Low self-confidence.

That was me all through school. I was too skinny. I had stringy hair. Crooked teeth. That’s what I saw. That’s what I thought other kids saw.

Then I had babies. And I was too big. One afternoon while walking through the grocery store in my hometown – pushing my newborn baby in a buggy – an older lady pointed out how much weight I’d gained.

Don’t do that.

Don’t point out other people’s flaws. It’s hurtful.

It took me years, and a deeply grounded relationship in Christ, to push past the insecurities of a poor self image. You don’t have to live that way, ladies.

*Are you tired of not feeling good enough?

*Are you constantly comparing yourself?

*Tearing down yourself?

Break free. Let Christ help you undo the chains of insecurity that are holding you back.

*Speak truth to yourself.

*Pray

*Set aside Praise & Worship time

*Become best friends with Jesus.

*Lift other women up.

You were created to be a confident woman in Christ. He made you beautiful. He created you for a purpose. Believe it. God doesn’t make mistakes.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – Psalm 139:14

Dear Teenagers,

Standards.

Don’t apologize for having them. Set them high. Dare to be different. Don’t feel bad about yourself when you don’t fit in. There’s nothing wrong with you, but the world will try to make you think there is.

The world will try to tell you that you think you’re better, but that’s not it. It’s just that you know without a doubt that God’s way IS better.

Standards. Set them. Keep them. And when you mess up – because you will – ask God to give you the strength to forgive yourself and keep on going.

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;” – Philippians 1:27

God will give you the desires of your heart. He said so. The thing is – when you totally surrender to Him – there is a shift. Your desires change.

Your desires are no longer self-based but Kingdom-based. Everything within you will long, will strive, to grow closer to God. To lead people to God. To be the hands and feet of Christ in a world that needs to see and feel Him like never before.

It’s time for a shift, guys.

“Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him” – Psalm 37:5-7

In a technology laden world – with all kinds of knowledge at our children’s fingertips- it’s more important than ever to prepare them for what this world is shoving in their face.

Smart phones, the internet, commercials on TV – they are all oozing with information that we may or may not want our kids to see and hear.

I’m not dumb. I can’t stop it all. Whether I let them watch certain things or not they will hear it at school.

I know.

But let me tell you what I can do. I can get those babies to church. I can pray with them every morning on the way to school. I can make sure that they hear the truth. I can pray that the truth fills their minds and hearts. I can pray that they fall so in love with Jesus and everything He stands for that when the time comes they will turn away from evil. I can let them see me loving Jesus with everything within me.

I’m not naive. I know how the world is attacking our youth. I see it every single day; however, I also know that Jesus is stronger. I know without a doubt that Jesus is bigger.

If we want to empower our kids – if we want them to be able to stand strong in a world that is spinning out of control – then we have to equip them. We have to teach them the truth. We have to BE that truth.

“5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” – Deuteronomy 6:5-9

You are one in a million. Literally. God made us all unique, and He wants us – He needs us – to step up and use our unique gifts and talents to further His Kingdom.

What is it that He blessed you with? What talent do you possess that you can use to make Heaven bigger?

Singing

Speaking

Writing

Praying

Teaching

Cooking

Sewing

Interceding

The list could go on and on. Claim your talent and use it today. God is waiting and excited to see what you can and will do.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

– Ephesians 2:10

Y’all.

Can we give the women we come into contact with today a break?

Can we just remember that everyone has a bad day sometimes? Can we just bear in mind that every once in a while they won’t be able to smile because if they do their face and heart will crack wide open? Can we remind ourselves about the possibility that her alarm didn’t go off and neither did the coffee pot, which sent the entire morning spiraling out of control? Can we extend the hand of grace to the tired and weary women that probably haven’t slept in days, yet they have an insurmountable pile of laundry waiting on them?

Can we?

That break, that glimpse of understanding, may be exactly what someone needs to shake the weight of the world off their shoulders – if even for a moment.

“not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” – Philippians 2:4

Dear tired lady running on fumes,

You are not alone. Yesterday Frank found a pair of scissors in the fridge. I can’t even blame it on the kids. It was me. Totally me. Who knows how they even ended up there. I just know that last week was jam-packed with way too much stuff, and it left me crazy scattered.

The point is – you’re not alone. I’m not alone. When you start to wonder how you are going to get every single thing done, and get every tiny human to the correct place at the correct time – remember that God has your back. This is just a crazy, busy season. A season that will go by too fast. One that we will eventually miss. A season that God has truly blessed us with.

So, fellow tired lady – embrace whatever season you are currently in. While you’re at it, extend yourself some grace – even when you leave scissors in the fridge.

“You will show me the way of life,

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.” – Psalm 16:11

It’s Monday. The beginning of a new week. As we venture out into whatever God has in store for us don’t forget that we have the power to change somebody’s outlook – for the good.

So…

Give the smile

Say hello

A simple head nod

A pat on the back

Open the door

A little compliment

Do anything to show that one person that they have been seen. That they are there. That they matter. To keep going. That everything is in fact going to be ok.

Take the time

Give the smile

Touch a soul

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11

This is what God has placed on my heart this morning:

1. Nothing – NOTHING – is too big for God.

2. Believe God for the miracle that you need.

3. Thank Him now.

I could write example after example of miracles He has performed throughout the Bible. I could write about miracles that I’ve seen in my short 36 years on this Earth. The bottom line is that He loves you as much as He loved Moses and Sarah and Daniel and David and even Lazarus.

He loves you. He is working on your miracle. Believe it.

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.’”- Mark 10:27

The Cambridge Online Dictionary states that oppression is a situation in which people are governed in an unfair and cruel way and prevented from having opportunities and freedom.

Guys. He is unfair, and he is cruel – and he wants you to believe that life is, too. Do not believe that mess.

Don’t allow satan to govern or control your life any longer. Step out in boldness today and claim the opportunities and freedom that God has promised you.

“But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners.” – Psalm 146:5-7