Isaiah 64:8 "But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our Potter; and all we are the work of Your hand."
Several months ago, I went to a pottery shop for an introductory class. As I began to mold my clay, I was reminded that we are clay that is constantly being molded and shaped by our Father's hands.
I will be honest, my first piece didn't look so good. One would think that it wouldn't be THAT hard to make a bowl-like structure when you have something to form it around...YEAH, RIGHT! When I looked at my first piece of work, I saw every imperfection and flaw. I really wanted to just throw it away and say, "Forget it!" The instructor told me not to look at it that way because when it was glazed and fired, it could come out looking really great.
What a great reminder of how God looks at us! Sure, we all have flaws and imperfections, but God doesn't toss us because of them. I put a lot of pressure on myself to not allow my flaws or imperfections show. I view them as weaknesses and I don't want anyone to view me as weak. However, I'm quickly learning that in my weaknesses He is made strong. What I see as horrible imperfections, He sees as areas of my life that, if I choose to live in truth and grace, He can use to bring ultimate glory to Himself! When we allow Him to continue to work on those flaws and imperfections, our lives become a beautiful testimony of His mercy and grace. God doesn't toss us because of our imperfections because He sees the final result and IT is a beautiful piece of work.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Guard your heart, girl!
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23
Our hearts house who we are...our desires. As John Eldredge says in his book, Desire, "Everything that makes life worth living flows from the heart. Intimacy, romance, love. Adventure and meaning and purpose. Courage and sacrifice and joy." No wonder we're told to guard our hearts!
I can't count the number of times that I've been told as a Christian single to "guard my heart" in regards to relationships with the opposite sex. I fully agree that girls do need to guard their hearts in those relationships, but I also think it extends beyond those relationships and beyond applying only to girls!
I think we overlook guarding our hearts with friends because we think we need to share everything with every friend. I had to learn the hard way that every friend can't be trusted with my entire heart. I'm sure that I'm not the only person that has experienced the hurt and pain that comes from a friend when you realize you've trusted them with a part of you/your heart that they couldn't handle. I will admit that it's hard to determine who to share what with without being fake! I finally learned that there are degrees of truth. This has allowed me to be the real me with all my friends, but each friendship has its own level of truth. I have friends who are, what I call, my heart friends. These are the friends that I can bare my soul to and know they can be trusted with that information. Those heart friends were determined over time because character had to be revealed.
It's hard to know to what extent to guard your heart in relationships, but I've found that it's good to land somewhere in the middle of the two extremes of too open and too guarded. I've been both extremes. We all know that when we're too open, pain is inevitable! Being too guarded can be painful, too. It causes us to close ourselves off to what could be really great relationships. I don't think God wants us to live life this way. We were built for relationship with Him and others. Some of my greatest learning lessons have come out of situations where I let the guard down. Those lessons haven't always been painless; but, as someone once told me, "Stretching and growing is always painful." I don't want to be so guarded that I miss out on something that could be really great!
Our hearts house who we are...our desires. As John Eldredge says in his book, Desire, "Everything that makes life worth living flows from the heart. Intimacy, romance, love. Adventure and meaning and purpose. Courage and sacrifice and joy." No wonder we're told to guard our hearts!
I can't count the number of times that I've been told as a Christian single to "guard my heart" in regards to relationships with the opposite sex. I fully agree that girls do need to guard their hearts in those relationships, but I also think it extends beyond those relationships and beyond applying only to girls!
I think we overlook guarding our hearts with friends because we think we need to share everything with every friend. I had to learn the hard way that every friend can't be trusted with my entire heart. I'm sure that I'm not the only person that has experienced the hurt and pain that comes from a friend when you realize you've trusted them with a part of you/your heart that they couldn't handle. I will admit that it's hard to determine who to share what with without being fake! I finally learned that there are degrees of truth. This has allowed me to be the real me with all my friends, but each friendship has its own level of truth. I have friends who are, what I call, my heart friends. These are the friends that I can bare my soul to and know they can be trusted with that information. Those heart friends were determined over time because character had to be revealed.
It's hard to know to what extent to guard your heart in relationships, but I've found that it's good to land somewhere in the middle of the two extremes of too open and too guarded. I've been both extremes. We all know that when we're too open, pain is inevitable! Being too guarded can be painful, too. It causes us to close ourselves off to what could be really great relationships. I don't think God wants us to live life this way. We were built for relationship with Him and others. Some of my greatest learning lessons have come out of situations where I let the guard down. Those lessons haven't always been painless; but, as someone once told me, "Stretching and growing is always painful." I don't want to be so guarded that I miss out on something that could be really great!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
It's time to come clean
Hello, my name is Angela AND I am a Starbucks addict.
Readers of I'm Just Sayin: "Hello, Angela."
Really???? What's not to love about Starbucks?! I guess for some it is as Tom Hanks' character in You've Got Mail says, "The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision making ability, whatsoever, to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short. Tall. Light. Dark. Caff. Decaf. Low fat. Nonfat. So people who don't know who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee, but absolutely a defining sense of self!"
