I was gonna say if you’re stressed and you know it clap your hands, but then I figured you’d be too tired to lift your arms.

Life’s crazy.

It’s exhausting.

Days feel never ending yet not long enough.

Bills

Jobs

Chores

Diets

Lists

Commutes

I’m just not quite sure how people make it without Jesus. The good news is He is right by our side, and He is rooting for us every step of the way.

Y’all, don’t do your day-to-day without Jesus. Invite Him in. Let Him get your through the crazy.

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” Psalm 94:19

Yesterday morning I heard something that I hope sticks with me every single day for the rest of my life.

The sweetest lady I know – like never stops smiling – looked at the child she was dropping off and she said the following words: make your own sunshine.

Y’all.

This lady has been through more trials than any one person should have to in a lifetime.

Hard trials.

But she chooses to make her own sunshine every single day. She chooses a smile, and she chooses to pass that on to others.

Life’s hard. The days are long and the soul can grow weary, but we get a choice.

We get a choice. I’m going to play that on repeat.

And I’m gonna choose sunshine.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Don’t ever be afraid to admit how broken you truly are. Your brokenness – your testimony -may be exactly what someone else needs to hear.

They may need to hear that it’s OK.

They may need to hear that someone else has in fact been there and done that. They may need to hear that it doesn’t make them less of a human being.

You may be the vessel that God uses to let them see that He can and will put their pieces back together in the most beautiful way.

Don’t miss out on being the one because of shame or doubt or hurt. Your brothers and sisters in Christ need your testimony.

They need who you were and who you’ve become. They need you.

“I will praise you to all my brothers; I will stand up before the congregation and testify of the wonderful things you have done.” Psalm 22:22

Hey sister.

May I challenge you this week? May I double-dog-dare you to make some changes that not only change your life but also impact and enhance your ministry for Jesus.

He needs you.

He needs your story.

He needs your talents.

This Christian life isn’t glamorous, and it certainly isn’t easy – but man it’s worth it. Making a lifestyle change, whether large or small, isn’t for the faint of heart.

It’s going to be hard.

It’s going to be different.

It’s going to be exhausting.

But commit anyway.

Put in the hard work anyway.

Stick to your guns.

God loves you, girl. You are His.

“24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” I Corinthians 9:24-25

Let me just say it – sometimes life just downright stinks. Unfortunate circumstances beyond our control can catch us off guard and land us between a rock and hard place – no doubt.

In those moments we have a choice to make. We can grumble, gripe, and grasp for things other than God for a temporary fix, or we can choose to be a Tamar.

She literally got knocked down again and again; yet, her faith was unwavering. She knew – she felt – that the God of Judah would bring her out of the oppression that she had faced for many, many years.

And she was right.

It’s our choice to press in, press on, and praise God through the storms of this life. It’s our choice not to give up.

And it’s our choice to handle these situations with grace.

With faith.

With hope.

If you get knocked down today I hope you get right back up, and I hope you know that God is the one that grabbed you by the boot straps and set your feet back on solid ground.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” Psalm 46:1-3

What’s distracting you?

What’s distracting you from doing what you were put on this earth to do – to spread the love of Jesus.

▪️To disciple

▪️To serve

▪️To love

▪️To really love

The hustle and the bustle of this crazy life is really real, y’all – without a doubt. We can get so wrapped up in our own minuscule worlds that we aren’t even within reach of one another. We’re not even in the same galaxy.

With the holiday season creeping up on us there’s no doubt life is about to get even crazier. We are a super busy society that’s constantly on the go. We don’t mean to get caught up in the hubbub of this face-paced life, but man it happens.

Today I urge you to take inventory of your day-to-day.

▪️Get out that microscope

▪️Step on your own toes

▪️Ask yourself the tough questions.

I’m going to.

What’s distracting you?

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

Do you feel God tugging on your heart to do something – but that something is terrifying?

Yeah.

Do that.

Do that scary thing.

If God’s with you then you don’t have to be afraid.

He said so. He promised.

We don’t always see or understand the big picture, but God does – because He is God.

Trust God today.

Step out in faith.

Do the scary thing.

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”

Psalm 28:7

I bet Martha had a checklist.

I bet she had a checklist that she thought about all day long.

I bet it consumed her.

I bet she was good at checking stuff off of it. I can guarantee she was a mover and a shaker – the epitome of #Slay.

Let me be honest – I’m such a Martha. Stop and smell the roses is not in my vocabulary. I love a list. Even more than that – I love checking stuff off of my list.

I can guarantee you that If Jesus came over to hang out at my house I would be running around my kitchen like a Texas tornado. Wiping a counter that I already wiped, refilling tea that didn’t need to be filled, and bossing my little sister around.

I would be so worried about the little details that I would forget about the big picture. As much as I love Jesus -and y’all already know how much that is – I know my flaws.

With that being said:

Ladies, there is nothing wrong with being a Martha. There’s nothing wrong with taking care of business, preparing for an event, and creating a warm and loving environment – but sometimes – sometimes you need to channel your inner Mary.

Sometimes you need to just chill out for goodness sakes. You need to enjoy what and who is around you. The people, God’s presence, the love that’s filling the room.

After all, hospitality is like being wrapped up in a hug from your grandmama or Jesus himself. There’s just nothing better.

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

We don’t always know the whole story. In fact, that’s usually the case.

Can you imagine the whispers? The stares? The judgmental eyes that followed young Mary around?

Can you imagine the pressure Mary felt? Can you imagine the guilt and shame that enveloped her day in and day out even though she knew the truth?

If people knew the whole story maybe they would have offered her a place to rest her weary bones. Maybe they would have prepared her a meal. Or two. Or three.

If people would have known the whole story maybe they would have been a friend. An ear to listen to. Someone to tell her that it was in fact gonna be ok.

But maybe someone should have done that anyway- without knowing the story behind the girl.

Just because.

Because she was a human being facing an insurmountable obstacle.

Maybe instead of judging we could just be there.

We could pray.

We could listen

We could offer hope.

We could love.

“33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Luke 2:33-35

I don’t know who needs to hear this but:

Stop. Circling. That. Stinkin. Mountain.

It’s time to let go and for real give it to God. This time can be different. This time will be different.

Don’t turn around. Don’t turn back. Don’t give up.

“You have been traveling around this mountain country long enough. Turn northward.” Deuteronomy 2:3