Defining Me

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Can I just say it? I AM TIRED! Why? Because I’m done with the outside impositions upon my being! I’m tired of the expectations of everyone else and I’m about done with it all! I’m tired of the people who tell me that I have to do this or I have to do that to be a First Lady. I’m tired of the other people who tell me that I have to do this or have to do that to be a “good” wife, or mother, or teacher, or whatever else they think or FEEL I should be and do. I AM TIRED! I never asked to be a first lady or wanted to be anyone’s “role model”. I am not the perfect hostess. I don’t enjoy cooking or entertaining when I don’t feel like it. I DO NOT like spending time with people I DO NOT LIKE! I don’t like phony people and the church is filled with them. I can avoid phony people at work but I’m “supposed” to nicely entertain and enable them in church. I don’t like to dress up unless I feel like it. I like to be comfortable. I don’t like hats all that much because I tend to get hot or a headache when I wear them too long. I don’t like high heels because I’ve broken one ankle and the other foot so they’re not comfortable. And truth be told, I don’t like being in church all day for the sake of being in church ALL DAY! I’ve hit the wall and things are about to change drastically in my life, and I pray that those who love me and are closest to me understand, but…

For so many years I’ve done what everyone around me wanted me to do. It started with my mom, then my teachers, followed by my church and my husband. Then gradually over the years, I became so discombobulated by the demands put upon me that I LOST MYSELF! I lost my hopes, my dreams, and the vision that God gave me! I lost MY voice, the voice that was uniquely ME, Liane. I stopped singing music that made me happy (Yes, some of it secular. Ahhh! I know! You’re just appalled aren’t you? Lol!) I stopped writing because I lost touch with the muse within me. I stopped dancing because people kept sending me to Hell because of it. And I wasn’t trying to go there! I was ALWAYS a talker because I’m a writer. I communicated my innermost thoughts and feelings via writing but mostly talking, but nobody talked with me or listened to me. At least, not those closest to me. I was told that I was too sensitive, too needy, too clingy, just too…too…too MUCH all of the time! And I when I went to church looking for love and acceptance, I was criticized and bullied into conformity.

I spent all of my twenties and thirties living much of my life according to the standards of others. But every now and again, I rebelled. I rebelled and rejected that image on so many occasions only to retreat and subsequently resign myself to this existence because I was so far from who I thought I’d become. I was so terrified I’d never find her again that I’d lost my will to fight and at times, even go on. Some rebellions were obvious to others, while some rebellions were inward and quite self-destructive. In one or two cases, I was accused of rebellions and actions I’m not guilty of but because I was so broken, angry, and lost I allowed myself to be perceived a certain way and didn’t care what anyone else thought. I struggled with so much of what my life was and wasn’t that I often contemplated suicide because I just wanted the pain to end.

Ironically, through all of this turmoil, brokenness and confusion, my one constant was the Holy Spirit speaking life to me. Sometimes, He issued harsh warnings to me but was still there to Comfort me even after my rebellious tantrums and bad decisions. Despite not wanting to be in church so many Sundays, it was my worship that literally carried me through my wilderness. No matter what was going on around me or in my life, I worshiped GOD! I cried out, wailed, sobbed to Him for peace and comfort, and He obliged me. As Psalm 40:1 (Amplified) states, “I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.” Now, I’m not sure how patient I was, but I did expect God to somehow move on my behalf. I knew that He not only heard my cries, but felt the rawness of my despair and the full effect of my brokenness. The Lord knew my breaking points and quite often, too often, sent an angel to encourage me, redirect me, chastise me, or empower me in the midst of my valley. He heard my cry! And while it took me a long time to figure it out, I finally realized it was God who created me, God who designed me, God who gifted me, and God who knows what I’m supposed to do with this life, these gifts, and this purpose.

Fast forward to December 28, 2012: Jeremiah 29:11 reminds me EVERYDAY what God has been trying to tell me for my entire life, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. So, in effect, my life, my purpose, and my plans are not determined, impacted, or imposed upon me by anyone BUT God! It is God who knows my beginning and my end, not people! It is God who knows why He gave me certain gifts and abilities and determines how I use them, not people! I have limited myself long enough based on the whims, moods, issues and inclinations of others! I will no longer just be what people want. I will embody “the who” and “the what” that God desires of me. Now, this doesn’t mean I’m going to shirk my Godly responsibilities that I already have. I am a woman of my word and I will see them through. But, oh, will I ever relinquish, reject, and remove myself from any and everything that I KNOW I do that’s not within my purpose! I’m not wasting my time or my talent engaging in anything that takes time and energy away from my purpose anymore. Because I realize that in order to define me, I have to be the ME that God intended in the first place. And it is my prayer that you find the YOU that God intended you to be. Only then will our true purposes become clear and then the world will see the glory of God manifested within His people! God bless you!

