Category: forgiveness

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The right of every woman and girl

For 25 years, God has allowed me to share His heart with Texas college and high school women about our true identity. Who are we, anyway? All of us currently live in a world of pretend, heartache, and shame. Yet, we are more than filtered Instagram pics.  Our collective beauty can be more than external.  Our level of satisfaction in life should be more than just “the next thing” in life.  All women sense there is something more to life than beauty, school, career, health, wealth, marriage, and motherhood. Is there something else to make us feel valued?  Rather than a something, could it be a Someone? Could it be Someone who knows us because He made us?  I cannot adequately express the joy of seeing young women choose to come to Jesus to be made new as someone cherished, valuable, and crucial to the plan of God. It’s no accident that the first person to see the Risen Christ was a radiantly new woman. (John 20) Remember, Jesus was -and is-perfect and yet He gave His first glimpse of resurrection purity to an astonishingly imperfect woman who loved Him. Mary could be my bestie! (Can I get a witness?)

He is still at work in the lives of women.   

Now, ready for some next generation hope? For years,  my daughter (and her dance pals!) joined me to speak about true identity  every summer.  These are more than just cartoon princess events. These are times we look at what Jesus -the true King-offers to every girl who believes in Him the role as Daughter of the King.  The symbolism of this crown is never lost on these girls! They understand it’s a gift to be received and that crown means “princess”.  When girls put on this crown and turn (for the first time) to see themselves in a mirror, they always smile at their reflection! Why? Because the unconditional love and favor of the King has been lavished upon them and they see it represented by the crown!  

Many of are not girls anymore-yet we STILL want new identities.  We don’t want a mere makeover.  We want a MakeNew.   Have you given up on feeling “special” in this world? Look out of this temporal world to the eternal Kingdom of Love. Jesus holds out a new crown  for you with the inscription SHE WHO IS ADORED.  He loves you. (John 3:16)  We’ve all made mistakes. (Romans 3:23) Jesus paid for our mistakes and wants to give us new hearts and new lives!(Romans 5:8) Now what? Tell Him you believe Him . Tell Him you believe He is God and you are not. Thank Him for dying for you. Ask Him-now-to make you new! (Revelation 3:20) Are you ready? Your life is about to radiate His love, His purpose and His power! Learn about your King by reading the book of John.  Then,  look in the mirror and say, “This girl is special for she knows the King! ” 🙂

 
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Tired of drama in your friendships? 4 ways to change it!

There’s nothing in the world like the fun & support of a great group of gal pals!! We women know how love our friends fiercely! Yet, we know that when God gives a gift (like female friendship!) the enemy tries to take it.

The enemy’s will for you is always the same: Distract, Discourage, & Divide. The enemy uses these strategies because they work! He DOES NOT want you to have good & deep friendships. He loves it when God’s people battle!

What’s our strategy when conflict arises or feelings are hurt?

 1. STEP BACK! We all like to think we know what the other person is thinking.  We don’t. Choose to believe the best about your friend

2. In every conflict, LOOK WITHIN first. Ask yourself,”Did I hurt this friend unknowingly?”

3. Choose NOT to be offended! Pride blocks peace! Go low.

3. ASK GOD to pull out any root of bitterness you carry toward a friend(s). Stop rehearsing hurtful things said to you. You CHOOSE freedom!

4. LEARN HOW to fight jealousy. It will always be part of our flesh. When you smell the odor of jealousy creeping up, say to yourself, “God has a great plan for me-He made me gifted & beautiful. I don’t want anyone else’s life-I want mine!” Does this help today? Know that God wants to bless you with rich female friendships centered on Himself! He wants your relationships to radiate the peace of Jesus-based sacrificial love to a lonely world. 

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Watering Whole-the woman FROM the well!

“So the woman left her waterpot and went into the city.” John 4:28

This verse is in there very middle of this chapter. We nearly always overlook the power of this moment as Jesus and the “woman at the well” meet and talk. We all know she had 5 (6?) husbands, we know she was a despised Samaritan and we know that she was… well, a woman. She is the complete OPPOSITE of the other characters in this text.

The disciples were men, from strict religious communities and (seemingly) tried to follow a morality derived from the law. She is a doomed and hopeless woman reduced to shame. True to form, Jesus initiates conversation with her and takes time to teach her truth. He shows her value. Fast forward through her “come to Jesus” (pun intended!) moment in verse 28. She believes she has found Messiah ! Jesus’ claim to be “Living Water” (v. 10) has changed everything and the water that springs from Him cannot compare to the stagnant liquid from her old waterpot. The dull waterpot fulfilled her physical need yet it couldn’t change the reality of her anguished soul. Her first drink of faith in Christ takes her from thirsty to satiated and from defeated to drenched!

Naturally, she had to put that waterpot down to rush back to the city and tell others about this Man! These are the Bible passages we tend to overlook because we just can’t relate to the primary character. Or can we? Where do we remain thirsty and defeated in our lives?  Are we willing to humble ourselves and receive true refreshment from His presence? Do we have a symbolic “waterpot” that just need to be left? This woman was completely changed and became the primary source of the gospel to her city! Maybe we should change her name from the “woman at the well” to the woman from the well.”  Jesus wants to be the same for us!