We all have insecurities. We all have that one thing that’s holding us back.

Don’t let it.

Where you are insecure – God is secure.

Where you are lacking – God is overflowing.

Where you are weak – God is strong.

If God is calling you to do something, do not let a lie from the devil hold you back. Do not let him stop you. Wouldn’t he love that?

We are insecure for a reason. Think about that today.

And there is some truth to your insecurity. You can’t do it. You are weak. You’re not enough. But my God is. He is everything we are not.

Do you trust Him? Do you believe Him? Can you relinquish all control and hand it over to Him?

Can you say yes today and go for God?

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

I always think about how cool it would be for this country girl to live in a big city. I think it’s cool until I get on the 610 loop in Houston, Texas. That thought changes as quickly as the cars whizzing past me, and in that moment all I can hope for more than anything in the world is to get out of that concrete jungle.

Last time I drove on the 610 loop it was June in Texas, and the air had gone out in my Tahoe. The wind whipping through my rolled down windows amplified the noise pollution that was surrounding me. Not to mention the Texas heat and humidity beating down on my leather seats. I think they call this first world problems.

I said all of that to say this – the grass really isn’t greener somewhere else. I can envision city lights, a different career, a high-rise condo, a faster-paced life all I want to. However, the reality is I have all I need right where I am because I have God. I have prayer. I have grace. I have love.

God knows exactly where we need to be. God knows where we will make the biggest impact for His Kingdom. I can wish for big city living all I want, but God knows His people and their purpose better than we know ourselves. His vantage point is so much broader than ours.

Don’t waste away valuable time wishing when you could be working to enhance God’s Kingdom exactly where you are. Exactly where He has placed you. Exactly where He needs you.

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

Ten minutes before walking out of my front door for church my English Bulldog Megatron did the unmentionable (while my Roomba was running) and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

Ten minutes before I had to leave for church.

You can’t tell me that the devil wasn’t trying to attack me. You can’t tell me that he wasn’t trying to alter my mood. Wouldn’t he have loved for me to twist off like a tornado right before I walked out of the door for VBS?

But I didn’t let him win.

Inhale.

Now exhale.

Don’t let the devil get your goat, y’all. Don’t let the devil determine the direction of your day. Just don’t let him. Sometimes you just have to grin and bear whatever mess comes your way. Literally.

I know that’s tough – but guess what? God is tougher.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2).

Church.

Thank goodness for church.

It grounds me. If gives me peace. When I walk through the doors the Holy Spirit whispers to me, “Hey girl. I’m right here.”

Thank goodness for church.

Yesterday morning I went straight up mommy monster mode. If my husband had Facebook he would be shaking his head up and down saying amen right now.

I don’t even know what happened, but something snapped within me. In 2.1 seconds I went from totally ok to a mad, crying, hot mess of a woman. If that makes me seem weak – good! Because I am weak… but Christ. He’s strong, and He is my BFF.

Everything bothered me. Everything triggered a sassy response. Everything made me someone I hate to be.

But church. When I walked through those doors I could feel the Holy Spirit wrap His arms around me. I could feel the ugly melt away. I could feel a much needed attitude adjustment.

Thank goodness for church.

Thank goodness for a place to run to when life gets to be a little too much. Thank goodness for a weekly pit spot to adjust my attitude – cause Lord knows I need it. Thank goodness for a group of ladies that love me unconditionally, that understand my weak moments, and that pray me through the rough times.

Find you a church guys. Find you a place to belong. Find you a place so saturated with the Holy Spirit that when you walk through the doors all the ugly, all the pressures, all the worries just melt away.

Find you a church. Get up, go, and get grounded in God’s word and spirit.

Thanks goodness for a good church.

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16

I had a cute, little post written about the last day of school. It was all about bento boxes and dry shampoo, but God placed something else on my heart for today. Maybe it’s for you?

If you’re in the valley – start climbing now.

Start today.

You may slip. You may fall. But you don’t have to waller around in the depths of past sins, regrets, or pain any longer.

