The Pressure is Off ~ by Debra Courtney

Creative Commons by wwarby

The Pressure Is Off

by Debra Courtney

"Cast your cares on the LORD..." Psalm 55:22

I have just taken on a new class, one that is so challenging.  I asked myself, "Girl, what have you gotten yourself into, by thinking you could do this?"  I felt and am pressured!  Has this ever happened to you? 

I am reminded about the time a family member and I went to Dublin, Ireland.  We decided we didn’t need to take an all-inclusive bus trip like the other boring tourists.  No, we would just tour Ireland on our own at our own pace and enjoy the trip so much more!  So we flew into Dublin’s airport and went to get the car at the car rental place there on the airport grounds.  I asked for a map of Dublin, and when I looked at it I could not believe what I saw.  I said to myself, “Girl, what have you gotten yourself into?”  Then when we get to the car, the steering wheel was on the left hand side, and I had to drive on the left hand side, I looked at the person with me and said, “Girl, what have we gotten ourselves into?!”  Needless to say we were pressured with what we had gotten ourselves into!  Back in the States before I booked the trip, I thought to myself, “I can handle this," but when it came time to handling it, I was extremely pressured.  My stomach was all in knots the whole trip while I was driving.  It was a pleasant trip when I was not driving.

Now I find myself in the same way, but this time I really prayed and asked for and got many counselors in order to obtain wisdom before even signing up for this class.  I am in my second week of this writing, and let me tell you I am experiencing the pressure.  This is a challenging class.  One-fourth of the class is on their 2nd or 3rd time of retaking the course.

I woke up early this morning thinking about this class.  I usually wake up in a spirit of prayer and worship, but not this morning.  I woke up in a spirit of pressure and thinking about this class.  Had I really missed it in my prayers?  Had I really missed it in listening to my many counselors that told me this class is a challenge?  I was at peace when I signed up for it.  I was at peace when I prayed about it way before the class started.  I had told the Lord, "If this class is not for me, shut the door.  If it is, open the door.  I am here to do your will, not my will.  The decision lies with you, Lord, not me." 

Have you ever had something happen in your life when you really thought you had to come through?  This was my thinking this morning.  After I had gotten up from my quiet time, I went and got a cup of coffee.  (I don’t like coffee that much).  I didn’t go to the new workout class I had just signed up for.  I was feeling the pressure of this other class.  Then it came to my spirit.  “Debra, why are you under pressure so much?  The pressure is mine.  It is my job to see you through this class.  Roll your pressure upon me.  You are to do your part and trust me to do my part.”  Talk about a revelation!

These things we know about giving our troubles to the Lord and laying them at His feet for He cares for us, we hear this preached and taught all the time, but I had gotten myself into such a state of panic and pressure that even my time alone with the Lord (my Quiet Time) was disrupted by thoughts of defeat.  It is not like me to be that way.  Nothing is to take first place in our lives.  First place belongs to God Almighty, then all the rest falls into its proper place! 

Now I have “NO PRESSURE!”  The “PRESSURE” is the Lord's; He is my provider.  He can handle it!  Girls, do I breathe better!  

• What in your life is causing you pressure?  
• How have you been handling it thus far?  
• What is the Father encouraging you to do even now to roll that pressure onto His capable shoulders?

Debra Courtney’s life goal is to inspire and motivate women globally to become all they have been created and designed to be by using the guiding principles of their Creator’s word in gaining wisdom, understanding their designed-given personality identities, and creating their independence!  

“I want women today to be transformed out of your lack of fulfillment, frustration, and pain through the benefits of coaching; to stand and run with the promises that have already been promised to you by your Creator; to be challenged and to be stirred up to go places that you have never dreamed of; to be motivated in wisdom where you can live a life above and beyond in the exploration and discovery found in the “who” of how you were created. 

Coaching is ideal for taking you through this process, for closing the gap between your “Here and Now” to “There”.  Coaching gives you the ability to explore and discover the life you were designed to live according to the values and priorities that affirm your purpose  and passion and define “who” you are!” 

Your words create an environment to enhance your living experiences in ways this world cannot.  Your words create an environment to enhance your journey in ways this world cannot. 

Click here to view Laura Story's video "I Can Just Be Me"

Laura Story - I Can Just Be Me (Official Live Video) from laura-story on GodTube.

The Lowly Things

Photo Credit La Melodie (creative commons)

The Lowly Things 

By

Emily Walters Laney

²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰ It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹ Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”” – 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like a loser. I messed up again, I didn’t do something right, I can’t find a good job. I’m not smart enough, pretty enough, or perfect enough to actually be used by God to make a difference in the world. Mind you, I don’t always feel this way, but I definitely have my moments where I don’t feel like I measure up. Sometimes it comes from other people, like that one friend who always makes me feel bad about myself. But most of the time, it comes from me. It comes from that seed of insecurity that I keep buried inside, just waiting to rear its ugly head when something mildly frustrating happens. And sometimes it comes from the images and the ideals the world puts forth that seem to bombard us from every side.

Take away those wrinkles! Shrink those love handles! Make yourself look sexier, more desirable! Lose 15 pounds in two weeks….. the list of messages could go on and on, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who has seen these messages plastered everywhere. We are obsessed with perfection, even if that perfection is fake. And it doesn’t have to be physical either. It could be that voice that says that you are never supposed to show weakness, especially to your friends at church. Or how you are supposed to have a perfectly clean house and happy, well-rested children along with a from scratch, organic home cooked meal waiting when your husband gets home from work. Or maybe you’re supposed to do all of the above while holding down a full time job (or two!) just to make ends meet. The possibilities are endless, and the stress we put on ourselves is ridiculous. And at the end of the day, if we mess up one time or feel like we don’t measure up in anyway, a small voice in the back of our heads tells us that we aren’t good enough, that God could never use us.

But guess what? None of that really matters. God doesn’t expect perfection from us. He doesn’t expect us to have it all together. I really needed to read the passage at the beginning of this post the other day. I needed to be reminded that God chooses the lowly, the weak, he wants to use us, even if we aren’t perfect by the standards of the world. God wants our strength to come from Him; he wants our boasting to be in Him, not in our own strength.  All throughout history you can see the thread of this truth. God uses people from all walks of life to change the world. On those days where you feel like you can’t continue for much longer, you can rely on His strength. When someone in your life makes you feel like you don’t measure up, remember that in the eyes of God, you are his precious child. And on the good days, when you’ve accomplished something great, remember that your boasting is in the Lord, because He held you up on those days where you didn’t think you could go on.

Christ is our cornerstone, our foundation. God uses us even if we feel like we aren’t “good enough”. Rejoice in HIS strength sister! He’s got this, and He’s got you.

 



Emily Laney is a social worker, educator and justice seeker. She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals. She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit. Sunsets and Sushi make her happy.
  
You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

I Will Boast Sing Along from zapdogyo on GodTube.