Going with the "Maybe"

I've been reading a book that deals with fear. It's a great and encouraging book that has helped me a lot. One of the points the author, Jentzen Franklin, makes is that sometimes when we feel fear about something we have to trust God with the maybe.

Sometimes God tells us to do something and we don't really know how it's going to turn out. That's when we trust God to take care of us and believe His best for us.

I'm in a season right now in relationships, at my work, and life in general where I'm learning to trust God with the "maybe".

It's scary and there are times where I'm tempted to stay in my safe little corner. But here's the truth, I'll never fulfill the plans God has for me if I don't take risks and trust God with the "maybe".

Thoughts on Modesty

Everything I have is really God's because He's provided the money for it.

My house.

My food.

Even my clothes.

As I was thinking about this, it dawned on me...

If my clothes are given to me by God, then wouldn't I want them to more modest?

Now I'm not one of those people who think women should be covered from head to toe, but I do think women should guard the way they dress. Especially in the way of exposing their boobs to the whole world. I've seen amazing Christian women who cause guys to stumble all over themselves because their "girls" are hanging out of their top.

But I don't think the only reason women should dress modestly is so guys won't drool all over themselves.

I think women should dress modestly first to please God. And second, for themselves. Think about it, if you think you have to expose a body part to feel attractive, you probably don't think very highly of yourself.

There are ways women can look attractive without exposing themselves, it just takes some fashion sense and a little bit of creativity.

After all, our clothes are really given to us by God. Shouldn't they glorify Him instead of particluar body part? Just sayin'.

The Power of a Good Story

Stories are powerful.

They make us cry, fill us with hope, inspire us to action, and challenge us to change.

I think that's why I love a good story.

It can be from a book, a movie, a personal story, or a story about someone's life in the Bible.

Right now I'm reading about the the life of Joshua in the Bible.

It's fascinating.

This guy's mentor was Moses. When God chatted with Moses, Joshua was actually there right beside him! It's clear that God prepared this guy from day one to fight and lead the people of Israel through the Promised Land.

It reminds me that God has great plans for us. And that fills me with hope.

What's a good story you've read or heard about lately? It can be a personal story, a story from a sermon, book, movie...it doesn't matter. Feel free to share!

Loss

I don't have much to say today. Last week, I lost my "Grammy" who I loved and who I know loved me very much. Please be in prayer for my family.

My Past Body Image Issues

I look so fat.
I've got to skip a meal today because I didn't get to work out.
If I have that piece of cake it's over.

Sadly, many years ago this is what my thought life was. I was obsessed with my weight. I would skip meals, excercise like crazy, all to stay thin.

And here's the crazy part...I was thin!

But I was filled with fear. Fear of gaining weight, fear of being unloved...rejected.

It took years to have a healthy relationship with food and excercise.

Now...praise God...I am free.

I eat healthy, excercise regularly...but I am not crazy about it.

Here are signs you may have an unhealthy body image:
Guilt when you miss a workout.
The feeling of being "fat" when you miss a workout.
Having no sweets. Ever. End of story.
Working out more than 3 hours a day (unless training for something)
Skipping meals
Counting calories like a mad woman

All of these things led me to have a very unhealthy body image.
We live in a society that uses food as a drug. We either eat too much and live unhealthy lives. Or we starve ourselves and live unhealthy lives.


Both are deadly and destructive.


If you are struggling in this area, talk to someone. Get help. God wants to set you free. All you have to do is open the door and let Him in.

Finding LOL Friends

Growing up and even well into adulthood I always kept friends at arms length. They would give, I would take, and give nothing in return.

I know now it stemmed from insecurity. I thought if people knew me, they would reject me.

Thankfully, I no longer feel this way. God freed me of my insecurity a couple of years ago. And around that time,  I walked into a women's group suggested by my sister. I was down (about a boy, of course) and I'm sure I looked like a pathetic mess. But these girls didn't seem to mind.

They took me in and accepted me. Even though they had been friends longer.

Now...around three years later they are the greatest friends ever. We've had some additions to our group, heartache, lots of laughter, and three weddings (and hoping to have many more).

They are the friends I never knew I could have.

The ones that challenge you to be more like Jesus, make you laugh out loud, and encourage you when you are down.

So here's to good friends who help me be more like Jesus and make me laugh out loud more than any group of girls I've ever known.

Do you have friends like this?

Advice

My last posts were kind of heavy so I thought I would keep this one light. Women always go to each other for advice.

Especially relationship advice. 

I think sometimes we tend to go to each other before we go to God. But that's for another post.

When it comes to  advice, I've got to be honest...I usually open my mouth and give my advice too quickly. I speak before I think, especially when I really care about the person.

And sometimes it makes me look like a jerk.

So I decided to try something new. Recently, when a friend was asking for advice, I was more quiet. I still gave my advice. But it wasn't my stupid human wisdom...I simply said "I don't know. Ask God and He'll show you what to do."

