Better late than never, right?! I’ve been a teensy bit
busy and got behind on our book study. I
swear, once May 1st hit, it all started going downhill. Ha!
busy and got behind on our book study. I
swear, once May 1st hit, it all started going downhill. Ha!
Seriously, I love my job but the end of the year is just a killer. Meetings,
testing, special activities oh my!
testing, special activities oh my!
So, moving on…Week 3: Where have all the good people
gone?
gone?
This week was just as riveting as
the previous weeks. God definitely spoke to me in so many ways. I got slapped around a bit and totally convicted.
the previous weeks. God definitely spoke to me in so many ways. I got slapped around a bit and totally convicted.
Day 1: Unsafe People
This hit several nerves. Real talk: I’ve dealt with mean girls my
entire life. Really, it wasn’t easy being the ummm “fluffy” girl growing
up. I definitely dealt with my fair
share of teasing and being left out. I think when you go through that so many
times, you just make friends with anyone who will accept you. Sometimes those
people are the “unsafe people”. Jen
talked about three types of unsafe people and I could identify with each. I think during different seasons of my life,
I was drawn to different forms of brokenness.
entire life. Really, it wasn’t easy being the ummm “fluffy” girl growing
up. I definitely dealt with my fair
share of teasing and being left out. I think when you go through that so many
times, you just make friends with anyone who will accept you. Sometimes those
people are the “unsafe people”. Jen
talked about three types of unsafe people and I could identify with each. I think during different seasons of my life,
I was drawn to different forms of brokenness.
Day 2: Safe People
Praise God for great friends. Luckily I made a few
amazing lifelong friends in High School. They are still my best friends today. Safe
friends exist and Jen is right, they are a treasure. I also love where she
talks about “a safety that only exists among believers.” Don’t get me wrong, I have been hurt by
believers. Of course I have. All people are sinners. Again, this is why my
faith cannot be in people and only in God. But, my safe people are believers
because they do function in forgiveness, mercy and grace…all things I need but
most definitely do not always deserve.
Safe friendships are necessary because they build you up instead of
tearing you down. They encourage you and push you to be accountable to God’s
calling on your life. Safe friendships provide a security for your heart when
you can’t find it anywhere else. I need safe friendships in my life and I’m
pretty sure I’m not the only one. I need to be around people that will draw me
closer to God. I hope that my friends consider me a safe friend. This day
helped me to be more thankful for the safe friends in my life.
amazing lifelong friends in High School. They are still my best friends today. Safe
friends exist and Jen is right, they are a treasure. I also love where she
talks about “a safety that only exists among believers.” Don’t get me wrong, I have been hurt by
believers. Of course I have. All people are sinners. Again, this is why my
faith cannot be in people and only in God. But, my safe people are believers
because they do function in forgiveness, mercy and grace…all things I need but
most definitely do not always deserve.
Safe friendships are necessary because they build you up instead of
tearing you down. They encourage you and push you to be accountable to God’s
calling on your life. Safe friendships provide a security for your heart when
you can’t find it anywhere else. I need safe friendships in my life and I’m
pretty sure I’m not the only one. I need to be around people that will draw me
closer to God. I hope that my friends consider me a safe friend. This day
helped me to be more thankful for the safe friends in my life.
Day 3: What Not To Do
The first sentence of this day was “Choosing the right friends
to speak into our lives will make or break the journey.” Yes, yes and yes! Let’s
be real friends, our journey is full of many seasons and some of those seasons
are H.A.R.D. Walking alone is the same
as walking with unsafe people. Granted, we are never alone. God walks before us
and with. Shoot sometimes he is carrying me or dragging me kicking and
screaming. Jen talks about three poor strategies. Doing too much spoke to me
the most. I am good at overextending myself. People ask me all the time how I
do it all and my answer is simple, I don’t. I’m a good mom today, a good wife
tomorrow, etc. Balance is SO HARD. When
I feel led to do something, I throw myself into something wholeheartedly sometimes
to the point of ridiculousness. I can
get so busy or wrapped up in something that I forget to connect to people.
