Monday, April 23, 2012

Here Is To Love


You found me in the desert, searching for water, just a drop of peace.
I was desperate to find you, just a glimpse of your eyes.
My feet were beginning to ache and my head felt faint.

Weary was I.
Tired was I.
But yet I still hoped to find you.

The sun dropped from the sky, and the wind came and swept me off of my feet.
And there I was, in a sea of stars, immersed in beauty.

Fire and lightning collided in front of me, only to be found in your arms.
Such strong yet gentle hands. Peace consumed my entire being.

I heard my name, such a gentle whisper. It sparked the flame in my heart.
Unifying grace, and love departed from your lips. They tasted like sweet wine, satisfying my thirst for the one who I have always longed for.

You swept me off of my feet and you continue to as each star bursts in abundant power and furious love. Imperfectly complete, yet perfectly graceful. You make me brave and show me who I've always been.

I am so thankful that you call me yours. Each tender word, each glance of your eyes, shows me how this dance is worth every step. Never had I thought that my big dreams overtaking my heart would have brought me to you like this.

Dreams do come true. Never will I doubt again. Never will I be hidden. I will always be yours, forever yours.

Here is to Love.



Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Susanna Foth Aughtmon, I Blame Eve


I Blame Eve by Susanna Foth Aughtmon.




She has done it again! Susanna Foth Aughtmon has written a book filled with such humor and truth that it will leave you laughing out loud as well as taking a good look at your own heart. I Blame Eve: Freedom from Perfectionism, Control Issues, & the Tendency to Listen to Talking Snakes, reveals the core of our issues. Susanna call’s it the “Eden Gene” and that we all have “Eve-ish” tendencies that we need to give up.

With brutal honesty she incorporates examples from her own life as well as accurate scripture references to reveal the issue of our human tendency to have control. She introduces you briefly with a proper understanding of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and how we were all meant to look and act just like the God who loves us no matter what we do. She speaks the truth gracefully, never portraying to have been perfect herself, yet revealing how God can mold us into his image and truly change us.

Instead of living with our hands clenching the wheel of our lives, being selfish, and thinking that we know better, giving all this up and letting go is freedom. Susanna Foth Aughtmon states, “It is our job to choose him. It is his job to free us from ourselves and form us and breathe new life into us.” When we learn to stop “listening to the snake” there is freedom. When we learn to give up our “Eve-ishness” there is freedom. She shows us that when we give up these things, we can then be transformed into the creation God originally intended us to be.

Even if you think that you have a good understanding of these issues or concepts, I encourage you to pick this book up and read it. There is a study guide in the back, which would offer excellent small group discussion points. If you are one that prefers to skip the questions, the content in the book is a good start in doing a reflection of your own heart. Susanna Foth Aughtmon writes with such sweet, brutal honesty that it’ll leave you longing to let go and let God in more. Pick up the book today, and stop listening to talking snakes.


I received this book courtesy from Baker Publishing Group and these opinions are my own.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Courage

As I was reflecting over some things today the topic of courage came up in my prayers. There are so many aspects of my life in the past where I shrunk back from doing something or saying something because I lacked the courage to stand strong. I often felt that if I just made sure to do whatever anyone told me to do to make them happy that I was doing my job as a human being. Well, now after taking steps to change that and at times having to recognize my value and stand up for myself, certain people have not been so happy.

I recently listened to a sermon that talked about how the enemy wants to erase our value. The enemy hates how valuable we are in God. He hates it because he has no power in that truth. Any chance he gets he will slowly pound lies into our hearts and minds about how we are not as good as we thought or never have been, and on it will go. When we are constantly being bombarded by messages of negativity about ourselves it can slowly wear on us and possibly even make us doubt our value. Maybe some of you have believed lies, much like myself, that I was not worth as much as God was telling me. I remember a time in high school when any positive messages of my great value came into my life, I would lash out because I felt so horrible as a person. I felt worthless.

There have been people in my life who have done the same lashing out at me. One simple lovely word about how beautiful they are and how precious they are and POW! Instant anger or _____ (that's a cloud of nothing) I receive the silent treatment. I have often wondered what it is that has been going on in their lives and hearts for this to happen? I know that my own self-worth was damaged from being sexually abused as a child. But what of these people who portray to others that everything is fine; who will even tell you to your face with a smile that they love you, want a relationship and then treat you as if you are lesser or do not exist? Often I have blamed myself, thinking that if I were only more like what they wanted me to be then we may actually have a relationship. But this is a lie! And I will call the enemy out on it now that I have recognized this truth.

What is going on in your heart? Do you recognize and accept how valuable you are?

It is a prayer of mine that courage would reign in our lives to balk at the enemy and catch these lies that make us feel less valuable than we really are. I pray we will have the courage and the strength to stand in love and continue to show everyone how valuable they are. True love casts out all fear, which then empowers us to stand amidst the storms and the blows of lies and deception from the enemy. Will you have the courage to look the enemy in the eye and tell him he is wrong? Will you stand for truth even if it means facing some difficult challenges from others?

Oh Lord, please give us more courage. May we see ourselves through your eyes and never stray from your truth. Amen.