Get Back Up by Sheryl Giesbrecht

Sometimes life knocks us down. We get bloodied, bruised, and dirty. So often when this happens we feel unfit for service, we feel we are a broken pot not fit for anything. We take ourselves out of ministry. That might not be God’s desire, not His plan. His plan is restoration.

Sheryl Giesbrecht knows what it means to let God pick her up, dust her off, heal her wounds and use her for increased ministry. She shares her story in Get Back Up, Trusting God when Life Knocks You Down. 

She gives a list of questions for the reader to answer at the end of each chapter. My only “trouble” with this was some of the questions seemed to me to be too focused on the “bad” thing that happened and not the grace and love of God. I’d rather focus on Him and how He can heal, than whatever issue I might have experienced. If we focus on the things of life that are hard that is all we can see. But when we focus not on troubles but on Jesus that is when we find true healing.

If you are struggling with some of life’s hard knocks, this might be a book for you. It’s an easy read and mostly biblically sound. I did find a few places she took a few liberties with the Bible, and we know I’m not a fan of that at all, but for the most part it’s Scriptural.

For me the book didn’t really teach anything. (and I shudder to say that.) It almost seemed more a list of “this happened to me and God did…..”. Which is good! I love hearing how God works in other people’s lives. I was expecting a more hands-on approach to trusting God when life knocks me down than I found in the pages.  She does give some very practical suggestions and does encourage the reader to focus on Jesus. Which is a VERY GOOD thing!

I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of review.

The Poor

I’ve been reading a lot of books about helping the poor. It’s a good thing. We are commanded in Scripture to help the poor, the widows and orphans. In my reading one question keeps coming to mind repeatedly.

Who are the poor?

Now it might sound like I’m asking the same question the rich young man asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” But trust me, I’m not. I’m not looking for loopholes. I’m not looking for ways around the command. I think we first need to define the poor so we can know how to help them.

Some think the poor are only those like this:

from http://www.lancegold.blogspot.com

Black skinned and in dire need of food. Yes, they are poor, the live every day in abject poverty. They go to bed hungry, they wake up hungry. They aren’t able to go to school because they don’t have food, school supplies and might be needed to carry a heavy workload at home. To many people, this is the poor people.

But what about people like this?

from http://www.forbes.com

Could this man be poor? He obviously isn’t lacking in financial resources. He looks like he has every thing he needs. If we look only on the surface of things though.

The poor are not only those lacking in financial resources. I contend every single person alive on planet earth are in some way, shape or form poor.  With that in mind, I believe our focus on helping the poor, meaning those living in poverty, is too narrow.

If we broaden our focus to see that all men are poor and work to help them in whatever their needs are we are fulfilling the command.

It is very easy to see the poor as only those lacking financial resources because it’s easy to throw a few dollars into a collection plate or give to an organization that works to eradicate the poor. It’s a little harder to actually get our hands dirty investing in someone else’s life. It’s not easy to get involved with those who are needy.

We are all needy. We all have the cure for someone else’s need. Those of us who love and serve Jesus have exactly what someone else needs. Are we sharing it? Are we helping the poor if we leave Jesus out of the equation?

I contend that we aren’t. If we merely help the poor and ignore the needs of those who don’t look poor around us, we aren’t really doing what Jesus commanded.  If we help but don’t share the great love of Jesus, we aren’t doing enough.

I’m not at all saying we have to be “doing” all the time. I am saying when we realize the great gift we have, that Jesus alones meets all our needs, and we don’t share Him with others we aren’t helping. We’re keeping our lamp under a bushel basket.

I know there are some who are steeped in a legalistic gospel based on what we do. I’m not doing that. I’m saying our love for Jesus should extend to His people and the people of this world. Out of our love for Him should naturally outpour good works for Him. Not because it’s legislated from a pulpit, or the pages of a book or even this blog.

So how about if we start praying for eyes to see the needs in others? Even if they look “rich” in our eyes. Even if they don’t look like they need anything. Maybe what they just need is someone to notice them. To befriend them. To talk to them. To pray with them.

And yes, let’s not forget those who are starving for food. But so many are starving for something.

Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic

Photo courtesy of http://africanspotlight.com

Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs and he does not let that stop him from ministering to others. He travels the world offering hope and encouragement to everyone he comes in contact with. He has not let his limitations stop him from being all that God created him to be. He puts his faith into action and is Unstoppable. Which is the title of one of his books released in 2012. In its pages he shares his story.

It is a story of overcoming odds. Of using the talents, abilities and gifts God has given him to minister to others.  He has subtitled this book, “The Incredible Power of Faith in Action” and he is a man who puts his faith into action every day.  He says “Being born without arms and legs was not God’s way of punishing me. I know that now. I have come to realize that this “disability” would actually  heighten my ability to serve His purpose as a speaker and evangelist.”

