Archives for June 2015

Do you ever feel like you’re not enough?  Not pretty enough, not clever enough, not perky enough, not young enough, not old enough?  Believe it or not, there was a time . . . long, long ago . . .  when I could hardly wait for the time that I’d be old enough to attain the respect I felt was my due.  I’ve overcome that 🙂

Welcome to FREEDOM FRIDAY – A devotional, emotional, spiritual and sometimes hysterical series that I will be sharing on occasional Fridays, in addition to my regular Old Things New posts. Why?  Because though once bound in chains Christ has set me free –  FREE to live, to love, to dance, to sing, to be who God created me to be!

I was raised by hard working, salt-of-the-earth type parents who instilled values in me that said, “God helps those who help themselves” and, “Do everything you can and leave the rest to God.”

Hmmm . . .

Today’s culture tells us that we can become whatever we want to be and that success is ours for the taking.  We simply have to strive harder, reach farther, believe in ourselves, and never give up.  Good positive thoughts right?

 So what if we work and strain and struggle to be the best we can be and fail? And we will all fail eventually. What room does all this striving leave for the miraculous, the extraordinary, the astounding, the incredible, the unbelievable?

Oh . . . that’s what I want!  I don’t want to do it on my own power when I can have the power of the living God working in and through me to accomplish things greater than I could ever ask or think.

The following is a list of *STEPS I’ve personally taken to change my feeling of not being enough to being exactly what God wants me to be.

•  Let go of your perception of being in control (because things will eventually spin out of your control).
• Acknowledge that God is God and you are not Him.
• Turn your life over to God (if you haven’t already), accepting Jesus as Savior and allowing Him to fill you with His Spirit.
• Confess past sin and believe that the shame, guilt and condemnation you’ve carried no longer have power or authority over you (I feel a “how to” post coming on that one).
• Forgive those who’ve hurt you (and maybe a “how to” post here as well).
• Take responsibility and acknowledge wrong to those you’ve hurt (and here!).
• Keep a short record of wrongs . . . or, in other words, take responsibility for your actions as soon as you “mess up” and choose to forgive others quickly when they “mess up”.
• Spend time with God – in His Word and in prayer – seeking to know Him intimately as “Papa God”.  Don’t rush in and out of this time, making it an empty ritual, but stay . . . wait . . . and listen for Him to speak to you.  In this time with Him He will affirm you, comfort you, wrap His arms around you and whisper sweet secrets into your ear. He longs to reveal Himself to you, to tell you who you really are in Him and to open up to you what He can do in and through you!  It is in this place alone with Him that He will strengthen you to go out into your daily life so filled with Holy Spirit power that the overflow will spill over onto the lives of those around you.
• This is the last step:  When you come out of that place of fellowship with God, filled and strengthened by Him, go out and let the overflow of His love spill on to others!

 Please know this from one who once felt like she was not enough:  As a redeemed child of God, a Christ follower, filled with the Holy Spirit you have everything you need.

What a relief!!!

Blessings,

Prayer:  Dear Papa God, from the depths of my heart I pray and ask that all who read these words will be touched by You and that they will come to understand that they no longer have to strive in their own power but that real strength can be found in You.  You are all we need and You give us all we need at just the right time.  Lord, please strengthen, affirm, encourage and do a new thing in the lives of those who need it today.  Amen.

Scripture to ponder:  Psalm 28:7; Psalm 46:10; Isa. 43:19; Zech. 4:6; Matt. 11:28; John 15:15; I Cor. 2:10; Gal. 3:3; Eph. 2:10; Eph. 3:20; Phil, 4:13; Phil. 4:19; II Pet. 1:3

 The *STEPS mentioned above are loosely based on The 12 Steps of AA.  Freedom Session teaches a Scriptural basis for all 12 steps in an excellent 9 month healing/discipleship program.  As a former Director, along with my hubs, I can’t help but plug this life changing ministry here on my blog!  For more information about Freedom Session I’ve included a link to their website.

I have been know to link to the following Inspirational Parties: