The difference between being a Christian and a Christ follower

Response to Christian v/s Christ follower:

No matter if you consider yourself a Christian or a Christ follower, no matter where you go to church, no matter if you don't go to church but consider yourself a Christ follower or a Christian..... we are all judgmental of what the other people think because we all think our systems, our way of doing things, or the way we think (our perceptions) are the right way to think.

I AM

Is there anybody out there that would like to know that someone out there actually loves you unconditionally with no strings attached?

I'll answer: I do!

I was going through a tough time a couple weeks ago. I do this quite often in my thoughts. I think so hard about what others are thinking of me or what others want me to do or what others expect of me and sometimes, as a woman, I get very overwhelmed with the expectations placed on me. Now, I must admit that some.....okay, maybe MOST of the expectations placed on me are actually my own expectations of myself. But, that's not the point. The point is that I have alot of expectations put on me. Keep the house clean, keep Bree growing in the right direction, keep my marriage good, keep my lesson plans up, blah, blah, blah. Of course, the list is way more extensive than this but I don't want you to get overwhelmed too so I'll keep my list short.

Every once in a blue moon I really, really need to know that even if I was paralyzed from neck down and could not get out of bed and could not do or "perform" the tasks that I do in 24 hours that someone out there will still love me and still think I am great just the way that I am. Just as a human being that has a heart beat.

Well, check this out.

The other morning when I was feeling all gloomy and pitiful about having all these expectations placed on me, like I said, placed on me by myself, I started thinking about it. I kept saying over and over in my mind, "I wish somebody would just accept me and love me just the way that I am." "Love me just the way that I am." "Just the way that I am." "Way that I am." "I am" "I am" "I AM!!"

I read a book a few months back called "The Echo Within" by Robert Benson. It talked about how when God made us he breathed into us. (⁷ the LORD God formed the man ^{e]" [e]} from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.(Genesis 2:7NLT)) Well if it took his breath to make us he's still in us. Made sense to me. It also said that one of those little voices inside when we become believers of Christ is God speaking or breathing within us. That makes sense too.

So, I want someone to love me just the way that I am, right?

I remembered that somewhere in the Bible God refers to himself as "I AM." So, I went to the Bible to find it. I attached it here but before you read it I want to set the stage.

Stage setting: Moses was called by God to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. Why did the Israelites need to be brought out of Egypt? Because they were slaves there. Moses didn't feel like he was the man for the job. I just love God's response to him. Read the following excerpt from the Bible, Exodus 3:11-14 NLT

¹¹ But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
¹² And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you ^a]" will worship God on this mountain."
¹³ Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"
¹⁴ God said to Moses, "I am who I am .^" This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "
I hope you are making the same connection that I made the other morning. I need someone to love me and accept me just the way that I am. God is I AM. I AM is living inside of me. He breathed life into me. So, OF COURSE GOD LOVES ME just the way I AM! Isn't that the best news ever? It is for me!
What is so cool about this wonderful news is that is not just for me! You say it. Say it loud! God loves me just the way I AM! and believe it!
Dear God, thank you for loving me just the way that I am. Thank you for showing me that Moses doubted his ability, like I doubt mine, and realized that he needed you to come into him and be the I AM. Thank you for your wisdom regarding this. Please be my I AM.
Living Loved,
Elizabeth

Perceptions

This is why I know that I really don't know anything.......because my perceptions have changed more than once.

I'm re-reading one of my all time favorite books called, "He Loves Me" by Wayne Jacobson.

This statement caught my attention this week, "Because sin was consumed in Jesus on the cross, there is absolutely no condemnation or guilt for anyone who lives in him. You can taste this miracle of the cross every day. Now you can be with your Father just as you are, still in the process of transformation, and NOT have to hide anything. You can share with him your darkest secrets as you learn from him how to walk free of them. He knows you CANNOT FIX YOURSELF and only waits for you to RECOGNIZE IT and invite his help." (emphasis added)

Let's be honest here shall we? How honest are you really? Do you really act how you feel or do you act how you think you should feel? I'm here to tell ya, this gal acts like she knows she should feel.

