When You Don't Love God Enough - a new post!

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There is this really great and (in my experience) really difficult command. What makes it even heavier is that we are told by The GodMan Himself it's the first of only two commands: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 

All of it? All of it. Like, really all of it.

Well. Yikes. That pretty much is a #dailyfail. If love has the elements of respect and honor, patience and kindness, isn't self seeking or self-insisting, then yep...definitely pretty much on a daily basis I'm weighed in the balance and found wanting.

I have - after taking what I had and squandering it on people that I thought would like me and maybe even love me, on situations that I thought would fulfill me, on accomplishments I thought would complete me (side note: many of these things are "good" things like serving others, doing well vocationally, generally being awesome...) - found myself lifting my face out of the slop and wondering what in the WORLD was I doing?! I'd tried so hard to do good and to be great but my mouth ended up full of swill that was neither nutritious nor delicious. Once again, I've come to myself. 

And I rehearse in my mind the verses that demand my all. I rehearse the verses that call me to repent, and wonder will I ever get this commandment, THE commandment, right. I rehearse the familiar wondering of do I really belong to Christ when I break one of the two commands He's given? and just can't seem to do that (or the other one for that matter) right.

Then THIS happens...

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. Luke 15:20-23 ESV 

I arise and I come to my Father. I confess where I have fallen short. And He rejoices in my coming and in my confessing and in my growing. The following verse goes on the talk about the son being lost and then found. There is the ultimate experience of us being lost and then found when we first come to faith in Christ. There are, I believe, subsequent "findings" that happen to us as parts of our hearts and minds and souls reveal their lostness to us. Something happens that bumps into the dark place untouched by the love of the Father. When we come to our senses and realize the "soul slop" we've been consuming, we bring that to the Father, and He loves us so that we in turn love Him more than we did before.

When you find yourself 'not loving the Lord enough', rise, come to the Father, and let Him love you.

Created Well is the primary contributor at TheAntiBlog.net. She's a 30-something married Christian who likes to talk about the unexpected, especially the tough stuff. As a communicator, her loves include writing, speaking and teaching. She's been called a "Dream and Vision Consultant" by those she's helped and worked with. Find her on twitter @_TheAntiBlog_ 

How May I Serve You, Or How Can I Sell You? A new post By Debra Courtney

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“…But I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22: 27

How many of you know that success in this prosperous, generous, and slothful age is easy for a Christian? It hangs like a ripe plum from a tree. With a ladder named wisdom, it is within easy reach of all. Hey girl, climb and take it! Do not make excuses; do not blame others; use the ladder and pick the fruit before you miss out.

Have you noticed now how more than in the past how foreigners often come to America with very little and make prosperous lives? They typically do not complain, sue, or talk of discrimination. They work diligently, live frugally, save faithfully, adapt wisely, and exist peacefully. But others with greater advantages go nowhere. What is the difference? Without knowing God, some practice natural wisdom.

I’d like for us to take a quick look at Joseph who was a teenage foreign slave with a shepherd’s resume, which the Egyptians despised. But he advanced by God’s blessing in Potiphar’s house (Gen 39:1-6). Though accused and convicted of rape, faithfulness in prison earned him an administrative role there (Gen 39:19-23). Then he passed Pharaoh’s sons and ruled Egypt (Gen 41:38-46)! He was a fervent and effectual servant! WOW!

I’d like for us to take a quick look at Daniel who was a teenage Jewish war captive that was made a eunuch. But he graduated at the top of his class in the king’s management program (Dan 1:18-21). Though a foreigner, he was promoted over all Babylon and was chief of staff to King Nebuchadnezzar. He retained his high positions for 70 years, even when Cyrus the Persian took the empire. He was a fervent and effectual servant! WOW!

I’d like for us to take a quick look at David who conducted himself wisely and the nation loved him (I Sam 18:30). What was his background? He was a shepherd from the lowly town of Bethlehem, ignored by his own family when they considered sons for honor. He easily passed his seven older brothers. And the reigning king’s own family chose David over their father. He was a fervent and effectual servant!

