Category: significance in life

Success!

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou6 Comments

“Mom, am I your favorite child?” whispered my daughter softly.  My son overheard, “No, we don’t even need to discuss it, I am her favorite!”

It’s an age-old problem, isn’t it?  Comparing ourselves to others, wanting to be better, wanting to be someone’s favorite, wanting to be significant, wanting to be valuable, wanting to be loved.

There are times, I can look at others and their successes and feel envious, and wish I had experienced success in a similar way.  However, God has been showing me a different way of looking at others and others’ successes.  He also has been redefining the word, “Success”.

God has taken me to the scriptures that talk about how we are a part of His body, and we all have a different role to play in His body. (I Corinthians 12, Romans 12)  How silly it would be, if in my body, my eye was jealous of my hand, or my hand was jealous of my foot.  

When I need to accomplish a task–like gardening–I am grateful that my entire  body “obeys’ my will and does what I want it to do.  I use my entire body to accomplish many different tasks. 

When I have done something and done it well, and others comment on it, they don’t say–”Wow, your hands really did a great job there.”  No, they say, “You did a great job.”

That is how it is with God’s body, when the hands of God’s body do a great job, that reveals who He is—and that is why His hands did what they did–to reveal Him. Glorifying God is Revealing God.

When a part of God’s body does something amazing or is something amazing, we can all take joy in that.  We are connected to each other.

God has been showing me that as I am obedient to Him, and do what He is calling me to do–I am successful, even if in the eyes of the world–I fail; even if I don’t see the results of my obedience, in my lifetime—I am successful in God’s eyes. 

God defines our success—and it is not necessarily in doing mighty feats, but it is in loving God, and in loving each other—these are God’s great commandments for all of us–no matter where we are placed in His body, and what gifts He bestows on us.

God is flipping my thinking—instead of a me vs. them mentality, instead of a competitive mindset, He is showing me a body mindset. First and foremost this means, I just need to listen to God and do what He tells me to do. That means I need to spend time with Him in His Word, and in prayer–listening and talking to Him.

God has directed me to do things I never thought I could do—to help others in crisis. And I have seen Him direct others to help me and my family when we have been in crisis. The body of Christ working and loving and serving others is one of the most beautiful and magnificent things to behold.

So—I hope you can wrap your mind around what I am saying—because— this is really, really important to God that we understand this— we are all loved and valuable, we are all significant, we all belong to each other, we are a Royal Priesthood, and the inheritance of God, Himself!!

So Let Us Be Encouraged!!

Truth!

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou4 Comments

I have to say right now—I love a clean, gleaming, organized home; however, I can count on my hands and toes, the times my home has been clean, gleaming and organized all at the same time.

My mom makes it look so easy, but I know it takes consistency, a plan, and habits.

When I was first married, I realized that I had none of those things—so I came up with a plan.  I made a list of everything that needed to be done in the house, how much time I thought each task would take, and assigned a day to each task.  I was determined to get some habits in place before I had children. 

I succeeded in my goals:  the little house we were renting was immaculate—something our landlady noted when she came to visit.

Then we moved—into the Residence Hall, (my husband was the Director of Housing at a local college where we both worked), and I got pregnant.  Every day, I would run into the apartment and into the bathroom to get sick.  Every single day of my pregnancy.   I remember sitting in the apartment with my husband, when the President of the college showed up at our door, with a group of people, to show off the newly remodeled Resident Director’s Apartment, and the apartment was a disaster.  Every time, I moved in this apartment—I got sick, and so I stopped moving and just sat with a kerchief over my nose to block out newly remodeled smells that were assaulting my senses.  Needless to say—I still cringe at the memory of that occasion and wish I had had more gumption to make my apartment the clean, gleaming organized place, I longed for it to be.

And that sums up– how much of my mental life has been lived—I have a goal and a standard, I may reach that goal and standard for a while, but eventually I fail—sometimes to my great embarrassment–I fail.  Then when I remember my failure—I beat myself up, and tell myself, “you should have, could have done better.”

I am believing lies. 

Lie number 1:  If you want to be significant, you must achieve (fill in the blank).  Everyone’s fill in will be different—it could be having a great job or position at a job—it could be having a clean house, or well-behaved children, etc. etc.

2.  If you want to be loved: you must be perfect. (You must perform your job perfectly, or be the perfect wife and mother, friend, or all of the above.)

3.  If you want to belong: you must be worthy.  To be worthy you must have position, power and possessions.

1. The truth is:  I am significant because I belong to Jesus.  In fact, I have been adopted into the family of God. (John 1:12: But to as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His Name.)

2. The truth is: I am loved by Jesus, which means I am loved, I belong, I am significant in His love. (Galatians 2:20b:  The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.)

3.  The truth is: Jesus has made me worthy and all who belong to Him worthy. ( 1 Peter 2:9a tells us:  But you are a chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a People for God’s own possession….)