Huh? Do what?

Or I act like I think I should act because somebody told me to. Or the Bible told me to. Or a book told me to. Or my husband told me to. Or peer pressure told me to. Or my kindergarten teacher told me to. You get my drift.

Some facts (and opinions): as a Christ follower I already know that the devil is the master of deception. For the longest time, I believed that all of my problems in life had nothing to do with me. I blamed everybody and everything. Yes, I was the victim. I blamed my parents for not raising me a certain way, I blamed my husband that I had a bad marriage, I blamed my friends for making me be bad....blah, blah, blah.

Then one day I woke up. Or let's say that God took a layer of mud off my eyes. I realized that I was to blame for my junk. I started reading books and really looking inside instead of outside. I really wanted a better life and I was going to get it by changing myself. I started reading books about marriage, books about parenting, books about this and that. Life is getting better and it's because I looked inside and started to change myself. Wow, I am so disciplined, it's incredible.

Now follow this conversation that I've had with many, many other women in the past few years....

"I just don't know what I'm going to do. My husband is such a jerk. He never does anything right." she said.

My reply, "Have you really looked in the mirror? You know if you want to change your situation you really need to look at yourself. It must be something that you are doing wrong. If you do what your supposed to do then it will all work out."

(Okay, this part is in my mind ONLY) How can these people be so blind to their stuff. Why don't they just wake up and see that they are also to blame. I got to see my stuff, they need to see theirs. I saw my stuff and I fixed it. I did it. I made my marriage better by changing myself.

I am so much better because I was able to fix myself!

I know what your thinking because I'm thinking it too....."How judgmental and stupid can you possibly be Elizabeth??"

Okay, back to the main point! Again, I can see! Another layer of mud comes off. God has opened my eyes, yet again. Who says that God doesn't heal the blind today. He heals my blindness quite often!

Have you ever noticed how when YOU decide that YOUR going to CHANGE something about yourself it seems pretty darn short lived? I have. I've decided to respect my husband, I've decided to love my children unconditionally and bring them up in the instruction and discipline of the lord. I've decided to stop being a glutton and stop worshipping anything but God. I've decided that I'm going to put others first. I've decided that I'm going to love God with all my heart, mind and soul. I've decided alot haven't I? I can tell you this....I haven't mastered not ONE of those things. Not ONE! I might can do some of those things part of the time, but all the time?? Forget it!

My realization: I really think that God wants me to be real! He wants me to be real because he already sees who I really am! He already knows my true deep down feelings inside. He wants me to realize that I'm not perfect and realize he is and realize that HE can FIX ME! When I allow God to fix me then I'm depending on God for my righteousness. Ouch, that stings for someone like me who likes to do it herself or depend on herself or compare herself to others because "by George--- I did it---, why can't you??!!" Yes, I'm still judging. You know why?? Because I haven't really repented for that and I haven't asked God to change me. Maybe I'm scared! Who knows.

What's crazy about this whole thing is that I truly believed that to have a better life was to look in the mirror and change myself. (yes, another lie told to me by you know who!)

My current perception on the matter is that the Holy Spirit will lead me to the mirror! The Holy Spirit will tell me what to pray. I feel my Spirit telling me to pray, "heal me from the inside out." Now, do I have to be specific in what I'd like to change about my heart? I don't know. I do feel like when it says in the Bible that the Holy Spirit tells us what to pray that it does just that.

So, what do we do from here? I'm not 100% sure. Maybe we don't do anything. Maybe we wait for the Holy Spirit to show us where we are trying to fix things in our lives. I do believe God is waiting for me to figure out that self-effort will only get me so far. That it takes him to carry me all the way, to fix me all the way. The only thing I know to do at this point is ask God to show me the stuff inside of me that needs to be healed and then ask him to heal me there.

Just one more reason I love God, he waits for me to realize I can't fix myself and then waits for me to ask for his help. I love God!

