Hiding from my past...

If they really knew me they wouldn’t like me...

How many times have I thought that to myself...too many to count I’m sorry to admit. Over the years I’ve often wondered, “if people really knew all of me would they still like me?” 

I am inspired by people who don’t seem to mind what others think about them. It is especially encouraging to watch someone transform from being dishonest about who they are to being genuine and raw. I think vulnerability with those God calls us to impact is necessary...and exciting....even if it does make me a tad bit nervous!!

I know of an amazing woman whose encounter with Jesus gave her the ability to be genuine for the first time. In reading her story I was inspired by her willingness to be vulnerable and real...for the work of the Kingdom.

Who is she....? She’s the woman at the well in John 4. The one we know the story about oh so well. Sometimes when I know a story well I try to see it from a different angle. Her story has an edge that I had not seen before. I hope maybe a fresh peek into her transformation will encourage you on your journey toward embracing your story, being genuine, and letting God use you for His Kingdom work.

It all begins with her encounter with Jesus right? We clearly see she is not honest. When He asks her to go call her husband she says, “I don’t have a husband”...really..end of story? oh no...she chooses to omit a fairly important part of the answer... “but I am shacking up with a guy”. Jesus so calls her out on it doesn’t He? We know Jesus...He wasn’t cruel or demeaning, but He certainly was all about getting the truth right out in the open! He knew she could not experience true freedom while hiding behind that half truth.

So how do we know that her encounter with Him made any difference? It’s one of the main reasons I admire this woman; she is willing to tell her story....and it’s not a pretty one. Think about it, she leaves her water jar and goes into the village and starts announcing, “come see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done.” Really? Everything? Apparently so! I’m sure those villagers knew or had a fairly good idea about just how “immoral” this woman was. They would have seen the men coming and going. Yet somehow she wasn’t afraid to talk about her past. Somehow she knew that entrusting herself to the community who had known her only from a distance would help others see Jesus.

But it doesn’t just stop there. Her vulnerability and willingness to be real allowed Jesus to speak into the lives of many of those villagers. What does the text say? After they believed what the woman shared, the Samaritans came to Jesus and asked Him to hang with them for a few days. Then, the people shared that they didn’t just believe because of what the woman had said, but because of what Jesus had said. 

So, let’s not get hung up on covering up our failures. Let’s not worry so much about people not liking us because we are not perfect. The next time you are concerned that your mess ups will ruin any chances of being used for God’s Kingdom...remember this powerful story. He takes it all...even the vilest sins we commit...and makes them a part of His beautiful story of forgiveness and restoration. The people in her community listened to her initially because she was willing to embrace her sordid story...and be genuine. Through her act of vulnerability she peaked other people’s interest in Jesus. She opened the door for Him to speak!

You are beautifully broken...and oh so usable by the shepherd of your soul. He is the potter and you are His clay. You are likable...lovable...on every step of your transformational journey with Jesus.

Make it personal:

• What part of your past do you hide from?
• What are you afraid to face or take an honest look at?
• Do you honestly believe that your past mistakes keep you from being used by God?
• Are you willing to find some friends and be real about your struggles?
• Will you start to believe and have hope for the wondrous future God has in store for you?

One Thought Method...

I learned something so helpful in one of my classes. If you're like me, sometimes I feel "so busy" that having a time with God gets pushed aside. I learned the One Thought Method and it has been fabulous for helping me be consistent. I have also learned a lot b/c you don't have to DO a lot and you get to share with someone else what you learned and that helps what you've learned stick with you!! Check out my sample journal entry.

1st you pray that God would give you ONE thought about what you read (pick a paragraph) My teacher suggested starting with the book of Philippians.

2nd you read the paragraph until you hear God give you one thought about it.

3rd you write out a prayer off of that thought.

So here was mine for today!

Php 1:1 - Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus (that is as far as I got and God gave me my thought!!)

Thought: Are you really a servant? Remember what David Jeremiah said yesterday, "'You will know if you are truly a servant by the way you react when someone treats you like one.' How do you react, Evie?"

Prayer: Father - I am not the kind of servant that Timothy was. I am so much more comfortable being in charge and giving orders. I know I have been willing to serve, but somehow I feel like my serving is not because I myself am walking in a posture of a servant. I need You to transform my heart and create in me an attitude of a true servant. Show me what it looks like. Convict me when I serve out of a desire to be recognized or seen as a good Christian servant. Continue to form my character so I am truly Your servant, an empty vessel useful for Your perfect plan.

If this helps just ONE of you in your time with God it will bring such joy to my heart! I love you all and so want to see each one of us become the women that God has created us to be! <3

If you try this, let me know what one of your journal entries looked like!

Happy New Year...

            Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead ~ Php 3:13

As we head into 2011, I want to encourage you oh beautiful masterpiece of God. So often when we look back over the previous year we have regrets. I’ll admit, there are definitely things I would do differently if given the opportunity. In those moments when I feel the *sigh* deep within, God reminds me of a few simple, yet beautiful truths. I hope that you will embrace these truths and allow them to encourage your heart.

He was not caught off guard by your choices in 2010! Ps 139:16 - “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

You are already forgiven – Acts 10:43 – “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

His love for you is constant and unshakable! - Ro 8:38-39 -“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

You are wonderfully in process - Php 1:6 – “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” God began something good within you and He has promised to finish it!

He has an amazing plan for your future – My ministry foundation is built on this very important truth…You are God’s masterpiece. Eph 2:10 – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Beautiful one, your future is something to continually look forward to. You don’t need to let regrets overwhelm or discourage you. When you look back, you should not feel the weight of needless shame. You are not defined by your behaviors; you are defined by whose you are. We are the beloved children of God…His beautiful masterpieces. This year, may you look with hope to the future and hold tightly to the truth that you belong to the One who firmly holds you in the palm of His hand as you journey into the New Year.

When My Heart Cries...

Mark 5:25-34 is a passage that needs to fill our souls with gratitude as we catch a glimpse of the heart of God for women. He shows His love in a very profound way. If you relish the care Jesus displays in this story, you may be moved deeply enough to rest more securely in the knowledge of how valuable you are to Him. Remember, in Jesus’ day, women were not even acknowledged as people. Simply put, they didn’t count.  

Refresh yourself with the story. It’s the one about the woman with the 12 year bleeding (ugh...just imagine having your period for TWELVE straight years)!! Now imagine that because of this gynecological problem your family had spent all the money they had and were totally broke (forget having gas money, seeing a movie, getting that prom dress, new school clothes, and did I mention no hopes for ever going to college)! Also think about how you’d feel if after spending every bit of savings that you had, you found yourself worse off then when you first started visiting your doctor. Simply put, this was the sad state that this woman found herself within in Mark 5. Can you say...desperate!!??

Here is what I don’t want you to miss when you look at this passage...the healing occurred amidst a throng of clamoring people. Imagine being at a Taylor Swift concert! People are screaming and pushing and trying desperately to see, right? The Bible tells us that people were pressing in on Jesus. It is safe to assume that there was shoving and audible crying out as people sought to get His attention.

Now get this...in the midst of this chaos, the heart of a hurting woman cried out to Jesus. The Scriptures state that Jesus is able to know a man’s thoughts (Matt 9:4; Luke 9:47) and therefore the heart cry of this woman would not have escaped His notice. When she touched His cloak, He felt the healing power go out from Him immediately!! He could have let it go. He could have moved on. But that was not His choice. He says some amazingly life giving words....“Who touched me?"

The beauty of the passage rests in Jesus’ intentional pursuit of this woman. He heard her heart cry for hope and healing and He desired to connect with her. Although the crowds continued to throng about Him and press in on Him, and the disciples encouraged Him to focus and keep moving, He would not let the faith of the woman nor her heart cry toward Him escape His notice. His desire was to seek her out and speak words of hope and healing into her life.

The depth of grace within this story rests in the simple yet profound truth; the compassionate heart of God stopped to connect with a scared, hurting and desperate woman. He took the time to look into her face, listen to her story, call her daughter, and thus affirm her worth, value and dignity. He wanted to know “who touched Me?”... “who is crying out to Me?”...and He is still asking those questions today. Be encouraged... reach out to Him... He hears your heart cry oh woman of God and He will stop and listen to your story.

Sidewalk Prophets

These are the words I would say if I could sit with you face to face right now. When you listen to the song you should hear me singing to you. Yes YOU! Whenever this song comes on the radio I see you...in all of your wonder and beauty...the amazing young woman that God has made you!

It always brings tears to my eyes when I sing to you. I can't imagine you giving up on yourself. It saddens me to think that you may not feel loved or valued. It's hard to believe that you would ever walk away because you felt as if God just did not listen or care about the deepest hurts or joys in your life.

My Life as an Avocado video

My Life as an Avocado

Enjoy my first ever video devotional! You are a masterpiece!! Your story is awesome!!

A Star Fell from the Sky...

Channel surfing is fun when you haven’t had a TV in over 5 years. I feel like I’m entering another world where the people all know each other and I’m the new kid on the block. I’ll admit I am usually pretty impressed with myself when I actually recognize an actor in one of the movies…and when I know their name without having to Google the show….I definitely have to tell someone.

Today, however, I did not feel that same “yea me” attitude as I surfed past a movie with a beautiful blonde actress, giggling and fighting with her handsome new husband…Ashton Kutcher. I’m sure you know the movie…Just Married. And it seems like only yesterday I enjoyed seeing the movie Uptown Girls. Brittany did a fabulous job drawing you into her screwed up life, as well as highlighting the lonely  life of that poor little rich girl.

