When the picture is posted. The one that makes you cringe. Just don’t mentally go there.
One was posted a few weeks ago with me in it, and my first inclination was to think, “Wow, this really highlights the most unflattering part of my body.”
But I wasn’t looking hard enough. I wasn’t looking at what really mattered.
The smiles. The happy tears. The sparkle in my loved one’s eyes. The meaning of the moment.
Ladies, we’ve got to stop that.
First of all, I guarantee you no one else honed in on that body part except for me because if they did – well, that’s just weird.
Second of all, who cares!!! Let’s retrain our minds to focus on what matters.
Let’s focus on the meaning of the moments not the insecurities that we see that no one else does.
Let’s focus on our family and our friends and our faith.
Let’s focus on the freedom we have in Jesus Christ.
After all, we will all have perfectly perfect bodies in Heaven. And here on earth, I guarantee your loved ones think you’re perfect just the way you are.
Now that’s good news.
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14
At the start of every school year, I pack up my backpack with pencils, folders, papers and anything else I might need. I always just kind of guess with how much stuff I should put in there, and I keep a stash of extras in my closet in case I run out of anything. This year, I just put a random amount of paper in my math binder and was like “yeah that looks about right” and didn’t think anything about it again. Until it was the day before our last homework assignment, and I see exactly one sheet left.
Exactly one sheet.
I used the exact perfect amount of paper in my sophomore year of high school in my binder.
I didn’t plan it.
I never noticed it and was like “hmmm if I plan this out accordingly it will line up like this.” There were days I did random doodles when I wasn’t paying attention in class, or gave a classmate a sheet and yet every thing lined up perfectly in the end…
And this was a huge deal to me.
Literally a week before I had been praying to God for wisdom and just a sign that He was there for me. When I told all my friends about my perfect amount of paper, they were all just kind of like “cool- whatever.” None of them were as amazed by this as I was.
God knows exactly how many hairs are on my head, and He knew exactly how many pieces of paper I would need for my Algebra 2 math class. He showed up for me in such a tiny way, but it was such a miracle to me.
When I was reaching out, He didn’t give me a huge spectacle. He gave me a tiny miracle that other people looked over, but that meant everything to me and showed me that He loves me and cares for me every single day. God answers all your prayers and shows up for you every single day.
“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
My mind and heart for weeks now have dove into the topic of identity. Do I allow Christ to define me, or those around me? Am I living for them or for Him?
Our students seemed to grasp the concept and truth that Christ is the only one who can help us uncover who we truly are. He made us on purpose, with a purpose. We should desire to know Him more to also know our purpose more! The students also seemed to agree that rooting yourself in this truth is… challenging. I have to agree with them.
What am I rooting myself in? I want it to be nothing but Christ.
Here are a few things that I can do as I root my identity in Christ:
> Feel secure in who I am and who God created me to be. > Stop pursing other things that distract me from who I was created to be. > Root my identity in God’s word not peoples ever changing opinion. > Know that with Christ the new has come and the old has passed away.
You can too.
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.“ Psalm 139: 13-14
The truth is, if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, you belong to Christ. He is your identity. Know this, WELL!
“29 He gives strength to the weary, And to the one who lacks might He increases power. 30 Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, 31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”
— Isaiah 40:29-31 (NASB20)
Waiting.
That is my season right now. The Lord asked me to move, so I moved, but He has not revealed the next step. Here – I’m supposed to wait.
Wait for the right open door.
Wait for direction.
Wait for Him to place me where He wants me.
Here’s the thing:
I struggle with patience. And I want to be in control. I’m sure none of you can relate to that, right?
In the waiting, both of those things are tested. What does next year look like? Where does He want me to go?
I thought I knew what the rest of my career looked like. I was home. With my people. Comfortable. Until – a yearning for more began to rise up in my heart. I never wanted to be anywhere else.
Until some things began glaring at me…until I poured myself out for everyone else…until I saw the sacrifice my own children made for me to hold this job. Until I grew tired – weary. Restless.
Then my thoughts became more like:
Can I really do this for the next 10-15 years?
I love my school so much, but it is time for change.
During this wait, I have watched the interviews happen to fill a spot that I have held for five years. Though it shouldn’t bother me, it does. There’s a lump in my throat even now. This spot…this place.
Not my will, but Yours, Lord.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Even when we want to shove Jesus out of the way and take the reins back, we still have to trust. Letting him direct us may be difficult, but it will be worth it.