Thank you God for waiting for me. Thank you for allowing this blind woman to see. Thank you for your unconditional love for me. Thank you for your unconditional love for my husband and my children. Thank you for your unconditional love for those that read this blog! Thank you for your unconditional love for everyone that you've created! Thank you for loving me no matter how I really feel inside. Thank you for loving me through the process of transformation and for loving me through all of my distorted perceptions of you and of life in general! Again, I love you!

Living Loved,

Elizabeth

The Lord of the ReadINGS

I am a teacher. I get paid to do this job! During the summer I spend a majority of my time thinking....am I doing what God wants me to do. If not, then I need to figure out what it is I'm meant to do and start working toward doing that.

The first week back for me has been challenging. This is a serious understatement! Wow, they sure do give alot of stuff for us to process.......

Last Friday when I started this blog, my mind was very overwhelmed to say the least! I ended up cleaning my house top to bottom because I knew that was something I could get done and not have to think about.

But...the story wasn't complete yet......I have a story to tell...

I am a reading teacher. I really wanted to have a theme for my room this year. Well, Friday evening some how or another the idea of the Lord of the ReadINGS came to mind. Of course, doubt crept in and I was seriously NOT going to do this theme when I went to bed Friday night.

Saturday morning I woke up and prayed, "God, I feel overwhelmed with everything. If you want me to do a theme in my room you'll just make it happen. Give me the mind to organize my thoughts and get things together for this school year."

God most gloriously came threw for me yet again! What an awesome God! I love God.

My small group area is called, "The Fellowship", My whole group area is called, "The Shire" because that is where the hobbits started out on their journey. I have a "Two Towers Word Study" area for vocabulary. A "Rivendell Reader" area for independent reading.

AND THE BEST PART.......

I read a book called Waking the Dead by John Elderedge a couple of weeks ago. He talked about mythic characters and how the movies we love have a deep rooting "wanting" within us to be one of the characters. I had a character in mind of who I WANT to be but didn't share it with anyone.

Daniel and myself were traveling to Marianna a week ago and I asked him, "If I was a character out of one of the movies that I love who do you see me as?" He said, Galadriel from Lord of the Rings. I started to cry.....why?......because that is who I want to be and that is the character that I had in my mind a couple of days ago as I was drifting off to sleep and talking to God. So it was so cool to know that God had a hand in my desire to be her. Daniel already sees me as her but, of course, I doubt my ability to be her.

Now you ask, what is so special about her and why would I want to be her. Those of you that know me know that I like to fix things and/or people. I'm an analyzer. Well, Galadriel to me is a woman that has discernment, she sees what people need and she gives them the tools to get through the hard times of their journey. She was also a strong woman that was able to overcome the temptation presented to her to hold Godly power.

At the beginning of the summer I decided that this next school year prayer would be (based on Solomon's prayer) Dear God, please give me the wisdom, knowledge and understanding to love and teach your children, my students.

I believe that as Galadriel in the themed classroom titled" The Lord of the ReadINGS that God will give me the discernment (what the students need) and the resources (the tools they need) to grow as individuals and as readers this year. I know that I can't go with my students when they take state mandated tests but just like Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings I can give them the tools they need to get there with God's direction.

Reading is a critical area at the High School, as always, but the pressure is on because we didn't test as well. It can get very overwhelming thinking about the responsibility placed on me this year.

I really want God to carry me through this school year. I want to give him the glory. I pray that God will use me to teach his children and show me how I can love them the way He loves me.

Living Loved,

Elizabeth

Return to Innocence

I've recently read a book called "Waking the Dead" by John Eldredge

Not to give you all the book but just a tid bit....

He basically says that our hearts are good. God created us to be good. Adam and Eve, of course, sinned and that is what made our hearts bad. We are the children of our parents.....Adam and Eve that is.

He says that the lie the devil has told us all these years is that our hearts are bad. He says that God wants to restore our hearts to the good that He made when he created us.

We are attacked at the heart level. How many people can say they put their heart out there just so it could be broken into a thousand pieces. I know I've been there, done that! How many times have you put yourself out there just to get burnt in the long run. I don't blame anybody but the devil for all this heart breaking stuff. He is and has been trying to steal your heart, break it, whatever he can do to keep more lies going in and less truth going in.