When I believe these truths, I can be open about my failings and shortcomings, because I am already loved.  I already belong.  I have been made worthy.

When I believe these truths, I don’t have to look any farther than Jesus for my significance.  I can look at everything I do through His eyes—and I am motivated by His love to trust and obey Him. 

So instead of wanting to rush through the process of life and cleaning—I can savor the process of life and even the process of cleaning.  I can ask God to be a part of each moment—even cleaning can become an act of worship!

God is with us, each and every moment.  He loves us, we are significant in Him, and we belong to Him!!

                                                So Be Encouraged!!

What do I write about?

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou4 Comments

What do I write about?  Who do I write to?  These are questions that writers ask themselves. 

For years, God had been telling me to write, and I would start writing but lacked the conviction to continue to write.

Finally, I said to God, “If You really want me to write, please tell me what to write, and tell me what to write about.”

God said, “I want you to write a blog.  Write it to younger moms.  Tell your stories, so that they may have the encouragement to love their husbands and love their children.”

When God said that, He was restating one of an older woman’s purposes in Titus 2:4  to encourage the younger women to love their husbands and their children.

Finally, I had direction.  Finally, I had conviction.  I could do this.  I was still fearful, but I knew what I was doing, was in direct obedience to God, and that has helped me write this blog.

I have been writing this blog for just over 2 years.

I don’t have very many followers.  14 people liking my blog on WordPress—is a lot of likes for me.  My blog has been read in many countries—which is really exciting to me—and I am becoming friends with other bloggers across the globe-which is also exciting to me.

But why do I write this blog?  It’s pretty simple really.  I write to encourage.  I write to help.  I write to obey.

Most of my blogs, I ask God—what do you want me to write about?  And He tells me.

Almost always, my blogs are to show through my life stories—God’s faithfulness, God’s love, and God’s filling.

Here’s what happens after I write.  I am almost always tested in the area I write about.  My last blog was about, “Repairing the damage of your words.”  Guess what happened?

My husband and I argued. There was a point, where I could have ended the argument — but no, I did not control my tongue, and instead poured more fuel onto the flame.

After our disagreement, I turned to the Lord and said, “I don’t think I can do this anymore.”   I’m not sure what I meant by that—but that was how I felt.

God was very specific with me:  “I will not fail you, however, whatever or whoever, you are putting your worth, your belonging, your significance in –will fail you, and you will fail whoever is putting their worth, belonging and significance in you.”

” I will not fail you.    You belong in Me.     You have worth in Me.    You have significance in Me. ” 

After God spoke those words of encouragement to me, something tight and hurt inside me, was lightened. I realized that the needs I had to be loved, to belong, to have worth, to have significance–were already mine in the Lord, and nothing could take them away from me.

My husband and I were able to speak honestly with each other, and it was a healing talk—the kind that feels as if something pivotal has happened, and some old sore wounds were starting to heal.

Today, when I was going to share someone else’s blog for your encouragement, God said—“Don’t do that today.  Share this instead.”

So, I’m sharing this—because God does not just love me—He loves you, and He wants you to know—

“You belong, you have worth, you have significance!”  You belong in Him!  You have worth in Him!  You have significance in Him!!”

Praying that you are encouraged and have the courage to obey the One who loves you as no one else does and as no one else can!

Happy? Fulfilled? Satisfied?

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou4 Comments

“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

God is the author of our stories.  It is He who has made us and crafted us to be who we are.  It is He who calls us into a relationship with Him.

It is He who fills the infinite void we have in our lives.  It is He who brings purpose and meaning to our lives.

Why am I writing these things?   Because I have been reading things recently that concern me.  I have been reading that if we, (women), don’t marry and have children when we are young, we may never marry or have children, and our lives will be empty and unfulfilled.  It is true that women are most fertile in their twenties—this is true, but that does not mean that having babies in our twenties or even having babies at all– is God’s plan for each of us.

  We, each have a different story, a different purpose.  Some of us will get married and have children, some of us will get married and not have children, some of us will not get married and not have children, some of us will parent children without a mate.  Some of us will get married young, and some later in life.  I know people who fit each of these scenarios.

 I think of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) who started the profession of nursing.  God designed her to do this, He put a great desire in her life to be a nurse and to train others to nurse.  She was born into a wealthy British family and was expected to marry young and have children.  She received a marriage proposal from someone suitable to her family and also someone she cared for, but she turned him down.  She believed God had called her to nursing, and that God would fulfill her as she was obedient to His calling.   Her efforts in nursing and sanitation revolutionized nursing, elevating it to the honorable profession it is, and saving untold numbers of lives.

We don’t always know where God is going to call us.  Or what our lives will look like.  I was on staff with Cru, (a Christian missionary organization), when I met my husband to be.  He was also on staff with Cru.  We were both 27 when we met.  We married when we were 28.  I was a few weeks short of my 29th birthday.   I was 31 when we had our first child, 35 when we had our second child,  36 when we had our third child, 38 almost 39 when we had our fourth child and 46 when we had our 5th child. 