Spread Love



“As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” 1 Corinthians 12:20 – 26 (NIV)

There was a popular song back in the in mid-1950s through the mid-1960s called; Love is a Many Splendored Thing. It was written for a film by the same name (1955) and became the theme song to a soap opera in the 1960’s with the same name. However, I remember hearing the song in all of its dramatic, early 1960’s glory with swelling instrumental accompaniment and tight, emotional harmony provided by The Four Aces whose version is ranked as the most popular. What drew me in as a young girl in the mid-seventies was the signature line, love is a many-splendored thing. Now, at seven, I didn’t know what many splendored meant but based on how they were singing it, I knew it had to be good! Hence, my view of love and loving others was formed by popular culture and my need to be loved. I was often dramatic in demonstrating my love, even at a young age. I was incredibly affectionate and gave that affection freely without concern for how it looked or seemed to others. I loved anyone who came into my circle unless they were mean to me or rejected me and my demonstrations of love. I often gave those who hurt me second and third chances because I assumed everyone else wanted to be loved just like I did. So when it was all said and done, I just wanted to love and be loved!

First Corinthians 12:20 – 26 instructs us to show concern for each other. Not false concern, but concern borne out of love for one another. We within the Body of Christ should express love so freely amongst ourselves that we should be overflowing with love when we walk out of our secret prayer closets and out of our church services that we infect the world around us with the love of Jesus Christ. Believers should never work to divide the members in the Body, but strive at all times to bring the Body closer together! We should be so connected to one another in the spirit that when one of us suffers, we ALL suffer. We one of us is blessed, we should ALL rejoice with them! First Corinthians 12:20 – 26 reminds us that we are all connected to one another. This connection guarantees that we will ALL be impacted, good or bad, when even one member of the Body is impacted. We must commit to loving one another, praying for one another, and working out the issues that divide us within the Body in order to rebuild the love, trust, and godly concern that should and must exist amongst Believers in order for God to move among us as He desires to move within the Body of Christ, and the world!

Prayer: Father, I have not loved Your people the way that I should. I have not loved You the way that I should. I have not uplifted those who were weak, and I’ve not rejoiced with those who rejoiced. I repent for these sins, Father, and I ask that You forgive me. From this day on, with Your help, I will love the way You want me to love. I will uplift those who are struggling or weak, and I will rejoice when others rejoice in the blessings from heaven. I want to please You above all things, and bring glory to the Kingdom, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Transformation

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." Romans 12:1 - 2 (The Message Translation)



I love this translation of this particular verse because it makes this faith walk, this spiritual journey of transformation so real, so relevant, and so accessible to every believer. It takes my everyday life, my good and bad, ups and downs, highs and lows and makes all of it, and I mean ALL OF IT seem important to God. Now, as someone who grew up in the church, God was often this mystical, far away, daunting force that while He must love me, was always watching and waiting for me to screw up so He could chastise me. He wasn't portrayed as One who was concerned about my daily struggles or triumphs, just the BIG stuff and usually only when I really messed up. And again, growing up in the church, we read one translation and one translation only, The King James Bible. And whoo hoo, let me tell you, that book represented fire and brimstone to me! Not because of what it said, because truth be told I didn't know what it was talking about. I feared it because of what I didn't understand and how it was phrased. Elizabethan English is daunting to comprehend and I still struggle with it despite an English degree!

This verse challenges us, as believers, to give our "everyday, ordinary life" over to God. Most people are willing to seek God and His power when the life-changing events happen like marriage, death, birth of a child, graduations, new jobs, new homes or even retirement. They leave the daily routines out of it. But Romans 12:1-2 challenges us to give EVERYTHING over to God. We are to offer everything that we do to God, to submit our everyday, every moment to Him and His will for us. We are to seek His will for us, as individuals, for all, ALL, that we do. Our attitude toward our lives should be directed by God's Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are to study His Word and allow it to renew us by transforming our minds by the power of His Word. Our goal, as believers, should be to allow God's power to make us like Him so that our everyday, ordinary lives resemble and model His nature and His heart. We can no longer be content with absorbing the secular culture around us so much that our lifestyles and decisions are based on the standards espoused by the secular "powers that be". We can no longer be so much like this culture that there is nothing obvious that sets us apart. When we make our will align with God's will for our lives, we will be excited about this daily transformation and chase after it like our lives depend on it. Because they do. Both ours and the lives of those who need our example.

Today's Prayer

Lord, I desire to be transformed daily by Your power and Your Holy Spirit. I long to be like You! I submit my everyday, ordinary life to You beginning right now. I offer my sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life to You and I ask You to transform me so that my nature resembles Yours. I embrace what You do for me and want for me. I know that You know the plans that You have for me and they are to prosper me and do me no harm. I trust You and know that You only want the best for me. So, I lovingly submit my will, my thoughts, my heart and my life to You for Your glory and the benefit of the Kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen.



