Moved to WordPress...

Well, I can't believe it, but I finally got it to work! Been trying to move to WordPress for almost a year now, and being technologically challenged, I needed a techno savvy and really awesome friend to help me get it all set up! Thanks, Lisa!

Anyway, it's the same domain name, just a new place to land:
http://lauraleeshaw.com.

Come see me there and subscribe anew!!!! I'll be working on getting it set up for awhile, but no biggie. ;)

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Not A "Do It Myself" Kind of Mother

Being a mom has been the greatest challenge of my life. Truly. I love my kids so much, yet I fail to provide them with my very best on a regular basis.

While this would be a great time to beat myself up, I refuse to do so. The Lord doesn't condemn me, and He doesn't want me on a frowny-faced guilt trip either, so I press on. I pray. I read His Word and other books written by people I respect. And I ditch the crinkly forehead and frown wrinkles, even if I have to pop a tylenol and eat a square of dark chocolate. I digress.

One of the books that I'm reading right now is Your Girl by Vicki Courtney. When I'm finished, I'm going to read Your Boy by the same author. I think one of the reasons I like her books so much is because she "speaks" like my brain thinks. If I could afford it, I would buy one of these books for every single mom I know. That's how good it is.

Anyway, this morning I was reminded of a story she told about how her daughter got to the "I Do It Myself" stage. She said she would've preferred "I love you, mommy" over those words any day, but nonetheless, her daughter's independence was proclaimed on a regular basis. Then she turns the statement back around to us as moms.

Why do we sometimes pull the "I do it myself" routine with the One who could help us do it better? Vicki writes,

"Those of us who have 'I do it myself' attitudes often have a hard time asking God for help. When it comes to mothering, it is impossible to 'do it ourselves.' The best mothers are those who admit that the job is far too big to handle alone. They lay their inadequacies at the foot of the cross and rush to His throne for advice. When their children stray from the path, as they often will, faithful mothers cry out to the Lord in groanings too deep for words. They trust God to draw their children's wayward hearts back to His paths. He is, after all, their Creator."

I've never ever EVER told God "I do it myself." I know better. But each time I manipulate my children, lose my temper, or shove my head in the sand to avoid the issues, my actions are proclaiming my independence and stubbornness with Him loud and clear.

I need my Papa's counsel to raise my kids. He'll give it to me when I ask. And no matter the results, whether things go the way I hope they will or not, I'll trust that He's working, that He loves my children more than I ever could. He is the only One who can honestly say, "I do it Myself." So I pray I'll be the kind of mother, and daughter, who gets out of the way and lets Him do it.

"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD."
1 Samuel 1:27-28

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Need some devos to do with your kids this summer?

Over the past few months, I've received a handful of emails over some kids devotions the Lord inspired me to write several years ago. Many have asked to use these with their kids' groups at church, and a few asked permission to print the whole series...one precious gramma wanted me to know she was doing the devos with her grandchildren. Another asked if I were going to put them in a book. Believe it or not, there are very few books out there for kids, ages 6-10, about friendship (at least co-ed). This project is unique, in that it's designed for parents to read with their children...ask questions, get 'em talkin'. It's tough for young'uns to figure out the friend thing these days, what with all the zingers, sarcasm and ruthlessness the media and society have to offer them. That's why they benefit when we as parents stay involved, help 'em through it.

So here's the deal. No, I don't plan to pitch them to a publisher. I might put them in an ebook someday just for fun. But I want anyone who wants to use them for ministry purposes to feel free to use them as wanted or needed. They're free. Spread them around. I enjoyed going through them with my own children, and I hope you'll do the same with yours.

My only requests are that you don't alter them or try to sell them yourself, which I know you would never do,  (had to mention it anyway), AND that you drop me a line if you feel led about what you or your kids/grandkids/students learned while doing them. That would bless my flip-flops off. ;)

You can find them right here. May the Lord use them for His glory!

