Words from a Friend: Forgiveness

I’ve been learning that forgiveness doesn’t come from a vending machine called prayer.

Forgiveness is a continuing reminder for us to pray

— to grieve, to heal —

each time our wounds ache.

What's your Isaiah 58?

"

"For I know the plans I have for you..."
Listen
Pray
LIVE

War

"Burried before they Lived"

What holds you be back in your personal life? What steals your peace and replaces it with restless nights and quickened steps? What drives to your everyday actions? -- Want to know mine?

-- fear --

Sometimes its literal fear of an attacker that makes me hold my purse a little closer and walk just a bit faster. Sometimes its fear of failure that drives me to maddening perfectionism and destroys my resolve to finally break my nail-biting habit. And sometimes it's the fear of looking stupid so never stepping out to try something new. 

These are really just fear of one thing - one maddening, frightening, perplexing thing

... rejection...

I fear not measuring up so I don't try. I fear getting laughed at so I fail to be myself. I fear thought of incompetent so I work harder. All these are fear of rejection - not being smart enough, not being pretty enough, not being witty enough, not be productive enough - NOT BEING ENOUGH!

I think as women we really struggle with this especially when it comes to personal relationships and especially in romantic relationships. How often do you change your clothes 17 times before grabbing coffee with a guy friend? Or the one I'm guilty of - checking my reflection in any and all reflective image I walk by.

What I hadn't thought about though was the fact that this is really  just pride - pride that I think I can be enough, pride that others should see me as that, pride that I deserve this. 

Here's the things -- In recognizing my pride and fear, there's an extreme sense of power and strength that I now experience. A power and strength to make good on the commitment to kick the habit. A peace that passes understanding that I will fail but that I will succeed.

So here's to kicking the prideful habit of fear. To staring it staight in the face and

..stepping past fear into new experiences....
                         
...being uncomfortable but in my own skin all the time...

                    

...taking risks not because of me or my abilities
but because of He who is IN me.

Check out this other blog about fear and God's message of secure love He wishes to whisper into our souls - http://www.incourage.me/2011/09/if-youve-ever-been-wounded-by-women.html

It's the little things...like SPRINKLES!!!

So loving all things quirky, I get the email from a 20-something blogger who I'd love to be best friends with :) She's called "girl meets life" and also has something to say/show that brings a smile to my face -- but seriously read this last one!!!

"Because I do. And it’s the use of a word commonly used by girls to describe something they like very, very much. You know what word I’m talking about…

OBSESSED.

I am dark, but I am lovely...

Read this note from a sister -

Song of Solomon is one of those books in the bible that beckons me to read more. No… it’s not the over-the-top analogies that draw my interest (read: “Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing.” That’s in there. I promise) but I find myself intrigued by the love story being poured out over the pages. Fresh-shorn-sheep-talk and all.

As of late, this particular portion of the book has been pulling at my heart:

I am dark, but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
Do not look upon me, because I am dark…
-Song of Solomon 1:5-6

Here we see a bride acknowledging her condition…her darkness (which is obviously something she is not proud of ) and then, in the very same sentence, she acknowledges her loveliness.

Could this be the beautiful paradox that is God’s grace?

Read the rest by going to (in)courage

God's plan is found at the intersection of the world greatest need and our burning passions