I DARE YOU

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 
which God prepared in advance for us to do."- Ephesians 2:10 

My word for 2014 is DARE. 

Dare to be 

Dare to create

Dare to believe

Dare to receive

Dare to give

Dare to go

Dare to feel

Dare to help

Dare to listen

Dare to accept

Dare to forgive

Those are just a few of the things God is calling me to do this next year...

What is it that God is daring you to do?

Dream again?

Step into the unknown?

Move forward and let go of the past?

Drown out lies with TRUTH.

Attack your fears with LOVE.

Rise above your past and SOAR.

Embrace your individuality and BE YOU. 

What does "dare" actually mean?

 1. To have the courage required for 

2. To challenge (someone) to do something requiring boldness

3. To confront or oppose boldly.

Let's put our daredevil capes on as we embark on a brand new year!

Go after it...

Fight against it...

Stand up for it...

Be it...

Whatever IT is...you can do IT!

Chosen by God

"Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;

And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,

His power and glory evermore proclaim.

O night divine, O night, O night divine."

I wonder what Mary felt when she looked at Jesus' face for the first time.

Did she really grasp who He is?

The prophet Isaiah called Him

"Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father

Prince of Peace." (Isa. 9:6)

Could this tiny wrinkly-toed infant really embody all of those things?

Surely Mary looked at Jesus with wonder.

I know, as a mother, I was so glad to be holding each of my children 

in those first moments after they were born.

Just to have them in my arms was so amazing and wonderful.

And I would look at them with wonder.

"I can't believe You chose me" is what my heart whispered.

If you have children, I'm sure you can relate. 

It's such a huge blessing and responsibility to be a mother.

I'm grateful every day.

I also don't take this role lightly.

So, can you imagine how Mary felt?

She was holding the Saviour of the world.

Talk about awesome!

Do you think she felt inadequate at times?

Do you think she felt overwhelmed by this responsibility?

I have no doubt.

And God chose her anyways.

To give birth to HOPE.
To carry LOVE.
To bring TRUTH that sets us all free.

We are all Mary's.
We have been given an assignment from God to bear His name.
We have been chosen to birth HOPE, LOVE and TRUTH into this cold world.
We are ordinary girls that God can use to do extraordinary things!

We just need to follow Mary's example.
We have to say Yes!

Ladies, let me tell you:
Your social status doesn't matter.
Man's opinion can't affect His call on your life.
Your past can't be used against you.

Because He chose you!

That is what Christmas is all about.
Bringing this good news to the world.

Embrace your inner Mary this Christmas.
Just say yes!

My favorite Christmas song. :)

Change Comes to Us All

Change comes to us all.

She doesn't wait for us to invite her in.
She doesn't give us advance notice that she's stopping by.
She just shows up.
On our doorstep.

And it's up to us to let her in our front door.

Change isn't always bad.
Sometimes she brings good things to our life.

But she's still an interruption.

Even when we're stuck in a tight spot and desperately want Change to drop by, we still dread her visit.

Why?
Because we're never really ready for what she has to say.

She always seems to call us out on our junk.
She never leaves us the way she found us.
She doesn't listen to our excuses.

Yes, Change comes to us all.

Recently I've had quite a few visits from Change.
And she has totally messed up my schedule.
I'm not comfortable right now.
In fact, I'm very uncomfortable.

But, I can see the light of a new day shining bright.
And this new day is here because I welcomed Change into my life.
I opened the door.

Oh she has made me frustrated and tired at times.
But she moved me.
She moved me away from the old and into the new.

And that, my sweet sisters, is what Change does.
She moves us.

Maybe she physically moves us from one place to another.
Or maybe she moves us to a better state of mind.
She has even been known to move our hearts to love.

Yes, Change is here.
And she is asking for us to welcome her with open arms.

Her presence causes us to stay in our Saviour's presence.
She shows us just how much we need Him.

Because Change is a definite.
But He never changes.
And that is something we can always count on to stay the same.


Hebrews 13:8
 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

COMMUNITY

Community in today's modern society doesn't come naturally. 
In fact, it's a lot easier to hole up in our houses and communicate with the outside world on our own terms than it is to talk to someone face to face. 
God's idea of community is a bit different than ours, though.

Psalm 133:1

"Oh, how wonderful, how pleasing it is when God’s people 
all come together as one!"

He says that something special happens when we get together with other Christians!

UNITY

It's not that we can't have online friendships.

It's just that we need to have real life friendships too.

Both are important.

Trust is a huge reason why virtual relationships take the place of tangible relationships.

It's a lot easier to confide in a faceless person on the other side of the screen 

than it is to open up about our issues to someone we actually know.

Don't you agree?

Anonymity can be good sometimes. 

But if we don't talk to a real person about some problems, 

then we're not gonna move past them.

It's hard to empathize with someone through the "Like" button.

Voices need to be heard. 

Hands need to be held.

Hugs need to be felt.

Sometimes we just need to TALK IT OUT. 

I know this isn't a problem for everyone.

Some of us are really good at having online and real friendships at the same time.

It's all about balance.

But if online social media is replacing tangible friendships in our lives, 

then maybe it's time to take a break from Facebook and Twitter.

Maybe it's time to focus on our next door neighbor or the girl sitting near us at church.

Community creates a safe place.

A place to be real.

A place of authenticity.

Virtual relationships just can't see you through tough times like your church family.

Someone has to bring the meals when you're sick.

Arms are needed to hold your baby when you're depressed and can't get out of bed.

Encouraging words have to be HEARD in your ear when you feel hopeless.

Prayers need to be said out loud (for and with each-other) to get through some things. 

Our iPad's and Kindle's can't replace community. 

All they can do is offer an imitation of what real fellowship should look like.

Real relationships require work but are much more rewarding!

When a computer crashes, we usually have to buy a new one.

But when a friend falls down, we don't replace her.

We physically help her up. 

Take a chance today and be the hands and feet of Jesus.

You just might make a new friend. 

Proverbs 18:24

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly."