Easy? Said who?

The coming month of October is going to be a very big month in my house.  For one, we've worked for 3 years toward remodeling our home and have continually put off putting in new flooring.  Now, we've finally arrived.  As I type, they are at my house laying the new tile and in the next couple weeks will be coming in the lay the new carpet.  Its a very big deal for me.  Another very big deal is that my husband is meeting with the board regarding his ministerial licensing.  This.Is.Huge.  Several years ago my family and I were visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Alexandria, LA when a man that I did not know asked my dad if I was married to a preacher.  My dad replied "No, she isn't married at all."  The man responded, "Well, she will be."  I had just gone through a horrible divorce and had moved back in with my parents.  I took that word that day as a promise from God that he had not forgotten about me. 

All those years ago, I made a mistake in believing what God said, but not realizing the whole truth. Mark Twain said, “It’s not what you know that hurts you. It’s what you know that isn’t so.” When God called me to be a minister's wife, to write, etc., I wholeheartedly believed Him.  Yet, as most humans do, I lack patience, so I mistakenly thought that if I just followed Him the results would be instantaneous. However, several important components.  First, elapsed time.  Brutally honest - after almost 10 years of "elapsed time," I had almost given up believing this day would arrive. 


We can read through Deuteronomy and the exciting adventures of the Israelites and miss the parts that reveal how much time elapsed. Moses spent forty years in Midian working for his father-in-law. For forty years Moses led an often rebellious Israel in the wilderness. Joshua came under Moses’ tutelage at age forty-five, but didn’t take over leading the nation until forty years later. Caleb “followed the LORD [his] God fully” for forty-five years. At age eighty-five Caleb, with the help of the LORD, drove out the Anakim and took as his inheritance from Moses the fortified cities and territory of Hebron (Joshua 14:6-15). Our journey and mission with God is for a lifetime; not the overnight-instant-success-name-it-and-claim-it pseudo gospel our modern culture leads us to believe. 
The whole issue isn't completely just in the waiting either.  I didn't have the slightest idea what this one simple day would require of me.  I had no idea it would take years of labor.  If you notice, throughout their lifetimes Moses, Joshua, and Caleb weren’t sitting in rocking chairs on the front porch, sipping coffee and waiting for God to do something amazing on their behalf.  They were working hard and doing battle.  God repeatedly told the Israelites to possess the Promised Land. Possess does not mean to merely show up and move in. Possess means “to occupy by driving out previous tenants and possess their place. By implication—to seize, to expel, destroy, without fail.” God expected the Israelites to do battle for their land.  Only the Lord knows the battles we have fought due to misguided, well-meaning saints and others who allowed Satan to use them as spears to pierce our hearts. 

Why did I believe pursuing God’s mission for me would be easy? Why did I fall for the subtle, but disabling lie that if I was living God’s plan for me everything would come together easily and on my timetable? How did I miss Exodus 23:29-30, where concerning possessing the Promised Land God tells Moses, “But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.” 
The new adventure October brings will definitely be scary, but I'm thankful that I've learned two valuable lessons becauase of it.  1) Living God’s mission requires hard work...and sometimes even going into battle. 2) Living God’s mission takes time and only God knows the timetable.  Only He can truly know when we have increased enough to take possession of our Promised Land.

XOXO
Amberly 

Fashion Friday - Color Blocking

If you've been to the mall or browsed thru any fashion magazine you've probably noticed a trend called

Colorblocking.

Graphic, bold, vibrant colors being worn in "sections" on your body in the form of wardrobe pieces make up this trend. By wearing one piece (say, your skirt) in one color (say, red) and then choosing a top that's purple. That's colorblocking.

It might be wearing a beige skirt with a black sweater and a red blazer. Get the picture?
It throws "column dressing" a little off kilter so remember that in case you're a little bit fluffy.

In the case of the not-so-perfect body (okay, so for most of us!) then try colorblocking in shoes,boots or a purse like these:

So there you have it! It's a terrific way to have that high fashion look, and wearing even just one of these items will make any outfit look Fall 2011 updated!

Happy Fashion Friday Ya'll!!
Amberly

*Taken from Shari Braendal's What to Wear Wednesday blog.

In Awe of YOU...