All of my reminiscing about Brittany reminded me of the sadness I felt the day I heard the news…Brittany Murphy is dead at aged 32. I am sad whenever I hear of someone dying needlessly or young. But the more profound sadness I felt over Brittany’s death came because of what I heard friends and media personalities say about her.

Of course, everyone spoke of her beauty and talent. Naturally, the media highlighted her age and let the world know that she died so young. Yet, in all of the hype, what caught my attention were the many comments about her insecurity. People talked about Brittany being a wonderful and caring person, but in the same breath talked of her insecurity and belief that she was not very talented. The comment that pierced my heart was that Brittany “felt like she had not reached her potential and had not done with her life what she hoped.” Remember…she made that comment while still alive!

So today, I thought of you…beautiful Ephesians 2:10 masterpieces of God…and I wanted to remind you that life is a journey and you are still in process. You are beautiful and talented, and sometimes or a lot of times, struggle with insecurity. And yes…you are young. But, unlike Brittany, there is one thing you are not…you are not without hope for an amazing future. No matter how you feel, what mistakes you make, how badly you struggle to see yourself as the beautiful and special young woman you are, God deeply loves you and is shaping your awesome future! As long as you have breath, don’t ever give up. You are exactly who you are supposed to be…a child of God! God is walking alongside of you, helping you discover the wonder of who you are in Him and the fabulous plan He has for your future.

Someday in Heaven…when the books are opened and your name is called…I will listen intently to what is said about you! I am confident that the news I hear will make my heart very happy.

Philippians 1:6

And I am certain (confident) that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Killer Garage Sale...

Mark 10:17-27 – The Rich Young Ruler

We’ve all heard the story of the Rich Young Ruler a million times right? And normally the moral of the story is: if you’re not willing to give up everything to follow Jesus, then you’re not getting into the Kingdom of Heaven. I mean, it sure seems like that is the main point of the story, right. I can accept this difficult truth knowing that God’s kindness is what leads us to repentance (Ro 2:4). That said, since the Bible never tells us what happens to that rich young man, I am holding out hope that eventually he held a killer garage sale and there were some pretty sic looking poor people back in the day. Yes, I’m optimistic that I just might see him in heaven…can you wear Prada in Heaven? Ah…I digress…

Let's journey together through the narrative from a different vantage point. I want us to focus on something that I bet most of us overlook. We miss it because we tend to look at this Scripture with sad faces…with the doom and gloom eyes of….poor guy…he’s going to burn! 

I want us to see two really important things and focus on them for just a moment. Look at verse 21… “Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him.” I really paused and thought; how cool is that? Picture the scene…a very well dressed man kneeling before the Lord asking one of the most important questions a person could possible ask; “how can I obtain eternal life?” It’s obvious he knows he’s missing something. I think Jesus looks intently into his eyes and lets this young ruler see this genuine love inviting him to draw close. Who knows, this rich young ruler possibly came expecting Jesus to pat him on the back and say, "well done, that’s it!" However, we do know this, Jesus’ look of love comes BEFORE this young ruler has the opportunity to respond correctly to Jesus. Did you catch that…Jesus doesn’t look at him with genuine love AFTER he gives Him the right answer to the all-important question. This young man was still in the middle of questioning and searching! Jesus loves him in the middle of the search, and He doesn’t stop loving him when he walks away…when he doesn’t make the best decision. Wow…can you see that? Jesus’ love is solid and unmovable!

Why is it so important that we really understand this kind of unmovable and solid love? Jesus made it pretty clear that doing the right thing (making the right choice) isn’t possible for man, but it is possible for God (vs. 27). God knows we can’t live this life on our own. He knows we need Him. So, if God created us to need Him, and making good decisions apart from Him is impossible, then why would He stop loving us when we walk away…when we don’t make the right choice? We are totally dependant on His love! Seriously, this young ruler made a real “dude…no way!” choice. He looked like he was saying “no thanks” to the offer of a pretty sweet life with Jesus. For us it is no different. We walk away from the sweet life all the time, don’t we? And I know for me, I need to see those genuine eyes of love looking at me while I search, when I walk away, when I’m struggling or when doing the right thing isn’t even on my list of options for the moment. I’m thankful he didn’t shame the rich young ruler or make him feel like donkey dung…even though He knew he would walk away. He looked at him with genuine love…let that soak in…genuine love!

So today, I’m reminding us to focus on His love. He loves you no matter what. He loves you while you search, through your bad choices, when you turn your back, when you question, or when you feel like giving up. He knows that life without Him is impossible. He knows that making wise choices without His power is impossible. So, bask in His love for you today…and let Him fill you up to overflowing. He loves you…and He will live the impossible life through you every day!

Remember, you are His masterpiece…and nothing you do will ever change that! (Eph 2:10)

Giving Gifts That Liberate - A New Perspective on Christmas...

