Jesus, thank You. Everything I will ever need is found in you. This time of the year can be stressful for some, while for others it is an exciting time filled with great anticipation for all the holiday festivities to come. It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of all the earthly things that we might even forget the source of it all. Today, I want to slow down and focus on the great blessing of Jesus.
When we receive the gift of Jesus, there’s so much to be thankful for. Jesus is the perfect friend that you’ve always craved. He is the greatest Counselor, Teacher, and guiding Shepherd who you can always depend on no matter what your circumstances may be.
Let’s be honest, there are many things happening in this world that can poison our view on life. Because of sin, we can’t always rely on our family and friends. Christians, this is why it is so important to turn your eyes upon Jesus. We have every reason to be thankful when we become fixated on the ultimate Savior. You will never be let down; instead, you will feel the need to share this great news with everyone in your path!
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6
My biggest fear – that would be words. It’s a real struggle for me.
At any given point anyone can say anything they want to about you. About your spouse. About your kids. About your friends. About your co-workers. They can just make it up and just say it. I’ve seen it happen so many times with people that I know.
People can create and conspire. They can spew and spit. They can just downright lie. It’s mind blowing to me because it’s not how I think. I can’t fathom just sitting around dreaming up some drama.
No, nothing has happened. I just felt compelled to share this weakness of mine with you. Maybe someone else struggles with this same irrational fear and maybe just maybe by me sharing how I feel – it will make you feel a little less crazy. I hope so.
So I will say it again – words scare me.
And I know that I know that I know that God has His people. I know that truth always wins. I know that that no weapon will prosper. Right? But I’m human.
The ironic thing about this whole situation is that words are also like my favorite thing in the world. I love words. I love writing them. I love reading them. I love digging deep into the meaning of them. And my husband may say that I use too many of them. 🤩
And like with everything else in this ol’ world – it’s all about the use.
So, how will we use our words today? Tomorrow? Next week? I hope we will use them kindly, lovingly, to build one another up, and to spread the love of Jesus.
“But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!” Isaiah 54:17
My husband and I were preparing for our youngest daughter’s first birthday party when I got the call that I had breast cancer. It was a blow to the gut. She was turning a year old in a week and my oldest was in first grade. How can I have cancer?
Let’s go back to how this started. When I was pregnant with my youngest daughter, I was told about a lady that lost her battle with breast cancer shortly after her child was born. There is a history of breast cancer in my family. I felt a powerful urge to talk to my doctor about having a mammogram after giving birth. I now know the powerful urge I felt was God moving me to discuss this with my doctor.
My doctor advised me to wait until my daughter was a year old. When I had the mammogram, I honestly wasn’t worried. I was just being proactive. I didn’t have a lump or any reason to believe I had cancer. After two mammograms and a biopsy, I received the call.
The next couple of hours I went from being numb to terrified. I lost my mom three years before, and I needed her. Her words came flooding into my thoughts. “Give your worries to God.” Anytime I was worried over the years, she would tell me to do this. I “tried” in the past but I would continue to worry.
Sitting that day, taking in all the information and feeling helpless, I asked God to to heal me and take my worries away. I felt a true peace come over me. It was the first time in my life that I was able to let go and trust in the Lord’s plan.
Our God didn’t stop there! He sent me an army of supporters that included friends, family, and people I just met the year before when my oldest daughter was in Kindergarten.
My army of supporters took care of my girls, cooked for us, drove me to treatments, and sold hundreds of “I wear pink for Tara” shirts to help pay my medical expenses. They even took turns spending the night with me in the hospital so my husband could be with the girls.
Treatment days were actually FUN! A different friend would drive me each time. It was a day of catching up and laughter. People would brag on me and tell me how positive I was about my diagnosis. I immediately told them that it wasn’t me, it was God. It was the first time in my life that I was truly able to give my worries to him. I had faith I would be healed and I was! November 7th will be the 14th anniversary of my diagnosis!
Here is what I pray you take away from my experience :
1. In times of struggle, surrender your worries to God and trust in his perfect plan!
A scaredy-cat in the moment – usually involving shenanigans from my daredevil of a husband – 100 percent yes.
But not a worrier.
So I was a little thrown off a few weeks back when I placed my head on my pillow and couldn’t let something go. It’s just not who I am.
But it was taunting me.
Teasing me.
Let me be honest – it was straight up freaking me out.
