I am really enjoying reading Girl Talk by Jen Hatmaker. This week touched my heart in so many ways.
Disclaimer: This post has nothing to do with kindergarten. Check back tomorrow
for that!
Disclaimer: This post has nothing to do with kindergarten. Check back tomorrow
for that!
Day One: It’s Always Best To Tell The Truth
There are no truer words than The Truth Will Set
You Free!
I think I give the gift of honesty
freely to everyone I meet, except myself. Real talk. Sometimes it’s easier to live in the gray
area, my make believe world. The truth
is that I can’t always hand the truth life throws my way. “Truth is the front
door to the warm, inviting home called GRACE.”
Lord knows I need grace. I don’t deserve it but I need it. This was a great reminder that Jesus knows my
struggles, the whole truth, nothing but the truth and loves me anyway.
You Free!
I think I give the gift of honesty
freely to everyone I meet, except myself. Real talk. Sometimes it’s easier to live in the gray
area, my make believe world. The truth
is that I can’t always hand the truth life throws my way. “Truth is the front
door to the warm, inviting home called GRACE.”
Lord knows I need grace. I don’t deserve it but I need it. This was a great reminder that Jesus knows my
struggles, the whole truth, nothing but the truth and loves me anyway.
Day Two: Lies We Tell Ourselves
Oy. I’m a master at this. I
think I go back and forth with this one, one extreme to another. I tell myself
that I am scared or I live in fear. I
wish I had more of a gray area here. I’m
confident or I’m a hot mess. I feel
beautiful or I loathe myself. I think some of the lies we tell ourselves are
for our own protection. I want to tell
myself that they like me even though in my heart of hearts I know that is not
true. Sometimes it’s easier to live that way but that’s surface living. There
is no meat in that life. Another big lie is that “I can do this myself.” Um,
have I met myself? Yes, I am a pretty strong, independent person BUT much of my
life needs a support system. I don’t always have one but I need people. I also need to be needed.
think I go back and forth with this one, one extreme to another. I tell myself
that I am scared or I live in fear. I
wish I had more of a gray area here. I’m
confident or I’m a hot mess. I feel
beautiful or I loathe myself. I think some of the lies we tell ourselves are
for our own protection. I want to tell
myself that they like me even though in my heart of hearts I know that is not
true. Sometimes it’s easier to live that way but that’s surface living. There
is no meat in that life. Another big lie is that “I can do this myself.” Um,
have I met myself? Yes, I am a pretty strong, independent person BUT much of my
life needs a support system. I don’t always have one but I need people. I also need to be needed.
The “What if” game. Seriously, she is in my head. Ha! I have to slap
myself around often because it is SO EASY to get sucked
into the what if game. You are
borrowing trouble here. You are borrowing fear. Most importantly you are
allowing “what if” to steal today’s JOY.
God set aside JOY just for you today and guess what, “What If” just
stole it right out from under you! You have to tell what if, NO! Don’t live in
what can be but live in what is because guess what, whatever it can be or will
be, God will be there!
myself around often because it is SO EASY to get sucked
into the what if game. You are
borrowing trouble here. You are borrowing fear. Most importantly you are
allowing “what if” to steal today’s JOY.
God set aside JOY just for you today and guess what, “What If” just
stole it right out from under you! You have to tell what if, NO! Don’t live in
what can be but live in what is because guess what, whatever it can be or will
be, God will be there!
Day Three: Lies We Tell God
Gulp. “I believe you.” I really do
believe God when he tells me to wait or to stop but sometimes I do
question..are you really there? I’ve been trying to have a baby for almost 14
years. I’ve been pregnant twice but never made it to the finish line. I stand
on God’s promise daily but I would be lying if I didn’t say that there have
been moments during those 14 years when I haven’t been honest with God when I
told him that I believe him.
believe God when he tells me to wait or to stop but sometimes I do
question..are you really there? I’ve been trying to have a baby for almost 14
years. I’ve been pregnant twice but never made it to the finish line. I stand
on God’s promise daily but I would be lying if I didn’t say that there have
been moments during those 14 years when I haven’t been honest with God when I
told him that I believe him.
My favorite thing Jen said in this section was “It’s
okay to be honest with God. We can tell him how we feel about this whole thing.
Your silence may be better than your dishonesty, but your truthfulness is infinitely
better than your silence.” Love. Love. Love this! If I can’t be real with God,
than whom can I be real with? He knows me inside and out. He knows the ugly
truth, he is just waiting for me to talk about it so he can rescue me from it!
okay to be honest with God. We can tell him how we feel about this whole thing.