I've been drinking coffee most of my life, but Starbucks allowed me to take that coffee addiction to a whole new level! It opened a whole new world of coffee opportunities for me! I could couple two of my favorite things in one cup...coffee and caramel. What more could a girl want?! Well, lots, but that's an entirely different blog!
For me, Starbucks is more than just coffee...it is an experience!
When you walk in, you are greeted by the rich coffee aroma! That smell soon gets into your clothes and hair, which I must say is like taking a little piece of heaven with you when you go! I wish I could figure out how to bottle that smell!
I love meeting friends at, as I affectionately call it, The Bucks! You don't have to worry about them kicking you out because you've been there for hours chatting away, reading a book, or working on your computer. You can settle in to one of their deep, comfy chairs and let the stresses of the day just melt away and enjoy your cup of coffee.
It's my happy place! SIGHHHHHHHH :)
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Are you content?
Philippians 4: 11-13 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who give me strength."
Do you ever wish that you could learn the secret of contentment that Paul learned? What is it that causes us to become discontent? I think we struggle with contentment because we are always looking for the next best thing to make us happy, which we equate with being content. That next best thing comes in many forms: more money, more power, cars, houses, jobs, and the one I've dealt with the most...getting married.
Being a 30 something single, I can relate to this one! We are taught from the time we are little girls that we are princesses. Well, we all know what happens when you're a princess...a prince on a white horse will com in to rescue you & whisk you away to live happily ever after. This isn't what God intended for us at all! He wants to be our Prince that comes in to rescue us! If we aren't content in Him, then nothing else will bring us true contentment...not even marriage!
I, like most other single women, desire to be married and have a family. Those aren't bad desires, and I fully believe they are God given desires. I think we can make the mistake of looking at those desires as the point in which our lives can start. I've heard it said that if you are aren't content before you get married, marriage isn't going to make you content.
There is a much deeper desire within me to pursue Christ and the purpose He has for me. I have a desire within me to work with young girls and women. I have no clue where God is going to lead me in this area, but He is continually opening doors and I'm walking through them. I've found that when I pursue Christ and His calling, the other desires fade into the background. It doesn't mean that I've abandoned those desires...they just aren't the most important to me. A man was never meant to complete me. That's God's job!!!! If I'm doing my thing and pursuing God, then if/when God brings the guy, he'll just be the icing on the cake.
I think this was the secret Paul learned: if you pursue Christ and the desires he places within you, your striving for all those other desires ceases. It's easy to be content when you aren't trying to seek out the next best thing to bring you contentment.
Do you ever wish that you could learn the secret of contentment that Paul learned? What is it that causes us to become discontent? I think we struggle with contentment because we are always looking for the next best thing to make us happy, which we equate with being content. That next best thing comes in many forms: more money, more power, cars, houses, jobs, and the one I've dealt with the most...getting married.
Being a 30 something single, I can relate to this one! We are taught from the time we are little girls that we are princesses. Well, we all know what happens when you're a princess...a prince on a white horse will com in to rescue you & whisk you away to live happily ever after. This isn't what God intended for us at all! He wants to be our Prince that comes in to rescue us! If we aren't content in Him, then nothing else will bring us true contentment...not even marriage!
I, like most other single women, desire to be married and have a family. Those aren't bad desires, and I fully believe they are God given desires. I think we can make the mistake of looking at those desires as the point in which our lives can start. I've heard it said that if you are aren't content before you get married, marriage isn't going to make you content.
There is a much deeper desire within me to pursue Christ and the purpose He has for me. I have a desire within me to work with young girls and women. I have no clue where God is going to lead me in this area, but He is continually opening doors and I'm walking through them. I've found that when I pursue Christ and His calling, the other desires fade into the background. It doesn't mean that I've abandoned those desires...they just aren't the most important to me. A man was never meant to complete me. That's God's job!!!! If I'm doing my thing and pursuing God, then if/when God brings the guy, he'll just be the icing on the cake.
I think this was the secret Paul learned: if you pursue Christ and the desires he places within you, your striving for all those other desires ceases. It's easy to be content when you aren't trying to seek out the next best thing to bring you contentment.
A Smile on this face...
I've decided that somewhere within me is a magnet that attracts the most bizarre men...I call them my crazies! Just like any single, available girl, I do want some interest from the opposite sex. However, there are some that I wish would not pay me any attention at all! In the last few weeks, I've had a string of them. My favorite to date happened yesterday morning.
Picture it....
I'm driving down the interstate in my exit only lane prepared to merge onto yet another interstate while singing "Defying Gravity" from the Wicked soundtrack at the top of my lungs. Suddenly, a crew cab F350 truck in the lane next to me gets a little ahead of me and there is a man leaning half of his body out the back wind of the truck waving wildly at me. Well, of course I look because he could be trying to tell me something important like, "Hey, you have a flat tire!" This was not the case! When he knew he had my attention he gave me a cheesy grin and then did the Joey backward head nod, as if to say, "How you doin'?"
I was shocked!!!!! I mean, seriously?!?! What did he think I was gonna do???? Did he think I was gonna gesture with my thumb & pinky next to my face as if to say, "Call me," then hold up a poster board with my number plastered on it?!
Picture it....