I started playing scenarios over and over in my head. I literally could have won an academy award that night with the script I was vividly scribbling out in my mind. A best seller full of drama, and I was the star. It went on for hours.
The next day my sweet friend (who didn’t know anything was even bothering me) asked me if there was anything she could pray about for me. I said, “Girl, you don’t even know.” And then she prayed.
And then God.
The situation I was so worried about played out in the most beautiful way. Like unimaginable- not possible without God’s hand. I wish I could give you all the details, but I can’t. You’ll just have to trust me.
I can say this though – bring your burdens to the Lord. All of them.
And try your dadgum best to lay them at His feet. And if for some reason you just can’t let them go – keep trying.
And keep trying.
And keep trying.
Y’all, you don’t have to worry. God’s for real got you.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Are you struggling with saying yes to God? I haven’t told this story in a long time, but I feel deep within my spirit that someone needs to hear it. Maybe it’s you.
Three years ago I was sitting on my floor folding laundry – minding my own business – and God came at me. He came at me with something that I thought was absolutely nuts.
He told me to start a non-profit.
A business.
A what?
That thought had never crossed my mind. It was not a dream I had ever dreamt.
I told Him I couldn’t.
I told Him I wouldn’t.
I told Him no.
And I didn’t tell a soul.
Now y’all know how close I am with my sisters, right? I tell them everything. But not this.
Uh-uh.
No way.
Nope.
I wasn’t about to speak this into existence.
And then we wrestled. For three long weeks. I wrestled with God. I bet you can guess who won.
Rays of Sunshine Inc has been running smoothly for three years now. I wish I knew the number of kids we’ve helped, but I don’t. I just know it’s a lot. And I know it’s exactly what God made me for.
This dream I didn’t dream.
This thing I wasn’t equipped to do.
And then God.
So listen up – if God is telling you to do something – just do it. Don’t waste time. Don’t wrestle. Don’t say no.
It’s time to live out the life you didn’t know you would. It’s time to live out His dreams for you.
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14
Have you really sat down and pondered this question? When someone asks “Who are you” what do you say?
A lot of us will say something like: I am a Christian, Child of God, wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, granddaughter, teacher, and friend. Even though these tell the many hats we wear and who we are in these hats – they do not really tell us who we are.
For most of my life, through high school and beyond, I struggled with who I was. I never saw myself with value or of worth. In high school I really tried to be invisible and didn’t want people to notice or “see me”. I felt like I would not be of worth to them as a friend or person; therefore, I shut myself away from people. When you think you have no value as a human being you tend to shut down and not live life.
This is the value I saw in myself. “I’m ugly, not worthy, dumb, not smart, etc….” When you dwell on these things they take root in your life and you believe them and can’t see past them. These words were like a tape running over and over in my mind.
In 1995 I accepted Christ and only then did I begin to see my life as valuable and that I mattered to people. I saw that I mattered to Christ and that He died for me, so maybe I could matter to others.
All the years of the negative had to be rooted out, and I had to regrow the positive. One verse that helps me know who I am is Ephesians 1:3-7.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
There are 6 key words that stand out in the passage. Blessed, Chosen, Adopted, Accepted, Redeemed, and Forgiven.
I am Blessed through Christ with every spiritual blessing.
I am Chosen by Christ.
I am Adopted and receive the inheritance by being a Child of God,
I am Accepted just as I am by the work of Christ on the cross.
I am Redeemed. Christ paid the ransom for me and plucked me out of the miry clay.
I am Forgiven. God’s limitless grace is given to me.
So now instead of the ugly tape that runs through my mind – this tape runs instead. I am blessed, chosen, adopted, accepted, redeemed, and forgiven,
So know when you are asked who you are you say: I am blessed, chosen, adopted, accepted, redeemed, and forgiven.