People are the center of all things. Connections are what makes us go
round. I may be pretty cool {not really}
but totally not cool enough to go on this journey alone. Connection has to be a
priority. I want to know more than your name. I want to know your heart. That was a great lesson Jen reminded me of on
this day!
to speak into our lives will make or break the journey.” Yes, yes and yes! Let’s
be real friends, our journey is full of many seasons and some of those seasons
are H.A.R.D. Walking alone is the same
as walking with unsafe people. Granted, we are never alone. God walks before us
and with. Shoot sometimes he is carrying me or dragging me kicking and
screaming. Jen talks about three poor strategies. Doing too much spoke to me
the most. I am good at overextending myself. People ask me all the time how I
do it all and my answer is simple, I don’t. I’m a good mom today, a good wife
tomorrow, etc. Balance is SO HARD. When
I feel led to do something, I throw myself into something wholeheartedly sometimes
to the point of ridiculousness. I can
get so busy or wrapped up in something that I forget to connect to people.
People are the center of all things. Connections are what makes us go
round. I may be pretty cool {not really}
but totally not cool enough to go on this journey alone. Connection has to be a
priority. I want to know more than your name. I want to know your heart. That was a great lesson Jen reminded me of on
this day!
Recognizing my faults in using these poor strategies
was eye opening. I pray God shows me my
weaknesses and gives me discernment as to how to change my relationships so I
am connecting with the people because of his divine appointment.
was eye opening. I pray God shows me my
weaknesses and gives me discernment as to how to change my relationships so I
am connecting with the people because of his divine appointment.
Day 4: This Is The Beginning Of A Beautiful Friendship
Jen cracked me up with her opening story. I love how
she compared beginning friendships is like the beginning stages of dating. This
is SO true. Both are equally awkward. Conversation starters and getting to know you
questions…awkward. Ha! Or maybe that is just me. It’s exciting. I’ve met people
and thought..Ohhh, we should be best friends. That may appear a little
stalkerish lol. This day gave me much encouragement. We need not be afraid to
open our doors to new friendships and most importantly we need to be okay to be
ourselves. My favorite line of this day
was “The Christian woman swims upstream, with the tidal waves of culture
against her. We can’t leave each other to swim alone.” Oh. My. Goodness. I
couldn’t agree and love this statement more. Fellowship, friendship, comradery
are vital to our peace of mind, support and happiness. Anyone who says that do not need anyone is
not being honest with themselves.
she compared beginning friendships is like the beginning stages of dating. This
is SO true. Both are equally awkward. Conversation starters and getting to know you
questions…awkward. Ha! Or maybe that is just me. It’s exciting. I’ve met people
and thought..Ohhh, we should be best friends. That may appear a little
stalkerish lol. This day gave me much encouragement. We need not be afraid to
open our doors to new friendships and most importantly we need to be okay to be
ourselves. My favorite line of this day
was “The Christian woman swims upstream, with the tidal waves of culture
against her. We can’t leave each other to swim alone.” Oh. My. Goodness. I
couldn’t agree and love this statement more. Fellowship, friendship, comradery
are vital to our peace of mind, support and happiness. Anyone who says that do not need anyone is
not being honest with themselves.
Day 5: Dig In: Betrayed
Oy. This is hard. Thinking about the holes people leave
in our hearts is something no one wants to deal with. It’s easier to ignore and pretend it didn’t
happen than allow yourself to feel pain.
But a hole left open is just that.
Forgiveness is not only for the person who hurt you but forgiveness is
for yourself too. Let’s be honest, most of the time when we get hurt, we are
the only one sitting at home in our own despair. Betrayal Betty (no offense to all Betty’s,
that my grandmother’s name and I loved her) is not losing sleep over your grief
or the big hole she left in your heart when she hurt you. Forgiveness is for
you in the sense that you are not allowing that person to steal your joy. When you live in that place of hurt, you let
them to continue to hurt you over and over.
They steal every moment of God’s planned joy for your life. Forgive them and be set free. Don’t give anyone
that kind of power over your life. No
one is worth losing your joy. You can
forgive the broken and God can heal your brokenness. Remember, we cannot put
our faith in people because we are ALL sinners.