God, Jesus, Holy Spirit--we all have heard that they are mending our broken hearts, come to set the captives free, died for us. Return us to a time when we were "okay" with who we were, we weren't ashamed of our bodies, we weren't ashamed of our sense of humor, we weren't ashamed to say, "hey, Mom and Dad watch this."

I don't know about you but nowadays I'm looking in the mirror saying...."that's not how the magazines say I'm supposed to look", or I'm saying something after a meeting, "see there, you didn't have anything of value to offer", or I'm saying, "You just can't get it right so why bother?"

God wants to bring me back. God wants to mend my broken heart. God wants to restore what was lost somewhere between age 12 and 30. He wants me to know I'm loved just the way that I was born. He wants me to know I'm loved just the way I am. I was fearfully and wonderfully made. He wants me to know I do have something of value to offer. He wants to speak Truth to my heart so I can replace those lies.

He wants me to Return to Innocence......

What's neat is that when I married Daniel I walked down the aisle (golf course) to the song called Return to Innocence by Enigma. I listened to that song yesterday and was amazed (tearfully so) that this song is so true to my walk with God and what he is wanting to do in my life. He's wanting to Wake the Dead (Me and You) and he wants to return us to Innocence!

Innocence for you may look different that mine. I see Innocence as a time when I wasn't ashamed of any part of me. I didn't care what other peoples views of me were, I was just me! My heart fully, wonderfully alive, not broken. I found the video to the song and thought it was really cool especially if you think about God taking you back to your true innocence. You know, your child like faith, the things you did when you were little and knew that was what you were going to do when you got older, the things that the devil has been trying to take from you! (I must say I'm not too sure about one part of it, but overall I liked the video enough to post it)

Oh, one more thing. I was totally pregnant with Bree when I married Daniel so... return to innocence?.... not so much at the time....I do believe that God is returning me to the heart he gave me when he formed me in my mothers womb! I'm a challenge for me....but not for God!

Living Loved,

Elizabeth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk_sAHh9s08

Happy Birthday Billy

Happy Birthday Billy!

So glad that you're my brother.

You've been a very entertaining guy all these years.

You've made me laugh a bunch.

I'm thankful for your sense of humor.

I know you care for your family deeply. I see how hard you work and how you provide for your family and that's awesome!

I'm thankful that I've been your sister and even though we fought when we were little I'm glad you've always been there for me when I needed a hug in adulthood!

Hope you have a great Birthday.

Love,

Your SEESTER!

Elizabeth

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

40 Years Ago

Two became one

forty years ago today

Their names

Robert William and Patricia May

She was a beautiful sight

he remembers so well

He was handsome indeed

She will always tell

Their first year was tough

learning to give and take

But all and all

they didn’t make a mistake

The first baby came soon

and oh what a joy

But let’s try again

look now it’s a boy

Their family of four

was perfect no less

Their love for each other

was always the best

They’ve had twists and turns

like most people do

But never gave up

and kept their love new

God put them together

till death to they part

When that day comes

it will break my heart

Looking back I see

their love has grown

And Christ is their center

I’ve always known

I’m so glad you married

so long ago

You’ve showed me how love

is supposed to go!

Happy 40th Anniversary

Love, Elizabeth, the one that’s been with you the longest!

Happy 39th Birthday!

Wow, who doesn't love Facebook on your birthday! I'm very thankful that Facebook does the birthday thing. I don't think I've ever had so many people wish me a Happy Birthday in the 39 years I've been around. Thanks so much!

Reflecting back some of my best birthdays were as a child. My parents always did a great job of letting me know that I was special and important to them. My mom would always bake me a cake and turn it into whatever form I'd like....a clown, a teddy bear, a cat. Thanks Mom! I also remember that I could have friends over and have decorations and the like. My dad would be a clown at many of my parties or he would bring the firetruck home so we could play on it. Dad, thanks for always being the life of the party! My brother would always get to bring "one" of his friends to my party. He's a cool guy and I love him alot. Thanks Billy, for being the best brother a sister could ask for!

