Get Lifted

This aging process is getting rough.  I'm buying more and more products to try to correct things that are clearly going wrong.  Moisturizers, serums, day creams, sunscreens, night creams, peels, etc.!  I wish I could just Photoshop my face!  In the midst of me venting about my mid-life crisis and wanting to Photoshop my face, my young, beautiful friend chimes in, "You can.  It's called make-up."  Huh?  Really?  So now I'm headed to my nearest Sephora store to start the next phase of correction - Correction 2.0 in full effect!

Unfortunately, the crisis is not always on the outside.  There are times when we have an inner crisis.  A spiritual crisis.  A soul crisis.  A heart crisis.  Where can I go to correct that?  Which aisle are those products on?  Psalms 138:8 says "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me."  Well Lord, this concerns me.  On those days when I'm content with my "photoshopped" face, but my spirit is in crisis, what do I do?

So many times we've used church as a pharmacy.  "Go to church and sing 2 praise songs and you'll feel better."  Maybe.  "Read your bible and memorize a scripture and you'll feel better."  Maybe.  "Sing an uplifting worship song with your hands raised (and hopefully a tear coming down the side of your face) and you'll feel better."  Maybe.  I don't know about you, but I've had days when none of that lifted me.  THEN I recalled the song my mother used to sing entitled Love Lifted Me.  One verse says, "When nothing else could help, love lifted me."  I have no idea who the author of this song is, but I am relieved to know that someone else had also reached a point where they felt like nothing else could help.

So how do we allow love to lift us when we're having a spiritual crisis?  We give is away.  Yep, you heard me right.  We give love away, and by doing so, it's like we turn on the faucet and become the vessel from which love flows.  It flows through our spirit and becomes the very healing we need by giving it away.  Find someone in need and give love away - a smile, a hug, a thoughtful gift.  Find someone who's hurting and comfort them with an encouraging word.  Find an organization needing volunteers and serve.  Have a cup of coffee with a friend who's lonely.  You will be surprised how the very love you're giving away heals you.  As Mama used to sing, "love lifted me" and I have a feeling it will lift you too.

Love Always,

Shy 

Reckless Love!

I have completely fallen in love with a song called "Reckless Love" by Cory Asbury.  One day, I found myself humming one line - "I don't deserve it", but I had no idea what song I was humming.  That's the only verse I knew and I couldn't seem to get it out of my head.  So I googled that one line to try to find the song.  Nothing.  Then I searched "top Christian songs" and a list popped up.  It was the first song on the list and I felt quite sure it was the one stuck in my head, so I found it on YouTube, and YES it was the song!

As I was listening, I got to the verse I'd been humming.  "Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.  It chases me down, fights till I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine.  I couldn't earn it.  I don't deserve it.  Still you give Yourself away.  Oh, the overwhelming, never ending, reckless love of God."

In the past, when I've read the parable Jesus shared about the shepherd leaving the ninety-nine sheep to find the one lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7), I've always thought, "Oh no!  Don't leave the ninety-nine!  What if they get away?"  Leaving the ninety-nine seems pretty reckless to me, BUT that's how important one is.  That's how important I am!  The love of God has literally chased me down and fought till I was found.  And guess what?  I don't deserve it.  Reckless love!

Jesus goes on to say that when the one sheep is found, the shepherd joyfully puts it on his shoulders and comes back rejoicing.  He calls his friends to come celebrate with him, because his sheep was lost, but is now found. 

This reminds me of the verse in the song that says, "There's no shadow you won't light up, mountain you won't climb up coming after me.  There no wall you won't kick down, lie you won't tear down, coming after me."

I can't tell you how many mountains He's climbed up and walls He's kicked down coming after me.  Nor can I tell you how many times those shoulders have carried me home!  He found me again, and again, and again...  Reckless love!

So the next time you're wondering if anyone loves you, think of the mountains He's climbed up coming after you.  Think of the walls He's kicked down coming after you.  Think of the lies He's torn down coming after you.  And think of the shoulders that have carried you back home and the rejoicing that took place over one!  Over YOU!  You couldn't earn it!  He's just recklessly in love with you!

Love Always,

Shy

What if?

There I was, feeling so stressed over a particular situation.  All the worse possible outcomes were floating around in my brain like storm clouds.  Of course there were positive outcome options in the realm of possibilities, but like the sun, the storm clouds blocked their light.  So, I did what most of us do when the storm is passing - I checked the weather.  I needed some encouragement that the sun would shine again, so I called my "sunshine" friend.  You know that one friend who can point out the tiny rays of sun in a storm?  That one friend who if you called them and told them you broke your toe, they would reply "Thank God you have 9 more."  Yes, that friend...  I needed someone to remind me that there are blue skies ahead.