Imagine that. I pointed someone to God instead of my own silly ideas.

I think I'm going to start doing that from now on. Especially when I don't really know what they should do (which is most of the time).

What about you? Are you quick to give advice?

Living Everday Like I Just Got My Hair Done

I have fine but very thick, long hair. So I always know it's time to visit my hairdresser when my hair starts look less like long in style tresses and more like I'm part of some community where the women wear long skirts and never cut their hair.

This weeked it was time.

Not only to get my hair cut but I got my hair blonde again.

I know guys would never understand this, but there's something about getting your hair done that makes a woman hold her head up a little higher. Stand a little taller. Is that a bad thing? No.

But I wish I felt that way about myself all the time. But truth is, I don't.

I get trapped in comparing myself to others and forget who God made me to be.

I guess I need to remember that every day is an opportunity for me to hold my head high, feel secure in myself, and treat everyday like I just got my hair done.

Rockin' the High Heels Again

I love heels. It can be a boot, a sandal, a peep toe, as long as it has a high heel...I'm in.

But I had to stop wearing them for a while.

I was training for a half-marathon and I couldn't wear them while training. I tend to get sciatica and the best way to help prevent that is to stop wearing high heels while training.

The good news is for the first time I had no sciatic nerve problems while training or in my race.

The bad news is I couldn't wear my high heels.

But now my race is over...the high heels are back.

And that makes me happy.

This girls is rockin' the high heels again...until the next half-marathon.

Running in the Rain

So...I'm training for a half-marathon. It's not the first time. In fact, I've trained for many of these. And for the most part, they've been about the same.

Until yesterday.

It was raining steadily and me and my training buddy needed to run our last eight mile run before a race. We thought we would go to the gym and run on a treadmill but instead we decided to do something different. Maybe a little crazy.

We could run in the rain outside.

And so we did. Yes, we got soaked. And yes, we probably looked a little crazy. But you know what? It was fun. It was adventurous and completely out of ordinary. It got me thinking...how many times do we step outside of our comfort zones? How many times we do something just for the sake of having fun?

Doing something different will sometimes seem crazy. But trust me, the adventure is worth it.

When's the last time you did something different and stepped outside of your comfort zone?

BTW-There was no thunder or lightening while we were running. I may be a little crazy...but I'm not stupid.

A Word that Stings

The other day someone referred to me as a single. And the word stung. And I couldn’t figure out why. I mean I’m all about Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”, why does this bother me? So…I did a little searching inside my heart and I realized something.

It wasn’t the word itself it’s what the word actually means.
Alone. Not together. Single. Not double.

It’s as if the meaning of the word reminds me of how alone I am. And that stings. Now let me be clear, I not one of those PC police who slaps a ticket on the words people say. I don’t care what people call this demographic. And I refuse to walk around being offended that people refer to me as single. I’m just talking about the way I felt at the time someone said this to me. I don’t know if it will sting the next time someone says that to me…I sure hope not.

But just to be safe, I’ll prefer to call myself and others like me as unmarried. At least for now.

Has this ever happened to you? Someone says one word in reference to you and it stings? Or am I the only one?

Change

There are some people who hate change. It terrifies them and makes them wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. Me, I kind of like change. As long as it’s good. And sometimes I’ve even found myself wanting change because I’m bored or unhappy.

And that’s where I get into trouble.

Because of the way I feel I’ll try something new without even asking God about it just because I want change. I’ve never done anything drastic but I’ve seen friends change jobs, move to a different state (and then move back) all because they felt a certain way.

Now I’m not saying we shouldn’t risk or try new things.

But I think it’s got to be led by God and not our feelings. I think if those of us who aren’t married yet were honest, we want to be married.

And we’re not.

So we think if we change jobs, change churches, move to different state, then we’ll be happy and we won’t feel bad. And then we get to that new job, new church, or new state, and after the newness wears off, we find ourselves feeling the same way we did before.

At least that’s been my experience.

I believe we need to start letting God guide our decisions and when we do I think we’ll experience two things. Change. And being in the will of God.

The change may not come in our outward experiences but the change will come in our hearts.


I guess what I’m saying is that we need to let God lead us to change. The next time you’re feeling a little restless, ask God if it’s the Holy Spirit prompting you for change or it’s just your emotions leading you astray. I know that’s what I’m doing right now.

I sense God is leading me and preparing me for change.

I know some of the details but others I’m completely in the dark. And I’m waiting for God to show me the way. It’s hard not to let my emotions get in the way but everyday I give it to God and ask for Him to move me in His way and His time. (Side note: Proverbs 3:5-6 is a great verse to read and take to heart when you in situations like this).

Have you ever made a change out of emotion? What happened?

Has God ever led you to make a change? What happened?