Mr. & Mrs. Betterhalf

Do you ever leave after hearing a great message with a knowing that you will never forget what you have just heard?

Well, Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church struck a chord with me in a recent series titled "Mr. & Mrs. Betterhalf."

My friends and I have talked about this for weeks since.

The first portion I watched was actually online.

I'm a Pilates fanatic (don't judge) and I prefer to watch sermons while doing the home videos.

I had to stop the Pilates Video that day for two reasons.

A) The sermon was too good NOT to take notes.

B) I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.

Quite a sight.

But on a serious note, whether you are married, single (happily or not), on the market, YOU NAME IT, this series is for you.

The thing about teaching on marriages from a Biblical standpoint is that most of the concepts apply to all relationships in our lives, because we should have the attitude of Christ in all avenues.

I put the link below to the 3rd week because it was my absolute favorite, but please make a point to watch the entire series. It is so worth your time.

And the second week was just hands down awesome because Pastor Furtick's wife spoke, too cool : )

Mr. & Mrs. Betterhalf, Part 3: An Arranged Marriage

Currently Playing:

What Are We Up Against

As I am walking through this Covenant Study by Kay Arthur, I have to restrain myself from running to the computer to type through all my excitement over new "discoveries."

You see, writing is the one way I express emotion best.

9 times out of 10, if I share what God is doing in my life, I don't get the cartwheels and sheer excitement I was looking for out of people, which is understandable. 

However, when I write, I get to at least hold out hope that somewhere, someone on the other side of the computer screen is resonating with what I am saying  : )

And if not, I will never know.

It's a win/win situation.

Today, however, as soon as I finished Day 4 of Week 2 I made a B line for the computer.

Kay (we're on a first name basis now) addressed an issue in today's lesson that I feel is often labeled as 'tabu' in church culture today, and I find it to be....irking at times.

When I experience times of spiritual defeat, I now know what I am up against. But I spent WAY to many years of my Christian life unaware of the "cosmic battle" (Ephesians 6) that we are facing.

Here is where the "tabu topic" begins. 

Many Christians want to hear nothing of "evil forces," "cosmic powers," "spiritual forces," or anything of that nature.

But God said it, not me, not your preacher, not your best friend, God Himself.

And I believe if He took the time to address it, we should too.

Spiritual defeat, I have learned, is far more than just a season of "bad feelings" and so forth.

We are in a war, every single day of our lives as Christians. 

We have an enemy, who is the ruler of this world, the father of lies.

As Ephesians 6 describes, there are in fact spiritual forces waging war in and around you.

Why?

Because just as God has promised and assured you that He has a plan for your life, so too does the ruler of this world.

However, one plan brings life and the other, death.

I say all of this for a reason.

There is an action that we, as Christians, are called to every single day, and that is to "put on the whole armor of God," so that we can take a stand against the "schemes of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11).

One piece of that armor, among many, is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Word of God is a powerful piece of weaponry and we cannot walk onto the battleground without it.

So be strong, stand firm, and put on the whole armor of God. 

What A Day

I can't sleep.

This blog post contains nothing of true importance, but today (which is now technically yesterday) was a very interesting day, so I figured I would rant about it.

1. After rolling out of bed this morning, my mom stops me halfway on my trek to the bathroom and greets me with this: 
"Your sister just passed out in the hallway."

Good morning, all.

2. I made my mom cry today.

Not the good kind of cry, the bad kind.

We were playing around and I tossed a t-shirt at her head, 
unaware of the very hard and sharp object caught in the shirt
 that would soon cause her to burst into tears.

Y'all, I could have died. I felt terrible, still do. Moving on...

3. I broke the fridge.

(temporarily)

As I put the lemonade back this afternoon, I turned to head for the pantry and heard a loud *BANG*

I kept walking, today had been long enough already.

(Don't worry, I came back to find one of the fridge shelves - dismantled).

4. I spent over an hour reading this.

I love her blog oh so much!

5. I was reminded of my love for Anthropology as I perused the store for a short while.

Just as quickly, I was reminded of my utter dislike of their price tags.

6. My dear grandmother made turkey burgers this week. 

(sounds gross, but with the right amount of ketchup, they're great!)

I intended to eat one for dinner.

As I made my perfect burger, complete with lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, and mustard, about halfway through my "burger" I stopped to ask why I was thoroughly not enjoying this creation.