 God’s plan for me was not that I marry young—His plan was that I wait, marry later, have children in my thirties and one in my forties.  I love the story God is writing of my life!!

I have friends who married young and had their children when they were young. Their stories are amazing!!

I have friends who married for the first time in their fifties.  Their children and grandchildren have come from their husbands.   God is writing their stories, and their stories are amazing! 

I have friends who are still single.  Their stories are amazing!!

One thing I have discovered, is that no matter whether single or married, with or without children, God was and is showing me that only He can fill the infinite void in my life. 

The lie is that something else will fill that void – a husband will fill that void, or a child will fill that void, or a career will fill that void, or __________ (insert anything else) will fill that void.   God has shown me in every stage of life that nothing will fill that void except for Him.

That is why, whatever stage we are in, we can be content and filled with joy, because we have Him.

He is the author of our stories. He is the author and perfecter of our faith.  He is also the giver of good gifts.  The best gift He gives us, is Himself.

So, Be Encouraged!!

Truth!

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou2 Comments

When I was five, the show Bewitched debuted on TV.   I remember begging my mother to let me stay up to watch it.  It was on at 7 pm, which was also my bedtime.  I did not get to stay up and watch it.  However, it was on TV for many years, and eventually, I did get to watch that show.  The thing that I liked best about the show, was how the main character, Samantha would wriggle her nose, and all her cleaning chores would be done—brooms would sweep the floor by themselves, and dishes would be washed—oh how I wished I could do the same thing!!

It also reminded me of Snow White—when all the animals came to help and clean, and the dwarves’ dirty cottage was  transformed into a gleaming, clean, organized home.

That was the goal of my mother, and many women of her generation– to have a gleaming, clean and organized home.  A goal that was attained day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year.

I have to say right now—I love a clean, gleaming, organized home; however, I can count on my hands and toes, the times my home has been clean, gleaming and organized all at the same time.

My mother and mother-in-law make it look so easy, but I know it takes consistency, a plan, and habits.

When I was first married, I realized that I had none of those things—so I came up with a plan.  I made a list of everything that needed to be done in the house, how much time I thought each task would take, and assigned a day to each task.  I was determined to get some habits in place before I had children. 

I succeeded in my goals:  the little house we were renting was immaculate—something our landlady noted when she came to visit.

Then we moved—into the Residence Hall, (my husband was the Director of Housing at a local college where we both worked), and I got pregnant.  Every day, I would run into the apartment and into the bathroom to get sick.  Every single day of my pregnancy.   I remember sitting in the apartment with my husband, when the President of the college showed up at our door, with a group of people, to show off the newly remodeled Resident Director’s Apartment, and the apartment was a disaster.  Every time, I moved in this apartment—I got sick, and so I stopped moving and just sat with a kerchief over my nose to block out newly remodeled smells that were assaulting my senses.  Needless to say—I still cringe at the memory of that occasion and wish I had had more gumption to make my apartment the clean, gleaming organized place, I longed for it to be.

And that sums up– how much of my mental life has been lived—I have a goal and a standard, I may reach that goal and standard for a while, but eventually I fail—sometimes to my great embarrassment–I fail.  Then when I remember my failure—I beat myself up, and tell myself, “you should have, could have done better.”

I am believing lies. 

Lie number 1:  If you want to be significant, you must achieve (fill in the blank).  Everyone’s fill in will be different—it could be having a great job or position at a job—it could be having a clean house, or well-behaved children, etc. etc.

2.  If you want to be loved: you must be perfect. (You must perform your job perfectly, or be the perfect wife and mother, friend, or all of the above.)

3.  If you want to belong: you must be worthy.  To be worthy you must have position, power and possessions.

1. The truth is:  I am significant because I belong to Jesus.  In fact, I have been adopted into the family of God. (John 1:12: But to as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His Name.)

2. The truth is: I am loved by Jesus, which means I am loved, I belong, I am significant in His love. (Galatians 2:20b:  The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.)

3.  The truth is: Jesus has made me worthy and all who belong to Him worthy. ( 1 Peter 2:9a tells us:  But you are a chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a People for God’s own possession….)

When I believe these truths, I can be open about my failings and shortcomings, because I am already loved.  I already belong.  I have been made worthy.

When I believe these truths, I don’t have to look any farther than Jesus for my significance.  I can look at everything I do through His eyes—and I am motivated by His love to trust and obey Him. 

So instead of wanting to rush through the process of life and cleaning—I can savor the process of life and even the process of cleaning.  I can ask God to be a part of each moment—even cleaning can become an act of worship!

God is with us, each and every moment.  He loves us, we are significant in Him, and we belong to Him!!

                                                So Be Encouraged!!