Completely Loved - by Melissa Haas @RestoreLifeUs

Photo by Melissa Haas

         Completely Loved  

                                    By

                          Melissa Haas

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, northings present, nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39 

I am completely loved and accepted by God. 

It had been a bad day. Back then, Troy and I were missionaries in Kenya, and we were getting ready to leave Nairobi to head back to the bush. I had done all of my shopping except my meats, and I intended to go by the butcher on the way out of town. Buying supplies was always a big deal because if we forgot anything we needed, we would have to do without until we made the twelve-hour drive back to town two months later. On this particular day, we were heading back to the bush on a Saturday, and I had under-estimated the time it would take us to pack the vehicle and get on the road. We were getting away later than I had promised—a big deal since it is dangerous to drive at night in Africa. Troy was irritated, and I was apologetic. We drove up to the butcher only to discover that they were closed. It was Saturday, and they only stayed open until noon.  

Troy was angry, I was in tears, and both of us were in a quandary about what to do. Did we stay an extra night in Nairobi—and have to unpack the truck and repack again the next day—or did we choose to go without beef or chicken for the next three months?  

We drove back to the mission office, and one of our fellow missionaries invited us to come in and have a cold drink. We were both obviously upset, and I felt like I had totally failed. Explaining the situation to Jack and lamenting about my mistake and the resulting consequences, he looked straight into my eyes and said, “Melissa, you are forgiven.” 

My breath caught in my throat, and it was if the Lord Himself had spoken those words into my heart. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and relief. Tears sprang to my eyes, and all I could do was whisper a quiet, “Thank you.” In that moment I felt completely loved and accepted in spite of my failures—not by my missionary colleague, but by my Lord. Jack embodied Christ to me that day. 

How about you?  Have you experienced God’s love in spite of your failures?    

One of the things God has told me over and over in my personal times with Him is that He loves me. Let me share some of my favorite love notes with you. 

Psalm 18:16-19 (NIV)            He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. 

Lamentations 3:19-23 (NIV)  I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have hope; because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 

Zephaniah 3:15-17 (NIV)      The Lord has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you; He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.” 

I am always in awe when I read that He delights in me. He loves me. He finds pleasure in me.  His heart longs for me and rejoices when I come to Him. He accepts me completely and loves me unconditionally.

He loves you and me more than we can even imagine. A look at the cross only begins to explain the depths of His love.  

Are you resting in His love today?  Say it out loud, write in on sticky notes and post them everywhere, put it on your Facebook: I am completely loved and accepted by God.

Melissa Haas currently serves as the Director of Restoration Groups for HopeQuest, a ministry group in Woodstock, Georgia, which helps people struggling with life-dominating issues.  Melissa began her service in ministry in 1993 as an international missionary to Kenya, East Africa, where she and her husband Troy worked as church planters among the Turkana people.  When a significant marital crisis ended their missionary service, Melissa and Troy began a journey of healing and restoration that now serves as the foundation of their ministry to others.  Passionate about spiritual community, healthy marriages, and intimacy with God, Melissa regularly facilitates small groups and teaches and speaks on these topics in order to help the Body of Christ grow relationally with God and each other.  Melissa and Troy and their three children reside in Woodstock, Georgia.

Click here or on the picture below to see a music video for David Crowder's "How He Loves"

Revealing Wounds by @ShelleyHendrix (A New Post)

 

"He refreshes and restores my life (my self)"

Psalm 23:3a Amplified

"When you are in the midst of your God-ordained destiny, it WILL expose unhealed wounds in others. Be kind. Offer grace. But keep going." 

~Shelley Hendrix

I posted those opening words above on Twitter and Facebook yesterday after thinking about how this reality has played itself out in my own life. Whether we want them to or not, our lives impact other people's lives--and emotions. One of the starkest examples for me happened in 2007.  I was in the very early years of following God's call on my own life and I had just taken a big risk: I had written a book. I think the statistic out there says that 90% of writers who set out to write a book never finish one, so I felt mixed emotions. On the one hand, I felt pride in my accomplishment, and on the other, absolute terror at the idea that I had actually put enough of myself on paper for others to read, judge, and even mock. 

Through a friend, I was able to get this new book into the hands of an editor for a large, well-known publishing house. Getting the book to him took little effort and I appreciated that. I truly never expected to hear anything from him--and if you knew who I was talking about, you'd understand why. This editor works with the best of the best in this industry; so when he called me on the phone a few weeks later, I was stunned!

I will never forget that phone call nor will I forget his affirmations about the book and my writing style. I will also never be able to forget when he said, "Unfortunately, though, we can't touch it. "So and So's" next book is on Esther." 

The lump building in my throat nearly choked me to death, but I knew I had to hold myself together to get through the call. He was so kind, encouraged me to keep writing, and then we hung up. And then, the dam broke. It was such a big break that it took me nearly four days to clean up the mess it left in its wake. 