I proceeded to take the top half of the bun off to investigate.

No sooner did I realize I was missing a very important component to my burger: the burger.

Which I discovered was still in the microwave.

(YouCanCallMeBettyCrocker)

7. While sitting for an elderly lady and her great granddaughter today, I jumped at the realization that the sweet woman was inserting her finger into the hole atop my knee in my capris.

Umm?

She proceeded to tell me, "Sweetie, someone needs to buy you a pair of pants."

I held it together and chuckled later about it.

Still am, in fact.

8. Some teenager was nearly flattened as I exited the neighborhood I was sitting tonight.

As if I hadn't had enough excitement for one day, I'm waiting like a good citizen at the stop sign nearest the neighborhood entrance when I suddenly hear loud yelling from outside my car.

Next thing I know some ...kid... is running like a maniac in front of my car.

Please get a new hobby for the sake of innocent babysitters.

If you've made it this far in the post, you're faithful and maybe you have sleep apnea tonight as well.

Happy Sunday!

Rest. Rest in Him.

"I Feel So Loved"

"I feel so loved."
I say this over countless things...
When I receive a thoughtful card,
When my sweet mom surprises me with my favorite food (ice cream),
When my sister let's me wear the shirt we always both inevitably want on the same day.

Clearly y'all, it's the little things in life with me.
It doesn't take too much for me to just feel overwhelmed by the love of others.

Why do I point this out?
Because of a gentle nudge the Holy Spirit blessed me with this afternoon.

I was reading an ongoing messag thread between a friend and myself as she explained how unloved by God she had been feeling recently.
Nodding my head in complete understanding of her sentiments, the Lord stopped me mid thought.

Just as I was about to throw in another "been there" type of comment, it was as if God himself whispered into my ear, "Why, Beloved, do you doubt my love?"

No, I didn't audibly hear this but I might as well had, the impact ran just as deep.

My mind began racing in directions it had never been before:
Here I so often complain to God, "Lord, I know you love me and accept me as your child, but I'm just not feeling/experiencing that today."
Then minutes later, in walks mom with a Chick-Fil-A milkshake and suddenly "I feel so loved?"

Here, the God of the universe sits enthroned in the Heavens, thinking thoughts towards me moment by moment, not to mention sending His only Son to die a gruesome death to appease His wrath toward me, and I choose to question His love.

He must be grieved. He gave Himself, all He had to save me of my sins so that I might live for the glory of His name, but I cannot do this because I am too busy pickin flowers playing the, "He loves me, He loves me not," game.

He loves me!!!
And I will not allow the ruler of this world to have another second of my God given time, as I sit around grumbling over a question that God Himself has answered in more ways than I can even fathom.

You are loved, beloved. Now let that overflow of love fuel your fire to go spread the Gospel!

Be There

Okay y'all.

I am pretty much one excited girl right about now.

I just registered for the Beth Moore conference coming to CHARLOTTE in July.

Can I just tell you how monumental this is?

If you insist : )

This is like my birthday, cow day at Chick-Fil-A, and graduation X10.

You know what is funny about my excitement over the Beth Moore conference. 

It doesn't actually have to do 'with' Beth Moore, exactly.

It's more so what happens when Beth Moore speaks, writes, etc. 

Let me explain:

The first time I heard Beth Moore speak, it was surreal.

I had been anticipating hearing sweet Beth (as if I know her. Actually, we're best friends, she just doesn't know it yet) speak for months. 

The moment the words began to flow though, Beth Moore completely faded away, and it was just myself and God in that room.

No one else.

The Holy Spirit was so thick in that place, I can remember feeling as though I could cut it with a knife.

It was so real, so authentic, so memorable.

I hung on every word, no because they were being spoken by a sweet Southern belle, but because they were His words; I know it like I know the back of my hand.

That would be my prayer, if the Lord ever gave me the opportunity to speak or write for an audience even a fraction of that which Beth has accumulated; that they would walk away not remembering a "great message" or a "good communicator."

My prayer is that they would walk away having heard from the Lord, having received a word from sweet Jesus.

If you don't have anything to do the 22nd or 23rd of July, 

please make your way to this event!

You won't be sorry.

http://www.lifeway.com/event/?id=39&CID=RDR-LivingProof

I Miss...

For some reason, I have spent the last few days reminiscing and I've decided I greatly miss a few things, three in-particular.

1. Israel.

Put me on a plane now, please. 

