After months of brainstorming, planning, critiquing there is now a shop of items offered through this little blog. I’m excited to tell you more about it, because it is more than pretty jewelry, or cute apparel. Please allow me to share my heart with you.
We have all had encounters and experiences in our lives that have planted a seed of doubt. They have made us question our purpose, our value, ourselves. These are lies that have been whispered to us repeatedly, and if we don’t acknowledge them, they can make us less effective and destroy our influence. These lies feed our defensiveness to protect ourselves from feeling weak. Our weaknesses can hinder us and cause insecurities, but those same weaknesses, if we acknowledge and address them they can bring us strength and give glory to God. Let’s change the repetition of lies. Let’s replace them with the truth of God.
Afraid, but GOD…has loved you.
Running, but GOD…has pursued you.
Broken, but GOD…has redeemed you.
Messy, but GOD…thinks you are beautiful.
Striving, but GOD…says you are enough.
I believe in a God, and that He is good. As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe:
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “… Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
I also believe that there is an enemy that wants to destroy our influence and ultimately our lives.
This message that I want to share I believe is from God, and I believe the enemy wants to keep me silent and to keep you from hearing it. This past week, I felt completely under attack mentally and emotionally. To make it worse, I was attacked with each of these lies that I am telling others to replace with truth.
I felt afraid that people would reject me. I wanted to run away from this project. I felt defeated and broken in my spirit. I felt like my life was out of control and messy. I felt like I needed to strive to be different and felt envious of others. And when I realized that I was struggling with the very thing I was speaking against, I felt like an imposter. Who am I to be sharing this? This is the exact response the enemy was looking for.
The morning after I realized all of this, my oldest son woke up and wanted to tell me about a dream he had. In his dream, he was with Jesus and they were fighting demons. He wanted to know what it meant. I told him that I believe we are constantly in a battle. And that is why it is important to put on the armor of God that he has been learning about at church.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:10-18, ESV
Shortly after this, my middle child woke up and he started talking about his dream. In his dream he was standing in our living room and people were trying to break in and attack us. Yikes.
After sharing this with my mother-in-law, she shared with me:
…Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Revelations 12:10, ESV
The enemy accuses us of being imposters, of being weak, of being sinful. BUT, he has been thrown down!! He has been defeated!! Hallelujah, there is a NEW truth!
Yes, I would say that the enemy doesn’t want you believe the truth. The enemy wants you to be afraid, running, broken, messy, and striving…
but GOD….
Oh ladies!! This is where it gets good!
but GOD…
That means the story changes!
but GOD…
It means there is hope!
Afraid, but GOD…has loved you.
Running, but GOD…has pursued you.
Broken, but GOD…has redeemed you.
Messy, but GOD…thinks you are beautiful.
Striving, but GOD…says you are enough.
Here is the truth: You are loved by the Almighty, and He is pursuing you in order to redeem you. He has made you beautiful, and because he has loved you, pursued you, and redeemed you; you are enough!
I wish you could hear the excitement in my voice! I wish I could tell you to your lovely face! I wish I could rejoice with you right now as you are reading this!
The items in the shop are simply to help remind us of the truth and to change the repetition of lies that we have listened to. I pray for us all to change the dialogue in our minds and to live the abundant life that Jesus told us about.
Here are several of the items.
Click on any picture to take you to the shop to see all of them.
I will be in the Louisville, Kentucky area Memorial Day weekend. If you live in that area, and would like to eliminate shipping cost by picking them up from me while I am there, simply select “Pick up” when checking out and send me a note. xoxo