I cried out to God, "Why?...Why would You lead me to write a book and work so hard on it only to give this same topic to someone who could write a book about teaching your children to burp the alphabet and it would sell? Did she need this as much as I do? Did I misunderstand You when I sensed you telling me to write this book?" I felt like the butt of a joke. 

I cried on the shoulders of my husband and my children. It seriously broke my heart. 

I wish I could tell you I got over all of that within those four days, but I would be lying. 

What I know now, 6 years later, is that God allowed one of His girls (the other author) to walk in His calling on her life and as she did, allowed me to bump into her just enough to pull back some bandages I had placed over some unhealed wounds in my own soul; wounds with a voice, and played on repeat, mine said, "Who do you think you are?"

"Who do you think you are to write a book?"

"Who do you think you are to think anyone wants to hear what you have to say?"

"Who do you think YOU are; of course people want her books...why do you even bother?"

These questions hurt so much because the accusations behind them seemed so solid. Who was I? Who did I think I was?  

These accusing questions pointed to my insecurities and fears and God loved me enough to bring about just the right circumstances to expose places within my heart that I preferred leaving covered up. These were wounds that God had begun to heal in me in the past, but when it got to a certain point, I guess I put a cute band-aid over some and felt like that was healed enough. Sure, I felt better; but I wasn't whole. Not yet. And because the wound had continued to fester underneath my false covering of a cute band-aid, its voice was louder now than it had ever been. 

I'm thankful to say I learned a lot as I allowed the Voice of Truth to speak into my life. In fact, a few years ago, when I began speaking with my publishers at Harvest House, they too, turned down my Esther book because one of their authors was currently writing one (which came out the same day as "Why Can't We Just Get Along?"). I was so encouraged by my own emotional response to this news. I felt a little discouraged, but more than that, I smiled because I was okay. I could trust that God wasn't taking something away from me in order to give it to someone else He liked better. 

I can also tell you that as I've taken step after step in my own calling, I have become aware of how my own moments of success have revealed wounds in other people. This reality can create the temptation to pull back from a God-ordained destiny if we don't understand this dynamic. It might cause us to feel false-guilt for hurting other people when in truth, we aren't wounding anyone--all we are doing is living our life. God may be using this, though, to reveal unhealed wounds in His other kids. It doesn't necessarily mean that we caused them. 

I close with something my friend, Lori Kennedy, fellow Team C4C Writer had to say about this reality:


"I have encountered this in the past. And, at one point, began to question whether or not I was fulfilling my God-given destiny as I was thinking that my walk and talk shouldn't hurt others. Then I remembered that healing does hurt--but only for a short while. Afterwards, the taste of freedom is incredible! Holding all of that poison inside of you is much worse! We must grieve our wounds because grief says that the wound mattered. Yes, YOUR wounds matter- don't ignore them- don't stuff them- allow God to raise them up in you because maybe He's saying it's time to grieve them and throw off those chains that bind you so that you can walk in FREEDOM!"

• How have you seen your own wounds revealed through someone else's journey?

• How have you seen someone else's wounds revealed as you've walked in your own destiny?

• Is something holding you back from pursuing God's clear call upon your life? Could it be that He is inviting you to allow Him to tend to some covered over wounds?

*****

What about you?

From one of our C4C Chicks

A year ago, when I first attended Church 4 Chicks, I was looking for a 

Bible study for the ladies in our church to attend.  What I found 

at Church 4 Chicks was so much more than just a Bible study!  I found a 

place where I could worship God in a real way with awesome 

women who had hearts for God.  One of the things that C4C strives to do 

is cultivate environments of grace.  Grace took on a 

totally new meaning for me as I saw it lived out by the women at C4C.  I 

spent all of my life in church and yet somehow I missed learning 

how to give and receive grace.

There were some struggles going on in my life at the time that I was 

unable to share with most people and C4C became a safe place for me.  

Many times during the incredible music, tears would just flow down my 

cheeks as I was able to sing praises to the One who heals and comforts - 

all without feeling judged or condemned by those around me.  As the

leader of C4C Shelley Hendrix spoke, she ministered to my heart with 

incredible words of wisdom delivered with a spirit of grace and an 

openness that I have not found in many places in church.  Feeling loved 

and accepted is one of the things that I love most at Church 4 Chicks. 

Another thing that I enjoy is that there are women of all ages. This 

past year, my 10 year old niece came with me and she loved being a part 

of it.  What a privilege to worship and learn with teenagers, 

grandmothers, new moms, college kids, seasoned moms, etc.!      

If you are looking for true biblical teaching, a place where you can be 

yourself, and a desire to grow in grace, you need to check out 

Church 4 Chicks. www.church4chicks.com  I know that I have been forever 

changed because of it.  

Ida Adkins  

*****

From Shelley: 

Dear Ida,

Thank you for sharing this testimony and for allowing us to pass it along. We are so delighted to have you with us as we continue to work hard and pray hard in our vision of creating and cultivating environments of grace for women of all ages.