In the middle of my moaning about all that was wrong, he said something that really changed my entire posture (literally!).  He said "How would you act if you knew everything was going to be alright?"  Wow!  Suddenly, my back straightened up, my shoulders felt lighter, my head came out of a fog and I began to think, "What if God really is on my side?", "What if things really are working for my good?", "What if things truly are going to be okay according to God's plan?".  It was amazing how all of my "what ifs" changed from storm clouds to peace in the storm.  

It's amazing how when things are going well, we say "God is on my side", but we quickly forget that fact when we have a rainy day.  Let me remind you, GOD NEVER CHANGES SIDES!  Just as He was there as His son hung on the cross, He is there for us when we are being persecuted by our situations and thoughts.  He's ALWAYS on our side!  Sometimes, it's not about Him changing our storm, rather about Him changing us.

Your faith and your thoughts are powerful.  Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

So the next time you are going through a storm, stay connected to God through prayer and thanksgiving and change your "what ifs" to these questions: "What if God really is on my side?"  "What if He really does have a plan for my life?"  "What if things really are working out for my good?"  Then watch the peace of God guard your heart and mind beyond all understanding.  What if?

Love Always,

Shy

The Scar

"Is that a run in your pantyhose on your knee?" she asked with a quizzical look on her face.

Confused, I looked down at my knee to see what she was referring to.  Realizing it was the scar on my knee she was looking at, I replied, "Oh, no that's a scar I got from falling off a bike when I was a kid"

Fast forward 25 years, I've made it a point to only wear pants or dresses that come below the knee.  That incident made me super sensitive about my scar, so I've always hid it.  In my mind, if people saw my scar, they wouldn't see me - they'd only see my scar.  Plus, I'd be reminded of the fall.  Oddly, I'd only remember the "falling down" part, but not the "getting up" part.  Why is that?  Why do we remember the fall more than the getting up?  And why do we hide the scars after we've long since overcome the fall and gotten up?

There's a beautiful and talented chef by the name of Padma Lakshmi.  If you've heard of her, you may know about the 7" scar on her arm from a car accident she was in when she was 14.  Unlike me, she not only shows off her scar by wearing sleeveless dresses and short sleeve tops, but, at times, she actually puts glitter on it and wears it like an accessory!  Who does that to a scar?  Padma, that's who.  I was so impressed when I first saw her do this.  I was thinking, "You mean, you don't hide your scars?"  After all, I've spent years hiding scars.  Well, she's been quoted as saying, "It reminds me that I can survive my pain."  Wow!  She completely set me free with this!  Sounds like she's more focused on the "getting up" part. 

I'm not recommending you run out and share your story and worse scars with everyone, because I realize not everyone will be able to handle your story.  But, what I am saying is whether they are physical or emotional scars, it's not our falling down that should get the spotlight, "but thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him"! (2 Cor. 2:14)  What an opportunity to spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Him when we bare our scars.  What an opportunity to show others that we are not our scars, but our scars are a sign that He has caused us to be triumphant!  

Scars...  We all have them.  We can choose to hide them or we can use them as an opportunity to give thanks to the one who caused us to triumph. So the next time you see me, don't be surprised if my scar baring knee is exposed.  Don't think it's because I'm being sassy.  It might just be my opportunity to share the fragrance of the knowledge of Him who caused me to triumph!

Love Always,

Shy

Who's at the door?

When I was a little girl, I had a book of bible stories with colorful pictures.  Many days, I would sit quietly and thumb through that book and look at the pictures.  There was one picture that stood out to me more than the others.  It was a picture of Jesus standing on the outside of a door knocking with the caption, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock."  I would stare at that picture for a long time.  I must admit, my first thought was a little scary, like "Yikes! What in the world is Jesus doing at the door?"  

On the other hand, I was so intrigued at the possibility of Jesus standing at the door knocking that I would wonder what I would do if He was literally standing at my door.  Would I let Him in?  Would I feel unprepared for such an important guest?  Would I just get really quiet and hope He thinks I'm not home?  Why is He even here?  What does He want?  Should I open the door?  Would I get in trouble for opening the door?  Technically, He's not a stranger...  The questions were endless for my 7-year-old mind as I stared at this beautiful and powerful image.