It’s your choice to pull yourself out. It’s your choice to cry out to God for strength to endure the treacherous climb – because it will be treacherous. It’s your decision to keep going. After all this isn’t a one day trip.

Y’all the valley is so very deep, but the valley is still beautiful. There’s so much learning, so much leaning in the valley.

Learning to fully trust and lean on God is beauty in its purest form.

Y’all, start climbing.

Start climbing, but don’t forget to look down and remember. Don’t forget what God gave you the strength to ascend. Don’t forget how hard it was.

Don’t forget to tell others about your story. Your story just may produce the urgency within somebody that they needed to begin their journey to victory.

“8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Y’all, this is serious, and I don’t want to mess it up.

By the way I talk.

By what I watch.

By how I act.

By how I serve.

By what I allow.

By what I turn to when the going gets tough.

Someone’s always watching, and that is a lot of pressure – but it’s real. Whether it be an actual child or adults new to the faith, someone is looking to us for guidance. Someone is looking to us to see what to do.

We are going to mess up – no doubt. But if we cling to God, stay faithful in prayer, and stay in God’s word we will be able to live out loud a true walk of faith.

We’ve got to be intentional, and we’ve got to give it our all.

No one said this was going to be easy. Certainly not Paul or David or Jesus Himself.

This walk takes grit. It takes integrity. It literally took blood, sweat, and tears. It takes Jesus.

“but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

Dear Tired & Exhausted,

There isn’t enough coffee in the world to refresh you. There isn’t a vacation long enough to rejuvenate you.

There isn’t a drink strong enough to melt the stress away.

But Jesus.

Jesus welcomes the weary. He welcomes the weak. And on the days that you feel like you are the conductor of the struggle train – He welcomes you with arms wide open.

Go to Him.

If you’re too tired to run – then walk.

If you can’t walk – then crawl.

And on the days when you can’t even crawl – just curl up in a ball on the ground and call His name. He will scoop you up.

That’s what He does.

Let Him hold you for awhile.

Let Him carry the load.

Let Him breathe fresh life into you.

Dear Tired & Exhausted – Go to Him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Don’t be too busy.

Too busy to stop

Too busy to listen.

Too busy to pray.

Too busy to be there.

Too busy for people.

Busy schedules, crazy demands, and just life in general have a way of sneaking up on us and taking over. We’ve got be careful.

We can go to church, we can serve on committees, we can teach Sunday School – but if we don’t stop. If we don’t look. If we don’t listen. Then we’ve inevitability missed the big picture.

The big picture is hurting humans. Happy humans. Humans that need to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

Don’t get so busy – so wrapped up – that you forget what God’s true mission is for your life.

Loving others.

Lifting others up.

Listening to others.

Living life to reflect Christ.

“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

God’s been working on me. Two words keep popping up everywhere I turn: steadfast & mindset.

He reiterated the importance of mindset to me again this morning through a devotional I read.

The thing is, when living for God, it’s not about saying no to this world – it’s the fact that we get to see yes to God.

Yes to His lifestyle.

Yes to His ministry.

Yes to following Him.

All in. 100%.

We get to say yes to the King of Kings. It’s a privilege- not a prison.

You are who God says you are, and nobody can change that.

Nobody.

When Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were taken to Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar tried his best to change who they were. The king immersed them in a new culture, a new society. He even went as far as changing their names, which was a pretty big deal back then.

You’ve heard of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Plot twist – that’s not even who they really were. Not even close.

Although the new names Nebuchadnezzar bestowed upon Daniel and his friends were meant to encourage them to take the plunge into a Babylonian lifestyle – these men were not about to conform to the pattern of this old world.

These new names said that they were servants of various deities – but God – God said they were His.

And we all know how that chapter in Daniel played out.

The world will say all kinds of things about you – call you all kinds of names. Just don’t forget what God said about you first. Don’t forget He calls you daughter/son.

You get to choose the voice that you will listen to – the voice that you will believe.

God says you’re strong

God says you’re beautiful.

God says you matter.

God says you can.

God says watch me work through you.

God says you are His.

No voice, no human, nobody can say who you are – only God.

“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.” Romans 12:2