"I said, 'His grace is sufficient for me!'"

"But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."

2 Corinthians 12:9 

      Grace. Unmerited favor. In other words, a gift totally unearned and probably undeserving. God's grace is sufficient, meaning enough, full, whole, and complete. It is sufficient in spite of what I am going through. It is sufficient to keep me full of joy, complete despite my brokeness, whole in His presence and enough to get me through to my breakthrough. And not only is it sufficient, but as I rest in His sufficient grace, God gets the glory out of my weak and broken state because it creates an opportunity to move on my behalf. As I rest in His grace and trust in His might, God shows Himself mighty and shows Himself strong by delivering me out of my barren and dry place! Grace. His grace. His unmerited favor is so completely, wholly, fully and enough for me!

Countdown to Hope ~ Day 7

Countdown to Hope ~ Day 7

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 (NIV)

 

Well, I must say that this scripture from Romans is a tall order! I mean, God expects us to have joy in hope (Translation: Be happy while you’re waiting, no matter how long it takes!), patient in affliction (Even though it hurts like heck, don’t try to rush through the suffering. In a sense, savor it), and be faithful in prayer (In other words, remember to communicate regularly with God despite the pain and seemingly endless waiting game). Yup, that about covers it! And so now you’re saying, how is that possible? How can I have joy while I’m waiting around for things to get better or for the promises of God to come to pass? Or, how can be patient when it hurts so bad that I can’t even focus on anything else? And, of course I’m supposed to pray regularly, but it’s almost impossible to remember that when I’ve got all of these things going on! How can I do this? (Enter God.)

Too often, we forget that life is not easy because we live in a fallen world. Jesus came that we might have live and have it more abundantly, but we are still experiencing the effects of Adam’s sin. God gave us freewill, and that dates all of the way back to Adam. When Adam exercised his freewill, he put a cycle of sin into place that we are still fighting to overcome today. Jesus came to set things in order and give us access to the Kingdom of God and all of the power and benefits that go along with Kingdom membership. But, in order to tap into that power, we must choose to follow the example that Jesus set before us using the Word of God to teach us how to represent the Kingdom in excellence.

So, in order to live Romans 12:12, we must first, submit our will to God’s will for our lives. It is His will that we have joy, patience and be faithful in all that we do. Second, as we submit our will to God, ask the Holy Spirit to be like Christ and help us to tap into the joy and peace that only God can give to us. Finally, consciously choose to be joyful. When you are presented with a situation that could very well sap your joy well, choose to see the joy in your life. Remember that patience is simply the presence of peace within your life. And in order to be faithful, you must purpose in your hurt to do something, and then do that thing in excellence!

So, in order to live Romans 12:12, like a popular slogan, “Just do it!”

Countdown to Hope ~ Day Six

Countdown to Hope ~ Day Six

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.”

Jeremiah 17:7(NIV)

I have a question for you. Mind you, it is somewhat rhetorical in nature, but I’ll ask it nonetheless. Do you want to be blessed? Now, you’re either thinking or saying to yourself, “Duh, Liane, who in their right mind wouldn’t want to be blessed?” And, I would have to agree with you. But then again, I have to wonder if people really want to be blessed, or do they just want to have a lot of money, stuff and favor wherever they go.

I’ve learned that in order to truly be blessed, you must be in relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Savior and sacrificial Lamb. Too many people, especially those in church, are confused and misguided when it comes to understanding what it means to be “blessed”. Having a lot of money and stuff does not make you blessed. It simply means you have a lot of money and stuff.

The actual definitions for blessed are defined by www.dictionary.com as “consecrated; sacred; holy; sanctified and divinely or supremely favored; fortunate”. Now, how can one be consecrated, sacred, holy or sanctified if they are not in relationship with the only one who can save you, cleanse you, sanctify you and subsequently show you divine and supreme favor? Jesus Christ, the Holy Lamb of God, is the only one that can cause us to be all of those things through the shedding of His blood. We can only access the blessings that are connected with Him when we enter into relationship with Him. And it is through commitment to this relationship, spending time with Him in prayer and getting to know Him as we study and meditate on His Word, that we cultivate the connection that creates trust. It is only when we learn to trust Him that we are truly blessed! Once we put our confidence in the God of our salvation and not in money, stuff, the economy, politicians, jobs, friends, family or any other entity, we become blessed! We become consecrated because we are subject only to Jesus and His Word and will for our lives! We become sacred, holy and sanctified vessels because we are washed by His blood! And we walk and live in divine and supreme favor that only God can provide!

So, what are you waiting for? Stop wasting time and submit to the one, true God and become blessed and highly favored!