I read a quote this morning that really convicted me…

"In some ways, it’s those of us who are most familiar with the Spirit’s promises who are in the greatest danger. Someone has said that familiarity may not breed contempt, but it takes the edge off of awe. Something like this is true about the rich texts and glory-filled promises that drop the jaws or widen the eyes of newcomers but provoke no more than a raised eyebrow in the old-timers who have ceased to dream." – Jim McGuiggan

Are we so familiar with the presence of God that we are no longer awed by it? Are we so accustomed to the small, daily miracles that happen in our lives that we no longer thank God for them? I remember teaching a Bible study once to someone who knew nothing about the Bible or God. I will never forget her reading about the crossing of the Red Sea. She kept saying “Oh wow!! That’s so cool!” over and over again. I felt so convicted that I no longer responded that way. I had heard the story so many times and it had become just another Bible story to me, not really a “miracle” anymore in my eyes.

The same could be said for reaching new souls, for outreach, for discipleship. We get so familiar with the people around us that we no longer view them as lost. Once that happens, we lose our vision for church growth, we lose our passion for teaching Bible studies and training other people to win and teach new souls. Its then that church becomes just something good people do and we begin to lose our vision, we cease to dream.

Proverbs 29:18 says “Where there is no vision, the people perish…”

I looked up the word “vision” on dictionary.com. It says vision is “the act or power of anticipating that which will come or may come to be.” Spiritually, we die when we cease to dream about growth, when we stop seeing our altars filled with hungry souls, when we become so familiar with the people we work with and see on a daily basis that we no longer see them as hungry souls.

I believe many of us were filled with a new sense of vision yesterday and I pray that we can hold onto that. May we never perish spiritually because we lacked vision…may we always be asking God to see with His eyes.

XOXO,
Amberly

Back to School Shocking...

I love fashion.  Basically everyone knows that.  Some of you will remember the blog posts I did based on Shari Braendel's book.  This is a blog post she did last week.  She basically read my mind.  Its amazing what stores sell for "teen girls" to wear.

 

Here's what she said:

It's Back to School Shopping (Shocking) time again. Last week, my assistant Jill Marquis, took her teenage daughter shopping and in the middle of her shopping trip I got a text from her that simply said, "Shoot Me." Part of the reason she wanted to be put out of her misery is that so much of what is available to our girls these days is simply ridiculous. When she spilled the drudgery of her shopping trip I asked her to write this blog post. Read on:

I took my fifteen-year-old daughter shopping last week, along with about a gazillion other people, in an attempt to pick up some staples for the coming school year. Now I won’t go into the trauma and drama that usually surrounds clothes shopping with a teenaged girl, that’s a whole other blog post, or maybe a book, but I will tell you about the latest fashions for teens that I saw. That’s what shocked me. And trust me, I’m not easily shocked. In the search for the ever-elusive perfect clothing, we were in a very popular (judging from the crowds) place called the Wet Seal. This store caters to young women, selling everything from jeans to intimates. A lot of the clothes were fine, that is until I turned around and saw the wall of graphic tees. Lots of shirts with cute sayings on them, right?

Not so much…here are some examples:

I’m Not Shy, I Just Don’t Like You

Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Pretty 

 

Everyone Here Is Awesome Except You

Shall I keep going?

Born This Way

Reckless

I’m Bad

 

If Your Single, So am I (They didn't even get the spelling right)

 

Wanna Make Out

 

Nobody Remembers The Nice Girl

 

This is what society is selling our young women. What starts out as a bit sarcastic quickly moves right past suggestive and into propositions. But most of us don’t look at it like that – it’s just funny, a little suggestive, a joke.

 But it’s not – the message is not subliminal, it’s a full on assault of our girls.

What do these pithy little sayings mean?

“I’m not responsible for my own actions, I’m Born This Way”.

“I don’t think things through, I’m, Reckless”.

 

“I’m Bad because I think it’s easier and more fun than making the right choice”.

“I’ll abandon my standards to be with you because If You’re Single So am I”.

 

“I have no self-worth, I’m desperate to be popular, desperate to be loved,

 so do you Wanna Make Out?”.

And, in my opinion, the worst one:

“I will do what I have to in order to be noticed, I will cheapen myself, I will give myself away, I will be mean and hateful because Nobody Remembers The Nice Girl.”