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WFW...The Spirit Gives Life

It's Word-Filled Wednesday, hosted by the Internet Cafe! Go by there to see the links to other blogs which are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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Guest Post at "Becoming a Christian Womens' Speaker"

I'm over at Sheila Wray Gregoire's speaker training blog today with a vulnerable guest post about my speaking experiences so far. Keepin' it real, even when it's humbling:

Here it is: My Nagging Question at "Becoming a Christian Womens' Speaker"

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Faith-Colored Fiction

This isn't something I can post often, but I thought it would be fun to post some fiction this Friday. I used to dabble in it before I realized God wanted me to follow the non-fiction route. My dear friend Laury is hosting this fun meme this week, though, and I didn't want to be left out.

This is a "fiction" article of vignettes I wrote awhile back based loosely on some of my own circumstances growing up. It's slice of life fiction with some truth sprinkled in...or for me, healing fiction.




Faith-Colored Glasses
“Hey, FOUR EYES, your mom walks funny!”

I was the only one who wore glasses in the third grade. “My name’s BECKY! And your mom would walk funny, too, if her car had been run over by a semi-truck.”

Their relentless teasing continued. “Oh yeah? Well, maybe if she’d had BIG, THICK glasses like yours, she wouldn’t have crashed!” They stuck their noses in the air, snickering their way into the school.

I hate my life.

******

Dad was in his typical after-work reclined position.

“Becky, just shut up for two seconds, you little brat. I’m tryin’ to watch TV.”

Yuck—his breath stinks.

“Hey Lynn, bring me another beer.”

Get it yourself, you lazy bum. Mom has a headache.

He glared at me. “What are you lookin’ at, Stupid? GET-OUTTA-HERE!”

I hate my life.

******

My choir director had bought me a brand new dress for the occasion--the most exciting dance in the 8th grade--assuring me that I should go.

“Hey, Becky, where’s your dad? This is a DADDY/Daughter dance.” Heather was the know-it-all who seemed to enjoy pointing out how different my life was.

“He doesn’t live with us anymore.”

“Thaaat’s right. He lives at that—(finger snap)—that—(finger snap)—oh yeah, that tavern on the west side of town…orrrr is it the one on the east side?”

My face caught on fire, and I bolted out of there in tears.

I hate my life.

******

“Mrs. Connor? Hi, it’s Becky. Um, I’m going to have to miss the senior concert tonight. Mom’s in the hospital again. I’m so sorry, they’re not sure what’s wrong with her…”

They’re never sure what’s wrong with her.

“…Yeah, well, I have to get to the hospital. She’s asking for me.”

Like I can do anything.

I was ashamed of my tears. “So much for my solo.”

I hate my life.

******

“Wow, Becky—I can’t believe the way you just put a smile on that little girl’s face. No one else has been able to do that. How do you get inside these troubled kids’ heads?”

It felt so good to have someone, an adult no less, compliment me for once. “Well, I guess you could say I understand them.”

Maybe there’s a purpose for my life.

******

I can’t believe I’m here singing in front of the whole college.

“When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way.”

Thank You for shedding Your light on my way, Lord.

“When we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
Even more when we trust and obey.” *

Lord, I accepted You as my Savior when I was six. "Now I want to obey You through ALL my circumstances."

I trust You with my life, God.

******

“Whatcha’ thinkin’ about? Earth to Mom,” asked my daughter.

I scooped her in my arms, then pushed her glasses back onto her nose. “Hi, ‘Lil Dumplin,’ I was just taking a trip down memory lane.”

“Thinkin’ about Gramma again?”

“Yeah, her, among other things.”

“Like?”

“Like the day I began to trust Jesus with my life. I hated my life before then.”

“Daddy says you had an icky childhood.”

“Yeah, it was pretty icky, Punkin’, but you know what? After I said, ‘Okay, Lord, here’s my ick in all its ickiness. Will you please make something of it?’—after I did that, He gave me a special gift.”

Her eyes twinkled with excitement. “What was it, Mommy?”

“A thick pair of faith-colored glasses. And I wore them from that day forward.”

“Faith-colored glasses? Cooooool! What did Gramma look like after you put ‘em on?”

“Different. She still walked crooked…She still had a rough time of it with her brain damage from the car wreck, but…all of a sudden, I noticed new things about her.”

“Liiike?”

“Like how she loved her Bible. How she desperately depended on God for strength. How often she prayed.”