I'm driving down the interstate in my exit only lane prepared to merge onto yet another interstate while singing "Defying Gravity" from the Wicked soundtrack at the top of my lungs. Suddenly, a crew cab F350 truck in the lane next to me gets a little ahead of me and there is a man leaning half of his body out the back wind of the truck waving wildly at me. Well, of course I look because he could be trying to tell me something important like, "Hey, you have a flat tire!" This was not the case! When he knew he had my attention he gave me a cheesy grin and then did the Joey backward head nod, as if to say, "How you doin'?"
I was shocked!!!!! I mean, seriously?!?! What did he think I was gonna do???? Did he think I was gonna gesture with my thumb & pinky next to my face as if to say, "Call me," then hold up a poster board with my number plastered on it?!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Insecurities: We all have them, so what do we do with them?
We all have insecurities...that's just part of life! What we do with those insecurities is a different story. The way I see it, there are two ways to handle our insecurities: we can live out of them or we can find freedom from them in Christ.
Living out of Insecurities
Insecurities present themselves in different ways for each of us. If we are insecure about friendships, we spend all our time trying to fit in with the people we want to be accepted by. When we are insecure in our ability to do something, we tend to go above and beyond what's required in an effort to prove ourselves to gain acceptance and approval. When we are insecure about our looks or personal appearances, we try to wear the right make-up, have the right hairstyle, dress like those we want to impress, or workout and diet tirelessly. When we are insecure about our singleness or relationships, we tend to become over eager in trying to make someone interested in us. When we try to arrange our lives to overcompensate for our own insecurities, we neglect God and we exhaust ourselves and those around us.
Freedom in Christ
When we bring our insecurities before God and allow Him to heal those insecurities, we find freedom. In Him, we are greatly loved and accepted. We are beautiful in His sight (Ps 45:11). He has called us His beloved (Song of Solomon). He is the greatest Friend we will ever have (Job 16:20-21). One of the greatest compliments I have received is being told that I'm the same no matter who I'm around and I'm not afraid to say what I think. That is one of the benefits that come when we take our insecurities to God. When we relinquish our insecurities to The Father, we are able to be ourselves without worrying about others around us because we are only concerned about Him and what He says about us. Beth Moore said, "Our callings can be at stake if we are not willing to allow Him to deal with our insecurities." Allowing Him to heal our insecurities frees us up to live the life He has called us to live. I don't know about you, but I don't want my insecurities to hold me back from what He has planned for me.
Living out of Insecurities
Insecurities present themselves in different ways for each of us. If we are insecure about friendships, we spend all our time trying to fit in with the people we want to be accepted by. When we are insecure in our ability to do something, we tend to go above and beyond what's required in an effort to prove ourselves to gain acceptance and approval. When we are insecure about our looks or personal appearances, we try to wear the right make-up, have the right hairstyle, dress like those we want to impress, or workout and diet tirelessly. When we are insecure about our singleness or relationships, we tend to become over eager in trying to make someone interested in us. When we try to arrange our lives to overcompensate for our own insecurities, we neglect God and we exhaust ourselves and those around us.
Freedom in Christ
When we bring our insecurities before God and allow Him to heal those insecurities, we find freedom. In Him, we are greatly loved and accepted. We are beautiful in His sight (Ps 45:11). He has called us His beloved (Song of Solomon). He is the greatest Friend we will ever have (Job 16:20-21). One of the greatest compliments I have received is being told that I'm the same no matter who I'm around and I'm not afraid to say what I think. That is one of the benefits that come when we take our insecurities to God. When we relinquish our insecurities to The Father, we are able to be ourselves without worrying about others around us because we are only concerned about Him and what He says about us. Beth Moore said, "Our callings can be at stake if we are not willing to allow Him to deal with our insecurities." Allowing Him to heal our insecurities frees us up to live the life He has called us to live. I don't know about you, but I don't want my insecurities to hold me back from what He has planned for me.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Valuable Lesson
I have just returned from a little trip to the beach. Since this was my first extended period of time in the sun for the season, I thought it best to be well equipped with sunscreen. I usually use SPF of 10 or less, but decided to bump it up to a 15 for this beach trip. I love the spray sunscreen because it is less of a mess and much easier to get those hard to reach places when there is no one there to rub the suntan lotion on your back! I finally had the perfect beach day, so off I go with my book, iPod, Blackberry, and sunscreen. I wasn't prepared for the massive wind that was present, but I really thought that I had done a good job of getting every part of exposed skin covered with sunscreen.
Not so much! They should put a warning label on those spray sunscreens...Don't use in windy conditions! I didn't realize until I was home and showered that there were different areas on my body that were varied between tan and lobster red! A nice splotchy look going on...oh, so attractive!
I learned a valuable lesson, though...wind and spray sunscreen don't play well together. Let this be a lesson to us all!
Not so much! They should put a warning label on those spray sunscreens...Don't use in windy conditions! I didn't realize until I was home and showered that there were different areas on my body that were varied between tan and lobster red! A nice splotchy look going on...oh, so attractive!
I learned a valuable lesson, though...wind and spray sunscreen don't play well together. Let this be a lesson to us all!
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