character and to doubt that God sees and that He remembers. He also wants me to feel that I am being harshly dealt with, that what I am enduring is not a good Father but one I cannot trust and who does not care.

The God who sees…

So what do I do when my feelings feel like the only truth I can see or my thoughts keep finding their way to despair or doubt? This is actually one of the few things I can control. I cannot control what comes into my thoughts, but I can control what I allow my heart to meditate on. That can be as simple as carrying an index card in my purse with a verse on God’s faithfulness or as complicated as memorizing several passages that remind me of what my heart is prone to forget. There have been times when every wall in my home had a scripture verse attached to it. And not beautiful framed verses but copy paper written with markers.

I am in control of so little. But this I know, I can bounce my thoughts to his word and allow his word to develop in me a heart that flees to him for comfort and truth. I too, like Hagar, may find myself fleeing from harsh situations in dry and desert-like conditions. But, I am not abandoned. God hears me and He sees. I can believe that, trust him, and meditate on his good promises.

I am not abandoned. God hears me and He sees. Click To Tweet

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Breathe: Return to Rest on Life’s Difficult Paths

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 25, 2018January 13, 2019

The paths God leads us on in this life can be hard. He leads me down many tough, but necessary and worthwhile, roads. I want to share a lesson learned while walking towards healing from abuse. It applies to many circumstances. Perhaps one comes to mind as you read. After all, we all struggle to breathe from time to time.

There are days on this healing journey when the bumps in the road take my breath away. Some days, I will be going along and doing okay, feeling what I call normal, and then the anxiety grips me out of nowhere as I stumble over rocks I didn’t see on the path in front of me. I feel the breath being sucked out of my lungs. I breathe in…I breath out. A few second later, I remember I never took a breath in again. I sharply breath in the air though it doesn’t seem to fill my lungs. I have to actively remind myself to take the next breath.

When I forget to breath in, I don’t feel that suffocating feeling you get when you hold your breath for too long. I feel nothing, then I simply remember I did not breathe; even then, I only feel the air racing into my lungs though they never seem to take enough in. My lungs never feel empty. I just don’t feel the lack of air. My lungs never feel full. I just can’t seem to feel satisfied with the air I have. Breathe in…breathe out…breathe in again…breathe out…I keep reminding myself to breathe. On these days, breathing seems voluntary. Breathing takes physical work, and it’s exhausting. Do you ever feel this way?

Stumbling

Today I found myself struggling to breathe. All morning, I was fine, but as the day progressed, I began to stumble. I’m not really sure what rock I stumbled on, but my feet couldn’t seem to find the ground anymore. Stumbling blocks are hard to see sometimes, aren’t they. I forgot to breathe. Anxiety began to close in as air was pushed out. I had to tell myself “breathe…breathe…breathe” just to stay alive. My mind began to race, and I couldn’t complete a single thought before more words and more panic started a new one. As I tried to slow down to breathe, my mind kept moving faster until I couldn’t keep up. Just…breathe…

I knew there had to be help somewhere in my Bible, somewhere among the words God has spoken to my soul. But when my mind is racing and all my energy is put into breathing, the Bible seems awfully big and the fresh air I need seems like a needle in a haystack among the pages. So, I pulled out my kindle. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but I knew somewhere in the pages of Scripture was a breath for me. I used the search function, and I started looking for air. And God, ever faithful, showered me with His breath to fill my lungs and settle my soul.

The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is compassionate.
The Lord guards the inexperienced;
I was helpless, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
For You, Lord, rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.

Psalm 116:5-9, HCSB

Returning

The whole of psalm 116 ministered deeply to my suffocating soul. Tucked away in this psalm of praise for God who delivered His child is a reminder. The psalmist recounts the Lord’s faithfulness to him then speaks to his own soul, “Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” And with the psalmist I say “For You, Lord, rescued me from death…my feet from stumbling.” I remember God’s faithfulness. Every step of this journey, I remember God has gone with me and before me. At every stumbling, He has grounded my feet once more on Him, my Rock. He has not condemned me for faltering or sent swift judgement on me for falling down at a sharp twist in the path that caught me off guard. He has indeed been gracious and compassionate as the psalmist points out.

So I begin to remember how God has been good to me.

He has called me “daughter”
He has been faithful
He has stayed with me
He has steadied my feet
He has calmed my mind
He has held my heart
He has covered me in His healing balm one wound at a time
He has loved me perfectly

At every stumbling, He has grounded my feet once more on Him, my Rock. Click To Tweet

Remembering

Slowly, I remember to breathe again. My mind settles. My thoughts slow down, so I can manage them one by one. These lungs feel fuller. My heart feels His peace creep in and stay. I remember He cares for me. I remember He is faithful even when I stumble, even when I forget to breathe. I forget to remember, and yet, I still breathe. Little by little, I work less and less to breathe as my body takes over what it was made to do on its own without thought. Anxiety falls away slowly as air flows around me once more. He fills my lungs with the air of His promises, and breathing is easy again. And I find joy in every breath I take without giving up because I know that is one more step I’ve taken towards a healing I’ve been promised though I can’t see it from my spot on the road.

“Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.”

Breathe in… He is with me…

Breathe out… He will never leave me…

Breathe in… He is faithful…

Breathe out… He loves me perfectly…

Breathe in… He goes before me…

Breathe out… He knows where He is leading me…

Breathe in… He leads me gently…

Breathe out… He leads me to His healing…

Dorothy Lin