I’m doing my best to trust right now. I know He will direct me…and that’s the truth I’m going to walk in.
During this wait, I have noticed a change. That restlessness – gone. The weariness – gone. I am enjoying time with my girls already even though I’m still going to work every week. My situation hasn’t changed yet, but my heart and mind has. Sadness has been replaced with hope and excitement.
I know the Lord has led me to this moment. I know He’s working on me. I know He already knows the next step even if I don’t yet. I have to trust that even when the control freak tries to take over again. Each day, I have to resolve that I will trust that He will provide the door.
So here – I – wait.
Here’s my question for you:
Are you trusting God with those areas you like to control? If not, take a step of faith. Trust Him to do what He says. Let Him direct your path and if He asks you to, wait on Him. The rest I have found in Him already is so very worth the step of faith.
We often hear the simple affirmation, “everything happens for a reason.” It’s no shocker this quote is so popular; things rarely go as planned. But why? Although this statement is true, it doesn’t include the most important detail:
Everything happens for a reason…
Because God is sovereign.
Because God is faithful.
Because God sees the bigger picture.
One of the most powerful examples of God’s sovereignty is found in the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. He was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned. It’s safe to say Joseph had every reason to doubt God’s plan. Yet years later, he was able to say to his brothers:
“You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20)
God does allow pain and suffering. But that’s the beauty of sovereignty: God works through both blessings and brokenness to fulfill His plan. He sees what we cannot. He knows what we cannot. He loves us more deeply than we can comprehend.
When we truly believe that God is in control of all things, we can rest. This is where faith comes in; we don’t need to have all the answers all the time. We can simply trust because He’s got it handled. Just think, the Almighty King of the universe is choosing to use YOU to fulfill His greater plan. Knowing this truth doesn’t mean we will be free from hardships, but it changes how we face them.
Everything happens for a reason BECAUSE God has a plan!
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9
Have you ever had days when you just don’t want to______ ? Get out of bed? Pray? Read your Bible? Exercise? You fill in the blank. You just want to cry uncle and go back to bed.
Discouragement is real and I have to be diligent to keep it in check. My nature is to push through in my own strength and be like Martha. Just. Keep. Going. That doesn’t last long and I’m worse off for trying.
Even if it’s for just a 1/2 hour I need to follow Mary’s example to sit with Jesus. I have to fill myself with His love and receive the rest and encouragement He alone can provide.
We have to be diligent because discouragement comes straight from the enemy. He is going to try and back us off the plate any way he can. Curve balls, breaking balls, fast balls to the helmet….he is relentless. Stay in the box. Crowd the plate more. That’s what we are called to do. Press. In.
The verse I shared is from a good solid Christian walk chapter. It tells us exactly how we should walk in the Kingdom and minister to others. We start by being a living sacrifice, renewing our mind and move on from there.
About mid chapter Paul reminds us to let love be without hypocrisy. 😳 Y’all it’s peopley. It’s messy. It can be discouraging. If anyone knew that it was Paul. We have to battle letting hypocrisy creep in. When it does we have to take the time to go back to 12:1 and restart the renewal process.
Reminding myself that my works and good deeds are filthy rags if Jesus is not the driving force behind them is key. Renewing my mind to keep it in line with His truth is of utmost importance. Without His love shining through me I can accomplish nothing and hypocrisy will creep in. (Think clanging cymbal)
God is faithful to love me, encourage me and use me. That’s my focus. Shake off the discouragement and remind the enemy of his future. He is truly defeated. 🤺
Fear. Anxiety. Family hardships. Financial difficulties. Depression. Grief. All. The. Things.
God’s Word tells us that He will bear all of that and MORE! Everything that weighs us down. His Truth says we can come to Him when we are weary, that we take His yoke upon us.
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
I don’t know about ya’ll, but I read that and I’m all about it!
He will give us rest ✅
He will teach us ✅
Rest for my soul ✅
His yoke is easy ✅
His burden is LIGHT – ✅
Yet… in my controlling, human, weak self, what do I do? I turn around and pick those burdens right back up! Ughhh. Like, do I really miss that heaviness? Nowhere does He say I will give you rest like a “nap” – for a little while, or bear your burdens “partially”.
“Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22
God knows that we allow some of those heavy burdens to literally weigh us down so much we can’t even look up. That’s not what He wants for you my friend – for any of us. Our Father tells us to cast our cares on HIM. To lay them down at the foot of the cross and WALK AWAY. Seek, pray, find the hem of His garment ya’ll- and FIND REST FOR YOUR SOUL. He will SUSTAIN you. ❤️❤️
Jesus never avoided the mess. He didn’t flinch at the dirt, the shame, or the failures of others. He sat with sinners, but He didn’t become one. His holiness wasn’t threatened by their brokenness; it was the hope they needed most.
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:10 (NIV)
That’s the gospel. Jesus sat with the broken not to blend in, but to bring healing and truth. He didn’t run from sinners. He ran to them. Jesus did this knowing full well that the table was a place of transformation, not compromise.
We’re called to that same courage. To sit in places that are uncomfortable. To love people without conditions. To be present in the lives of those who are hurting without losing the holiness that makes us shine.
Jesus didn’t avoid broken people. He moved toward them. He didn’t come to approve of their sin, but to redeem them from it. He didn’t become like them in their sin; instead, He showed them what it meant to live in grace.
This message echoes in the music of Jelly Roll, a man whose raw lyrics often paint a picture of a life touched by pain, struggle, and redemption. In his song “Save Me,” he cries out:
“Somebody save me, me from myself I’ve spent so long living in Hell…”
Jelly Roll doesn’t hide his scars, and neither does Jesus. In fact, Jesus’ scars are the reason ours can heal. Life can leave us feeling far from God, stained by choices we regret. But here’s the good news: Jesus isn’t afraid of our mess. He doesn’t require us to be clean before we come to Him – He just asks that we come.
And this is where, in the midst of our struggles and imperfections, He turns our mess into our message. Jesus transforms our perceived failures into testimonies and creates opportunities for us to share God’s grace with others.
May we strive to be more like Jesus – not becoming part of sin, but stepping into people’s pain with compassion and truth. Let’s also be honest about our brokenness and hopeful in God’s ability to redeem it.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
A few weeks ago, my junior class was doing their final class discussion over a variety of texts. In order to pass, each student had to ask and answer two questions. The topics and themes ranged from forgiveness to fear. As one class struggled to get started, I reminded them that silence was okay. I encouraged them to sit in the awkwardness and discomfort. I summed it all up with one statement: “Embrace the pause.” Holy Spirit convicted me right there in my classroom. Loudly. Clearly. Gently, but directly. Here I was teaching my students to wait, pause, breathe, and think before they speak while I’m the “Queen of Now.” I know what I want, and I want it now. I know the questions I have, and I want them answered. I know the prayers I have, and I want them delivered. I know the guidance I need, and I want it now. But He is asking me to embrace the wait. To enjoy the waiting season. To sit in the slow down. To rest in the not yet. To be present in the pause. Maybe you are waiting for something to change. Maybe you need answers to lingering life questions. Maybe you need direction for your next chapter. Maybe you need an answered prayer. Maybe you just feel like you’re in slow motion or sitting in silence. Embrace the pause. One student left a note on my desk after our discussion. She wrote, “Thank you for making me be uncomfortable. It sucked, and it was hard. I can’t wait to do it again.” She saw the value of the pause. She learned new limits. She made hard moves. She faced fears. She grew. As I have reflected on that moment, I’m comforted by His truth: -He IS God. He knows. He sees. He controls. And He is good. -He is with us. He is present in the pause. He is walking us through the wait. -He isn’t finished. He completes what He starts. He gives us a hope and future. So, I embrace this pause as I wait for my family to grow, prayers to be answered, and His plans to unfold. I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5
I love the song ‘The More I Seek You’ by Kari Jobe.
The opening lyrics say, “The more I seek you, the more I find you; the more I find you, the more I love you.”
God is a good, perfect, and faithful Father and we always have His undivided attention. He is always ready to meet with us when we seek Him out because He loves us; he is attentive, and desires to meet our needs.
Matthew 7:7 says “Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.”
When we draw near to the Lord, we can’t help but come away different. The word is alive and the change it elicits is radical in its subtlety. We exchange our old ways of thinking for God’s truth and let it take root in our hearts.
Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Changing our minds aligns our desires with His will and forms us into the ideal instruments for His work. How do we know if it’s working? Nothing exposes the posture of the heart like external pressure. What pours out of you when you are pressed?
Luke 6:45 says “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks.”
I want to encourage you: continue to seek, continue to find, and continue to renew your mind letting the living water carve a new path through your heart.
Philippians 4:8 says “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Rays of Sunshine inc 