A Value-Added Life is an Empowered Life

My daughter is the director and founder of a faith-based, non-profit organization called EMwomen (Empowering Women) that exists to embrace, educate, equip and empower women and girls who have been impacted by some of life’s greatest challenges. Many of these gals have come from lives of abuse, homelessness, addiction, abortion, and hopelessness. Now, they are transformed women as they turned those pains into blessings through the power of Jesus Christ in their lives. It is a honor to join with these precious women every week. Eleven of these gals met on Monday night, me included, and I was the honoree because it was my birthday. I was also the guest speaker. When Staci first asked me to speak on my birthday, my initial response was “No, I want to just chill on my birthday – not be thinking about speaking.” She understood. Our conversation ended. But, Holy Spirit nudged me to share, because IT IS my birthday. I quickly called her back and recanted.

I’m so happy I accepted “the call”. These precious women celebrated me by their presence AND their presents of themselves, beautiful cards, hand-written notes and precious gifts. In my talk I shared about my “empowered” life that started with a praying mother and becoming well acquainted with her value system. Those values included honesty, integrity, character and following the leading of my conscience when choosing right from wrong. She explained that our conscience is the Holy Spirit Who takes up residence in our hearts when we ask God to be the center of our lives through His Son, Jesus Christ. So, when I would head out with my friends or my boyfriend, her parting words of “Let your conscience be your guide!” stuck with me like glue. I heard her voice in my ears when I was choosing integrity, honesty, and character. Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking – and when she wasn’t looking!

What I remembered most about my mom was her unwavering faith. Faith, because her values began and ended with her relationship with God. She made it through some of the most difficult times (my dad’s debilitating illness when I was just eight years old, her being our sole provider, raising me and dad’s passing when I was fifteen). My mom’s value system passed down to me. It would equip and sustain me through plenty of tough times, but none greater than when my own husband became very ill and passed away. My Mom's abiding faith was because of her God-relationship and it is what I “preach and teach” daily through my blogs and counsel to others.

That is what I wanted most for these beautiful young women to get and embrace too. I’m purposing to live each remaining day of my life as if it is my last day. I mean it. I don’t want anything to come between me and God. I say “Forgive me a lot!” when I’ve chosen my words and actions unwisely. I ask God for forgiveness when I know I’ve messed up. I endeavor to spend each day wisely, acknowledge the Lord in prayer, spend daily time with Him, and serve Him in loving others, and in making a positive impact on our generation for Him.

As an “older woman who taught the younger women” (Titus 2:3-5) on Monday night, I am impressing upon you who are younger or older than me to live with the values of serving God with all your heart, letting the Holy Spirit be your guide – your conscience, and when you face a decision, “Do I or don’t I?” – to choose life. The abundant life – that even in the toughest times – you’ll be empowered to do the right things when no one is looking, and empowered to be the example of strong values when they are looking. I’m harvesting the blessings of living that empowered life and I assure you – it is a value-added life!

Calling All Mountain Climbers and Mountain Movers!

It seems everywhere we look, there are unconquerable mountains in front of us – both in the natural and the spiritual. This photo prompted me to write this blog. Mountains symbolize obstacles, immovability, challenges -- and if it’s a mountain the size of Kilimanjaro -- maybe hopelessness. But mountains also symbolize conquering, overcoming obstacles, making progress and winning some really huge victories!

Mountain-moving faith is possible because Jesus said so: “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.” (Mark 11:23). Jesus meant those words as a catalyst for us to get out of our hopeless mindset and into “Nothing is impossible with God", so, Lord, please give me that mountain-moving mindset!

We are meant to move mountains and see the impossible occur through faith in the unending promises of our sovereign Lord. Maybe there are some who are reading this blog and you have some personal mountains that need to be moved. God is in the mountain-moving business. Don’t doubt or underestimate what He wants to do in your life. You do your part in “climbing in faith” and He'll do His part in moving the mountain!