Maybe I’ve got the messages wrong, maybe I’m crazy. It’s not like that’s what the shirts really say…but that’s what I see. And I see the insidious attack on our daughters’ minds that puts their souls at risk. All that from a little tee shirt.

Mom’s, talk to your daughters, engage their friends. Ask their opinions, share yours. Starting the conversation will open their eyes – while they might think it’s about fashion, it’s really about faith. - Jill Marquis, Event Coordinator for Shari Braendel

 

Ladies, talk and talk and talk to your daughters about what they wear. But don't just give them RULES, give them REASONS. Just like Jill stated above, tell them what the sayings on the shirts mean. Ask them if it's wise to spend their (or your) money in a store that sells items like this. I simply wouldn't spend one cent in a store that has clothes like that.

Help your daughters understand that she is beautiful and amazing. I know, I know, I'm preaching to the choir, but let's all stand together and refuse to shop in places that have such degrading things for our girls to wear. One person DOES make a difference. And one plus one plus one adds up. Shari Braendal. 

 

I love you girls!

Amberly

He Makes Me Happy...

I saw this today on a blog that I enjoy reading.  Its "The Write Word" by Sis. Rachel Coltharp, a pastor's wife in Illinois.  I hope you enjoy it :)

"My husband doesn't make me happy.

I recently asked a young lady in the throes of new looooooove to describe to me what she loved about her Prince Charming. I was saddened that her only response was "He makes me happy". Sad because she thought "happy" was enough. Enough to gloss over some serious character issues. Enough to ignore warnings from friends and family. When weighing out all the issues, happy was winning over responsibility and integrity. She thought that lonely was the worst thing imaginable. She thought that happy was enough. But I know better.

Back when I was younger and foolisher, as opposed to now being older and sometimes still foolish, I was under the false impression that being part of a marriage meant never being lonely again. I thought that when you (finally) got married there were no more frustrations in your relationship with The Man. That the, ahem, closeness, would smooth out most of your emotional/relational rough spots. I thought that being married to Brent was going to fill all the empty places in my heart. That being loved by him was going to be enough.... to be happy. Boy was I wrong.

I was wrong because a husband was never intended to make me happy. Being married was not supposed to mean that I would never be lonely again. Never hurt again. Never be frustrated again. Marriage was intended so that I could serve Brent when HE is frustrated, lonely, hurt. So that I could share in HIS joys. So that I can be the hands and feet and voice of Jesus Christ to this man I have pledged my life to. And it's his job/obligation/duty/right to do the same for me. In serving each other, we serve Christ.

Let me tell you right now, there have been plenty of times when one of us was doing most of the serving. MUCHO opportunities arise in marriage where one partner can't, or won't, do their fair share. It is during those times that "for better, for worse, sickness or health, richer or poorer" comes in. Those are not just pretty poetic phrases. Honey pie, better may or may not come, but WORSE is around the corner. Health is not going to last forever, and sickness is not the least bit lovely. Poorer we recognize as being a potential difficulty, but richer can be too. Marriage is designed not to make me more happy, but to make me more holy.

Being married means that I have someone to share parts of my life with. Parts, yes, parts. Some things I can only truly share with God. The things for which there are no words. The times that my soul longs for more than any earthly person could ever fulfill. The hurts that no human touch, word or empathy can heal. He was never intended to. When I finally learned this, muuuuuch later than I wish I had, I freed Brent from unrealistic expectations. And in freeing him, I freed myself.

So while I share my happiest moments with Brent, while our relationship is the most satisfying and rewarding and enjoyable one I have, he does not MAKE me happy. Happy is a fleeting emotion. Quickly here. Quickly gone. No, Brent does not make me happy. But he shares my happy. And my pain. And he blesses me with the treasures of the ages, fidelity, patience, forgiveness, respect. Put "happy" on one side and those on the other.... there is just no comparison. And by the way.... I don't make him happy either."

Taken from http://rachelcoltharp.blogspot.com/
 
Love you ladies!!
Amberly

I Will Wait For You

Ok girlies, Natalie is coming out of blog-retirement! It's a miracle! Just found this today and wanted to share it with all of you. I hope you will continue to be strong and wait for the "perfect" man that God has for you.  Love you all! xo

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igCj3jsbcqs