This book is the story of using the talents, abilities and even handicaps (and honestly who doesn’t have one?) for God’s glory. It’s realizing that God makes no mistakes and that He can and does use anyone. Even those we think are unlikely candidates for service, even when we ourselves feel we are disqualified or non-qualify-able. Yes I just made that up.

Throughout the pages of this book I kept asking myself “what is your excuse?” Sadly I could come up with none that were good enough. I have all of my limbs, yet I still struggle to fully embrace the life God has planned for me. I struggle, as I’m sure most people do, with serving God despite our seemingly insurmountable odds.

If you need to be inspired to live a life fully devoted to the God who died so you might live read this book. You will be inspired and encouraged to embrace the life God has for you. Then go out and serve Him well.

 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

 

Spring Cleaning.

Oh joy! Spring is officially starting this week and that means spring cleaning also starts this week. Unless of course you happen to be ahead of the game. Which I am not.

I love spring cleaning…except for the cleaning part. I love cleaning out things. I love making a big mess cleaning out closets and drawers, the basement. But when it comes to putting everything back in place, yeah, that’s not quite so much fun.

I also always wonder what exactly do I do with all the used-to-be-treasures we’ve unearthed? Do we keep them in hopes of having a garage sale this summer? Do we give them away? Do we take them to GoodWill (or like store) or do merely leave them in the middle of the kitchen floor?

Yeah, okay so that last one isn’t really an option but you know when you’re tired of looking at things it’s nice to just leave them alone. And sometimes it’s easier to deal with the pain of stubbed toes and painful knees from tripping over them than it is to deal with it one more second.

Kind of like the Christian life isn’t it? We get all excited when we see God working a big work in our life. We start hauling old junk from our closets thrilled to finally be rid of last years baggage. Only after a few hours (or days) we realize it’s more work than we thought. We rationalize it isn’t hurting anything or anyone just hanging around. We ponder what we will do without it? How on earth will we replace that thorn in our hearts? We’ve become quite accustomed to it. Yeah it hurts like the dickens but really it will hurt more if we pull it out.

So we decide to leave well enough alone. We apologize to God, “Whoops, sorry, God. You just can’t have that yet. I’m not finished. I might wear it again next week. God, You know it’s always been my favorite. I need it.” All the while we are wincing with the pain of it all.

Yeah, taking it out, getting rid of it will probably cause some {more} pain, but when it’s over it’s over. No more pain. No wondering what we will fill the empty place with because Jesus fills it with His presence. The pain we thought we’d carry with us forever is gone in a nanosecond.

I can’t explain it. I’m not even sure I fully understand how it’s possible. But it is. And yes, I have things I’ve been hanging on to for far too long. I have some emotional clothes that are so far out of style they will never come back in style. It’s time to chuck them to the curb. It’s time to find new clothes. Righteous clothes. The clothes of the saints.

It’s time to make my inner self match the outer self. It’s time for the inner me to match what God sees when He looks at me. You see He doesn’t see the old baggage, but He sees Jesus is in me and He declares that Good!

Now I’m not saying He doesn’t see at all the baggage I’m trying desperately to hide. He sees it alright and He’s dying to get rid of it. But it doesn’t define who I am in His eyes.

And it doesn’t define you either. People will tell it defines you. It makes you who you are. But think for a moment about what God says of you, what He says you are.

It doesn’t match the baggage does it? It doesn’t match what other people say you are, does it? So why on earth are you hanging on to it? Why we do try so desperately hard to shove our bodies into old worn out clothes that are painful to wear? Why do we insist on living in the garbage dump of our sin and shunning a palace bedroom?

I’m all for sleeping in the palace bedroom. I’m all for shunning the garbage pile of my sin and selfishness (which is a sin too by the way), I’m tired of sleeping with my head in the coffee grounds and feet in a pile of dead, rotting food.

It won’t be easy and I know I’ll slip backwards sometimes but God says “It’s time to get rid of those.” So I’ll take His hand, and trust His heart to not annihilate me. He desires my good, and your good.

Matthew 11:29

What a difference a day makes.

I try and be open and transparent on my blog as well as in real life. I don’t want to hide behind fake masks. It is easier for me to be real in print. I find it incredibly hard to share with others face-to-face about my struggles. Mostly because I’m afraid I’ll cry and I hate that.

I’m not a cry-er by nature. I don’t cry easy but there are struggles that are hard, painful and reduce me to a puddle of tears. And let me tell you I’m ugly when I cry. There just isn’t anything pretty about it.

The past few weeks have been those kind of weeks. The kind of weeks where I can hardly breathe at times. Not that there hasn’t been joy in the days. I’m not saying every day has been tear producing. But there have been several things that have cut deep.