So, what are trying to say Debra is the source of success in this characterization? Wisdom! It is the quality that embodies all the instruction of being a servant and not a sales person!

A poor child can be promoted past an old king for one simple reason – WISDOM (Ec 4:13). The king resents being admonished, so he rejects correction. A man too proud to listen to others is worse than a fool (Pr 26:12). A wise child is willing to learn (Pr 9:9). He has no problem being told what to do. That young man is going somewhere! The king, nowhere!

At the very least ponder these examples. Then let me know what you think! (Comment below to continue the conversation.)

Celebrate Your Uniqueness!

                                    ...your voice is unique, and it is sweet to God’s ears.”

                                                                           Song of Songs 2:14

Debra’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 & create their purpose!  You can contact Debra at dwcscc@yahoo.com. 

Don't You Remember? - by Angie Roehm

The mullet was starting to grow on the back of my almost 2-year-old's head and my own hair was too heavy to hold a curl. My friend and hairdresser had an opening in an hour, so armed with granola bars and raisins, I packed Jack up and decided to brave it. He had been doing well sitting still for meetings and having patience during appointments; I figured he could eat a snack for the 15 minutes it would take for my hair to simply be trimmed.

We all see where the story is going, don't we?  After he had his hair trimmed, the raisins were not enough for Jack to sit still without squirming. All of the times I have trusted him before, didn't matter. He was going to show his age, and act like the toddler he is: busy.

My friend didn't seem to mind and she just kept right on going. As I sat there, I could hear the whispers of the only other customer in the salon. She was echoing the guilt I already felt; I should have waited to come until I could find a babysitter for my son.

For the final few minutes I was in the chair, I could hear the other customer talking about her kids. It sounded like they were probably college-aged.  As I left the salon, it made me wonder, “do you remember what it was like?”

And I asked this question of her in my head, I sense the Lord whispering to me, “Will you remember?  Will you be who you wanted others to be during this time?”

Most importantly, “Right now, are you remembering?”

Matthew 16:5-11

5 The disciples crossed over to the other side of the lake. They had forgotten to take bread. 6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

7 The disciples talked about this among themselves. They said, “He must be saying this because we didn’t bring any bread.”

8 Jesus knew what they were saying. So he said, “Your faith is so small! Why are you talking to each other about having no bread? 9 Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the 5,000? Don’t you remember how many baskets of pieces you gathered? 10 Don’t you remember the seven loaves for the 4,000? Don’t you remember how many baskets of pieces you gathered? 11 How can you possibly not understand? I wasn’t talking to you about bread. But watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Jesus reminded the disciples he wasn't talking about the physical bread, but to be mindful of the heart of the Pharisees.  They needed to remember all they had personally witnessed of Jesus.

In the same way, God’s tender whisper to me this morning had little to do with the moment with my toddler, and everything to do with reminding me how He alone has provided for me.

Are we remembering who we used to be without Jesus?  Are we remembering our moments when we believed a lie and fell on our knees for forgiveness?  

As we look around us, are we judging those struggling in the big or small things, or are we bringing encouraging words and the hope of victory in Jesus, the hope we too need?

Remembering is choosing to embrace the empathy to be an encourager.

I want to remember what it was like to have a toddler when I am far past this stage and I want to always be looking for those ahead of me to remind me that this season, too, shall pass.

Let's embrace empathy and encourage those who are climbing a mountain we have crossed over. As someone reaches out a hand to help pull us up our next hill, thank the Lord for the hope we see for ourselves in someone else.

Angie Roehm seeks to encourage others to let the power of God's spirit flow through their everyday lives. Armed with a math degree and a type-A personality, she is learning to look only to God as He directs her to step out in faith with her writing and speaking. Angie and her husband Jason live in the Cincinnati area with their 3 kids, where they enjoy watching their girls dance, tossing the ball with their toddler, and cheering on the Indianapolis Colts. 

Connect with Angie at www.angieroehm.com