Scars

Today I am sharing part of my story, I don't do this for you to pity me but in hopes that it will be an encouragement to you.  This past summer at Middle School Camp we were talking about scars and comparing our scars.  I have a few, that  you can see one on my left arm and two on my right foot from a car accident I was in in 2005. I have some scars you cant see, they are inside.  I didn't grow up in a christian home, and there was no talk of God.  I grew up in a home filled with angry words, and flying fists. For a very long time I thought everybody knew my secret.  You see when a child hears they are stupid or won't amount to anything they believe it!  I felt ugly inside and out! I had no hope of being anything of any value to anyone. I looked to the world to find value and worth and it filled me with more lies... Be prettier, be thiner, be smarter... be better... be  more!  I couldn't do any of these things but I tried, boy did I try.  I so wanted to be loved, to feel loved, and I did whatever it took.  I did whatever it took to get that love...but I never felt completely satisfied with it, it was never enough.  I was all alone even when I was surrounded by people. 

It wasn't until after I was married that I learned true love, and it wasn't from my husband (he did/does show me love), it was different an unconditional love like I had never knew before.  I was 21 when I first met Jesus.  I tried to "fake it" like I had done with people in the world for so long, but He saw right threw me. He (Jesus) saw threw to the ugly, brokeness, and loved me anyway! He began to heal those scars, that no one else could see.  He took away the pain, the hurt that was caused by those scars.

Psalm 147: 3-5 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

I love this scripture because it reminds me that I am not alone!  He (God) binds up, bandages those scars those wounds I have and heals them!  He counts and knows the names of all the stars and He knows me, calls me by my name.  I never thought I deserved His Love, His Healing, but He showed me I did. 

He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by His wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5) 

       His scars take away ours!  His Love is enough!

This past few weeks, I have been feeling the pull to share this with other women, because when I look at you I see the hurts so many of us still hold on to, the scars that just won't seem to fade and it breaks my heart.  It breaks my heart, that many women don't feel they deserve this healing.  Can I tell you, you do!  You have a God who love's you!  Who cherishes you, and wants you to know His unconditional Love. His Love brings a healing that only God can.  My prayer is that you will seek this healing out, that you will allow God to bind up your wounds, no matter how dirty or ugly they are. That His Hope will replace those scars.

Know you are Loved, Though of & Prayed for!

Have a Beautiful Day!

Christina

A Sneak peek at the Sweet Life!

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Waging Peace

Hello Ladies~  Todays post is one I had in my e-mail in box and thought you might enjoy it as well.  It's right in tune with what Pastor Terry has been sharing with us in his sermons the past few weeks. This devotion comes from Girl Friends in God a daily devotion. 

Waging Peace

By Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Philippians 4:2-3 "I encourage both Euodia and Syntyche to have the attitude the Lord wants them to have. Yes, I also ask you, Syzugus, my true partner, to help these women. They fought beside me to spread the Good News along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the Book of Life"(GWT).

Friend To Friend
If we have a personal relationship with God then we have access to all of His power and all of His peace. Now stop for a moment and read that statement again. Do you really believe it? I am convinced that we have become complacent about the power of God. It is that same power that raised Lazerus from the dead, healed the blind man and made the lame man walk. That same power is ours - if we know God.

While His power is miraculous, we still live each day as if we were spiritual beggars without hope and without purpose because we do not understand and walk in the truth that God makes His power and His peace available to us. The question then becomes how to tap into God's power and peace. Scripture is clear when it says that our only power and peace comes from God through consistent prayer, bible study and right relationships.

Paul understood that peace is often the casualty of unresolved conflict in relationships and in ministry. In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul gives us a glimpse of just how serious he is about peace. He was serious enough to call names and to call those names in front of the whole church. I don't know about you, but if I had been Euodia and Syntyche, I would have died of embarrassment and looked for the nearest pew to crawl under when Paul's letter was read. On the other hand, their names may be the reason for their anger. Euodia means "prosperous journey" while Syntyche means "pleasant acquaintance". These two women were certainly not living up to their names. Euodia and Syntyche were not bad women but women who worked in the church and had even worked with Paul. But something had happened! The scripture does not say what the problem was. It wasn't important. It usually isn't. Paul really did not care about the details. He simply said to "fix it" and tells them to agree with each other in the Lord.

Paul is not saying they must always agree about everything or that there will never be conflict. He is telling them that their bickering is destroying the peace of the church - dangerous ground on which to stand. Unresolved conflict is the enemy of peace and has no place in the church. Yet, as women in ministry, much of our time is spent on this very issue - conflict resolution - and the reason is simple. Sin is alive and well - in the world and in the church. If we "followed wholly" after God, seeking to become fully devoted followers of God, peace would be the norm instead of the exception.

The world has its own system for working out conflict. It is called retaliation and revenge! But God has a different plan.

Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."

The "wound" is confrontation for the good of friend. If you love - you level! Loving confrontation is a gift we bring to healthy relationships and one of the most important tools in ministry. Our refusal to confront someone because it makes us uncomfortable is like watching in silence as someone we love walks off a dangerous cliff. It is sin. God calls us as women in ministry to confrontation. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to confront someone.

My husband, Dan, was leaving for a trip, a time always filled with tension. Something he did made me very angry, but I did not want to confront him about it before his trip, knowing we would not have time to discuss the problem. My solution was to save my confrontation. I waited - and gave my anger ample time to grow into a full-fledged, volcanic eruption. Several days later, my poor unsuspecting husband walked in the front door, suitcases in hand, exhausted and so glad to be home. Well, I fixed that! I let him have it - in front of the kids. In other words, I broke every rule of confrontation. I could easily have waited until Dan had taken a nap, the kids had gone outside to play or I had managed to garner a better attitude. Better still, I could have dismissed the whole issue for what it was, an unworthy place to invest my emotion energy.

Successful confrontation is always done in love. If we enjoy or look forward to the confrontation, our motive is wrong. The harder the truth, the more love we must use to say it. Here are a few rules for confrontation done the right way:

Confront with the right motive.

Confront at the right time.

Confront with the right audience.

Confront in the right way.

The time to prepare for conflict resolution is now. The choice to handle every disagreement according to the rules of healthy confrontation must be made before the disagreement or conflict occurs. Decide right now to resolve all conflict. And if you are causing conflict - stop it! Peace is at stake.

Now It's Your Turn
Examine the relationships in your life.
Is there any conflict that needs to be resolved?
Are you willing to take the first step toward restoration?

More From The Girlfriends

As children of God, our relationships should illustrate God's love and peace. When conflict occurs, we need to be willing to initiate the process of resolving that conflict. I want to challenge ever Girlfriend to wage peace - in your relationships, your home, your family and workplace. Do not surrender the peace of God to anyone or any agenda.

Have a Beautiful Day!
Christina

P.S.  Want more from Girl Friends in God?  Check this link out:  http://www.girlfriendsingod.com/