A one way plane. 

After reading Radical by David Platt again this week, my heart and mind have been far, far away from Concord, NC. I miss the people, the culture, the language, the food, the sights, the sounds, everything. Most of all, however, I miss the ministry.

2. Passion. 

I watched a few of the clips from the Passion Conference sessions this week and oh my, I am all but counting down the days to Passion 2012. 

Seriously, those were some of the most amazing days of my entire life.

I remember so much of those 4 days, because God moved in such a mighty way.

Best of all, He's ready and willing to move in the same capacity day after day.

3. Samford University. 

I know, I know - I was just there. But I really would move in tomorrow and be the happiest person alive!

That place is like home already and I have spent less than 10 days there in my entire life.

Still though, it is home and I cannot wait to see what God is going to do over the next four years.

In quite a few of the Community Group sessions at Passion in January, we sang the Doxology together. I thought it was amazing. 

It was like yet another taste of heaven during those four days.

Everyone lifting praises to Him with one voice.

I thought I would share : )

Covenant

Have you ever had so much to say you just don't know where to begin.

So then you just don't say anything.

If that resonates with you, then you get me at the moment : )

These past few days have been some of the most amazing of my entire life, hands down.

The highlight of it all has to be my time in Alabama at orientation, shocker.

If you wish I would hush with the Samford talk, I give you fair warning that it is impossible.

My excitement about this matches little else in my life because I know that I know that I know that this is where God wants and is leading me and that is the root of my excitement.

Yeah, Samford University, all the sweet people there, Brook Hills, Alabama, southern-ness - those are all wonderful bonuses but I truly believe that my joy is from being in God's will. He is faithful to fulfill His promises y'all.

Okay, perfect intro into my next spill!

Last week marked the first of what will now be a summer long Bible Study for High School and College girls at Hickory Grove Baptist Church, led by the ever so talented and beautiful Mrs. Valarie Elswick. This too could not be any more of a "God Thing" and I don't use that term lightly. He began working on me this past year to orchestrate a study and then all the pieces began to fall into place a couple months ago! 

My favorite part of the study, however, is that is unlike any other study I have ever done - entirely. 

In fact, some people would be quite turned off by the study, so I have come to find out : )

I got to the point this year where I was tired of having hardcore, on fire, amazing quiet times for 10 weeks of doing any given Bible Study and then bam! Bible Studies over and I'm bag to perusing the pages of the Bible and at the end feeling as though I want more.

I came to the conclusion that the problem was not with the Bible (clearly, it's God breathed, it gives life, it's perfect). The problem was with me.

I had read books about the Bible, picked apart bits and pieces of the actual Bible, and done tons of studies on the Bible, but I had never taken the time to learn how to read the Bible for myself.

Just me, God, and the Bible.

Conviction.

So, I set out to do just that. And I am not alone, quite a few other high school and college aged girls are doing just the same, and I could not be happier.

Covenant.

Be on the lookout, I cannot keep all this in!

Blessings. 

On Second Thought

Have you ever reacted to someone and thought, "where in the world did that come from?"

Unfortunately, I had one of those incidences just the other day.

It was one of those "insert foot in mouth" moments.

You know, the ones you wish you could take back but can't.

Yeah, one of those.

As I kept thinking about my reaction throughout the day, I could not pinpoint the cause of my behavior.

Sure, there was a ton of history and hurt in the past with this person, but hadn't I said the right words already 'I forgive you.' What more could be expected? Right?

Wrong, very wrong.

I realized that while I had tried masking it with apology acceptances and candy coated words, deep down, I was still very bitter. Hence the phrase "actions speak louder than words." With my mouth, I was saying "I forgive you," but with my actions and heart, I was saying "I refuse to share with you the same level of forgiveness I receive from Christ every day.

Selfish? Most definitely.

I spent time talking with God about the condition of my heart, about how I wanted forgiveness to penetrate far beyond my words and something amazing happened. 

The next time I came in contact with this person, I realized it was effortless to sincerely be kind and loving towards them; I no longer had to put on an act.

Can I share something with you? Forgiving someone is not only a Biblical command, but it feels far greater to take that initial step than to harbor bitterness forever and a day.

So the next time you have one of those, "where did that come from" moments, try asking yourself if there is any remnant of bitterness in your heart. 

Take it from me, the smallest spec can surface like a massive boulder.

"forgive as I have forgiven you."