“Wow! That sounds just like you, Mommy.” She pushed up my glasses with her index finger.

I held her close to me. “It does, huh?”

“You know, I think I got a pair of faith-colored glasses, too--at Gramma’s funeral.”

“Yeah?”

She sat up on her knees. “Welllll, I was lookin’ at Gramma’s picture, and I imagined her dancing in Heaven with Jesus. Brand new legs and everything.”

“Yes, honey, those are the same glasses.” She wiped the tear from my cheek.

“I thought so.” She climbed off my lap. Evidently, it was time to go play.

“Bye, sweetie. Thanks for givin’ Mama sugar.”

“Sure, no problem…FOUR EYES!” Giggles.

“Hey, YOU, look who’s talkin’?”

I love my life.

*****************************************************************************************************

Ephesians 1:18-19a, NIV
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,
and His incomparably great power for us who believe…”

* Trust and Obey—Words: John H. Sammis, 1887. Music: Daniel B. Towner

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Grin and Bear Them? Loving Difficult People

I posted this on my FB writer & speaker page, as well as my Twitter today:

"Grin & bear it." That's the advice some give about loving the difficult people in our lives. But Biblical love is a fruit of the Spirit, so depending on Him to love through us is the only way that brings peace & life to the full. May the fruit of love be powerfully present in & through us today."

I've often wondered why it can be so difficult to love difficult people at times. While I come to a different conclusion every time I ponder it, today I landed on a Scripture that gave me some insight. It was Daniel 6:27 (NIRV): "He sets people free and saves them. He does miraculous signs and wonders. He does them in the Heavens and on the earth."

In this context, it's about setting Daniel free from the lions. YES, that was a miracle.

But often, if I'm honest, I ignore the truth that God is still setting people free. Especially the difficult people. (understatement). He does miracles! He turned my unbelieving heart around, He set me free from death and its grip, and He saves me each and every day from all kinds of icky stuff, like when I'm that difficult person in someone else's life.

Sometimes I think I struggle to love the thorny people in my life Christ's way because I don't reflect on the fact that He still does miracles. HE alone can transform a person's heart. If He can turn the water to wine, He can turn the whiner into a worshipper. If He can heal the sick, then He most surely can cure the selfish and mean. If He can die on a cross after living a sinless life, then I can die to myself and let Him love blamelessly through me.

By His grace and because of His unfailing love, He sets people free and saves them. He does miraculous signs and wonders. He does them in the Heavens and on the earth. And even in me and through me...and in and through you too.

The question is, will we believe in and depend on Him to be Love through us today?

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The Crowd or Cross? by Vicki Courtney

Hi all, I was perusing Vicki Courtney's site last night looking for guidance on some stuff I've been discussing with my kids about modesty. You know, it's camisole and swimsuit season, and I have to approach the topic from two different angles with my teenage son and my may-as-well-be-teenage daughter. Then there's the 3rd angle...one of a writer and speaker to Christian women.

As I continue to process exactly what the Lord is leading me to communicate on this subject publicly, all I feel led to say now is, Moms, it's okay to teach our kids to live a set-apart life. And we can approach it as faith-filled, freedom-loving good news instead of self-righteous, rule-driven legalism. Vicki always does a good job of this, and it's something I'm still learning.

With her permission, I'm sharing this wonderful article she wrote awhile back. I'm going to use each paragraph as a daily conversation with all 3 of my kids at their different levels...finding out where they are, what makes this hard or doable for them...then pray with them on it. And while I'm at it, I'll be thinking through it myself. Right now, the self-esteem one is a praying point.

Hope this ministers to you and your family too!