Some of them have been words from other well-meaning people. I’ve had to pray, “LORD, is there any truth in what they are saying?” even though the mere thought of there being a shred of truth was not easy to swallow.

I am sick to death of this though. Not praying. But I’m tired of being sad. I realized sadness was a choice I was making. To change my feelings I had to change my choice.  That would require an objective view of my situation.

I would have to choose to look at it differently and when you’re in the forest it’s hard to see anything except trees.  How do you look at a forest and not see trees?

Yesterday, over my breakfast, I prayed thanking God for the day, the highs and lows, joys and pain. I have to tell you, that changed my day.  I felt prepared for whatever would come my way. Just knowing I had already thanked Jesus for it seemed to change my attitude toward the whole day.

It isn’t that my day started horribly, it didn’t. I just knew something had to change and that had to be me.  Being grateful for and in things changed my focus. My focus was no longer on anything anyone had done or would do to me, my focus was on the One who allows all things into my life for a reason.

I know I can trust Him, who judges justly and loves me to the utmost, to only bring things into my life that are for my good and not my harm.  I can trust His hand. I can trust Him to work things in my life, even the hard, painful times for my good.

And that makes even the worst day the best day.

The choice for a bad day or a good day really depends on us. Not our circumstances. If we choose to have a attitude of “everything comes into my life for a purpose” and an attitude that says “no matter what happens, this is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it”, we will find the things of this world a little less troubling, a little less painful. If we keep in mind that Jesus is already in our day, He already knows the outcome and His plan is for our good, we can walk confidently through our trials.

We will know He will bring us safely through our fires. We can know He will make it so when we come through the fire we won’t even smell like smoke.

And really who wants to smell like smoke?

Hoping for Hope

Hope is the illusive quality we all want and yet never seem to have. Well, this side of heaven we don’t. In Jesus we always have hope.

Lately I have really been faced with my own sinfulness. For sometime I’ve blamed it on one thing or another (hormones) but it comes down to I am a sinner. A sinner saved by grace to be sure. In my heart of hearts, I’ve lost hope that I will ever be the way I perceive others to be.

A few Scriptures though have become very rich to me during this time. Philippians 1:6 in my paraphrase reads, “He who began a good work in you will complete it!” The good work done in me was started May 12, 1982 and it won’t be complete, I won’t be perfect until the day Jesus returns for me.

Another one is in Timothy and again in my paraphrase reads, “But YOU, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of…” There is hope in continuing to put one foot in front of the other in faith that Jesus will do His work of perfecting me.

I attended Women of Faith in Omaha this past August and I learned from Patsy Clarimont that “Life is messy”. I learned from Mandisa that I can “Say Goodby” to the way I used to be. But I learned from Amy Grant that it won’t happen Overnight. As much I would want it to, it will take some time.

And that, my friends, is hope.

Brutal Honesty

I have no earthly idea how to be a friend. Not a clue. 

When someone shares something with me, I never know what to say, whether it is good or bad. Not a clue.

 

I’m reading “Friendships for Grownups” by Lisa Whelchel and it has brought it all to the forefront of my mind. I am hoping to be able to work through all this.

 

When I was a child I was always told “To have a friend you have to be a friend.” I never knew what that meant. And now as an adult. I still don’t.  I am sure I’m not the only one. I thought being a friend meant bending over backwards for everyone. Living in total denial that I had any sort of need and that anyone could meet it. I was also told many times through the years, “you can’t depend on people. God is the only one you can depend on. People will let you down every time, but God never will.”

Only to be brutally honest, (because this is a brutally honest post) I have felt let down by God. In my head I know He is faithful and will always be with me. But in experience I have felt very alone and like God is not only not interested in my poor pitiful life, He is bored to tears by it and has gone off to help someone more worthy.

I think if you were brutally honest you’d admit the same.

I am somewhat terrified to be alone with people. Because honestly when I get in a car with one or two other people my mind goes completely blank. I can think of nothing at all to say. Not. A. Single. Thing. (Now if I’m in a group and feel comfortable, ie I know most everyone, I am the life of the party.) Calling people on the phone is enough to send me over the edge, I never know what to say so I say my reason for calling and then I am ready to hang up. Not so most people. No, most people like to chat on the phone and get irritated when you rush off. I’ve been told I’m very rude.

Sigh.

Its not that I don’t have friends. I do. But no one I can really call on a moment’s notice and say “Let’s go for coffee.” I spend most of my days with my little family. But I’ve noticed my children don’t really have playmates either. I so do not want them to grow up and realize they don’t know how to be a friend.

I am sure there is hope for me…but at my age I’ve about given up. To be brutally honest.