Hearing a story of injustice from a far away place can lead to reactions of awe, astonishment and curiosity. Yet, when this wonderment does not carry over into action, we have neglected to comprehend the reason why God implanted those emotions deep within us.

Tears and anger are gifts from God…gifts to be shared through advocacy.

On Saturday morning, October 24, I attended a Global Trade Event that Fuller hosted at Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters. I was excited about taking a study break that included hearing music, drinking coffee, mingling with other students, and looking at what I thought were simply a few Fair Trade items. When I arrived at the coffee shop the atmosphere was serene and inviting. I stood with some friends and listened to a friend play his guitar and sing. After soaking in the music I decided to go outside and wander through the tables. What I encountered was completely unexpected.

I can only explain it as raw emotion….the pictures, the stories, the knowledgeable and caring students behind each table. Photographs could not have adequately captured the scene. One table after the other described a story…a story of injustice perpetrated on “the least of these”…the poor, uneducated women and children living in the 3rd world. As I looked at the jewelry, scarves, purses, and t-shirts for sale, they were no longer “items” to purchase, but “people” to liberate. With tears streaming down my face, I pulled out my wallet and began the investment in the one’s that Jesus longs for our hearts to remember (Matt 25:31-46).

As I purchased each item, a beautiful thought crossed my mind; although I may never get to meet these women and children, when I see them in the Kingdom, I will remember that I played a part in their story. I had the privilege of helping them stay off the streets by supporting their cottage industry. To choose action meant that I became part of the solution, providing them the opportunity to live in a safe place and make items to support themselves.

So often it feels overwhelming when we hear stories of injustice. We quickly seek to bring homeostasis to our emotions by walking away and trying to forget. We know that the task of helping seems too large to do alone. So for me, simply purchasing some of these beautiful hand made items allowed me to turn my anger at injustice and tears of anguish, into something beautiful and productive…the liberation and freedom of a soul in captivity.

The Christmas season is an optimal time to reflect on how, without Christ, we would all be souls held in captivity. My heart overflows with thankfulness because He willingly purchased my freedom. I know like me, that if you think about what you need this Christmas, your list will not include: a place to live, basic food, or the assurance of safety and respect. Simply buying from organizations that minister to the oppressed ensures that women and children around the world receive these basic gifts. Please use your resources and join me in being an advocate for the “least of these”. Imagine the joy in Heaven when Christmas day is filled with packages unwrapping justice for the glory of God.

Proverbs 31:8-9

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Consider purchasing items from one of these ministries or give yourself the gift of Compassion.

nightlightinternational.com

stopthetraffik.org

timbalicrafts.org

corridorofhope.org
discoverthejourney.org
amaniafrica.org

Compassion International…

There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children – Nelson Mandela

Consider sponsoring a child as your gift to your family this year or give a one-time gift toward an unsponsored child, or the leadership project or AIDS ministry.

A New Thanksgiving Tradition...

My pastor recently gave a sermon on being thankful. He talked about people with a critical and negative spirit who didn’t give thanks unless circumstances were going in their favor. I could have crawled under my chair. I thought for sure he’d been peeking in my window for the past several weeks. I knew that God had some important things He wanted to teach me about thankfulness, so I pulled up a chair next to His throne and listened intently.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, he spoke something so profound, 1 Thes 5:18, “give thanks in everything”. Really? I actually did say that to God. I mean, really? Obviously I had not yet grasped His profound words of wisdom, because all I could think about was how Elijah got to watch winds whipping through mountains and earthquakes rumbling under his feet before God passed by in a gentle wind with ultimate words of wisdom.

After refocusing on the word God graciously spoke to me, I decided to give this thankful lifestyle a shot. How hard could it be to follow one verse every day? Armed with my phone and twitter as my medium, I forged ahead to broadcast my thankfulness in everything!

Sometimes I twitter things because I know that eventually I’ll find them funny and be thankful I survived. This is especially true when I’m getting aggravated with my surroundings or circumstances. For instance, if I’m in a hurry and get stuck behind a slow driver and hit every red light, I twitter how thankful I am for slow drivers and red lights. Although I may not be thankful at that very moment, I know that eventually I will laugh over my ludicrous behavior (i.e. talking to drivers who can’t hear me) and laughter is something I can be thankful for right? And honestly…I am thankful that I have a car, that there are traffic signals that protect me from crazy drivers, and that there are those people in the world who actually enjoy being Sunday drivers during the other 6 days of the week.

So my new thanksgiving tradition has nothing to do with turkey or stuffing or mashed potatoes or even pumpkin pie…although I would rather not give any of that up! My new thanksgiving tradition is to be thankful in everything. I want to see if I can actually live out the real reason for one of my favorite holidays every day of the year! I think if I invited God to that kind of holiday banquet, He’d come!