God calls us to forgive as we have been forgiven and even though that is
so hard to do, it comes with a freedom and empowerment that lets you take back
your peace. So, buy Felicia. Ha!
Seriously, you are too important to kingdom to walk around with a heart that
looks like swiss cheese.
in our hearts is something no one wants to deal with. It’s easier to ignore and pretend it didn’t
happen than allow yourself to feel pain.
But a hole left open is just that.
Forgiveness is not only for the person who hurt you but forgiveness is
for yourself too. Let’s be honest, most of the time when we get hurt, we are
the only one sitting at home in our own despair. Betrayal Betty (no offense to all Betty’s,
that my grandmother’s name and I loved her) is not losing sleep over your grief
or the big hole she left in your heart when she hurt you. Forgiveness is for
you in the sense that you are not allowing that person to steal your joy. When you live in that place of hurt, you let
them to continue to hurt you over and over.
They steal every moment of God’s planned joy for your life. Forgive them and be set free. Don’t give anyone
that kind of power over your life. No
one is worth losing your joy. You can
forgive the broken and God can heal your brokenness. Remember, we cannot put
our faith in people because we are ALL sinners.
God calls us to forgive as we have been forgiven and even though that is
so hard to do, it comes with a freedom and empowerment that lets you take back
your peace. So, buy Felicia. Ha!
Seriously, you are too important to kingdom to walk around with a heart that
looks like swiss cheese.
Next week is The Gift Of Gab. Oh, I have this one in
the bag. Ha! I hope she doesn’t try to tell me that I talk too much. I could be
in trouble here. I kinda love words. Clearly this is not new information. I’ll
be back later this week with Week Four. I hope you are enjoying this ride. It’s
okay not to comment about your reflections because all of this is so
personal. Clearly, I am an open book to
fault. I just think that it’s important
to be transparent so people know how real my life is and that it’s okay to be a
hot mess because God still loves me. Thanks for reading this long post. Praying
God blesses you this week with great discernment about your friendships in your
life. I pray you find safe friends and I pray that you are open to meeting the
people that God places in your path to help you walk this journey.
the bag. Ha! I hope she doesn’t try to tell me that I talk too much. I could be
in trouble here. I kinda love words. Clearly this is not new information. I’ll
be back later this week with Week Four. I hope you are enjoying this ride. It’s
okay not to comment about your reflections because all of this is so
personal. Clearly, I am an open book to
fault. I just think that it’s important
to be transparent so people know how real my life is and that it’s okay to be a
hot mess because God still loves me. Thanks for reading this long post. Praying
God blesses you this week with great discernment about your friendships in your
life. I pray you find safe friends and I pray that you are open to meeting the
people that God places in your path to help you walk this journey.
I’ll leave you with this sweet picture of my daughter
and I. Grace is 18 and for Mother’s Day she scheduled a Mommy & Me photo
shoot. How sweet is that? We asked if we could do a picture of us praying
because really God is the glue in our life. Our family is highly dysfunctional but
God helps us keep it together. This is our only sneak peak and I can’t wait to
see the rest of the pictures. We took some pretty funny ones…because that’s how
we role! Ha! This was taken by the amazing Twenty Toes Photography. If you live in Central Texas, Trilby is AMAZING!!
and I. Grace is 18 and for Mother’s Day she scheduled a Mommy & Me photo
shoot. How sweet is that? We asked if we could do a picture of us praying
because really God is the glue in our life. Our family is highly dysfunctional but
God helps us keep it together. This is our only sneak peak and I can’t wait to
see the rest of the pictures. We took some pretty funny ones…because that’s how
we role! Ha! This was taken by the amazing Twenty Toes Photography. If you live in Central Texas, Trilby is AMAZING!!
Love and virtual hugs!!
Love!!!
Your explanation of "how do you do everything" was spot on! I feel like sometimes I have it all together in one area, but then that usually means that something else is a hot mess 😉 It's definitely all about balance.
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