Crowd or Cross?
By: Vicki Courtney

When it comes to making money, the crowd says: “Money makes the world go ’round!”
The cross says: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God! (Matt. 19:24)

When it comes to possessions, the crowd says: “He who has the most toys wins.”
The cross says: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matt. 6:19)

When it comes to illegally downloading music, the crowd says: “Who cares?! The record artists make enough money as it is.”
The cross says: Thou shalt not steal. (Lev. 19:11; Rom. 13:9)

When it comes to dressing immodestly, the crowd says: “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!”
The cross says: I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety… (1 Tim. 2:9)

When it comes to viewing porn, the crowd says: “Hey, pretty much everybody does it.”
The cross says: But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality. (Eph. 5:3)

When it comes to inappropriate talk, the crowd says: “We’re just joking around!”
The cross says: Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. (Eph. 5:4)

When it comes to sex outside of marriage, the crowd says: “Just do it!”
The cross says: Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. (Heb. 13:4)

When it comes to casual hook-ups, the crowd says: “What’s the big deal?
The cross says: Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. (Prov. 31:10)

When it comes to drinking, the crowd says: “everyone does it!”
The cross says: Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. (Eph. 5:18)

When it comes to homosexuality, the crowd says: “It’s a genetic thing! They can’t help it!”
The cross says: And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men…(Rom. 1:27)

When it comes to unplanned pregnancies, the crowd says: “Terminate it! It’s just a blob of tissue.”
The cross says: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb….your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13, 16)

When it comes to self-esteem, the crowd says: “Worth equals what you look like.”
The cross says: Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7)

When comes to sharing your faith, the crowd says: “Don’t! You might offend someone!”
The cross says: Go and make disciples of all nations. (Matt. 28:19)

When it comes to heaven, the crowd says: “No worries! As long as you’re a good person, you’re in!”
The cross says: The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it. (Matt. 7:13)

When it comes to other faiths, the crowd says: “Many paths lead to the same God.”
The cross says: I am the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

Vicki Courtney is an author and speaker with a ministry that reaches over 150,000 girls and mothers a year through events, books, and online resources. A mother herself of three children, she seeks to provide tweens, teens, and their parents with the tools necessary to navigate today’s promiscuous culture. She's written  5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter, which is a top 50 CBA best-seller. Vicki is currently working on 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son, which will release in late Spring, 2011.

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A Letter to My Always Father

Dear Papa,

Happy Father's Day to You--my always Father!


You have always been so faithful to me.

You have always loved me with an everlasting love.


You've never harmed me. You've always kept me safe.

You've never abandoned me. You've always held me in Your grip.

You've never abused the ones I love. You've always reached out to them with tender love and mercy.

You've never spoken evil or perverse words to me. You've always spoken to me words of Truth and Life.

You've never been about satisfying Your own needs. You've always provided and cared for mine sacrificially.

You've never said "I love you" and then shown me otherwise. You've always loved me faithfully and truly.

You've never been a coward to me. You've always shown up when I needed it, proving to be my Hero.

You've never had to apologize. You've always treated me flawlessly.

You've never abused me. You've always been my shelter.


You have always loved me with an everlasting love.

You have always been so faithful to me.


Happy Father's Day to You--my always Father!

I'll Love You Forever,

Your Always Daughter

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A weight off my shoulders...

...and while I'm at it, I could use some off my neck, arms, thighs and buTToxxx as well.

I've been on a slow but purposeful path to allowing the Lord to fully have His way with me these past two years, and He's been gracious enough to deal with one mess at a time. Guess what issue is now?

Some of it is about weight, I'll be honest. I'm about 20 pounds too heavy for the frame God created for me. That means I'm more sluggish, my joints ache more than they should, and I don't have age to blame since I just turned forty a few months ago.

The main thing is that I want to feel light. I want to feel my best, and I want the peace that comes from knowing I'm doing what God wants me to do. On top of that, my hubby is longing for me to pay attention more to the way our family is eating and taking care of ourselves. He has so much stress at work and in other parts of his life, that I know he needs me to be the main one leading the charge in this area.

Okay, I'll say it one time. UGH. I'm hungry. I want a slice of the non-diet pizza and a big bowl of chips and salsa. ugggggghhhhh. That was ugh, twice. Oh well.

I'm done. Thanks for letting me get it off my chest. Isn't that what a blog is for?

I'd appreciate your prayers for me to be God-strong and -led toward this end. He's promised that if I open wide my mouth, He'll fill it, that if I'll hunger and thirst for righteousness, I'll be filled. He says He's given me everything I need for life and Godliness. Organization and discipline are my TWO weakest personal areas, so I know I'll be really stretched for awhile. Oh yeah, and I need to be stretching and exercising too. That's part of the taking care of myself thing.