Your silence may be better than your dishonesty, but your truthfulness is infinitely
better than your silence.” Love. Love. Love this! If I can’t be real with God,
than whom can I be real with? He knows me inside and out. He knows the ugly
truth, he is just waiting for me to talk about it so he can rescue me from it!
God wants real talk too. Lay it out there. Being honest with him is being honest with
ourselves. I think the hardest part is saying things out loud. Once you say it out loud, it becomes more real. But really,
we need to be honest with ourselves and God because we can’t be a great team if
one of the players is hiding in darkness.
ourselves. I think the hardest part is saying things out loud. Once you say it out loud, it becomes more real. But really,
we need to be honest with ourselves and God because we can’t be a great team if
one of the players is hiding in darkness.
Day Four: Zacchaeus Was A Wee Little Man
Jesus is close to the brokenhearted. This is the JOY that comes in
the morning. It doesn’t matter how much a mess I am, Jesus is chasing after my
heart. He knows. He knows the truth. He
knows what I can’t say out loud and the weight of the world I sometimes carry.
He knows. Yet, he still loves the real me.
Who else really knows the real me? My husband knows me better than anyone
but I bet if you asked him a hundred questions, he would still miss a good 20.
But, God is in the details. He is in every tiny truth of my life. There is no
need to hide behind my guilt or shame or pretend my sin doesn’t exist. He
knows. And he comes running for my anyway. How cool is that?!
the morning. It doesn’t matter how much a mess I am, Jesus is chasing after my
heart. He knows. He knows the truth. He
knows what I can’t say out loud and the weight of the world I sometimes carry.
He knows. Yet, he still loves the real me.
Who else really knows the real me? My husband knows me better than anyone
but I bet if you asked him a hundred questions, he would still miss a good 20.
But, God is in the details. He is in every tiny truth of my life. There is no
need to hide behind my guilt or shame or pretend my sin doesn’t exist. He
knows. And he comes running for my anyway. How cool is that?!
Jen said, “When our friendships mimic our
relationship with Jesus there is delight unheard of.” That’s what I’m talking about! I want real,
honest, grace filled friendships that can love my ugly.
relationship with Jesus there is delight unheard of.” That’s what I’m talking about! I want real,
honest, grace filled friendships that can love my ugly.
Day Five: Dig In: Restless Trust
Day five was full of scripture reading and real talk with
myself. There are several things that I
embraced, accepted (even a little reluctantly) and other things I accept as my
truth for my life.
myself. There are several things that I
embraced, accepted (even a little reluctantly) and other things I accept as my
truth for my life.
I’ve been rescued.
I’ve been set free.
Even when broken, I am blessed.
I trust HIM.
My life is forever changed.
I hope you are enjoying our book study. It’s honestly nothing that I expected (though
I expected greatness because I am a big Jen Hatmaker fan) and everything I
absolutely need! If you are blogging about your journey too, please link up.
I expected greatness because I am a big Jen Hatmaker fan) and everything I
absolutely need! If you are blogging about your journey too, please link up.
I realize that this type of post is bold and out there.
Probably more than you ever want to know about me. Please don’t ever take me
sharing my heart as throwing my faith in your face. Just some real talk. I am a kindergarten
teacher. I blog about my classroom adventures and struggles. I’m also a wife,
mom and most importantly believer. I’m being completely vulnerable here and wearing my heart on my sleeve. Praying that it helps you learn and grow too!
Probably more than you ever want to know about me. Please don’t ever take me
sharing my heart as throwing my faith in your face. Just some real talk. I am a kindergarten
teacher. I blog about my classroom adventures and struggles. I’m also a wife,
mom and most importantly believer. I’m being completely vulnerable here and wearing my heart on my sleeve. Praying that it helps you learn and grow too!
Have a great week digging deep in Week Three. Love and virtual hugs!
I am so thankful for your honesty! Love you!
I loved your honesty and vulnerability – it's hard to do that in the warmth of our own homes – so to do it here on the world wide web is very brave and I want to hug you for that.
Hi!
Somehow (through God) I found this …. Okay Pintrest too lol! I am so enjoying and relating to your comments. I am teaching a multi age family group class in the public school and cannot bring my Faith in to the class. I feel spiritually renewed and academically inspired so THANK you !!