I think after I had my Sweet 16th Skate Party at Skatetown things started to change after that.

What is it about getting beyond 16..... I think birthdays change.

I remember my 19th birthday because I was a new mom with a beautiful baby girl that was 3 weeks and 2 days old.

I remember looking forward to my 21st birthday, so I could legally do some things that I was already doing. What's funny is after I turned 21, those things weren't that big a deal after that.

Age 30 wasn't that big a deal, probaby because I was still 17 in a lot of ways in my mind.

Age 32, I remember being in Fredonia, New York, which is where I'm originally from with my parents and my new husband, Daniel Bennett. He bought me a pair of gold hoop earrings that had a row of diamonds in them. I loved the gift so much that when I lost one of them at Destin Beach a year after, I had the other one made into a ring so I could wear it on my finger. It's the only other ring that I wear other than my wedding ring. Went to Niagara Falls with my parents and got to go up into (can't remember the name) this really tall restaurant that overlooks the falls on the U.S. and Canada sides. My parents watched Breeanna so we could go up there.

I remember my 35th birthday, my husband threw me a surprise party at the church. I'm thankful that I'm still friends with all the people that were there.

I started writing a journal July 2006, so I do have a journal entry for my 36th birthday. It doesn't say what I did but it does show me that I was questioning who God is and what I mean to him.

What I remember about my 37th birthday, because I have pictures, is that I had a mickey mouse cake made by Marilyn Gingerich. She makes the best cakes, Sorry Manga!

Last year, my 38th, I went to work with Daniel and got to go shopping. The only reason I remember that is because I made a journal entry about it.

So, in hopes to not forget today.......Today, my 39th birthday, I woke up knowing that God loves me even before I was made, Daniel loves me even if I don't do one thing for him today, my parents love me even though I know I've disappointed them throughout the years, my children love me even though I'm not a perfect parent, my grandson loves me because he thinks I look funny and he knows I'll feed him when he's in my care, my friends love me because if you are my friend then I've shared my inner thoughts with you and you still want to hang out with me and thanks to Facebook, I know that people are thinking of me today!

I woke up at 6:00a.m, took a shower, walked into kitchen to a fresh cup of coffee and 2 cards. One from my parents, who are in New York, that had the flash dance music inside and one from my husband that had Simply Irresistible music inside. I might be an 80's kid!

I went to work with Daniel today. (I'd much rather work with him on my birthday then be without him!) We rode to Mobile, Alabama so he could go to the Choice Books warehouse and load up on books. Breeanna was with us. I enjoyed checking my husband's phone periodically to see who on Facebook wished me a Happy Birthday. Last count was 30 people. Wow.

Went to KFC for lunch, what's cool about that is I remember my Grandpa Pelton taking me to KFC alot when I was little, so it was good to think of him today.

Went to the Belair Mall in Mobile and bought 2 shirts from the Disney store for $3.20 a piece, went to New York and Co and bought a dress and an outfit with money from my parents. Bree was my assistant. She picked everything out for me to try on, she is a card!

Left the mall got in a traffic jam trying to get out of Mobile. Talked to Dianna, my 20 year old, on the phone and she said, "Did you see what I posted on my Facebook wall this a.m.?" No, I didn't, so I checked that out and got a little teary eyed. She wrote, "So let's see....39 years ago today one of the most amazing women EVER was born. She's a beautiful woman of God, a devoted wife, and one of the best moms that my sister and I could have ever asked for. (And yes, in that order!) She has always supported me and loved me unconditionally no matter what. She's honest, passionate, perfectly imperfect, and still is living loved by the King!!! I love you, mom!! Happy Birthday!"

That was cool!

Received an e-card from Dara which was very funny!

Received a phone call from Chris P.

Again, received many Happy Birthdays on facebook and some very sweet comments from some very great friends!