“Afterward, a Jewish religious leader named Simon asked Jesus to his home for dinner. Jesus accepted the invitation. When he went to Simon’s home, he took his place at the table. In the neighborhood there was an immoral woman of the streets, known to all to be a prostitute. When she heard about Jesus being in Simon’s house, she took an exquisite flask made from alabaster, filled it with the most expensive perfume, went right into the home of the Jewish religious leader, and knelt at the feet of Jesus in front of all the guests. Broken and weeping, she covered his feet with the tears that fell from her face. She kept crying and drying his feet with her long hair. Over and over she kissed Jesus’ feet. Then she opened her flask and anointed his feet with her costly perfume as an act of worship. When Simon saw what was happening, he thought, “This man can’t be a true prophet. If he were really a prophet, he would know what kind of sinful woman is touching him.” Jesus said, “Simon, I have a word for you.” “Go ahead, Teacher. I want to hear it,” he answered. “It’s a story about two men who were deeply in debt. One owed the bank one hundred thousand dollars, and the other only owed ten thousand dollars. When it was obvious that neither of them would be able to repay their debts, the kind banker graciously wrote off the debts and forgave them all that they owed. Tell me, Simon, which of the two debtors would be the most thankful? Which one would love the banker most?” Simon answered, “I suppose it would be the one with the greatest debt forgiven.” “You’re right,” Jesus agreed. Then he spoke to Simon about the woman still weeping at his feet. “Don’t you see this woman kneeling here? She is doing for me what you didn’t bother to do. When I entered your home as your guest, you didn’t think about offering me water to wash the dust off my feet. Yet she came into your home and washed my feet with her many tears and then dried my feet with her hair. You didn’t even welcome me into your home with the customary kiss of greeting, but from the moment I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You didn’t take the time to anoint my head with fragrant oil, but she anointed my head and feet with the finest perfume. She has been forgiven of all her many sins. This is why she has shown me such extravagant love. But those who assume they have very little to be forgiven will love me very little.” Then Jesus said to the woman at his feet, “All your sins are forgiven.” All the dinner guests said among themselves, “Who is the one who can even forgive sins?” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith in me has given you life. Now you may leave and walk in the ways of peace.”” Luke 7:36-50 TPT
• The woman had caught a glimpse of Jesus.
• It’s easy to pour out our love when we’ve caught a glimpse of Who He is!
• When we know how much we’re loved, when we know how much we’ve been forgiven, it’s EASY to waste it all!
• Knowing the level of forgiveness we’re walking in gives us access to be close to Jesus.
• Knowing how forgiven she was, broke the wall of shame & brought her face to face with the King.
• The Father is excitedly waiting on you in the secret place. He can’t wait to be with you!
• Her lavish costly devotion brought her close.
• Pure & true worship should & will cost you something. It’ll cost time, or friends, or sleep, or hobbies, etc.
• Worship is giving God glory. Worship is loving Him for who He is.
• Those who know they’re loved & forgiven can push past the mockery of others & get close to the King.
• “When the disciples saw this, they were offended. “What a total waste!” they grumbled.” Matthew 26:8 TPT
• Not everyone will appreciate your worship and love to Jesus.
• Some people will see you giving your whole life, your whole yes to Him, as foolish & as a waste. They won’t understand because they’ve not encountered Him like you have.
• Don’t hold it against them! Bless them & be an example.
• Let your life or worship to God be defined by His pleasure & not by other’s mockery.
• “Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! When I awake each morning, you’re still with me.” Psalms 139:17-18 TPT”
• Because she knew how He felt about her, his voice & opinion of her outweighed the mockery of others.
• Now I want you to ask the Father this question: “Father, what do You say about my worship to You?” Write down His response.
Sometimes it feels like my prayers go straight to God’s voicemail instead of Him picking up and answering right away. I have concluded this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He always hears my concerns and desires, but it takes some humility on my part to realize that He has something better in mind.
We don’t always know what God is doing behind the scenes. God’s history reveals that He is going to answer those prayers in a way that you never even imagined. The Lord loves you and cares for you. Admittedly, it takes a great amount of faith to trust Him during those times we feel unseen and ignored. Keep praying through the silence; God is moving in mighty ways that are beyond our human comprehension.
Seek comfort in the truth that our Heavenly Father is sovereign, the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness, and that Jesus sympathizes with us. The King of Heaven wants to use each and every one of us for His greater purpose.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
Oh, don’t you know he loves him some drama. And he loves to get one of God’s girls all wrapped up in it.
Division.
Animosity.
Straight up ugliness.
All of his favorite things rolled into one fun-filled package. It’s like a birthday present wrapped in sequins.
Don’t go to his party.
Don’t throw his party.
Don’t tell others about his party.
But just know this – when you uninvite yourself to that party – you will be uninvited from all kinds of parties. And by parties I mean conversations.
People will realize you’re not the one.
You’re not the one to gossip.
You’re not the one to degrade others.
You’re not the one to spew ugliness.
I hope you’re ok with that.
I hope you’re not the one.
“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29
Rays of Sunshine inc 