What A Week!

What a week! Perhaps my week has been tough because of the decision to deny my flesh? Hmmm…well, that could have something to do with it! Anytime we pursue chasing after Christ, denying our flesh and becoming more like Him, we are going to face adversity. When we become more and more like Christ is when we are a threat to the kingdom of darkness. All the sudden those menacing creatures of the dark world stand up and take notice. I can just hear them now!

“Uh oh…a threat is on the horizon! We have a code red at the Shortridge household. The daughter of God residing in that household realized God really meant what He said in 1 Samuel 15:22 “…to obey is better than sacrifice… We must diffuse the situation at once before we have a true emergency!”

Thus, my week of battling not only my own flesh, but also an enemy who does not want me productive and advancing the Kingdom of Heaven, has been crazy! I have been fighting emotions, discouragement, a touch of situational depression, and an overwhelming urge to hang it all up. My life line this week has been Matthew 19:26: …with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Thankfully, He has been my strength this week. I have had wonderful times of refreshing and strengthening in the Word. Also, I have been blessed with excellent reading material. I have been receiving an e-newsletter from Eternal Encouragement Magazine, formerly Teach Magazine, called “Encouraging Moments.”

Upon reading the articles, I find additional ways to become more like Christ. Ideas like praying for my husband daily. Not only am I encouraged to pray for him, but a “Praying for Our Husbands: 31 Day Plan” is included. Wow! I pray for my husband, but this helps me pray specifically. For instance, Day 2’s prayer concentration is “That he might grow in all eleven descriptions of a man who will not be shaken” as listed in Psalm 15. And Day 25’s prayer concentration is “that he might grow in humility and in being a shepherd” from 1 Peter 5:2-6. Imagine the fruit of such prayers prayed on behalf of our husbands and what our marriages might be like because of them!

Also included in the newsletter is Chick Flicks, which are short video feeds of entertaining, inspiring words for us as homemakers, wives, friends and mothers. I especially liked the video on communication! I think I could use an all day seminar on this topic alone.

I am thankful for God’s gift of women sharing with other women. My dependency upon my sisters in Christ has deepened, as I have grown stronger in Christ. The answers that I search for and the wisdom I need are often just a phone call, magazine page, or a cup of coffee with a dear friend, away. In the heart and mind of those I call friend. To subscribe to Eternal Encouragement Magazine click here www.HomemakingWithTEACH.com.

I received this product for honest review from TEACH Magazine as part of the Gabby Mom’s blogging program. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Excerpt from Motivational Speech, "Use Your Gifts"

When God created us, he gave each of us special gifts, some call them talents, that are unique to us. Do you recognize the gifts God has given to you? Have you thought about the gifts you’ve been given? Do you know why you were given those gifts?

One of the gifts that is prevalent in my family, that was passed down to me was the gift of song. My growing up years, and still today, one thing I love is singing. I love music. Right out of high school I went to college. My chosen major was voice, performance. I received several scholarships and had big dreams that included a very popular street in New York City, Broadway. I wanted to be a star. I was good. I knew I was good.

The college I attended was a Christian based college. We had chapel services and I regularly attended. I was a Christian. That is what Christians do. So, I went. My voice professor approached me one day and informed me I was to sing for chapel. A solo. I was excited. The chapel was enormous. The acoustics were fabulous. And, I could invite everyone I knew so they could come and hear me sing. The year was 1985, that kind of dates me, so please, don’t do the math. The Christian music scene was really gaining momentum with Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith’s entrance into the genre. “Friends” by Michael W. Smith, was a huge hit and that is what I decided to sing. I practiced. And practiced some more.

The day came. I stood and looked out at my adoring fans, all neatly line up in rows. I was always in the gym during college. I was friends with the whole basketball team. They took up a few rows, front and center, and they all gave me the thumbs up. I simply smiled and nodded to my fellow music student who was seated at the grand piano center stage. I stood right next to the piano.

I turned to him again, this time I smiled a little harder with a bit of a nod, letting him know I was ready. I wasn’t nervous. I grew up with this gift. It was like breathing to me. He looked at me, with a question in his eyes. I looked down and realized he was playing. I couldn’t hear anything. It was like God reached down and literally put his fingers in my ears. I was horrified. There were hundreds of eyes, staring at me, wondering what I was doing. I tried to sing. I could see people whispering. I knew I was singing in a different key than what was being played, but there was nothing I could do. Finally the horror ended and I made my escape. I walked the halls with my head down, in shame. I questioned God. Why did this happen? And I heard that still small voice say, you made this gift I gave you, all about you. When you invited all those people to chapel, it wasn’t so they could hear about me; that I love them and died for them so they could live with me for eternity, You were puffed up with pride. You wanted to take the glory for yourself. I brought you this far, through so much, I am not going to let you ruin yourself.

It was one of the hardest, most humiliating times of my life. I also learned one of the most important lessons of my life. Everything, and I mean everything I do, is for him. With each volleyball serve, I whispered, this is for you. With each song I sang, this is for you. Everything, especially anything I was apt to take pride in, was to give God the glory.

Crossroads

Have you ever really messed up? I mean, you know God wants you to do something and you keep failing, miserably? I am there. I am dwelling in the land of self pity, procrastination, excuses and justification. Let me tell you about it.

I’m going to say it straight up. God is calling me to become more obedient by becoming more disciplined. I am failing miserably. I want to lose weight, be healthy and be able to do what I am called to do with abundant energy and tenacity.

Every day I wake up with a prayer on my lips. Lord, be my strength today. Help me do Your will. I want to be obedient to Your voice.

Our pastor has challenged us to read and study the book of Hebrews. The other day I read Hebrews 10:26&27 and the words I read scared me.

Here they are: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries.”

Thus began my journey in the land of self pity. I cried out, “Lord, I sin every day. It’s useless to even try. I might as well give up. There is no hope for me! I’m doomed for hell. I might as well resign myself to it now and accept the inevitable.”

I read a few chapters that day. But those are the words that stuck to me, pierced my heart, and condemned me to an eternity of everlasting pain and regret.

Today as I was reading those same few chapters, another set of verses struck me. They are from Hebrews 11:11&12: “By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful, who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude-innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”

Whoa…hold on here just a minute. Didn’t Sarah mess up big time? Didn’t she tell her husband to sleep with her handmaid because God wasn’t working fast enough for her? Didn’t she doubt Him? Didn’t she think He wasn’t going to follow through? Didn’t she think she must have heard Him wrong or that He was really talking about something else? Oh my! And here is the WOW part. By faith, she still received the promise. Unbelievable. God still used her as He promised He would.

You mean there is still hope for me? Is it possible that God may still use me to glorify Himself somehow? Today as I was reading, it dawned on me I conveniently skipped over one word in the first passage I read. The word, “willingly.”

So, now I am standing at a crossroad. One road is called “giving up and resigning myself to how I am” and the other is called “deny the flesh and walk in obedience.” The choice is mine.