Met my brother, Billy, his wife, Dee and my niece, Lily at Cancuns Mexican Restaurant in Chipley for dinner. Yes, I wore the hat and they sang to me! I got 2 cases of pepsi products from my brother, Go Pepsi and Go Billy and Go Dee for the sacrifice! LilyAnna made me a card with the help of her mama!

Breeanna, my 8 year old, asked me if I had a good day. I said, yes, because I spent it with 2 of my most favorite people. She said, "You mean 3, God, me and daddy."

Finally, back home at 9:00p.m. Reflecting.....

I woke up this morning not expecting anything and God allowed this birthday to be the best birthday I've had yet because HE showed me through the people that I do relationships with that I'm getting something right. This is so awesome because I am someone who wants to get it right but never thinks that I have. Thank you God for making me!

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--how well I know it.......You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" Psalms 139 13-18 (NLT)

Living Loved,

Elizabeth-7-16-09

Mrs. Fix It!

When I feel like I've overcome something in my life it's hard not to want to fix that same trait in someone else. I've been pondering this.....

Why do I want to fix it? Because I think I can.

Why do I think I can? Because I've been there, done that.

Have you been exactly where that person is? Well, No, Not EXACTLY.

Who fixed you? Um?, myself? No, wait, the Holy Spirit.

How? Through books, other people.

When? I saw the inside instead of the outside when I looked in the mirror.

Why? I didn't like what I saw.

Who showed you your true self? Holy Spirit.

It wasn't a friend nagging you? No!

You see, I want to boast that I fixed myself so that gives me right to fix someone else but as we can see from my conversation with God this morning that the reality is it took the moving of the Holy Spirit within me to change me. The only way I can change is from the inside out and I have no clue how to do that except to pray...

ALOT!

I'm reading this book called All of Grace by C.H. Spurgeon, he quotes, "It would be very wonderful if one could stand at the foot of Niagara Falls and speak a word that would make the Niagara River begin to run upstream and leap up that great precipice over which is now rolls down with stupendous force. Nothing but the power of God could achieve that marvel. Yet that would be more than a fit parallel to what would take place if the course of your nature were altogether reversed."

"Photo of Niagara Falls, taken from the Maiden Mist by me, last July"

It's by the grace of God that I am who I am today, not perfect, but I've come along way....ooops, I mean Jesus has drug me along way, kicking and screaming, to be at a better place today.

So, why do I think or expect someone else to change because I give a pretty darn good argument and speak truth?

Just like married people can't change their spouses, I can' change anybody either. All I can do is pray that the Holy Spirit will change me and my heart.

"God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord."" 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NLT)

Living Loved,

Elizabeth

Living Loved

Our perceptions or paradigms on life determine so much about how we live out our lives.

I would say that my life has been driven by pride in accomplishments and fear-if I'm not accomplishing then I won't get noticed or be significant.  So I guess that means that "getting noticed" is what has been driving me.

Here are some lies I've been telling myself for years....

I want to win and if I'm not the winner then I'm the loser.

I have fear that if I'm not winning then I'm no good.

If I don't do this or do that, then the outcome won't be good.

If I'm the best then nobody can take that away from me.

I have to provide for myself.

I have to grow myself, change myself.

I CANNOT depend on anybody.

If I want to be loved then I have to perform in such a way.

I second guess my decisions because if I make the wrong one then God won't be with me.

That's kinda a crazy way to live considering I'm a professed so called Christian, right?  We'll maybe I wasn't meant to get it until recently....

A very dear friend of mine named Laurie Hyrons gave me 2 books to read a few months back.  

One of those books is "He Loves Me" by Wayne Jacobsen.  In this book the author talks about God's love for us.  He talks about how living in God's love can change the way we do life on a daily basis.  The book made a whole lot of sense to me, this is what REALLY stood out:

"Our only choice is whether or not to live loved, trusting that his eye is on us and that he can work out in us everything he desires.  That is the challenge of life in God's kingdom.  He has done everything to demonstrate his irrefutable love, but he will not make us live there.  We can still live less loved, pursuing our own agenda with our own resources and in the process not only destroying ourselves but hurting others as well.  