I know He'll shoulder all of this for me...cuz He's good. He's God.

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Word-Filled Wednesday//Contentment

It's Word-Filled Wednesday, hosted by the Internet Cafe! Go by there to see the links to other blogs which are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This is an old graphic I put together a few years back, and it's a sorely needed reminder for me today. How about you?

In a world where the chase for happiness trumps the pursuit of holiness,

where wrong feels right and right is all about feelings,

where money, money, money

keeps us singing, spending, striving,

where "enough" is NOT

and "plenty" is relative,

God's Word interrupts...

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Polling: Would love your feedback

I'm at a crossroads in ministry, and I'm asking the Lord to help me put all the different pieces of my thought puzzle together. Many of my readers know that I shut down my devotional website (Lovinthearts.com & blog ministry (Selah ~ Pause. Ponder. Praise. ) for the summer. I've been taking time to enjoy my family and be still before the Lord.

I'm in a season of life which requires me to pick one area to on which to focus my writing time. So I either need to keep submitting to magazines, anthologies and working on a book of my own OR I need to continue writing devotionals online. After praying about it for months, I invited my ministry prayer team to pray along with me last month. Now I'm asking you, my readers & online friends to do the same.

Since God is continuing me in the ministry to speak, and a few more potential engagements are in my future, I wonder if the wisest thing isn't to put the devotional ministry aside for awhile? Then again, maybe it's the other writing and submissions that should be put on the backburner? hmmmmm.

If you feel led, why don't you share with me what you think? What would you like to see or hear from me?  Short practical articles on going deeper in the faith as it pertains to family, friendships, ministry and other daily life issues? or Short devotionals that cause you to ponder and pray about how to know Jesus better?  Or maybe it's something else altogether. ;)

I'd love to hear ANY feedback at all if the Lord leads you to speak it. Above all, I hope you'll pray for me to rest and wait until He shows me a clear direction. Thank you so much.

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, & in the end you will be wise." Proverbs 19:20

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When Faith Sighs...

"Faith sometimes means knowing God can, whether or not He does." 

I have no idea which pastor or teacher said this, but I wrote it down in the side space of my Bible, right beside the story of Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego in Daniel 3. In verse 16 it says, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

"Faith sometimes means knowing God can, whether or not He does."

So this morning, I took all the stuff that's been bugging me, the burdens I've been carrying around, the concern I have for the Church, the hypocrisy, the lies, the schemes of the devil, the righteous anger burning inside of me...I laid them at the feet of my Father.

I gave Him my "whys."

Why, Oh Lord, to those who claim to know Christ cheat and lie and steal?

Why, Father, do men and women leave their spouses and families behind, only to relish in their own selfish pursuits?

Why, God, are little children abused, belittled, ignored, or let alone to raise themselves?

Why--oh WHY, Sovereign One, have we grown so complacent toward the Truth & consumed with what our itching ears want to hear?

"Faith sometimes means knowing God can, whether or not He does."

My hope is in You, Lord. I lay all my complaints before You. I place my trust, confidence & faith in You. Help me to stay focused on who You are instead of what I'd like you to do, walking in surrendered obedience no matter what.

"All my longings lie open before You, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from You." Ps. 38:9

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Word-Filled Wednesday at the Cafe

It's Word-Filled Wednesday, Hosted by the Internet Cafe! Go by there to see the links to other blogs which are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So have you sorted through your closet lately? The closet of your heart, that is? 

Jesus: there is no better name brand. He is the perfect size, perfect style, perfect shade for your complexion, perfect fit for your personality. He is Jesus, and He is Your very life!

He longs to be a part of everything we do, everywhere we go & every relationship we have, reflecting Him in every aspect of our lives.

So let's "take off" the stuff that gets in the way of our relationship with the Lord,
and in faith, "put on" the presence of Jesus instead.

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Questions, but not the shallow kind...

This ministry for young people moves me. I so long to see the younger generation live set apart lives for Jesus, and to do so because they want to, out of a passionate love for Jesus. And while I'm sharing my deepest longings out loud, I want it for me and for my generation too.