Amazingly, many years later, I can still see that picture very vividly in my mind.  It has stuck with me over the years.  And the question of "what would I have to do to be prepared to open the door, should Jesus stop by?" has lingered in my mind.  Wow!  Huge, right?

The fact of the matter is, I don't have to do anything.  Jesus is not an inspector showing up with a clipboard.  He's not stopping by to grade my performance and give me a list of opportunities for improvement. The fact of the matter is, He's stopping by to comfort me when I am hurting (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).  He's stopping by to provide for me when I am in need (Luke 12:22-24).  He's stopping by to be a friend when I am lonely (John 15:13-15).  He's stopping by to give me peace when I am in the midst of a storm (John 14:27).  He's stopping by to love me in my most unlovable moments (1 John 4:16).

As impactful as that picture was as a child, I now understand as an adult how much of a gift it is to have Jesus find me important enough to stand at my door and knock.  He's not there to ask for anything, but to BE all that I need.  

Decades later, I now know what I would do if He were at my door, because I do it everyday...  I simply swing the door of my heart open and say "Come in!  I'm so glad you're here!"

Love Always,

Shy

The Whisper

I was tossing and turning at 3:00 a.m.  Was it the two sloppy joes I'd eaten the night before that had me awake?  Okay, it was three sloppy joes, but that's not the point.  I couldn't get comfortable, so I finally got up at 3:30 and went downstairs to sit in my "listening chair".  It's the chair I sit in to get quiet and close enough to God to hear a whisper.  When I walked into the room, I was reminded of Eli's advice to Samuel when he heard the voice of the Lord calling him (1 Samuel 3).  In verse 9, Eli tells Samuel "if he calls you, say 'speak Lord, for your servant is listening'".  It was at that moment when I knew it was more than a sloppy joe that had me awake.  This was intentional.

I knew this was a "lay my head in the lap of God and just listen" moment.  I knew this was a moment when His words would soothe my spirit, slow my racing thoughts and just whisper "I'm here".  Have you ever had one of those moments when you may not have even been able to make out the words, but you understood the message?  That moment when you knew you could just drop your end of the rope to just be.

Sometimes that's all God wants us to do - just be.  Be still.  Be quiet.  Be with Him.  Sometimes there's no grand revelation, "just being" with Him is enough.  Other times, answers come through peace.  Sometimes next steps come through being still.  Sometimes the message comes through silence.  But most importantly, the whisper in our spirits is best heard when we get close enough to hear it.  Shhhhh....  Lean into the whisper.

I reread 1 Samuel 3 and this time what really stood out to me in verse 10 was "the Lord came and stood there" the third time He called to Samuel.  What?  Like stood there?  When the Lord comes and stands there 1) He has a message for you and, 2) He's close enough for you to hear a whisper.  Listen!  

He's standing there because He has a message for you.  Don't worry about how He will speak.  He speaks to us in many different ways.  All we have to do is open our hearts, minds and spirits and say, "speak, for your servant is listening" and watch Him whisper in a way that your heart understands.  

Love Always,

Shy

#winning

There is a song by Jekalyn Carr called "You Will Win" that I absolutely love!  If you know this song, you are saying "yassss" right now.  So, there I was driving to work when that song came on the radio.  I immediately turned up the volume and went "all in".  If you can imagine the lady in the car next to you with a serious face, bobbing her head, making hand gestures and looking like she is explaining something really important to someone in a very dramatic way, then you can imagine me.  So when Jekalyn got to the verse that said "everything attached to me wins", I put my hand on my chest and sang it as if my declaration was the final say in winning!  (Sidebar: Person in car next to me slows down to let me pass, because they're not quite sure what is about to happen with the crazy lady.)

If you're like me and have been through enough trials in your life, including a few level 10's, you learn to not care what people think about how you run your race.  You also learn that you have to fight, chase down and declare your own victory.  So there I was, not only determined to win, but also determined that "everything attached to me" would win - my children, my vision, my purpose, etc.  I was declaring my way to a lot of #winning.

Ironically, the same day, I read Psalms 18:29 where David says to God, "With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall."  WhaTTT?!  David sounds crazy like me!  Advance against a troop?  Scale a wall?  David, let's do this!  Clearly, David understood three things: 1) the power God, 2) the power of being attached to God, and, 3) how everything attached to God wins!

My word to you today is simple - no matter how hard things may look, how tempting it may be to let go of what you know is right, or how challenged your faith might be in this very moment, Stay. Attached. To God. and you will win!

Love Always,

Shy