The choice is yours, and it can't be made once for a lifetime.  The choice is made every day in every circumstance in which you find yourself.  Do you trust that he loves you even in this, or will you fall back on your own wisdom and desires?" (Emphasis added)

I'm still very much choosing to do things my way in many areas of life.  I'm still learning in each moment to remember that I'm loved by the king of all kings.  The One who created both man and woman.  The One who created me and all of my weaknesses and strengths.  

I want people to look at my life and know that I'm Living Loved by the King of all Kings because I'm not driven by fear.

I want people to look at my life and know I'm not driven by exposing other people's weaknesses against my strengths so I can be better.

I want people to look at my life and know I'm not driven to win because I need the significance.  

I want to be driven by being loved by God because there is no fear in God's perfect love.  So, I'm trying in each day and in each circumstance to live loved!

Most importantly, I want God to know that I know he loves me and I know that I can trust him no matter what because he can see that I'm living out- living loved!

And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.  Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  Ephesians 3:18-19 (NLT)

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.  1 John 4:18a (NLT)

Living Loved,

Elizabeth

Who da judge?

We've all heard of the phrase or scripture of "the measure you judge others you shall be judged."  Well, I've been processing this off and on for sometime now and I believe that I've had some insight over the years on the subject. My first thought was~okay, if I look at people and think, "oh, they are so overweight" then people are going to look at me and think, "oh, she is so overweight" My second thought was~okay, if I look at people and think, "I can't believe that she/he lied to her kids", then God is going to look at me and say, "oh, I can't believe that she lied to ___." I was reading in Matthew the other day and came across the scripture that deals with this which is Matthew 7:1-2.  Do not judge others and you will not be judge.  For you will be treated as you treat others.  The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. (NLT) Okay, who exactly is going to be judging us?  Others? God? or...... Ourselves!! Yep, that's it.  The standard that I use in judging others is the standard by which I will judge myself.  So what EXACTLY does that mean??? It means that when I have a change of thought about any circumstance in my life it changes how I judge myself and others or (let's reverse the order) others and myself.   For Example:  When I hear someone gossiping about somebody else I think, "that is so wrong, they should not be talking about that person", then the next time I am gossiping, I think, "oh, I should not be doing this."  I'm no better than so and so.   Don't we all strive to be better than somebody?! I don't know about you but I like to win and I promise you I am da judge.  I just hate that I'm the judge for you and me.  Mmmmm?? Now, if as YOU read this you thought I was talking about YOU in my example then to what measure are YOU judging yourself?  Gotcha! Living Loved, Elizabeth

Challenged!

A friend of mine who cares for me deeply introduced an idea to me based on a book she has been reading recently.

The IDEA:  You, as a married woman, have been created to be your husbands help meet.  In doing so, your job and purpose in life is to be a helper to your husband.

My thoughts:  I've been mulling this over for about a week and this is what has happened.

I like lists so here we go:
1.  I can win at this!  I'm the only wife to Daniel Bennett so therefore, I'm going to win.  I am pretty competitive in life.
2.  I feel significant.  I strive for this in a lot of areas.  
3.  I have purpose.  
4.  I am living in God's plan for my life and fufilling his purpose for me, as my man's woman.
5.  I am really good at this!  I struggle with feelings of inadequacy, that I'm not real good at any one thing.

I decided this morning that I needed to really ask God what he thought about all this.

My Question:  "God, is this really what you designed me to be?  My husband's help meet?"

His Answer:  Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper who is just right for him.  Vs 20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals.  But still there was no helper just right for him.  VS 22  Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib and he brought her to the man.  "At last!" the man exclaimed.

My Application:  I am Daniel Bennett's helper and I am made just right for him.  Today I will help Daniel Bennett in anyway that I can.  Dear God, please empower me to do just that.  Help me to be Daniel's helper.  Help me to see clearly that this is your plan for me as a woman and help me to honor you by helping my husband today.

You can see now why I titled this blog:  Challenged!