Watch this 3 minute video and see how the Holy Spirit stirs you:

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Mud Pies Keep Fallin' on my Head

It was my 1st grade year, and the 1st time my singing talent was discovered. Fortunate for me, as I shook in my boots all the way to center stage, the lights blinded me to the point that I couldn't see how many eyes were waiting for me.

I stood there, I think in a cute 'lil dress and rain boots, belting out,
"Raindrops keep fallin' on my head. But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red, cryin's not for me, 'NO,'"

The second verse I pulled out an umbrella and did a lil choreographed dance. At least this is the way I remember it.

"Cryin's not for me, 'NO,'
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'
Because I'm free, nothin's worryin' me."

The stage made me a hypocrite that night, even though I didn't know what a hypocrite was. The truth is, I was not free. And I worried and cried through blue-eyes-turned-red a LOT. They weren't cute, lil ole raindrops falling on my head. They were more like marble-loaded mud pies.

First, there was the patch I had to wear for my stigmatism, along with big thick lenses for my weak eyes. Then there were the teasing kids in a new school, mean ones, telling me my mom walked and talked funny, chanting "Four Eyes" jingles from across the playground. The one kid who did like me was a stinky boy, and he liked me so much that I spent recesses running from him, begging him to stop trying to kiss me. Inside the walls of my home, were new and taboo realities, harsh ones. Ones I didn't understand, and made my stomach hurt almost all the time.

The mud-pies kept falling, and I'd guessed it was gravity's fault.

But I can't share this muddy story from my past without mentioning the umbrella. It was strong. It was all I had to keep from falling down and dying right then and there. It was the decision to put my faith in Jesus Christ. That umbrella didn't keep me from getting wet or hurt, but it assured me that God was present, protecting me in ways I couldn't comprehend.

I won't pretend that becoming a Christian that year changed everything. The junk ensued...worsened even. I didn't understand why God allowed the bad stuff to happen, and I told Him so. And for the record, I still don't understand it, and I tell Him so. He never stopped making Himself known to me, though, and giving me the faith I needed to keep searching for a greater promise and a greater love than anything this world could provide for me.

True freedom isn't about being brave enough or positive enough. It's about holding on to Christ through all circumstances, letting Him be my Protector, my Joy...my very Life. As I walk step by step under the umbrella of His unfailing love, then and only then can I genuinely belt out, "Because I'm free, nothin's worryin' me."

"You have made known to me the path of life;
You will fill me with joy in Your presence,
With eternal pleasures at Your right hand."
Psalm 16:11

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Rise & Shine, Mrs. Sunbeam!

I may be a grown woman in her 40s, (just barely), but still these old kids' tunes pop into my head.

"This is the day,
That the Lord has made,
I will rejoice,
And be glad in Him."

And

"Rise and shine,
And give God the glory, glory."

How bout

"This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine."

Back then, being a Christian meant telling my friends I love Jesus, reading my Bible, praying, going to church and inviting others with me. It meant not saying bad words or being mean to other kids. It was about obeying my mom and my teachers. That was my job, and I was to do it joyfully, giving God the glory along the way.

And all these years later, I want to do all my jobs in the same way, being led in freedom by the Holy Spirit in me. Yes, I'm a writer and a speaker, a neighbor, a mentor & a friend. But I long for the desire to shine at home, as mom and wife, giving God the glory as I do.

If I could genuinely approach each task in my day, even the boring or unfavorable ones, with that kind of attitude, how different my home would be—-how different my faith would be!

A song that I used to teach to my preschool kids’ choir years ago was never my favorite in tune, but I've always loved the lyrics.

"Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,

To shine for Him each day;

In every way try to please Him,

At home, at school, at play.

Refrain:

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,

I’ll be a sunbeam for Him."

It doesn't matter if I'm 5 or 50 plus plus—Jesus wants me to shine for Him. So I’ll level with you...the sun hasn't been beamin’ so brightly lately in one area of my job at home for years now...


One word: Completion.