In spite of our own personal mountains, we are involved in conquering mountains of a different sort. We are no longer sitting silently about the mountains of negativity, evils, assaults on faith, respect for life and are climbing those mountains, too! We can no longer hide behind the excuse, "I don't want to get involved." Whether we like it or not, we are involved. The real question is "whose" morality will prevail. Whose mountains will crumble?

We’ve already seen the great outpouring of people who attended the movie “Unplanned”. This headline came out yesterday after the box office totals were revealed: “Breakout Box Office Hit: Pro-Life Film ‘Unplanned’ Edges Out ‘Captain Marvel’ in Key Screen Stat”. Despite opposition from so many media outlets and anti-Pro Life endorsers, it dominated in audience reviews, scoring a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and earning an A+ rating from CinemaScore. That’s what I call mountain-moving results because we wouldn’t keep silent.

We can't legislate morality, but we can restrain evil and deter wrongdoing. God doesn't need a super-majority, but He does need a humble minority that is willing to look at some mountains with audacious faith and say “Move. Get out of our way!” God's call is not to Washington or Hollywood, but to "if My people humble themselves" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

It's time for us to put on our mountain climbing gear and be willing to climb some mountains and expect to see change – with the common goal of brotherhood and respect for life and each other. Yes, it may seem mountains are looming before us and the sheer magnitude of the mountain makes us feel incapable of going over it, around it or through it. But we're not climbing without the support of unfailing support. God is on our side. As followers of Christ, while incredibly joy-filled and blessed, God clearly allows mountains in our lives – the difficult and narrow path, but He assures us He is walking side-by-side with us. Oh, but in the end, the rewards are so much more than the struggle. Ready to go mountain-climbing with me?

I Was Fed Up

"Fed Up” = has had enough of a situation; annoyed with a state of affairs that has persisted for a long time.

A year ago this January, a crown was placed on my back fractured tooth. I was hounded for years by my dentists to get that crown. The only problem I was having were those annoying dentists that kept prodding me to get it done. I gave in but as soon as the temporary crown was placed, that tooth started giving me grief that intensified when the permanent crown was on. I had headaches, and the pain increased when food or water was near that tooth. My dentist assured me within six months the pain would be gone. It wasn’t. She sent me to a specialist and he recommended a root canal or remove the tooth. I put up with it another six months. One year later, I was FED UP with the pain. Two weeks ago, hesitantly, because she didn't want to pull a good tooth (it wasn't good to me), she pulled it. There is a space back there but no more tooth pain and no more headaches! Why did I wait so long? One year of misery instead of taking action sooner than later?

Jesus told the story of the prodigal son who left home with his inheritance, squandered it all on a tawdry lifestyle, and ended up eating in the pig pen. Everything he needed was at his father’s home but he settled for the pain and misery until he got FED UP and went home. "My father’s servants have it so much better than this! I’ll go back and ask to be one of his servants!” Check out the love of the father and his response: “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. The father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s feast and celebrate’” (Luke 15:20-23). All the joy of his father’s love awaited him. He needed to get FED UP enough to go home to him.

Maybe you're FED UP with something in your life. Maybe a job where you're mistreated and overlooked You're ready to find a job where you are esteemed and valued. Maybe you're FED UP with the vices that you thought you had to have to make it through another day. You're ready to seek help from a Christian counselor or pastor. Most of all, if you are FED UP with looking in all the wrong places for hope and love and ready to "go back home", like the prodigal son, to His Father. No matter what we’ve done, when we come home to God, He wraps us in His love. He gives us His best and says, “All is forgiven! Let’s have a feast! My child has returned to me.”

Maybe you’re FED UP today. God sees you. He knows and cares about you. What a comfort to hear those words and to know we don’t have to live without hope any longer. Rather than being FED UP, it’s time to be FILLED UP with God's love, faith, hope, joy, peace, and all the full-meal-deal promises of His Word. Getting fed up is good because it means we go home to a celebration. And, like my freedom from constant tooth pain I let go way too long, you will know freedom from the pain of hopelessness, loneliness, sadness, fear, and regret. When you get fed up and make the change, you'll be celebrated and rejoiced over and your mourning will be turned into dancing.

Psalm 34:19: “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.”