Five Minute Friday: Belong

Deep in the heart of each of us is that sacred place, that room, that dwelling where we can go to be loved and cared for and accepted.  Some find it early in life and are able to grow and thrive and flourish.  Some search for it diligently and longingly their whole existence and never find that sacred passage.  But most….we find it.  It may be laid out all bare and open and ready for our presence, and we may walk right past and have to turn back. It may be all hidden, like a secret garden with foliage hiding is entry, and we miss its entrée and have to cut through.  And, for some, it lights upon us carefully like the ocean’s waves sneaking upon the shores to greet the early riser.  But, it is there for all…it is open to all….it is available for all.  The finding of it ‘oft comes in the way our hearts search for it.  The finding of it is in where we allow our souls to travel in seeking it.  It starts with ourselves….knowing, believing, accepting that we are beautiful, lovely, worthy.  And, it begins with knowing that our beauty, our loveliness and our worthiness is not a gift we can bestow upon ourselves.  It is a treasure already gifted us long before we were formed in our mother’s womb…eons prior to our arriving in this world….way before we began the journey to that sacred place in our heart.  It began in the heavens, where our hairs are counted and our days are numbered and our soul’s longings are answered.  It is where it all began, that need and accepting that truly, really, sincerely….we all….

 

Belong

 

 

 

 

 

……..As Only Your Mama Can

 

R is for Redeemed, Relinquish, and Resolute 

One of statan’s greatest joys is to bind us up in despair.  Where he can make us lose faith, forego hope, give into self-pity, he wins.   

Don’t let him. 

….he will use every resource he can to make you feel bad, sad, wounded…

Unworthy, unforgiven, un-necessary….. 

Don’t let him. 

Why? 

Because, while there can be truth in the things satan will lay on your heart about yourself…. (otherwise, we would easily reject these thoughts), that is not the way of our Father…that is not the “truth” he wants us to see ourselves through…. 

Our God tells us… 

You are wonderfully and faithfully made

You are worthy

You are beautiful

He reminds us

You are precious like gold 

You are holy 

You are perfect 

Can you know this for sure? 

Absolutely….. 

Because our God, our Father….our Savior, our Hope…. 

Redeemed us….

HE redeemed us….he bought us back with a price 

That of His very own son…. 

“since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.  For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but…. 

With the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”  I Peter 1:17-20 

Redemption is a great gift…and, one only our Father in heaven can give us….

 

Yet, He did….and He does….and He will…. 

Claim that, daughter.  Claim that redemption. 

Because no matter what anyone else might have you believe,

No matter what you tell yourself 

You are worthy…. 

You are Redeemed…… 

Seems like all I could see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son
Stop fighting a fight it's already been won"

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed, I'm redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember, oh God, You're not done with me yet

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be

Because I don't have to be the old man/woman inside of me
'Cause his day is long dead and gone
Because I've got a new name, a new life, I'm not the same
And a hope that will carry me home

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, 'cause I'm not who I used to be

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, yeah, I'm not who I used to be
Oh, God, I'm not who I used to be
Jesus, I'm not who I used to be
'Cause I am redeemed
Thank God, redeemed

 

~Big Daddy Weave 

R is for Relinquo

Relinquo is Latin for abandon….to leave behind…to let go

I sincerely believe that sometimes in life we have to “let go” and “let God”.  Sometimes, despite our very best efforts to change ourselves, our relationship with others, our lives, we have no control over these things…. 

We come to the fork in the middle of the road…..and, all we can do is  

Give it all over to God and let Him work on it…. 

Exodus 14:14 is one of my absolute favorite verses 

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still”

I have shared with you this verse many times, but what I have not shared with you are its surrounding verses….

“Moses answered the Israelites who were wandering in the desert and were in despair….moaning about how life really was better in captivity (really??).  They even tell Moses, “leave us alone….it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.”  (really, really??) 

But, Moses…he does not join in their despair, in their weakness, in their fear…..he tells them 

“Do not be afraid….Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.  The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” 

And, God was true to His word…as all those Egyptians were drowned in the sea as the Israelites crossed the sea on dry ground and were saved. 

THIS is a big deal!!! 

When you relinquish your life to God, He does not say it will be an easy life.  In fact, He tells you it will be difficult to be a child of His…. 

But, He also tells you it will be worth it…. 

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.”  James 1:2-4

It took me many years of my life to come to fully appreciate this verse….so much simpler to bemoan my fate of some of the trials that my life had to offer. 

But, I have learned that while I cannot control all the things that this life will throw at me….I can control how I will respond to them. 

I cannot control how others may treat me.  But, I can chose to let that be their issue, not mine.

I cannot control the trials that will come my way.  But, I can chose not to give into frustration or despair.

I cannot control those who would make me feel unworthy.  But, I can choses to see myself through God’s eyes….

I pray you learn this early on…. 

“Until Jesus Christ is the obsession of your heart, you will always be looking to mere men/women to meet the needs that only He can fill.

And, as sure as the sun arose this morning, man/woman will disappoint, hurt, mislead you…. 

But, God…..He is a promise-keeper!! 

Relinquo it all to him…. 

R is for Resolute

Resolute means to have purposeful determination.  Life is not for the faint of heart.  We truly do live in an “only the strongest survive” world.  Sadly, at times, we are made to believe that to be true survivors, we have to lie, cheat, steal and be mean to do so.

That just is not true. 

 

But, what you do have to do is “armor” yourself….just like the knights you witnessed a few weeks ago…you do need to armor yourself with the love, the knowledge, the garments of God….. 

And, you must do it purposefully… 

Resolutely… 

With purposeful determination…. 

Yes, you will get knocked off your horse a few times.

Yes, it may be painful.

Yes, you may have to relinquo some things.

Yes, yes…..

Yes…. 

But, above all else, you must be resolute….purposefully determined to not just survive…but, to thrive…. 

And, there is only one way you can do that with real success…. 

There is only one way you will be able to “get back up on that horse and go, go, go!”……. 

And, that is by holding the hand of the one who paid it all for you…

The one who says, “you have been weighed, you have been measured…..you have been found worthy.”

Your Redeemer….Your Protector…. 

Your One True Father…. 

Blessings, 

Mama