Don’t mind cooking, but I hate the cleaning up. I’ll wash your clothes, I’ll dry your clothes…I’ll even fold ‘em, but do I have to put ‘em away? I’ll buy the groceries, but it sure is tough to move it from countertop to cabinet. Oh, and the receipt for those groceries? Do I really have to tell you they’re stuffed in a wad in my purse?

This is getting way too personal…it goes on and on, though, throughout each room in the house. It is even the case when I try to start a new routine with the kids.

But how is the Lord continuing to morph my outlook regarding these tasks?

One thought at a time.
One Scripture at a time.
One bit of advice at a time.
One call to the Lord at a time.

As the Lord transforms me in my weaknesses, His strength clearly shines through.

Judges 5:31b
“But may they who love you be like the sun,
when it rises in its strength."

And when He beams through me, breaking through my humanness, it brings light to the whole family. It gives them hope. It gives them a standard. It gives them an example to follow. Simply put, everyone's feelin' the love.

So finishing what I start may seem pointless when I’m muddling through the everyday stuff, but really, it is just the opposite. It reaps eternal consequences. Can you imagine if Jesus hadn't completed the work the Father gave Him to do?

No, putting my laundry away will not save a dying world from their sins, that's a fact. But it will demonstrate the Lord’s character in a way I’ve been chosen to do so—with the work He’s given me to do.

2 Corinthians 8:11 says,

"Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion..."

The author probably didn't have household tasks in mind with that verse, but I think it fits since the work I do at home is part of my job and my example to others.

I read this in my Bible a few days ago, and it set my mind thinking and praying about this area of my life again:

     "She sets about her work vigorously..." Proverbs 31:17

AND then the clincher. While I do it, how about that attitude?

Colossians 3:17:
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,
do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

That's serious stuff. Do it in the name of Jesus. If I'm going to do something, I'd love to have His name all over it. Not mine.

So, even though I'm improving little by little, I'll repeat and sing the rest of the song to keep me going strong:

"I will ask Jesus to help me

To keep my heart from sin;

Ever reflecting His goodness,

And always shine for Him.

Refrain:

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,

I’ll be a sunbeam for Him."



Thank You Lord, for finishing the work You were given to do, and the love You showed when You did so. May I never see the everyday as ordinary in light of this extraordinary sacrifice of Yours. Remind me, Lord, that I should have Your very attitude in all that I do, and that you will light the fire of completion under my hands and feet as I submit myself to Your will. Reflect Your goodness and strength through me, Lord, as I work on each task you put in my day. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Reference: I'll Be a Sunbeam
Nellie Talbot
Copyright: Public Domain

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Giving Away "31 Days of Praise"

Right alongside My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, Thirty-One Days of Praise by Ruth Myers (with her husband Warren) is my favorite devotional book. I've read it dozens of times, and each time through, God does a sanctifying work in me.

I read Day 29 today, and it describes the prayer & praise of my heart right now:

"Thank You that Christ is my Life...that I am a member of His body and a dwelling place of His Spirit. How privileged I am to be indwelt by Your glorious presence (by the whole Trinity: Father, Son & Holy Spirit!) so that You can display Your excellence to those around me.

"Thank You for the day when I let go of the whole burden of my sins and rested on the atoning work of Christ--on the total payment He made for me on the cross...And thank You that today, in that same simple way, I can let go of the whole burden of my life and service...of my marriage, children, and all my relationships (past, present,& future), of my inadequacies and my self-dependence, and rest on Your presence working in me through the Holy Spirit. How good it is to transfer these burdens from my shoulders to Yours, and to rest on You to work in me and for me and through me! I praise You for the gracious way You infuse me with inner strength through Christ...and so I'm ready for anything You want me to do, and I'm equal to anything You allow to happen in my life.

"Thank You that I can give myself up to be led by You...that I can go forth praising and at rest, letting You manage me and my day...that I can joyfully depend on You throughout the day, expecting You to guide, to enlighten, to reprove, to teach, to use, and to do in me and with me what You desire...that I can count upon Your working in me and through me as a fact, totally apart from sight or feeling...that I can go forth praising and at rest, believing You and obeying You and ceasing from the burden of trying to manage myself without Your wisdom and power (adapted from Dr. John Hubbard).

"Thank You that I can throw the whole weight of my anxieties on You, for I am Your personal concern."

Scripture references (by paragraph)
1. Colossians 3:4; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 6:19; Ephesians 3:16-19; 1 Peter 2:9
2. Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 11:28-29; Psalm 55:22; 68:19; Hebrews 13:20-21; Philippians 4:13
3. Proverbs 3:5-6; Hebrews 13:20-21; Galatians 2:20
4. 1 Peter 5:7 (Phillips)

Would you like for me to send you a copy? If so, leave a comment below telling me which part of her praise talk touched you the most, and I'll draw a name a week from today (Friday, June 4th). I've no doubt it will deepen your relationship with the Lord and encourage you to praise Him through each circumstance.

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About My Latest Speaking Event. Come See My Outfit!

Seriously, I wouldn't be so shallow as to have you come and look at my outfit. Sort of. For years, I would do drama roles, sing solos, perform. Each one required some sort of costume or particular type of dress, etc. The Lord has taken all of that background and the way He has wired me to put that into a talk entitled "Ladies, What's in Your Closet?" And believe me when I tell you, the mask has had to come off.

I'm learning slowly that it is not about being up front or receiving applause or gain (not that it ever shoulda been before). It's not about how well I rehearse lines, and it's definitely not about being in character.

It's about being small, getting out of the way and letting Him speak through me. It's about believing Him faithful. It's about wearing Jesus. It's about sharing the story He's given me, one full of comedy, tragedy, baggage and dirty laundry, yet all the while covered by and filled with hope, faith, love and Truth...Life with a capital "L."

"...putting on faith and love as a breastplate,
and the hope of salvation as a helmet." 
1st Thessalonians 5:8

all for His purpose:

"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor."
Isaiah 61:3

The ladies at North Park Baptist Church in Sherman, Texas, allowed God to do this work as they welcomed my prayer partner Margie and me, fed us the yummiest food I've had in years, and made us feel completely at home Monday night. Another reason I felt so at home was because the church and people reminded me so much of the church I grew up in. As I spoke, I saw hunger for the Word of God in their eyes, as well affirmation of His message. I even heard a few "Amens." They overwhelmed me with a generous love offering after I spoke as well. I'm so thankful to their coordinator, Janice, inviting me and taking a chance on this writer/performer turned newbie speaker. I had a blast and learned so much in the process.

These precious mothers and daughters had no idea that the few weeks before the event, I was coming apart at the seams. Little did I know, He was preparing me to be able to speak authentically about the message He'd been weaving together thread by thread for many weeks preceding. The Lord knew I needed to go there stripped of my own capability, confidence and resources, and clothed with His presence alone instead.

So I did. And honestly, I have no idea what He did in others, but I know for sure, He did some major work in me. He'd been teaching me for years as a performer to become smaller, and He's carrying on that same pattern no matter what role I'm in...He is good.

"In His great power, God becomes like clothing to me;
He binds me like the neck of my garment."
Job 30:18

"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God.
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me with a robe of righteousness..."
Isaiah 61:10a

Thank You, Papa, for making me small, and giving me the will and freedom to wear You big 'n tall--at this event, the next one (if you will it), and every moment in-between.

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A Moment of Reflection

Lord, when I stop and reflect on the mercies You have given me...

I remember love, the kind that will never separate from me.

I remember grace, undeserved.

I remember the Holy Spirit, given to dwell inside of me, lead me, guide me.

I remember peace, supernatural.

I remember saving faith.

I remember patience, kindness, hope and comfort--imagine living life without these?

Glory and honor.

Forgiveness and reconciliation, thank You, God!

Righteousness and justification.

FREEDOM! (Can I hear an "Amen"?)

Eternal life and resurrection.

Sonship & Security.

I remember these mercies (and so many more), and I am overwhelmed. Do I even deserve one of them?

So what is my response, Lord?

Father God, thank You. Your mercies overwhelm me. I give myself to You this day--my soul, my mind, my body, my heart. I'm Yours, Lord. Take me and use me, or let me be still and hear Your voice. In You, I'll live and move and have my being. In You, I'll find my rest. It's in Your merciful name I pray, Amen.

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